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

[rumman]

I hope you're right. I still don't know what to think so I'll just sit back, watch what happens and hope for the best which is of course what I do every year.

Apparently Marner said he wasn't "engaged" for game one of the playoffs, that just makes me go LOL WTF. The 11 million dollar man should be chomping at the bit and waiting for that game ever since losing to Boston, how the hell is it even possible for him to not be "engaged".

From where I sit, that is simply unacceptable. Am I wrong?

worse yet id Dubas saying Marner was worth that contract and will be going forward.

 

[rumman]

We haven't won a playoff series since Paul Martin was PM. This core is not "right there". This rebuild has already been leapfrogged by Colorado and Carolina, enough with the bullshit platitudes and "next year" attitude.

perspective................half of Leaf Nation: "who's Paul Martin..............'

 

[Primary Assist]

Dubas is like the chick from Mean Girls trying to make fetch happen

 

[Nineteen67]

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

That’s 6 Xs.
Is Sam Pollack coming back to help out?

 

[Nylander88]

It's scary after Freddy's up its Hyman and Reilly, they better not wait to long or we can't afford to resign anyone

Freddy I think there's no way they resign for what he'll want. As I suggested, I wouldn't be surprised to see them get a Talbot or someone of that caliber to be a 1-2 tandem with Campbell and save the money. Freddy won't be worth the coin he's looking for. I'd unload him for some draft picks this offseason if it were my call

 

[NastyKnies]

This team isn't going to change is it.

 

[Gabriel426]

perspective................half of Leaf Nation: "who's Paul Martin..............'

Didnt he played for the Leafs and now play for the Islanders? lol

 

[rumman]

Didnt he played for the Leafs and now play for the Islanders? lol

 

[Cleetus]

Didnt he played for the Leafs and now play for the Islanders? lol

well one was the prime minister of Canada.... I think lol, there was another Paul Martin who played Defense for 14 years for the Devils, pens and sharks

 

[Gallagbi]

perspective................half of Leaf Nation: "who's Paul Martin..............'

Pfft he was a great defenseman

 

[ULF_55]

I don't think they are far away at all.

3 players

muzzin
muzzin
hyman

 

[Dekes For Days]

Moral of the story is don't count your chickens before they've hatched.

It is impossible to just ignore financial projections. Market value and historical comparables are based on a rising cap, and future projections are always considered in negotiations for every GM and agent ever.

 

[7even]

Bless their hearts.

 

[rumman]

It is impossible to just ignore financial projections. Market value and historical comparables are based on a rising cap, and future projections are always considered in negotiations for every GM and agent ever.

nothings impossible...............except the Leafs making it out of the first round................

 

[Superstar]

I don't think they are far away at all.

3 player

muzzin
muzzin
hyman

Bring out the cloning and salary cap inflating devices, pppleaseee!

 

[Dekes For Days]

nothings impossible....

Yes, some things are impossible. That's just how negotiations work in the real world.

 

[IPS]

I hope you're right. I still don't know what to think so I'll just sit back, watch what happens and hope for the best which is of course what I do every year.

Apparently Marner said he wasn't "engaged" for game one of the playoffs, that just makes me go LOL WTF. The 11 million dollar man should be chomping at the bit and waiting for that game ever since losing to Boston, how the hell is it even possible for him to not be "engaged".

From where I sit, that is simply unacceptable. Am I wrong?

Then you look at Marner's much less wealthy peer in Pastrnak and he was a freaking ball of energy straight out of the gate today, showed up everywhere including the scoreboard.

If he showed up to game 1 like Marner did Chara and co. would have torn him a new one.

 

[Stephen]

It is impossible to just ignore financial projections. Market value and historical comparables are based on a rising cap, and future projections are always considered in negotiations for every GM and agent ever.

In the real world, people have been speculating for years about the end of the bull market which ended at the start of the Covid pandemic, so the endless growth model of the cap was always a risk. Not sure how dialed into real world economics pro sports front offices necessarily are, but it's just another example of why it doesn't always make sense to be loose with your cash.

 

[rumman]

Yes, some things are impossible. That's just how negotiations work in the real world.

whatever, not going to debate it, your never wrong anyways...............

 

[rumman]

In the real world, people have been speculating for years about the end of the bull market which ended at the start of the Covid pandemic, so the endless growth model of the cap was always a risk. Not sure how dialed into real world economics pro sports front offices necessarily are, but it's just another example of why it doesn't always make sense to be loose with your cash.

thank you, you apparently get my point.

 

[Stephen]

I don't think they are far away at all.

3 players

muzzin
muzzin
hyman

I'm kind of curious if next season is severely impacted by the pandemic, will some teams ask for relief from the salary floor, and by extension, will the cap ceiling be lifted so the guaranteed contracts around the league can be absorbed by teams that can pay for it?

 

[saffronleaf]

Dubas made the fatal assumption that the salary cap is always going to go up and signed deals that only made sense within that framework. Now that the cap is going to be stuck for at least the next few years they need to rebuild in some fashion. They either have to dismantle the core, or figure out a way to win with that core with Jack Campbell as their starting goalie and Jake Muzzin as their #1D.

Dubas the dumbass. Couldn't even foresee a global pandemic.

 

[ULF_55]

Bring out the cloning and salary cap inflating devices, pppleaseee!

yeah don't need 1st pairing defenders or 1st line players.

need reliable defenders and a forward who can bring a bit of everything.

 

[Stephen]

Dubas the dumbass. Couldn't even foresee a global pandemic.

Well, not really. Not blaming Dubas for the current state of things from a global economic stand point, but a lot of people have been speculating about an oncoming global recession even before the pandemic hit.

 

[Stephen]

yeah don't need 1st pairing defenders or 1st line players.

need reliable defenders and a forward who can bring a bit of everything.

If the Leafs went out and got the equivalent of a Gavrikov and Edmundson, then brought in Zach Bogosian on a veteran league minimum deal to fight for a 7th defense job, and auditioned Mikko Lehtonen, Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren, that would probably already be a very decent renovation of the blueline.