Never thought I'd ask this question, are Leafs missing Dermott and Gardiner more than anticipated?

[hector morrison]

Hehe Well played.

I do think though, he and Dermott are missed more than we could have imagined. I suppose in a Cap system, any and all injuries are magnified.

For sure I kid...He is a beautiful skater who knows the league very well. I can see him playing many years,but the fact that he used to be a forward is sometimes evident. I doubt he is signed by the Leafs again this summer,because someone else will pay him despite any criticism from fans.

 

[Zybalto]

Of course the overall negativity of the board and media in general blinded themselves to how important those two players are.

Gards is one of the best 3s in the league and Dermott one of the better 5s. Take that away from any team and they will be hurting, especially when your top 10 keeper hits a rough patch that included the loss of one of the best 3rd line centers in the league and Kappy in his breakout year.

Maybe the fact that the Leafs havnt really dealt with a ton on injuries is part of it and many are not used to the effect it has on a team but there is really no nuance around here.

Look at Boston the last two years. Obviously a great team but take away a few key players and they are a middle of the pack team....and once they are healthy they are elite. Cap system has made league parity a real thing and injuries are devastating to a team.

Peeps need to calm down though with the outrage machine and not just in hockey either.

 

[therealkoho]

Tough to subtract two regulars from a group of six, with one of those out having played the second most minutes. Tougher still when next in line option(s) are also unavailable.

this the right answer

that said the forwards with the exception of a few have given up on good decisions and coming back to neutralize the points and the centre of the ice, you cannot be a great team if you're always chasing

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Of course the overall negativity of the board and media in general blinded themselves to how important those two players are.

Gards is one of the best 3s in the league and Dermott one of the better 5s. Take that away from any team and they will be hurting, especially when your top 10 keeper hits a rough patch that included the loss of one of the best 3rd line centers in the league and Kappy in his breakout year.

Maybe the fact that the Leafs havnt really dealt with a ton on injuries is part of it and many are not used to the effect it has on a team but there is really no nuance around here.

Look at Boston the last two years. Obviously a great team but take away a few key players and they are a middle of the pack team....and once they are healthy they are elite. Cap system has made league parity a real thing and injuries are devastating to a team.

Peeps need to calm down though with the outrage machine and not just in hockey either.

All good reasons why it's hard to win a lord Stanley in the parity era.

 

[Kamiccolo]

I've always been a big fan of Jake. The only criticism i've ever gave a little bit of credit to is I don't know if you want him on the ice in game 7 defending a lead. 99% of the team he is an amazing player for us. However, man is he prone to the worst brain farts at the worst times.

But it looks like we got another like that in Muzzin, so the scapegoat will just shift to him. It has already started.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Gards might be 1/2 enjoying seeing the Leafs D implode without him.

Show the man some respect!

The Leafs have no chance without him this post season.

 

[Macallan18]

I seem to remember a lot of people saying that losing Gardiner would be addition by subtraction. About that...

Sandin and Liljegren had better work hard over the offseason, otherwise I'm having trouble seeing how this defense is going to be better next season unless Dubas pulls off a miracle and dumps Hainsey and Zaitsev.

Hainsey's contract expires at the end of the year.
Zaitsev can be traded with a pick to dump him.

 

[socko]

I've always been a big fan of Jake. The only criticism i've ever gave a little bit of credit to is I don't know if you want him on the ice in game 7 defending a lead. 99% of the team he is an amazing player for us. However, man is he prone to the worst brain farts at the worst times.

But it looks like we got another like that in Muzzin, so the scapegoat will just shift to him. It has already started.

Muzzin is used to being sheltered by his forwards and playing in a tight and very slow system. He's a slow guy and much like Larry Murphy he's being exposed.

 

[The90]

More than who anticipated? This is frankly about what I expected without 2 of our top 3 d-men.

Lol this. The only thing people surprised are the Gardiner sucks trade him, bring up the young guys band. What a novel idea a 50pt d man is good. Go figure. Dermott I think is widely accepted as a decent player. He’ll be nice to have back

 

[justafan22]

Next year isn't going to be so easy without Gardiner..

 

[dubplatepressure]

Lol this. The only thing people surprised are the Gardiner sucks trade him, bring up the young guys band. What a novel idea a 50pt d man is good. Go figure. Dermott I think is widely accepted as a decent player. He’ll be nice to have back

Again for the 100th time no one said trade him for nothing and replace him with Calle Rosen and expect the same output. It was always trade Jake --> get assets --> use assets to get RHD. That seems a lot more reasonable when he's an pending UFA and we are not close to winning 2+ playoff rounds. These hyperbolies only perpetuate falsehoods.

This team has no NHL level defensive depth and that is what is being exposed right now. Marincin, Holl, Ozighanov, and Zaitsev (arguably) are all 6 or 7 at best and they're being asked to eat minutes they aren't capable of doing. The forwards aren't capable of the kind of system necessary to insulate these plugs. Hainsey is forced to play more which will only hurt us down the stretch. I have my doubts about the Muzzin trade but one thing is certain in that it would be even worse if we didn't have him.

The team has no chance of taking a round in the playoffs as is.

 

[yubbers]

Next year isn't going to be so easy without Gardiner..

nah. If you just remove him fro the current roster it's glaring. But his cap space will be used for another body

 

[RLF]

For sure they usually miss them, but top teams get through injuries without being embarrassed multiple times. If we can't win games against the Ottawa's without a full line up. Do we have a chance in the playoffs when how your team handles playing without injured players are a key to success. If we had a wining mentality and a drive to win, we would look much better than we do without Gardiner and Dermott.

 

[socko]

nah. If you just remove him fro the current roster it's glaring. But his cap space will be used for another body

or more likely for Dubas overpays.

 

[Confucius]

nah. If you just remove him fro the current roster it's glaring. But his cap space will be used for another body

His cap space is gone. Need it for min wage players just to fill out a roster. So more holl’s, Marincins etc.
Or twice the bottom pairing guys we have now.

 

[yubbers]

His cap space is gone. Need it for min wage players just to fill out a roster. So more holl’s, Marincins etc.
Or twice the bottom pairing guys we have now.

Dermott replaces Gardiner essentially

 

[Confucius]

Dermott replaces Gardiner essentially

But he played this year. Who replaces Dermtt?

 

[ClarkSittler]

To answer OP

Yes!

 

[RoadWarrior]

The real problem is a lack of depth. Marincin and Holl are garbage.

Oz is passable in limited minutes but nowhere near Dermott.

Honestly I bet 18 year old Sandin is the next best option right now and that’s pathetic. Rosen is close to returning and should be called up.

Dubas and Babcock are too loyal to the projects on D.

They will get destroyed in the playoffs again and management has to wear it this time. Need more toughness and intelligence on the back end.

 

[yubbers]

But he played this year. Who replaces Dermtt?

Hopefully Liljegren and Sandin will be ready. Or at least 1

 

[Marner]

The difference between Gardiner and Dermott and Marincin & Holl is astronomical

this lol

 

[Stand Witness]

But he played this year. Who replaces Dermtt?

Looks like Rosen is pacing quickly to take this spot to start

 

[Mats13]

It’s crazy there’s people who still believe this

Some people just enjoy flaunting their stupidity. Best to just ignore it.

 

[The90]

Again for the 100th time no one said trade him for nothing and replace him with Calle Rosen and expect the same output. It was always trade Jake --> get assets --> use assets to get RHD. That seems a lot more reasonable when he's an pending UFA and we are not close to winning 2+ playoff rounds. These hyperbolies only perpetuate falsehoods.

This team has no NHL level defensive depth and that is what is being exposed right now. Marincin, Holl, Ozighanov, and Zaitsev (arguably) are all 6 or 7 at best and they're being asked to eat minutes they aren't capable of doing. The forwards aren't capable of the kind of system necessary to insulate these plugs. Hainsey is forced to play more which will only hurt us down the stretch. I have my doubts about the Muzzin trade but one thing is certain in that it would be even worse if we didn't have him.

The team has no chance of taking a round in the playoffs as is.

And who was this d man that was available for the assets of gardiner? Ohhhh there wasn’t one traded. So then we’re back at square one for the 1000th time. And also for the 1000th time he’s a good nhl defenseman. Why would you trade a good d man, to get assets, for another good nhl d man. It’s asinine. Makes 0 sense to do that and it’s stupid to say he’s not a good player. He makes mistakes at the worst possible time, the majority of the time he’s a very good d man.

 

[Zybalto]

All good reasons why it's hard to win a lord Stanley in the parity era.

Chicago did it really well. Sign a solid young core and keep them happy and then smartly move in the pieces you need, not being afraid to let guys go. Draft and develop well as well.

It's hard to go from dead last to competitive and even harder to maintain it and not be a one off like Edmonton, Colorado, etc.

The Leafs are thinking long term and this core isnt even going to be in its prime for a couple of years.