The leafs should _____ offseason thread

[GirardSpinorama]

Like Dubas?

Dubas isnt as analytically as people think. More of a MBA type/fake nerd.

23 other teams also haven't won a series this year.

Ya and its way better to be the oilers who has at least won a playoff series consistently than be the leafs.

This is referencing this post

"This is like saying Edmonton doesn't know how to win a game past round 2..."

 

[Nihiliste]

Yea it's really hard for the Toronto Maple Leafs to turn a profit.

Imagine if they had a few more home playoff games a year, though.

With their brand value, they could save millions and just hire some fan fresh out of B school to take Shanahan’s job if the only goal was to make money.

 

[WreckedUm]

My bet, sponsored by fan duel, is that Rod stays in Carolina.

aslo

I'd love to be a fly on the wall watching torts, standing on milk crates, chew out the leafs leadership after blowing a lead in the 3rd.

 

[Deux de Coeurs]

As a Habs fan, I have to say that Marc Bergevin's "No Excuses" campaign got old pretty quick. I truly didn't think I would ever say this, but I am thinking the Leafs should steal from Bargain Bin's playbook because the loser mentality on this Maple Leafs squad is unreal.

"...but at the same time, we were right there" - William Nylander

For a couple years now Willy has easily been the Leafs best player in the playoffs, but this is such nonsense and extra bad because it's your emotional leader. You were right there... where? One goal away from winning the first round? And then what? The Leafs were nowhere. This first round matchup featured two pretty weak teams, case in point Boston is a favorite to get tossed quickly in the second round. Yet this comment sounded exactly like it would if they just lost a SCF game 7.

I wanted to make a longer post listing all the horrible loser excuses I heard after the loss and then some more the day after. Not one journalist on either Toronto channel mentioned once the awful loser mentality that was on display. I remember a year ago Rielly crying for this "core" to have one more shot... I have to say, if for nothing else the Leafs are incredibly adept at providing quality entertainment.

Last year Dubas finally acquired good enough depth for the playoffs (O'Reilly, McCabe). It seems it took him 5 years to figure which type of players are effective in postseason. Before the playoffs started that year I remember thinking it's a shame for them they got these players during a Matthews down year. Once again their top players failed them as we all know.

Domi and Bertuzzi were good acquisitions, I'm not a Treliving fan but I mean it shows that at least he knows what type of player is needed to support. But the D-Line has become seriously bad with the play of their older D declining rapidly. When I look at this blueline, I basically see a average #1 D in Rielly, a great 2nd pairing in McCabe and the rest is basically trash. A Toronto defenseman not named Rielly making a offensive play has basically become a sight to see.

I think they're gonna trade Marner for a dman (or should anyway) this summer and the return will make this board explode ala Hall vs Larsson. What would be realistic candidate in a 1 for 1 hockey trade? Happy 2nd round everyone, hope you show some indulgence to a 20 years lurker, first time poster.

 

[SImpelton]

I agree with you about the Boston roster. There is a massive Bergeron sized hole in that lineup right now. And a pretty large Krejci sized hole too.

Those two were always gonna be a tough act to follow and I don't mean any disrespect for Pavel Zacha who played well but... yeah. he's got his work cut out. at best Zacha replaced most of Krejci. How the hell do you replace Patrice Bergeron?

 

[Montreal Shadow]

What shocks me is the fact that every year, they find new and innovative ways to disappoint their fans. You can predict the Leafs will lose, but you can never predict how.

I even told myself there's no way they'll get bounced in yet another game 7 by the Bruins and thought they'd be done by game 6 but no, they made it to game 7 and made their fans hopeful, only to crush them again. It's not enough to just lose, they have to make it spectacular.

This is a special kind of talent.

 

[Henry Miller]

Tried new coaching, tried getting better supporting cast players, it’s time to shake up the core. Worst case scenario after a big trade is pretty much the status quo- first round fodder. A major jolt is needed

 

[Nsjohnson]

I would just keep trying.

Lot's of teams that kept most the same guys and eventually won. Sometimes more than once. But, also lots of teams that shake things up, only to also not win, and never win.

 

[MXD]

As a Habs fan, I have to say that Marc Bergevin's "No Excuses" campaign got old pretty quick. I truly didn't think I would ever say this, but I am thinking the Leafs should steal from Bargain Bin's playbook because the loser mentality on this Maple Leafs squad is unreal.

"...but at the same time, we were right there" - William Nylander

For a couple years now Willy has easily been the Leafs best player in the playoffs, but this is such nonsense and extra bad because it's your emotional leader. You were right there... where? One goal away from winning the first round? And then what? The Leafs were nowhere. This first round matchup featured two pretty weak teams, case in point Boston is a favorite to get tossed quickly in the second round. Yet this comment sounded exactly like it would if they just lost a SCF game 7.

I wanted to make a longer post listing all the horrible loser excuses I heard after the loss and then some more the day after. Not one journalist on either Toronto channel mentioned once the awful loser mentality that was on display. I remember a year ago Rielly crying for this "core" to have one more shot... I have to say, if for nothing else the Leafs are incredibly adept at providing quality entertainment.

Last year Dubas finally acquired good enough depth for the playoffs (O'Reilly, McCabe). It seems it took him 5 years to figure which type of players are effective in postseason. Before the playoffs started that year I remember thinking it's a shame for them they got these players during a Matthews down year. Once again their top players failed them as we all know.

Domi and Bertuzzi were good acquisitions, I'm not a Treliving fan but I mean it shows that at least he knows what type of player is needed to support. But the D-Line has become seriously bad with the play of their older D declining rapidly. When I look at this blueline, I basically see a average #1 D in Rielly, a great 2nd pairing in McCabe and the rest is basically trash. A Toronto defenseman not named Rielly making a offensive play has basically become a sight to see.

I think they're gonna trade Marner for a dman (or should anyway) this summer and the return will make this board explode ala Hall vs Larsson. What would be realistic candidate in a 1 for 1 hockey trade? Happy 2nd round everyone, hope you show some indulgence to a 20 years lurker, first time poster.

That's a decently substantial first post. Congrats!

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

I made it to “contamined”

 

[Brookbank]

All this wishy washy intangible stuff gets thrown around a lot.

But as for the Leafs go, the core 4 just doesn't work. Changes have to be made. And Shanahan shouldn't be the one to oversee it. The Leafs need a new grand master.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Zacha isn't a #1C and barely #2C like Coyle.

Zacha has 0 goals in 18 PO games.

 

[Leafshater67]

Wait, you mean the “we’re a close group”, “respect in the handshake line”, “we didn’t get the bounces” guys who make excuses every year and don’t seem to care are losers? No way.

 

[Montreal Shadow]

All this wishy washy intangible stuff gets thrown around a lot.

But as for the Leafs go, the core 4 just doesn't work. Changes have to be made. And Shanahan shouldn't be the one to oversee it. The Leafs need a new grand master.

How can you call it wishy-washy when one of the most talented forward cores in the league has never made it past the second round in 8 years?

 

[shaner8989]

Your take on the D is putrid and couldn’t be more wrong. The back end was fantastic all year and all playoff. The offense, Keefe and Samsonov is what killed them.

 

[SImpelton]

Your take on the D is putrid and couldn’t be more wrong. The back end was fantastic all year and all playoff. The offense, Keefe and Samsonov is what killed them.

The D is what killed them. the Leafs D managed to somehow both screen Samsonov at the same time on the game tying goal while no one covered Brazeau on the other side which forced Samsonov to leave the high post open to position against a centering pass.

The D, both of them, spent that entire play doing LITERALLY everything wrong.

The Leafs defense is the single biggest reason they didn't win in regulation.

Imagine spending the majority of your cap on forwards, skimping on D by necessity and pretending that the D was somehow this unstoppable force. of COURSE they weren't good. They weren't DESIGNED to be good.

 

[FMichael]

Tronna's core pretty boys never had to earn their fat paychecks after their ELC...Leaf Nation is living the aftermath.

 

[Bruce Granville]

Scanned the wall of text, didn‘t see 1967…bad OP.

 

[TheNumber4]

Your take on the D is putrid and couldn’t be more wrong. The back end was fantastic all year and all playoff. The offense, Keefe and Samsonov is what killed them.

They were okay. In that they didn’t get caved and played solid defensively. But where was the puck movement and offence? You need that from your D, and Toronto doesn’t have the skill on the back end for that.

 

[eviohh26]

My take from what I watched was .

Matthews had the effort . But seemed he didn't have a lot of support on his line. He doesn't seem like a Line driver. Missing Nylander I think hurt. Nylander strikes me more of a line driver play maker player with nice finish.

Tavares best days are long behind him. Could be a decent 3rd line depth player but he is making 1C money. Resign him for cheap or let him walk.

Marner is not built for playoffs. He doesn't even try to battle along the boards. He looks like he is scared of contact. He has a top notch defensive side to his game and he is full of skill. But often grit can rub out skill as we see with him year after year. Resign for much cheaper or trade/let him walk.

They had decent goaltending. Was great at times and also poopy at times. Was good enough to win with it seemed.

They have too much money tied into 4 forwards who get shut down year after year. They have had a lot of time to figure it out and haven't. They need to free up some of that cap space and bring in some depth and character guys that play the right way and have energy. They don't have the worst D but it could like most teams add depth. Depth cannot be under estimated in the post season.

They are in need of a retool. Which they should be able to do by the end of next year with Tavares and Marner contracts coming off the books. They have some of the right pieces but need to figure it out. I unfortunately don't think Their GM is the right guy to do it.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

They should try to pursue Cooper with Babcock money if they're that desperate. I see it being either Berube, McLellan or Gallant. Those are their only good options at this point as they need experience at this point.

And I love seeing the Leafs live rent free in Jesse Pollock's head. Well... I'll have a soft spot for the Leafs until Jesse Pollock is irrelevant.

 

[yukoner88]

I'd say it's more the Leafs have contaminated losing

 

[PunchImlach is Alive]

It's contaminated the fan base too

 

[snipes]

You love to see it

 

[GMR]

Joel Quenneville is available.