Do you like this team?

[IPS]

It's likely going to be a similarly flawed team we saw last year, with possibly a slight improvement.

We'll see what a full camp under Keefe does. And there is a few wild cards throughout the lineup too like Lehtonen and Barabanov.

 

[The Iceman]

I believe the Leafs will have to trade one of the 4 to get the cap flexibility to make this team better, like getting Schmidt for a 3rd rounder.

There will be bargains available. Not for the Leafs though. Schmidt was only traded because he comes with a $6 million cap hit.
NYI just traded a very good Toews for 2-2nds. Quiet but excellent player.
They might have to move more.

TB for sure needs to sell a little something off on the bargain table but we can't take on salary. Lots of teams looking to move good players for pennies on the dollar.
I am sure we would move Kerfoot if we could in a reasonable transaction. But tough sledding out there.
Makes the Kappy trade seem like the best trade the team has made in years.

 

[ToneDog]

I believe the Leafs will have to trade one of the 4 to get the cap flexibility to make this team better, like getting Schmidt for a 3rd rounder.

Many say it is OK to overpay the 3 amigos by a couple of million dollars. Well from what I am hearing Petro at $8.8 was a no-go but Petro at $8m we were players. That is a difference of $800K.

 

[Sypher04]

Many say it is OK to overpay the 3 amigos by a couple of million dollars. Well from what I am hearing Petro at $8.8 was a no-go but Petro at $8m we were players. That is a difference of $800K.

Sounds like bs wherever you're hearing that from. Dubas himself said they were not close

 

[ToneDog]

Sounds like bs wherever you're hearing that from. Dubas himself said they were not close

Yup at his asking price they clearly were not. They were however interested going into UFA.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Tampa needs to resign Cirelli Serge and Cernak with 2.9M in cap space. Sure Johnson buyout will help add 4M but even 6.9M is not gonna get er done there. Cirelli 3M Serge 6M and Cernak 2M all on bargain basement 1 year deals they need to trade Palat. Bottom line it is gonna hurt da team. Stephens will fill in and help but team is gonna be weaker next year.

 

[Zack47]

It amazes me that (almost) no one has mentioned a glaring problem on this team: the goalie. You can change all of the D you want, and weaken further already weak bottom 6, but it doesn't matter one way or the other until they trade Freddie. I don't care about the stats during the year -- and I am a statistician. He has let in soft goals in spirit-crushing moments year after year. Poor Jake Gardiner. Look at the tape. A pathetic goal. I DON'T like this team because we need a new goalie.

 

[kb]

Yup at his asking price they clearly were not. They were however interested going into UFA.

From Dubas' reaction to the question about AP, I suspect him saying "not being close" had nothing to do with money.

 

[ToneDog]

From Dubas' reaction to the question about AP, I suspect him saying "not being close" had nothing to do with money.

What do you suspect "not being close" had to do with ?

 

[kb]

What do you suspect "not being close" had to do with ?

His wife and kids.

 

[bodechek]

Changes were needed from last season's team. It wasn't working for the Leafs, I just hope what we won't be saying that we need more scoring after it is all said and done.

 

[EGL22]

Feels like we are looking at a half-finished painting.

More changes / additions to come yet, I feel. It's not done yet.

If that's the roster we start next season with, then no, I'm not happy - the blueline needs more work, and the bottom 6 is still very much up in the air.

I think we have the same painting with a new frame.
It makes it look a bit better but it is still the same painting.

 

[ToneDog]

I think we have the same painting with a new frame.
It makes it look a bit better but it is still the same painting.

If Dubas is colouring by numbers we are in trouble.

 

[Papi 4 Hart]

It amazes me that (almost) no one has mentioned a glaring problem on this team: the goalie. You can change all of the D you want, and weaken further already weak bottom 6, but it doesn't matter one way or the other until they trade Freddie. I don't care about the stats during the year -- and I am a statistician. He has let in soft goals in spirit-crushing moments year after year. Poor Jake Gardiner. Look at the tape. A pathetic goal. I DON'T like this team because we need a new goalie.

I'd argue our problem with goal tending last year was primarily the back up and over playing andersen because we had zero confidence in hutch. Now with a dependable back up with good underlying numbers with us (albeit in a small sample size). We can play more of a platoon style goal tending approach which will help us in more than just back to back situations. It will keep Andersen from being fatigued and ultimately injured which we have seen every year.

Reducing Andersen's load will make him a better goal tender.

 

[Leafsfan74]

The team added competitors and physical players such as Bogosian and Simmonds. This is precisely what they needed. Guys who put team first and go through a wall to win. In that respect, I like this team. Dubas clearly understands that the Leafs need men in the lineup. Competitors who know that talent alone doesn't ensure success.

I'm sure Dubas is going to keep his eyes and ears open to find some additions that hopefully create a tougher environment for opponents and balancing their bottom six. Guys in the Muzzin, Reilly, Simmonds, Bogosian mode work for me. That's it. Nothing fancy. Players who sacrifice to win and put their own stats secondary to team success raise Cups over their heads.

 

[thusk]

In term of pure skill : worst
In term of depht : better
On paper : look similar
In reality: this edition of leafs look a better team and by far. why?

Just more complete and complementary ream

Brodie a shutdown d better fit than offensive mind barrie for rielly

Bogosian big physical d better fit than ceci

Kapanen, johnsson, kerfoot, mikheyev... Too many same kind of player. A player like simmons, vesey or andeson give us something different

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

It amazes me that (almost) no one has mentioned a glaring problem on this team: the goalie. You can change all of the D you want, and weaken further already weak bottom 6, but it doesn't matter one way or the other until they trade Freddie. I don't care about the stats during the year -- and I am a statistician. He has let in soft goals in spirit-crushing moments year after year. Poor Jake Gardiner. Look at the tape. A pathetic goal. I DON'T like this team because we need a new goalie.

and replace him with? And no Campbell is not the answer

 

[Puckstuff]

In term of pure skill : worst
In term of depht : better
On paper : look similar
In reality: this edition of leafs look a better team and by far. why?

Just more complete and complementary ream

Brodie a shutdown d better fit than offensive mind barrie for rielly

Bogosian big physical d better fit than ceci

Kapanen, johnsson, kerfoot, mikheyev... Too many same kind of player. A player like simmons, vesey or andeson give us something different

Ceci is better then Bogosian defensively.
Clifford is suprisngly better at 5 on 5 defence then Simmonds (who has had major problems in his career). He should be ok if his 5 on 5 time is limited, he adds value on the p.p.
Brodie is miles better then Barrie and can play 1/3 of a game. This is our biggest addition obviously, by far.
Kapanen is better then Joey Anderson but I'm optimistic Anderson will provide good defensive value and chip in with 12-15 goals. The difference will hopefully be very marginal.
Johnsson is better offensively then Barabanov and neither are physical or throw hits.
Vesey is a wildcard. Career defence has been suspect.
Lethonen has a big chance to be a big addition and be a legit top 4 guy.

What will improve this team the most is the core 5 taking it up a notch, specifically Nylander, Marner, Rielly, Matthews, Tavares.

If those 5 improve, we get a top 4 defensive D and add another hard hitting bottom 6 defensive player I think we can enter the top 4 in the eastern conference. Until that happens I have this team closer to 6th-8th

 

[thusk]

Ceci is better then Bogosian defensively.
Clifford is suprisngly better at 5 on 5 defence then Simmonds (who has had major problems in his career). He should be ok if his 5 on 5 time is limited, he adds value on the p.p.
Brodie is miles better then Barrie and can play 1/3 of a game. This is our biggest addition obviously, by far.
Kapanen is better then Joey Anderson but I'm optimistic Anderson will provide good defensive value and chip in with 12-15 goals. The difference will hopefully be very marginal.
Johnsson is better offensively then Barabanov and neither are physical or throw hits.
Vesey is a wildcard. Career defence has been suspect.
Lethonen has a big chance to be a big addition and be a legit top 4 guy.

What will improve this team the most is the core 5 taking it up a notch, specifically Nylander, Marner, Rielly, Matthews, Tavares.

If those 5 improve, we get a top 4 defensive D and add another hard hitting bottom 6 defensive player I think we can enter the top 4 in the eastern conference. Until that happens I have this team closer to 6th-8th

Just the fact bogisian more physical, win more battle in front the net or behind the net to seperate puck off opponent, just for that bogosian is better in m. Anyway for me bogosian is the 7th dman because i see lehtonen and holl in front of him.

Clifford maybe little bit better defensivly (still not pretty good) but awfull offensivly. Simmonds still know how to score goal.

Vesey can do the same kind of thing what johnsson did.

Barabanov maybe will outplay kapanen like mikheyev did last season.

We didn't loose a lot offensivly but with brodie, lehtonen and bogosian, its a huge upgrade defensivly

 

[CelticDruid]

I think we have the same painting with a new frame.
It makes it look a bit better but it is still the same painting.

The definition of modern art! Musical chairs using paint by numbers.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

Yes.

 

[Tak7]

I think we have the same painting with a new frame.
It makes it look a bit better but it is still the same painting.

I see where you're coming from.

While Brodie is a huge upgrade on Barrie/Ceci on the blueline, and I really like the Simmonds addition, im not a fan of that forward core - especially the left wing & bottom 6.

I do think the Leafs are harder to play against, so they are headed in the right direction, but lets see what's next.

 

[Puckstuff]

The 8 d-men : 5 % better to as much as 20 % better.

A conservative approach would account for Bogosian sucking, Brodie taking some time to mesh, and injuries. All in all I'd say they are 10 % better.


Top 6 forwards: - 5 % better to + 10 % better.

I don't see the top 6 regressing, injuries aside. We got lucky with Matthews staying in the lineup all year while he was injured the previous 2 years. The optimist would see our big 4 get even better. I will say our top 6 will improve by 5 %.


Bottom 6 forward: -10 % worse to 5 % better.

Overall I'd say close to neutral, less goals by about 10, similar defensively (from the forwards) , overall i'll say - 5 %, which isn't to bad as of Oct 13. We could improve this by the start of the season or at worst the trade deadline by using prospect capital.


2019-2020 Leafs were 2nd in Goals with 237 goals.
2019-2020 Leafs were 26nd in Goals/against with 222 goals against.

2020-21 predicting Leafs will be 6th in goals
2021-21 predicting Leafs will be 13th in goals against.

and with Boston losing Pasta+Marchand there's room to move up. Florida might not bring back Dadonov and Hoffman. Islanders have lost a couple key pieces. TB will lose pieces but still be top 5 in the NHL.

Although right now as constructed I have us 6th-8th in the east, I'm guessing we continue to improve our roster by the deadline and say the Leafs move up into the 5th - 8th range in the NHL overall and 3rd-6th in the conference and better suited to win in the playoffs.

By seasons end:

NHL: 7th overall
East: 5th overall

 

[MattySnipes]

I like this version. Problem with Leafs has always been Jekyll & Hyde. No one knows who will show up and they only rely on the skill players.

Dubas has brought in players to keep the Leafs skill guys engaged throughout games so they dont fall asleep. Aggressive forecheck, tighter gaps, and players finishing checks will do wonders for this team and will be infectious on the elite skill guys.

Brodie with Rielly will engage Mo and bring back his play from seasons past. We all remember Mo at his best, he's an amazing talent to have. Not giving up on him. They better re-sign him when he's up in a few.

Goalie depth is also good and has me confident heading into the season. I don't think Andersen will be hit with as many shots as years past, but he will have to be awake and make the timely saves.

Wish the season started Dec 1. Wait is killing me.

 

[ponder]

• 1st and 2nd lines - elite
• Defence, goaltending and 4th line - solid
• 3rd line - very weak

The 3rd line scares me, but otherwise I like the roster. Best D we’ve had in ages, and we’re only sorta-soft, not super-soft. I’m cautiously optimistic, might finally be the year that we win a playoff series.