Maple Leafs Window Closed...

Has the window closed...


  • Total voters
    324

Polaris1010

Registered User
Mar 23, 2017
3,800
1,300
grandma's cellar
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.
The window probably is not closed, but this team does not have a chance.

What Dubas did last summer with the roster additions and deletions was rather weird.

The team got smaller, and less skilled. Not sure how that was going to work. Not sure why anyone should be too surprised they lost to a couple of backup goalies this series to end the season.

Not enough up front, and sorely lacking in the back. So what are the Leafs going to do? They probably will get rid of Andersen the goalie.

No accountability, and it all starts at the top.

:help:
 

82Ninety42011

Registered User
Jul 2, 2011
7,527
5,456
Abbotsford BC
Muzz is a solid 2nd pair
Muzzin is a great top 4. I just listed the top three players you have many pieces you should keep. Depth pieces making less dollars and help on right side D is the priority. Goaltender should be last piece looked at once Anderson's contract is up unless he can be traded. You guys aren't far just need to be less top heavy and more balanced.
 

thewave

Registered User
Jun 17, 2011
39,883
9,721
The window probably is not closed, but this team does not have a chance.

What Dubas did last summer with the roster additions and deletions was rather weird.

The team got smaller, and less skilled. Not sure how that was going to work. Not sure why anyone should be too surprised they lost to a couple of backup goalies this series to end the season.

Not enough up front, and sorely lacking in the back. So what are the Leafs going to do? They probably will get rid of Andersen the goalie.

No accountability, and it all starts at the top.

:help:

Who can you trade to leapfrog other teams? Sure we have JT and Matthews. Nylander and Marner are too soft for the PO really. Morgan is great and so is Muz but what else is out there? I just don't see anything we can just do to make it right again. He sort of dropped a bomb on our rebuild.
 

Budz22

Registered User
Sep 18, 2018
1,190
2,869
I hate the losing as anyone else, but the overreaction by our fan base is worse.
 

thewave

Registered User
Jun 17, 2011
39,883
9,721
I hate the losing as anyone else, but the overreaction by our fan base is worse.

It's not an overreaction at all. The team was so weak it was hardly watchable. Dubas dropped an A-Bomb on them and got rid of all the grit that you need to win. I am sorry but if this team as is wins anything i'll eat my shoe laces with ketchup.
 

tmlms13

Registered User
Apr 11, 2012
6,570
4,359
Waterloo, Ontario
Why oh why do I keep opening threads like this.

There are probably people who don't even think it's opened yet.

None of AM, MM, WN are even in their prime yet. They are barely out of their entry level contracts.
 

Lenovs

Worst Pace Scenario
Oct 3, 2018
455
132
Vienna
voted yes because of flat cap and am34 ufa situation in four years. would've voted differently if circumstances were normal, but they aren't.

this group needs adjustments we can hardly make given our cap hit plus the need to address the goaltender situation (i'm not a huge fan of overpaying andersen long term in a year), the d-corps AND some of the expensive bottoms.

that in mind plus remembering some of dubas trades and decisions in the last 12 months doesn't make.me overly optimistic. and I don't believe matthews will re-sign, be it because he wants to leave or because we can't afford an extension - so we have four years left.
 

Polaris1010

Registered User
Mar 23, 2017
3,800
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grandma's cellar
Who can you trade to leapfrog other teams? Sure we have JT and Matthews. Nylander and Marner are too soft for the PO really. Morgan is great and so is Muz but what else is out there? I just don't see anything we can just do to make it right again. He sort of dropped a bomb on our rebuild.
Let's use Brian Burke's idea, of the parts of the hockey, top 6 and bottom 6. Might as well, Dubas used the same concept.

The top 6 is still unknown and unproven. This audition is still not over. Who is the core in the forward group is still up for debate.

The bottom 6 is where Dubas should be fired how he handled the roster there. They are overpaid by a lot, and deliver no results, too small as well. This is a mess the bottom 6. In the cap era, how is the organization going to get rid of these guys?

The defense has Rielly and Muzzin, that's it, and small defenders. Holl can't play at this level.

Then the proverbial whipping boy in Andersen, along with Marner and Nylander. I am not whipping them, because I did not watch the games, LOL!

But still, back to back elimination games and the team could not muster a single 5 on 5 goal against career backup goaltenders?

Com'on now, something is really screwed up here.

Can Shanahan, Dubas, Keefe, unscrew their collective screw up?

In the real world, usually they find someone else to unravel the mess ASAP.

:deadhorse
 

Polaris1010

Registered User
Mar 23, 2017
3,800
1,300
grandma's cellar
Who can you trade to leapfrog other teams? Sure we have JT and Matthews. Nylander and Marner are too soft for the PO really. Morgan is great and so is Muz but what else is out there? I just don't see anything we can just do to make it right again. He sort of dropped a bomb on our rebuild.
At least under Babcock, he knew what he wanted and who he liked in what situations.

Now we do not really have a sense of direction to this current team.

:soap:
 

LeafsOHLRangers98

Registered User
Jun 13, 2017
6,572
6,718
Has the “window” officially closed for the Maple Leafs? Now that it is very evident that there will be No success with this core and goaltending. I know there was talk of this “window” a few years back. Looks like it has been boarded shut now.

Can we officially say it is a failed rebuild. Does this core need to be torn torn and rebuilt.

Thoughts?
We have the 4th youngest roster in the entire league... Younger than teams that just started rebuilds like Ottawa even. People often lose sight of that or simply ignore it all together. Carolina, NYR, and Columbus were the only younger teams. And two of those knocked out the other two in the play ins. With a healthy Muzzin we win the series.

The window will be open for a long time with this core and we'll try it again next year. The bottom 6 forwards and defense will see some shuffling for sure though.
 

janesy12

Leafs Nation
Aug 27, 2010
1,560
688
Newfoundland
we are only in year 4 of our rebuild ...the entire defensive right side may be rebuilt, save Holl
Who's a 3rd pairing dman at best.
We need two, top 4 RHD.

Would also move on from Dermott as well, try and package him with Kapanen or Johnsson for some RHD help. In an elevated role he has not looked good, and he isn't going to beat out Rielly or Muzzin for top 4 minutes.
 

34

Registered User
Mar 26, 2010
21,132
8,959
We have the 4th youngest roster in the entire league... Younger than teams that just started rebuilds like Ottawa even. People often lose sight of that or simply ignore it all together. Carolina, NYR, and Columbus were the only younger teams. And two of those knocked out the other two in the play ins. With a healthy Muzzin we win the series.

The window will be open for a long time with this core and we'll try it again next year. The bottom 6 forwards and defense will see some shuffling for sure though.
What about goaltending. The team needs to get a consistent reliable goalie. Not one that shows up 10% of the time.
 
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LeafsOHLRangers98

Registered User
Jun 13, 2017
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What about goaltending. The team needs to get a consistent reliable goalie. Not one that shows up 10% of the time.
It's one of the easier things to get if you decide to move on from Andersen. Go cheap via the FA route, or find a young guy that can step in and potentially be the guy moving forward.

Some teams will sit on goalies too long before the expansion draft which will tank their value.
 

Trapper

Registered User
Nov 21, 2013
23,736
11,002
It's not an overreaction at all. The team was so weak it was hardly watchable. Dubas dropped an A-Bomb on them and got rid of all the grit that you need to win. I am sorry but if this team as is wins anything i'll eat my shoe laces with ketchup.
And it’s not like other teams don’t have skill either. Dubas didn’t wake up and invent you need skill to win. He’s just ignoring the other aspects of the NHL. Carolina has talent as well as the Bruins/Lightning/Washington/etc. Rangers are adding Laf, have Panarin, drafted Kakko last year. What the Leafs are the only team with skill?

What’s our foundation? Not D. Not forecheck. Not backcheck. Not heavier. You need to be able to play the NHL playoff game and then guys like Matthews etc. put you past the rest.
 

GoonieFace

Registered User
Jun 24, 2013
7,097
6,776
The Matrix
This franchise is a mess from top to bottom, Shanahan is a clueless puppet. Dubas is a fraud, he has no clue how to build a hockey team in real life. Bet he's great on the PS4 GM mode. They have a group of overpaid, underachievers.

This franchise has not won a playoff series in 16 years, that is sick. This current team is going nowhere fast. If he doesnt trade at least 2 of the 4 supposed core players, we will continue to be dissapointed.

Who would have thought that hiring a president with no experience, a GM with no experience, and replacing one of the best coaches of all time with someone with no experience would have been a colossal failure?
 

Blufreezy

Registered User
May 1, 2013
2,834
844
When tortorella said toronto media think but don’t actually know the game, he secretly meant HF, right?
 
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ShaneFalco

Registered User
Jul 15, 2012
21,414
15,770
London, On
We're a player or 2 away from being a legit contender. The wrong mix right now, but very tradeable assets. Window is closed is bs
 

Leafsfan74

Registered User
Jul 2, 2018
4,781
4,914
I don't want to beat a dead horse, but some of us, myself for certain and a couple agreed; believed that there should have been a splash, be it the all-star game or trade deadline. If there wasn't, I said there must be in the post season, especially if Leafs fail. Here we are. The next few months will be the time to save the "window".

The game against the Canes Beer League goalie was a concern. Not just for the loss, but the lack of drive against a committed Canes D. It was clear to me, this team needed a jolt and at least a big move, if not a facelift. It was to send a message, but more than that, to set a tone.

See my posting on my hope Leafs can find a way to pursue and sign Alex Pietrangelo. It will save a whole lot of headache if they pick up a #1D man, and alter the look of the team up front with lower cost, more balanced, puck battling players, to compliment two high octane lines. The tinkering after such a signing sure beats the constant turnover that could occur without addressing a vital need.
 
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Trapper

Registered User
Nov 21, 2013
23,736
11,002
We're a player or 2 away from being a legit contender. The wrong mix right now, but very tradeable assets. Window is closed is bs
The window is far from closed but adjustments are required.
I don’t trust Dubas and his philosophy so I’m not sure what’s next.
You need to build a solid team that takes advantage of having Matthews and offense, not offense that needs to be twice as good as other teams because we are the ones getting taken advantage of. And that what I disagree with the GM.

I don’t think Columbus will win the Cup because they can use more scoring but they are built to survive as long as possible because they don’t get taken advantage of.
They lost Panarin and Duchene but can survive because the sum is survivable.

Take Matthews off the team for a year. How do you think we do?
 

Nineteen67

HFBoards Sponsor
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Dec 12, 2017
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The window to contend for a Cup hasn’t opened, yet.
The question is, will it ever open? A lot of that depends on whether Matthews re-signs or walks when his contract expires.
 

Northernguy10

Registered User
May 26, 2013
3,402
843
Timmins Ontario
in 2016 you did not expect us to be cap maxed in a dead flat cap era and a defense that is paper thin
With the young talent I did expect us to be cap maxed when their entry level deal expired. That's not unusual at all...It might have been allocated slightly differently but everyone knew the young guys were going to get paid...No one could have foresaw the pandemic and resulting cap flattening. We all know our defense is paper thin but no one has found the tree that they grow on yet so until then it will take patience...drafting, developing and judicious trades...As I said nothing happens quickly as far as actually winning a cup when you start from where we did. I'm looking forward to the next 2-3 years personally.
 

KuleminFan41

Registered User
Jan 5, 2009
5,845
614
I understand the frustration but this team is incredibly young and likely gets younger next season as I've mentioned in other posts. I think people really do forget juts how young this team is, I mean, Kapanen,Dermott, Marner, Nylander, Matthews, and Johnsson all 25 or under. Then you have guys like Sandin, Robertson and Liljegren potentially making the line up next season, and they're 21 or under too. I'm not trying to make excuses but they're still pretty young and their continual early exist shows they need some veterans on this team , I'm not saying be the Pat Quinn Leafs, but some 28-32 year olds couldn't hurt
 

Gabriel426

Registered User
Jun 30, 2015
16,521
10,128
I think when it comes to NHL, only a few teams windows are really closed. Having a goalie playing out of his mind for 3 months starting in March, pretty much open all kinds of windows.
 

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