I have serious concerns for next year (2023-24)

[TorMapleJays]

You do realize our PP had a 25% success rate during the most recent playoffs?

A higher rate of success than the Stanley Cup Champions?

Hard to find many positives about their second round.

 

[justashadowof]

Survey shows fan confidence in Leafs front office.
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I'm a Leafs' fan so I hope all of my pessimistic projections turn out to be very wrong. But I can't help my perception of things:

The best thing about the free agency acquisitions is by far the impermanence of them. If any or all of them are mistakes, they won't be mistakes for long.

The 1st rounder was an underwhelming pick seeming like a major reach on a player whose stats suggests he should have been a speculative late 2nd/3rd rounder. He has pro hockey projectable skills but nothing stands out as far as I'm concerned.

Vision-wise BT said some good things about recognizing that you can't turn the other cheek to championships. So far he hasn't done all that much in this area. Other than the enforcer addition, this team is not tougher, more aggressive or more robust than last year's team.

I'm not sure how BT gets a D for cap management. The Murray contract albatross he inherited has been handled without spending a 1st round pick as was the history with the previous boss. He signed Samsonov to a contract in budget for the year.

 

[LeafEgo]

I'm a Leafs' fan so I hope all of my pessimistic projections turn out to be very wrong. But I can't help my perception of things:

The best thing about the free agency acquisitions is by far the impermanence of them. If any or all of them are mistakes, they won't be mistakes for long.

The 1st rounder was an underwhelming pick seeming like a major reach on a player whose stats suggests he should have been a speculative late 2nd/3rd rounder. He has pro hockey projectable skills but nothing stands out as far as I'm concerned.

Vision-wise BT said some good things about recognizing that you can't turn the other cheek to championships. So far he hasn't done all that much in this area. Other than the enforcer addition, this team is not tougher, more aggressive or more robust than last year's team.

I'm not sure how BT gets a D for cap management. The Murray contract albatross he inherited has been handled without spending a 1st round pick as was the history with the previous boss. He signed Samsonov to a contract in budget for the year.

It's looking like Dubie walked in the door and hit a seven year pause button on the franchise with the JT acquisition as his very first order of business.

I wonder if Tre is looking to prioritize the post 11M JT cup window, while maximizing upside where possible in the meantime. These one year contracts do that in a way.

D might not get fixed this year (unless Willie moves or we get a new look with a Brodie swap) but I believe we are tougher - if you're comparing to the beginning of last year it's not even close, that was a joke. A couple big D men and we're sufficient.

By the end of year 5 Tre needs a cup for an A, and deep runs for a B. In the first two years though I'm really just expecting signs of improvement. But perhaps if Tre and Boucher can introduce a winning environment and enough things hit with the acquisitions and prospects we might get more than we bargained for.

 

[Stephen]

I kinda like Treliving vibe. He took a very dramatic offseason start with the outgoing Dubas saga and pending defections and just quieted it all down. Threaded the needle between probably a Shanahan mandate of status quo, got most of the contracts sorted out, built some trust with the more important personnel. Free agent additions seemed higher profile and more ready name guys than the parade of Moneypuck fillers we normally see Toronto go after. Just feels like a steady hand and shift to a different flavour.

 

[Fogelhund]

Hard to find many positives about their second round.

It's not that I'm presenting it as a positive, it's just that I don't believe the PP was the reason for the loss, which someone else tried to argue.

 

[Fogelhund]

'Long-time NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau on Sheldon Keefe's new contract and why William Nylander likely isn't worried about rushing to get an extension done.

""

 

[Mess]

I kinda like Treliving vibe. He took a very dramatic offseason start with the outgoing Dubas saga and pending defections and just quieted it all down. Threaded the needle between probably a Shanahan mandate of status quo, got most of the contracts sorted out, built some trust with the more important personnel. Free agent additions seemed higher profile and more ready name guys than the parade of Moneypuck fillers we normally see Toronto go after. Just feels like a steady hand and shift to a different flavour.

Agreed

Strong free agent season with some players that could really pop.. Bertuzzi and Klingberg might put up significant points playing in top roles.

Matthews signed and done also a relief despite the cost.

Concerned about the defense overall, but I will give BT some time to truly shape it, to his vision and that might actually include a Nylander trade for a top 2-3 dman yet.

 

[Knies iT]

Still lukewarm on Treliving but he had a strong off-season considering the hand Dubas dealt him.

Dubas left him to deal with with 7+ UFAs: O'Reilly, Bunting, Schenn, Acciari, Kerfoot, Kampf, Holl. + massive RFA situations in Matthews/Nylander/Samsonov.

Despite that the forward group is faster and nastier. Accomplished that without any boat anchor contracts and two potential future re-ups in Bert/Domi. Also upgraded Holl -> Klingberg. Finally drafted a prospect in the 1st round.

Definitely refreshing to see that it only took this GM a few weeks to realize this team needs to get nastier at the top-end of the lineup.

The defence is my biggest area of concern, but there's literally no way it could have been bolstered without trading a core piece. Capped out.

 

[egd27]

Why do you think it is, teams choose to shut down the PP in the playoffs, but then switch back to just letting it be effective in the regular season?

Because coaches study and design their strategies for their specific playoff opponents. They don't have that luxury in the regular season facing different teams every other night.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Still lukewarm on Treliving but he had a strong off-season considering the hand Dubas dealt him.

Dubas left him to deal with with 7+ UFAs: O'Reilly, Bunting, Schenn, Acciari, Kerfoot, Kampf, Holl. + massive RFA situations in Matthews/Nylander/Samsonov.

Despite that the forward group is faster and nastier. Accomplished that without any boat anchor contracts and two potential future re-ups in Bert/Domi. Also upgraded Holl -> Klingberg. Finally drafted a prospect in the 1st round.

Definitely refreshing to see that it only took this GM a few weeks to realize this team needs to get nastier at the top-end of the lineup.

The defence is my biggest area of concern, but there's literally no way it could have been bolstered without trading a core piece. Capped out.

I would have liked to see Schenn return but when I saw the Nashville contract I understood why it didn't get across the finish line.

Klingberg contract seemed like an odd choice.

Kampf contract was a bit on the higher side imo but maybe marginally so

Overall, a "good" off-season.

 

[Fogelhund]

Because coaches study and design their strategies for their specific playoff opponents. They don't have that luxury in the regular season facing different teams every other night.

...and this brilliant design is completely forgotten and thrown out the window the following regular season?

 

[egd27]

...and this brilliant design is completely forgotten and thrown out the window the following regular season?

No, just not practised with the same specific focus.

 

[dredeye]

I don't like moves Treliving has made so far

I don't like MM is still on the team, he should have been traded

I don't like AM still doesn't have a contact (I really don't like how AM is so adverse to long term contracts)

I don't like the defense AT ALL

I'd say my biggest concern is this team is going to be too complacent and I think there is a real chance Toronto might actually miss the playoffs

I have never been this low on the team, at least when Toronto was tanking we could look forward to the future, what do we have to look forward to now? Toronto hasn't done ANYTHING with this core, why should I think this year will be any different?

As a non leafs fan I can say every one of your points is wrong aside from Matthews which is now done. Treliving had a very solid off season. The only thing I’d say is be prepared to lose Nylander in free agency as they’ll just keep him for this season and make a run.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Zero concerns
Same thing again

 

[Fogelhund]

No, just not practised with the same specific focus.

That boat don't float.

 

[egd27]

That boat don't float.

You don't think teams prepare a more robust, targeted strategy for a playoff opponent they are about to meet 7 times in a row versus a random game in January?
That tells me quite a bit.

 

[Fogelhund]

You don't think teams prepare a more robust, targeted strategy for a playoff opponent they are about to meet 7 times in a row versus a random game in January?
That tells me quite a bit.

What tells me quite a bit, is that you think teams prepare and figure out opponents strategy only for the playoffs, and then just throw these strategies away in the regular season. That is so easy to stop the Leafs PP in the playoffs, but no teams do so ever for the regular season. Of course teams prepare for the playoffs, but what they learn, will also carry on to the next season, it’s not simply forgotten, or abandoned.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Seems like the "more robust, targeted strategy" to beat our PP is telling your goalie to stop all the higher danger chances and play at a Vezina+ level. Seems like something a coach could say during the regular season.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

What tells me quite a bit, is that you think teams prepare and figure out opponents strategy only for the playoffs, and then just throw these strategies away in the regular season. That is so easy to stop the Leafs PP in the playoffs, but no teams do so ever for the regular season. Of course teams prepare for the playoffs, but what they learn, will also carry on to the next season, it’s not simply forgotten, or abandoned.

But what teams learn in one season may not apply to the next season because turn over in rosters is so great from season to season.

The things that are true today about the Leafs PP with William Nylander on it may not be next year if Matthew Knies is in thaat spot, or Travis Konecy, or Clayton Keller, or whoever else.

Just like the things that were true about last years PP probably won't be true this year because we don't know that unit 1 will be the same but I can guarantee unit 2 won't be.

I expect unit 1 to get less PP time on average because unit 2 is going to be a more talented unit because it will have Bertuzzi, Domi and Klingberg on it.

 

[Budz]

I just want to see a very different style of play. This puck possession trumps everything else crap - rarely works in the playoffs or when the physical play amplifies. Let our forward group cook. Speed, attack and more shots while pushing the play. Stop the endless circling around the net.

 

[HockeyVirus]

This offseason is whatever. We've had strong offseasons for years now. I want to see how Treliving handles the team once he sees games being played. When our goalie is bumped and no one does anything but skate away with their heads down, how does he fix that? Can he really shift the culture with a few signings of "toughness" when Dubas added toughness that never mattered much outside of Schenn?

I am not convinced.

I just want to see a very different style of play. This puck possession trumps everything else crap - rarely works in the playoffs or when the physical play amplifies. Let our forward group cook. Speed, attack and more shots while pushing the play. Stop the endless circling around the net.

There is nothing wrong with this strategy. If they give you time, use it and reset for a proper breakout. But when the Panthers aggressively forecheck and the D can only throw the puck away, and they don't need to worry about the odd man rushes against because their goalie is on a heater, yeah that strat will beat basically any team and it did. It is just not sustainable in any way.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

I’m honestly at the point where I’m just excited to see what the new additions can bring and the growth of our homegrown talent. I’m sure I’ll be bored of it by December/January but as usual, a whole summer with only the most boring major sport to watch has me craving hockey.

Looking forward to 82 games of microscopic level analysis and critiques.

 

[ACC1224]

I’m honestly at the point where I’m just excited to see what the new additions can bring and the growth of our homegrown talent. I’m sure I’ll be bored of it by December/January but as usual, a whole summer with only the most boring major sport to watch has me craving hockey.

Looking forward to 82 games of microscopic level analysis and critiques.

It’ll be nice just to have people complaining about present day things instead of the incessant complaints about the past.
This was probably the worst summer I remember on this board and I’ve been around for a lot of them.

 

[thewave]

I’m honestly at the point where I’m just excited to see what the new additions can bring and the growth of our homegrown talent. I’m sure I’ll be bored of it by December/January but as usual, a whole summer with only the most boring major sport to watch has me craving hockey.

Looking forward to 82 games of microscopic level analysis and critiques.

All the people who disliked Dubas will enjoy a team that is already shaping up to be better. The areas of weakness are already being worked on and i think we will have a better product on ice.

I expect the hard done by Dubas crowd to be the source of most criticism. No doubt they will cite obscure advanced stats and give us the most annoying breakdowns that somehow prove how great Dubas was.

I personally cant wait to watch some good old crow eating. Just need BT to get Nylander signed to a good deal or moved to upgrade the D.

 

[ShaneFalco]

All the people who disliked Dubas will enjoy a team that is already shaping up to be better. The areas of weakness are already being worked on and i think we will have a better product on ice.

I expect the hard done by Dubas crowd to be the source of most criticism. No doubt they will cite obscure advanced stats and give us the most annoying breakdowns that somehow prove how great Dubas was.

I personally cant wait to watch some good old crow eating. Just need BT to get Nylander signed to a good deal or moved to upgrade the D.

The Dubas/Marner hard core followers will never eat crow, just dish out more excuses