Speculation: Is Lou really all that great.

[Suntouchable13]

What year is this for Lou? His team is breaking records for franchise that has been around for 100 years but "is Lou really all that great" lol

Yes, but a lot of it is not Lou. Marner, Nylander, that's not Lou. Matthews was a no brainer. Lou is pretty average, I guess. Much better than Burke and Nonis. But his body of work as a whole is nothing special. You are judged by the playoffs ultimately, are you not?

 

[LeafFever]

Leaf fans need to calm down. The sky is not falling. We'll be great next season.
If you don't like Lou, perhaps you'd switch places with Hab fans and get Bergevin?

 

[justafan22]

He doesn't have a contract next year. This offseason is very important since it's the last one with ELC flexibility

 

[Spirit of 67]

lol have you watched our defence??

So you're advocating fixing out poor defence with a defender playing poorly?

Good plan.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Leaf fans need to calm down. The sky is not falling. We'll be great next season.
If you don't like Lou, perhaps you'd switch places with Hab fans and get Bergevin?

I think he has shown barely any creativity, though. Bringing back Polak? Yuk. Trading another 2nd for another 4th liner? Yuk. Hainsey is OK but then the coach overplays him. Letting Leivo just rot in the press box. WTF? Regular season records are fine and all, but playoff success is where its at.

 

[LeafFever]

So you're advocating fixing out poor defence with a defender playing poorly?

Good plan.

A slow defender who is late 20's who might only be around another year.

 

[LeafFever]

I think he has shown barely any creativity, though. Bringing back Polak? Yuk. Trading another 2nd for another 4th liner? Yuk. Hainsey is OK but then the coach overplays him. Letting Leivo just rot in the press box. WTF? Regular season records are fine and all, but playoff success is where its at.

What you've mentioned are a lot of Babcock decisiosn imo.

 

[Suntouchable13]

What you've mentioned are a lot of Babcock decisiosn imo.

Well, if Babcock is going to act like the GM then we will be in trouble. I am so sick of that guy's ego and thinking he can be the GM too. Some of his coaching also leaves a lot to be desired. Why is Lou letting Babcock influence him so much? He is acting like a rookie GM.

 

[Prince N]

Don't forget all the amazing things this management group has done in only a few year period...the Leafs became a 105pt team best in team history..that seems like progress to me..team has mathews, marner, kappy, nylander, dermot, lily, anderson (he's good), reilly and a bunch of other really good peices. Just need to polish some things up and get some newer gritty type pieces, some big bodies (simmonds type) upgrade on d and leafs take it to another level

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Lou is actually a great GM with the exception of the "no facial hair rule" . This is not his team, it's Dubas team. Let Mark Hunter be the GM. The team has no character. I applaud Kadri for sticking up for his teammate. Analytics works in baseball , not hockey. Hard to implement the emotional factor in analytics. Keep Lou as a consultant. Players such as Nylander have to be taught that if your team is in a scrum, you can grab a guy and not have to drop your gloves. Right now he just goes to the bench and leaves his team one man shy during a scrum. (This happened this year, and he watched the scrum evolve before he jumped the boards). If the player does not want to be involved in that , then they can be traded.

... How much power do you think Dubas actually has?

 

[daveleaf]

There is nothing here on Lou. The team is still assembling pieces and the pieces Toronto needs now no one will give to you. In my opinion his job will be to find replacements for Zaitsev and Gardiner. I could get talked into Gardiner but Zaitsev has got to go. Puts too much pressure on his partner to cover his ass.

I think the other thing the Leafs need is a forward with grit, other then Komo there is no grit on this team, too much is relied on Kadri for supplying that as well. JVR is not bad but if I am going to give up all those dollars I would take James Neal over him

I like what Lou has done, lets see if he can get a dman this summer.

 

[Trapper]

That's the only one that leaked. How do we know there were not others?

Well that's kind of the point isn't it?
What was there to help us now and later? To help us moving forward and open up full season roster spots for Kappy,Johnsson,Leivo.
There is a good possibility JVR isn't scoring any goals for us next regular season. Who is playing 3C - 4C for us next year? Are you keeping Gardiner to be and own rental and walking in a year? Are you going to sign someone to be the 4C and give up another 2nd at the deadline for a 4C?

 

[LeafFever]

Well, if Babcock is going to act like the GM then we will be in trouble. I am so sick of that guy's ego and thinking he can be the GM too. Some of his coaching also leaves a lot to be desired. Why is Lou letting Babcock influence him so much? He is acting like a rookie GM.

Babcock is a part of this management team without a doubt.

 

[ShaneFalco]

They took a risk and kept UFAs because they thought they were good enough/wanted the experience to be a positive one.
I'm not seeing either at the moment

 

[tokyoite]

Lou needs to be replaced sooner than later. He's a Babcock's yes-man.

 

[Buds17]

No idea how Dubas will fare in the role until/unless he's there over a long enough term. He did well to bring in Hyman and Kapanen as an interim co-GM.

Lou's been fine in the role, IMO. He's done in well re-signing some key players and the Andersen trade. Zaitsev's had an injury marred sophomore season, but hopefully can get back on track going forward. I'd be more worried about the Plekanec trade if/when any of the pieces sent Montreal's way successfully pan out. Otherwise, it's a neutral trade. Bozak could've been part of a trade to Tampa, but that was vetoed by Filppula. JVR and Liljegren would've been too much for Hamonic, in my view. I can't really comment on any hypothetical trades.

 

[tokyoite]

Leaf fans need to calm down. The sky is not falling. We'll be great next season.
If you don't like Lou, perhaps you'd switch places with Hab fans and get Bergevin?

Say whatever you want. But, there's no guarantee that we'll be great next season.

 

[Tonka]

How would it be tanking your season if you moved him then used the assets to address a critical weakness?

That is what I never understood. The goal is the Cup, not a first round exit. And chances are we still would have made the playoffs. Everyone knew the Leafs weakness, at least those who kept up with stats and games.

 

[socko]

Well before Lou got here we got fleeced on the Kessel trade. With the retained salary the Penguins are paying Kessel roughly what we're paying for empty net specialist Marleau. I would be very nervous about all these big contracts coming up without someone with some experience negotiating them.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Here is my non-Leafs fan outside opinion:

- Lou inherited a really good asset base. I don't give him a ton of credit for Matthews / Nylander / Reilly / Kadri / Marner / Gardiner and those guys are what make the Leafs good.
- Lou should get credit for Andersen but goalies can be a crapshoot. Andersen might be crap next year - see Talbot this year.
- Babcock is an overrated coach. Detroit usually underperformed in the playoffs under him and he has always coached stacked rosters. Except that time he finished in last place.

If I were Shanahan I would not blame Lou for the Leafs' current predicament - Babcock has to get more out of the roster and not just rely on autopilot like it's the regular season. But I would not see any real point in Lou being back. He is a relic of the pre-cap era.

 

[shortfuze]

Not getting anything for JVR will sting a few years from now when we need good cost controlled young players.

We have good young cost controlled players. They needed guys for the playoffs.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Here is my non-Leafs fan outside opinion:

- Lou inherited a really good asset base. I don't give him a ton of credit for Matthews / Nylander / Reilly / Kadri / Marner / Gardiner and those guys are what make the Leafs good.
- Lou should get credit for Andersen but goalies can be a crapshoot. Andersen might be crap next year - see Talbot this year.
- Babcock is an overrated coach. Detroit usually underperformed in the playoffs under him and he has always coached stacked rosters. Except that time he finished in last place.

If I were Shanahan I would not blame Lou for the Leafs' current predicament - Babcock has to get more out of the roster and not just rely on autopilot like it's the regular season. But I would not see any real point in Lou being back. He is a relic of the pre-cap era.

Seems like a reasonable assessment.

 

[IPS]

Here is my non-Leafs fan outside opinion:

- Lou inherited a really good asset base. I don't give him a ton of credit for Matthews / Nylander / Reilly / Kadri / Marner / Gardiner and those guys are what make the Leafs good.
- Lou should get credit for Andersen but goalies can be a crapshoot. Andersen might be crap next year - see Talbot this year.
- Babcock is an overrated coach. Detroit usually underperformed in the playoffs under him and he has always coached stacked rosters. Except that time he finished in last place.

If I were Shanahan I would not blame Lou for the Leafs' current predicament - Babcock has to get more out of the roster and not just rely on autopilot like it's the regular season. But I would not see any real point in Lou being back. He is a relic of the pre-cap era.

Thanks for dropping by and providing your insight OvermanKingGainer.

Lou is likely the one enabling Babcock's horrifyingly bad roster decisions.

 

[hotpaws]

Here is my non-Leafs fan outside opinion:

- Lou inherited a really good asset base. I don't give him a ton of credit for Matthews / Nylander / Reilly / Kadri / Marner / Gardiner and those guys are what make the Leafs good.
- Lou should get credit for Andersen but goalies can be a crapshoot. Andersen might be crap next year - see Talbot this year.
- Babcock is an overrated coach. Detroit usually underperformed in the playoffs under him and he has always coached stacked rosters. Except that time he finished in last place.

If I were Shanahan I would not blame Lou for the Leafs' current predicament - Babcock has to get more out of the roster and not just rely on autopilot like it's the regular season. But I would not see any real point in Lou being back. He is a relic of the pre-cap era.

LL's a relic but you're team is being run by an idiot blowhard that's still trading unprotected 1st like there worthless assets , you have much bigger things to worry about that what's happening in Toronto

 

[Trapper]

They took a risk and kept UFAs because they thought they were good enough/wanted the experience to be a positive one.
I'm not seeing either at the moment

We need someone in here now who can take the next step, addressing weakness around the core and addressing weakness in the system (example lack of quality developing centers for one). Someone who is also adept at asset management.
Knowing when to move on from players for return when the time is up. How Boston moved on from Lucic, Tampa moved on from Bishop, etc.