With the benefit of hindsight were you happy the Leafs didn't trade for Ryan McDonagh?

[BlueBaron]

We keep trying to give the number 4 center to Gauthier but he seems to constantly blow it.

We did sign Moore, but he failed, we also had Fehr. I liked both Boyle and Plekanec but I'd like the peace of mind on a long term solution.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

We did sign Moore, but he failed, we also had Fehr. I liked both Boyle and Plekanec but I'd like the peace of mind on a long term solution.

I think the hope was Gauthier would be that solution, I'm hoping if it doesn't work this year we find a long term solution. We can't keep putting a band-aid on waiting him to be good enough.

 

[DougGilmour93]

He is exactly what this team needs. So, I wish we would hav pulled the trigger.

 

[LeafsNation75]

We did sign Moore, but he failed, we also had Fehr. I liked both Boyle and Plekanec but I'd like the peace of mind on a long term solution.

If Fehr had kept quit about his playing time I wonder if he would have became the permanent #4 centre and it would have meant not trading for Plekanec.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I am happy. Don't think he was the right guy for the job.

 

[Kiwi]

exactly. like he did his job and got rid of the yucky contracts
He got Andersen
and then he did nothing to either significantly improve it (further) or make more moves to continue the "rebuilding, gathering assets" he just sat there.

I'm pretty pissed off about it to Daisy

I wanted us to pick a path and commit to it (my preferred option was selling the pending UFA'S last off-season) but to do neither was mindblowing, we didn't get the benefits from following either path just bleed potential assets standing in the same bloody spot to afraid to choose

Moving on from Lou was a very good decision by Shanahan

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

I'm pretty pissed off about it to Daisy

I wanted us to pick a path and commit to it (my preferred option was selling the pending UFA'S last off-season) but to do neither was mindblowing, we didn't get the benefits from following either path just bleed potential assets standing in the same bloody spot to afraid to choose

Moving on from Lou was a very good decision by Shanahan

He didn't move on from Lou, Lou's contract as GM was up. This was the plan since the day he was hired.

 

[Kiwi]

He didn't move on from Lou, Lou's contract as GM was up. This was the plan since the day he was hired.

He could have kept him on if he'd wanted to give Lou another year or two as GM and Hunter would have probably stayed as well, Dubas is another matter however

 

[firstemperor]

McDonagh is a shell of his former self. Forget the pieces we would have had to give up to match Tampa's offer (Liljegren + 1st is a necessary base to begin with, with adds) but let's just talk about the player.

He was underwhelming for the Rangers and with Tampa afterwards. We can criticize our D all we want but there is nothing to say McDonagh would have fared overwhelmingly better, and that is saying something.

We also haven't even begun the talks of extending him onwards at a fair cost.

 

[Sundinisagod]

This is impossible to answer not knowing exactly what we would have been giving up. From what I read, it seems that we were not willing to include one of Kapanen or Liljegren in the package. The prospects that Tampa gave up were slightly lower value, I think the next tier of our prospects is slight below the ones Tampa gave up, but Grundstrum would have been closest. So an exact package from our end wouldn't have been possible to replicate.

What was the rumured asking price again? Something Like Lilje/Kap + 1st + ??

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

He could have kept him on if he'd wanted to give Lou another year or two as GM and Hunter would have probably stayed as well, Dubas is another matter however

That doesn't mean he moved on from Lou. Lou wasn't fired or let go, he had a three year contract as GM to get Dubas ready, he did his job and now Dubas is ready. This was always the plan.

 

[diceman934]

We clearly made the right decision I had a debate on here and I am not at all unhappy as the cost was way to high for a guy that would not have been our top D man or even close. A fast deteriorating player.

 

[ottomaddox]

We don't know what TOR would have given up.

Does TOR end up with J.T. Miller in the trade too?

I am disappointed. I wanted Mcdonagh.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I'm pretty pissed off about it to Daisy

I wanted us to pick a path and commit to it (my preferred option was selling the pending UFA'S last off-season) but to do neither was mindblowing, we didn't get the benefits from following either path just bleed potential assets standing in the same bloody spot to afraid to choose

Moving on from Lou was a very good decision by Shanahan

honestly, it wouldn't surrpise me if that's what cost him the job.
like. he didn't get available good assets that went to our biggest competition.
he didn't get rid of the assets aggressively enough
he didn't get assets that made us better and they'd actually stay past the year.
i'm glad for the part that made us not be a gong-show, but i'm pissed off that the option he chose was "half-pregnant." that's always the wrong choice. imo.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Well he's had the position given to him for two seasons now and every time he's not good enough. How would you describe it?

he had a good chunk of games last season, and then he had his leg blown up during the playoffs, and it was a miracle he was even skating when he was this season, but i don't think he was in any position to really take on a position full time. that Dotchin hit (IMO) ruined his Leafs career. I've said seeing him play live after a few years now, I can see why he's not going to be long for this team. Goat's a gentle giant. he doesn't use his body etc, (meanly) for his size, and I don't think how the team is that's necessarily the best bet for him

but he didn't "blow" away a chance.

 

[Kiwi]

That doesn't mean he moved on from Lou. Lou wasn't fired or let go, he had a three year contract as GM to get Dubas ready, he did his job and now Dubas is ready. This was always the plan.

Plans can change, I'm happy Lou's been shown the door but his departure as GM now wasn't a given

honestly, it wouldn't surrpise me if that's what cost him the job.
like. he didn't get available good assets that went to our biggest competition.
he didn't get rid of the assets aggressively enough
he didn't get assets that made us better and they'd actually stay past the year.
i'm glad for the part that made us not be a gong-show, but i'm pissed off that the option he chose was "half-pregnant." that's always the wrong choice. imo.

It was the most half assed plan I've seen for awhile

We didn't try to win now or set up for later, head shaking to say the least

 

[weems]

Plans can change, I'm happy Lou's been shown the door but his departure as GM now wasn't a given



It was the most half assed plan I've seen for awhile

We didn't try to win now or set up for later, head shaking to say the least

For me it was similar to a low to mid stakes poker player winning a big tournament (us making the playoffs in the first season when noone expected it) and all the sudden instead of them staying at the proper stakes and learning the game, building a bankroll the person starts firing bullets in tons of super high stakes games against more seasoned and better players just because they have some newly found $.

Everything happened so fast and it felt so good to have the team we did but I think everyone from the fanbase to the ownership got a little carried away and looked short sighted in many ways.

The non trading of JVR at any point in the past 2 seasons will always be a huge missed oppurtunity to bring back prime assets that infuse nicely into the big 3's peak years.

 

[Daisy Jane]

He didn't move on from Lou, Lou's contract as GM was up. This was the plan since the day he was hired.

ehh. plans change.

i find it very hard to believe if lou was making crackerjack deals and bringing in tonnes of amazing talent in at any level i doubt very much it would have been "Yah Lou's still going."

 

[Daisy Jane]

I am happy. Don't think he was the right guy for the job.

what? actually play defense?
allow Dermott not to play heavy minutes down the stretch and shelter him more in the playoffs?

We clearly made the right decision I had a debate on here and I am not at all unhappy as the cost was way to high for a guy that would not have been our top D man or even close. A fast deteriorating player.

we clearly did not. having McDonagh pushes everyone down 1 slot, it saves Hainsey from being run down to death and gives Dermott more shelter.

 

[PromisedLand]

I did not want him to begin with; I was actually advocating to even trade Bozak+JVR at the TDL

 

[Bloomberg]

I would've traded for McDonagh and trade away Gardiner, Bozak and JVR. McDonagh is on a good contract and would've solidified the left D with Rielly, and Dermott. I think we would've beaten Boston if we had him.

 

[diceman934]

what? actually play defense?
allow Dermott not to play heavy minutes down the stretch and shelter him more in the playoffs?




we clearly did not. having McDonagh pushes everyone down 1 slot, it saves Hainsey from being run down to death and gives Dermott more shelter.

It would have been a huge overpayment as they wanted a first round pick, Lilly and another asset for 1 year and 20 games before he becomes a UFA and seeking how much? Or would he be moved at this coming trade deadline as we could not resign him.

As well your point about Haisney, he was not simply tired he was not capable of playing top minutes against top players. He struggled for most of the season.

Yes we need some D upgrade but I want us to get more cost control if we are moving that kind of assets.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

ehh. plans change.

i find it very hard to believe if lou was making crackerjack deals and bringing in tonnes of amazing talent in at any level i doubt very much it would have been "Yah Lou's still going."

I think the problem was if you kept Lou you were in danger of losing Dubas. If Dubas wasn't here I'm pretty sure Lou would still be GM.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I think the problem was if you kept Lou you were in danger of losing Dubas. If Dubas wasn't here I'm pretty sure Lou would still be GM.

do not care.
my main concern is the general manager of the maple leafs. not the shoulda couldas wouldas.If he wanted to leave, bye. (same reaction to lou and hunter bouncing). I firmly believe if Lou was more pro-active, he'd still be GM here. he did nothing, and I think that made the decision easier.

 

[Daisy Jane]

It would have been a huge overpayment as they wanted a first round pick, Lilly and another asset for 1 year and 20 games before he becomes a UFA and seeking how much? Or would he be moved at this coming trade deadline as we could not resign him.

As well your point about Haisney, he was not simply tired he was not capable of playing top minutes against top players. He struggled for most of the season.

Yes we need some D upgrade but I want us to get more cost control if we are moving that kind of assets.

Hainsey did not struggle for most of the season, his play dropped off, when he came back from having the flu. but whatever. let's say you are right.

Having McDonagh for 1.5 years and having a guy who you could move down your lineup because he is still a very good defenseman is a good thing. it doesn't always have to be the "he's a right hand" or "he's a top guy". how about "he's just really really good at what he does?"

for the life of me i don't understand why people here don't want veteran players and I feel this (and not you specifically) is what this is really steaming from. he's not a sexy superstar like doughty etc, he's not young and can put up 50 points, but he's solid. and quite frankly this team needs solid. and I believe in my bones he would have helped this team down the stretch when they were starting to shake, and he would have helped during the playoffs.

I honestly don't remember what the asking price was. but i don't think Tampa gave up talent of Lilegren's potential, so i doubt that's what we had to pay (or that was the deal, THE END). and. if that was the case (and for argument's sake, it was), it doesn't change the fact that Lou didn't get a defenseman period. he basically was happy with what we had and Dermott = them getting a defenseman which was a dumb, dumb dumb decision.