Maple Leafs fans unhappy with Kris Versteeg trade

Leino needs to be signed…id rather have Leino over Versteeg. Hopefully the cap will rise and Homer can work some voodoo magic and keep this team in tact. Most exciting Flyers team I have ever watched!

I wouldn’t say that we are wrong to think this is a bad deal.

From our perspective, Versteeg is the kind of guy who could have contributed to the Leafs in the long term and been a part of success down the road. He’s 24, good for ~20 goals and ~60 points, and a solid two-way player who’s strong on the PP and PK. He’s also got a Cup ring that would’ve come in handy when the Leafs finally found themselves in a playoff spot somewhere in the future.

To give a guy like Versteeg up, there needs to be something good in return. A 1st rounder sounds great in theory, but when it’s a Flyers team that’s got the 2nd best record in the NHL and only becomes more of a Cup contender with this deal, it sucks. Having the 25th-30th overall pick in a shallow draft doesn’t mean a damn thing, really; besides, the Leafs are likely looking at having the 34th-36th pick anyways, so it all it means is they’ll have two picks in the same marginal range.

In conclusion: gave up a young guy who would be a decent contributor to the future for two unknowns/unlikelies in a shallow draft year. Yeah, I’d say this is a terrible trade. And, true to form, it also wouldn’t surprise me if Steeg pretty much destroyed the Leafs in the last two games we have against you guys.

Unless Burke intends to package these picks for a higher 1st rounder- and even THEN, I don’t know for sure- this trade is awful.

If you don’t hit pause, you do see the replay and see how the goal from better angles, so maybe it is just best to mute the button.

Am currently blasting some Mastodon

I like you.

I didn’t like the song even before the playoffs due to those stupid Amstel Light commercials. Hearing it during the playoffs whenever Chicago would get one past Leighton only added to my disdain for the song.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOO

As a Flyers fan, born and raised in Toronto watching the Leafs, I’m with PPP on this one.

But this was the philosophy prior to this year’s failure. The trades this week demonstrate that a more orthodox rebuild is underway, which is much less risky. Toronto has too many holes to succeed anytime soon and draft picks are one way of filling those holes.

If first round picks have such little value, why are they traded at all? Why was Tomas Vokoun traded for picks? Or Pronger? A first round pick is the best way to acquire talent. You assume that all players’ futures are set in stone before they are drafted. The vast majority of players drafted in the first round are adequately talented, and end up failing for other reasons such as being rushed to the NHL, or incompetent coaching. It is partly up to the organization to ensure prospects are groomed for success.

Versteeg was contributing very well on the third line, however his salary also contributed to one of the most overpaid third lines in the league. Considering the amount of money tied into the defense, it doesn’t make sense to have an overpaid third line on a team struggling to score. Toronto needs elite, although expensive, talent complimented by good, cheap players on entry level contracts, which can only be acquired through the draft. It is very reasonable to find players equally as productive as Versteeg in the first round, and third round picks have value as well.

If the draft had not been perceived as being so weak, would the deal frustrate you to the degree it does? Regardless, this deal cannot be evaluated until the picks have been made and developed.

Stop worrying about Leino. He is here this year and we have no clue what the future holds.

not a flyers fan, but i think i’d like them better if they traded away shelley & carcillo ;-)

Very well said.

Not directed at Rob, but it’s amazing how many people give Chicago fans shit for deserting their team despite being run by the worst owner in the NHL, then turn around and give Toronto fans shit for (correctly) voicing displeasure and STILL showing up.

Again, not you Rob, but it’s almost like Flyers fans love shitting on other team’s fanbases regardless of facts.