Post-Mortem Monday: Last but not least, Kyle Dubas
* Feels team had great opportunity to continue playing into the spring, and is disappointed they couldn't push through.
* On his own situation - will speak to Shanahan & owners over next few days, but speak with his family also and see how to proceed. Says this has been a very taxing year for his family and that's important to him.
*Says that he, and he alone, is responsible for the team. Says that Shanahan doesn't need to be up here shielding him, as this is on him.
* Says players and staff collectively need to continue to raise their level, and that's the focus heading into the office.
*Admits that while the goal is the same, to win, thinks that the pathway may need to be adjusted headed into the spring, draft, and free agency.
* Praises Keefe - felt that Sheldon and his staff made good adjustments to change things in the series. Highlights the role in closing the Bennett line down. Says a full evaluation will be needed in the offseason in order to establish how to move forward.
* On still having a desire to manage the Leafs - says that he needs to have a full and proper discussion with his family. Says it's been very difficult for them. Says that he can't answer that question until they have a clear idea. Doesn't want to go anywhere else though. Says it will either be here, or taking some time to reflect with his family
* On the emotional moments during the playoffs - says that the Tampa incident was in support of Rielly and Leafs fans in Tampa. Said that he probably shouldn't have used that sort of language, but felt he wanted to stick up for them. Defends his emotional nature, including the water bottle toss. Jokes that he could see in Tampa, everyone pulling out their phone, and the incident evolving. Saying this is him, and can't commit to not doing things differently. "This is me".
* On the 6 new bodies added at the deadline, and what else he can do to win - was worried that he brought in too many new faces at the deadline, but praises the leadership core & the new adds to integrating so quickly. Says that they have some younger players pressing for bigger roles (Robertson, Knies, McCann, Niemela, Villeneuve, Minten), and having those guys continuing to develop and jump in and find value bets in free agency.
* On his disappointment in his players - didn't like the narrative around the team about just winning a single round. Said the goal was always to win 4, and is disappointed that they weren't scoring. Highlights 2 goals a game, 7 games a row, wasn't good enough. Wants to build more offensive principles that can allow team to create more in those games. Says the Western conference seems to be scoring more, and the East has tended to be tighter. Says they need to find better ways to break through in those tighter moments, and is disappointed.
* Confirms that he will either work for the Leafs, or no one, next season.
* On the core - from now until next October, after a thorough evaluation, will make decisions then. Points to Florida moving core guys in a big move. Says it wasn't a hasty move that they made, but a late July move. Says he would consider anything and everything that would help them get better, but not until a thorough evaluation had been conducted.
So, the briefest of summaries:
1 - Doesn't commit to bringing Keefe back
2 - Doesn't commit to bringing the core 4 back - "Take nothing off the table"
3 - Doesn't commit to coming back himself
4 - Does confirm that next season, he will either be working for the Leafs, or no one.
Post-Mortem Week - CJ
* Sees no world where this combination of GM / Coach / Core 4 come back intact. Very, very small percent, less than 5%, that they could all be back.
*Says this loss rattled them - internally they finally felt they accomplished something with being Tampa, only to blow it against Florida with poor early showing. Raised all the same questions about whether they'd actually improved or got lucky versus Tampa.
*Thinks we will see 2 changes; some combination of new GM or coach + one of the core 4 will be moved. Thinks it's time to move on and try something different. Says Leafs are past their point of being able to trust this group. If they get into big playoff games again, wonders if the core 4 start looking at each other and wonder whether they'll fail again. Says 34/16/88 are now 1-8 in playoff series, creating seeds of doubt.
*Disappointed that players didn't take any accountability during locker clear-out. Highlights that players talked more about bounces & goaltending, rather than acknowledging that they need to be better. Says the players are comfortable, and believes that the system needs a shock. Doesn't think the shock is a coach leaving, but a teammate that's been here a long time being moved, and bringing in another big personality.
*If you trade a Marner, you're bringing in another superstar. Requires that other superstar to be available though - last year, Tkachuk became available, but no one considered Huberdeau and Weeger were both available until the deal was already done. Think that's the kind of thing that can happen in an offseason - players who wouldn't ordinarily be available, become available, based on who you dangle.
*Leafs players are now too comfortable, counting on solutions happening internally. Thinks they are now at the point where they realize it has to be external.
*The trade has to be about who comes back, not just dumping a quality player. Ponders the idea of Nylander being the easiest to trade due to his contract (cap hit plus term), but also suggests that with just 1 year left that might hurt what sort of value you get for him. Says the wild swings in Nylander's game, good Willie vs bad Willie, could put teams off - doesn't think there's high value in a Nylander trade.
* That leaves Matthews or Marner. Does not believe the team has ever gauged the market for a Matthews or Marner trade, saying the team has never entertained the idea of that before. Says that door is now open. The Leafs are now going to be able to gather good information about what their players are worth. Team has to have open mind, not circling just one guy who they want to trade, but what the trade return is.
* Says the Leafs will have good idea of what Matthews wants on an extension, but doesn't think Matthews will sign a max 8-year deal. Says it will be a trend league wide, now that the flat cap is finally due to increase. If you're Matthews, it doesn't make sense to enter an 8-year deal where most of those 8 years will see a cap increase. Says Leafs have almost no leverage here. Even if they trade him somewhere before his NTC kicks in, he could just play out the year and then go to free agency.
*Expects Matthews to be highest AAV in the league on a shorter term deal. Ponders whether Leafs look at that situation and decide they want more security, and move him. Does think that as a premium goal scoring elite center, team probably leans towards keeping him and continue building around him, which might leave Marner as the odd man out. However, says everything is on the table.
* Thinks if the team moves Marner, it will be before July 1st - two years left on his deal plus the NTC not kicking in, provides the acquiring team with more certainty.
*Believes Matthews 100% wants to stay a Leaf. Doesn't think Matthews wants to drag this out beyond July 1st.
*Says that the Leafs have so much up in the air: potentially trading a superstar player, hiring a new GM, and hiring a new coach, all within 6 weeks in the middle of the busiest time of the year. If Dubas doesn't return and an external candidate comes in as GM, expects a new coach.
* Expects 1 significant bomb, and possibility even two, this off-season for the Leafs.
* Doesn't think ROR or Bunting will be back. Thinks Bunting is disappointed that the Leafs didn't engage more significantly with his agent throughout the season. Says things could change. Points out that both Acciari and Schenn wants to stay. Says Schenn had a huge impact in the playoffs, and brought the best out of Rielly.
* Doesn't expect Simmonds, Kerfoot, or Holl back. Thinks the Connor Timmins extension brings in a right hand shot that pushes Holl out the door.
*Expects the Leafs GM situation to gain clarity by Wednesday - doesn't think organization, or Dubas, will drag it out.
