who has impressed the most in camp to date?

Apparently Williams is lighting it up in Kitchener and wowing the socks off Shedden.

From what I have seen in sweden my emerging "years" for guys are in order as follows:

1. Ric Jackman -- will be the #4 guy in my opinion, and a good one.I think JF will land us a #3 soon enough.
2. Mikael Telvquist - Trevor, sorry to say that you are gone as soon as JF figures out what to do with you
3. Ponikarovsky - did he just get bigger again? He will force a trade of a forward, I think
4. Berg - He looks HUGE this year too - seems a bit nasty, moves nice - I think he will be a really challenge to Jackman for #4 although he lacks Jackmans scoring panache
5. Coliaicovo - played a simple game today which for me was actually nice to see. He is bigger, and still confident as hell. I think he will get as many as 15-20 games this year.
6. Bell - looks solid too - a real NHLer - I see 10-15 games this year.
7. Hedin - Just don't know about him yet. He will play but more as a default given his age - I don't see him adding more than Coli or Bell this year - nice passes though...I can be convinced otherwise.
8,9 & 10 - I think these will be better Fantasy League teams years for Travis Green, Brian McCabe and Darcy Tcompared to last over last year.

kondratiev's done well

ferguson remarked he also seems to be on the good side of the puck.

Immonen was great.

Nice alternative Tellqvist spelling there :)

I only saw the two games here in sweden but I liked that kid Kondatriev, he might turn into something really good in the future.

I have to admit that unfortunately I haven't heard a whole lot about what has been transpiring in Kitchener. From what I have seen and read about the overseas play I would have to agree that Jackman has definately stood out in my opinion. I hope he has put all the trouble behind him, and is going to realize his potential. I have also liked what I have seen/heard about Kondratiev and Kronwall. Both seem to have taken huge steps in their development, and also up the depth chart.

Immonen has also been quite impressive, and it looks like he may be a player down the road. I only wish we could have seen more of Steen in game action. But he looks like he made a big impression on the Leafs Brass in the little time that he was available.

For the first time in a long time, the future actually looks bright, as far as prospects are concerned. Tellqvist has got my eyes open too.

I can't wait till the season starts.

Tick tock.

kondratiev and Immonen have impressed me, along with jackman

Kronwall looked OK - when considering his draft position. I just see him as a big guy - not sure if he will ever be more than a #5 guy though. And even that is minimum 2 years away given the depth Toronto has on D and with sizable guys like Harrison already comeing up accustomed to the North American game.

Shedden was also really impressed by Sagat.

Pat Quinn has impressed me alot...........he still looks pretty thin like he was last year.........I was thinking that maybe during the holidays he would have gone back to being his old self at 280-pounds.

1) Forget trading for a #3 defenseman, they need to trade for a #1.

4) Lets see if Berg plays more aggressive in NA before we start saying he got "nasty". Hes never really been a phyiscal player (except last years playoffs) and I wouldn't expect him to until we see it on a regular basis.

1) Forget trading for a #1 defenseman, they need to trade for a #1.


Brilliant strategy, sir.

its easier said then done

its easier said then done

Exactly. On several occaisions our friend Sluggo has ducked challenges to explain exactly how he would go about obtaining a top-flight #1 defenseman (i.e. better than Kabs and McCabe) given the Leafs' current assets and bargaining position.

Moreover, he has failed to support his idea that if the Leafs cannot get a '#1' then they shouldn't bother trying to make the defense as good as possible barring that kind of blockbuster acquisiton.

I've stopped holding my breath.

I suspect he will keep repeating this mantra ad infinitum. however.

A lot of team's have shown interest in Tucker (the Sabers and Islanders) and the Leafs have been in talks with both teams about trading for a #1 guy (Zhitnik and Hamrlik have been mentioned, but I would also bet they could get Aucoin give the Islanders have 4 top defensemen). They may have to include another player like Berg or Green, one of their defense prospects (which they can afford) or a draft pick but both of those trades were talked about in the summer. I'm sure there are more defense on the block that we don't know about as well. I've also been saying that trading Tucker for that guy is a good idea for weeks.

When you look at the teams that have won the cup and most (if not all) of the teams that made it to the finals the last ten year or so they've all had a #1 d-man (Leetch, Stevens, Hatcher, Blake, Foote, Zhitnik etc....) the Leafs don't. That type of player is needed just as much as a good goalie is to make a serious run at the cup. If they aren't going to make a serious run for it they should instead trade off their players like Mogilny and Belfour who, right now, have a high trade value and build up their offensive group of prospects to match their defensive group.

When you look at the teams that have won the cup and most (if not all) of the teams that made it to the finals the last ten year or so they've all had a #1 d-man (Leetch, Stevens, Hatcher, Blake, Foote, Zhitnik etc....) the Leafs don't. That type of player is needed just as much as a good goalie is to make a serious run at the cup. If they aren't going to make a serious run for it they should instead trade off their players like Mogilny and Belfour who, right now, have a high trade value and build up their offensive group of prospects to match their defensive group.

Carolina - Sean Hill?
Anaheim - Keith Carney?

Zhitnik is not a #1 defenceman. He's not *quite* in the caliber of the other defencemen you mentioned (Blake, Foote, Hatcher, Stevens, Leetch at the time). You think he'd be the difference-maker?

As I've done before, I've shown who's available.

If the Islanders decided to trade Hamrlik, do you REALLY believe that the best they could do would be Darcy Tucker? And if what you need is quality defencemen, why wouldn't they keep their impressive Top 4 and make a run with them? Following your logic, after all.

Remember what Blake cost? Deadmarsh and Aaron Miller - and that was with no assurance he'd re-sign in Colorado at season's end. Should the Leafs have offered Hatcher $8 million to play in Toronto? No.

Propose an offer that makes sense for an elite defenceman, sluggo, if you want people to take you semi-seriously. Go get me Adam Foote. Antropov/Colaiacovo enough of a package? Then if we don't win the Cup and we don't have any youth for the next ten years?

If defencemen weren't at a huge premium, do you think Kasparitis, DeVries et al would have received the huge paycheques they received over the past 2 off-seasons.

Jeez...

I think for this season the Leafs will be giving their young guys on defence a serious shot at cracking their roster.