Buds to gaze at the bouncing ping pong balls : Odds are they’ll end up Picking 6th

   The Leafs will pick 1st, 5th or 6th and the way this season ended you can bet  they will pick 6th. However as all Leaf fans know ‘Hope springs eternal’.

So they are entitled to a shot at the elusive number one pick in the NHL entry draft.  However this, of course, doesn’t mean the winner of the ping pong ball lottery will actually chose first. They might (as in the Phil Kessel deal) trade the pick to another team. Or if the opportunity should arise for Rick Nash.

 So here without further ado are odds on picking first.

1 – Columbus – 25.0%
2 – Edmonton – 18.8%
3 – Montreal – 14.2%
4 – NY Islanders – 10.7%
5 – Toronto – 8.1%
6 – Anaheim – 6.2%
7 – Minnesota – 4.7%
8 – Carolina – 3.6%
9 – Winnipeg – 2.7%
10 – Tampa Bay – 2.1%
11 – Washington (via COL) – 1.5%
12 – Buffalo – 1.1%
13 – Dallas – 0.8%
14 – Calgary – 0.5%

*NOTE: No team can move up more than four spots, or move down more than one.

The Blue Jackets enter Tuesday’s drawing with a 25.0-percent chance of winning the Lottery. If a team outside the bottom five in the standings wins, then Columbus will get the top choice, improving their odds to 48.2 percent. League rules dictate that no team can drop more than one spot, so the Blue Jackets will have at least the first or second pick in the draft.

The team with the fewest points in the League has gotten the highest pick at the Lottery the last three years. League rules dictate that no team can drop more than one spot, so the Blue Jackets will have at least the first or second pick in the draft.

Whichever team receives the first choice will have a number of outstanding prospects to choose from.

The 2012 Draft will take place June 22-23 at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh.

The League, in cooperation with TSN, will unveil the results of the Draft Lottery as it happens live at 8 p.m. during a 30-minute program on TSN in Canada. The special presentation, which establishes the order of the first 14 picks of the 2012 Draft, also will air in the U.S. on NBC Sports Network. The remaining selections will be determined at the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

- El Puncho

Wilson Made Scapegoat:GM, Players & Media Let Coach Down

  Today we say goodbye to Ron Wilson and welcome  Randy Carlyle to the hot seat. The coaching job of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Carlyle knows his days are already numbered. You’re hired to be fired. Carlyle found that out in Anaheim and he’ll find it out in Toronto. But enough about Randy Carlyle, this blog is about Ron Wilson ex-coach of the Leafs.

   Wilson was hired before Bryan Burke became GM of the Leafs. Make no mistake about it he is a veteran coach who has won his share of games, however he was playing with the deck stacked against him in Toronto. He assumed the coaching position of a team run into the ground by the previous administration.

  He could only work with the team that was assembled by others. His buddy BB came aboard with promises of rebuilding the Leafs and over the course of the last four years has attempted to do just that. However in rebuilding the Leafs he failed to provide Wilson with the ability to compete on a daily basis.

   This season Wilson was forced to attempt to win with a run and gun offence, something that  didn’t work for Pat Quinn and hasn’t worked since the ‘firewagon hockey’ days of the Habs in the sixties.

  This Leaf team is poor defensively and in goal. That is a fact. They’re fast I’ll give them that but they are vertically challenged. Size still counts in hockey as does strength. The Leafs lack of both is apparent when you see them being pushed aside if they venture in front of the net.

  So whose fault is it. Certainly not Wilsons. Blame it on Burke. He traded for this band of Munchkins.

   It is the players fault for playing out the season as if it had ended prematurely. Missed assignments and failure to communicate were very evident during the last days of Wilson’s tenure.

   The Media has played a large part in the firing of Ron Wilson and should share a corresponding portion of the blame. Called ‘Rotten Ronnie’ by the scribes, says it all. Wilson did not appear to enjoy dealing with the media, who then complained about his attitude. Perhaps they wanted him to be a buddy. Unfortunately I feel that Randy Carlyle will treat them in the same fashion.

El Puncho

 

 

Nash Trade Proposal: Final Offer

Getting sick of hearing what Columbus Straight Jackets want in return for Nash? Well so am I. So for the record here is a trade proposal that should break the logjam.

The last rumour reported is CBJ want the following from the Buds.

Gardiner + 1st + Kulemin + Kadri

Here is my final proposed trade offer.

(2) 1sts, (2) 2nds, Kulemin & Kadri

                 * The Buds first need to trade Grabovski for a first round pick and  apparently that offer is on the table.

** Do I think something like this will happen we’ll see. But the Buds need to move on to other scenarios quickly.

Burkie’s Plan B

PLAN B

Looks as if the Leafs, unable to come up with the top 6 forward that
Burkie covets wil have to revert to plan B. There is no way this group will be able to do any damage if they somehow manage to stumble their way into the playoffs…

So here is Plan B, at least in my opinion.

#1  What to do with Grabovski. There is no way in God’s green earth that he is worth $5M per year for 4 years. As a UFA his days are numbered in Toronto unless he ‘s signed for $4.5M per or less. It’s difficult to get much for him unless you’re willing to take draft picks. Im my humble opinion he’s worth a #1 pick & a #2 pick.

#2 UFA’s……Jonas Gustavsson (Goal) – UFA, Joey Crabb  (For) – UFA – Gustavsson should be worth  a #2 pick, and Crabb a #3 pick.

#3 Cap reducing trades…Mike Komiserek  Def  -  $4.5M, Colby Armstrong  For – $3.25M…return #2 rnd picks or 3rd line players.

#4 Other potential players who could be moved in order to bring in younger players and draft picks…Tim Connolly $4.75, Matthew Lombardi $3.5M and Clarke MacArthur $3.35M

   This would allow them more Cap space for runs at UFA players in the summer
 and also gives them the opportunity to stockpile draft picks or younger players
that can be used as bargaining chips in potential trades.

Which of these moves will BB make?

Grabovsky unless signed & perhaps Komisarek.

- El Puncho

  

*HITTY hitting FANNY:After poor effort last Night

Less Than 24 hours left before the trading Deadline on Monday.

Apparently the casual attitude shown by some of the Buds has Bryan Burke in a snit. The Leafs waived Jay Rosehill, lost Boyce on waivers & cleared a bit of Cap Space. At the same time Lupul is playing injured, Lombardi playing through injury problems as well. Rumour has it Burke is on the verge of numerous deals but both Nash and Dustin Brown appear to be out of reach. If I had to hazard a guess I’d expect something to happen today . Burke, if he’s going to pull a rabbit out of the hat will need to do it shortly. If he gets the center he wants expect Grabovski to get dealt separately after that trade is completed.  A good number of Leaf players are in play. At this stage of the game with the playoff chances starting to fade he may just blow up the team.

 

What should the Buds Do? Rent a Goalie or get a permanent one.

The goalies on these lists have been mentioned in trade rumours.

FOR THE LONG HAUL

 Cory Schneider, (Van) 25 yrs. RFA 6′ 2″ 195 lbs.
 Jonathan Bernier (LA Kings): 23 yrs  Cap hit $1.25M 2yrs
 Steve Mason (CBJ)   23yrs  Cap hit $2.9M (2ys)
Niklas Backstrom, (Minn): 34 yrs Cap Hit $6M

RENTALS – UFAs 

 Josh Harding (Min)  27 yrs UFA RENTAL
 Evgeni Nabokov, NYI: 36 yrs UFA  RENTAL
Curtis Sanford, (CBJ) 32 yrs UFA RENTAL
 Antero Niittymaki, (SJ Sharks): 31 yrs UFA RENTAL
Thomas Vokoun, (Wash) UFA 35 yrs RENTAL

From what has been reported BB is not interested

In a RENTAL goaltender. If so the Goalie I’d be after would be Steve Mason

(CBJ) If he were to change his mind and attempt to acquire a rental I’d go after Vokoun

Available At A Price

Here is a list of some of the Sellers aqnd some of the players available.

Sellers

NY Islanders:

Looking For: Picks, Prospects
Available: UFAs, Veterans

 P.A. Parenteau. cap-hit $1.25M 28yr old  F physical presence.
Evgeni Nabokov – Goal  has  No Move Clause
 Milan Jurcina  D 28 yrs shutdown defenseman.
Mark Eaton D Shot blocker
Steve Staios D physical, shutdown presence
Brian Rolston D UFA depth.
Jay Pandolfo F UFA 37

Carolina Hurricanes:

Trade Bait: Bryan Allen, Jaroslav Spacek, Joni Pitkanen
Looking For: Top-six forwards, prospects, draft picks

Bryan Allen UFA
Joni Pitkanen’s D  Cap Hit $4.
D Jaroslav Spacek. UFA D

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Trade Bait: Brett Clark, Bruno Gervais, Matt Gilroy, Adam Hall, Ryan Malone, Dwayne Roloson, Ryan Shannon
Looking For: Goaltending, defense

Available
Dwayne Roloson
Brett Clark
Ryan Malone

Dallas Stars….

Available
 Steve Ott,
 Mike Ribeiro
 Sheldon Souray

Buffalo

Looking For: Draft picks, cap space

Available
Brad Boyes
Paul Gaustad Sabres
Derek Roy Cen 28yrs

Montreal

Looking For: Draft picks, top-four defenseman with size
Available: Rental players, veteran depth

Available :

Andrei Kostitsyn
Travis Moen
Chris Campoli
Mathieu Darche

Edmonton Oilers

Looking For: Defense, goaltending

Available:  

Ryan Smith UFA
Columbus Blue Jackets

Available: Star players, veteran depth
Looking For: just about Everything
Available:

Rick Nash
Sami Pahlsson
RJ Umberger
Fedor Tyjutin
Kristian Huselius
James Wisniewski