GDT: End of season media availability - Today

[Tak7]

So Matthews was injured in pre-season, struggled all year with it, and it impacted many different parts of his game.

.......what, the actual hell, was he doing at the Four Nations, then?!

If he doesn't decide on his own that he shouldn't go, you step in and make that decision for him - how reckless was that decision?

 

[ULF_55]

Is Nylander still 2RW in this scenario? If he moves to 1RW and Tavares is 2C, who is helping him put up PPG?

The other $9 million dollar player may be Knies (not quite, but close).

Who is the 2RW? Granlund? Not much in free agency and nothing to trade.

I think they should get the best forward available, and a discounted Tavares.

RW/LW/C - Top 6. Hopefully, someone with some sandpaper.

Leafs have $24mm in Capspace. Of course need a couple ELSC players (which they'll have) , and then Tavares and Knies (~$13mm), so $7-9mm for a Top 6.

 

[notbias]

I think they should get the best forward available, and a discounted Tavares.

RW/LW/C - Top 6. Hopefully, someone with some sandpaper.

Who?

Bennett and Duchene are likely not available.

So who are they signing?

UFA market is terrible, so I'd be curious to see some ideas.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Who?

Bennett and Duchene are likely not available.

So who are they signing?

UFA market is terrible, so I'd be curious to see some ideas.

Bennett is going to get $9m.

Stay the hell away.

 

[Community]

yeah. i think JT's only issue is he's getting slower, he never had the best feet. and things are still picking up. but i thnk at a fraction of the cost and less expectation he could still do a lot of stuff for us (in my opinion).

and quite frankly he took less to sign here. he'd take less to sign here. and he'll put in the effort. i can respect that.

He needs help on his line to get the forecheck started since he's not able to get there fast enough. Too much time for the defense to play the puck out when you have Nylander and Tavares on the same line and nobody to get the puck back off a dump-in.

When his line wasn't playing well vs Florida a large part of that was contributed to easy puck exits against them considering Nylander and JT couldn't contribute to the initial forecheck. JT is pretty good along the boards when going for a 50-50 and Nylander steals the puck enough, but there were long stretches when nobody could get there in time to even get into a 50-50 battle. Like McMann and Holmberg are adequate at it... but 1 adequate guy on the line isn't enough.

If Marner is gone and JT is back, I'd expect Nylander and JT to be separated which will help both of them in the playoffs even if one or both suffer a bit for point totals in the regular season.

 

[IPS]

Who?

Bennett and Duchene are likely not available.

So who are they signing?

UFA market is terrible, so I'd be curious to see some ideas.

Been thinking about this myself too. There's f all available.

Maybe Boston going full rebuild will ship us over a reclamation project Elias Lindholm for a cheap price?

 

[centipede2233]

Who?

Bennett and Duchene are likely not available.

So who are they signing?

UFA market is terrible, so I'd be curious to see some ideas.

I think Pius Suter would be a good target. Plays centre, scored 25 goals, would be a hell of a lot cheaper then bennett

 

[rumman]

I think they should get the best forward available, and a discounted Tavares.

RW/LW/C - Top 6. Hopefully, someone with some sandpaper.

Heavily discounted JT, on a shot term deal, without a NTC……..

 

[Stephen]

So Matthews was injured in pre-season, struggled all year with it, and it impacted many different parts of his game.

.......what, the actual hell, was he doing at the Four Nations, then?!

If he doesn't decide on his own that he shouldn't go, you step in and make that decision for him - how reckless was that decision?

The injury excuse doesn’t really line up with actions taken to be healthy, extracurriculars and poor playoffs.

 

[robertmac43]

Hard to believe we were a Morgan Rielly crossbar with four minutes left, and Nylander/Knies OT breakaway misses from going up 3-0 in that series.

I hate this f***ing game.

Its the cruelest sport in the world.

 

[Stephen]

Heavily discounted JT, on a shot term deal, without a NTC……..

Matthews
Bennett
Tavares
B. Tanev

 

[IPS]

Hard to believe we were a Morgan Rielly crossbar with four minutes left, and Nylander/Knies OT breakaway misses from going up 3-0 in that series.

I hate this f***ing game.

And if my aunt had a dick she'd be my uncle.

Ain't exactly how sports work.

 

[theTTC]

Marner won’t say he wants to be back which to me means he does not want to come back.

He'll turn and walk in whichever direction his agent and dad tell him to. Those two first need to see the offers from other suitors, and highest bidder will win. Mercenary as f***.

 

[Confucius]

Why would you need him to replace JT's production when you still have JT?

On the open market a 2nd. line center makes a tonne more than $6mm, which people are suggesting for Tavares. Heck some say $5mm, which would be a huge discount.

Imagine Tavares for $5mm, and having another $9mm for another player?

Because he is being bumped out of 2nd line centre. If that’s the case I’d think the guy bumping him should be better

 

[ULF_55]

Who?

Bennett and Duchene are likely not available.

So who are they signing?

UFA market is terrible, so I'd be curious to see some ideas.

Yeah, it is a near empty cupboard this year.

Could be the Leafs' pro scouts have to actually hit on some under the radar playears.

Ehlers likely re-signs in Winnipeg.

 

[Stephen]

Hard to believe we were a Morgan Rielly crossbar with four minutes left, and Nylander/Knies OT breakaway misses from going up 3-0 in that series.

I hate this f***ing game.

Devastating in the moment but in hindsight this team wasn’t the 2-0 team holding that 3-1 lead on the road. Both teams regressed to the mean. Florida are champs and the Leafs are chumps.

 

[rumman]

Matthews
Bennett
Tavares
B. Tanev

That’s depth, but Mathews isn’t a leader I’d go to war with, his indifference to winning is infuriating………

 

[notbias]

I think Pius Suter would be a good target. Plays centre, scored 25 goals, would be a hell of a lot cheaper then bennett

He outshot his xGF by a lot, not going to lie and say I watched him play a lot, but he's a decent 3rd line player by the looks of up, not much more.

Not sure he will see the increase in TOI that he had in Van, but I definitely would rather target someone like this than Nelson who is going to get 7x7 or something crazy.

 

[ULF_55]

Heavily discounted JT, on a shot term deal, without a NTC……..

His next contract will not be a +35, so can be bought out.

 

[The Shadow]

Matthews
Bennett
Tavares
B. Tanev

Jets fans were saying B Tanev really didn’t do much at all these playoffs. If that’s the case we already have lot of those guys. We need to get bigger, faster and more skilled

Guys like Jarnkrok and McMann are ok in the regular season but offer no depth scoring in the playoffs.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

One of our unsung heroes of the post season.

I'd take him back at the right price.

 

[Stephen]

That’s depth, but Mathews isn’t a leader I’d go to war with, his indifference to winning is infuriating………

Yeah. I mean the playoff supporting cast Matthews needs is basically his twin brother with an attitude problem. You get a guy like that you don’t need AM34.

 

[Buds17]

If he wants to explore the market July 1st. it would be difficult for the Leafs to leave the door open when they'd have to pursue the best options on July 1st.

They should have no money left July 2nd./3rd. or they're not doing their jobs.

The idea of a re-signing obviously becomes much tougher if the negotiations stretch that far and it can potentially then be a dangerous game for someone to be playing. We'll see if either or both parties have the willingness to make any necessary concessions here.

 

[LeafsMonster]

honestly, i am just going to point out - Sundin - who is basically beloved - still got mega side-eyed and booed for not taking a trade to help the team and I get that it's complicated and there are a lot of factors that go into this - but this is how i see it -


if you know you are not going to come back why are you staying? like i get it. his wife is pregnant and whatever but pregnant women travel (see military/seminary/all these other types of wives who get pregnant and still move if their husband needs to be relocated). then you go "oh i care about the team/players/fans) like okay then accept you aren't wanted (FOR WHATEVER reason and go play where people will ike you).

THEN on top of this people are defending how he got 'screwed" on his contract. oh boohoo he didn't get a specific type of bonus. boohoo. he wanted to get majorly paid, didn't happen pouted/sat out, acted like a spoiled child then barely shows up in the playoffs, then it's "well leaf fans are jsut so mean and difficult to him."

when other better players worked with management to ensure that everyone could stay together and still get a good deal for themselves because they wanted to win as a team.


sorry

before any name plate.

And the crazy thing about this "he got screwed with his elc" narrative, he got overpaid for his next contract so? Compared to what other players around the league are getting paid while outproducing him in the playoffs and regular season? Why is the comparison only to matthews' contract? Why should he get near drai's money? Or more than mackinnon?

And yes he's had pressure. But not the most in toronto. Matthews had that that crown the whole time. And i'd argue whoever was in net.

And yes crappy shit happened to him off the ice. Never excusable. But its happened to other players. Should we have resigned and kept reimer because we felt bad?

He refused 13.5. He wanted more and more money and all this "bad treatment" by fans and media (eye roll) is a direct result. Consequences of his own actions.

Just take less time signing. Or more money. Or come out after a loss and say "i take responsibility i wasnt good enough and that won't happen again". Or SCORE A GOAL IN GAME 7. Honestly why is it controversial to ask a game breaking player to put the team on his back in game 7? Simple things and he would have the keys to the city for life.

Sundin's exit was controversial, but he got a standing O for i believe a minute or something when he came back wearing that ugly jersey. Because as a captain and the best player, not a single fan, regardless of how they felt about him, questioned his love for the Leaf. Not a single person questioned how bad he wanted it, how hard he played every game, that he put the team on his back and scored big goals. Its players like that that get their statue made.

The crazy thing is you don't even have to win in this city. Dougie, clark, sundin never won. We would love you for life if you just cared.

 

[notbias]

Yeah, it is a near empty cupboard this year.

Could be the Leafs' pro scouts have to actually hit on some under the radar playears.

Ehlers likely re-signs in Winnipeg.

I am saying try some reclamation projects maybe, people who were good/great and have had a down year(s).

Not sure we have the environment for it, but Florida has won with that model.

Cheaper players to sign/trade for.