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Future of the team is incredibly bleak

This adversity late in the season can be a good thing. I would rather the team figure this out now than during a 7-game series.

Yes, the last few games looked 'familiar', but it is what it is, a bad streak of games in an 82-game season. I am much more optimistic about our chances given we have enough time to figure this out, and that it may mean us hitting our stride going into the playoffs. Of course, that is by no means a guarantee, but we limped in last year while the focus was on personal goals.

Our offense hasn't looked good, our goaltending hasn't performed like it has most of the season, and we've been outperformed on special teams. Yet, we the last two games were quite close. Call me a glass-half-full guy, but they'll sort this stuff out and we'll be ready for playoffs.

We're only 4 points out of top in the division, with two games in hand and two games against FLA before the season's end. I get the past history thing, but that is life when you are a Leaf fan. You either decide to be an optimist or pessimist.
 
Donnie740 said:
You acknowledge the Leafs don’t have many draft picks or prospects available - - how do you possibly expect them to acquire anything of value at the trade deadline?

Having cap room on July 1 makes some sense but having cap space at the trade deadline is essentially worthless when you don’t have any picks or prospects to acquire premium players with big cap hits.

Do you suppose a team like Chicago would be happy to just give Seth Jones away for free to get rid of his bloated contract?

Or are you advocating that Toronto should use all that cap space at the deadline to take on unwanted salary dumps and pick up a 4th or 5th round pick for doing so?

Horrifically bad idea.
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No, they can keep Seth Jones (before they traded him), he isn't a player I would pursue.

However, Leafs have Robertson who will be on a reasonable contract with term next year. They have Cowan who I would like to have working out in the offseason, getting stronger for a potential shot in the NHL. Knies is a more developed player for his age but look how he jumped in.

Domi and some D contracts are moveable. Is Patches back on a cheap deal and can play minutes? You need a more balanced and depth laden team with some cap space to tinker if needed. I didn't think this year was the year to try another Hail Mary pass. We will see how it works out but the flaws have been shown for half of the year.

This is about addition by subtraction. If both JT and Marner go, their offense isn't going to be replaced, but their defense can at least. Look at last years Florida Panthers and the +/- up and down their lineup. This is standard for many Cup winning team.

Strong players along the boards, in the corners, in front of the net. The exciting passes and beautiful highlight reel moves aren't available come playoffs. The battles ALWAYS are rampant in NHL playoff hockey. This requires strength and compete that you cannot teach in any skills school.

So, look for middle of the road depth and fill in a balanced lineup of four lines. Have enough cap space and assets to make a move. To pick up a rental in exchange for a contract and taking a player another team wants to move.

This is the "show me" year right? So, it's in Marner and Tavares hands. Get the to Finals and get re-signed. Otherwise, is year 10 the year you expect them to show up AFTER they get a nice contract?

It's time to accept less success in the regular season (though not MUCH less) for a more difficult team to play against. This experiment went on at least four years too long,
 
Roo said:
You are right, and I am now realizing I misread the original poster. Thought it was stating he IS signed to term beyond this year, which he clearly isnt.
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That is going to be valuable either here or somewhere else, especially if he has found his inner Theo Fleury which of late he clearly has. Man I loved watching Fleury slay the giants in his day lol.
 
If you were describing how different teams play to a non-NHL fan, what would you even say about the Leafs? Colorado is fast, Dallas is big, Florida is physical, Tampa is high skill high IQ, Edmonton is McDrai.. what the hell are we anymore? There was a little window where we were young and fast, then we LARPed as a Total Football possession/control team. Now we got a top offensive line who’s best collective skillset is backchecking, a speed winger playing with a slow vet grinder and an AHLer for a second line, a chef’s choice of 6 wingers with no stand-out skills or chemistry for a third line, and whoever’s leftover for the 4th. The D is a bunch of mid-30s #3-5 guys who again have no standout physical traits, skills, or smarts, other than Carlo being tall and Tanev having an unlimited pain threshhold.
 
Martin Skoula said:
If you were describing how different teams play to a non-NHL fan, what would you even say about the Leafs? Colorado is fast, Dallas is big, Florida is physical, Tampa is high skill high IQ, Edmonton is McDrai.. what the hell are we anymore? There was a little window where we were young and fast, then we LARPed as a Total Football possession/control team. Now we got a top offensive line who’s best collective skillset is backchecking, a speed winger playing with a slow vet grinder and an AHLer for a second line, a chef’s choice of 6 wingers with no stand-out skills or chemistry for a third line, and whoever’s leftover for the 4th. The D is a bunch of mid-30s #3-5 guys who again have no standout physical traits, skills, or smarts, other than Carlo being tall and Tanev having an unlimited pain threshhold.
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The Leafs are back to the Wilson/Burke Leafs identity crisis. We have no identity. Overpaid forwards
 
themilosh said:
I'm not so sure Babs is considered a good leader? He coaches with an iron fist, and while this strategy worked for decades, the new crop of players simply dont respond well to that style. Think about it, most draftees come from families who can actually afford to send their kids to Rep hockey.. These guys have not had to toil in poverty (sparking a desire to work hard) instead they have glided along on youth teams that babied them - and if they didn't get the minutes (from said team) they request trades... Always an out.
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Clearly abandoning that plan to go with Dubas and his buddy worked great. LOL
 
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Canadian Finn said:
oh, we have an identity alright.

we just hate to admit what it actually is.
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Call it soft, overpaid, lazy, whatever, they all do it in different ways that don’t make coherent sense together. I don’t get what the fully healthy best case scenario of this team is supposed to be, is the plan to try to win 2-1 when you have 6 30 goal threats with two viable Rocket challengers? If that’s the case then why is the bottom-6 a who’s who of guys you wouldn’t want being on the ice with a 1 goal lead? If it’s supposed to be a dynamo high powered offense, why do we have 0 defensemen who can make a pass or take a point shot?

The team’s design feels like a group project where none of the team members ever met or discussed what they’re doing, everyone just brought their parts in 5 minutes before it was due and they had just enough time to duct tape it together in no specific order. The D doesn’t make sense with the O, the bottom 6 doesn’t do any single job better than the top-6, our top ES guys are also playing the most special teams, our bottom ES guys serve no purpose other than doing cardio for 12 minutes, no line has a clearly defined job or identity but we continue running them without any changes that last longer than a period or two.
 
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I'd love to know what OEL, Stolarz, Lorentz, and Carlo think of this Leafs group. The former 3 coming from a Cup Championship team and the latter coming from a Bruins franchise that has been the class of the league for years and was part of a Finals run, the best ever NHL regular season, and routinely beat us every postseason. How does this Leafs room compare to those ones?
 
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Leafsfan74 said:
That is going to be valuable either here or somewhere else, especially if he has found his inner Theo Fleury which of late he clearly has. Man I loved watching Fleury slay the giants in his day lol.
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Now you’re comparing Nick Robertson to Theo Fleury?
 
Donnie740 said:
Now you’re comparing Nick Robertson to Theo Fleury?
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Obviously not. I'm comparing the increased pushback Robertson has been playing with of late as a player who isn't the biggest stature on the ice He is not backing down after the whistle bumps, more vocal against the opposition etc. Fleury was the epitome of "it isn't the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog".

Fleury wasn't the biggest guy but he was a constant buzz during the game, not backing down, not being denied. He was smaller than Robertson and it was if he took it on himself to be a force every shift. Robertson has been far better this year than last in terms of being more involved each shift and there have been stretches the 3rd line as it was constituted tonight was the best on the team.

All Cup winners need the odd surprise in their lineup. This 3rd line would be a surprise and Robertson has to play with a bit of edge. Burebe certainly won't be discouraging more compete level (just keep the unnecessary penalties down).
 
TMLegend said:
Strawman. How are the Leafs getting better regardless if they re-sign them or not? How do the Leafs get better letting two of their top players and two of the top free agents go this year?

I don't see how letting Marner and/or Tavares walk, replacing them with two of Nelson/Bennett/Ehlers/Boeser etc, ends up with the Leafs as a better team. Different sure, but better? I seriously doubt it.
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The same kind of thinking that created the '95 and '96 iteration of the Leafs, of course. "We need cheaper, more playoff-style guys!"
 
Leafsfan74 said:
Obviously not. I'm comparing the increased pushback Robertson has been playing with of late as a player who isn't the biggest stature on the ice He is not backing down after the whistle bumps, more vocal against the opposition etc. Fleury was the epitome of "it isn't the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog".

Fleury wasn't the biggest guy but he was a constant buzz during the game, not backing down, not being denied. He was smaller than Robertson and it was if he took it on himself to be a force every shift. Robertson has been far better this year than last in terms of being more involved each shift and there have been stretches the 3rd line as it was constituted tonight was the best on the team.

All Cup winners need the odd surprise in their lineup. This 3rd line would be a surprise and Robertson has to play with a bit of edge. Burebe certainly won't be discouraging more compete level (just keep the unnecessary penalties down).
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The problem is that this third line looks great against a team like Calgary, but it will be eaten alive defensively in a tight checking, limited space playoff game. it's the exact reason why Laughton was acquired.
 
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TMLegend said:
Strawman. How are the Leafs getting better regardless if they re-sign them or not? How do the Leafs get better letting two of their top players and two of the top free agents go this year?

I don't see how letting Marner and/or Tavares walk, replacing them with two of Nelson/Bennett/Ehlers/Boeser etc, ends up with the Leafs as a better team. Different sure, but better? I seriously doubt it.
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Glad I’m not the only one to understand what a terrible idea it would be to let Marner and Tavares walk and then wasting the cap space on overpaying mediocre hacks.

It’s totally delusional thinking by “fans” who churn their fantasy hockey roster or their NHL ‘25 video game roster with multiple player trades every week.

Fortunately, Brad Treliving isn’t a video game GM.
 
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Who gives a f***? It's not about the future for the next 5 years talk to me about the future in 2030 when it MIGHT matter.

Buffalo has had a "bright future" for the last 15 years it hasn't meant a damn thing.

Detroit has had a "bright future" for at least 6 of the 9 years they have missed the playoffs it hasn't meant a damn thing.

Montreal is seen as a team with a bright future it hasn't meant a damn thing.

I'll take a good team over a team with a bright future any day.

Because if you have a "bright future" it generally means you are dog shit now.
 
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