So tell me how is this team better than last years. Radulov and his 18 goals, 54 points against JVRs 29 goals, 62 points. Bozak outscored the declining Thornton. Smith over Hunwick? Overpaying the the average defensively at best Shattenkirk.

Ideal Saturday for the other 30 teams in the league. I want you to remember the leafs are rebuilding. All free agent signings are not only older, but they are vastly overpaid. All this would do would make the leafs have extreme difficulties holding on to all 3 of Marner, Nylander and Matthews in their contract years. This plan sets the team back 10 years.

Numbers are not everything, JVR and bozak are good offensive players, but they were the most sheltered line on the team and even with this, they allowed far too many shots against. If the team wants to improve we need to limit the shots against which is what every one of these players do. Also, what makes you say that shattenkirk is bad defensively? The only way to determine a persons defense is through numbers, shot differentials, usage rates and quality of competition. Also, Brendan smith is 1 million times better than hunwick. If you want to get started on analytics, head to ownthepuck.blogspot.ca

Explain how it sets he team back? All of these deals are 2 years besides shattenkirk and did you see what hamonic got in a trade? Shattenkirk is worth at least 3x ore and will have no problem getting moved if we dont need him. The team is also not rebuilding anymore, the core is set and this team made the playoffs next year. There is a unique cup window in the next 2 years that can only be fulfilled through free agency. Also, this team has no bad contracts, we can afford to resign all of our players after the 19/20 season and have aapproimately 10 mil more.

Filling the team with older players doesn't give the development most of the young players need as they won't have as much opportunity in the NHL. We want guys like Dermott, Bracco, Rosen, Gauthier, Rychel, Leivo, Timashov, Liljegren, Griffith, etc to get looks in the next 2 years as they are all a part of the future of the team. The team is not a cup contender now, they don't have the legs, the defence, the depth or the experience to go on a long playoff run and it is very likely that they finish somewhere between 6-10 in the eastern conference this year.

While it is important to have some veterans and I would love to see a leader like Thornton or Doan come in here for a year and be a true leader, I believe that there is a limit to that. 7m for Shattenkirk is realistic, but needless to say its an overpayment for a defence man who cannot be a true number 1 with out a sturdy defensive d-man beside him. in 3 years he big 3 on the leafs will be getting paid at least a combined 20 million, probably somewhere closer to 23 million. Investing 7 million in an older d-man is also going to essentially rule out the resigning of Gardiner.

I just don't get why leafs fans are losing track of the rebuild, its worked so far but why screw it up now. Lou said at the draft that it would be idiotic to try and speed up the process, and that they are going to try and stay the course on the rebuild and see where it takes them. The leafs have tried to speed up the rebuild far too many times (Kessel Trade) and I cannot/ will not be a leafs fan if they do it again.

Be patient, good times are coming for leafs fans. If we stay with this core of guys we have potential to be contenders for the next 10 years, we just can't rush it.

I agree that there are problems with that team. JVR is at least as good as Radulov, for almost half the price in this scenario. I would consider keeping him long-term with the team even. The Radulov move, at 8M???, I would not consider at all. Justin Williams is right-handed, and a RW, a position where we already have depth. If anything, as a UFA the Leafs should acquire a LW to play behind JVR. Marleau would be my choice. He asked to leave the Sharks (I believe), and he fits the Leafs, the timing for the evolution of the cap. I like him a lot.

Replacing Bozak, one of the best centres on face-offs in the league, requires a strong justification. Thornton is reliable defensively, but the change is only relevant if the Leafs have decided that Bozak leaves after the next season.

The only place where I would agree with the "risk" is Shattenkirk. I liked the idea of a Colin Miller or a Josh Manson better though, especially if Brendan Smith were to join the team (an expensive choice for a third pairing, but the Leafs could afford the luxury).

Those prospects that you mentioned either dont have potential to be more than a 3rd line/3rd pair or are not ready for the show yet. All of these contracts except shattenkirks will be done before matthew, marner, gardiner need contracts. Travis Hamonic just got traded for a 1st and 2 2nds, just think how easy it will be to trade shattenkirk after 3 50 plus point seasons. By every stat there is, shattenkirk is a no.1 who stablizes our top 4 while waiting for liljegren. These signings are signings, no assets are lost, these moves push this team to the very top of the league. Everyone wants to speed the rebuild idk what you are talking about, the problem with doing this is when the future is sacrificed where it is not in this scenario. I think that you are really underestimating this team, a number 1 star goalie, top 5 offence and 3 solid top 4 d and 3 depth d. These deals give the team a number 1 d and a number 4, as well as the best offence in the league hands down. These moves will lead the team to a stanley cup now without lowering the odds over the next 10 years.

Every deal except for shattenkirk is an overpayment, but we have 20+ mil in cap space while waiting for the contracts after the 19/20 season. The dollar amount really does not matter when the team can afford it, you have to convince these players to come if you cant promise term. Also, JVR and bozak are some of the worst defensive forwards in the league and the team isnt in need for their offence. Thornton, Radulov and williams all bring a passionate 2-way game that would be and improvement to komarov jvr and bozak. I would love Manson, but i think its clear that the ducks are not willing to deal him. In terms of Colin Miller, i feel like if he was available he would be on the team by now, but why give up assets when you can sign shattenkirk for free and flip him when youre done with him

Dermott, Bracco and Liljegren look to be top 6 fwd/ top 4 d (maybe even top 2 D) and should be getting decent looks in the roster in 2 seasons. Rosen, Rychel, Leivo and Griffith all have potential to be Top 6/ Top 4, but will currently look like they will be solid 3rd line guys. Timashov and Gauthier could be a huge hit or miss, but they still will be contributors to the team whether they are on the 4th line or not. All of these players will be part of the leafs roster in 4 years time (barring any injuries or trades), so even if they are on the 3rd line there is no reason they shouldn't get some NHL experience, thats just bad management.

The issue with Shattenkirk is he has never been the best defenceman on any team he's been on. He's always been partnered with a sturdy defensive d-man to stay back while he goes up and rushes. The past two seasons he's been a combined -21 and that is not someone the leafs need. Yes he's flashy, fast, he will score a lot of goals and put up probably close to 50 points but that isn't a hole the leafs need to fill. The Leafs need more stability at the back end and Shattenkirk hasn't proven he can provide that. Not even to mention we will be paying him almost 10% of our cap until he's 36! Outrageous. He will get overpaid, but I can assure you the team to do that will not be Toronto.

The truth is Leafs fans who have been through the pain of the last 20 years are happy with what we are getting. Good hockey for the first time in years, with some excitement. The leafs fans who have been through it all know that our faults in the past were all caused by us never committing to a rebuild. We finally did and we've only been doing it for 2, maybe 3 seasons. Its a slow process and its not always fun, but I can assure you that trying to speed it up has never worked for any other team, especially with purchasing the most expensive free agents in a really weak free agent pool.

Lou said he has no plans on speeding up the rebuild and Pierre LeBrun said today that the leafs will not speed up the rebuild by purchasing a defenceman, they will just continue with the stockpiling of prospects.