Maple Leafs Window Closed...

[as Pure as Evil]

How many times did the caps fail. How many times did the blues get knocked out by Chicago and Nashville

 

[82Ninety42011]

Trade Marner let Anderson go end of deal and drop some of the bottom 6 making 3 million plus. Creates some cap space and use those assets to help build the defense. Tavares and Matthews great one two punch and Reilly is a 1D the hard part is done. Now get some depth and a goalie that can win a playoff game under pressure.

 

[Caesium]

The window never opened, and that's the most frustrating part about this situation.

 

[Trapper]

How many times did the caps fail. How many times did the blues get knocked out by Chicago and Nashville

Many times but remember, the teams that finished were not the teams that started.
It was necessary to adapt, evolve. Something our GM might need to realize and people with certain attachments to players.

Team is >
If you keep losing, change must happen. New calculations and alterations to the vision.

 

[Faltorvo]

I remember when we drafted Matthews in 2016 saying that our window will be 'starting' to open around 2020/21... That's next year...We need to better balance our lineup which is obvious and I'm looking forward to becoming a contender over the next 2-3 years. Some fans' expectations were too high too soon for a young group trying to compete against experienced grown men. I'm not worried in the least.

in 2016 you did not expect us to be cap maxed in a dead flat cap era and a defense that is paper thin

 

[rumman]

Many times but remember, the teams that finished were not the teams that started.
It was necessary to adapt, evolve. Something our GM might need to realize and people with certain attachments to players.

Team is >
If you keep losing, change must happen. New calculations and alterations to the vision.

I don't think he has it in him to admit his vision is/was flawed. He'd rather fall on his sword and go back to the Grey Hounds imo..............

 

[Trapper]

I don't think he has it in him to admit his vision is/was flawed. He'd rather fall on his sword and go back to the Grey Hounds imo..............

People like to point out it took St. Louis or Washington time to win. Or individuals like Yzerman/etc.

But they forget the amount of change that happened on the way when they say OMG you can’t trade Nylander (example).

Remember when Colorado had Duchene/O’Reilly/Stastny down the middle? All gone. Detroit moves out big center Primeau, Coffey, 50 goal scorer Shepard. St. Louis evolves from Backes/Oshie/Shattenkirk/etc.

Coaches changed, GMs changed. That’s what is inevitable when you are using it takes time theory. Evolution. If we keep losing 1st round do you honestly believe the way forward is to keep changing Barrie/Ceci every year?

There is no shame admitting you have to change. Only expecting different results after a large sample size.

 

[Faltorvo]

Trade Marner let Anderson go end of deal and drop some of the bottom 6 making 3 million plus. Creates some cap space and use those assets to help build the defense. Tavares and Matthews great one two punch and Reilly is a 1D the hard part is done. Now get some depth and a goalie that can win a playoff game under pressure.

Muzz is a solid 2nd pair

 

[djdev]

is this a real thread? jeebuz.

 

[Antropovsky]

Its open... but this teams skill level isnt an another level as been speculated before the season started. To win games you need to work harder than your opponent....skill imbalance can be overcome with hard work. anyone who has life experience or has coached an athletic teams knows that hard workers are not so easy to find.

I think the skill for this team is adequate...but the system/coaching and team work ethic is nowhere near close to where it needs to be. I dont need to tell anyone this though.... ovechkin told everyone it during the season. For some reason the leaf players were upset by it... but proceeded to lose that game and also proceeded to get beat by a lesser opponent in the playoffs.

 

[mcleex]

It's not closed but we're wasting valuable years with guys in their prime with a shitty core of defenseman

 

[LeafsNation75]

The Leafs window was open widest when the 3 Amigos were on their ELC contracts all making < $1 mil and you could build a powerhouse around them using all that free cap space.

Since paying your own players more $$ and use more cap only weakens the team around you .. When you spend 1/2 you cap on only 4 forwards you are a top heavy team that lack balance and secondary support and you turn from a contender to pretender now. (if you even make the playoffs that is).

So in terms of competitiveness the Leafs are much worse now and in cap hell and already traded their 1st away which are life blood of adding highend talent a ELC Levels.

Watching from the sidelines as the 16 other teams compete for the Cup is a closed window and that isn't even debatable as you have Zero chance to win.

During that time we saw Toronto lose in the first round against Washington in 2017 and against Boston in 2018.

The only difference is they had not yet signed John Tavares, even though Matthews, Marner, and Nylander were still playing on their ELC contracts.

 

[m1ker]

I don't think he has it in him to admit his vision is/was flawed. He'd rather fall on his sword and go back to the Grey Hounds imo..............

Dubas’ vision is flawed because skilled players cost money and you can’t afford a full team of skilled players

 

[Brobust]

Dubas’ vision is flawed because skilled players cost money and you can’t afford a full team of skilled players

Outside of Ceci and Marincin, who on this team isn't skilled with the puck?

The problem is inconsistency and bad defence.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

The fact that 25+% have voted yes speaks volumes about just how emotional some of this fan base can be.

 

[BlueBaron]

I think as long as we have the JT-AM one two punch we pretty much are a playoff team.

I'm open to moving Nylander/Marner for flexibility and help on the back end. Maybe Freddy has to go.

The good news is we gave guys with room to grow. How long our Timmy, Sandin and NP take to contribute will matter.

Heck we may need more leadership...I'm sure we will pick it apart all summer.

 

[m1ker]

Outside of Ceci and Marincin, who on this team isn't skilled with the puck?

The problem is inconsistency and bad defence.

The system is to hold the puck until a pass is available. Other than our 7 mil+ guys and Rielly. Who else on this team is skilled enough to do that consistently in the playoffs?

 

[as Pure as Evil]

Many times but remember, the teams that finished were not the teams that started.
It was necessary to adapt, evolve. Something our GM might need to realize and people with certain attachments to players.

Team is >
If you keep losing, change must happen. New calculations and alterations to the vision.

i don't disagree at all , but this is really the first year the management has no ones mess to clean up but his own. . i am willing to see what he can do with options, last year i dont believe he had many. i think just a couple teams were willing to take marleau zatz and we know kadri scratched the one trade to Calgary.


so personally i will wait to see what he does this fall but this team needs to adapt adjust and evolve one way or another losing ceci barrie kap and aj would be the most likely fix but its hard to see anyone taking a flyer on aj till next season. but its something and we have options this year

 

[A1LeafNation]

If Dubas can't fix the mistakes, we'll get another GM to fix his mistakes.

Window can be re-opened if done properly.

 

[Puckstuff]

Matthews and Marner MUST develop into top players in this league. I’m not talking top 20 players they probably already are top 20 players I’m talking super high level as in top 3 for Matthews and top 10 for Marner. They must dominate the likes of Kucherov, Pasta, Marchand etc. I mean... Zibanejad had a higher PPG then both Matthews and Marner. It’s pathetic. If we are going to pay that much money to them and use this strategy, fine... but they better be better then anyone in the league aside from maybe McDavid for this strategy to work. Else this salary structure isn’t going to work. Nylander needs to develop more as well and Tavares can’t decline even the slightest bit. Rielly as well. Stop shooting into the shin pads of defenders and losing possession

 

[HellasLEAF]

I've been overly negative since game 5, I admit. But window closed??

No.

 

[thewave]

Yes it's closed. The chemistry sucks. The other GMs know it does and will fleece accordingly as has been done with Edmonton. It will take luck or time or both to get out of this awful team structure.

 

[lovemyleafs]

Voted first option out of frustration.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Don’t know why we keep comparing this roster to the pre-2018 Caps. Washington was wining President’s Trophies and playoff rounds before they broke through. This team will be in tough to qualify for the playoffs via the wildcard.

 

[Al14]

Ovi never won until he was thirty something...

alot of young players around the league still have not won the cup..mcdavid, mackinnion, barkov, eichel,..even stamkos hasn't won it yet...

it takes time. leafs were the third youngest team in this postseason.

relax.

I've been relaxing since 1967.!!!.