Is this the biggest blow yet? (General Reflection/Ramble)

[Morlu]

McDavid is going to Pheonix if they rig the loterry. The leafs could finish in last place next year and we'll lose all 3 loterries and get 4th pick. The future of the NHL is South of the boarder. They don't care about us.

I honestly hope the Leafs ratings tank so hard and the NHL and Rogers loses massive amounts of money. That's the only thing that matters to them.

 

[I Believe]

The biggest blow to me would be a quiet trade deadline and going into the draft with no extra picks. I think that would be the biggest punch in the gut for me.

That pretty much tells me that a proper rebuild will never be approved by management no matter how bad things get, because tv ratings trump all.

Then I can't help but think that the next 10 years may very well be like the last 10.

It's pretty depressing to think about.

 

[Cor]

To above, that's part of the reason why I think this has been the worst yet. No one cares. Everyone is just waiting for the season to be over. Players are probably waiting for where they get traded too.

Nonis likely knows he will be gone at the end of the season.

It's just, there's nothing this season. The people waiting for a winning streak of some sort... I really don't see it happening. Not this time.



(Some solid discussion in here. Better than I was expecting)

 

[Ace88*]

Yes. At least for me, this season has kinda killed my leaf spirit. Everything in the past off season, Randy extended but neutered , Nonis still here, cosmetic changes to the lineup, everything gave a "wasted season " vibe.

What was the point of all that? No direction at all in a crucial season and draft.

We may miraculously still end up with McDavid, but this season hurt.

And lastly, somebody from ownership needs to go to bettman and tell him: we've taken it in the *** for the past ten years, we are the Toronto Maple Leafs and you are nothing without our support. You gave Crosby to Pittsburgh. You are giving us McDavid, or else.

Or else what, exactly?

 

[Daisy Jane]

Or else what, exactly?

that one made me laugh too.

 

[Al14]

McDavid is going to Pheonix if they rig the loterry. The leafs could finish in last place next year and we'll lose all 3 loterries and get 4th pick. The future of the NHL is South of the boarder. They don't care about us.

I honestly hope the Leafs ratings tank so hard and the NHL and Rogers loses massive amounts of money. That's the only thing that matters to them.

Exactly, we Leaf fans keep filling the seats at the ACC, keep filling seats at arenas all over North America, and, keep buying Leaf gear at stupid rates! There is NO REASON for the NHL to help out the team based in Toronto, because, no matter HOW BAD the team is, we keep turning over our money to MLSE, hand over fist! MLSE knows this! The NHL knows this!

It just grinds my gears that some of the money we give to MLSE goes to the other NHL teams that GET THE FRANCHISE PLAYERS that are then used to BEAT us! Revenue sharing IS NOT in OUR best interest! Wake up people!

 

[Al14]

The biggest blow to me would be a quiet trade deadline and going into the draft with no extra picks. I think that would be the biggest punch in the gut for me.

That pretty much tells me that a proper rebuild will never be approved by management no matter how bad things get, because tv ratings trump all.

Then I can't help but think that the next 10 years may very well be like the last 10.

It's pretty depressing to think about.

I fully expect that you'll get PUNCHED in the GUT! I have no faith that Shanahan, and company, will clean house at all!

I hope I'll be pleasantly surprised, however, I'm ready to accept that NOTHING WILL CHANGE!

 

[deuce457]

People are still blaming the goaltending?

This is absurd.

I am sure its the 12 year old fans.

The team had the same core of players with Ron Wilson and Randy Carlyle who were supposed to be 2 completely different coaches. But the same mistakes kept happening. Poor team defence that the goalies could not mask.

Francois Beauchemin is a Leaf and is a bum, but 3 days later goes to Anaheim and is up for the Norris trophy. Now did FB learn how to play defence over night, or was the core of forwards in Anaheim significantly more defensively responsible, which made the Defences job easy and makes everyone on the team look better?

The leafs forwards play like it is an all star game or sunday morning skate, they are leaving their D and Goalies hanging out to dry most of the game. Its not the goalies, its not the D and its not the Coaching, its the core of offensive forwards that pay no attention to their own end.

 

[Hotel Mario]

At the beginning of the season/offseason I wasn't pleased with keeping the core around given they had collapsed the 3rd straight season.

However The poor quality and overuse of bottom line players (Mcclement) and the use of Orr/Mclaren nightly were a big contributor to the demise of that season as well. Polak,Santorelli,Komarov were brought in to address these issues, and provide the core with much better support. Gardiner was just signed to a contract where it would be expected he show improvement, there was no way Clarkson could have another season SO BAD.

At the beginning of the season I really thought the team had improved with their additions, at least to the point of being competitive with a realistic chance at making the playoffs and possibly more.

The big blow is more the realization now about just how far the team is away from being competitive, the "building" from 2009 onward never had a foundation and is just a mess. Not only this season but all seasons since then have felt like a waste in hindsight.

Leafs management is at a "Y" in the road, and they have 2 choices.
- There is a smart choice and a foolish choice
- There is a difficult choice and an easy choice
- There is a right choice and a wrong choice
- There is a choice that is a big blow, and one that is a bigger blow¸
- There is a choice, and a choice

Starting with the TD (then draft, offseason) it could one of the most defining periods in Leaf history. At this time there will be no more doubt about which path was chosen.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

I think I'm ready for a rebuild and not just one year wonders

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

Just gut the team.

honestly, trade Bernier too. He gives us too good of a chance to win

 

[egd27]

Just gut the team.

honestly, trade Bernier too. He gives us too good of a chance to win

If you really want to tank, Bernier should go. If he even steals 3 games a year it could mean the difference of 4 or 5 draft positions.

 

[Joey Hoser]

I think I'm ready for a rebuild and not just one year wonders

What one year wonder? You mean the Boston incident?