YES Chicago!

[Dan668]

Haha Bruins pulled a move from the Leafs handbook.

[glen]

aaaaah that feels better.

[kickingfrog]

Dagger. Chelsea Dagger.

[danc]

The cup is coming back home to Thunder Bay! it's been here lots lately. Twice with Patrick Sharpe, and twice with the Stahl bros. Congrats to the Black Hawks.

[kickingfrog]

The Conn Smythe vote is a complete joke… again.

[jedimaster]

Wow awesome Bickel had a great playoffs. Local kid on a low end contract. He fishes bass tournaments in ontario. 2 cups under his belt and a huge goal to tie it up... and on another front did anyone notice the leafs picked up burnier from la?

[davey buoy]

Wow awesome Bickel had a great playoffs. Local kid on a low end contract. He fishes bass tournaments in ontario. 2 cups under his belt and a huge goal to tie it up... and on another front did anyone notice the leafs picked up burnier from la?

I did,with Frattin and a draft pick,not sure if this is a good thing or not.There might of been a third player as well?,not sure .

[d_paluch]

I did,with Frattin and a draft pick,not sure if this is a good thing or not.There might of been a third player as well?,not sure .

Bernier for Frattin, Scrivens, and a 2nd rounder

[davey buoy]

Bernier for Frattin, Scrivens, and a 2nd rounder

That's the third name.Did hear that.What do you think?,seems like a lot to give for a maybe "super goalie".Don't know much about Bernier.

[d_paluch]

That's the third name.Did hear that.What do you think?,seems like a lot to give for a maybe "super goalie".Don't know much about Bernier.

I feel the same way.

 

It was well known that he is *supposed* to be a number 1, but with the uprising of Jonathan Quick, Bernier was forced to the bench. He has less experience than Reimer, but more upside according to the analysts. I think it will be good to have him and Reimer battling, just like Reims/Scrivens this year. I do feel like Frattin has a lot of upside though, and I bet the Leafs are expecting to finish in the top 5 this coming season so that 2nd rounder isn't going to be very high.

 

Without a doubt our goaltending got better, and assuming Frattin never becomes an elite player, and lets be honest, I doubt he will, I think the Leafs won the trade. I can't help but feel for Reimer though, he played so well last season, but unfortunately showed his inexperience in that game 7 (albeit the team in front of him didn't do much to help in the second half of the 3rd period).

 

Should be an interesting summer. I hear David Clarkson is wanting to come to Toronto, and he would be a PERFECT fit on the team. I have also heard that Bozak isn't very close to resigning, and MacArthur isn't either. That would free up a lot of space in the line up, and maybe we can even get a true number 1 center.

 

Also heard rumors about Phaneuf being on the way out....but its all rumors at this point

[davey buoy]

I feel the same way.

 

It was well known that he is *supposed* to be a number 1, but with the uprising of Jonathan Quick, Bernier was forced to the bench. He has less experience than Reimer, but more upside according to the analysts. I think it will be good to have him and Reimer battling, just like Reims/Scrivens this year. I do feel like Frattin has a lot of upside though, and I bet the Leafs are expecting to finish in the top 5 this coming season so that 2nd rounder isn't going to be very high.

 

Without a doubt our goaltending got better, and assuming Frattin never becomes an elite player, and lets be honest, I doubt he will, I think the Leafs won the trade. I can't help but feel for Reimer though, he played so well last season, but unfortunately showed his inexperience in that game 7 (albeit the team in front of him didn't do much to help in the second half of the 3rd period).

 

Should be an interesting summer. I hear David Clarkson is wanting to come to Toronto, and he would be a PERFECT fit on the team. I have also heard that Bozak isn't very close to resigning, and MacArthur isn't either. That would free up a lot of space in the line up, and maybe we can even get a true number 1 center.

 

Also heard rumors about Phaneuf being on the way out....but its all rumors at this point

Could not of said it better myself.Agree with you 100%,Won't cry to much if Phanuf goes,but a number one centre is still needed with the goalie positions wrapped up for now.

[bobogo]

bernier played many games this shortened season due to J.quick playing very poorly. LA still played quick as much as they could but bernier got alot of games in and played well in those games. If quick haven't won that cup for them last year, bernier would've taken over in LA. Their goalie battle in LA is just as intense as it was in Toronto. They were always expecting bernier to over take quick but it just never happened.

They say reimer and bernier will have to fight for the #1 spot but imo no doubt that bernier will be the #1 in toronto's crease this fall.

 

*edit. loved the ending too... no better way for it to end for a leafs fan

Edited June 25, 2013 by bobogo

[Henricus]

The Conn Smythe vote is a complete joke… again.

So it's not just me then? Brutal...won't go in the corner or near the opposing crease but wins Conn Smythe. Unbelievable.

[kickingfrog]

So it's not just me then? Brutal...won't go in the corner or near the opposing crease but wins Conn Smythe. Unbelievable.

It's not so much that, as the fact that for large parts of the play-offs he was completely missing in action.

[kickingfrog]

Bernier for Frattin, Scrivens, and a 2nd rounder

And the Leafs keep $500 000 in cap money that helps the Kings cap problems.

[jedimaster]

Bernier is the real deal. 6 shutouts in 62 games off the bench. I would have liked to have seen reimer moved and kept scrivens as a backup. Scrivens is a backup only. Reimer is a middle range goalie at best. Too good to be a backup too many holes to be a starter on a contender. Frattin and the second rounder I am fine with. Now if it is possible to move reimer for a vet with a few years in the tank as a backup and mentor or find a top dog center I really like the team moving forward. Kadri made huge strides last year and made everyone around him better. Jvr fit in great as a gritty power forward.

[leaf4]

I would have liked to have seen reimer moved and kept scrivens as a backup. Scrivens is a backup only. Reimer is a middle range goalie at best. Too good to be a backup too many holes to be a starter on a contender. Frattin and the second rounder I am fine with. Now if it is possible to move reimer for a vet with a few years in the tank as a backup and mentor

Why would you want to keep a lesser goalie as opposed to 2 budding goalies who you can use as trade bait once they develop a little more? Although I do see this tandem of Reimer and Bernier to be a wicked duo, and I'm sure there will be a rivalry between the two so that will only push them harder to play better

[kickingfrog]

Why would you want to keep a lesser goalie as opposed to 2 budding goalies who you can use as trade bait once they develop a little more? Although I do see this tandem of Reimer and Bernier to be a wicked duo, and I'm sure there will be a rivalry between the two so that will only push them harder to play better

In today's cap world it's not always about having the best.

[jedimaster]

Eventually they will need to resign both and will lose one. To have a solid backup and a solid number 1 is better Imo than two number ones. Look at vancouver.

[leaf4]

If you can sign both of these guys to 4 year deals that arent way overpriced they'll win if it pans out and at the end of that 4 years they can pick from there or deal one before that time and pick up a new prospect and or veteran backup

[Henricus]

It's not so much that, as the fact that for large parts of the play-offs he was completely missing in action.

Agreed. But to see Teows getting murdered night after night, taking on the oppositions best defenceman every single shift and Kane waiting in the high slot reaping the rewards just doesn't seem right. Crawford probably should have won it. I would have rather seen Keith win it than Kane.

[dhickey]

I was having a thought today and it hurt..

 

I think the reason we don't see any 2nd year cup winners is simply because they are to beet up and don't have time to recover?

The only reason I say this is because I remember Montreal winning 5 in a row I remember Edmonton and the Rangers .

The drive for 5 was the ultimate goal...

 

The final was played in April/May...Not the end of JUNE!!!

 

In todays game if you make it to the final your to beet up to start next years training camp never mind making through the regular season and getting into the cup final to defend Lord Stanlys Cup.!

 

Its simply INSANE.

 

So.

now we are looking at 2 teams that have been contenders since winning the cup over the last 4 years?

 

Who has a chance at winning the cup next year???

 

I can promise you it wont be Boston or Chicago.....

And that's a shame.

 

I feel that its time to shorten the season (not withstanding strikes or lock outs)...

 

Simply because I feel that this shortened season was by far the best HOCKEY we have seen in several years.

 

Lets go TORONTO and BOSTON and the cup winners CHICAGO BLACK HAWKS.

 

Good luck.

 

This season was incredible.

Thanks.

[kickingfrog]

Top to bottom the league is more evenly balanced (some would argue that's not a good thing).

 

Also for a long time 12 of 18 teams (and then 16 of 21 made the playoffs. And for part of that era the number 1 team played the 12th (and the 16th) placed team. It wasn't until the mid '80's that there were 4 rounds of best of 7 series. Combine those factors with free agency and now a cap and it is very hard to stock pile talent and win multiple cups.