Speculation: LW targets

[zeke]

There is an ocean of difference between Leafs skill and TB skill. Kucherov and company show up when the chips are down. If a star doesn't show up, that "skill" is just wasted ice time.

Fear is not easily unlearned. You can't change the stripes of some players, the only thing you can do is surround them with enough Gamers to make them feel more confident and comfortable. Even provide a blueprint on how to bring it when it matters most.

I feel slightly embarrassed to even post that when I'm referring to the most well paid players on the team, for the most part. Courage and conviction should be a given for anyone in the NHL, even moreso if you're more higher paid.

Therefore we need Lawson Crouse.

 

[LaPlante94]

Paul Bittner obviously.

 

[123offtheglass]

Brandon Saad.

Internally they should bring back Chucky on a cheap bridge deal & give Robertson legit opportunity

I'd be a fan of bringing in Tyler Bertuzzi or Warren Foegele but it'd really deplete them in futures; maybe swing for that if they miss out on whoever their UFA targets are.

 

[Apex Predator]

Seeing where the team is now we’re going to be tight on cap so don’t think any of the bigger name left wingers are possibility since we need the money for goalie and 3rd line center.

brock McGinn is my choice for bottom 6. Probably get him cheap and can kill penalties. For the Top 6 on the left side it will probably be a mixture of different players at different times throughout the season.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Whoever it is let Dubas scrounge through the trash for them, I’m not wasting my time. Dubas should have watch his budget and he wouldn’t have to shop at value village. Nothing wrong with VV boutique but this bottom 6 really is a welfare case ha

 

[frog]

Landeskog would be the best leafs addition especially with hyman gone

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Well your adv stats warriors are failures 5 years in a row aren’t they. Oh wait let me go check. Yep 5 years of failures in the playoffs. You are so off reality its becoming outrageous. You soft team advocates should take a seat and let the smart hockey fans set the narrative for a bit. You guys love adv stats regular season champions. Us smart guys want to win in the trenches in the playoffs.Last i checked bro the Tampa Bay Lightening are two time champs. You are seriously comparing the Leafs to them. That needs a reality check man.
Do you even know what you come across as. Get real man. I could ignore you but i think it’s time you learn something about hockey.
This Leafs team doesn’t hold a candle to what T bay has as a team the last two years.
Not surprising you believe that we are equal. Get real man.

The TB is "All skill" argument is so tiresome. They have grit on every line and some to spare. We have...Simmonds? I just don't understand how they can't see that even TB realized they had to get a different mix of players to win in the playoffs. They brought in Schenn, Bogo, Coleman, Goodrow and Maroon. That says to me that the team realized they wouldn't be able to finesse their way to a cup and changed course. I wonder if Dubas is realizing it too....but maybe not if he is going to bring in washed up vets who can't play anymore.

 

[The Podium]

Whoever it is let Dubas scrounge through the trash for them, I’m not wasting my time. Dubas should have watch his budget and he wouldn’t have to shop at value village. Nothing wrong with VV boutique but this bottom 6 really is a welfare case ha

The Leafs have quite a bit of space this offseason

 

[ryno23]

Kerfoot goes back to play with Tavares and Nylander to that clears up 2nd line LW. Now you need to find a 3C which is cheaper vs finding 2 top 6 LW. You can need a top wing LW and 3C plus backup goalie with 9 million

$4 million for top LW,
$2 million for backup
$2 million for 3C

Doable for sure.

 

[The Podium]

This is a rough lineup with placeholders and roughly 200k of cap space

Sorry the D pairings are a disaster. This goes back to the play the kids approach, so a bit of a gamble. It also assumes we will be spending 2 mill on a 1b goalie which may not be the case with the current crowded goalie market.

 

[Stonehands1990]

The TB is "All skill" argument is so tiresome. They have grit on every line and some to spare. We have...Simmonds? I just don't understand how they can't see that even TB realized they had to get a different mix of players to win in the playoffs. They brought in Schenn, Bogo, Coleman, Goodrow and Maroon. That says to me that the team realized they wouldn't be able to finesse their way to a cup and changed course. I wonder if Dubas is realizing it too....but maybe not if he is going to bring in washed up vets who can't play anymore.

Killorn
Palat
Cirelli
Coleman
Goodrow
Maroon
McDonaugh
Cernak
Schenn
Savard

Why don’t people understand that the team with the most skill + grit is gonna do the best in the NHL playoffs?

 

[Apex Predator]

This is a rough lineup with placeholders and roughly 200k of cap space

View attachment 456181

Sorry the D pairings are a disaster. This goes back to the play the kids approach, so a bit of a gamble. It also assumes we will be spending 2 mill on a 1b goalie which may not be the case with the current crowded goalie market.

i can’t be the only one not sold on Robertson on the second line. He showed he’s not ready yet last year and it seems everyone has him penciled in there.

 

[The Podium]

i can’t be the only one not sold on Robertson on the second line. He showed he’s not ready yet last year and it seems everyone has him penciled in there.

Beggars cant be choosers. Play him to sink or swim or gamble on a vet willing to take a league minimum deal.

Neither are ideal, but you have to make sacrifices somewhere.

 

[Apex Predator]

Beggars cant be choosers. Play him to sink or swim or gamble on a vet willing to take a league minimum deal.

Neither are ideal, but you have to make sacrifices somewhere.

That’s true. if the option is Robertson or get on league minimum I’m gambling on Robertson.

 

[Smif]

Just so people know, Saad had a shooting % of 22% last year. His average is 11% so, cut his goals in half when checking out his stats.

 

[Apex Predator]

Just so people know, Saad had a shooting % of 22% last year. His average is 11% so, cut his goals in half when checking out his stats.

Interesting good find!

 

[Stephen]

The TB is "All skill" argument is so tiresome. They have grit on every line and some to spare. We have...Simmonds? I just don't understand how they can't see that even TB realized they had to get a different mix of players to win in the playoffs. They brought in Schenn, Bogo, Coleman, Goodrow and Maroon. That says to me that the team realized they wouldn't be able to finesse their way to a cup and changed course. I wonder if Dubas is realizing it too....but maybe not if he is going to bring in washed up vets who can't play anymore.

Tampa's advantage is their individual guys play with more toughness man to man. So if we're trying to simplify this concept and say Tampa has a nice 70%-30% skill to toughness ratio throughout their forward group, everyone's chipping in a little feistiness, defensive play, grit grind, etc. In the end what you have is a convergence of high end guys who will grind it up, and grind it up guys who can chip in a little high end skill.

Our problem is our high end talent doesn't necessarily bring any toughness, so on a capped out budget, the GM has to dumpster dive on window dressing maturity and toughness to get the same 70%-30% ratio. Problem there is the skill is just skill and the grind is just grind so you never have the right mix of both in any player on any unit with consistency.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

The Leafs have quite a bit of space this offseason

Would have even more if dubas didn’t add a player to protect Kerfoot eh. The guy is a clown

 

[ToneDog]

Beggars cant be choosers. Play him to sink or swim or gamble on a vet willing to take a league minimum deal.

Neither are ideal, but you have to make sacrifices somewhere.

You could ruin the kid if he is not ready. He should start in bottom 6 like we did with Kappy.

 

[Griffin76]

Galchenyuk Matthews Nylander
Foegele Tavares Marner
Crouse Kerfoot Armia
Bunting Spezza Simmonds
Brooks

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Holl
Dermott Liljegren
Sandin

Campbell
Halak

No clue about Foegele or Bunting. Not sure if they would fit on those lines. But they seem like hungry, gritty guys looking to take a step up. May be just what the team needs. I've always liked Crouse. A lot of people seem to crap on him but I'll cut him some slack playing in Arizona. Armia could be a perfect 3rd liner. Would like to have Bogosian back but he'd be blocking Liljegren who I think is ready. Maybe look at Chara??? Halak or Bernier as a backup. These are all smaller additions but i really don't see Dubas being able to do much along the lines of landing the big fish. Younger, grittier, hungrier...could be the answer.

 

[The Podium]

Would have even more if dubas didn’t add a player to protect Kerfoot eh. The guy is a clown

You do realize he can still be traded? Also we don’t technically gain that cap space because he would need to be replaced.

 

[The Podium]

You could ruin the kid if he is not ready. He should start in bottom 6 like we did with Kappy.

Switch him with Kerfoot I guess?

 

[Wafflewhipper]

You do realize he can still be traded? Also we don’t technically gain that cap space because he would need to be replaced.

I realize nothing actually until we see. He added salary and lost a pick and a player to save his losing roster. Doesn’t add up

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Galchenyuk Matthews Nylander
Foegele Tavares Marner
Crouse Kerfoot Armia
Bunting Spezza Simmonds
Brooks

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Holl
Dermott Liljegren
Sandin

Campbell
Halak

No clue about Foegele or Bunting. Not sure if they would fit on those lines. But they seem like hungry, gritty guys looking to take a step up. May be just what the team needs. I've always liked Crouse. A lot of people seem to crap on him but I'll cut him some slack playing in Arizona. Armia could be a perfect 3rd liner. Would like to have Bogosian back but he'd be blocking Liljegren who I think is ready. Maybe look at Chara??? Halak or Bernier as a backup. These are all smaller additions but i really don't see Dubas being able to do much along the lines of landing the big fish. Younger, grittier, hungrier...could be the answer.

I like Crouse too. Physical presence with some ability and good skater too.

 

[The Podium]

I realize nothing actually until we see. He added salary and lost a pick and a player to save his losing roster. Doesn’t add up

How did he add salary?