Tribute Brad Treliving - offseason so far

[Punch Drunk Loov]

I'm incredibly disappointed lol

Tanev was a fun signing, good for the short term, bad long term. Problem is, I don't think we'll win short term

The rest of the transactions are pretty safe. Some will be good, some won't, some will be middling.

This team is the same but with a worse offense that already didn't perform again in key moments.

 

[notDatsyuk]

53% is fine this year, but holding on to the assets and letting them expire without a return is suicide. This year he doubled down and brought in more suspect contracts without addressing the real needs for long term success.

I assume they’re hoping Berube can make them competitive in the second round.

By "holding on to the assets" you mean not trading two players with NMCs who are overpaid, right?

In JT's case in particular, letting it expire to get the cap space for nothing is probably a lot better than having to pay someone to take him, just so we can get the space a year earlier.

If neither waives, and likely if only one does, this will be one more (and hopefully the last) year of very good regular season followed by very bad playoffs.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Horrible first year for Treliving followed by a horrible offseason so far.

Fewer wins, less points, and out a round earlier. There are no mental gymnastics, voodoo stats, or baseless intangible hocus pocus that can change those facts. If they take another step backwards again this year that would mean missing the playoffs.

The worst showing yet since Matthews was drafted.

I think it's easier for desperate fans to defend Treliving than accept he's a worse GM than Dubas. The fact Dubas was so terrible they're probably still shell shocked. Accepting the reality of the current situation is extremely disheartening.

We all know it won't be long until Treliving adds something else dumb onto the rapidly growing list of dumb things he's done since getting hired.

It's just been one bad move after another. This offseason has been a comedy of errors. From signing Tanev, to overpaying on all those raises, to handing out NTC's to everyone on the team.

I can't wait to see how badly he screws up the rest of the year.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

I'm not necessarily advocating for change - was just pointing out we don't know how seriously the front office has considered changing the core.

That said, Tre is paid a huge amount of money to figure questions like that out and I don't buy the idea that he can't make major changes

With the premise that pro sports is a results based enterprise, why would Treliving make major changes? If Shanny is replacing Dubas, then why would he hire a scorched earth GM? He's probably going to hire a GM that sees a team who's above average (makes the playoff every year), and feels that with the right compliments this team can go further than it has in the past.

Survival for a President/GM is to keep getting to the playoffs. Of course as a fan I want to TOR to win a cup, but I also realize that Shanny/Tre are going to try to keep their positions.

I wish I could say that Toronto has had a good enough team to go deep, but that's not being honest. There are the cap limitations/cap structure issues, but there are many more:

1. Think about all the names that have come and gone in net-> Andersen, Campbell, Samsonov, Murray, and Woll. There really hasn't been very good goalies this whole time. Tre is now gambling on Woll/Stolarz.

2. The Bottom 6 has been horseshit for 8 years. Perhaps the best depth at forward was when KD brought in ROR, Lafferty, and Acciari. Even that didn't seem to be used well. Keefe did more line stacking as a Junior coach would.

3. Poor coaching. I can't think of a single moment where Keefe did something that out smarted another coach. His style and strategies have been terrible. The powerplay struggles alone were just really bad. Recently Keefe allowed the Leafs to play the Milestone Cup before the Stanley Cup playoffs. How good was that for TOR? IMHO it was terrible. They should have beaten BOS in that first round. On paper they were the more talented/better team. Why did TOR falter? Because scouts/coaches can see the leafs' tendencies on offense, in the power play, the way Keefe loads up 2 lines, etc.

4. Team toughness. I am not talking about having a team of face punching goons in your top 6.

I'm not necessarily advocating for change - was just pointing out we don't know how seriously the front office has considered changing the core.

That said, Tre is paid a huge amount of money to figure questions like that out and I don't buy the idea that he can't make major changes

I really think that a President and GM's first priority is to win and survive at the same time. Shanny will not want to look weak by tearing it all down. Tre applied to leafs' gm position with the premise of winning. Despite playoff futility, TOR makes the playoffs every season.

I too want change. I want to turn a page on this whole core group, but that's my emotion. It's not reasonable to expect much different (major changes).

When I reflect on this whole time I still see TOR as having major deficiencies:

1.Goaltending
2.Bottom 6 depth
3.Toughness in the top 6
4. Coaching

They've basically gone into every series (although on paper seemed better than Boston) not being good enough to win.

Sometimes other NHL teams have overcome their deficiencies in the playoffs. Toronto only did it once.

I do believe Tre has done well to improve certain areas: defense and coaching. I don't have a crystal ball to tell you how it's going to turn out, but I do think it's a step in the right direction.

 

[Suntouchable13]

By "holding on to the assets" you mean not trading two players with NMCs who are overpaid, right?

In JT's case in particular, letting it expire to get the cap space for nothing is probably a lot better than having to pay someone to take him, just so we can get the space a year earlier.

If neither waives, and likely if only one does, this will be one more (and hopefully the last) year of very good regular season followed by very bad playoffs.

But, Tanev will already be 36 when the 2026 playoffs start. And probably fully declining.

 

[notbias]

You can't be serious! Tre had to sign Matthews and Nylander because Shanahan had already told them they would be back. That was Shanahan's decision, and I am sure that Tre was told that when he was hired.

I'm just laying out the facts.

Tre had no say in the signings? Source? A comment at a press conference wouldn't count.

So in a sense you are right, Tre had a choice with how he was going to spend the remaining cap. He tried to improve the lack of offense on the backend, which had been a huge problem, by signing Klingberg. Was it Tre's fault that Klingberg got injured and may not play again? Or was it the Leafs' medical staff who may have missed how serious his past injury problems were? Whichever the case, scoring from the backend was something that had to be addressed.

He followed up the signing of Klingberg (right idea, wrong player), by bringing in offensive blackholes on the backend, I have no clue what he was thinking, his pre-season plan and then deadline plan contradict each other.

Klingberg has sucked for a while and the injury was a good thing because he was overpaid and bad.

That didn't happen this past season, but here's hoping that OEL can help with that, as well as that toothless PP which killed us in the Boston series. Also, bringing in Tanev gives Rielly the partner that he hasn't had in years (Brodie was very good his first few seasons with Rielly, but Tanev is much better). Concerning his past injury concerns, in two of the last three seasons he has played 82 and 75 games, so here's hoping that continues. His contract is obviously too long, but if he brings what most of us are expecting/hoping, it will be worth it!

OEL is a gamble, and I am fine with it.

The term sucks for a gamble though.

Tanev is a bigger gamble, he can fall off any minute (Brodie is a good example of a great D turning bad).

Is Tanev better than Brodie was? Anything to back up that claim?

If Tanev starts to fall off and wants to continue playing, we have an issue.

I firmly believe forward change is coming ...

Leafs are trying to move on from Marner, but its complicated.

Source?

However I expect some more inherited holdovers from the past regime like David Kampf, Calle Jarnkrok, and Conor Timmins on D, are being discussed for departure and then allow for replacement, once some more cap space is created.

Kampf was signed by Treliving, more misinformation.

PS. "Play the Kids" .. Expect to see youngsters like Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan to get long locks and Leafs attempt to start building from with-in and focus returns to drafting and developing their own internal NHL replacements.

There is currently one roster spot on forward open and a bunch of RFAs who were qualified.

I would like to see us play some of the kids, but unless they make some moves, I don't see it.

Was idiotic to sign Reaves because I doubt they'd send him to the minors, which would be nice because it'll open up some more space for young talent.

 

[SprDaVE]

I'm incredibly disappointed lol

Tanev was a fun signing, good for the short term, bad long term. Problem is, I don't think we'll win short term

The rest of the transactions are pretty safe. Some will be good, some won't, some will be middling.

This team is the same but with a worse offense that already didn't perform again in key moments.

I don't really disagree with the disappointment and the gambles, but I don't think the Leafs are any worse offensively than last season. Losing a 20 goal scorer isn't really easy to replace sometimes, but I do think a full season of McMann should be able to offset that loss. I also think Knies is due to breakout offensively. I'd also include Robertson but who knows what happens there.

Leafs still have some time to do a tweak in their forward ranks by adding in free agency and/or making a good trade.

 

[-DeMo-]

Who cares how you guys frame the numbers or how many players you say are left over before Treliving ….. this part carefully 4 SIMILAR FORWARD TAKE 50% of the cap leaving 50% to fill out the 19 remaining players. That is a cap problem

Cool I’ve never said otherwise why you quoting me? Your the one who asked about my fancy math when I was disproving another posters claim about how Tre had limited cap space when he had tons when he took over

 

[Gallagbi]

I don't really disagree with the disappointment and the gambles, but I don't think the Leafs are any worse offensively than last season. Losing a 20 goal scorer isn't really easy to replace sometimes, but I do think a full season of McMann should be able to offset that loss. I also think Knies is due to breakout offensively. I'd also include Robertson but who knows what happens there.

Leafs still have some time to do a tweak in their forward ranks by adding in free agency and/or making a good trade.

We have a lot of youth and question marks on the left side which will really determine how much of a loss Bertuzzi is. I think Knies should be better, Cowan could step in and who knows about Robertson. It's odd timing for his trade request as you'd like him to step into that regular offensive spot Bert vacates

 

[Racer88]

No, apparently Tre was free to trade or let both Matthews and Nylander walk, which he seems to think would have improved the team. On the other hand, he thinks we should keep Marner, so....

Ya. Unfortunately Treliving hands were tied on the big 4 . There is no way in hell he would have been allowed to trade any of the core 4 in such a short time with the team. Now he is left with tinkering around the edges yet again.
Dubas set the structure of this team and

Cool I’ve never said otherwise why you quoting me? Your the one who asked about my fancy math when I was disproving another posters claim about how Tre had limited cap space when he had tons when he took over

i still question your math why was Willy and Mattews not on the that chart you provided

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

I don't really disagree with the disappointment and the gambles, but I don't think the Leafs are any worse offensively than last season. Losing a 20 goal scorer isn't really easy to replace sometimes, but I do think a full season of McMann should be able to offset that loss. I also think Knies is due to breakout offensively. I'd also include Robertson but who knows what happens there.

Leafs still have some time to do a tweak in their forward ranks by adding in free agency and/or making a good trade.

AM+WN+Domi are 7M more than last year. We're going to have a lot harder time winning with the same guys significantly more expensive.

I think Bertuzzi had an incredibly unlucky season don't you? He was putting up numbers in the last stretch when things finally started going his way

 

[SprDaVE]

AM+WN+Domi are 7M more than last year. We're going to have a lot harder time winning with the same guys significantly more expensive.

I think Bertuzzi had an incredibly unlucky season don't you? He was putting up numbers in the last stretch when things finally started going his way

He was unlucky for parts of the season, but he also struggled a lot through those times as well. He got benched and demoted quite a bit. It's not like he's been a dominant offensive forward last few years either, he's a streaky player that has had plenty of ups and downs. It would have been pretty insane to give Bertuzzi above 5M long-term to me.

While some of the players are more expensive, it's also the same team that can easily be a top 5 offensive team in the regular season. I don't think it's impossible for McMann and/or Knies to be 20 goal scorers taking over Bertuzzi's minutes/role, not to mention Domi probably likely gets above 10 goals. This is assuming the Leafs just don't do anything else this summer and go with what they have.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

He was unlucky for parts of the season, but he also struggled a lot through those times as well. He got benched and demoted quite a bit. It's not like he's been a dominant offensive forward last few years either, he's a streaky player that goes through rough stretches.

While some of the players are more expensive, it's also the same team that can easily be a top 5 offensive team in the regular season. I don't think it's impossible for McMann and/or Knies to be 20 goal scorers taking over Bertuzzi's minutes/role, not to mention Domi probably likely gets above 10 goals. This is assuming the Leafs just don't do anything else this summer and go with what they have.

I'm a big fan of Knies and McMann as well.

I'm just pointing out we lost a sure thing in Bertuzzi, and our forwards, who we already had, cost a significant amount more than last year (where we didn't come close to successful season by my measurement - playoff success, winning the division).

What is driving your optimism? I think we've seen pretty close to peak Matthews and Nylander, not sure how much more we can squeeze from them.

Our guys are in their prime and are incredibly immature. I expect the exact same outcome as last year give or take.

 

[SprDaVE]

I'm a big fan of Knies and McMann as well.

I'm just pointing out we lost a sure thing in Bertuzzi, and our forwards, who we already had, cost a significant amount more than last year (where we didn't come close to successful season by my measurement - playoff success, winning the division).

What is driving your optimism? I think we've seen pretty close to peak Matthews and Nylander, not sure how much more we can squeeze from them.

Our guys are in their prime and are incredibly immature. I expect the exact same outcome as last year give or take.

I'm just as frustrated with the lack of change and aggressiveness from Treliving -- make no mistake. This team needed to make some maneuvering this off-season and it's been the bare minimum, so I don't think I expect a cup contender either. I just don't think this team will struggle offensively in the regular season just because Bertuzzi wasn't really replaced externally yet.

 

[Mess]

I don't really disagree with the disappointment and the gambles, but I don't think the Leafs are any worse offensively than last season. Losing a 20 goal scorer isn't really easy to replace sometimes, but I do think a full season of McMann should be able to offset that loss. I also think Knies is due to breakout offensively. I'd also include Robertson but who knows what happens there.

Leafs still have some time to do a tweak in their forward ranks by adding in free agency and/or making a good trade.

I also look at as taking from a position of strength to shore up a positions of weakness.

Last years Leafs scored 303 Goals For (2nd) only 1 goal behind Colorado for the lead.. So nearly running at max efficiency as how many more goals scored for do they need to win games?

Leafs needing more goals for is simply not addressing the teams needs best because that just suggest you require more goals to mask and cover-up your glairing weakness in net and on denfense forced to outscore your mistakes and breakdowns and subpar < .900 sv% etc.

The Leafs greatest weakness is goals against where their 263 GA are like +63 more than the Stanley Cup Florida Panthers surrendered.

If Bertuzzi walks and they drop his 20ish goals the team goes from 303 down to 283 range.. Still more then 268 Panthers scored.

However Treliving's attempted moves at goaltending and defense to bring the goals against down is the right direction to go.

Now as you mentioned Auston scoring 69 goals and/or Willy Scoring 40+ are pretty well maxed out,.. However the maturation of younger players like Knies/Minten/Conrad and/or players like Domi etc could soften the blow. I'm still expecting Kampf (8 goals) & Janrkrok (10) goals to be moved out and a top 6 & 30+ goal score being brought in to change the offense.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

I'm just as frustrated with the lack of change and aggressiveness from Treliving -- make no mistake. This team needed to make some maneuvering this off-season and it's been the bare minimum, so I don't think I expect a cup contender either. I just don't think this team will struggle offensively in the regular season just because Bertuzzi wasn't really replaced externally yet.

That's fair, I agree!

 

[Tak7]

I'm incredibly disappointed lol

Tanev was a fun signing, good for the short term, bad long term. Problem is, I don't think we'll win short term

The rest of the transactions are pretty safe. Some will be good, some won't, some will be middling.

This team is the same but with a worse offense that already didn't perform again in key moments.

Let's not forget - Calgary wanted no part of Treliving coming back last summer. He spent a decade in Calgary, and built a team that couldn't make the playoffs out of the worst division in hockey.

Instead of the Leafs concluding Dubas wasn't their guy, enabling themselves to conduct a thorough GM search, they offered Dubas an extension, and then fired him, all within a few days, before handing the keys to the franchise to Treliving without any merit whatsoever.

I'm a process over results kind of person - if you don't show proper process, you aren't going to get consistently good results. The Leafs have mismanaged the past 24 months so significantly, that they've slammed close what should have been the best cup window this team has in most of our lifetimes.

I've seen nothing through his year on the job to suggest that Treliving is good enough, smart enough, or calculated enough to get this team into contender status.

 

[Gallagbi]

I'm a big fan of Knies and McMann as well.

I'm just pointing out we lost a sure thing in Bertuzzi, and our forwards, who we already had, cost a significant amount more than last year (where we didn't come close to successful season by my measurement - playoff success, winning the division).

What is driving your optimism? I think we've seen pretty close to peak Matthews and Nylander, not sure how much more we can squeeze from them.

Our guys are in their prime and are incredibly immature. I expect the exact same outcome as last year give or take.

It's tough to say Bert's a sure thing. He was coming off an 8 goal regular season and stayed healthier than he has the prior 3 years.

I think we saw a slight dip in his expected production, but that's pretty much offset by the GP

 

[ULF_55]

'It's a pretty impressive day': Corrado on Leafs rebuilding their blue line - Video - TSN

TSN Hockey analyst Frankie Corrado joins SC with Jay Onrait to weigh in on what the Maple Leafs did with their cap space on Free Agent Frenzy and whether or not that's enough to make them better next season.

www.tsn.ca

Completely rebuilt D.

 

[Mess]

Leafs problem isn't regular season scoring anyways its playoff scoring. They score more then enough regular season goals to qualify for the playoffs before that number gets reset to zero and we start again when the real season begins which are the playoffs.

Leafs have scored 2 of less goals in 13 of their last 14 playoff games. BIG Problem !!!

The weakest link and biggest problem is they have a soft. small ineffective RWer not well suited style wise, that has scored 11 playoff goals over the course of 8 playoff years and 9 playoff series. (essentially 1 goal a round) but consumes $10.9 AAV cap among the top 10 highest in the NHL. Brutal !!!

NOW if Treliving can turn that $10.9 mil cap into 1 or 2 forwards/players that can score (combined) 10 + playoff goals for the same amount (essentially 1 goal per mil cap usage) that would potentially propel the Leafs further in the playoffs if you move from 1 to 10 playoff goals for the same playoff usage/cap.

I think Leafs management realizes why this core 4 doesn't work come playoff time, and who is the weakest & expense goal scoring link that could have the most impact to the Leafs through change.

Treliving has the challenge of turning a stubborn NMC into and Need More Compete organizational course corrective change..

 

[ULF_55]

Treliving has the challenge of turning a stubborn NMC into and Need More Compete organizational course corrective change..

Realistically, Berube has the task of making it work with marner.

Putting ? - Matthews - marner out there every playoffs has not worked.

It is even impacting Matthews, who has scored less than Nylander over the past 5 playoffs.

Matthews mostly an all around player, but he's paid to score goals.

Berube's on-deck.

 

[ponder]

I'm just as frustrated with the lack of change and aggressiveness from Treliving -- make no mistake. This team needed to make some maneuvering this off-season and it's been the bare minimum, so I don't think I expect a cup contender either. I just don't think this team will struggle offensively in the regular season just because Bertuzzi wasn't really replaced externally yet.

Honestly, Tre is in a tough position. It's clear that we have too much $$ tied up in 4 forwards to build a true contender, but those 4 forwards all have full NMCs, so ... he doesn't have much control. 2 of the NMCs are his signings (Matthews/Nylander), but those are somewhat unavoidable for big stars, and regardless, the end state is that the players have the control on whether they get dealt of not.

Also, it seems a lot of Leafs nation wants Tre to trade Marner, but ... is this really smart? He's an expiring with a full NMC, even if he accepts a trade the return will be minimal, due both to the expiring, and the fact that it won't be an open market, there will likely just be one or a few teams Marner would waive for. We could easily be looking at nothing but a late 1st and some sweeteners (some lower end picks/prospects/players, with the late 1st being the best piece in the deal).

Plus, JT's deal expires at the end of this year, which gives us massively more cap flexibility then. A year from now, will we be happy to have Matthews and Nylander as our only two high end forwards? Or will we wish we had extended Marner, for a Matthews/Nylander/Marner trio, with the $11 mil previously spent on JT used to fill out the team with better depth/talent?

Tre's moves so far may not be super exciting, but they're also reasonable. We've already suffered through 6 of the 7 years of overpaid Tavares, the best move is to probably have one more season of a top heavy team that likely disappoints in the playoffs, and then build our first well balanced team in ages next year, once JT is off the books. Trading Marner for a crap return arguably just ends our window immediately, suddenly the only remotely high end players on the team are Matthews/Nylander/Rielly, and that's probably just not enough. It'd be different if we could get a great return for Marner, but I see that as very unlikely, given he's expiring with an NMC.

As for Tre's actual moves this offseason, I think both the D UFA signings are a bit too much term, especially the Tanev deal, but they do make us better short term. As long as we can Robidas-island Tanev at the end of the deal, they're probably decent. I have the lines something like this (penciling in Robertson as staying for now):

Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - JT - Nylander
Robertson - Domi - Jarnkrok
Holmberg - Kampf - Reaves

Rielly - Tanev
Benoit - McCabe
OEL - Lily

Woll
Stolarz

And that's a pretty good team, considering how much of the cap is going to our top 4 forwards. Especially if Knies and McMann (and Robertson if he stays) can take steps forward, which is fairly likely at their age/experience level. I don't think it's a true cup contender, but I also don't think there's a realistic path to that until a year from now, with JT's deal off the books.

 

[SprDaVE]

Honestly, Tre is in a tough position. It's clear that we have too much $$ tied up in 4 forwards to build a true contender, but those 4 forwards all have full NMCs, so ... he doesn't have much control. 2 of the NMCs are his signings (Matthews/Nylander), but those are somewhat unavoidable for big stars, and regardless, the end state is that the players have the control on whether they get dealt of not.

Also, it seems a lot of Leafs nation wants Tre to trade Marner, but ... is this really smart? He's an expiring with a full NMC, even if he accepts a trade the return will be minimal, due both to the expiring, and the fact that it won't be an open market, there will likely just be one or a few teams Marner would waive for. We could easily be looking at nothing but a late 1st and some sweeteners (some lower end picks/prospects/players, with the late 1st being the best piece in the deal).

Plus, JT's deal expires at the end of this year, which gives us massively more cap flexibility then. A year from now, will we be happy to have Matthews and Nylander as our only two high end forwards? Or will we wish we had extended Marner, for a Matthews/Nylander/Marner trio, with the $11 mil previously spent on JT used to fill out the team with better depth/talent?

Tre's moves so far may not be super exciting, but they're also reasonable. We've already suffered through 6 of the 7 years of overpaid Tavares, the best move is to probably have one more season of a top heavy team that likely disappoints in the playoffs, and then build our first well balanced team in ages next year, once JT is off the books. Trading Marner for a crap return arguably just ends our window immediately, suddenly the only remotely high end players on the team are Matthews/Nylander/Rielly, and that's probably just not enough. It'd be different if we could get a great return for Marner, but I see that as very unlikely, given he's expiring with an NMC.

As for Tre's actual moves this offseason, I think both the D UFA signings are a bit too much term, especially the Tanev deal, but they do make us better short term. As long as we can Robidas-island Tanev at the end of the deal, they're probably decent. I have the lines something like this (penciling in Robertson as staying for now):

Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - JT - Nylander
Robertson - Domi - Jarnkrok
Holmberg - Kampf - Reaves

Rielly - Tanev
Benoit - McCabe
OEL - Lily

Woll
Stolarz

And that's a pretty good team, considering how much of the cap is going to our top 4 forwards. Especially if Knies and McMann (and Robertson if he stays) can take steps forward, which is fairly likely at their age/experience level.

It's all fair points. It's not even about trading Marner, I think he's a great player getting far too much flack. But there are other players, assets and additions that can be made. Plenty of players were traded this off-season and we didn't get one. They talked a big game after changing the coach that they need to make changes and that they will "be busy" this off-season. There's still a lot of time so things can change but so far it's been the bare minimum they needed to do. It's pretty much the same as last off-season too when plenty of changes could have been made.

All the moves so far have been reasonable. But they also weren't very aggressive or substantial changes one way or another. It's a good team -- the same team that can't win when it matters. The one big addition was Tanev and he's a soon to be 35 year old... that's it. Is that enough? Maybe but like... we've had so many disappointments and we're expected to be optimistic about the same team breaking the curse?

 

[ToneDog]

Honestly, Tre is in a tough position. It's clear that we have too much $$ tied up in 4 forwards to build a true contender, but those 4 forwards all have full NMCs, so ... he doesn't have much control. 2 of the NMCs are his signings (Matthews/Nylander), but those are somewhat unavoidable for big stars, and regardless, the end state is that the players have the control on whether they get dealt of not.

Also, it seems a lot of Leafs nation wants Tre to trade Marner, but ... is this really smart? He's an expiring with a full NMC, even if he accepts a trade the return will be minimal, due both to the expiring, and the fact that it won't be an open market, there will likely just be one or a few teams Marner would waive for. We could easily be looking at nothing but a late 1st and some sweeteners (some lower end picks/prospects/players, with the late 1st being the best piece in the deal).

Plus, JT's deal expires at the end of this year, which gives us massively more cap flexibility then. A year from now, will we be happy to have Matthews and Nylander as our only two high end forwards? Or will we wish we had extended Marner, for a Matthews/Nylander/Marner trio, with the $11 mil previously spent on JT used to fill out the team with better depth/talent?

Tre's moves so far may not be super exciting, but they're also reasonable. We've already suffered through 6 of the 7 years of overpaid Tavares, the best move is to probably have one more season of a top heavy team that likely disappoints in the playoffs, and then build our first well balanced team in ages next year, once JT is off the books. Trading Marner for a crap return arguably just ends our window immediately, suddenly the only remotely high end players on the team are Matthews/Nylander/Rielly, and that's probably just not enough. It'd be different if we could get a great return for Marner, but I see that as very unlikely, given he's expiring with an NMC.

As for Tre's actual moves this offseason, I think both the D UFA signings are a bit too much term, especially the Tanev deal, but they do make us better short term. As long as we can Robidas-island Tanev at the end of the deal, they're probably decent. I have the lines something like this (penciling in Robertson as staying for now):

Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - JT - Nylander
Robertson - Domi - Jarnkrok
Holmberg - Kampf - Reaves

Rielly - Tanev
Benoit - McCabe
OEL - Lily

Woll
Stolarz

And that's a pretty good team, considering how much of the cap is going to our top 4 forwards. Especially if Knies and McMann (and Robertson if he stays) can take steps forward, which is fairly likely at their age/experience level. I don't think it's a true cup contender, but I also don't think there's a realistic path to that until a year from now, with JT's deal off the books.

So we got 4 overpaid forwards. If you do not like the return for Marner, only option is to resign/overpay Marner and we are good once Tavares comes off the books. Need to see what he and the team does in the playoffs before I even consider resigning him. Remember we are not here to sell jerseys.

 

[Leafs87]

We’re running back a team who can’t win. How are you happy about this lol? The changes aren’t great by any means. Curious what happens with Marner, but to have to overpay Tanev that badly to get him to come, while missing Pesce and Roy isn’t great by any means. Also the goaltending? Two guys who have never been starters. I wish you were my teacher growing up.