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How to fix the Leafs: Fan Edition

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Bluelines said:
Brown?

I was thinking today, you got a proteam that is under cap constraints playing poorly, you got a minor pro system in shambles... how is this franchise any better off then the Nonis days? Anyone think Matthews is goign to resign here after the Leaf experience? When he leaves who do we have?
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Bieber - Matthews bromance. Duh. I will always be able to hold on to that.

I find it funny that the target always keeps getting moved. For the longest time it was, man, I wish the Leafs could draft some talented players in the 1st round. Nothing but busts. Then the Leafs get guys that put up top 10 league leading numbers and it changes to man, I wish they could get some decent 2nd or 3rd rounders. No matter what happens, there's never going to be a perfect way to build a team.

Honestly, right now, who cares about the minor league team. The Leafs should be going for it, not worrying about if the Marlies are going to win a Calder Cup. What happened when the Leafs had a good minor league system and won the Calder? Not a damn thing. Success in the minors does not always translate to success in the pros. Different game. Less time.
 
ACC1224 said:
a) They would have to sign him to an NHL contract.
b) Bring him up with what cap space?
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Does he have to pass through waivers if he is signed during the season to a pro contract? I vaguely remember this same scenario a few years ago (many years ago) and it was a European player that had to pass through waivers, I might be misremebering...
 
this thread is gonna be disastrous but interested to read it. It's why none of us are NHL GM's!
 
Bluelines said:
Does he have to pass through waivers if he is signed during the season to a pro contract? I vaguely remember this same scenario a few years ago (many years ago) and it was a European player that had to pass through waivers, I might be misremebering...
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No idea.
 
showtime8 said:
Bieber - Matthews bromance. Duh. I will always be able to hold on to that.

I find it funny that the target always keeps getting moved. For the longest time it was, man, I wish the Leafs could draft some talented players in the 1st round. Nothing but busts. Then the Leafs get guys that put up top 10 league leading numbers and it changes to man, I wish they could get some decent 2nd or 3rd rounders. No matter what happens, there's never going to be a perfect way to build a team.

Honestly, right now, who cares about the minor league team. The Leafs should be going for it, not worrying about if the Marlies are going to win a Calder Cup. What happened when the Leafs had a good minor league system and won the Calder? Not a damn thing. Success in the minors does not always translate to success in the pros. Different game. Less time.
Click to expand...

Its not about winning a Calder Cup, its about supplementing your pro roster with high end cheap talent that can pass through waivers. Where do you get high end cheap talent from?
 
Bluelines said:
Brown?

I was thinking today, you got a proteam that is under cap constraints playing poorly, you got a minor pro system in shambles... how is this franchise any better off then the Nonis days? Anyone think Matthews is goign to resign here after the Leaf experience? When he leaves who do we have?
Click to expand...

I mentioned Brown because he's one of the only late picks I can think of who became even a decent player. That's a commentary on their drafting and development right there. I couldn't think of any late round picks they've made that are better, unless we want to go back to the Stone Age when they had a late pick like Tomas Kaberle. I mean, it's not even 'late round', it's anything outside of the top 10 in the draft. Their late 1sts haven't worked out either. Their second rounders over the years are a horror show, just take a look at the list.

I agree with your post overall. The franchise in not significantly better off. How did they get here? They still have some elite talent that they did not have in the Nonis era, but overall the situation seems very similar.

Since they made the choices they made in the summer I don't think you do anything reactive right now. Let this team sink or swim on its own. If it sinks, then by mid-season we can blow this thing to pieces, starting with upper management. They can't just wait for the summer where Rielly either walks or gets severely overpaid. (Another big mistake made not moving him this summer).
 
Bluelines said:
Its not about winning a Calder Cup, its about supplementing your pro roster with high end cheap talent that can pass through waivers. Where do you get high end cheap talent from?
Click to expand...

Cheap does not always translate to good though at the NHL level.

Sandin is a cheap contract, but I think he's struggled the past couple games and really don't think his straight line speed is anywhere close to where it should be for the NHL.

Bunting is giving you 1st line minutes under 1mill. That's good value. Signed as a UFA.

I just don't think there needs to be the greatest focus on development this season. Sure going forward it will become an issue, but at this stage of development, they need results with the Leafs.
 
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In regards to the passing issues, what I have noticed is that every pass, and especially on the power play, is a saucer pass. The amount of missed passes that have happened so far simply because the players used a saucer pass instead of a flat pass when it's been there is absolutely mind-boggling.
 
I don't think it's just coaching strategies.

We have seen several of our players perform at a much higher level individually in years past. For whatever reason, most of them can't even execute the basic fundamentals right now.

The problem is 90% psychological.
 
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Bluelines said:
Does he have to pass through waivers if he is signed during the season to a pro contract? I vaguely remember this same scenario a few years ago (many years ago) and it was a European player that had to pass through waivers, I might be misremebering...
Click to expand...

ACC1224 said:
No idea.
Click to expand...
Someone posted after he signed the AHL deal that he would have to pass through waivers if his AHL salary is more than 105k. If it's under that, than I would assume he doesn't need waivers. But who knows what his AHL salary is.
 
Might as well try anything at this point.

Move Nylander to C and see how a Bunting-Nylander-Marner works out.

Run Tavares-Matthews as no.1 line. Nylander is ready for C he's been flawless in the defensive zone this year. It's time for Tavares to move to wing. He's playing too poorly to be in the middle.

We need to increase the speed in the middle. Matthews and Nylander as your C in the top 6 will keep the pace high.
 
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Nothing will work other than getting rid of the salary cap.

And there is no chance the American small market owners will even allow discussion on the topic.
 
I’ve been following this team for a long time and the problem is clear. It happens over and over with this franchise and it’s not unique to this group. It spans multiple generations of managers, coaches and players

The expectations in this market, if not managed properly, spin wildly out of control.

Yes they overpaid their core players. But that’s not the problem. That group is good enough win. And certainly good enough to play better than what we’ve witnessed.

The problem is once they signed those guys to those contracts the expectations on this team did a complete 180. They went from being a young upcoming team to win-now mode. The expectations to win went from 0-100 overnight. But in reality that’s not how things work.

This must win-now mentality has led to poor decision making and to a situation where where Matthews, Marner and Nylander are all still in their early 20’s yet people feel like the window to win is almost closed. They’re playing like a team that has an unreasonable amount of pressure on them.

Contrast the Leafs drafting Matthews to Tampa Bay and Stamkos. The Lightning drafted Stamkos 1st overall and he’s been a huge success. A probable HOFer. Yet the Lightning missed the playoffs in 5 of his first 9 years. And when they finally did win tens years into his career Stamkos pretty much didn’t even play for the entire Cup run. And even if he had he would have arguably been their fifth best player behind Vasilevsky, Kucherov, Point and Hedman.
 
To me, the issue is pretty clear, we don't cycle the puck down low. We do the same play over and over, especially Matthews line, bring it in, circle back, and pass to the defender joining the rush. Without Hyman, the Matthews line is going to be exposed because he was the only guy to dump and chase. The only way this team gets fixed is if Matthews is willing to win the puck down low and start laying the body. If Matthews isn't doing it, both his linemates have to be willing. Babs was onto something when he had 1 skilled guy and 2 bangers on the same line, the issue was, he didn't have the best choice of bangers.
 
Before blowing everything up, I would give it another year or two with a new management and coaching regime.
 
The culture stinks......

Wrong GM
Wrong Coach
Best Player may very well be a prima donna
Best playmaker has an inferiority complex likely due to his upbringing
Captain has past his prime and can never hope to live up to his expectations
The guys that "grew up" in the organization have been jettisoned by GM because of poor cap management
At this point it would seem all they are left with is flawed "superstars", a few guys biding their time until free agency, and bunch of low cost mercenaries

oh, and Jason Spezza :thumbu:
 
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