Do you think this team is better or worse going into next season?

[ACC1224]

Honestly i don't understand people who thinking marner will not fit under Berube, for me it's the guy who will have the biggest positive impact. Berube style is not playing a high physical game, it's about a agressive forechecking and hard work 200 feet of the ice ( not just 100 feet). Personally the guy i have the biggest doubt to fit in this system is Nylander.

Marner grew up under Dale Hunter, he'll be fine.

 

[bodechek]

I think you need to add a third option here. Different coach same result. The blue line looks better, goal-tending will be questionable but the constant is a lot of money tied up on four forwards. And should it be another first round exit, we all will be bitching about it again!

 

[Fogelhund]

Re; Berube's coaching style and players.

No good coach tries to put round pegs, in square holes.

 

[Da Mash]

If the Devils are more successful than Toronto it won’t be solely because of Keefe. It’s because they’ve built a better program and have multiple paths to being successful with strength in goal and an abundance of quality defense plus the finesse skills Dubas tried to build with.

If the Leafs are less successful with Berube, we still owed it to ourselves to try and get out of a dead end. If the recipe is so unworkable it tells me there are foundational issues once and for all and at that point we can pull the plug on the entire Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Reilly and Nylander era, no hesitation. Some, half, all can go at that point.

Keefer with no credit because they are talented but Berube gets a pass because it’s the same core?

Got it

 

[Arzak]

Keefer with no credit because they are talented but Berube gets a pass because it’s the same core?

Got it

Berube will teach Marner 6 foot playoff hockey. Can't wait!

 

[Evilhomer]

If the leafs miss the playoffs after several yrs of being a team on 90-100 pts pace then Berube isn’t the coach we thought.

It would be quite funny in all honesty. We wanted more grit and added it and still failed. Now we wanted a hard nosed coach to yell at the players as some thought Keefer is the worst coach the leafs ever had.

The Devils make the playoffs and the leafs miss…..now that would be a media frenzy

Just like last season, there is virtually no chance of the Leafs missing the playoffs. There will be lots of nights where they win simply on talent alone.

The JT cap will already be accounted for in the Woll, Knies, and McCabe extensions. Those 3 extensions probably come out, combined, to more than the Tavares contract.

So, really, you have the Marner space (assuming no extension) and the cap going up, to potentially fill out a significant number of holes. That's massively problematic.

I think people need to move past the idea that the team will simply let Marner walk to free agency. It won't happen. They will either resign him (far and away, in my opinion, the most likely outcome, whether anyone likes it or not) or trade him. If it's the latter, he will be traded for a similar amount of salary. They aren't going to take back prospects and draft picks. In either case, Marner's cap space will be accounted for either by Marner himself or whoever he is traded for.

 

[Gaberd2608]

I think we may be ok. We really just need to figure out the 3c situation.

We can move Robertson + something to try and sort that out or possibly pray that Minten/Holmberg/Cowan can step up and take that spot.

Knies. Matthews. Nylander
Domi. Tavares. Marner
Mcmann. Xxxxxx. Jarnkrok
Holmberg. Kampf. Dewar
Reaves

Rielly. Tanev
OEL. Lilly
Benoit. McCabe

Woll/Stolarz

 

[Da Mash]

Just like last season, there is virtually no chance of the Leafs missing the playoffs. There will be lots of nights where they win simply on talent alone.


I think people need to move past the idea that the team will simply let Marner walk to free agency. It won't happen. They will either resign him (far and away, in my opinion, the most likely outcome, whether anyone likes it or not) or trade him. If it's the latter, he will be traded for a similar amount of salary. They aren't going to take back prospects and draft picks. In either case, Marner's cap space will be accounted for either by Marner himself or whoever he is traded for.

Oh …I totally agree we have too much talent to miss playoffs. I was just throwing it out there that if we do and devils make it….

How will this board and TO media react?

 

[DarkKnight]

I love how the same people who whined about our blue lline for years as THE issue now just fluff it off like it's minor "ya sure the blue line is better but..". Never change.

 

[Fogelhund]

Oh …I totally agree we have too much talent to miss playoffs. I was just throwing it out there that if we do and devils make it….

How will this board and TO media react?

Pittsburgh and NJD make the playoffs... we don't. Meltdown.

 

[myleafs]

You stated an "opinion" which was because 4 players are still here so it's going to be the same results... Which is a stupid opinion when you think about it. Call it an "opinion" all you want you we're complaining... very clearly. I stated my opinion to your "opinion" if you don't like people replying to your "opinion" then don't post an "opinion".

So salty

 

[Ports]

They’re a playoff team. The question is are they built better for the playoffs. Defense and goaltending should be better but will they score enough ? Will their PP perform when it counts ? If they rely on the same five core players to do all the scoring in the playoffs, should we expect different results ? Is a change to the coaching staff going to make a difference in how the core forwards respond to tight, physical checking ? The jury is out for me. If they can’t trade Marner and have to run it back again, I don’t expect a deep playoff run. The team might be better defensively but until they add some scoring depth and more grit up front, they will struggle to come out of the Atlantic division and that’s all that matters to me.

 

[myleafs]

Still wasn't on Tanev's level.

We will soon find out if a 35 yr old Tanev is on a different level than 29 yr old Brodie was. Brodie was so stable when he arrived, very noticeable.

 

[Hellcat]

Lots of question marks for me... Having two back ups as your 1A 1B, our LW is probably the worst LW in hockey... our D consists of a 1st pair RD who has an injury history, a 2nd RD who is injured/ signed/ not signed ... our coach is kinda not really proven although he won a cup ... but I voted better because I'm a Leaf fan and next year it will always get better.

You stated an "opinion" which was because 4 players are still here so it's going to be the same results... Which is a stupid opinion when you think about it. Call it an "opinion" all you want you we're complaining... very clearly. I stated my opinion to your "opinion" if you don't like people replying to your "opinion" then don't post an "opinion".

Is this your opinion?

 

[PROUD PAPA]

I've not yet met a single fan who has an ounce of excitement (or hope) for the upcoming season.

Other than an interest in how Woll performs, i'll admit there isn't much else. Maybe it builds once the preseason gets under way. Then again maybe it doesn't, i don't know, there has never been a shortage before.

 

[ToneDog]

Just like last season, there is virtually no chance of the Leafs missing the playoffs. There will be lots of nights where they win simply on talent alone.


I think people need to move past the idea that the team will simply let Marner walk to free agency. It won't happen. They will either resign him (far and away, in my opinion, the most likely outcome, whether anyone likes it or not) or trade him. If it's the latter, he will be traded for a similar amount of salary. They aren't going to take back prospects and draft picks. In either case, Marner's cap space will be accounted for either by Marner himself or whoever he is traded for.

What good is making the playoffs only to lose in round #1? The goal is to win the SC. To win the SC you need to have a strong line #3 and you need to be able to check. As of now, we have neither. I am assuming Woll/Stolarz will give us adequate goaltending which is not a gimme.

Unless Berube can pull a rabbit out of his ass, this team is not close IMO.

 

[Racer88]

Re; Berube's coaching style and players.

No good coach tries to put round pegs, in square holes.

Maybe but what do you do when you have 11 million dollar round pegs when what you really need are square pegs.

 

[Fogelhund]

I think we may be ok. We really just need to figure out the 3c situation.

We can move Robertson + something to try and sort that out or possibly pray that Minten/Holmberg/Cowan can step up and take that spot.

Knies. Matthews. Nylander
Domi. Tavares. Marner
Mcmann. Xxxxxx. Jarnkrok
Holmberg. Kampf. Dewar
Reaves

Rielly. Tanev
OEL. Lilly
Benoit. McCabe

Woll/Stolarz

At this point, who is moving a C though? There really aren't a surplus of them available in the league. It's going to be Domi/Holmberg/Minten who fills that spot.

Tyler Johnson is still available as a UFA though... he's looking to move to a team that will make the playoffs, and he'd likely take a healthy pay cut. I'd reach out and find out what the ask is.

Maybe but what do you do when you have 11 million dollar round pegs when what you really need are square pegs.

Design a system that maximizes what you get out of round pegs.

 

[keonsbitterness]

I'm always optimistic heading into a season. Plenty of time for disappointment if/when things go south later.

 

[A1LeafNation]

I love how the same people who whined about our blue lline for years as THE issue now just fluff it off like it's minor "ya sure the blue line is better but..". Never change.

Scoring has been an issue in the playoffs and they running it back. That's the issue.

Swap out the Elephant in the room, not everything else.

 

[Gaberd2608]

At this point, who is moving a C though? There really aren't a surplus of them available in the league. It's going to be Domi/Holmberg/Minten who fills that spot.

Tyler Johnson is still available as a UFA though... he's looking to move to a team that will make the playoffs, and he'd likely take a healthy pay cut. I'd reach out and find out what the ask is.


Design a system that maximizes what you get out of round pegs.

Not sure who is realistically available. The ufa route is the easiest. I think Tyler Johnson would be a pretty good fit in between Mcmann and Jarnkrok. Not sure how much he would cost but I dont think it would be that bad. Certainly he would be good enough to start the season with. Let Minten and Cowan percolate a little more.

 

[Aashir]

I love how the same people who whined about our blue lline for years as THE issue now just fluff it off like it's minor "ya sure the blue line is better but..". Never change.

The blue line is better, but It's not a cup calibre blueline, especially with how our offence dies in the playoffs

we have a solid #1 in Rielly, two top4 dman in McCabe and Tanev, and 3 bottom pairers in OEL, Liljegren, and Benoit.

Liljegren will once again shine against the chicago's and philly's but come Boston or Florida, he will be a morale boost for them. Honestly I have 0 faith in Liljegren to figure playoff hockey out, he is tooooooooooo soft and forgets how to play any semblence of offence

Benoit is limited within his skillset, a bruising bottom pairer but not really a quality top 4 guy and OEL is coming off of playing a sheltered role on the best defensive team in the league, I am a bit skeptical of how he will do with the team

Ideally you'd have gotten a Skjei or Pesche at their respective cap hits (probably a dream) instead of liljegren, and then I'd have more confidence in the team.

 

[Hellcat]

Maybe but what do you do when you have 11 million dollar round pegs when what you really need are square pegs.

Buy a sander.

 

[myleafs]

If the Devils are more successful than Toronto it won’t be solely because of Keefe. It’s because they’ve built a better program and have multiple paths to being successful with strength in goal and an abundance of quality defense plus the finesse skills Dubas tried to build with.

If the Leafs are less successful with Berube, we still owed it to ourselves to try and get out of a dead end. If the recipe is so unworkable it tells me there are foundational issues once and for all and at that point we can pull the plug on the entire Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Reilly and Nylander era, no hesitation. Some, half, all can go at that point.

While I agree with everything you've said here, I don't have confidence that management will pull the plug on this group. As each year passes and lip service is given, Im certain they won't.

 

[Maple Leaf]

I think the defenseive upgrade makes the team beteter
but still have negative value marner clogging up the cap