Around the League - 2023 Offseason Edition

[Avsboy]

Popcorn and licorice? Looks like Mackinnon can't hang out with him

 

[Foppa2118]

Bwoah

I think Dubas might have found a way to quit without quitting. That whole asking for more autonomy thing was weird. Asking for more money is weird too, since he didn't accomplish anything.

Felt like he was setting up a "you can't fire me because I quit" scenario. We've seen how emotional he's been in recent years. I think the pressure was too much for him.

 

[Foppa2118]

Now he gets it.

 

[MacKaRant]

I think Dubas might have found a way to quit without quitting. That whole asking for more autonomy thing was weird. Asking for more money is weird too, since he didn't accomplish anything.

Felt like he was setting up a "you can't fire me because I quit" scenario. We've seen how emotional he's been in recent years. I think the pressure was too much for him.

I agree. If I were a manager and an employee on an expiring contract said to me that if I don't continue on in this particular job, I will need to take an extended break because of all the pressure and stress on myself and my family, I think I would read that as the guy needs a break in general. Maybe it's not totally fair, but it was a very interesting thing to say in public, considering that this particular GM position is definitely top 5 in terms of stress it will place on a person.

 

[Avs_19]

Not having Dubas around is going to show what a fool Shanahan really is. Can't wait.

Oh and **** Detroit. Just had to get that in there too.

 

[Pokecheque]

Ohhhhhhhhhh boy Shanny boy showing us he's the impetuous meathead we all thought he was from the beginning.

That's f***ing ridiculous. One goddamn presser and you just decide to change plans? So stupid that a professional sports organization is run so haphazardly.

 

[LOFIN]

I mean Shanahan better have a good backup plan ready. Because there's not much time.

It will be interesting to hear Dubas' side of the story eventually.

 

[Foppa2118]

Dubas is an objectively good general manager. He was not perfect by any means and was partially hobbled by some of the dumbass mistakes of his predecessor, but the Leafs enjoyed great regular season success while he was running the show, they just couldn't parlay that into playoff success, for a number of reasons.

If and when he decides to come back he'll absolutely kill it.

Personally if there was a mistake made it was handing all that money to John Tavares. Everything else that tripped them up can be traced to that one signing. Suddenly the other members of the core were not about to take any sort of discount, and then Tavares himself began to decline and now doesn't even come close to justifying that massive contract.

I also think, in hindsight, that despite his immense talent and hockey sense, that Mitchell Marner ain't The Guy. Too often he's a ghost in the postseason and in big games. He could very easily flip that narrative and he's still relatively young but I just don't think he's ever become the elite gamebreaker that contract he held out for calls for.

The whole notion of getting Tavares in the first place was predicated on the assumption that Nazem Kadri was not good enough as a 2C to build a championship roster around. Obviously we know that's not the case.

Doesn't this second post contradict the first post a little? Trading Kadri on a cheap deal for Barrie was an objectively bad trade. They could have used Kadri in the playoffs every year since. Especially on his previous contract.

GM's should be evaluated based on post season success not purely the regular season. Even if they don't win the Cup, a good GM will have built a team that made a deep run or two.

Dubas has 1 win past the first round and he was aksing for more money and autonomy from the President. Why wouldn't Shannahan let him go?

 

[LOFIN]

Rickrolling really?

Doesn't this second post contradict the first post a little? Trading Kadri on a cheap deal for Barrie was an objectively bad trade. They could have used Kadri in the playoffs every year since. Especially on his previous contract.

Kadri was going to be traded because he was a waste in their 3rd line, and he f***ed up getting suspended twice in the playoffs.

Under the circumstances, trading Kadri was a must. Trading him for Barrie and Kerfoot was the mistake.

 

[Foppa2118]

Kadri was going to be traded because he was a waste in their 3rd line, and he f***ed up getting suspended twice in the playoffs.

Under the circumstances, trading Kadri was a must. Trading him for Barrie and Kerfoot was the mistake.

Disagree. As Poke alluded to, the writing was on the wall for Kadri the previous season, when they brought in Tavares which Dubas was on board for, and planned to move Kadri to either the wing or 3C.

Kadri was the scapegoat for their lack of success.

Imagine how much more flexibility they would have had to build around Matthews and Marner with Kadri at 2C making $4.5M, instead of Tavares making $11M?

 

[LOFIN]

Disagree. As Poke alluded to, the writing was on the wall for Kadri the previous season, when they brought in Tavares, and planned to move Kadri to either the wing or 3C.

Kadri was the scapegoat for their lack of success. Imagine how much more flexibility they would have had to build around Matthews and Marner with Kadri at 2C making $4.5M, instead of Tavares making $11M?

I mean we agree here, my point was that Kadri was going to be traded after they signed Tavares (which was a mistake). And the trade was bad. But you had to make that trade once you committed to Tavares. Unfortunately (for Toronto, great for us! ) because of his suspensions, Dubas had to take what was on the table instead of trading Kadri for proper value.

 

[UncleRisto]

Rickrolling really?

Fold.

 

[LOFIN]

 

[Foppa2118]

I mean we agree here, my point was that Kadri was going to be traded after they signed Tavares (which was a mistake).

I disagree slightly, because I think they could and should have kept Kadri, and Barrie was not at all the right fit for that team. It was obvious IMO when they made the trade.

Barrie just fit the Dubas mold of skilled but soft players with good analytics, while ignoring that they needed to improve defensively, and Barrie wasn't going to help them with that. He was going to help them with the power play, which they didn't need.

Since Reilly was their #1D and wasn't that great defensively, they didn't have a need for Barrie. Nobody has success with a 1-2 punch of suspect defensively, offensive defenseman.

 

[LOFIN]

I disagree slightly, because I think they could and should have kept Kadri, and Barrie was not at all the right fit for that team. It was obvious IMO when they made the trade.

They should've traded Kadri for a better D-man. But because of his suspensions, his value plummeted and he was public enemy #1. So a deal had to be made. It was a bad deal for the Leafs.

 

[Avs_19]

Fold.

Or at least relegation. Swap them with a top AHL team or something.

The Cooley thing is kinda interesting. They have to be a little nervous.

 

[Muffin]

Dreger is convinced that Treliving is going to Toronto, it makes sense.

IMO Dubas was the best guy to fix the Leafs short term. Any new GM won't want to make radical moves without knowing his team first and the Leafs need a few radical moves very quickly.

I wasn't a fan at first but I now believe that Dubas will be an excellent GM. He learned a lot in the last 5 years...the way he was building his team at the beginning compared to how he did it at the end was night and day.

Treliving is going to go from having the task of trading Tkachuk to trading Marner.

 

[Foppa2118]

Treliving is going to go from having the task of trading Tkachuk to trading Marner.

I feel like Treliving got a raw deal. He was struggling in prior years, but was put in a terrible spot by Tkachuk and Gaudreau bailing on him, and he turned that into a great return, and signed Kadri.

By many accounts, including the players, it sounds like Sutter just killed that team this year with his hardass routine, and Treliving suffered the consequences. Guess keeping him as coach was a mistake though.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

CT gov. wants to coax Coyotes away from Arizona

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said Friday he's planning to meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman about the possibility of moving the Arizona Coyotes to Hartford.

www.espn.com

 

[Cousin Eddie]

The NHL news this week is just complete clown show material lol. The “offseason” news is way more exciting than this final 4 lol.

 

[Ceremony]

Seeing Shanahan's name this much is confusing. What does he do if Dubas is the GM? Is he the big fat snake that ate Pierre Lacroix, pulling all the strings from the back?

 

[LOFIN]

CT gov. wants to coax Coyotes away from Arizona

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said Friday he's planning to meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman about the possibility of moving the Arizona Coyotes to Hartford.

www.espn.com

A nothing burger story, kinda like all those Quebec politicians meeting the NHL. If the organization in need of relocation was in the east, it would be a different matter. It could go like Atlanta, Quebec would have a team by next season.

But they are not going to mess with the divisions now, so options are Houston, Salt Lake City and whatever.

 

[The Merchant]

 

[Shane Diesel]

Lets be real here, he traded Kadri because the Leaf fandom at large was calling for his head and Dubas caved. Had Kadri not been suspended that year I seriously doubt they would have traded him. They were barely emotionally able to do it with the suspension.

Just wanted to stop by to congratulate you on showing up Marc Moser on Twitter. Hilarious stuff.

 

[S E P H]

@Flames.