Questions and my take

[monkeyboy]

I had some time to cool off and look at the issues with some perspective and these are my Questions and takeaways from the season.
1. There is no sense in talking about Gardiner he is gone and changes nothing at this point.
2. Is there an issue between Babcock and Kyle is this something that Shanahan has to sit them down together and hash out?
3. Nylander.... Where does this go? Keep him another year or do we move him because this years play was unacceptable. Me ... Depends on what is needed to sign Mariner but he needs the riot act read to him if he wants to stay with the team.
4. Kadri????? Personally I see his value but wonder if he could be traded for more valuable parts?
5. Defence I truely believe that another Muzzin type player will go along way to fixing the issue.
6. we need to put Marleau in a coaching roll and get him to retire he is respected in the dressing room but doesn't have the legs for it anymore. I really like this guy.
7. Auston needs better product on the wing Nylander if he gets his shit together or find someone in a trade.
8.Pk specialist/shutdown guy to take faceoffs in our zone Hyman is a fail here not his fault.

Could go on and on but I think this addresses the main points. we have to seriously look at the asst. coaches about the speacal teams if they can't fix them get someone who can.

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[MattySnipes]

We said it all year regarding our special teams. It was brutal. Once teams adjust to our initial scheme there was no adjustment or willingness to change something. Same with the PK. It had it's moments throughout the year but was relatively ineffective. It wilted when the going got tough. Bruins special teams thrived on the other hand. Every PP was in the net, almost every PK was killed. Hyman taking draws was ridiculous. Ridiculous.

 

[Mugzy97]

I had some time to cool off and look at the issues with some perspective and these are my Questions and takeaways from the season.
Could go on and on but I think this addresses the main points. we have to seriously look at the asst. coaches about the speacal teams if they can't fix them get someone who can.

1. There is no sense in talking about Gardiner he is gone and changes nothing at this point.
I believe there's a chance he gets re-signed.

2. Is there an issue between Babcock and Kyle is this something that Shanahan has to sit them down together and hash out?
Highly doubt it. Would have been taken care of as soon as Shanahan caught wind of it. I believe they're all on the same page.

3. Nylander.... Where does this go? Keep him another year or do we move him because this years play was unacceptable. Me ... Depends on what is needed to sign Mariner but he needs the riot act read to him if he wants to stay with the team.
You have to keep him for next year to see if he can get his game back together, otherwise you won't see enough value in a trade from another team. What's also interesting is how Dubas said he wouldn't trade Willy as long as he is the GM - he never should have stated that. At the end of the day... Hopefully Willy finds his game again next season.

4. Kadri????? Personally I see his value but wonder if he could be traded for more valuable parts?
I don't think he'll get moved since his salary is low and his value is still high. Once he is moved we suddenly lose our C depth. He would be a valuable trade piece though.

5. Defence I truely believe that another Muzzin type player will go along way to fixing the issue.
We need to add a right handed Muzzin.

6. we need to put Marleau in a coaching roll and get him to retire he is respected in the dressing room but doesn't have the legs for it anymore. I really like this guy.
Marleau will play next season, no doubt in my mind. He signed for 3 years to try and win a cup and his NMC will keep him in the lineup for one more year.

7. Auston needs better product on the wing Nylander if he gets his **** together or find someone in a trade.
Agreed. Maybe Bracco in the future? Or Marner with Matthews and Bracco with Tavares.

8.Pk specialist/shutdown guy to take faceoffs in our zone Hyman is a fail here not his fault.
Not as big of a deal as some make it seem. If he's close to 50% then it's fine.

 

[NightTrain1]

Im not going to quote the whole things, but a couple of thoughts back to Mugzy.


I agree with most of the points, even though i dont like some of them.

However, two things i dont agree with.

There is clearly a disconnect between Babcock and Dubas. I dont like trying to read someones thoughts just be a few video shots of someones facial expression. But if I had to, Shanahan did not look like a president that was happy with what he was seeing a lot of the time. I could be totally wrong, but I dont think what he saw and what we have all been seeing are much different just because of his position. He will have to pick a side soon.

Zak Hyman is not fine as our PK faceoff specialist. He is a winger with a sub %48 faceoff percentage which is NOT good enough during the regular season. And he is %23 in the playoffs which is atrocious and completely unacceptable. Imagine how much better our PK is if we arent constantly giving the other team possession. This is a huge deal.

 

[Mugzy97]

Im not going to quote the whole things, but a couple of thoughts back to Mugzy.


I agree with most of the points, even though i dont like some of them.

However, two things i dont agree with.

There is clearly a disconnect between Babcock and Dubas. I dont like trying to read someones thoughts just be a few video shots of someones facial expression. But if I had to, Shanahan did not look like a president that was happy with what he was seeing a lot of the time. I could be totally wrong, but I dont think what he saw and what we have all been seeing are much different just because of his position. He will have to pick a side soon.

Zak Hyman is not fine as our PK faceoff specialist. He is a winger with a sub %48 faceoff percentage which is NOT good enough during the regular season. And he is %23 in the playoffs which is atrocious and completely unacceptable. Imagine how much better our PK is if we arent constantly giving the other team possession. This is a huge deal.

If there is a disconnect, we will find out via a firing.

I didn't realize his % was 23 in the playoffs, which is brutal, but that is a small sample size at a bad time of year. Most people hover between 40-60%, which would be acceptable.

 

[DarkKnight]

We said it all year regarding our special teams. It was brutal. Once teams adjust to our initial scheme there was no adjustment or willingness to change something. Same with the PK. It had it's moments throughout the year but was relatively ineffective. It wilted when the going got tough. Bruins special teams thrived on the other hand. Every PP was in the net, almost every PK was killed. Hyman taking draws was ridiculous. Ridiculous.

It's pretty sad to see so much talent on the PP be so bad. I legit thought we would have the best PP in the league heading into the year. It was scary on paper.

 

[Tak7]

1. Only way Gardiner stays, is if he takes a huge pay-cut. He will easily get $5-$6million on the open market. I think he's gone.
2. Yes, there's an issue. Healthy disagreement between GM and coach can sometimes be a good thing. Simple solution here: Dubas tells Babcock to smarten up or make way.
3. You don't trade him now, with no value. Start him on Matthews wing, let him find his game again, and then re-assess next year
4. You don't trade Kadri: Matthews / Tavares / Kadri is still this team's biggest strength.
5. Given the cap crunch, the only realistic way to improve the D will now be via trade; I would expect one of Kapanen / Johnsson / Liljegren to be traded in a package.
6. Marleau to 4th line center - he's not retiring, they won't ask him to retire, but they can still limit his role. Matthews / Tavares / Kadri / Marleau could work.
7. Kapanen and Johnsson now both have 1 full NHL season under their belt. Let's see how they kick on. One of them should be on Matthews line, along with Nylander.
8. Start using Tavares or Kadri as a Faceoff then Getoff type of center that half the league uses.

 

[ToneDog]

Somebody has to go for a RHD. Either Kadri, Nylander, Kappy or AJ. IMO Kadri is done. He had a disappointing season given he was supposed to eat up 3rd line competition and he did not. The suspension sealed his fate.

Nylander will be gone if his holdout and disappointing season pissed off somebody in upper management.

They need to find a way to rid themselves of the Marleau cap hit in order to have the ability to sign a UFA (Ferland).

 

[monkeyboy]

Sorry for disappearing had to work. with d in the system hopefully by start of season a player will stand out this year. That was a major disappointment at the start of this season. I agree on another year with Nylander but he has to be told that his game has to improve or we will be shopping him. marleau's 3.6 mil could get Mariner under contract and Marleau given a steady position with the Leafs would give him the right to a cup. Where do we stand with Altonien? Is he coming back to the leafs and could he replace Kadri as he was a center.