How to fix the Leafs: Fan Edition

[Bluelines]

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

LOL best Coles Notes summary for the Leafs so far. Bravo!!!

 

[Jmo89]

Fire Dubas and unload Marner. Those two moves alone can potentially fix alot of things depending on how the next GM uses Marner's money and maybe a half decent return for Marner. But I'd fill the GM role on an interim basis until they find the right one in the offseason with a boatload of experience. No more reinventing the wheel.

Trade Rielly prior to the deadline and part ways with Keefe at the end of the season. Fire Engvall to the moon.

Trade Holl in the offseason and roll with Sandin, Lil, Dermott, Muzzin, Brodie. Sign or trade for another Brodie level dman.

Spread the money from Marner/Rielly/Holl/Engvall on a couple top 6 capable forwards, 3rd liner, and a dman. Let the new GM pick his coach.

 

[Leaf Army]

They definitely should not trade away Marner or any of the high-priced guys at this point.

They’ve already made the decision to build the team this way. That’s done- they can’t turn back now. They have to go with it and make it work.

Marner’s struggling obviously but there’s absolutely no way that replacing him with two $5 million players brings us closer to winning anything.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

They definitely should not trade away Marner or any of the high-priced guys at this point.

They’ve already made the decision to build the team this way. That’s done- they can’t turn back now. They have to go with it and make it work.

Marner’s struggling obviously but there’s absolutely no way that replacing him with two $5 million players brings us closer to winning anything.

Islanders replaced Tavares with multiple lower end contracts and they’re much closer than we’ve ever been basically.

 

[Bluelines]

Islanders replaced Tavares with multiple lower end contracts and they’re much closer than we’ve ever been basically.

The Islanders were good at identifying talent, we are not. They had a couple of guys who were over performing to what they were being paid, we don't have anyone on our roster like that. Where cap space is so important, its unlikely a GM from another team would offer up an under paid player at Lee's or Barzal's level.

 

[Leaf Army]

Islanders replaced Tavares with multiple lower end contracts and they’re much closer than we’ve ever been basically.

That’s been the Islander’s identity for like the last 30 years. That’s why a guy like Matt Martin can go from being an outcast here to being a solid contributor there.

The Leafs have already decided how they want to build this team and it’s around star players. At this point they have to run with it.

 

[Anthrax442]

LOL.. whose the internet GM here , you or me?

maybe we both are. lets make the deal

 

[kevsh]

The Overdrive guys pretty much nailed it:

- There seems to be no structure or system
- Every player plays like they are just solely focused on trying to score a goal (as opposed to doing what is needed to get in a position to score that goal)
- They are in their own heads, nervous, over-thinking which leads to playing slow and making stupid mistakes (O-Dog really stressed the "stupid" part)
- If and when the top guys get going the rest of the team will follow
- Benching or demoting one of the stars likely won't work right now (see last point)

I agree with all of this, especially the structure/system part, which they seemed to have for most of last season. Either they've lost faith in that, and therefore in Keefe, or they really need a team of sports psychologists to untangle what's going on in their heads.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

They’ve already made the decision to build the team this way. That’s done- they can’t turn back now. They have to go with it and make it work.

The team isn't going to work.

Every year wasted pretending is just delaying

It's time to dismantle.

it's not going to happen though.

I'm worried this gets ugly quick.

 

[glue]

To me it’s simple, it’s between the ears, this team gets in their own way, it’s all psychological. The talent is there. They are terrible at dealing with pressure, particularly the leadership group minus Spezza, Nylander and Muzzin

So what’s the solution? Either figure out a way to get help them get out of their own way, OR as it currently appears there seems no solution to this, so they’ll have to break the core and do a re-tool

 

[Nylander88]

Anyone know what the lines were today for practice?

 

[horner]

Just do the Eichel deal if the doctors give him an 80% chance of being the same player he was. Throw in a few games played clauses to protect us if it doesn't work out. But first you have to sack Dubas/ Shanahan. This year is toast.

We can't build a team because the players, if you trade for Eichel, we will be in the same position .
We need to build a team.

 

[William Hylander]

Trade everyone for futures, keep Tavares and anyone with a NMC. I've seen enough of the team to know that they wont win a round with this core.

 

[ottomaddox]

I think I've heard enough Marner for Eichel proposals.

 

[socko]

We can't build a team because the players, if you trade for Eichel, we will be in the same position .
We need to build a team.

You can't undo all the Dubas damage with 1 trade. We need to get rid of Tavares. He's a massive black hole of cap space. Keep throwing him hints every day that he should retire.

 

[egd27]

Give Bettman and the NHL Board a huge donation to reinstate the North Division. Problem solved.

Hell we're .667 pts% against the North this year.

Unfortunately we're .125 pts% against everyone else

 

[ottomaddox]

LOL best Coles Notes summary for the Leafs so far. Bravo!!!

The Coles Notes doesn't fix the problem. It's just the Coles Notes of the problem.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Blow

It

Up.

 

[horner]

Muzzin looks a step slower .
We are still s very careless team.
Last night game 6 two on ones.
We are not going to make the playoffs.

I think it is time to fire Dubass and Keefe, bring in a gm that know how to build a team hire Tortorella to coach.

Hire Rutherford to oversee everything .

This is the yr we should take a step back

Maybe get lucky in the lottery
Shane Wright or Miroshnichenko


At the deadline I would trade these players for picks and prospects
Reilly
Muzzin
Kerfoot
Engvall
Marner if the right deal is there
Holl at the draft

Bring up
Ho Sang
Amadio
Semyonov
Kral
Merrell

In the offseason sign
Brayden McNabb 2.5 mil
Chiarot 3.5 mil
Janmark 1.5 mil
Forsberg 5 mil
Lindholm 8 mil

Re-sign
Campbell 5 mil


Maybe doing this it will let Taveras know that we are couple of yrs away from the cup and he will ask for a trade.

Cap hit next yr 77,000,000

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Boudreau has a history of getting teams "righted" , I'd love to see Brucey at the helm.

He also has a rep for choking in the playoffs....so that is my only misgiving about him. If we didn't have so many issues in the playoffs he would be my first choice because he would shame them for not being proud to wear that sweater.

 

[93LEAFS]

Not sure there is fixing at this point. The damage is done. We sell most vets and good player and go tear down, what is our pitch to Matthews in 2 years? Real great work on that 5 year deal walking him to UFA.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

The Overdrive guys pretty much nailed it:

- There seems to be no structure or system
- Every player plays like they are just solely focused on trying to score a goal (as opposed to doing what is needed to get in a position to score that goal)
- They are in their own heads, nervous, over-thinking which leads to playing slow and making stupid mistakes (O-Dog really stressed the "stupid" part)
- If and when the top guys get going the rest of the team will follow
- Benching or demoting one of the stars likely won't work right now (see last point)

I agree with all of this, especially the structure/system part, which they seemed to have for most of last season. Either they've lost faith in that, and therefore in Keefe, or they really need a team of sports psychologists to untangle what's going on in their heads.

The reason coaches worth a damn talk about structure is because it should be something that is automatically done. Be it a chip out the neutral zone or chip in or whatever it may be. When its automatic there is less thinking involved and less chance of a freelance blunder (Dermy and Gally come to mind)...we have too many "express yourselves" freelancers out there. You can tell just by how many maddening times they are on the cycle and ring it around to...nobody. How many times have you seen another team do it against us? Watch next game and start counting (especially Kerfoot the King of ring arounds to nobody) and you will be shocked.

They thought when Keefe came in that they were being released from the dungeon of Babcock and allowed to play freely and utilize all of their talent. Well...look at how well Montreal...a team with structure handled us.

 

[AllDay28]

Islanders replaced Tavares with multiple lower end contracts and they’re much closer than we’ve ever been basically.

Damn how many title banners do teams get for “so close” again?? And ya the Islanders window has already closed because Lou is worse than Dubas at negotiating.

for example:


The New York Islanders announced today that forward Ross Johnston agreed to terms on a four-year contract.
Johnston has scored 15 points (seven goals and eight assists) in 87 career games with the Islanders.


Imagine if Dubas gave a plug with 0.25ppg (if that) a 4 year extension. This place would lose its mind. But cause overrated Lou did it. Guess it’s good.

 

[Racer88]

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

You nailed it……..drop the mic

 

[egd27]

You nailed it……..drop the mic