Macallan18
Registered User
- Aug 10, 2015
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Is this version of Maple Leafs better then last year
- Thread starter MJ65
- Start date
ToDavid
Registered User
- Dec 13, 2018
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That wasn't really our bottom six for most of the season though. Johnsson and Kapanen both split time between Mathews and the third lines (they were on the fourth line for like two games) and Kapanen will likely be back on the third again this season once Hyman is healthy. Leivo was gone at the start of December and Gauthier was added. Our bottom six was a bit of a mess last season.
Kadri is a big loss, no doubt (although he struggled last year), but on net I think our bottom six is stronger than it was for most of last season.
ToDavid
Registered User
- Dec 13, 2018
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I agree that decisions will need to be made in the future, but this sentence in particular is meaningless. The Leafs' are not overspending the cap to fit Marner, our actual roster is cap compliant, as it is required to be. The Leafs are overspending the cap because of the Horton and Clarkson contracts, which disappear next season. It was a creative solution to a problem that was created six years ago when Dave Nonis signed Clarkson to a brutal contract. It has no real consequences now or in the future. There are arguments for why real cap space is better than LTIR relief but our roster is $10k below the cap WITH two actual injured roster players on LTIR, we were never going to have any cap flexibility this season regardless.
X66
114-110
- Aug 18, 2008
- 13,578
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Lol what does this even mean?
Stop trying so hard to be obtuse.
Without giving up this years first, Marleau would still be on the team, which would mean no Johnsson or Kapanen.
TMLeafer
Rest in Peace Johnny Bower
CDN24
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- Jun 17, 2009
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I don't see them as stronger. Matthews/Marner/Tavares/Johnsson/Kappannen/Nylander/Hyman and Gauthier are regulars from last year who are back. some like Nylander should be much better but guys like Johnsson/Kappannen and Hyman all had breakout seasons last year. They should be better but development is not always linear (someone could regress).
Kerfoot Kadri- I see as a downgrade
Spezza is a down grade on both brown and Marleau. Spezza had 8 g 19A last year and was a minus 13 on one of the best defensive teams. Pretty much same stats the year before. He is done. Marleau was 16-21-37 pts. Even the much maligned Brown out performed Spezza with 8G 21A and a plus 11. Ennis chipped in 12 g last year- who replaces that.
They added Nick shore doesn't inspire much confidence. Is Trevor Moore ready to contribute? The 2 russians? who knows?
I see a few downgrades and a few question marks, a lot would have to go right to have a better bottom 6 this year. Its a function of spending all the money on the top 6. You need a steady stream of ELC talent and scrap heap reclamation projects when you are that top heavy. Guys are usually on scrap heap for a reason, if they are better it will be the ELC guys.
PromisedLand
I need more FOOD
I wanna say yes; but my optimism is not as high as last season when we had signed JT and were gunning to have a really strong center depth with JT, Matthews and Kadri
ShameOnYouZidlicky
Registered User
- Jun 4, 2010
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Forwards:
- Johnsson, Matthews, Nylander, Kapanen, Marner, Moore and Gauthier should all be better versions of themselves this year
- Tavares should be playing the way he did last year
- We might see Hyman take a step back with his injury
- Mikheyev should be an upgrade over Marleau
- Spezza will be slight downgrade on Ennis/Brown; Kerfoot is a downgrade on Kadri
Defense
- Rielly and Muzzin should provide similar play to last year
- Ceci is a good replacement for Hainsey, I dont think he will be too much better or worse than Ron
- Barrie is a MASSIVE upgrade of Zaitsev
- Dermott, Sandin and Marincin are all wild cards and have potential to make really solid contributions on the 3rd pairing
Goalie
- Andernsen should provide similar goaltending compared to last year
- Hutchinson is wild card at this point but should be better than Sparks
Overall I'd say we're a better team than last year
- Johnsson, Matthews, Nylander, Kapanen, Marner, Moore and Gauthier should all be better versions of themselves this year
- Tavares should be playing the way he did last year
- We might see Hyman take a step back with his injury
- Mikheyev should be an upgrade over Marleau
- Spezza will be slight downgrade on Ennis/Brown; Kerfoot is a downgrade on Kadri
Defense
- Rielly and Muzzin should provide similar play to last year
- Ceci is a good replacement for Hainsey, I dont think he will be too much better or worse than Ron
- Barrie is a MASSIVE upgrade of Zaitsev
- Dermott, Sandin and Marincin are all wild cards and have potential to make really solid contributions on the 3rd pairing
Goalie
- Andernsen should provide similar goaltending compared to last year
- Hutchinson is wild card at this point but should be better than Sparks
Overall I'd say we're a better team than last year
ToDavid
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- Dec 13, 2018
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I don't put that much weight in top 25 anything lists (unless they're actually based on something objective). Gardiner was seriously underrated.
Suntouchable13
Registered User
There is a reason for it, though. Barrie is better by a bunch. Just my opinion. Most teams would take Barrie over him in a heartbeat
yubbers
Grown Menzez
- May 1, 2013
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ottomaddox
Registered User
6-2 pre-season last year, 5-3 pre-season this year. I see a downward trend. 
Morgs
#16 #34 #44 #88 #91
Compared to beginning of last season? Absolutely.
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Marleau-Matthews-Ennis
Leivo-Kadri-Brown
Johnsson-Lindholm-Kapanen
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Ozhiganov
vs
Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Hyman*-Tavares-Marner
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Kapanen
Shore/Timashov/Moore-Gauthier-Spezza/Moore
Rielly-Ceci
Muzzin-Barrie
Dermott*-Sandin/Liljegren/Marincin
Compared to the team we had going into the playoffs? Meh. I'd say it's probably about similar.
I'd say the defenseman should be rated as such Rielly > Gardiner > Muzzin >= Barrie > Dermott >> Sandin/Liljegren > Hainsey > Marincin >= Ceci/Zaitsev. So we lost our 2nd best defenseman to a guy that's probably at best equal to Muzzin. If we were going to be playing Rielly-Dermott/Muzzin-Barrie/Sandin-Liljegren I think we'd have at least a bit of an increase in how good this team was from last year, but the fact is Marincin is replacement level, and Ceci is about as awful as Zaitsev. But, Ceci at least has some redeeming qualities offensively and we only have him for one season.
As for forwards, we lost our 5th best forward in Kadri, and we're hoping that Johnsson/Kapanen can fill that void offensively, and Kerfoot will be a viable replacement as the 3C. Mikheyev hopefully continues to be pretty clearly better than Marleau, and really our 4th line last season wasn't much either.
Who knows about our backup.
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Marleau-Matthews-Ennis
Leivo-Kadri-Brown
Johnsson-Lindholm-Kapanen
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Ozhiganov
vs
Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Hyman*-Tavares-Marner
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Kapanen
Shore/Timashov/Moore-Gauthier-Spezza/Moore
Rielly-Ceci
Muzzin-Barrie
Dermott*-Sandin/Liljegren/Marincin
Compared to the team we had going into the playoffs? Meh. I'd say it's probably about similar.
I'd say the defenseman should be rated as such Rielly > Gardiner > Muzzin >= Barrie > Dermott >> Sandin/Liljegren > Hainsey > Marincin >= Ceci/Zaitsev. So we lost our 2nd best defenseman to a guy that's probably at best equal to Muzzin. If we were going to be playing Rielly-Dermott/Muzzin-Barrie/Sandin-Liljegren I think we'd have at least a bit of an increase in how good this team was from last year, but the fact is Marincin is replacement level, and Ceci is about as awful as Zaitsev. But, Ceci at least has some redeeming qualities offensively and we only have him for one season.
As for forwards, we lost our 5th best forward in Kadri, and we're hoping that Johnsson/Kapanen can fill that void offensively, and Kerfoot will be a viable replacement as the 3C. Mikheyev hopefully continues to be pretty clearly better than Marleau, and really our 4th line last season wasn't much either.
Who knows about our backup.
Mickey Marner
Registered User
We're much better balanced even if the in/out is a wash. We traded from arguably the strongest center group in the league, to upgrade arguably the worst right-side defence in the league.
Duffman955
Registered User
- Mar 4, 2010
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We are slightly better than last year IMO
But Barrie is much worse than Gardiner defensively. It's not even debatable.
But Barrie is much worse than Gardiner defensively. It's not even debatable.
Duke Silver
Truce?
More minutes for AM & JT in all likelihood. A net positive.
thewave
Registered User
- Jun 17, 2011
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Waiting to see how that turns out. From what I have seen, Barrie is a bit of a downgrade on Jake. The only sane explanation as to why we would not have signed Jake for 4m x 4 is because we know something about his injury, outside that it makes no sense.
No idea how to predict a team, they gel or don't. Last years didn't really gel.
Not only is Barrie better than a healthy Gardiner by a substantial margin, but he is way, way better than a broken down Gardiner, which is what we are comparing to.
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
Name a right handed D the Leafs have had in recent memory that comes even close to Barrie.....
