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

[Nineteen67]

I'm not sure that wanting to stay with his favorite team is a negative. I seem to recall one if the big complaints about him was that his father kept changing teams.

Since my point was that Matty and Willy were the better two of the four for leading us going forward, I'm glad we agree.

Do you really think Matthews and Nylander can lead a team? They might be fine second tier players with a strong leadership group, but they’ve shown nothing to make anyone believe they’ll lead a team to anything significant.

 

[Mess]

Addition by subtraction alone makes this year's team better than last years,

The further this team transitions away from past GM failures the closer it moves to potential success.

There is currently very little left remaining from the past transgressions.

Currently the Tavares boat anchor contract at $11 mil the biggest obstacle standing in the way of potential improvement and better usage of cap space.

 

[LeafGrief]

I dunno, I think the deck chairs looked better when they were 3 to a block, with a meter spacing between blocks. This two-to-a-block with half-meter spacing is more natural due to sunbathers more commonly being couples, but I think the threes had more symmetry to them. And please, more chairs on the starboard aft, it looks like a bald chicken over there. The sea breeze is a bit cold up front, those chairs are always empty.

As for the Leafs, my only hope is that another year and a new coach unlocks an upgrade in maturity and mindset. A different supporting cast is just the deck chairs, the core are the crew of this ship and they're the ones who need to figure out how to sail the dang thing. Hoping that a goalie with ~45 NHL games or two UFA defenders are going to make the difference is like praying to Poseidon for a safe voyage; you might get lucky, but we've done this exact song and dance multiple times and it hasn't meant squat. Look to the crew, look to the core, everything else is secondary.

 

[rocketman588]

Looks basically the same unfortunately. Just the stars are paid more. Wish we'd ship Marner out of town

 

[notDatsyuk]

Do you really think Matthews and Nylander can lead a team? They might be fine second tier players with a strong leadership group, but they’ve shown nothing to make anyone believe they’ll lead a team to anything significant.

You're back to the same question (post #364)?

Again, I never even suggested that. All I said was that they were the better two of the four, which you agreed with.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

The closer I look at the roster the more I'm convinced they take another step backwards.

Tanev's a hundred years old and heavily overrated. His contract is at least three years too long and has a NTC. Not to mention his poor beaten and battered body is more fragile than Marner's ego.

The inexplicable signing of OEL is a similar thing.

Will it hurt? Not really. But God damn how does Treliving look at this roster and think that contract makes sense.

It's a series of small pieces that put together reveal a larger more horrifying picture.

Like learning your friend likes to pull the legs and wings off flies before squishing their heads. Also that he watches CSI obsessively and has a large collection of books on serial killers. Not to mention the small pig farm on the back lot of his property.

No single item is an indictment alone but as a whole it's incriminating.

 

[IPS]

Atleast there's some fans who can get themselves giddy and excited for yet another year of tire spinning.

 

[Nineteen67]

You're back to the same question (post #364)?

Again, I never even suggested that. All I said was that they were the better two of the four, which you agreed with.

And that’s great if the goal is to ice a team, but even so, Marner is more marketable than Nylander.

 

[notDatsyuk]

The closer I look at the roster the more I'm convinced they take another step backwards.

Tanev's a hundred years old and heavily overrated. His contract is at least three years too long and has a NTC. Not to mention his poor beaten and battered body is more fragile than Marner's ego.

The inexplicable signing of OEL is a similar thing.

Will it hurt? Not really. But God damn how does Treliving look at this roster and think that contract makes sense.

It's a series of small pieces that put together reveal a larger more horrifying picture.

Like learning your friend likes to pull the legs and wings off flies before squishing their heads. Also that he watches CSI obsessively and has a large collection of books on serial killers. Not to mention the small pig farm on the back lot of his property.

No single item is an indictment alone but as a whole it's incriminating.

Considering your usual profane screaming invectives of the team, that's a very positive post.

And that’s great if the goal is to ice a team, but even so, Marner is more marketable than Nylander.

I'm not sure I agree, but how is Marner being more marketable than Nylander relevant to anything I posted?

 

[notbias]

Addition by subtraction alone makes this year's team better than last years,

The further this team transitions away from past GM failures the closer it moves to potential success.

There is currently very little left remaining from the past transgressions.

Currently the Tavares boat anchor contract at $11 mil the biggest obstacle standing in the way of potential improvement and better usage of cap space.

They haven't changed at all... they've doubled down...

I suggest you start following the team if you are going to comment as much as you do.

 

[notDatsyuk]

They haven't changed at all... they've doubled down...

I suggest you start following the team if you are going to comment as much as you do.

I sometimes think you won't acknowledge a change until they move to Hamilton, become the London Gophers, and replace at least 107% of management, staff, players, and Zamboni drivers.

 

[notbias]

I sometimes think you won't acknowledge a change until they move to Hamilton, become the London Gophers, and replace at least 107% of management, staff, players, and Zamboni drivers.

No clue what nonsense you're going on about now.

What big changes have been made that haven't been made before? Please educate me.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Considering your usual profane screaming invectives of the team, that's a very positive post.


I'm not sure I agree, but how is Marner being more marketable than Nylander relevant to anything I posted?

This is the most down I've been on the team in the Shanahan years.

I actuallly won't be surprised if they miss the playoffs. They were 21-20 at the halfway point last year. A new coach whose system the players don't like and a few questionable offseason signings.

Without any other changes I'm not convinced this team even makes the playoffs let lone contends for the cup.

 

[Suntouchable13]

This is the most down I've been on the team in the Shanahan years.

I actuallly won't be surprised if they miss the playoffs. They were 21-20 at the halfway point last year. A new coach whose system the players don't like and a few questionable offseason signings.

Without any other changes I'm not convinced this team even makes the playoffs let lone contends for the cup.

The Tanev deal is egregious. Why is the GM so in love with the player? Why does he think he moves the needle? OEL is another inexplicable signing. Just a bunch of non sense. Doubt this team is worth the time to watch this fall/winter. Perhaps I have outgrown them, I don’t know.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

The Tanev deal is egregious. Why is the GM so in love with the player? Why does he think he moves the needle? OEL is another inexplicable signing. Just a bunch of non sense. Doubt this team is worth the time to watch this fall/winter. Perhaps I have outgrown them, I don’t know.

All Treliving's done since coming here is give people raises, make questionable signings, and still hasn't made a change to the core of the team.

I juat don't see them doing any better thsn last year. And if they aren't gonna do any better then they will be doing worse. Which means missing the playoffs.

Especially if Ottawa, Buffalo, or Detroit take a step forward while the Leafs slide backwards it really wouldn't take much.

 

[IPS]

The Tanev deal is egregious. Why is the GM so in love with the player? Why does he think he moves the needle? OEL is another inexplicable signing. Just a bunch of non sense. Doubt this team is worth the time to watch this fall/winter. Perhaps I have outgrown them, I don’t know.

I despise injury prone D. From what I saw from him in the playoffs he's definitely got some tread left on the tires, but it can all go poof in an instant with how often he can get injured.

 

[conFABulator]

All Treliving's done since coming here is give people raises, make questionable signings, and still hasn't made a change to the core of the team.

I juat don't see them doing any better thsn last year. And if they aren't gonna do any better then they will be doing worse. Which means missing the playoffs.

Especially if Ottawa, Buffalo, or Detroit take a step forward while the Leafs slide backwards it really wouldn't take much.

I am not sure I am a Treliving supporter just yet, but couldn't you describe his brief tenure in the following way also:

• He has brought in a new coach and coaching staff
• He has overhauled the goaltending by not committing term to Samsonov
• He has overhauled the defense rather dramatically with Tanev and OEL and in for Brodie and Giordano
• He has retained the key pieces while other contenders have had significant cap casualties
• He has not extended Tavares or Marner
• He drafted Cowan and Danford (early to know what we have there) and did not give up any future assets at the TDL, even picked us up some picks this year and next

The Athletic ranked the Leafs as having had the eighth best off-season and the best of the Atlantic Division playoff teams.

 

[francis246]

I am not sure I am a Treliving supporter just yet, but couldn't you describe his brief tenure in the following way also:

• He has brought in a new coach and coaching staff
• He has overhauled the goaltending by not committing term to Samsonov
• He has overhauled the defense rather dramatically with Tanev and OEL and in for Brodie and Giordano
• He has retained the key pieces while other contenders have had significant cap casualties
• He has not extended Tavares or Marner
• He drafted Cowan and Danford (early to know what we have there) and did not give up any future assets at the TDL, even picked us up some picks this year and next

The Athletic ranked the Leafs as having had the eighth best off-season and the best of the Atlantic Division playoff teams.

He’s also establishing a team theme of signing RFA’s/young players early to avoid overpaying them. I think he quickly learned from the Nylander mistake. It was nice not to lose a Bobby McMann type to UFA

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

I am not sure I am a Treliving supporter just yet, but couldn't you describe his brief tenure in the following way also:

• He has brought in a new coach and coaching staff
• He has overhauled the goaltending by not committing term to Samsonov
• He has overhauled the defense rather dramatically with Tanev and OEL and in for Brodie and Giordano
• He has retained the key pieces while other contenders have had significant cap casualties
• He has not extended Tavares or Marner
• He drafted Cowan and Danford (early to know what we have there) and did not give up any future assets at the TDL, even picked us up some picks this year and next

The Athletic ranked the Leafs as having had the eighth best off-season and the best of the Atlantic Division playoff teams.

He brought in a new coach a year too late.

"Overhaul" is a bit hyperbolic. Tanev replacing Brodie basically isn't that much of an upgrade, if any. And a career backup in Stolarz replaces a career backup in Samsonov.

HIs greatest accomplishments are things he hasn't done.

He hasn't lost Matthews or Nylander to free agency. He hasn't signed Tavares and Marner to crippling contracts yet. He hasn't traded away the futures in bad trades for injured players at the deadline yet.

What he actually has done has been too little too late and too expensive.

 

[mikeyz]

No clue what nonsense you're going on about now.

What big changes have been made that haven't been made before? Please educate me.

You have been educated so much on here that you should have your PHD by now. You’re just too stubborn to see anything beyond your rose colored glasses.

 

[mikeyz]

This is the most down I've been on the team in the Shanahan years.

I actuallly won't be surprised if they miss the playoffs. They were 21-20 at the halfway point last year. A new coach whose system the players don't like and a few questionable offseason signings.

Without any other changes I'm not convinced this team even makes the playoffs let lone contends for the cup.

They will make the playoffs. Their offence (At least in the regular season) will be too dynamic for them to miss it.

But, yeah, we’re likely looking at another 1st round exit come playoff time. Which is frustrating.

 

[conFABulator]

He brought in a new coach a year too late.

"Overhaul" is a bit hyperbolic. Tanev replacing Brodie basically isn't that much of an upgrade, if any. And a career backup in Stolarz replaces a career backup in Samsonov.

HIs greatest accomplishments are things he hasn't done.

He hasn't lost Matthews or Nylander to free agency. He hasn't signed Tavares and Marner to crippling contracts yet. He hasn't traded away the futures in bad trades for injured players at the deadline yet.

What he actually has done has been too little too late and too expensive.

He took over in June 2023.

He could not make the coaching move then. The timing was terrible. He did manage to re-sign Keefe to avoid a lame-duck year and then was able to fire him and avoid the financial and contractual commitment. That's something.

Tanev, OEL, Benoit and Hakanpaa (if he's a thing) were not here when he got here. You don't consider 4/7 to be an overhaul in just over a year? Tanev not an upgrade over Brodie? What? One was that top dman on a final four team and one was a healthy scratch on the Leafs.

Too little too late? What do you think could have or should have been done in 14 months? What specifically should he have done?

 

[notbias]

You have been educated so much on here that you should have your PHD by now. You’re just too stubborn to see anything beyond your rose colored glasses.

Another non-answer.

It's not shocking that you can't find major things that have changed on the team that haven't been tried before, there is nothing.

I never even said this was a bad thing, just people pretending like Treliving came in and started to put his stamp on the team are delusional, all he has done is shuffle some chairs.

 

[Sypher04]

This is the most down I've been on the team in the Shanahan years.

I actuallly won't be surprised if they miss the playoffs. They were 21-20 at the halfway point last year. A new coach whose system the players don't like and a few questionable offseason signings.

Without any other changes I'm not convinced this team even makes the playoffs let lone contends for the cup.

Highly questionable analysis as usual.
The Leaf will finish top 3 in the Atlantic.
We lost no one of significance, upgraded the D and the goaltending, and got a coaching change everyone was clamouring for.

The only reason the leafs were mediocre record wise at the mid point last year is because Samsonov was the worst goalie in the entire NHL up to that point.

 

[notDatsyuk]

No clue what nonsense you're going on about now.

What big changes have been made that haven't been made before? Please educate me.

Just having a bit of fun - you keep saying there have been no changes despite them having been pointed out to you several times.

I won't bother repeating them again - I'll just keep laughing.