Could The Leafs Land Crosby???
 

Here's the lowdown, if you don't already know it, on the upcoming NHL draft.



CAN YOU IMAGINE, LEAF FANS, if T.O. by some miracle nabbed this guy? I mean, it's not impossible.

Who else here wants Crosby on their team???

Somehow I think the NHL will get Crosby to the Rangers; much in the same way the Knicks got Patrick Ewing in the first NBA lottery draft.

I thought the Swedes were going to outbid the NHL...

I'm sure Crosby is a good player but all the hype around this kid reminds me of another apparent franchise player Alexandre Daigle. He's a great player but still unproven in the NHL and that is where it matters, not the CHL. I honestly hope he does shine though, but I am still unsure.

As a Leafs fan it doesn't matter to me either way if they get him or not, and with Quinns history of impatience with player development they'd probably trade him away in a couple of years anyways, before he reaches his full potential.

I agree SJ. I'm not a big fan of PQ. I hate his coaching style actually. You're right that the Leafs don't bring up young talent. They buy old talent. Much like they might do by picking up Jeff O'Neill. I don't think I'd put A. Daigle and S. Crosby in the same category, but I understand your parallel.

There is always a ton of hype around the draft, this year is really jacked up because of the lockout, the lottery and of course Crosby himself. I have lost track of how many "the next Gretzkys" we have seen since the early 90's, seems like there is one every year, I personally don't think he's quite at that level, but I could be wrong.

As much as I would like to see Crosby on one of 'my teams' (the Senators or Flames), I'd actually be happy just to seem him on any of the Canadian rosters.

IMO, I really don't care. I think Crosby, while still a good player is mostly hype. I have seen him play at the world stage the last couple of years and he has not impressed me. If he is as good as they say he is then he shouldn't have a problem in the NHL, but to the Leafs? That would make me hate him, sorry.... I'm a hardcore redwings fan.

You're a Calgarian, and a RED WINGS FAN???? Shame on you! How could you handle being a fan of that team when your own home town team did SO well. And lets face it, Calgary isn't going to be that good again for another 20 years.

Anyways, I'd love to have Crosby, even if he's not really the next Gretzky. Even if he's a Steve Yzerman or even a Steve Larmer. I'd take him.

Yzerman is definte HoFer, I don't know whether this Crosby kid is even first line material.

Hopefully the Rangers will land him. I'd like to see him on a line with Jagr. Maybe the two of them can drive the team back into the playoffs.

Crosby would probably do well to spend a few years in Pittsburgh, though. Playing on a line with Lemieux couldn't hurt. In his prime Mario could turn anyone on his line into a scoring machine.

My last name is Howe.... Gordon Howe is my father..... comes from there, plus I love Shanahan, Yzerman, Joseph, and Lidstrom.... other than that, I am not really loyal to the team.

You're Gordie Howe's kid? Are you Marty? WTF?

Edit: I see. Some other guy named Gordie Howe. Interesting...

This should be a very fun season to watch. I wonder what season ticket packages are going to run this year.

Don't forget, Rival, that Pittsburgh got the second overall pic in last years draft as well, (the second pick, after Ovechkin, another Russian whose name I forget) so your Penguins are going to be very well equipped. This could be a very good year for them. I hope for their sakes that Marc Andre Fleury has a good year. I think they were foolish bringing him to Pittsburgh two years ago. Its a wonder he doesn't have shell shock. Hopefully he doesn't turn into a Rick Di Pietro.

All this being said... GO LEAFS GO!!!

I have my doubts that they'll actually start Fleury in goal this year. He's just not ready. He had a very choppy season in the minors and he wasn't even able to hold onto the starting job down there. The Pens are going to have an actual team this year and they'll probably pick up a goalie to play the next few seasons while Fleury has a chance to grow.

:hmm:

Crosby is the real deal. Comparisons to Lemiuex may be a bit much, but the kid is as close to a sure thing as you're going to find. Especially f the new rules work as they are intended to free up the offence.

Daigle was supposed to be a sure thing as well and look what happened there, no draft pick is a sure thing. I'm not saying he isn't a good player but until he proves himself in the show, I wouldn't go comparing him to Yzerman, Larmer or any Hall of Famer. He's just another rookie with a hell of a lot of pressure and a lot to prove, only time will tell how good the kid will be.

Remember a guy by the name of Pat Falloon? He was the first overall pick of the San Jose Sharks franchise. Came out of Spokane in the AHL. I don't think he was as highly touted as Daigle, but I remember there being a lot of hype surrounding him. I think he maybe plays in Edmonton now. Maybe a third or fourth liner.

That being said, Crosby is no Pat Falloon. I think he'll do well. I don't expect him to be a Jagr or Lemieux, but he'll have a successful career. Will he stay in Pittsburgh all his life. With the new CBA, I doubt it.

I believe the "sure thing" in that year's draft was not Falloon, but Eric Lindros - who was no Lemieux, but was a rpetty good player, aside from having eggshell for a melon.