C+ but trending toward a D.

Imagine being the son of a former President calling your own country a “third-world shithole” because you disagree with the findings of 12 independent citizens. So now, when Canadians say they are moving to the USA is it okay to say “enjoy living in a third-world shithole”?

If the Blackhawks take Demidov with the second pick, Chicago will have the next incarnation of two top end forwards trying to win a cup. Sid and Malkin did it but many others haven’t (97 & 29 most prominently), but these two are going to be fun to watch for years.

I am convinced that I am living in Leafs-Land bizarro world. The same people who are screaming that the Leafs trade Marner are giddy at the prospect of adding Dakota Joshua, who (checks notes), has never had more than 32 points and is a year older than Marner. WTF?

I have a short list of best X posters (for hockey talk) and McCluskey is right at the top. If you actually read his posts, they are thoughtful, insightful and well reasoned and if you come at him with some BS, this is what you get (and deserve). Well done!!!

Funny how fans of other teams complain about #LeafsNation bitching about officiating when we can show some objective facts about not getting calls. Meanwhile, all I hear lately from Oilers, Panthers and Rangers fans is whining about officiating. No sympathy here.

If you are a member of #LeafsNation and you continue to hate tweet about Kyle Dubas (one year after he was fired), you need to go outside and touch grass. Some of us have lived through the Ballard years, so take a deep breath and chill. It’s going to be alright.

Rangers score a great goal to tie the game. What does Laviolette do? He puts out their fourth line right after (exactly what Keefe would do). What happens? Rangers score to make it 2-1. What happens to us? We give up a goal. Laviolette looks like a genius and Keefe a fool.

Leafs twitter is entertaining watching fans kick the crap out of one another over Marner in the “core 4” but Habs twitter is next level entertaining, reading about how all of their young players are either going to be the next Larry Robinson or Guy Lafleur. Pure fantasy!

There is a part of this thinking that is worth considering. When Dubas was fired he was grabbed by Pitt instantly. When Hunter left the Leafs, he hasn’t had a sniff at a GM spot in the NHL (it’s not because of London). It’s about how their peers view them and their reputations.

This is the point I was making earlier. When Dubas signed his contracts it was “his” fault. It seems like the direction we are moving in is that if Tre does it (like he did with 88) it’s the media’s fault for over evaluating values. So, which is it?

This

“Minimally educated simpleton” is the best explanation I have for this type of thinking.

I think if the Leafs really want to play a heavy game and also satisfy the non-thinking section of LeafsNation we need to add the following players to our roster:

Deslauriers
Xhekaj
McDermid
Lucic

We probably won’t make the playoffs but at least we won’t get pushed around.

Genius and exactly right.

Neanderthal wing of LeafsNation then: “Dubas sucks, overpays on all contracts”.

Neanderthal wing of LeafsNation now: “Stupid Toronto media driving up contract values, poor Treliving”.

Them: Trade Marner.

Me: Why?

Them: It’s my opinion he sucks.

Maybe someone can explain the confidence in Treliving. His teams have made the playoffs in 6 of the 10 years he’s been a GM. In Calgary that’s 5 in 9. Just over half the time. However, once his teams get to the playoffs they have a 0.388 win %. These are not HOF numbers.

Samsonov in net for the Stars? Leaf Singh

The Uncle of a fairly prominent NHL player once said to me “any parent who sends their kid to play in the OHL is guilty of child abuse”. I think the trend has been more and more to the NCAA but the latest announcement about paying NCAA athletes might be the end of the CHL.