Time for some tough decisions to be made

[bodechek]

After four years of first round exits, it is time to realize that keeping this group together might not be the best for a long playoff run. Sure I would like to see this team and its core intact and win the Stanley Cup, but in reality, that might not be possible.

1. Is Andersen really the goalie we want him to be or is this what he really is, regular season performer but a playoff pretender?
2. The Leafs keep adding scoring potential players, but that is one side of the game. How about adding more defensive minded players so if you are not scoring, you are not giving up chances either.
3. Is Dubas really the person to make these decisions? Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster figured out that you can't be too sentimental with players in order to make the next step. Can Dubas and Shanahan do the same?

I'm sure some are going to say that there was a coaching change and that is fine, but if this goes to 5 years straight, then what? How do you say it is the coaching or change in on ice philosophy then?

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[Faltorvo]

After four years of first round exits, it is time to realize that keeping this group together might not be the best for a long playoff run. Sure I would like to see this team and its core intact and win the Stanley Cup, but in reality, that might not be possible.

1. Is Andersen really the goalie we want him to be or is this what he really is, regular season performer but a playoff pretender?
2. The Leafs keep adding scoring potential players, but that is one side of the game. How about adding more defensive minded players so if you are not scoring, you are not giving up chances either.
3. Is Dubas really the person to make these decisions? Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster figured out that you can't be too sentimental with players in order to make the next step. Can Dubas and Shanahan do the same?

I'm sure some are going to say that there was a coaching change and that is fine, but if this goes to 5 years straight, then what? How do you say it is the coaching or change in on ice philosophy then?

FA did not pretend this past PO a .936 sv% 1.84 GAG is outstanding #s

 

[killer1980]

Unfortunately, it's not a tough decision. Can you say, "Time for yet again another rebuild?" Oh ya fire the entire front office.

 

[Tak7]

I don't even know where they go from here.
Over the past couple of years, their path forward was quite obvious.
Either let some notable UFAs go (Bozak, JvR), or trim salary (Marleau, Zaitsev), and move out offense for D (Kadri for Barrie).
But they've fired that Kadri bullet, and it missed badly.
I don't know what they're supposed to do now.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

It will get decided after board mtg where shanny/dubie make their pitch to board on either staying course or making changes and how to intend to do so ...

 

[lovemyleafs]

Even though the Raps would make it out of the first round and even made the conference finals. Masai and co. were still not content with settling for anything less than the NBA finals for 5 consecutive seasons. What did they do? MADE SOME BIG CHANGES which resulted in an NBA title.
I know Dubas idolizes Masai and is a Raptors fan himself so he needs to do the same. If he doesn't have the balls to trade someone like Freddy or Marner, then just hand in your resignation letter and be gone. We can't be content with just making it out the first round. This team has flopped year after year, it's time for significant changes.

 

[Buds17]

The Leafs had a number of players in their rookie season against the Caps. Then, it was two times competing against the Perfection Line and company. This time, it was the Werenski-Jones pairing and company. Eventually, it stops being about the other team. Don't know if things have reached that point yet though. Winning isn't easy and sometimes it takes much more time than we'd like.

The pessimistic side says Toronto lost all four series. The optimistic side says Toronto took three of four to the limit. Maybe this group as presently constructed isn't good enough and requires major change. Maybe it just isn't good enough yet and needs more time and less of an overhaul.

 

[killer1980]

I honestly don't get all the people here and elsewhere that accept the fact that Dumbass's plan doesn't work and say, "OK, this is what Dubas now has to do," No! He made his pitch to the MLSE Board and the city that this is what he would do if he was GM. He implemented his plan, got the players, coach and diverse staff he wanted and failed miserably. What he proposed did not work. Letting him change his plan would be unfair to the team, management, the city and even him. He did exactly what he wanted and failed. Time to move on.

 

[bodechek]

Unfortunately, it's not a tough decision. Can you say, "Time for yet again another rebuild?" Oh ya fire the entire front office.

A rebuild is extreme, what needs to be done is some tweeking. As I have previously mentioned, we keep adding offense, but that is only one side of the game. We need some defense and do you keep on hanging your hopes on Andersen? Didn't Andersen lose the starters job to Hiller ( or was it JS Giguère)? These are not easy decisions, but is Dubas the right one to do it?

 

[Plat87]

Even though the Raps would make it out of the first round and even made the conference finals. Masai and co. were still not content with settling for anything less than the NBA finals for 5 consecutive seasons. What did they do? MADE SOME BIG CHANGES which resulted in an NBA title.
I know Dubas idolizes Masai and is a Raptors fan himself so he needs to do the same. If he doesn't have the balls to trade someone like Freddy or Marner, then just hand in your resignation letter and be gone. We can't be content with just making it out the first round. This team has flopped year after year, it's time for significant changes.

The problem is Dubass isn't half the executive Masai is (although he might think he is). Just like there's levels when it comes to players, there are levels when it comes to executives. Masai is like a perennial MVP candidate and Dubass is like a overhyped and underachieving draft bust.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

I was all about the four-headed monster up front, but at this point seeing how things have played out, and how the cap will now be flat for the next couple of years, the first tough decision will be trading one of the big four for an impact d-man. Matthews is the franchise player. Tavares is the captain and the big free agent signee so he isn't going anywhere. It'll now come down to Marner's $10.893 or Nylander's $6.96 cap hit, and what they could get for clearing either out. In my opinion.

The next decision is goaltending. Andersen is a UFA next off-season. I have no problem riding him out for the year and seeing how things end up. But there is no succession plan in place (I'm not convinced Campbell is the guy), so a move either has to be made or they re-sign Freddie to buy more time.

I'm personally no Dubas fan, but I think he knows time is still on his side.

 

[killer1980]

A rebuild is extreme, what needs to be done is some tweeking. As I have previously mentioned, we keep adding offense, but that is only one side of the game. We need some defense and do you keep on hanging your hopes on Andersen? Didn't Andersen lose the starters job to Hiller ( or was it JS Giguère)? These are not easy decisions, but is Dubas the right one to do it?

Dubas put everything in place that he wanted. He failed. He got Barrie for defense. He has no money left for a supporting cast and left in a goalie that is softer than My Pillow. Fire him!

 

[Faltorvo]

The problem is Dubass isn't half the executive Masai is (although he might think he is). Just like there's levels when it comes to players, there are levels when it comes to executives. Masai is like a perennial MVP candidate and Dubass is like a overhyped and underachieving draft bust.

one is building with defense first

the other pays big for "showy" offence

 

[Bluelines]

Lots of positives to come out of this loss, which is an odd thing to say as I'm a huge Leafs fan.

The Leafs have a lot of top end players but the way we are built does not fit well together. We should be able to ice 2 elite forward lines. We kept overloading one line and then going for a skate with three other lines, pretty much every game in the playoffs. TBH the 3 other lines were not a factor at all. Matthews-Hyman-Nylander were dynamic for 2 season, for what ever logic we no longer play them together. JT and Mitch were electric two seasons ago. There is no reason why they should not be a line. I get that AM probably wants to play with Mitch but you shouldn't be able to demand 11 mil per, then demand who you play with, then demand.. simple conversation, you play where we tell you or we will find somewhere else for you to play. Players are paid to play, coaches are paid to coach, GM's are paid to build championships.

Another positive is we should get a really good to decent player out of this draft. Robertson seems to be able to play against NHL competition.

I would suspect that the bottom 6 will be blown apart, along with everyone who is not named Morgan on the defence.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Even though the Raps would make it out of the first round and even made the conference finals. Masai and co. were still not content with settling for anything less than the NBA finals for 5 consecutive seasons. What did they do? MADE SOME BIG CHANGES which resulted in an NBA title.
I know Dubas idolizes Masai and is a Raptors fan himself so he needs to do the same. If he doesn't have the balls to trade someone like Freddy or Marner, then just hand in your resignation letter and be gone. We can't be content with just making it out the first round. This team has flopped year after year, it's time for significant changes.

I expect Masai will take over both raps and leafs ... and then hire his guy and keep Dubie as an understudy and transition guy ... shanny as an advisor to team for rest of contract

 

[lovemyleafs]

I expect Masai will take over both raps and leafs ... and then hire his guy and keep Dubie as an understudy and transition guy ... shanny as an advisor to team for rest of contract

I wish

 

[al secord]

Tough decisions, tough conversations. Welcome to 2020.

 

[killer1980]

Lots of positives to come out of this loss

The only positive that could come out of that debacle is that Dumbass and Shanacant get shown the door.

 

[KuleminFan41]

Even though the Raps would make it out of the first round and even made the conference finals. Masai and co. were still not content with settling for anything less than the NBA finals for 5 consecutive seasons. What did they do? MADE SOME BIG CHANGES which resulted in an NBA title.
I know Dubas idolizes Masai and is a Raptors fan himself so he needs to do the same. If he doesn't have the balls to trade someone like Freddy or Marner, then just hand in your resignation letter and be gone. We can't be content with just making it out the first round. This team has flopped year after year, it's time for significant changes.

It also took the Raptors several disappointing years before a big change occured, and you have to remember, they were routinely 1st in their division too. In fact, it took them 5 years of trying before they made the Kawhi trade and fired Dwayne Casey. Which, if I recall, a lot of people weren't happy about, I seem to remember calls of betrayal over DeRozan when he was dealt. It's funny how people are making the comparisons to the Raptors now as if they never had any problems before their championship lol . With that said, I do see changes coming in the future , Dubas isn't the dummy some people think he is . Since taking over the GM role, he's tried to address every issue the Leafs have had , some have been more successful than others but you know, that happens to every GM.