Crossroads Part 2

[freshwind]

While most of the talk is circling around Q and his cronies at the ACC, another event that is unfolding may have far deeper effects on our future as Leaf fans.
The baby buds are searching for a coach. This decision may ultimately steer the future of the Leafs for the next 12-15 years.
While we mutter about picks, the draft, ufa's, all of this takes a back seat if our development system can't take a group of 20 year olds and separate the wheat from the chaff.

I will probably forget someone, but our potential young d on the baby Leafs next year could include
Carlo
Bell
Harrison
Kelly
Chartier
Moro
Hedin
Turon
Pilar
I know there are others but there is 9 right there all under 25. Reality says not all will make it, but should we not be able to suspect that at least 3 of them should be groomed for REAL NHL duty.
This still doesn't include Kondratiev(sp) and Seikola.
Let's consider that we have a dozen dmen under 25 then, is 4 bonafide NHLer's not a realistic expectation 2-4 years down the road with PROPER development?
Up front we are thinner, but let's look at some of the young guys.
Cereda
Stajan
Wellwood
Holden?
Poni
Antipov
Again, I know I'm forgetting somebody, but if these guys are real prospects, then shouldn't they get top 6 ice time - GAURANTEED.
Some of the vets should be moved to a team that has Calder aspirations for a younger forward with potential.
Development needs to be the #1 priority of the farm team, coaching becomes the most important position in the org. in my view. Who is the right man for the job? My personal pick would be Marc Habsheild (sp) if he were interested. Rumours are the guy from the Kitchener Rangers is interested after he takes his shot at the Memorial Cup. Doug Shedden wants it, and has been successful as he has climbed the coaching ladder.
Maybe the biggest question on our development front will be Tellqvist.
His play down the stretch with the baby Leafs was stellar according to reports from the people following the team on the Rock. First star in many games when they LOST. Poor team.
Now over in the WC, for all intents and purposes he has taken the Swedish netminding job away from Salo, and is favoured to start against Canada. If Burke can't go, it may be Lougo vs Telly.
What if Telly stones 'em? General consensus is that Loungo is the best young goalie around. Maybe we have one too.
I wish I had more time to study the baby Leafs because this does appear to be a team building a foundation of talented youth. Proper development will allow us to build a future and make some of these dark days a little more palatable.
Crossroads 2 may have more of a long term impact than 1 (the Q conspiracy)

[CL]

One minor point FW. Antipov is no longer a prospect. He had signed a professional contract with Toronto and it has since expired without the Leafs offering an extension or even qualifying him. That would make him a free agent.

[freshwind]

I thought he was cut loose when he went back to Europe, but during the TSN WC telecast they referred to him as Leaf property.
I am guilty of assuming these guys know what they are talking about. Maybe wishful too, he looked like he had some wheels, and goes to the net fairly well.

[CL]

If he had not been signed to a contract he would still be Leaf property. I am not sure how many years the contract was for and this maybe where the confusion lies with those announcers. They may believe he is still under contract. A standard NHL contract does not need to be effected (in regards to terms) if the player is still of junior age and has been returned to a junior programme. In Antipov's case, he is well past that age and as the NHL and the Leafs do not have a legal affiliation with any of the professional leagues in Russia, Antipov's contract would have to have been voided (by mutual agreement) for him to play on a Russian professional team. Once the contract was abrogated, the Leafs gave up any claim to his rights.

[Gerard]

I've gotta wonder if, with all the craziness (and pressure) in TO that the probs of Newfoundland will be sitting for a while. I know that's the last thing they should be doing but it seems things are sooooo concentrated with the big club you just get an eerie feeling that finding Mr. Right for the 'Rock' won't get near the attention it needs.

[CL]

Actually, I think that all this introspection may work in favour of the St. John's coaching situation OM. While there are several candidates in the running, the word is that Doug Shedden and current Baby Leaf assistant coach Kevin McClelland are the two frontrunners for the position. Both are solid hockey men. If this obssession with the politics of the big club keeps a more noteworthy but not necessarily more capable person from applying then perhaps something positive will have been accomplished.