Going forward. Buffalo vs Leafs ?

[sr edler]

Buffalo already feel better than the Leafs, as a team. Also beat the Leafs head-to-head 3 times in a row down the stretch last season.

Goalie is still the big question mark for them though. Comrie is a short term solution, at best. They need someone of their prospects (Levi, Portillo, Luukkonen) to turn out. But Toronto aren't great in goal either.

Toronto feels like they peaked last season, and doesn't play much like a team. They didn't improve as a team this last off-season, it's the same old/same old 40 million bucks for fancy drop passes and shit. They're not even constructed like a team, but as a group of 4–5 primadonnas and a revolving door of bottom 6 trash. And now their already half-suspect D is starting to fall apart too.

You could almost make a whole NHL team of recent Leafs prospects/middle 6 cast-offs having a field day on other teams: Kadri, Hyman, Brown, Marchment, Verhaeghe, Durzi, Kapanen, Brown, Johnsson, Grundström, Moore, et cetera.

Over half of those guys would be excellent additions to the current Leafs.

 

[McVespa99]

Toronto this year and maybe next. Buffalo after that.

 

[SensFan4lyfe]

Did anyone say he was? He'll make ~half their salary soon lol

Yes but he does not nor will he ever half the impact on a game Marner or Mathew have had.

And Mathews is not over paid

 

[GOALOFSSON]

Goalie is still the big question mark for them though. Comrie is a short term solution, at best. They need someone of their prospects (Levi, Portillo, Luukkonen) to turn out. But Toronto aren't great in goal either.

If Levi pans out things are gonna get crazy.

Yes but he does not nor will he ever half the impact on a game Marner or Mathew have had.

And Mathews is not over paid

Well the bold is just plain incorrect.

Didn't say he was over paid but Tage will only be making 7.14 for a long time (only 1.4 this year lmfao), and Matthews could make almost double that in a couple of years.

Still asking for the relevance of it all, we have (a lot...) of other F and two 1OA D.

 

[TS Quint]

Enter Tuch, Krebs, traded for Levi I guess. Hell we traded for Thompson.

But no seriously, it's a simple numbers game. We basically already have a full roster minus a couple of D maybe. With last year's THREE 1st rounders coming up in Savoie, Ostlund, Kulich, our 1st from the year before in Rosen, and literally like 15-20 guys behind them to potentially fill out the roster.

We could for sure trade some quantity for quality, but we don't necessarily need to.

Are you holding your breath on Sabres drafting? Nylander, Middlestadt, Reinhard, Risto, Zadorov,Grigorenko, Girgensons, Armia, Pysyk, Kassian……this is a history of top picks for the Sabres.

I know, it’s “totally different“ now…. But let’s just wait until it’s different before calling it different.

 

[TS Quint]

Yes but he does not nor will he ever half the impact on a game Marner or Mathew have had.

And Mathews is not over paid

You can’t justify that 5 year contract.

 

[SensFan4lyfe]

Are you holding your breath on Sabres drafting? Nylander, Middlestadt, Reinhard, Risto, Zadorov,Grigorenko, Girgensons, Armia, Pysyk, Kassian……this is a history of top picks for the Sabres.

I know, it’s “totally different“ now…. But let’s just wait until it’s different before calling it different.

60 goals and 2 rockets says I can

You can’t justify that 5 year contract.

2 Rockets, 60 goals says I can

 

[TS Quint]

60 goals and 2 rockets says I can

2 Rockets, 60 goals says I can

Players win trophies without being overpaid and under termed. 0 playoff rounds won because they overpaid on the big 5 contracts and can’t afford to fix the problems with the team.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Call me crazy but maybe the Sabres fans here should actually wait and see if this season goes the way they want and they make the playoffs before they start throwing those stones.

Seems a little early to be looking down on teams that have be a lot more competitive than you have for many years, outside of a 10 game sample. Feels like a way to curse your team.

 

[GOALOFSSON]

Are you holding your breath on Sabres drafting? Nylander, Middlestadt, Reinhard, Risto, Zadorov,Grigorenko, Girgensons, Armia, Pysyk, Kassian……this is a history of top picks for the Sabres.

I know, it’s “totally different“ now…. But let’s just wait until it’s different before calling it different.

Well things are factually different from like four GMs ago. Culture change is also clear as day at the moment.

But I actually have to ask, what was the point of cherry picking a chunk of players, the most recently drafted being six drafts ago, the one seven drafts ago long traded away? What do players we drafted ~6-11 year ago have to do with literally anything? About as much as any draft pick before them in our entire history.


The fact Mitts was included with those others is also hilarious. Let's look at some more recent drafts:
Mitts
Dahlin, Samuelsson in the same draft lol
Cozens

Adams:
Quinn, Peterka (2nd round steal)
Power
Savoie, Ostlund, and Kulich who already looks like he was drafted too low.

These are just the top picks. Plenty of mid to late round players showing promise since being drafted over the last two drafts, though all of the extra picks probably didn't hurt.

 

[SensFan4lyfe]

Players win trophies without being overpaid and under termed. 0 playoff rounds won because they overpaid on the big 5 contracts and can’t afford to fix the problems with the team.

I wasnt talking about 5 big contracts, I was talking about Mathews

 

[GOALOFSSON]

Call me crazy but maybe the Sabres fans here should actually wait and see if this season goes the way they want and they make the playoffs before they start throwing those stones.

Seems a little early to be looking down on teams that have be a lot more competitive than you have for many years, outside of a 10 game sample. Feels like a way to curse your team.

This start is only a bonus. The pieces are in place already, regardless of how this season goes.

We're gonna be deep.

 

[TS Quint]

I wasnt talking about 5 big contracts, I was talking about Mathews

Yeah, he’s part of that problem

 

[Thorton02]

Toronto is and will be competitive for a long time. Problem is they will never be a cup contender. Too many gaps. They could catch fire one year and maybe even make the finals but in general, they're built like a 1st or 2nd round exit.

No one knows what Buffalo has. Sure, they're playing well, they're exciting and have a lot of young talent. You can't just ignore the last 10 years. I suspect they'll catch up to Toronto in a year or two but I couldn't say after this all plays out that Buffalo will actually accomplish more.

 

[SensFan4lyfe]

Yeah, he’s part of that problem

I mean not really?

He was going to get paid either way he's legit the best home grown talent the leafs have had in decades.

The problem is over paying Marner and Signing Tavares to that contract.

Lots of teams sign there young players to big deals.

The problem is the leafs signed too many and traded away too much depth.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Going forward? How ‘bout right now? Gimme that matchup and watch Boosh swat Marner into the third row like Mutumbo blockin a basketball, no no no, not today Leafs fans. Man, I eat maple leafs for breakfast- they look good on paper, but as a product they should not be consumed. It’s not healthy. This is why Dahlin should be president.

 

[TS Quint]

I mean not really?

He was going to get paid either way he's legit the best home grown talent the leafs have had in decades.

The problem is over paying Marner and Signing Tavares to that contract.

Lots of teams sign there young players to big deals.

The problem is the leafs signed too many and traded away too much depth.

That list of home grown talent isn’t all that impressive.

When every other young player signs their big contract it’s 8 years of saving against the cap, it’s only Matthews shafted his team with a 5 year contract AND UFA money.

 

[Gurglesons]

This start is only a bonus. The pieces are in place already, regardless of how this season goes.

We're gonna be deep.

Just like the Philadelphia Flyers had the best defensive prospect system in the league four or five years ago.

Just like the Winnipeg Jets were going to win the cup in 2019 because of their prospect system.

Just like Minnesota and the Rangers are going to be the best teams this year because of their picks.

Toronto actually has the talent. Buffalo looks like they are getting there, but let's see them actually make the playoffs.

 

[GOALOFSSON]

Just like the Philadelphia Flyers had the best defensive prospect system in the league four or five years ago.

Just like the Winnipeg Jets were going to win the cup in 2019 because of their prospect system.

Just like Minnesota and the Rangers are going to be the best teams this year because of their picks.

Toronto actually has the talent. Buffalo looks like they are getting there, but let's see them actually make the playoffs.

It's a numbers game. People aren't giving the 10years of whatever the hell that was enough credit when it comes to amassing talent.

Traded two 2OA picks and got another two 1OA D. Traded ROR for Tage. All the other top 10 and extra picks.

Not too much space on the current roster with a rather large group of prospects coming up over the next couple of years.



I also have to laugh at the part about Toronto actually having talent, like Buffalo doesn't have Dahlin and Thompson, or upcoming guys like Power.

 

[Gurglesons]

It's a numbers game. People aren't giving the 10years of whatever the hell that was enough credit when it comes to amassing talent.

Traded two 2OA picks and got another two 1OA D. Traded ROR for Tage. All the other top 10 and extra picks.

Not too much space on the current roster with a rather large group of prospects coming up over the next couple of years.



I also have to laugh at the part about Toronto actually having talent, like Buffalo doesn't have Dahlin and Thompson, or upcoming guys like Power.

Matthews and Marner had more points combined than your entire top six last year.

Their fourth leading scorer would've been Buffalo's top leading scorer.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

The Leaf's are perennial losers and paper tiger pretenders. Buffalo is unproven.

I'll go with the unproven team.

 

[GOALOFSSON]

Matthews and Marner had more points combined than your entire top six last year.

Their fourth leading scorer would've been Buffalo's top leading scorer.

Last year where Tuch missed the first 32 games, Mitts missed 42, Olofsson played with a wrist injury for ~30 games? Pretty sure your pair scored 203pts to our top six scoring forwards 301. Just a little off, even with the missed time and injuries.

How is that comparison working out this year though

Speaking of this year, and since you ignored my entire point for reasons I can probably guess, last year was also without Power, Quinn, Peterka. That is just in one year and there is honestly so much more to potentially come up even still. Rosen, Savoie, Ostlund, Kulich, and many others.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

So many easy receipts in this one.

 

[Gurglesons]

Last year where Tuch missed the first 32 games, Mitts missed 42, Olofsson played with a wrist injury for ~30 games? Pretty sure your pair scored 203pts to our top six scoring forwards 301. Just a little off, even with the missed time and injuries.

How is that comparison working out this year though

Speaking of this year, and since you ignored my entire point for reasons I can probably guess, last year was also without Power, Quinn, Peterka. That is just in one year and there is honestly so much more to potentially come up even still. Rosen, Savoie, Ostlund, Kulich, and many others.

I'm not a Leafs fan.

 

[GOALOFSSON]

I'm not a Leafs fan.

I know.

Just like I know the reason this was your response.