Please Grade Dubas on today's Free Agent Pickups.

[The Podium]

So why go back to the same crew of losers that can't finish a series against non-playoff teams, let alone 4 rounds?

Does shaking up the depth players inspire faith in the fanbase?

I highly doubt it.

We've been waiting for this team to show us something since 2018.

Not even a sniff yet.

Believe it or not, this team has among the best collection of elite talent in the league.

I dont know if you have noticed, but acquiring elite talent is difficult, trading away elite talent is also difficult.

This team doesnt come away from a shake up trade the winners, regardless of who is at the helm. There is a greater chance that success comes at the hands of the big boys after they figure it out mentally, than blowing it up and trying again.

I guess some people are happy with the perpetual rebuilds, since picks and prospects and shiny new toy syndrome is better than appreciating the fact that we may arguably have 3 HHOF players on this roster when all is said and done.

 

[notbias]

I'd say the odds of Edmonton and Toronto with the current groups meeting in the Stanley cup final is much lower than a draft pick materializing.

This is why I find dubas irrational decision so bizarre. He's supposed to be this analytics stats guy and best case scenario he's concerned about a hypothetical cup matchup more than a draft pick that he can trust his large scouting staff on.

Suspect part of it is outright frustration he could not retain hyman based on cap errors he made.

Fair, that is your opinion, and I agree that the two teams are likely not going to meet.

But a team requested a trade and his ask was not met so he stood firm, it isn't like he was getting a free asset, the trade was an almost worthless asset to help an opponent. He valued that cap space more than you do clearly, maybe the hope is McDavid wants to come home, and if this increases that by .01% because the Oilers will be slightly less competitive he thought it was worth it, who knows his reasoning, but he had it.

The suspect part is Hyman got the contract he did, it is terrible and will likely age horribly. I am very happy Dubas didn't re-sign Hyman to anything over 3.5, I don't think he is worth more than that.

Cap errors are your opinion again, I see one (Marner 1-2 over) and potentially another depending on how the rest of the season goes (Ritchie), everyone else is paid appropriately and this team is set up well for the next few years.

 

[4thline]

Anyone who is critical of Kampf doesn’t know how to hockey as far as I’m concerned.

If a different GM signed well known Canadian defensive forwards David Camp and Andrew Cash to more expensive deals they'd be much better signings.

But they're Dubas' bargain bin Euros so all that matters is that they're not delivering offense.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

The loss of Hyman is hard this year.

His replacements haven’t worked out as well as hoped so far.

 

[The Podium]

It’s funny how many people wanted a team that can shutdown defensively and grind out wins. Dubas delivers and everyone’s unhappy because they want a high scoring team.

 

[Menzinger]

It’s funny how many people wanted a team that can shutdown defensively and grind out wins. Dubas delivers and everyone’s unhappy because they want a high scoring team.

Its certainly noticable. We hear constantly since 2014 that "defence wins championships", and now that the team has built a defensive minded forward line, we now need more run and gun offense

 

[ACC1224]

Its certainly noticable. We hear constantly since 2014 that "defence wins championships", and now that the team has built a defensive minded forward line, we now need more run and gun offense

I haven’t really noticed that. IMO people just want to see consistent effort. They’ve been much better in that area lately.

 

[redgrant]

Fair, that is your opinion, and I agree that the two teams are likely not going to meet.

But a team requested a trade and his ask was not met so he stood firm, it isn't like he was getting a free asset, the trade was an almost worthless asset to help an opponent. He valued that cap space more than you do clearly, maybe the hope is McDavid wants to come home, and if this increases that by .01% because the Oilers will be slightly less competitive he thought it was worth it, who knows his reasoning, but he had it.

The suspect part is Hyman got the contract he did, it is terrible and will likely age horribly. I am very happy Dubas didn't re-sign Hyman to anything over 3.5, I don't think he is worth more than that.

Cap errors are your opinion again, I see one (Marner 1-2 over) and potentially another depending on how the rest of the season goes (Ritchie), everyone else is paid appropriately and this team is set up well for the next few years.

That's fair. It's funny the place mcdavid appears to like the best aside from Edmonton is actually LA. Let's no play hopetheticals and in 5 years he wants a different place. Does dubas doing this make him more likely to get traded to Toronto or more likely la?

He's so concerned about Edmonton cap space that he got no pick and now made it difficult for Edmonton to ever cut a favor for literally anything.

Just really illogical behaviour by someone who is supposed to be an analytics guy not an old school hockey guy.

 

[Havoc]

Believe it or not, this team has among the best collection of elite talent in the league.

I dont know if you have noticed, but acquiring elite talent is difficult, trading away elite talent is also difficult.

This team doesnt come away from a shake up trade the winners, regardless of who is at the helm. There is a greater chance that success comes at the hands of the big boys after they figure it out mentally, than blowing it up and trying again.

I guess some people are happy with the perpetual rebuilds, since picks and prospects and shiny new toy syndrome is better than appreciating the fact that we may arguably have 3 HHOF players on this roster when all is said and done.

These new age concepts are hard to grasp since all the old principles are drilled into fans over decades.

I did the work for everyone. You can take my word for it. Cup teams today, since the Shanahan era I should say, are carried by a core group. And that core group fires at once. The Leafs today, if the core 4 can string together 20-28 games of firing at once, they have top 3 odds in the league to win the cup.

If people want to lose those odds just to kill time on capfriendly during the day assembling rosters to post online with all that cool cap space, be my guest.

Parity has taken over the league. Dilution itself was a growing problem even before the cap was put into place. I don't even care who doesn't agree with me because it's a waste of time explaining why 1 + 1 = 2.

There is no team in this league that truly sucks. A lot of the guys in the AHL are even interchangeable with a lot of teams depth players. Most players are interchangeable among teams such that if you swapped there won't be much difference.

The top end talent is what puts you over the edge today. Leafs core 4 are one of the best sets you can get your hands on. They have their issues but you're not going to stumble across these 4 guys for a decade or more if you break it up. We have no choice but to ride these guys and hope they get over the mental block. Mark my words if they fire at once in the playoffs for once this team is going far.

 

[James Blackley]

These new age concepts are hard to grasp since all the old principles are drilled into fans over decades.

I did the work for everyone. You can take my word for it. Cup teams today, since the Shanahan era I should say, are carried by a core group. And that core group fires at once. The Leafs today, if the core 4 can string together 20-28 games of firing at once, they have top 3 odds in the league to win the cup.

If people want to lose those odds just to kill time on capfriendly during the day assembling rosters to post online with all that cool cap space, be my guest.

Parity has taken over the league. Dilution itself was a growing problem even before the cap was put into place. I don't even care who doesn't agree with me because it's a waste of time explaining why 1 + 1 = 2.

There is no team in this league that truly sucks. A lot of the guys in the AHL are even interchangeable with a lot of teams depth players. Most players are interchangeable among teams such that if you swapped there won't be much difference.

The top end talent is what puts you over the edge today. Leafs core 4 are one of the best sets you can get your hands on. They have their issues but you're not going to stumble across these 4 guys for a decade or more if you break it up. We have no choice but to ride these guys and hope they get over the mental block. Mark my words if they fire at once in the playoffs for once this team is going far.

They have had 5 post seasons to figure it out (the core I mean), and yet they still fall to pieces with ease, teams know how to shut them down and there is no response. This isn't a mental block, its an emotional immaturity, and I really am wondering if this team actually has what it takes to win a cup, I wish I were wrong on this mind you, but I can't erase the past 5 God awful post seasons by the core. I agree that there is no question these 4 players are elitely skilled, they have that talent and eye for the game you can't teach, but playoffs is NOT based on skill alone, there is so much more to it than that.

I think if they get bounced this year, you have to look at moving at least 1 core player, to send a message that this kind of immaturity won't be tolerated... I can gurantee you most of the management will be looking for new work in May, if they lose in the 1st round.

 

[The Podium]

They have had 5 post seasons to figure it out (the core I mean), and yet they still fall to pieces with ease, teams know how to shut them down and there is no response. This isn't a mental block, its an emotional immaturity, and I really am wondering if this team actually has what it takes to win a cup, I wish I were wrong on this mind you, but I can't erase the past 5 God awful post seasons by the core. I agree that there is no question these 4 players are elitely skilled, they have that talent and eye for the game you can't teach, but playoffs is NOT based on skill alone, there is so much more to it than that.

I think if they get bounced this year, you have to look at moving at least 1 core player, to send a message that this kind of immaturity won't be tolerated... I can gurantee you most of the management will be looking for new work in May, if they lose in the 1st round.

5 awful playoffs is a bit overstated as well. It was more like 2, maybe 3 if you want to include the second Boston series where they couldn’t put them away.

 

[Dekes For Days]

5 awful playoffs is a bit overstated as well. It was more like 2, maybe 3 if you want to include the second Boston series where they couldn’t put them away.

Quite frankly, while we're all disappointed and want more, calling any of them "awful" is pretty ridiculous. Awful is getting swept, not barely losing close series to teams at the top of the league, cup finalists, and world-class playoff goaltending, while facing significant injuries and suspensions. To suggest we "fell to pieces with ease" or gave "no response" is so wildly off the mark.

Interestingly, 4 out of the 5 playoff opponents we've faced (and all of the last 3) were only beaten by the Stanley Cup champions.

 

[Menzinger]

Kase quietly on pace for a 20 goal season with nothing seemingly unsustainable about his production. If anything is due for more assistsn

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

The loss of Hyman is hard this year.

His replacements haven’t worked out as well as hoped so far.

Don't like Bunting?

He's scoring at the same rate Hyman was for us and doing it at 1/5 the price that it would have cost for us to keep him. Also 3 years younger.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Don't like Bunting?

He's been OK.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Anyone care to change their letter grade on the Kase and Kampf signings....?

 

[Dreakmur]

Anyone care to change their letter grade on the Kase and Kampf signings....?

Kampf was great right off the bat. Kase is getting better as Bunting is getting worse, so that pretty much evens out.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Kampf was great right off the bat. Kase is getting better as Bunting is getting worse, so that pretty much evens out.

lol

Kampf and Kase have been great all year, the puck is just going in for them now. Which was always an inevitability given how much they play in the O-Zone. There will come a time where they go goalless for an extended period of time, but I don't expect that to be because they aren't playing well. I am not sure they've had many if any poor games this year TBH. They do their job very well.

Bunting is raw. He scored early and often, and in all honesty got way too much love. I like the player as much as the next guy, but if you didn't see a dry spell coming I don't know what to tell you. He's not a game breaker, he just goes to the right areas and plays hard. Nothing wrong with that. He will score in bunches again, I promise you. When you go to the tough areas as frequently as he does, you eventually will get rewarded.

 

[Dreakmur]

lol

Kampf and Kase have been great all year, the puck is just going in for them now. Which was always an inevitability given how much they play in the O-Zone. There will come a time where they go goalless for an extended period of time, but I don't expect that to be because they aren't playing well. I am not sure they've had many if any poor games this year TBH. They do their job very well.

Bunting is raw. He scored early and often, and in all honesty got way too much love. I like the player as much as the next guy, but if you didn't see a dry spell coming I don't know what to tell you. He's not a game breaker, he just goes to the right areas and plays hard. Nothing wrong with that. He will score in bunches again, I promise you. When you go to the tough areas as frequently as he does, you eventually will get rewarded.

So if nothing has changed, why are you asking people to change their votes?

 

[Twine Tickler]

So if nothing has changed, why are you asking people to change their votes?

Because if you look back at some of the grades on Kase and Kampf when they weren't generating offense the grades were quite low. Despite them playing excellent and doing everything that was asked of them. They have more defensive zone starts than they do offensive and neutral zone starts combined, yet they play with the puck in the offensive zone constantly.

the Engvall - Kampf -Kase line has 6 offensive zone faceoffs all year....6

they have 56 defensive zone faceoffs.

My point was, people on here only look at the pt production of the players and not what they've brought the entire year. They've both been excellent. As has Pierre, someone I have been very critical of in the past for his attention to detail.

It's OK to be wrong on a player. There are a handful of C to C+ grades on Kampf and Kase in this thread that made zero sense to me when they were written, and make even less sense now.

 

[Dreakmur]

Because if you look back at some of the grades on Kase and Kampf when they weren't generating offense the grades were quite low. Despite them playing excellent and doing everything that was asked of them. They have more defensive zone starts than they do offensive and neutral zone starts combined, yet they play with the puck in the offensive zone constantly.

the Engvall - Kampf -Kase line has 6 offensive zone faceoffs all year....6

they have 56 defensive zone faceoffs.

My point was, people on here only look at the pt production of the players and not what they've brought the entire year. They've both been excellent. As has Pierre, someone I have been very critical of in the past for his attention to detail.

It's OK to be wrong on a player. There are a handful of C to C+ grades on Kampf and Kase in this thread that made zero sense to me when they were written, and make even less sense now.

If people only look at production, Bunting is getting worse.

 

[Twine Tickler]

If people only look at production, Bunting is getting worse.

Yes if people only looked at point production, then yes the thought would be that Bunting is getting worse.

Also you in your post from earlier this morning:

"Kampf was great right off the bat. Kase is getting better as Bunting is getting worse, so that pretty much evens out."

Which would indicate my whole point to a tee. You feel like Bunting is getting worse. Perhaps because he is not producing pts like he was early on?

Bunting's offensive instincts and hands have never been good all year. That's really not the area of his game where he excels the most. His game is doing things that other players are unwilling to do. Play in the corners, dig pucks out, stand in front of a 100MPH slap shot...etc. He's done these things consistently all year. When you play in the hard areas of the ice, and take a beating like he often does, the pucks usually find a way on your tape. It hasn't gone in for him lately. This is likely to change if he continues to play the way he has been.

I wouldn't necessarily say his play has regressed. His role has changed by virtue of Kerfoot and Engvall solidifying themselves on the 2nd line and 3rd line LW's and Sheldon opting for a new look on the top line in hopes of finding more 5v5 production.

Was Bunting the problem? maybe a bit, but I honestly think it was just a chemistry issue. No different than Willy getting "demoted" to the 2nd line.

He's played more than fine IMO. He's always been a raw talent IMO, and that rawness just shows up from time to time. Not sure you can find much not to like about a guy making 900k and doing the things he does on a nightly basis.

 

[Dreakmur]

Yes if people only looked at point production, then yes the thought would be that Bunting is getting worse.

Also you in your post from earlier this morning:

"Kampf was great right off the bat. Kase is getting better as Bunting is getting worse, so that pretty much evens out."

Which would indicate my whole point to a tee. You feel like Bunting is getting worse. Perhaps because he is not producing pts like he was early on?

Bunting's offensive instincts and hands have never been good all year. That's really not the area of his game where he excels the most. His game is doing things that other players are unwilling to do. Play in the corners, dig pucks out, stand in front of a 100MPH slap shot...etc. He's done these things consistently all year. When you play in the hard areas of the ice, and take a beating like he often does, the pucks usually find a way on your tape. It hasn't gone in for him lately. This is likely to change if he continues to play the way he has been.

I wouldn't necessarily say his play has regressed. His role has changed by virtue of Kerfoot and Engvall solidifying themselves on the 2nd line and 3rd line LW's and Sheldon opting for a new look on the top line in hopes of finding more 5v5 production.

Was Bunting the problem? maybe a bit, but I honestly think it was just a chemistry issue. No different than Willy getting "demoted" to the 2nd line.

He's played more than fine IMO. He's always been a raw talent IMO, and that rawness just shows up from time to time. Not sure you can find much not to like about a guy making 900k and doing the things he does on a nightly basis.

Kase hasn't really played better, but his production has increased. Bunting hasn't really played worse, but his production as decreased. Overall, not much has changed for me to think I should change my vote.

I voted a C because I thought there was good and bad.

Kampf was an excellent signing.

Kase was a smart gamble, but still a gamble.
Bunting was a smart gamble.

Ricthie was a bad signing.
Mrazek was a bad signing.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Kase hasn't really played better, but his production has increased. Bunting hasn't really played worse, but his production as decreased. Overall, not much has changed for me to think I should change my vote.

I voted a C because I thought there was good and bad.

Kampf was an excellent signing.

Kase was a smart gamble, but still a gamble.
Bunting was a smart gamble.

Ricthie was a bad signing.
Mrazek was a bad signing.

Think I can agree with most of this except the Mrazek bit.

We can't predict injury. Obviously there was a history there with Petr, so maybe if there was a player we could predict injury for, it may have been him. But so too was Kase to a far worse degree, and that gamble is massively paying dividends thus far.

Anointing Jack in as our de facto starter this past offseason after only playing 29 games as the starter last year, all while battling injury himself would have been a massive risk. Hindsight is always 20/20. Sure Jack is looking like a true #1, and more importantly he has been healthy. But I am happy with the Mrazek insurance policy should Jack go down with an injury or Jack needing a break.

Beyond this season, Mrazek is definitely moveable with only a 10 team NMC, and we also will likely be splitting the starts when he returns. Because he is a very quality 1B/1A. Once he is back and splitting the cage, this should dampen the Jack contract demands a touch. Not to mention Jack loves being a Leaf and has made it known he would love to remain a Leaf. I am pretty sure they will work something out. If Mrazek has to go as a result, c'est la vie. At least we now confidently would know what we have in Soup

 

[ToDavid]

Only really concerns right now are Ritchie and Mrazek. Ritchie hasn't impressed but you know there is some offensive upside there. He's looked a bit better lately and there's still time for him to put it together.

Mrazek had an injury history, and he's picked up right where he left off. But looking at the goalie market this summer there weren't really many home runs (without hindsight) in the same price range.

Andersen has had his own injury history and the fans were desperate for a change anyway. He's also always been a goalie who likes the net, so I'm not sure he'd be thriving the same way in a tandem.

Raanta, similar injury history.

Reimer/Bernier were decent options but I doubt either were eager to revisit their time in Toronto. I would have loved to have Reimer back in Toronto though.

Nedeljkovic is a guy who stands out to me, if the Leafs could have got in on that trade. Given how dirt cheap he was, I wonder if Carolina even shopped him around or just gave him to whoever they got on the phone first.

Brossoit could have been a decent cheap option if the team was more comfortable with Jack taking on the #1 spot to himself. Seems like they were afer a 1a/1b tandem.