News Article: 'This core believes we're right there:'

[Stephen]

The Leafs management and players always talk about how talented they are. Feels like an unhealthy lack of respect to the talent level of other teams.

 

[PromisedLand]

"They are right there; and afraid to move"

 

[BertCorbeau]

- Players aren't going to throw their teammates under the bus.

But.

- Talk is cheap. Prove it next year and lead this damn team on a good playoff run, give the fans some hope.

 

[disgruntleddave]

The Leafs management and players always talk about how talented they are. Feels like an unhealthy lack of respect to the talent level of other teams.

The organization needs to ban the "t-word". The fact that they say it so often shows that they value it as something that will take them far alone.

Let's replace the word talent by driven, hard working and gritty. Talent will come out but it won't carry anyone.

 

[RJJ]

Yep, this team just needs a few tweaks. The core is good. Matthews, Taraves and Marner are going to dominate next year.

Johnsson can go for some grit.
Barrie, Ceci replacements will be upgrades.
Nylander can be traded for a defenceman. He has the easiest contract to move and can go avoid contact somewhere else.
Is Freddy really that much of an upgrade over Campbell?

This team is really not far off from becoming a juggernaut.

Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Robertson - Tavares - X
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Kapanen
Engval - X - Clifford

Muzzin - X
Rielly - X
Sandin/Dermott - Holl/X
Lilj

X
Campbell

 

[CapspaceKiller]

You need to add a defenceman to that core moving forward, to do that one core piece needs to be on the way out. So no, not "right there".

 

[lovemyleafs]

You need to add a defenceman to that core moving forward, to do that one core piece needs to be on the way out. So no, not "right there".

We got Lehtonen which is huge. But need another D-Man.

 

[sparxx87]

This core also believed they should be handed superstar money without ever accomplishing anything.

Silly kids.

 

[RJJ]

Sorry, the 2nd line right winger could be Anderson ( ? ) from Columbus. He had a shoulder injury this year but before that there was talk that the Jackets were going to trade him at the deadline. Not sure what it would take to get him. Adds skill and grit

4th line center re-sign Spezza for league minimum if he is willing to do so again. I don't think you will find a better 4th line center then him at league minimum.

Not sure what to do about your top 2 right dmen. As a habs fan Weber would look great with Rielly and Petry would look great with Muzzin. I know it would never work cap wise but that would be a great top 4.

Lol, can't get the response to work properly, sorry for the mess, this was a reply for Beyonder91. I'm gonna go back to being a reader of comments cause I mangled this post.

 

[ACC1224]

Once Dubas releases his super secret stats to the public you’ll all see that not only is the Team ‘right there’ but they’re actually well past that.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Well we are damned sure marner isnt going anywhere. I'll just eat my popcorn and watch the Willy fan club's head explode if he is moved.

There is a Willy fan club on the board?

 

[Gabriel426]

And Nulander was not at all engaged in an elimination game.

1. Gary never said Willie was engaged
2. Just wondering, do you honestly think Marner is played good and he is fine?

 

[robertmac43]

Dubas calls the Marner criticism "idiotic", which I think for a kid who demanded (and received) a top 10 contract, in a league where he hasn't really proven anything (i.e. in the playoffs), I think it's more than fair and perhaps this less than tenured General Manager need to open his eyes.

The lack of accountability on the members of this organization, from management to players is concerning.

Really hope they can turn it around because we do have some pieces, but more of the same, as so many in the organization are preaching for is asking for a report of history.

In what world does Dubas call out Marner who has documented is struggles with how the contract discussions went? Sounds like a brutal way to inspire confidence in one of your budding stars...

 

[Jmo89]

If Dubas wants any hope of this team succeeding past a 1st round he needs to upgrade the defence. He's dug himself a hole there by spending so much on the top 6. And yes, I'm aware the defence did okay in a 5 game series against a poor offence However, from start to finish they're not good enough, both over the span of a season and over the span of a game.

I think most of the fans on here have outlined well what his options are. You keep the top 6, gut the third line, and upgrade the defence. They'll be dangerously low on depth that way, which was already noticeable this season.

Or you trade one of Marner/Nylander along with one of Johnsson or Kapanen and fill the holes that way.

I guess they're "right there" in that a couple good trades and signings could balance the team... In the same way that a couple of Dubas' mistakes turned them back into a bubble team.

 

[Beyonder91]

Dubas calls the Marner criticism "idiotic", which I think for a kid who demanded (and received) a top 10 contract, in a league where he hasn't really proven anything (i.e. in the playoffs), I think it's more than fair and perhaps this less than tenured General Manager need to open his eyes.

It is idiotic. Many of us on this board have been saying the exact same things.

What's also idiotic is comparing Marner's contract to other contracts across the league that were signed years ago yet I keep seeing that over and over again on here. I think we can all agree that it wasn't the best contract but it's not nearly as bad as people make it out to be.

 

[paulhiggins]

Nylander's performance in the final game was one of the worst performances by a Leaf center I've seen in the 50 years I've been watching. Putting him there at center was one of the biggest coaching blunders I've ever seen too.

Out: Shanahan
Out: Dubas
Out: Keefe (can make him an assistant if the new coach wants him)
Out: Nylander, Ceci, Barrie, Johnsson, Marincin, The Goat, (Petan/Rosen/Malgin)

 

[Beyonder91]

Sorry, the 2nd line right winger could be Anderson ( ? ) from Columbus. He had a shoulder injury this year but before that there was talk that the Jackets were going to trade him at the deadline. Not sure what it would take to get him. Adds skill and grit

4th line center re-sign Spezza for league minimum if he is willing to do so again. I don't think you will find a better 4th line center then him at league minimum.

Not sure what to do about your top 2 right dmen. As a habs fan Weber would look great with Rielly and Petry would look great with Muzzin. I know it would never work cap wise but that would be a great top 4.

Lol, can't get the response to work properly, sorry for the mess, this was a reply for Beyonder91. I'm gonna go back to being a reader of comments cause I mangled this post.

Anderson from Columbus would be a dream addition. I would LOVE that.
The hardest is going to be finding the D pieces... Dubas is going to have his work cut out for him.
I also should have mentioned I see Rielly making a big jump next year in his all around game. I was super impressed how he really tried to step up last game and wanted it so bad. Loved to see that.
This team is sooooo close to getting over this hump. Still super young.

 

[Superstar]

Almost right there...for Lafreniere

 

[Notsince67]

There is a Willy fan club on the board?

Yup.

 

[leafsfan5]

We were a .500 team that lost to the ninth seed in the play-ins. How the hell are we right there

 

[Notsince67]

1. Gary never said Willie was engaged
2. Just wondering, do you honestly think Marner is played good and he is fine?

He is. You want to free him for offense, we shouldnt see him as the lone player back trying to defend an empty net goal. He had the puck constantly and worked unlike some players who watched.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Yup.

Where are they?

 

[ItsFineImFine]

It seems like Dubas doubled down on his presser and this is exactly what I was afraid of. I don't expect a GM to throw anyone under the bus but he seems to have gone out of his way to defend fantasy rather than reality and we're screwed if he believes in his 'vision' which clearly doesn't work in the post-season.

It's pretty disappointing to me because I was excited about the hire but it's clear that he's basically the stubborn analytics version of Brian Burke who was hung up on truculence.

Whatever it's fine it'll be an entertaining year either way you gotta play it out.

 

[IPS]

It seems like Dubas doubled down on his presser and this is exactly what I was afraid of. I don't expect a GM to throw anyone under the bus but he seems to have gone out of his way to defend fantasy rather than reality and we're screwed if he believes in his 'vision' which clearly doesn't work in the post-season.

It's pretty disappointing to me because I was excited about the hire but it's clear that he's basically the stubborn analytics version of Brian Burke who was hung up on truculence.

Whatever it's fine it'll be an entertaining year either way you gotta play it out.

Pretty much yet the big four experiment should be over and judging from what Dubas said he has no plan on ending it. The defense and the rest of the forward group cannot be reworked until the experiment ends..

Dooby calling the criticism of the Marner idiotic means he's probably feeling the heat, he never talks like that

 

[Nylander88]

Yep, this team just needs a few tweaks. The core is good. Matthews, Taraves and Marner are going to dominate next year.

Johnsson can go for some grit.
Barrie, Ceci replacements will be upgrades.
Nylander can be traded for a defenceman. He has the easiest contract to move and can go avoid contact somewhere else.
Is Freddy really that much of an upgrade over Campbell?

This team is really not far off from becoming a juggernaut.

Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Robertson - Tavares - X
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Kapanen
Engval - X - Clifford

Muzzin - X
Rielly - X
Sandin/Dermott - Holl/X
Lilj

X
Campbell

Josh Anderson or Tyler Toffoli on Tavares wing?
Resign Spezza
D from Nylander trade in your scenario. Plus Radko Gudas in free agency. Freddy stays I'm guessing? Or move him somewhere for some picks and sign Lehner?
Not a bad roster. Definitely some tweaks needed though