Do You Like The Current Team As Much As Recent Years?

[Mess]

I know we’ve got a team with some legit expectations this year - the best in a long while - but I don’t find myself liking this team as much as I’ve liked previous teams.

I’m curious how people feel about the current group, do people really “like” how the 19/20 team is stacking up? I find it kind of weird this year, I expect the Leafs will do well and have a good shot at making it into the 2nd round at least, but I’m not as excited for this team to start playing as I have been for other teams in past.

What you're describing is the impact on team depth due to the top 10 overall salaries of the core.

When you pay your own players more that doesn't make the team better, and when you start throwing the Kadri, Marleau, Brown, Gardiner players overboard, or the JVR, Bozak, Komarov players out year after year then you're quite right in thinking when Marner, Matthews and Nylander were all on ELC (<$1 mil AAV per) that the Leafs teams were stronger.

Leafs went from 105 points to 100 points to absorb JT contract (losing JVR, Bozak, Komarov) and now with the raises to Matthews and Marner kicking in the team has been weakened further in its depth and supporting cast. I think Dubas was smart lottery protecting Leafs 2020 1st round pick, based on how this current team might fare this year. Lots will need to go right for a successful season based on the current player personnel.

 

[Buds17]

All things considered, I prefer the expectations. It's also not a certainty that the cap will prevent a team from winning. It will necessitate tough decisions being made from time to time. It's unfortunate that the team looks to be starting off the season with a couple of injuries. I'm looking forward to seeing how all of the changes work out.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

I don't really let it dictate my mood at all, but it's human nature to care about the outcomes of things you have vested interest in imo.
Saying you just turn it off is a nice sentiment, but I'm pretty confident 99% of people wouldn't be able to just do it like that.
I'm not sure I possibly could take any more of an active role in my life or others. I only spent like an hour, maybe, a day doing this kind of stuff.

It’s taken a lot of years to get to here. A playoff loss would ruin a week, never-mind a day, in the past. I’m as invested in this team as anyone, but at the end of the day, no amount of worrying, number crunching, discussion, etc., will ever change a thing. I just choose to hope for them to win it all someday. That’s not to say I don’t come here once or twice a day to see if there’s anything going on, listen to sports radio, read news, and what-not, but as a fan of this particular team, I choose to extend my lifespan by not getting too caught up

 

[Nineteen67]

This version has to be more entertaining than last year’s team. It’s almost impossible be worse.

They had several needs in the lineup and Dubas addressed most of them. How well they were filled, we don’t know yet, but expectations are that they’ll make the playoffs. It’s obviously way too early to predict how far they’ll go.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

For those that think our depth has taken a hit, and the team is due to regress:

1. Matthews, Marner, Nylander are a year older, and a year closer to their prime, expect improvements.
2. Our defence has been completely revamped, and we finally got a top pair RHD in Tyson Barrie, as well as Cody Ceci who at the very least can replace Zaitsev
3. Dermott should be ready to take on a bigger role when he returns
4. John Tavares has proven that he can be that matchup centre, depleting Kadri’s role from the team
5. Johnsson, Kerfoot, Kapanen are all young, 40+ point guys locked in long term, and could be the best 3rd Line in hockey if together
6. Spezzz and Shore Add Centre depth, and are both good Right handed faceoff guys
7. Moore > Brown
8. We have more size (at least potentially) going into this season with Muzzin as our #3 guy, and Harpur and Marchement potentially in the lineup
9. Hutchinson will be better than Sparks in the backup role
10. We still have Sandin, Liljigren, Bracco, Borgman, Korshkov and Engvall competing to make the team
11. Micheyev should be decent
12. New coaching = improved power play. We have all the tools, and now have the brains to make our power play great
13. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong last year went wrong, I don’t expect a repeat

 

[Primary Assist]

Absolutely. To see a player like Morgan Rielly blossom from highly touted draft pick to legit Top 10 NHL defenseman has been incredible, and viewing the progression from the smooth-skating but mistake prone rookie/sophomore Rielly to seasoned young veteran is one of my favorite parts of the team. A large and vocal portion of our fanbase is highly critical of Babcock, often for valid reasons, but there is no denying the impact he's had in getting the absolute most from the players willing to put in the work such as Rielly, Kadri, Marner, Dermott, Hyman, and Moore.

The Quinn-Sundin era Leafs were my favorite since they were near-contenders every year, and I was a huge fan of the high-octane, punch you in the face team led by the misfits of Kessel, Colton Orr, and Frazer McLaren of the lockout season, but it was clear from the beginning that the team had significant issues that would not allow for sustainable success.

Not only is this the first Leafs team in nearly two decades that I feel is poised for legitimate success, but their high skill game and young swagger make them easy to cheer for. Players like Matthews and Tavares are legitimate role models who focus so acutely on small aspects of the game to complement their already immense talent are the types of leaders that I'm proud to emulate in my personal life, and I constantly point to these two players' work ethic and attention to detail when coaching the young hockey players that I work with.

There are still some significant hurdles for this team to overcome, such as maintaining all of the players under the salary cap and actually achieving that ever-elusive playoff series win, but with all of the setbacks come renewed optimism and I'm glad that I'm along with this team and this fanbase for that ride and the constant ascent towards success. It hasn't been easy to be a Leafs fan for most of my life, but when cheering for this squad I'm never shy to say...

GO LEAFS GO !

 

[Strangle]

Everyone will forget about the business side of this once the luck drops and we get to watch this team play.

Their chances to win are better than they have been in almost 20 years. Summer is for business, fall is for hockey

 

[FlareKnight]

Well I certainly like older teams more than this one. Teams that knew where the second round and beyond were and how to get there were pretty nice to have.

It's a mixed bag. There's a lot to like about the current roster (and this is presuming that last holdout signs). They've got plenty of skill and can score quite a bit. Talent is fun to watch when it has a chance to just have fun out there. That they can make the playoffs is also great. Nice to have that as a real expectation going into each season. We got draft lotto wins and saw the turning of a corner from pure mediocrity.

But there are times where it isn't so easy to like the current team. They can't get out of the first round. And yet the core want to contain the richest players in hockey despite not accomplishing much. No one seems to grasp a concept of there being a salary cap. They can also lack effort and expect their skill to magically solve all their problems. That second half that almost let Montreal overtake us was purely because they took everything so easy. They were almost assured a playoff spot and so Boston cruised past them.

I like them more than the mediocre squads. That should be easy to hit. There have been a lot of dark times over the last several years of a team that had no hope of getting anywhere. But they've got room to grow and frankly room to become more likable. Be nice to see a team that can play up to its potential and actually challenge to win. We'll see what happens this year. The safety nets are gone. This is becoming a team that is the core and whatever scraps the Leafs can find. So about time for parts of that core to step up and earn their shiny new contracts.

 

[yubbers]

Yes.

Never hated the Toronto Media this much though....These freaking losers are simply trying to ruin everything related to this franchise. Every relationship, whether it's player vs coach, player vs player, player vs fan, fan vs GM. They are sabotaging the whole thing with their constant bull**** on twitter and radio, basically everywhere.

It's not just hockey. Journalism is dead. It's all about clickbait. Not about who gets it right.... It's who gets it out first.

 

[yubbers]

My like for the team has been slowly fading since Willy got back (not blaming him although I think he's a big part of it) Dubas has made the team softer somehow. He fails to realize why we can't get through a playoff round. I foresee 1st round exits for a long time now unfortunately.

This has a very Muskoka five vibe going on and I don't like it.

 

[Peiskos]

I don't blame the media. I blame the people who absorb it.

This team is only unlikeable because of the business side of things ie. salary cap.

Most of us, in the same situation, would be trying to get every dollar we can knowing our careers will only last about 15 years. Doesn't make us any more or less likeable people.

Imagine those "likeable" Pat Quinn teams under a salary cap.

I see the point you're trying to make but this argument is incorrect. The average annual doctor salary in Ontario is $360,000, their careers last anywhere from 30-40 years, the typical doctor in Ontario will gross between 10.8 - 14.4 million dollars over the course of their careers. They live luxurious lives in large estates with luxury cars, nice vacations and secondary properties.

Then you have Mitch Marner who could earn what a doctor does practicing for 40 years in just 2 years. I'm sorry but I don't buy this argument, I've seen it pop up here and there and it needs to be corrected. Whatever Mitch Marner signs and even if his career ends in a brutal injury within 5 years he'll still be richer than the majority of doctors in this province, Mitch isn't stupid he knows this.

 

[Stamkos4life]

The first 2 years I loved this team. But this last season has left a sour taste for me. Nylander holding out and then playing very poorly, Auston having issues with consistency and being overpaid, now marner being tough to negotiate with.

Very frustrating to say the least.

 

[Warden of the North]

Yes, very much so. My favourite lineup since the Sundin glory years

 

[yubbers]

Definitely like more now, winning does that.

They did worse than the year before point wise and got bounced the first round again.

 

[Suntouchable13]

What you're describing is the impact on team depth due to the top 10 overall salaries of the core.

When you pay your own players more that doesn't make the team better, and when you start throwing the Kadri, Marleau, Brown, Gardiner players overboard, or the JVR, Bozak, Komarov players out year after year then you're quite right in thinking when Marner, Matthews and Nylander were all on ELC (<$1 mil AAV per) that the Leafs teams were stronger.

Leafs went from 105 points to 100 points to absorb JT contract (losing JVR, Bozak, Komarov) and now with the raises to Matthews and Marner kicking in the team has been weakened further in its depth and supporting cast. I think Dubas was smart lottery protecting Leafs 2020 1st round pick, based on how this current team might fare this year. Lots will need to go right for a successful season based on the current player personnel.

They were a better team this past season than the previous. The fact that they underachieved has nothing to do with losing mediocrity like Bozak, Koma, etc. Komarov was awful his last season in Toronto. JT, Matthews, Kadri up the middle is much better than Matthews, Kadri, Bozak. Brown and Marleau are extremely replaceable by NHL min wage guys. This season's team is the best team we've had in 15+ years.

 

[Chungo2]

I think there's some fun watching a team grow into a playoff/cup contender. Now that we are, we have higher expectations and a sense of hitting maturity. The contracts have hurt as well.

We went from dreaming about what could be and missing the nostalgia of that.

 

[Blue Nate]

I like this team a lot but I don't love them yet.

 

[nsleaf]

They did worse than the year before point wise and got bounced the first round again.

And?

 

[AllDay28]

ill always like the team

 

[ITM]

As much as recent years? No question: More.

I like the foundation this club promises. Feels like being at a poker table with enough chips to being leveraging hands. Don't recall a foundation as young (and as talented) as this in my lifetime. Not to put too fine a point on expanding the question from recent memory to a more comprehensive recollection.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Seems like it's too early for this question, should probably wait until October because as of today, we don't even know what our roster will be to begin the season. Then there's also a couple of players who likely won't start the season due to injury so there's that as well. So yeah, I'll hold off deciding how much I like or don't like this group until I actually see them play.

Having said that, I have a good feeling about this season, mostly because of Barrie, Nylander being there from the start and the fact that all our young stars have another year under their belts. I never agreed with this narrative tirelessly promoted by Mess that we had our best shot at the cup while our young stars are on their ELC's. This season they're all going to be paid and we haven't lost much talent at all (just Gardiner really) and these guys can still be much better. Don't believe me? Think about the step forward taken by Rielly last season and tell me - do you think that our big 3 have peaked yet?

You never know. this could be the year we put it all together.

 

[egd27]

2 days after Barrie gets traded here there are already articles about how much he is going to ask on his next contract. Like for real? Wouldn't hear a peep about it in any new source if he was anywhere else.

There was thread here Barrie Extension Numbers? 1 day after the trade.

What else should they write about? The Blue Jays or Argos?

 

[PuckMagi]

I love our roster... still hate our coach.

 

[GuthrieGovan]

The days of the Kessel, Lupul, JVR, Kadri, Bozak etc lineup were painful.

I miss some of those players though.

 

[egd27]

Everyone will forget about the business side of this once the puck drops and we get to watch this team play.

Their chances to win are better than they have been in almost 20 years. Summer is for business, fall is for hockey

Until the young guns are perceived to not be "earning their contracts". Look what happened to Nylander on these boards last season.