GDT: End of season media availability - Pelley speaking Friday at 1PM EST

[Tak7]

And that's the problem, everyone sees this as the "Core4 Hockey Club" and not the "Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club"... You need EVERYONE on your team to play well and contribute on the scoreboard.. From your top dogs, to your dogs on the 4th line. You need a few unsung heros on runs, it happens every single year on teams who win... It's never just the best players scoring every goal of the playoffs.

Every time they lose, it's their fault & no one else gets any of the blame, they should shoulder a good chunk of it, but this notion that you can have "passengers" and players just provide literally zero offence is absurd..

The moment the 3 of them (excluding Tavares) decided it was more important to milk the Leafs of every penny they had, as opposed to actually winning with the Leafs, was the moment it became about the "core 4" vs "the rest of the roster".

They are the ones that created this divide on the roster - can't afford decent depth with four forwards eating ~$40m of your cap space. The buck stops with them. They didn't lose against Florida because Scott Laughton or Pontus Holmberg can't score - they lost because the guys that are meant to score, can't ever do it come crunch time.

 

[Torontonian]

Goes in one ear and out the other. Just like Dubas concerns just got turned into appeals to authority.

At this point there are posters here that pretend like they are always right and still mock the guys that have been pretty much consistently proven right year after year.

Figure that one out.

People have opinions, that's the point of this board is to chat about em, you think your opinion is right, and others think theres right.

The problem is those type of posters will block anyone that disagrees with them. It’s a bigger issue when looking at society overall. If you don’t like someone’s opinion you can block them to surround yourself with only people that thinks the only way you do.

These people then get into the real world where they can’t do that and they can’t adjust to others disagreeing with them. The concept of them being challenged is new to them and don’t know how to handle it.

Only exposing yourself to one set of opinions is a flawed way of living, you'll never see another prospective if you just see the same one over and over again. But that's a different discussion not about hockey.

I'm shocked people don't get this. We have a top heavy team, getting not good results from that top heavy aspect.

Why are we blaming the depth?

We spend 50% of the cap on the core 4, but get a 30% performance from them in the postseason.

The depth is like 10-20% of the cap, performs at like 7.5-15%. Yet the depth is the problem, not the 20% drop off from the core 4????


The PP was even worse than people remember this postseason because of short handed goals. If you subtract a goal for that it's putrid on top of already being putrid.

This has nothing to do with the depth, everything to do with the core 4 and has been an issue forever.

The top heavy team is a problem, always has been.. but Toronto has filled their depth with the wrong set of players & has given out wasteful money. 7.5m in dead money to start the year in FA is killer, Kampf/Reaves/Hakkanpa/Jankrok.. You could two solid third liners @ 4m~ give or take for all the deadcap they provided the team.

The powerplay downfall will always be lack of a shot from the point IMO, when you can cheat off to the flanks because you don't have to worry about a bomb from the point, it makes it so much easier to kill.

Doesn’t that mean other teams will have more money to spend than the leafs on supporting players? You still have the same 5 core guys you are going to get the same results. On top knies is due for a raise so you don’t have as much to spend on supporting cast as you think if you bring Marner back at 12.5 or higher.

You lose some money due to Tavares massive cap hit and him being resigned for cheap (I'm of the fan of, if he's not coming back at below market value, then there's zero reason to resign him).

All in all, I'm not a fan of Toronto trying to fill big needs via free agency, paying top dollar for medicore talent is how you kill your team going forward.

The moment the 3 of them (excluding Tavares) decided it was more important to milk the Leafs of every penny they had, as opposed to actually winning with the Leafs, was the moment it became about the "core 4" vs "the rest of the roster".

They are the ones that created this divide on the roster - can't afford decent depth with four forwards eating ~$40m of your cap space. The buck stops with them. They didn't lose against Florida because Scott Laughton or Pontus Holmberg can't score - they lost because the guys that are meant to score, can't ever do it come crunch time.

The major issue, and this is a Dubas issue is, the Tavares contract allowed them to milk em.. Esp Marner and Matthews who are both better then Tavares. I love Tavares & have a soft spot because a player finally came home which we were all waiting for, but that contract should have never been signed.

 

[hockeywiz542]

The Maple Leafs should be looking for a new president. Here’s what they need

CEO and president Keith Pelley walked into a high-pressure quandary last season when taking the job. The pressure hasn't lessened since.

www.nytimes.com

Far more than last season, Pelley is now on the clock. And there’s no buffer between Treliving and the big boss, whose stated goal is finally putting the Leafs “on the pathway to winning the Stanley Cup.”

I saw some interpret Pelley’s press conference on Friday as a significant endorsement of the current regime, but I don’t think that’s exactly right. Yes, if the Leafs are a huge success over the next six to 12 months, there’s a world where Treliving gets a promotion and can pick his own GM and get some job security.

But Treliving only has two years remaining on his contract and was hastily handpicked under strange circumstances in 2023 by the man just shown the door. The GM is believed to have less term on his deal than coach Craig Berube right now — an unusual situation — and he has to be feeling the pressure here with how complex the Leafs offseason is going to be.

Press conference platitudes or not, there’s a very plausible scenario where Pelley wants to put his stamp on the team in 2026 with his own hire atop the Leafs. Someone with a deeper pedigree. Someone who has built a championship organization and who can clean up and bolster what’s become a cluttered management group.

I’m not saying that’s going to happen for certain at this point, but it would make a lot of sense. I know there’s been a lot of talk lately about streamlining and efficiency around MLSE, and more cuts are definitely coming, but dropping Shanahan freed up more than $5 million in the annual budget.

With the Leafs’ contention window open — potentially only for another two or three more seasons — it hardly makes sense for the richest franchise in the NHL to skimp on hockey operations talent, especially at the top.

What moving on from Shanahan allows Pelley to do is begin a search for an upgrade. Start doing some due diligence on which of the best management talents might be available, looking at the most successful franchises in the league. Rather than trying to mimic the Panthers’ success — or the Lightning’s, Avalanche’s or Golden Knights’ — by acquiring their depth players or overpaying their few stars who get to free agency, why not go to the top of the organization and see if they can pluck out the mastermind behind that rise?

 

[killer1980]

It seems pretty obvious, you don't win Stanley Cups with just a superstar or 4. You win the Cup with 20 players, all of whom have to contribute. Take a look around and see who's still playing and who've won a Cup. Edmonton is the only team with a bonafide Superstar still playing and we all have to admit that McDavid is on a different level than any other player in the league. Look who's not playing, no Matthews, no MacKinnon, no Kucherov, no Hellebuyck, no Crosby. Teams win BECAUSE of their supporting cast. Teams win when they have 20 players all of whom contribute. Even with Edmonton, they are getting top efforts from Hyman, Nugent-Hopkins, Nurse, Bouchard, Skinner, and more. I for one would rather spread the Cap over the entire team than limit my big pay to one or four players.

 

[sunstersun]

The top heavy team is a problem, always has been.. but Toronto has filled their depth with the wrong set of players & has given out wasteful money. 7.5m in dead money to start the year in FA is killer, Kampf/Reaves/Hakkanpa/Jankrok.. You could two solid third liners @ 4m~ give or take for all the deadcap they provided the team.

I actually agree that we've mismanaged our depth and the money situation there isn't that bad either.

Right now there's a lot of dead wood on the Leafs like Rielly. 15mil in dead space basically right there. Domi is our only reliable surplus forward outside Nylander, Marner, Matthews and Knies imo. Even with the cap situation that's bad. I still think we've been talented enough to win in the 1st round many times if our core 4 was good. The CBJ series stands out.

The powerplay downfall will always be lack of a shot from the point IMO, when you can cheat off to the flanks because you don't have to worry about a bomb from the point, it makes it so much easier to kill.

Partially, but it's also brain dead on top of a lack of point shot. A lack of point shot shouldn't drop the PP to sub 10% 2 years in a row effectively. It's also become more and more of a problem as time has gone on. I don't remember this being that bad in the Tampa series.

You lose some money due to Tavares massive cap hit and him being resigned for cheap (I'm of the fan of, if he's not coming back at below market value, then there's zero reason to resign him).

I totally agree, Tavares in my eyes is a 3LW right now. He's going to age awfully. I also distrust a career contract year from a guy who declined every year he signed his contract otherwise.

All in all, I'm not a fan of Toronto trying to fill big needs via free agency, paying top dollar for medicore talent is how you kill your team going forward.

This year I agree, because I want to take be sellers and take on relatively bad deals to build assets and rebuild value. Next year? We need a 2C via FA or trade. IDC how we do it.

The fact we don't have Minten to at least do something at 4C is a tragedy. People want to trade Matthews? I'm looking at our centre depth and I'm pretty sure they want Domi 1C.

 

[thewave]

People have opinions, that's the point of this board is to chat about em, you think your opinion is right, and others think theres right.


Only exposing yourself to one set of opinions is a flawed way of living, you'll never see another prospective if you just see the same one over and over again. But that's a different discussion not about hockey.


The top heavy team is a problem, always has been.. but Toronto has filled their depth with the wrong set of players & has given out wasteful money. 7.5m in dead money to start the year in FA is killer, Kampf/Reaves/Hakkanpa/Jankrok.. You could two solid third liners @ 4m~ give or take for all the deadcap they provided the team.

The powerplay downfall will always be lack of a shot from the point IMO, when you can cheat off to the flanks because you don't have to worry about a bomb from the point, it makes it so much easier to kill.


You lose some money due to Tavares massive cap hit and him being resigned for cheap (I'm of the fan of, if he's not coming back at below market value, then there's zero reason to resign him).

All in all, I'm not a fan of Toronto trying to fill big needs via free agency, paying top dollar for medicore talent is how you kill your team going forward.


The major issue, and this is a Dubas issue is, the Tavares contract allowed them to milk em.. Esp Marner and Matthews who are both better then Tavares. I love Tavares & have a soft spot because a player finally came home which we were all waiting for, but that contract should have never been signed.

I get it. It's just get it wrong over and over and over and agree with Dubas and MLSE over and over again to the point you think you are in a MLSE echo chamber. No wonder they never get it right at MLSE

 

[killer1980]

Im not going to listen but if anyone cares, Pelley will be on the 100% Hockey podcast.

Hope he does a better job with the Leafs than he did with hockey on TV.

 

[BayStBullies]

Some ideas for Pelley:
- Maybe watch an Oilers game and see how they play music that pumps the crowd every chance possible, instead of Tragically Hip
- What about television coverage for fans of the team, instead of vultures who hate the team?

 

[hockeywiz542]

MLSE President & CEO Keith Pelley on Leadership Changes and the Maple Leafs' Future. - 100% Hockey

May 27, 2025 • 47 minutes

MLSE President & CEO Keith Pelley joins the show for his first podcast appearance since the conclusion of the Maple Leafs' regular season. With Brendan Shanahan's departure marking a significant shift in the organization's leadership, Pelley discusses the changes already underway and his vision for the team's future. He shares insights into the decision-making process, the challenges ahead, and the expectations for turning regular-season success into playoff performance.

 

[Apex Predator]

You lose some money due to Tavares massive cap hit and him being resigned for cheap (I'm of the fan of, if he's not coming back at below market value, then there's zero reason to resign him).

Let’s say Tavares resigns between 4-5 million. You save 6-7 million but you’re taking that money and giving Knies 6-7 million if not more. Then you give Marner a raise and bring him back. Leafs are in the exact same spot as before. That’s how I see it and it feels like nothing changes and we are just fixing around the edges again.

 

[thewave]

Hope he does a better job with the Leafs than he did with hockey on TV.

Didn't Peter Principle Pelley lose Rogers shirt on the TV deal initially? I doubt they even broke even.

I don't expect much of anything from this guy.

 

[Apex Predator]

Is the bigger issue the fact that MLSE owns the leafs and feels like they don’t know what they are doing in regards to the hockey team?

 

[killer1980]

Didn't Peter Principle Pelley lose Rogers shirt on the TV deal initially? I doubt they even broke even.

I don't expect much of anything from this guy.

Yep he did. Last I saw, Rogers Media was still losing money on the deal. What was more upsetting to me was that Rogers decided they were gonna make Hockey Night in Canada the way it should be. Remember George Stroumboulopoulos and his leather pants? I expect, in a few years, he'll leave for parts unknown just like he did after that dreadful Rogers hockey TV deal.

 

[Aashir]

Ofc it matters how much they take up. Did FLA big boys win them game 7? They were up 4-1 without any of their top 6 scoring a goal

Lol, you bring up game 6 in Ottawa and Patches, while completely disregard how both Matthews and Nylander scored.. I can easily say without them they don’t have a chance to win the game….. Let’s not ignore the entire game just so you can attempt to make a point.

God forbid any other players then 4 people score in the forward group come playoffs. If your game plan is have 4 players score every goal up front till you win 16 games, you’ll never win the cup.

Do yourself fav, Go check FLA stats and how many different contributors they have.

Stats from games 4-7:
Toronto "Core" Players:

A. Matthews 1 Goal 0 Assists 1 Points

M. Marner 0 Goal 1 Assists 1 Points

W. Nylander 0 Goals 0 Assists 0 Points

J. Tavares 0 Goals 0 Assists 0 Points

M. Knies 0 Goals 0 Assist 0 Points

Toronto Depth Players:
M. Domi 1 Goal 2 Assists 3 Points

M. Pacioretty 1 Goal 0 Assist 1 Point

Bobby Mcmann 0 Goals 2 Assists 2 Points
-------------------------------------------------
Florida "Core" Players:
A. Barkov 0 goals 3 Assists 3 Points

M. Tkachuk 0 Goals 2 Assists 2 Points

S. Reinhart 2 Goals 2 Assists 4 Points

S. Bennett 2 Goals 0 Assist 2 Points

C. Verhaeghe 1 Goals 0 Assist 1 Points

Florida "Depth" Players
B. Marchand 1 Goal 3 Assists 4 Point

E. Rodrigues 1 Goals 3 Assists 4 Points

We got 1 goal and TWO total points from those 5 players meanwhile the panthers got 5 goals and 13 points. thats 5x the goals and nearly 7x the points. Domi alone had more points than the core 4 + Knies

the marchand line was good no doubt, but the top 6 is what caused our downfall with how badly they got outplayed down the stretch, mixed in with some of the most unclutch goaltending yet again.

again the whole philosophy of the "core 4" is/was/always will be that they make most of the money, so they provide the offence we pay them more than every comparable they have, yet routinely they give us the least from their peers. When we had the chance to take the 3-0 or 3-1 or 3-2 or win 4-3 leads, they sold hard.

 

[sunstersun]

Let’s say Tavares resigns between 4-5 million. You save 6-7 million but you’re taking that money and giving Knies 6-7 million if not more. Then you give Marner a raise and bring him back. Leafs are in the exact same spot as before. That’s how I see it and it feels like nothing changes and we are just fixing around the edges again.

Oh we're gonna get much worse if we do that.

We're an old team now. Outside of Knies I can't see anyone who's under 26 lol.

 

[WTFMAN99]

 

[rumman]

wow, not a Friday presser..............

Im not going to listen but if anyone cares, Pelley will be on the 100% Hockey podcast.

sounded better than he did on the presser, but anyone else think I've drank the Kool-Ade too many times to trust..............

 

[keonsbitterness]

Hope he does a better job with the Leafs than he did with hockey on TV.

How bad a job did he really do? Rogers just signed a 12 year extension for $11 billion, more than double the current deal ($4.5 billion).

 

[killer1980]

How bad a job did he really do? Rogers just signed a 12 year extension for $11 billion, more than double the current deal ($4.5 billion).

Ya I saw that. Not sure about the accounting but since I understand that Rogers will soon be the total owner of the team, there probably will be tax and accounting advantages to owning both. I believe Fox, at some point, bought the LA Dodgers for the same reasons. I do know that the last time I looked at the financials the only money loser for Rogers was the Media arm.

 

[The Masters]

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full link

 

[Racer88]

The difference is the “talent” won’t be taking up 48.5m of a 88m cap space. But instead would be taking up 37.5m if you sign Marner to a 12.75m cap hit out of 95.5m… That’s a MASSIVE difference.

Toronto can actually fill the supporting cast with good depth players this time around. It’s one of the major reasons why they lost this series.

You don’t let talent walk for depth pieces… and you especially don’t let talent walk to overpay mediocre players in free agency…

Have you ever wondered why every other team is willing to pay Marner and make him the most paid player in the NHL, if he hits free agency? Because other teams retain talent & it’s extremely hard to get it.

First off. When talent disappears in the later games in the playoffs is it really talent that we need or want.
Secondly we really don’t know that every other team is willing to pay him that much.
I’m betting not many legitimate contenders would want him. I’m pretty sure Florida doesn’t want him at that price point.
Thirdly who says we have to overpay mediocre players
Final point is that other teams that finally find success have no problem trading good players to fill a need