Is this version of Maple Leafs better then last year

[moon111]

Taking Hyman and Nylander off Matthews' line was Babcock giving Austin more rope to play with. He had to be better defensively and play the puck more.
Nylander was such a one-way wonder. Put on the third line, taking center position with more responsibility at times, even though some thought he regressed,
think it was improving his defensive game. Truth be told, I don't think Babcock felt the team was going to take that next hurdle so he thought it best to develop
them so they would. Fans might think the young stars can do no wrong, Babcock doesn't care who you are. He's hurt players feeling in the past, but in the end,
are they better players for it? I think not only have the roster moves helped, but players like Matthews and Nylander have taken a step forward from going to
players that win games to players that win Championships.

 

[Jeffrey Pedler]

I agree on all of the above. The one thing that is significantly worse this year is the 3rd and 4th line.

This was the 3rd and 4th liners to start last year

Leivo-Kadri-Brown
Johnsson-Lindholm-Kapanan

today it looks something like

Mikheyev-Kerfoot- Moore
Thimashov-Gauthier-Spezza

Team is top heavy which may be fine in the regular season, that 3rd and 4th will struggle in the playoffs and there is no $$ to do any upgrades at the deadline.

Shouldn't worry too much about the bottom six.

Kapenen will be back on the third line as the RW once Hyman is back.

Johnsson is needed in the top six.

Gauthier has something to prove this year and is better than Lindholm.

Spezza adds offence to the fourth line.

Kerfoot is a downgrade to Kadri, but this team needed to find a cheaper option as the third line centre.

 

[kevsh]

Personally, I'd like their chances a lot better if they could finish inside the top 20 (at least) for least Shots Allowed. I believe they were 25th last year, which would have been alarming if they didn't have such a potent offense.

(Cup Finalist Boston and St. Louis both finished top 5 last year; Conference Finalist - yeah, yeah they got a miracle to get by Vegas, also top 5 btw - San Jose finished #2 ... Out in the first round, Calgary finished #1, but their biggest issue in the playoffs was they couldn't score)

 

[ShaneFalco]

Yes but We will be hard pressed to retain this team and next year I can't imagine anything but a set back.

That's what people said about this year

 

[ErnieLeafs]

The only real answer is one you can’t be sure of, until we actually see them play. Ask this question in January.

 

[hotpaws]

better on paper

-Nylander , full camp and contract negotiations behind him as well as the pressure it caused him since that has shifted with the huge huge deals Mathews and Marner signed taking over the spotlight

-Gards was injured and replaced with Barrie who is an upgrade offensively , defensively hopefully he can be sheltered

-another years for our kids to mature

-b/u goalie can't be any worse and at the very least the team won't have to deal with a sub par delusional fool in the change room

-Muzzin a full year with the team

on the flip side

-not sold on Kerfot as our 3rd line C

-none of the scrap heap guys look like they'll be much/any help

questions

-Sandin , if he can continue to prove he belongs at this time it'll be a huge plus to the D

-Cici , maybe moving to a good team will give him a bounce back year

-how does Dermott play after missing camp and the start of the season

-Hyman , not a key player but i doubt Babs limits his ice time even if he's a drag on his line which is a concern if he starts off slow

overall we should be better even if we're softer than last year

 

[Morbo]

On paper, unquestionably. And significantly.

 

[Mess]

This years team vs last year does needs to factor in the opportunity cost of giving up 2 X 1st round picks (2019 and either 2020/21).

So that impact is not felt yet on this season, but there will come a time when that impact comes due and you start paying the piper as its mortgaging the future for the present and going all-in on this year.

So you hope this years team is better because you're potentially also renting Muzzin and/or Barrie both pending UFAs.

 

[deletethis]

Defense is really where the personnel is very different. We've got better younger legs on the 3rd line but it's up in the air whether they'll outproduce those they replaced. The biggest area for improvement is from the maturity of the young star players especially Nylander.

 

[nuck]

Healthy is the big thing and I think Hutch will be a bit of an upgrade on Sparks. AJ and Kap need to at least not regress and Nylander needs to be at least as good as he was as a rookie. None of this is a stretch but nothing is ever guaranteed. Some interesting new faces. Can Ceci be at least no worse than Hainsey? On paper they are for sure stronger and the upside of their best players hasn't been hit yet. I don't see how anyone wouldn't think they aren't a better group.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

This years team vs last year does needs to factor in the opportunity cost of giving up 2 X 1st round picks (2019 and either 2020/21).

So that impact is not felt yet on this season, but there will come a time when that impact comes due and you start paying the piper as its mortgaging the future for the present and going all-in on this year.

So you hope this years team is better because you're potentially also renting Muzzin and/or Barrie both pending UFAs.

draft picks actually have nothing to do with this topic

 

[Blanche Blanche]

I think they are better, but once again I'll say that they will be judged by what they do in the playoffs. Finishing with more points but losing in the first round is not an improvement.

Yeah Freddy load management and player usage this season will be key difference makers.

No point getting a 50$ haircut, washboard abs and an Armani suit for Saturday nights hot date, when you cant even get her bra off.

1st base... 1st round...

Get 'at er

 

[Loosie]

Yes.

 

[ToDavid]

Yes.

The single piece we'll miss the most will be Kadri but I'm really liking the look of that third line. Kerfoot is obviously no Kadri, but he can skate like the wind and Mikheyev is actually a pretty big asshole and Moore is feisty as hell. That's going to be a line that annoys and tires out the opposition even if they aren't scoring. Fourth line looks solid, Gauthier is playing heavier like the 6'5" monster he is.

Only line that I could see taking a step back is Tavares-Marner, simply because of how good they were last year. But that shouldn't be that big of a problem. On the other hand, if the bottom six are playing pesky and heavy we may get out of the basement of the league in powerplay opportunities which may even give our top six a bump.

D is significantly improved. Barrie/Gardiner may be a wash on paper but if you had told me we could transform Gardiner into a right handed defenseman at a $2.75m cap hit I would have been all for it. Full year of Muzzin, who has looked on top of his game so far. Sandin has been a force. Marincin is looking good. Once Dermott is back our only "weak link" is Ceci, who hasn't exactly looked like a weak link so far in pre-season.

Andersen is locked in. He'll have his ups and downs as all goalies do, but he looks like he'll have a solid start to the season.

Pre-season scores, points, results, etc. don't matter but IMO how the team plays does. This team has been dominant so far, from top to bottom.

 

[Carltons Cup]

We essentially got rid of our 5 worst players from last season. Zaitsev, Hainsey, Sparks, Marleau, Brown all gone.

Maybe Dubas does read these boards

 

[robertmac43]

Definitely a better team this year. D is clearly improved in my mind, Forwards have another year of growth under their belt, and even the little pick ups to fill out the bottom of the roster have proven to be solid.

 

[Mess]

draft picks actually have nothing to do with this topic

Leafs are overspending the Cap ceiling by $10.5 mil (Horton and Clarkson LTIR) this year to fit Marner and needed to deal Marleau with a 1st to resign Marner.

Last season the Leafs under spent the cap ceiling by a significant amount on last years roster, because they needed to save $4-5 mil free cap under-spending the cap ceiling for rookie bonuses to be applied against last year without any carryover penalty.

Also are potentially renting Muzzin for this season at the cost of 1st round pick and 2 former 2nd rounder prospects.

So comparing apples to apples the Leafs are spending +$15 mil more this year on players this year vs last and also spent 2 X 1st round picks to create this team.

So this team better be better than last year because you're spending far more cap $$ and more rental players at the cost of high pick and prospects.

So the answer is a rather captain obvious YES, but there are also reason why that is.

 

[kb]

That's what people said about this year

Groundhog Day.

 

[IPS]

Leafs are overspending the Cap ceiling by $10.5 mil (Horton and Clarkson LTIR) this year to fit Marner and needed to deal Marleau with a 1st to resign Marner.

Last season the Leafs under spent the cap ceiling by a significant amount on last years roster, because they needed to save $4-5 mil free cap under-spending the cap ceiling for rookie bonuses to be applied against last year without any carryover penalty.

Also are potentially renting Muzzin for this season at the cost of 1st round pick and 2 former 2nd rounder prospects.

So comparing apples to apples the Leafs are spending +$15 mil more this year on players this year vs last and also spent 2 X 1st round picks to create this team.

So this team better be better than last year because you're spending far more cap $$ and more rental players at the cost of high pick and prospects.

What exactly is your point?

Marner and Matthews were on their final year of their ELC contract last year, no duh the Leafs are spending more on players this year. Do you think you're bringing some revolutionary new information to the table by rehashing the Leafs cap situation?

 

[kb]

This years team vs last year does needs to factor in the opportunity cost of giving up 2 X 1st round picks (2019 and either 2020/21).

So that impact is not felt yet on this season, but there will come a time when that impact comes due and you start paying the piper as its mortgaging the future for the present and going all-in on this year.

So you hope this years team is better because you're potentially also renting Muzzin and/or Barrie both pending UFAs.

The first round picks have no bearing on whether or not the team is better now than last year.

Wow. Stay on topic please?

 

[Suntouchable13]

Yes.

The single piece we'll miss the most will be Kadri but I'm really liking the look of that third line. Kerfoot is obviously no Kadri, but he can skate like the wind and Mikheyev is actually a pretty big ******* and Moore is feisty as hell. That's going to be a line that annoys and tires out the opposition even if they aren't scoring. Fourth line looks solid, Gauthier is playing heavier like the 6'5" monster he is.

Only line that I could see taking a step back is Tavares-Marner, simply because of how good they were last year. But that shouldn't be that big of a problem. On the other hand, if the bottom six are playing pesky and heavy we may get out of the basement of the league in powerplay opportunities which may even give our top six a bump.

D is significantly improved. Barrie/Gardiner may be a wash on paper but if you had told me we could transform Gardiner into a right handed defenseman at a $2.75m cap hit I would have been all for it. Full year of Muzzin, who has looked on top of his game so far. Sandin has been a force. Marincin is looking good. Once Dermott is back our only "weak link" is Ceci, who hasn't exactly looked like a weak link so far in pre-season.

Andersen is locked in. He'll have his ups and downs as all goalies do, but he looks like he'll have a solid start to the season.

Pre-season scores, points, results, etc. don't matter but IMO how the team plays does. This team has been dominant so far, from top to bottom.

I don't know how people equate Barrie and Gards. Gardiner was never ranked on any top 25 D man lists, has he?

 

[kb]

Leafs are overspending the Cap ceiling by $10.5 mil (Horton and Clarkson LTIR) this year to fit Marner and needed to deal Marleau with a 1st to resign Marner.

Last season the Leafs under spent the cap ceiling by a significant amount on last years roster, because they needed to save $4-5 mil free cap under-spending the cap ceiling for rookie bonuses to be applied against last year without any carryover penalty.

Also are potentially renting Muzzin for this season at the cost of 1st round pick and 2 former 2nd rounder prospects.

So comparing apples to apples the Leafs are spending +$15 mil more this year on players this year vs last and also spent 2 X 1st round picks to create this team.

So this team better be better than last year because you're spending far more cap $$ and more rental players at the cost of high pick and prospects.

You just don't understand much, do you?

 

[kb]

What exactly is your point?

Marner and Matthews were on their final year of their ELC contract last year, no duh the Leafs are spending more on players this year. Do you think you're bringing some revolutionary new information to the table by rehashing the Leafs cap situation?

It's a question if the team on paper is better today than last season, not if the team is better positioned going forward than last season.

Seems like a pretty simple question for the rest of us.

He's a whiner of the highest order.

 

[Drytoast]

That's what people said about this year

Yeah I give Dubas full marks but he playd his Kardi 2C card this summer. He was an expendable piece due to Tavares taking his role. I dunno what expendable piece we have that isn't Nylander Marner, Matthews Tavares?

 

[IPS]

The first round picks have no bearing on whether or not the team is better now than last year.

Wow. Stay on topic please?

It's like we're the first contender in the history of the NHL to spend 1sts on bolstering the team the way Mess is trying to make it out to be