Speculation: Is Lou really all that great.

[LeafFever]

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

I think so. I really find it hard to believe this team isn't a lock for 100+ points again.

 

[LeafFever]

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.

That's the thing, people knocked Dubas for that trade, now they forget about it and want him.

 

[CelticDruid]

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

Sorry, I had to laugh at that as I had this vision of men in matching black coats and hats with BABCOCK YES MEN stamped on their foreheads.

 

[Morbo]

I think so. I really find it hard to believe this team isn't a lock for 100+ points again.

last year's team had 39 ROW

this year's had 42

some years you have better shootout luck than others.

I don't think this team is a lock for 100 points at all as currently constructed. good bet for a playoff seed perhaps.

 

[Menzinger]

Lou has been “fine”, I don’t think he’s been amazing in his role like some folks seem to think (he’s made his fair share of mistakes so far), but overall id say the Leafs are a fairly well run team and I do appreciate the more “conservative” approach they’ve had so far - ie not pulling a Chia and making a big move for the sake of making a move.

With that said, I hope whomever is the next GM if the team is one who is willing to stand up a bit more to Babcock (and take away some of his “toys” when needed).!Don’t get me wrong, I actually quite like Babcock as the teams coach, but he relies far too much sometimes on pretty questionable players, some of whom likely should have been traded earlier or not signed in the first place.

 

[Suntouchable13]

All these regular season records are great, but 2-6 in the post is not going to cut it.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Lou gets the player or gets rid of the player Babs wants or dislikes. Simple as that

I am ok with Lou. He hasn't made a drastic move to improve this team but he hasn't given up anybody good either

We are losing in playoffs? I'll take that problem over not making the playoffs, thank you

With all of the top 8 overall draft picks that we've made over the last several years, that would be a pretty low bar or goal, no?

 

[Legion34]

Yep. Let’s let a 30 year old negotiate the 3 most important contracts maybe our whole history.

Good job team. Next up.... “Was Gretzky all that great? He didn’t win a cup in 15 of his seasons.... how great can he be?”

 

[HoweHullOrr]

I can't wait to see the threads after game 3, win or lose the extreme is always entertaining with this fan base.

No kidding. Not long ago, and I mean just a week ago, he was the godfather. Now he's a bum. I've been meh with regards to Lou since day one, he hasn't really done much but rebuild which is the easy part, but the hot takes around here are hilarious.

Ya, the godfather comparisons were always laughable.

 

[justafan22]

Yep. Let’s let a 30 year old negotiate the 3 most important contracts maybe our whole history.

Good job team. Next up.... “Was Gretzky all that great? He didn’t win a cup in 15 of his seasons.... how great can he be?”

Yes because Lou did so well with the zaitsev deal

 

[Legion34]

Yes because Lou did so well with the zaitsev deal

What about rielly? Kadri? What has Dubas negotiated?????

 

[HoweHullOrr]

The Leafs did try to trade JVR. The deals weren't there. Are you really upset we don't have Travis Hamonic?

Can we now say that truly good defenders are infrequently available and cost a lot? Or, are we still in the dreaming and denial phase? I guess I'm trying to make a distinction between making "an upgrade" and making a significant and meaningful improvement based only on evidence of playoff success as the criteria.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

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.

Not sure we got fleeced on the Kessel trade. There were very few trading partners for Kessel because of his contract. I think many that thought we got fleeced over looked this point.

 

[Pocket Hercules]

Gotta love the whole Jekyll and Hyde rush to judgement reactions of this fanbase. “No, it’s Lou Fault!” “No no no...it’s Babs fault!!” “Auston said ‘Shit Happens’...he’s mentally checked out, let’s blame him!!!!!”

It’s no wonder why sports reporters in this town have total job security.

Carry on....smh.

 

[TMLS]

Yep. Let’s let a 30 year old negotiate the 3 most important contracts maybe our whole history.

Good job team. Next up.... “Was Gretzky all that great? He didn’t win a cup in 15 of his seasons.... how great can he be?”

Ya because some 80 year old dinosaur is smarter than a 30 year old? Isnt Lou the guy that gave Ilya Kovalchuck a 100 year contract?

 

[Jozay]

He's been good, but not great.

I dont think its a big deal that we'll be moving on from him this offseason.

 

[FreeBird]

Not Lou's or Shanahan's team, look at Lou's Cup Champs, big played a heavy game, Shanahan played a heavy game. Babcocks teams in Detroit and Toronto have gone out 6 or 7 times in the first round. Obviously there is a disconnect on how a team should be constructed, did you see Lou's and Shanny's facial expressions, like this just isn't working. Now what can be done about it, going to be tough because Bab's has way too much power in player personnel.

 

[Not My Tempo]

What about rielly? Kadri? What has Dubas negotiated?????

He got lucky that Reilly and Kadri just came off horrible seasons and got them cheap. The difference with Zaitsev was he wasn’t spectacular last year, got paid a ton under the assumption that he’ll get better, but has shown zero signs of improvement.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

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

Geez man. Calgary has problems sure but that post was pretty respectable for being an outside fan all things considered. Could've been a lot more condescending.

 

[Leafin]

Lou has failed in addressing a major roster need: a top 4 RHD. Wasting 2 2nd rounders on 4th line centers has yielded zero stability or production for the position.

The defense needs an overhaul this summer.

Rielly - XXXX
Dermott - Zaitsev(he's been a major disappointement as well)
XXXX - XXXX

The rest of the defense needs to be upgraded. We play too soft in our own end to go along with too much puck watching. We need some bodies that play defense and can skate. Not finding an upgrade on Polak is criminal. Maybe you slot Hainsey with Zaitsev on the bottom pairing/PK. We really need to upgrade the defense.

 

[FreeBird]

What about rielly? Kadri? What has Dubas negotiated?????

Should have known Burke called Rielly the best player in his draft year that's Burkie, one of his most outrageous statements he's made. Major disappointment, at 5 million a year, thought he was going to have a breakout season.

 

[Legion34]

Should have known Burke called Rielly the best player in his draft year that's Burkie, one of his most outrageous statements he's made. Major disappointment, at 5 million a year, thought he was going to have a breakout season.

Not sure if serious?

 

[MR4]

That's the thing, people knocked Dubas for that trade, now they forget about it and want him.

I'm happy with getting Kapanen and Andersen out of Kessel when we couldn't keep Phil.

Yep. Let’s let a 30 year old negotiate the 3 most important contracts maybe our whole history.

Good job team. Next up.... “Was Gretzky all that great? He didn’t win a cup in 15 of his seasons.... how great can he be?”

You do realize Pridham (the cap genius) is likely doing the negotiations, not our GM right?

Lou has failed in addressing a major roster need: a top 4 RHD. Wasting 2 2nd rounders on 4th line centers has yielded zero stability or production for the position.

The defense needs an overhaul this summer.

Rielly - XXXX
Dermott - Zaitsev(he's been a major disappointement as well)
XXXX - XXXX

The rest of the defense needs to be upgraded. We play too soft in our own end to go along with too much puck watching. We need some bodies that play defense and can skate. Not finding an upgrade on Polak is criminal. Maybe you slot Hainsey with Zaitsev on the bottom pairing/PK. We really need to upgrade the defense.

Doesn't need that much of an overhaul IMO. But you absolutely don't slot Hainsey beside Zaitsev, that pair has looked like trash together.

Rielly-Dermott
Gardiner-Hainsey
LH Defensive D-Zaitsev

This for next season is what we should expect/hope for and then load up the dump trucks full of money to Doughty's house in the offseason, losing Hainsey and most likely Gardiner in the process.

Rielly-Doughty
Dermott-Liljegren
Borgman/DFD-Zaitsev

 

[SnizzNasty88]

Signed Freddy for 5 years before even playing a single Leafs game, that was a major gamble of a move.

If anything, that was the greatest move he’s made, Freddy’s been an absolute beast for us, two games where the D don’t show up is not on Freddy at all.

 

[rent free]

No. He was overrated when we got him and he's overrated now.