Toronto Maple Leafs Thread - Leafers, Let's Try To Keep Leaf Talk Here

**b_illin** · 10-11-2007, 04:28 PM

Last year, after numerous comments & complaints, I decided to start the 'Official Leaf Lovers Thread' - soon after the 'Official Leaf Haters Thread' was born (which completely went against the reason I started the thread in the first place - not for praising the leafs as much trying to keep non-Leafers happy by not filling the board with Leaf talk)

Anyway, the 'Leafs get raked' thread started the hating up again (feel free to read my sole post in that thread) and it is muy frustrating as a Leaf fan to have to deal with it. Y'all hate that there are so many Leaf fans (some are dumb fucks, we know) and we (Leafers) hate how much hatred there is and how quickly we get piled on. These two sides will never see the others point of contention, so why bother continuing with this vicious circle?

So, there will be both positive comments about the Leaf in this thread and there will be critical (NOT negative) comments in this thread, but please, no hating. (and please don't start another Haters thread - is it really necessary?)

I am going to give a brief example of a critical (NOT negative) comments regarding the Leafs;

- McCabe needs to be traded - I cannot believe how horrid he has looked this season.
- MLSE (ownership) is majority owned by the Ontario Teachers Pension. Their mandate is to make a handsome profit, not win Stanley Cups. It is far easier to sell out every game when they give us the impression they are trying to ice a team that can win the Cup than it is to actually win the Cup and raise expectations (which lead to those expectations getting dashed and fans possibly hitting MLSE where it hurts, in their pocket). This is why they have not decided to rebuild like the Flyers recently have done. A lot of Leaf fans these days are all for rebuilding process where we sell off our valuable veterans and get picks/prospects in return. In this new NHL, rebuilding can take 1-3 yrs which is not a long time.

To further muddy the waters, I read a Damien Cox (President of the Leaf Haters club!) blog piece saying that MLSE has it's (greasy) fingers in too many other ventures - the Raptors, Toronto FC, building condos, booking concerts, etc. The result is that there is not enough focus on the hockey team...at least as much as there should be given the market and the fanbase, etc.

So, see, Leaf fans can be critical of their team too!

I will say again, please refrain from hating on the Leafs here (or in another thread) as it simply is not necessary. I, a Leaf fan, am taking the first step towards trying to reduce all the Leaf-related bickering on here. Help me out!

Thanks and happy posting!!

**tfaz07** · 10-11-2007, 04:42 PM

that thread wasn't needed. (Leafs get raked) I understand that people get upset with all the loud, annoying leaf fans but they think all of us are. I thought i remember seeing that someone posted in there cuz of all the obnoxious leaf fans when we hadn't done anything this season yet. They are just as bad IMO.

But as for the rebuilding. I don't understand why we don't. I can see that they don't want to dissapoint the fans with a few bad seasons but that is what most want. As long as it means we will contend afterwards

**WinnipegWingnut** · 10-11-2007, 04:46 PM

Time for a new GM, and a Management team that wants to win. I hate the Leafs, but I would like to see them in the playoffs again. The NHL is missing out on huge revenue by not having the most popular team in the playoffs. TV ratings would go up, attendance figures... everything.

**b_illin** · 10-11-2007, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by WinnipegWingnut

Time for a new GM, and a Management team that wants to win. I hate the Leafs, but I would like to see them in the playoffs again. The NHL is missing out on huge revenue by not having the most popular team in the playoffs. TV ratings would go up, attendance figures... everything.

Seriously, good points. (and I agree an across-the-organization change is needed...I'd love to start with ownership!)

**WinnipegWingnut** · 10-11-2007, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by b_illin

Seriously, good points. (and I agree an across-the-organization change is needed...I'd love to start with ownership!)

Ownership will never change. That's like telling a group you want to buy their money making machine for a dollar when they know it'll make them 10 dollars that year.

What the Leafs need is a good GM, like the Raptors GM. One that wants to win, not just stay put because the building is full and the merch is selling.

I know it's hard to envision if you've tried to buy a Leaf ticket the last 10 years, but if they keep losing and missing the playoffs, the fans will finally get fed up. That is when you'll see MLSE do something, but not until then.

You Leaf fans should start a non-sit in, quit buying tickets!

**beely** · 10-11-2007, 04:57 PM

Anton Stralman and Simon Gammach (sp) make their leafs debut tonight =)

I want to see what this stralman is about as he's getting a lot of hype

**b_illin** · 10-11-2007, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by WinnipegWingnut

Ownership will never change. That's like telling a group you want to buy their money making machine for a dollar when they know it'll make them 10 dollars that year.

What the Leafs need is a good GM, like the Raptors GM. One that wants to win, not just stay put because the building is full and the merch is selling.

I know it's hard to envision if you've tried to buy a Leaf ticket the last 10 years, but if they keep losing and missing the playoffs, the fans will finally get fed up. That is when you'll see MLSE do something, but not until then.

You Leaf fans should start a non-sit in, quit buying tickets!

I'd love to but the combination of crazy demand and huge corporate ownership of seats (I'd say at least half the lower bowl are company tickets), it isn't going to happen.

**b_illin** · 10-11-2007, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by beely

Anton Stralman and Simon Gammach (sp) make their leafs debut tonight =)

I want to see what this stralman is about as he's getting a lot of hype

Stralman I think needs a year in the AHL to develop - there is no need to rush him, so let him get used to NA ice and play.

Gamache however I am very eager to see as I think he could stick. He has wheels, he can score and he had great chemistry with Steen & Stajan in the preseason if memory serves.

gagne21 · 10-11-2007, 08:49 PM

How the hell do the Leafs lose a game 7-1, then come back with a 7-1 win (midway through third)...unbelievable.

On a side note, how good has Stajan been so far this year...money.

**phaneuf6** · 10-11-2007, 08:52 PM

Wow what a great moment for Sundin. Congrats to him and here's to many more to come.

gagne, Stajan HAS been money and if him and Steen can keep contributing like this the Leafs have a very bright future, both this season and for many seasons to come.

**phaneuf6** · 10-11-2007, 08:54 PM

OK, right when I post Gamache snips top cheese and Stajan gets another apple. Wow.

**Hamsterkill** · 10-11-2007, 09:09 PM

I actually don't have a problem with most leaf fans. I even posed for a picture with a couple attractive female ones when the leafs visited the pens last year, heheh.

**tinkeysersoze** · 10-11-2007, 09:14 PM

Gamache had a hell of a game! I like

And Hamster, come on, we'd pose for a couple of hotties in Pittsburgh jerseys too

**two24four** · 10-11-2007, 09:18 PM

Nice win tonight.

I like what Sundin said after the game tonight, he said even the team who wins the Stanley Cup this year will lose a few games like they did the other night, he's right.

Great game tonight, good bounce back game after a pretty shitty loss.

**Monan** · 10-11-2007, 09:20 PM

good win tonight to your team fellas. nice way to bounce back.

**Dubz** · 10-11-2007, 09:47 PM

I noticed the absence of Bates and Poni...Bates has not really been into it so far so's I can understand the switch...But Poni? Just curious if he was a healthy scratch tonite?

**beely** · 10-11-2007, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by sdubzz

I noticed the absence of Bates and Poni...Bates has not really been into it so far so's I can understand the switch...But Poni? Just curious if he was a healthy scratch tonite?

he was helped off during practice....so, injured

**two24four** · 10-11-2007, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by sdubzz

I noticed the absence of Bates and Poni...Bates has not really been into it so far so's I can understand the switch...But Poni? Just curious if he was a healthy scratch tonite?

No Poni was hurt yesterday in practice, they are not sure yet how much time he will miss, I heard it may not be to long.

Also big Congrats tonight too Mats Sundin on becoming the all-time Leafs leader in both Goals and Pts on his goal he scored tonight,

Sundin

**tinkeysersoze** · 10-11-2007, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by gagne21

How the hell do the Leafs lose a game 7-1, then come back with a 7-1 win (midway through third)...unbelievable.

On a side note, how good has Stajan been so far this year...money.

Can anyone say "WAKE UP CALL!!" lol.

Or maybe it's that the Canes are good and the Isles are.....well.....the Isles

**Dubz** · 10-11-2007, 10:04 PM

Thanks guys

And a BIG hats off to Mats.....Loved his comments too. They dont lack leadership thats for certain.

**tinkeysersoze** · 10-12-2007, 08:13 AM

Seems like the Canes have re-awakened for sure, giving Ottawa their first loss, they look good unfortunately....I know it's not exactly Leafs related, but they made us look bad

**b_illin** · 10-12-2007, 08:38 AM

Why Poni didn't play;

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NHL/article/265680

The Maple Leafs realized their effort Tuesday night against Carolina was so dismal they needed an intense practice yesterday to begin their atonement.
Unfortunately for Alex Ponikarovsky, the intensity level nearly left him with a serious knee injury.
The big winger crashed along the boards with another big winger – Chad Kilger – and Ponikarovsky got the worst of it.
"I thought something was wrong," said Ponikarovsky, who barely raised himself to his knees, cursed and smashed his helmet to the ice before limping off with help from the medical staff.
More than an hour after practice, long after the rest of the players had gone, Ponikarovsky emerged from treatments and said he hopes to play tonight when the Leafs face off against the Islanders at the Air Canada Centre.
"I feel okay, we'll see how it goes (today)," said Ponikarovsky, saying he twisted muscles between his knee and ankle on his left leg.
The Ponikarovsky-Kilger collision underlined how intense the practice was and how urgent the team's situation is even at this early juncture.

**chgorman** · 10-12-2007, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by tinkeysersoze

Can anyone say "WAKE UP CALL!!" lol.

Or maybe it's that the Canes are good and the Isles are.....well.....the Isles

Same Isles that are leading the Atlantic division! (albeit with a few more gp than anybody else).

I hear ya Tin, this is just my bass-ackwards way of giving the Leafs some credit. They played very well against (IMO) a surprisingly good Isles team. Not saying the Isles are great, but I definitely didn't expect them to come out of the gate this hot.

Another thing to consider... although the Leafs obviously played great, Dubie had a pretty dubious game. I imagine if Ricky D was in goal, it would've been a little closer. Maybe not, and regardless, they played a great game, so good for them (and all you Leaf fans), must be quite nice to see after the thrashing they took against CAR. Congrats to the Leafs and their fans!

**tinkeysersoze** · 10-15-2007, 02:41 PM

Thx chgor! In all seriousness though, I give the Isles about a month's worth of success. Ricky D is their best player for sure, and the free agent line has looked good so far, but I really don't feel they are going to remain a playoff team year-round, but the Canes on the other hand.....they are so fast it was dizzying to watch! Just my opinion, perhaps biased against the Isles, but there it is

**vinzanity** · 10-15-2007, 03:51 PM

Leafs gonna win tonight, baby! No offence to VETO, but the team seems to play better with Razor as the last line of defense.

**narduch** · 10-15-2007, 03:55 PM

Weird fact: Toronto will be facing a back up goalie for the 3rd straight game.

**phaneuf6** · 10-15-2007, 06:27 PM

Ice looks terrible in Buffalo. Raycroft is on fire so far....lets hope Blake starts getting going now.

**phaneuf6** · 10-15-2007, 06:34 PM

<3 Gamache.

**szuturon** · 10-15-2007, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by narduch

Weird fact: Toronto will be facing a back up goalie for the 3rd straight game.

We're bribing the opposing teams every night.

"We'll give Mccabe more icetime if you start your backup goalie"

**phaneuf6** · 10-15-2007, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by szuturon

We're bribing the opposing teams every night.

"We'll give Mccabe more icetime if you start your backup goalie"

I'd rather see more starting goaltenders...

Thread: Toronto Maple Leafs Thread - Leafers, Let's Try To Keep Leaf Talk Here

Thread Tools

Toronto Maple Leafs Thread - Leafers, Let's Try To Keep Leaf Talk Here

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

Posting Permissions