Speculation: Will Dubas fix The Hockey Futures of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Dough72

Registered User
Sep 3, 2008
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still wonder how much different our young core would look in the playoffs if they had spent the last 5 years developing normally instead of Shanahan and Dubas telling them they don't need to body-check and don't need to fight bak when they get pushed around and clowned, and who knows what other silly oldshool ideas they have been encouraged to thumb their nose at. But listening to Matthews a few years ago explaining why his team doesn't need to bodycheck because they use quick sticks instead, sounded like ShanaDubas has been in his head from the start
 

LEAFANFORLIFE23

Registered User
Jun 17, 2010
45,624
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He's not a top 4. He might play beside Muzzin but he gets exposed badly when Muzzin isn't there. I like Holl as a person and a player, but I've seen enough to know what he is.

Why do you think I don't like him? He makes A LOT of mistakes and unlike Rielly he doesn't have the offense to make up for it.

But he still in the top 4, still makes 2 million he likely isn't being exposed, I could see him traded but not exposed
 

egd27

Donec nunc annum
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Jul 8, 2011
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Unfortunately Simmonds, Thornton and Foligno are the only types of players you can get when you have no money left because you spent 50% on the expensive 4 and yo are getting very little in return for such a huge investment

And yet this concept continues to elude so many.
 
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seanlinden

Registered User
Apr 28, 2009
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Who are you referring to as the big 4?
Doesn't appear obvious, , most would assume Dermott stays over Holl.

Dermott was a healthy scratch in the playoffs, alternating spots with Dubas' 1st draft pick as the GM that needs a spot in the lineup. Even if he doesn't go in the expansion draft, there's probably a decent chance he's traded post expansion draft to a team that lost a defenceman.

Holl has been a stable, permanent top 4 defenceman with size for $2m; throughout basically all of Sheldon Keefe's tenure.

Reality is -- short of trading an asset the Leafs really can't afford to lose in order to incentivize the Kraken, they're going to lose one of Dermott, Holl or Kerfoot. They can only protect one of them. While you might argue that Kerfoot is more important to the team than Holl, Holl is by far the most difficult one to replace with the cap space that would be freed up.

The Leafs don't need to "fear" losing Travis Dermott, Rasmus Sandin will step into his spot. The Leafs don't need to "fear" losing Alex Kerfoot, they can replace him likely for less than $3.5m. They cannot replace Justin Holl for $2m.

As for "fixing the future" -- I don't think it's all doom & gloom given that the Leafs do have Sandin, Liljegren, Robertson and Amirov.... but I do think they need to go out and find some assets with longer lead times and more universal marketability.

Graduate Sandin & Robertson. Trade Liljegren to try and recoup something like a 2nd round pick in 2022. Possibly cash out on Dermott for a pick as well; and then have the ability to use those picks at the deadline if it makes sense. Picks are a magic box that a GM can make his own, prospects a GM might like a guy, might not.
 
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Dough72

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Sep 3, 2008
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Montreal has 15 million on Droin and Tatar and Jake Allen not even playing and they made the Stanley Cup. You can overpay your stars quite a bit and still build a winner but they absolutely need a good supporting cast and Dubas keeps failing miserably at it.
 
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rumman

Registered User
Sep 10, 2008
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Montreal has 15 million on Droin and Tatar and Jake Allen not even playing and they made the Stanley Cup. You can overpay your stars quite a bit and still build a winner but they absolutely need a good supporting cast and Dubas keeps failing miserably at it.
Lots of posters on this board want Tatar for next season, a guy who can’t even crack the “pathetic” Habs offence. No wonder 5he Leafs can’t win squat.
 

todd05

Registered User
Jul 9, 2021
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The leafs will never win with a small and no toughness on they defense. And drafting all these small players
will not help. dubass has to get that out of his head. Tampa learned that the hard way as well. But look at them know.
If he keeps making the same mistake over and over he has to go now.
 
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ToneDog

56 years and counting. #FireTheShanaClan!
Jun 11, 2017
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The leafs will never win with a small and no toughness on they defense. And drafting all these small players
will not help. dubass has to get that out of his head. Tampa learned that the hard way as well. But look at them know.
If he keeps making the same mistake over and over he has to go now.

He better be down to his last strike.
 

sxvnert

Registered User
Nov 23, 2015
11,943
6,956
Complete failure.

Solid drafting was a crucial to filling out those 750-800k spots. Instead we're stuck with pending retirees well past their due date.
 

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