Do you believe in Dubas?

[zeke]

Trust me man, I really do hope you are right. But if you want to deny the vulnerability we presently are faced with when it comes to the Auston Matthews 2023 offseason extension I just think that is completely naïve.

When the player holds all of the power, which he does, the team hardly ever wins.

Auston is not going to go to the negotiating table and reminisce about all of the regular season team success and personal success he's had over his prior 8 seasons. He's going to think about that dumb f*** Steve Simmons, who probably can't even skate, asking him why he hasn't been able to elevate his game in the post season the prior 8 years.

A lot of players don't like playing in the biggest hockey market in the world. Auston could go to a big Market like LA and be a fart in the breeze. Collect the same, if not more money in external revenue, and live in the OC. Sounds like a no f***ing brainer to me. There is a huge difference between big market, and big hockey market. Let's not confuse the 2

Remember, Auston never had a choice to come to Toronto. He was drafted by us, and resigned when we still owned his rights. The only indication we have seen from Auston was that he signed a deal that walks him directly to UFA. So I'm not sure why you're so confident he'd want to stay with this team regardless of results.

Toronto is only a fun market when the team is successful.

This is all silly, really.

You guys are convincing yourself something very unlikely is likely, for no reason.

 

[4thline]

You may be saying that tongue in cheek but IMHO there's something to that logic and a more balanced roster is a big reason why I would have wanted to see what we could get for Marner this past summer. Marner could be a big part of us winning the cup at some point, or we might never get close with him and we'll look back at last summer as the point where his value coming off a 1st all-star season was at it's highest point. We'll see.

Oh, I agree. Hence why I don't think it would have to be the end of the window. More than one way to skin a cat.

The "tongue in cheekness" is directed at people that can simultaneously believe that Matthews leaving at the end of this contract is the End Of Days brought about by Dubas' ineptitude, and that this roster can't win because "you can't win with so much cap in 4 forwards"

 

[Twine Tickler]

All true. Even Ritchie, who knows, his mere presence might be a part of why the boys are looking confident out there? It's only November of course but still, so far they're looking good!

honestly, I think Ritchie has looked way better in this 13 game stretch than his point totals would suggest, and what the narrative has been on him all year. He's not a show stopper. Not sure he ever was. But he's generating chances, he's just not finishing. I am pretty sure this will change soon.

He adds an element we've lacked in years past. That hit he laid out on Hutton yesterday in the first 2 minutes of the game, almost directly impacted the Kase goal in the 3rd period. If you notice the player going back on the puck in the 3rd was also Hutton, who shoulder checks and see's the same dude who wallpaper'd him in the first. Instead of making a play on the puck and taking the hit, he "ties up" Ritchie at the dots and loses the battle cleanly.

I'm seeing a lot more physicality from him lately, and it is generating chances from it. Same with Simmer. That's the type of play that wins you games in the playoffs. Need to set the tone early with a big hit, it makes D-men panic. Just look at Sandin game 5 after Corey Perry almost took his life.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

You have no idea what offers existed before the season began, or whether Marner was willing to sign then at all. Not to mention the complications a Marner signing could have created for the Nylander negotiation.

Exactly the problem. Had Lou used the year he had to negotiate Nylander, the rest of the dominoes wouldn't have been placed as they were. You either get the Nylander deal done first or you decide to sit/trade him.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Negativity - hard not to be negative at this point. The franchise has been embarrassment for decades and now finally had a chance to make some noise. But we had to hire a rookie GM who guarantees, overpays, and coddles them. Such a shame to waste these years with a guy who seems to think he has a formula for winning but in every big game, this team folds. Weak management, weak players.

And block me if you want. I at least admit when I'm wrong and don't double down with excuse stats

Why would I block you? You are what you are. It's just amusing to see you tackle some for the very thing you are doing from every post I have seen of yours so far.

 

[Jojalu]

Negativity - hard not to be negative at this point. The franchise has been embarrassment for decades and now finally had a chance to make some noise. But we had to hire a rookie GM who guarantees, overpays, and coddles them. Such a shame to waste these years with a guy who seems to think he has a formula for winning but in every big game, this team folds. Weak management, weak players.

And block me if you want. I at least admit when I'm wrong and don't double down with excuse stats

I mean, with Lou and Babs they fared no better. You can argue that they would have made a difference but there is zero way to prove it.

What is factual is the Leafs have had a much higher points percentage with Keefe and Dubas rhan they did with Babcock/Lou even if you throw out Babs first year.

Babs had 3 shots in the playoffs, Keefe has had 2, both Lou and Dubas have had 3.

Although Lou's first year they were never going to make it.

All we know right now is 20 games in and the Leafs look to be committed to playing team D first, and are willing to do the little things that help win games. Will it continue into the playoffs? I hope so,.

 

[Twine Tickler]

This is all silly, really.

You guys are convincing yourself something very unlikely is likely, for no reason.

Well, I can tell you that I recall both you and I also said last year that there was zero chance that Zach Hyman would leave the Leafs at the end of the year, and that debating the contrary was silly. (see below)

I guess you and I are the only thing that ended up being silly in hindsight....

To suggest a Matthews extension is almost an inevitability is naïve. Plain and simple. He has negotiated the right to speak with other teams come July 1, 2024. If we do not make significant strides going forward, he will explore his right to look elsewhere. Whether he actually does so or not is entirely up to Auston.

I want Auston to be a career Leaf as much as anyone on here, but I'd be lying to myself if I didn't think there was a possibility he'd want a change of scenery in 2024 if we continue to come up short in the post season.

 

[81Leafs50]

I completely agree and that's totally understandable. The team would also have to ask itself some tough questions if things can't progress further with these players.

lol this is just nonsense. Matthews will not go anywhere.

 

[FiveHoleo]

Basically two actual mistakes here.

You started off with something many considered to be the right move at the time, you can't critique someone in hindsight, because it was the right move at the time.

Sounds like you are making excuses for him. If he thought Sparks was the right move at the time he let Pickard and McBackup go on waivers, its irrelevant if other people agreed with him at the time. They get to be wrong too, but he's the one responsible. He's paid and trusted to make the right decision, and he didn't. Its also his responsibility to fix his mistakes, not make them worse by piling more mistakes on top of it in the form of Hutchinson returning from the dead every few months to haunt us with an 800 save percentage, or a 3.8 million dollar a year contract to a chronically injured goalie for 3 years. Who cares if people thought he was right? People are dumb, and he's supposed to be better than that. I can absolutely criticize him with hindsight, that's what a job evaluation is. Was he right about these things? No, and that is not really debatable. Stop making excuses, the man gutted our team's depth and fudged our cap beyond repair while doing it. It's absurd to suggest keeping Sparks over McBackup was the right move at the time, at no point in history has keeping a crappy goalie and letting a good one go on waivers been the right move at the time. Never.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Sounds like you are making excuses for him. If he thought Sparks was the right move at the time he let Pickard and McBackup go on waivers, its irrelevant if other people agreed with him at the time. They get to be wrong too, but he's the one responsible. He's paid and trusted to make the right decision, and he didn't. Its also his responsibility to fix his mistakes, not make them worse by piling more mistakes on top of it in the form of Hutchinson returning from the dead every few months to haunt us with an 800 save percentage, or a 3.8 million dollar a year contract to a chronically injured goalie for 3 years. Who cares if people thought he was right? People are dumb, and he's supposed to be better than that. I can absolutely criticize him with hindsight, that's what a job evaluation is. Was he right about these things? No, and that is not really debatable. Stop making excuses, the man gutted our team's depth and fudged our cap beyond repair while doing it. It's absurd to suggest keeping Sparks over McBackup was the right move at the time, at no point in history has keeping a crappy goalie and letting a good one go on waivers been the right move at the time. Never.

Are you unfamiliar with McBackup's work outside his anomaly season?

 

[Menzinger]

What if he refuses to waive his NMC?

If he has no interest in signing again with the team why would he do that?

 

[Trapper]

This is all silly, really.

You guys are convincing yourself something very unlikely is likely, for no reason.

A fan can do whatever they like.
It’s a GMs job to be prepared for every eventuality.

 

[zeke]

Well, I can tell you that I recall both you and I also said last year that there was zero chance that Zach Hyman would leave the Leafs at the end of the year, and that debating the contrary was silly. (see below)

View attachment 483018

I guess you and I are the only thing that ended up being silly in hindsight....

To suggest a Matthews extension is almost an inevitability is naïve. Plain and simple. He has negotiated the right to speak with other teams come July 1, 2024. If we do not make significant strides going forward, he will explore his right to look elsewhere. Whether he actually does so or not is entirely up to Auston.

I want Auston to be a career Leaf as much as anyone on here, but I'd be lying to myself if I didn't think there was a possibility he'd want a change of scenery in 2024 if we continue to come up short in the post season.

This is wrong. I never argued that Hyman would never be let go.

I argued that we could fit him under the cap, and that we weren't forced to let him go - and that was absolutely true, and still is.

We chose to spend that $5.5m elsewhere. We could have spent it on Hyman.

I don't appreciate that wildly misleading screencap, tbh.

 

[keonsbitterness]

What if he refuses to waive his NMC?

Trade him after the 2023 season before his NMC kicks in July 1. Though I fully expect him to sign an 8-year extension.

If we're drafting well, why does the window have to close with Matthews?

If Matthews walks as a UFA, how do you replace an elite #1 centre if we're a perennial playoff team?

 

[Trapper]

Trade him after the 2023 season before his NMC kicks in July 1. Though I fully expect him to sign an 8-year extension.

If Matthews walks as a UFA, how do you replace an elite #1 centre if we're a perennial playoff team?

You have good depth and a strong pipeline of prospects.

 

[keonsbitterness]

You have good depth and a strong pipeline of prospects.

I agree, but I also would never let him walk as a UFA.

 

[LeafsWinCup1]

lol this is just nonsense. Matthews will not go anywhere.

The stars that have signed 5 years in the past haven't went anywhere. People freak out for no reason about this.

 

[hotpaws]

The stars that have signed 5 years in the past haven't went anywhere. People freak out for no reason about this.

let's hope he doesn't pull a Tavares

 

[notbias]

Sounds like you are making excuses for him. If he thought Sparks was the right move at the time he let Pickard and McBackup go on waivers, its irrelevant if other people agreed with him at the time. They get to be wrong too, but he's the one responsible. He's paid and trusted to make the right decision, and he didn't. Its also his responsibility to fix his mistakes, not make them worse by piling more mistakes on top of it in the form of Hutchinson returning from the dead every few months to haunt us with an 800 save percentage, or a 3.8 million dollar a year contract to a chronically injured goalie for 3 years. Who cares if people thought he was right? People are dumb, and he's supposed to be better than that. I can absolutely criticize him with hindsight, that's what a job evaluation is. Was he right about these things? No, and that is not really debatable. Stop making excuses, the man gutted our team's depth and fudged our cap beyond repair while doing it. It's absurd to suggest keeping Sparks over McBackup was the right move at the time, at no point in history has keeping a crappy goalie and letting a good one go on waivers been the right move at the time. Never.

It sounds like you need to look into the other 3rd string goalies in the league and what Mrazek injuries have been. Sparks was 100% the right decision. We don't have a cap issue, our depth is as good or better than it has ever been, what games are you watching? Sparks was also not crappy at the time, it is really obvious you started following the Leafs before any of this happened if you actually believe what you posted.

 

[notbias]

let's hope he doesn't pull a Tavares

Now name the rest

 

[hotpaws]

Now name the rest

no idea what point your trying to make

 

[LeafsWinCup1]

Now name the rest

Off the top of my head Geno, Sid, Stamkos Kane, Toews, Bergeron,Perry, Getzlaf. Papi ain't going anywhere.

 

[Buds17]

lol this is just nonsense. Matthews will not go anywhere.

Hopefully not, and I wouldn't give it favourable odds. Absolute guarantees in sport are still probably something closer to being few and far in between though.

 

[egd27]

If we're drafting well, why does the window have to close with Matthews?

It doesn't, but it may

may
/mā/

1.
expressing possibility.
"that may be true"

 

[FiveHoleo]

Are you unfamiliar with McBackup's work outside his anomaly season?

Two cup rings? Yes, I'm familiar with what he went on to do in an organization that recognizes the value of a good backup goalie. Why do you ask?