Athletic: Dubas Job on the Line this Season (contract expiring after this season)

[zeke]

Considering our entire off season has literally just been f*** it run it back.

Basically took a goalie gamble, signed jarnkrok, signed a million 4th line guys to see what sticks.

We haven't even traded Holl or kerfoot yet. We're also barely cap compliant pretty insane

Campbell
Mrazek
Lyubushkin
Mikheyev
Kase
Spezza
Blackwell

That's 1/3 of the starting lineup gone, with likely another 1 or 2 regulars gone by the start of the season.

 

[kevsh]

I think "running it back" means using the same approach that's failed every other year. It's just a new group of tryouts, castoffs and "hope and pray" players to replace the ones that are gone.

And outside of Campbell, none of the regulars that are leaving were truly impact players, so no, this isn't some overhaul outside of in net. And I think any Leafs fan will agree both new netminders fall into the "hope and pray" category, though Martin far more so.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Considering our entire off season has literally just been f*** it run it back.

Basically took a goalie gamble, signed jarnkrok, signed a million 4th line guys to see what sticks.

We haven't even traded Holl or kerfoot yet. We're also barely cap compliant pretty insane

Barely cap compliant means cap compliant. No one in the Leafs managent team has said they are trading Holl or Kerfoot.

 

[kb]

I think "running it back" means using the same approach that's failed every other year. It's just a new group of tryouts, castoffs and "hope and pray" players to replace the ones that are gone.

And outside of Campbell, none of the regulars that are leaving were truly impact players, so no, this isn't some overhaul outside of in net. And I think any Leafs fan will agree both new netminders fall into the "hope and pray" category, though Martin far more so.

So losing by a goal to the 2 time defending cup champs while outscoring them means a failed approach?

This is reason #1 why most of the good posters have stopped posting.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

If you think of Dubas as a Theo Epstein level innovator who is going to do X, Y, Z for your franchise and deliver a championship, he’s got one bullet left in the chamber but largely under delivered. But on the other hand I’m not sure you kick him out since you already paid for all the growing pains and largely kept the unique core together all this time. A new GM isn’t going to dramatically improve the recipe in a flat cap.

Agreed, but why would a new GM continue with a plan that didn't work? I don't know the answer, but a new GM might not do a Shanny style scorched earth.

 

[Stephen]

Agreed, but why would a new GM continue with a plan that didn't work? I don't know the answer, but a new GM might not do a Shanny style scorched earth.

What I want is some stability to navigate the Matthews, Marner and maybe Nylander re-signings and take it from there. So it really depends on a number of factors.

 

[Bomber0104]

So losing by a goal to the 2 time defending cup champs while outscoring them means a failed approach?

This is reason #1 why most of the good posters have stopped posting.

What an accomplishment !

An even bigger one than the year before where we lost in the first round to the eventual Cup Finalists Montreal Canadiens.

That one was good but man, last year's first round loss just hit different.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Did TOR outscore MTL in that series? Why do people keep mentioning that TOR outscored Tampa? It makes it seem like they won the series against Tampa. They didn't. So what if there were blow out games. They still lost.

 

[34]

Should have been given his walking papers already. He is going to walk Matthews to the airport in 2 years with his 1 way ticket to LA.

 

[rocketman588]

Campbell
Mrazek
Lyubushkin
Mikheyev
Kase
Spezza
Blackwell

That's 1/3 of the starting lineup gone, with likely another 1 or 2 regulars gone by the start of the season.

Sounds like you're just agreeing with what I said considering this is a list of insignificant pieces ( minus Mikhayev) and the goalie gamble.

Seems doubtful at this point that we're trading kerfoot and Holl during camp

 

[zeke]

Sounds like you're just agreeing with what I said considering this is a list of insignificant pieces ( minus Mikhayev) and the goalie gamble.

Seems doubtful at this point that we're trading kerfoot and Holl during camp

Literally 1/3 of the roster including the bottom 6 and goalies that everyone hated and blamed for our playoffs loss.

 

[rocketman588]

Did TOR outscore MTL in that series? Why do people keep mentioning that TOR outscored Tampa? It makes it seem like they won the series against Tampa. They didn't. So what if there were blow out games. They still lost.

Out scoring them becomes significantly more hollow when you realize we scored 5 goals in garbage time when the lightning had already locked up games 2 and 4

 

[rocketman588]

Literally 1/3 of the roster including the bottom 6 and goalies that everyone hated and blamed for our playoffs loss.

3 of that list of 7 spent time in the press box for the playoffs.

Blaming Campbell for the loss was and is a cop out.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Blaming Campbell for the loss was and is a cop out.

That is true.

 

[zeke]

3 of that list of 7 spent time in the press box for the playoffs.

Blaming Campbell for the loss was and is a cop out.

By 3 you mean 1. And the guy who played for that one is also gonzo.

So yeah, 1/3 of the roster changed. No biggie.

 

[rocketman588]

By 3 you mean 1. And the guy who played for that one is also gonzo.

So yeah, 1/3 of the roster changed. No biggie.

3 of them sat for multiple games. So no they're not important pieces

Additionally 2 were mid year rentals so 5/7 either watched games from the press box in the playoffs or weren't contributers for the majority of the year.

Jack
Mikhayev

Are the only ones that matter. We'd be running spezza out there on the 4th line anyways if he didn't take the decision out of our hands

 

[zeke]

3 of them sat for multiple games. So no they're not important pieces

Which 3?

 

[rocketman588]

Which 3?

Spezza,Kase and obviously mrazek sat for multiple playoff games

 

[zeke]

Spezza,Kase and obviously mrazek sat for multiple playoff games

Kase did not.

Spezza did but both guys who played in his spot are likely gone too.

 

[LeafEgo]

I do like the guy and think being GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs means people are more likely to want to fire him quicker than other markets (other Canadian GMs have had longer and worse runs, but going on a few fluky playoff runs is enough to protect them I guess). The circumstances surrounding him and the team mean he is on the hot seat.

I dont see it as a Leafs market thing. I think Dubies leash was almost non existent for many folks the moment he started, as they didn't want a rookie learning the ropes to start our cup window with the most promising team in history. And were looking to course correct early to mitigate damage.

Now that that a four year training program is complete most of the damage should be done - although apparently Keefe's program will take 10 to 15 years.

At this point he's simply in the hot seat under more conventional circumstances in that five years of failure is too many.

Maybe he turns it around with his new pro degree but there has to be concerns that the current mgmt group isn't capable of building a winning culture.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Dubas has one more season to blame Lou Lamoriello for his woes.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Dubas has one more season to blame Lou Lamoriello for his woes.

He has never blamed Lou Lamoriello for any woes.

 

[rocketman588]

Kase did not.

Spezza did but both guys who played in his spot are likely gone too.

Yes my bad looked at the wrong column on hockeydb for Kase

 

[IPS]

Somehow I still believe that if we're back at this point next season with another 1st round loss under the belt Dubas will still be here talking about a "process".

This is 2 years now it's been "run it back". I think we're just doomed with the guy. This fanbase has been successfully conditioned to losing.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Somehow I still believe that if we're back at this point next season with another 1st round loss under the belt Dubas will still be here talking about a "process".

This is 2 years now it's been "run it back". I think we're just doomed with the guy. This fanbase has been successfully conditioned to losing.

Not the entire fan base -I am not conditioned to losing. It seems more like you are conditioned to losing as you are expecting another first round loss. Dubas might not re-sign with the Leafs even if he is offered a contract.