A couple of teams interested in Peter Bondra?

[Tukaram]

Toronto and Detroit?

[jchockey]

Those two teams are always being rumoured as suitors for oldies.

[MarkMM]

I love the comments about how appropriate it is for a 38 year-old to be targeted by the Maple Laughs and the Wings, truth is, with Toronto's cap problems and no partner for their own geriatric Sundin, he might be the only option if signed cheap.

[MacNews]

I'd like to see him on our team because he's more of a proven-NHL guy to me than say Kesler, Schultz or Burrows. But with Bulis who looks solid and Kesler's mega-bucks I guess we can't afford him. A shame. I believe he had a good season in Atlanta.

[MarkMM]

He's in that camp of guys who are wild cards, smart moves if signed cheap with a bonus option, Carter could afford to go without a bonus option last year because he's young enough that he's just trying to prove himself, I wonder if Bondra was going to sign cheap but with a strong bonus clause, which would still count against the cap, iirc. I wouldn't have minded him, but I think it works just as well to sign guys who are on the verge of proving upsides (as opposed to recovering upsides) but who can grow with the team.

[tuzzi44]

Bondra... possibly headin to retirement town.... i mean hockey town... makes me laugh

[BigTuna]

Newsflash kiddies, the Leafs aren't even old. Their average age is 27.25. This isn't 2003 anymore. And that "Geriatric" Sundin looked as good as any forward in hockey after the Olympic break.

[MarkMM]

Newsflash kiddies, the Leafs aren't even old. Their average age is 27.25. This isn't 2003 anymore. And that "Geriatric" Sundin looked as good as any forward in hockey after the Olympic break.

Fair points, but I was referring to the fact that Toronto is still in the position of having paid a ridiculous $7.15 million for Bryan McCabe and $5 million for Pavel Kubina so they now considering the same options as they always seem to have, 2006 or not. As good as Sundin is, he is 35 years old and is increasingly injury-prone, with only downhill to go. As a comparison, I like the Canucks having put its money into superstar goaltending, our star is cheaper and younger (and though he's IMO less complete than Sundin, Naslund arguably has room to grow, not sure that can be said of Sundin), and our offense is being put in the hands of the Sedins who are only going to get better and they'll be with us for years.

Quoting the average age can be a bit misleading, take into consideration where the Leafs strengths come from and that age average is old and running out of time, while the Canucks core is young and improving. Kesler is our most overpaid player but for only $1 million extra we get a young guy with loads of potential, can't say the same with Toronto's overpayments.

[BigTuna]

[quote="MarkMM"][quote="BigTuna"]Newsflash kiddies, the Leafs aren't even old. Their average age is 27.25. This isn't 2003 anymore. And that "Geriatric" Sundin looked as good as any forward in hockey after the Olympic break.[/quote]

Fair points, but I was referring to the fact that Toronto is still in the position of having paid a ridiculous $7.15 million for Bryan McCabe and $5 million for Pavel Kubina so they now considering the same options as they always seem to have, 2006 or not. As good as Sundin is, he is 35 years old and is increasingly injury-prone, with only downhill to go. As a comparison, I like the Canucks having put its money into superstar goaltending, our star is cheaper and younger (and though he's IMO less complete than Sundin, Naslund arguably has room to grow, not sure that can be said of Sundin), and our offense is being put in the hands of the Sedins who are only going to get better and they'll be with us for years.

Quoting the average age can be a bit misleading, take into consideration where the Leafs strengths come from and that age average is old and running out of time, while the Canucks core is young and improving. Kesler is our most overpaid player but for only $1 million extra we get a young guy with loads of potential, can't say the same with Toronto's overpayments.[/quote]


Well Naslund is only two years younger then Sundin, so there's really not much difference. And other then the fluke puck to the eye, Mats has been very healthy over his career.

The Leafs core are Raycroft (Who's 26) Sundin, Kaberle, Kubina, Mccabe, Tucker and Steen, Stajan Wellwood. Other then Sundin you can argue because he's 35, all the others are in their primes or early 20's. They're not relying on 40 year olds like Roberts Neuwendyk, Belfour anymore.