Speculation: Dubas on the Leafs defense

Tit

Toast and jam
Sep 23, 2018
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When teams realize we are weak on the right side, they pressure the opposite side, forcing the RHD to handle the puck, which they cannot do.

Good teams have exploited this weakness in the past to great results.

We need to either groom Dermott for the RH or acquire one.
 
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Kelly

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Nov 12, 2012
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They need a defender who can be trusted to play more than 22 mins a night if they wavy to become legit contenders.
Unless it's a top 5 D -- doubt you'll see Babcock play a D that much. Rielly is more than able, but Babs likes to spread out the minutes.

What we need is a RH defenseman who can push Zaitzev or Hainsey down as both handle the puck like a live grenade and are terrible at moving the puck out.
 

bert

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Nov 11, 2002
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The big move on D is going to be swapping Dermott and Hainsey.

If Dermott can effectively play the right side the leafs become a far more dangerous team to go all the way. He is a heck of a player already and is only getting better. To me he makes Gardiner expendable. If I was Toronto id be looking at a Gardiner for Myers swap if Dermott cant effectively switch.
 

Spirit of 67

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Nov 25, 2016
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If Dermott can effectively play the right side the leafs become a far more dangerous team to go all the way. He is a heck of a player already and is only getting better. To me he makes Gardiner expendable. If I was Toronto id be looking at a Gardiner for Myers swap if Dermott cant effectively switch.
If you do that then you don't need Myers.

And we lose a Gardiner for Myers swap. So we aren't doing that.
 

bert

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If you do that then you don't need Myers.

And we lose a Gardiner for Myers swap. So we aren't doing that.

Well as you can see in my post I said if Dermott cant switch id look to make the deal. Clearly if he can make the switch then they dont need to make the deal. Both Myers and Gardiner are UFA's to be and gives the leafs a solid top 4 as Dermott would move up to the 2nd pair on the left side.
 

Spirit of 67

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Nov 25, 2016
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Well as you can see in my post I said if Dermott cant switch id look to make the deal. Clearly if he can make the switch then they dont need to make the deal. Both Myers and Gardiner are UFA's to be and gives the leafs a solid top 4 as Dermott would move up to the 2nd pair on the left side.
Ah, sorry, misread.

My bad.
 

Drew311

Makes The Pass
Oct 29, 2010
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If Gardiner stays, Zaitsev doesn't. Not sure how Dubas would accomplish the second one.
 
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Nizdizzle

Offseason Is The Worst Season
Jul 7, 2007
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Sounds like Dubas is telling Gardiner to take a discount
Just Dubas calling a spade a spade. The Leafs would love to bring Gardiner back, but they don't have nearly enough cap space to do so if he doesn't take a discount. Gardiner is a UFA, so the choice is entirely in his own hands - he just needs to know that if he wants to stay a Leaf, he won't be doing so at market value.
 

Toronto makebeleifs

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Jul 4, 2014
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I can understand that trades and the logistical follow up with the cap can be tough... but it's an obvious flaw that the leafs have. Hainsey was a decent enough stopgap, oziganov is looking less and less like an NHL defenceman, and zaitsev is fine bit he's a 2nd pairing guy. To have 1/3 decent defenceman on the right side (none with great speed) should have been dealt with already. When you look at teams that will compete (Tampa, Winnipeg, Nashville, lesser extent calgary) they have a top 4 defence that is head and shoulders better in depth and a right side d# that embarrasses Toronto. Liljegren is still a minimum of 1 year away and guys like holl just aren't nhl'ers. I understand patience if quality isn't out there, but man does it ever suck as a leaf fan to see andersen and this offence with THIS defence.
 

HockeyDBspecialist

Habs 2019 cup champ
Jan 30, 2018
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Unless it's a top 5 D -- doubt you'll see Babcock play a D that much. Rielly is more than able, but Babs likes to spread out the minutes.

What we need is a RH defenseman who can push Zaitzev or Hainsey down as both handle the puck like a live grenade and are terrible at moving the puck out.

you don't necessary need a puck mover on the first pair, Reilly is already that.
You need a strong Physical shutdown D who makes a good first pass, Muzzin is the perfect fit but is LHD
 

shortfuze

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Apr 23, 2007
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Just Dubas calling a spade a spade. The Leafs would love to bring Gardiner back, but they don't have nearly enough cap space to do so if he doesn't take a discount. Gardiner is a UFA, so the choice is entirely in his own hands - he just needs to know that if he wants to stay a Leaf, he won't be doing so at market value.
Hats market value? Cause your market value and his market value might be different.
 

shortfuze

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Apr 23, 2007
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I can understand that trades and the logistical follow up with the cap can be tough... but it's an obvious flaw that the leafs have. Hainsey was a decent enough stopgap, oziganov is looking less and less like an NHL defenceman, and zaitsev is fine bit he's a 2nd pairing guy. To have 1/3 decent defenceman on the right side (none with great speed) should have been dealt with already. When you look at teams that will compete (Tampa, Winnipeg, Nashville, lesser extent calgary) they have a top 4 defence that is head and shoulders better in depth and a right side d# that embarrasses Toronto. Liljegren is still a minimum of 1 year away and guys like holl just aren't nhl'ers. I understand patience if quality isn't out there, but man does it ever suck as a leaf fan to see andersen and this offence with THIS defence.
So just out of curiosity where would they get a RHD from? I’m sure if it was easy and they didn’t have to over pay they would probably have one.
 

shortfuze

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Apr 23, 2007
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Market value is what he would get on the open market as a UFA, which I would certainly expect is at least $6+ as top-4 puck moving d-man are rarely available in UFA. Do you believe his market value is below this?
Unfortunately if he hits UFA he’ll get in that range. However I don’t think top4 defencemen should be making over 6 million a year.
 

Clint Eastwood

Eff the Habs
Nov 11, 2018
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With how good the Leafs are offensively and how good Andersen can be, they don't need an amazing defense. However they do need someone better on the right side than Ron Hainsey or Nikita Zaitsev lol
 
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