End of Season Pressers (Monday May 15)
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Superstar
"Be water, my friend."
- Jun 25, 2008
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Whether Kyle Dubas returns or not, major change may finally be coming to the Maple Leafs
If he does in fact return, Dubas suggested change may be coming. And if he doesn’t return, then change is coming for certain.theathletic.com
You’d have to imagine that the combination of money, commitment, and power are part of his decision too, a big part. How much and for how long are the Leafs willing to extend his contract? How much commitment, in other words, are they willing to show? A brief commitment, and thus, a limited show of faith, and perhaps Dubas really does walk away. A long-term deal that secures his future with the team and maybe he stays.
The other thing is power.
Dubas may desire more autonomy than he’s got, what with Shanahan sitting just a rung higher on the depth chart as team president. It was certainly notable that Shanahan wasn’t there speaking alongside Dubas, as he had last spring.
The Leafs said only that Shanahan would address the media at a later date.
Now that’s almost certainly tied to Dubas’ uncertain future; it’s better to answer questions about the future of the organization when Dubas’ future is cleared up. But it also inevitably makes for the optics of division.
..............
More telling was Dubas pointing directly to the team that just beat his own in the second round, the Florida Panthers, and their willingness to trade two core players, Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar, for rising star, Matthew Tkachuk.
That, too, came after a disappointing postseason.
Dubas even described it as a “template” for the way in which the Leafs might go about something similar, by which he meant taking their time with such a monumental decision and executing it properly.
The Panthers, he noted, made that franchise-upending trade in late July.
“That’s a big move,” Dubas said. “But I don’t think it was hastily done.”
He added more tellingly: “I would consider anything with our group here that would allow us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup. So I would take nothing off the table at all. And I think everything would have to be considered with regards to anything to do with the Leafs.”
Which sounds a lot like a team led by Dubas will explore a “big move” like that more vigorously than they might have in the past. Nothing is off the table at all.
It’s hard to see a world in which all four stars return.
With the Boston collapse to Florida, and with Florida barely sneaking into the playoffs this year after winning the President Trophy last year to be destroyed by Tampa, I think Dubas is finally convinced that regular season performers don't matter for squat...you need players that step up in the post season to win championships...keep possession at all cost also don't mean squat if you're going to give up backbreaking goals due to turnovers because you want to keep possession at all cost...his team building and game style philosophies have crashed and burned in front of him time and time again...he might also be lamenting why he didn't jump all over Tkachuk when he was available because from all evidence, Dubas has a pretty good relationship with the Flames.
Trapper
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- Nov 21, 2013
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Right now Dubas looks like a man defeated and the core players look like someone just took the prize ham off the table.
Personally, these are my takes.
ROR, he is as good as gone and he also thanked the staff for taking care of his dad. Don't think ROR wants to be back or he is looking at who gets the best offer.
Acciari, he wants to come back but also probably due to being the type of player he is, yes we need someone like him but most teams don't. Anything close and all Leafs need to do is add a year or two more and he will be back.
Reilly, I think he knows something is brewing behind the scene and knows changes are happening due to the results. First time I seen Reilly felt like a missed opportunity not to advance.
Willie, he wants to be here but at what price. Personally, at this moment, he is not worth more than Tkachuk, and I don't think any GMs in the league will give him a contract bigger than Tkachuk. Should come at 9mil x 8 yrs, could be 8.8mil for 8yrs. Would be great if it is 8x8yrs.
AM, I don't see him wanting to leave. I do get a sense that he won't take any discounts, but what is his market value? If Mack after winning a Cup signed for 12.75mil last summer, while Pastra just signed a contract a little under his current caphit, is AM at 12mil or 12.5mil? He might sign another 5 yrs deal in order to cash in but I think he will opt for front load 8 yrs deal at 12-12.5mil. Whoever is the Leafs GM will say yes to 12.5mil bc it is not even a mil more than what he is getting now.
MM, I have a feeling he feels that he might be the odd man out from what he said today. Personally, I would not trade MM until JT is gone.
JT, he is preparing to leave. He said he wants to be captain and stay here but if MGT got a good trade for him and not retention or cap dump, I find it hard he will say No and us NMC as a reason. Its interesting how he brought up playing LW again but who will play 2C if you are a LW on the Leafs?
Keefe, DEAD MAN WALKING.
Dubas, I think he got an offer from MLSE and will talk to his family about it.
Superstar
"Be water, my friend."
- Jun 25, 2008
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Won't be easy for Dubas to have to trade Nylander and/or Marner because he probably bet his farm on them and told them he believed in them...eating him up inside to be so wrong, especially about Marner.
HellasLEAF
'93 to Infinity
- Sep 14, 2006
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What bothers me is this idea that if they don't bring back Dubas "then who".
Are we saying that Kyle Dubas is the only one qualified to do this job, and we are so afraid to put someone else behind the controls that we resign him out of fear?
What's even worse, is that he has made all of his mistakes already with Toronto. So, he has learned all the hard lessons now. If he goes somewhere else, he will most likely excel. If he stays, he 'should' be better.
If he starts the season with signings like Malgin or Jarnkrok again we'll know we f'ed up bringing him back. Guys like Acciari should be coming in to compliment the core and that's it!
Are we saying that Kyle Dubas is the only one qualified to do this job, and we are so afraid to put someone else behind the controls that we resign him out of fear?
What's even worse, is that he has made all of his mistakes already with Toronto. So, he has learned all the hard lessons now. If he goes somewhere else, he will most likely excel. If he stays, he 'should' be better.
If he starts the season with signings like Malgin or Jarnkrok again we'll know we f'ed up bringing him back. Guys like Acciari should be coming in to compliment the core and that's it!
It was a rumor I heard I think on sportsnet
I wouldn't think Sullivan would be available.
Include mathews not just marner
BallardEra
Leafs&Caps Since 1982™
Look at the transactional history of some of the available GMs.
Dubas has some fundamental flaws that drive me nuts and he may never overcome, but for the most part he is a middle of the pack, net neutral GM. He usually breaks even on trade and UFA.
I think many people forget what a truly inept GM can do to a franchise. Dubas will waste years by treading water but he won’t derail a franchise with outright awful asset management like a significant number of others will/have done. Might be time to roll the dice soon though.
Superstar
"Be water, my friend."
- Jun 25, 2008
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I don't think JT is going anywhere...he set his roots here to start his family with his wife who's from around here...now, he has two young children, and his whole family is around here also.
Marner is probably the odd man out because he's going to fetch a big return.
BallardEra
Leafs&Caps Since 1982™
I think Schenn goes out west and is looking to get one last contract for his family.
I don't think he returns here.
Trapper
Registered User
- Nov 21, 2013
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The core abused the golden goose and I hope they have some fear running through them.
1specter
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- Sep 27, 2016
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He apparently bought a house here and is neighbours with Kaberle. He also talked at length how much he loved being here, I think there's a good chance he comes back
Superstar
"Be water, my friend."
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Matthews is a big elite 1C, not as easily replaceable as Marner...I think Matthews will sign an extension before July 1, unless he asks for some crazy amount of money.
If he is not scoring at a hi rate he is not elite
He doesn't have a great motor.
Mathews will leave you always wanting more.
Nylander was better than him this by a large amount
Seemed to me like he's gone and there aint much else out there. He came out pretty clear with the pre packaged soft exit talking points and tried his best to answer the rest of the questions as if they didn't really matter.
The whole presser was a mess. It would be akward if they brought him back at this point. As if the organization could get any more dysfunctional/juvenile.
Not surprising this bizarre experiment took a toll on him as well. I'm sure he'll get back in the mix eventually, on a somewhat more traditional/comfortable path.
Only team actually making a move on our group is the Flames and they are targeting Pridham.
The whole presser was a mess. It would be akward if they brought him back at this point. As if the organization could get any more dysfunctional/juvenile.
Not surprising this bizarre experiment took a toll on him as well. I'm sure he'll get back in the mix eventually, on a somewhat more traditional/comfortable path.
Only team actually making a move on our group is the Flames and they are targeting Pridham.
Trapper
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That can be said for all of them which is a huge core problem. The problem we’ve been seeing.
Trading a core member for 1 or 2 skilled high end guys with motors and hunger can change the dynamic.
LaPlante94
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Superstar
"Be water, my friend."
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It's true he didn't score against Florida, but he was mighty good against Tampa. I would resign him, but not more than MacKinnon money.
If He's in a strip club with that kind of money he's not working.
I mean he might technically be working but he's not working
TheGreenTBer
Paula Deen does bath salts
- Apr 30, 2021
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One of the things I've learned in the work world is to never hire someone you're not prepared to fire. He might be learning that lesson now.
Superstar
"Be water, my friend."
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Thanks for that, I meant have a contract ready to be signed before his NMC kicks in.
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