If you could control the Leafs, what would you do?

[Dreakmur]

Stripping A's will definitely get the team going.
How about something original like trying to trade Matthews for 5 1st round unprotected picks to Arizona who clearly covets him.
Can get a good chance at Shane Wright so the group has a fresh face to bash in the future.

Shane Wright might not suck on the playoffs….

 

[Notsince67]

Shane Wright might not suck on the playoffs….

He might be good but he is a local boy who will be expected to play at a team discount or he is greedy.

 

[Dreakmur]

He might be good but he is a local boy who will be expected to play at a team discount or he is greedy.

Maybe he won’t be greedy like Marner was. Maybe he’ll understand that demanding the spotlight comes with negatives too.

 

[Notsince67]

Maybe he won’t be greedy like Marner was. Maybe he’ll understand that demanding the spotlight comes with negatives too.

Maybe he will attract some fans who arent so insecure about themselves that they need to find the dumbest of things to criticize him for. Some real hockey fans.

 

[Dreakmur]

Maybe he will attract some fans who arent so insecure about themselves that they need to find the dumbest of things to criticize him for. Some real hockey fans.

Maybe his dad can come on HF and defend him.

 

[Notsince67]

Maybe his dad can come on HF and defend him.

Defend against a bunch of manchild betas? His mother might be enough.

 

[Morbo]

I would build an organization dedicated to being the best at drafting, scouting and development.

that is the main reason the Leafs have not won anything in decades. just take a gander at their draft history sometime. In an overall sense, it's disastrous.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Shanny and Dubas have built a culture where losing is ok because they're learning. Where a "killer instinct", standing up for eachother, starting on time etc will all of a sudden click with this group. Where players "care deeply" apparently but get no results. Where someone like Mik can go above Keefe and complain about ice time and suggest a trade. Where it seems certain players get what they want (Jumbo getting a regular shift, and on the PP regardless of his play. Mitch remaining on the #1PP despite it being terrible etc).

They both need to go. Bring new people in who have no emotional ties to these players and won't coddle them. Losing is not ok. If you want to be traded - buh bye.

 

[kb]

You're just assuming that there's a Lee Stempniak or Andrew Raycroft out there to trade our elite young talent for.

Not often deals like that come around.

 

[LeafSteel]

You're just assuming that there's a Lee Stempniak or Andrew Raycroft out there to trade our elite young talent for.

I still wake up screaming…..

 

[Fogelhund]

Shanny and Dubas have built a culture where losing is ok because they're learning. Where a "killer instinct", standing up for eachother, starting on time etc will all of a sudden click with this group. Where players "care deeply" apparently but get no results. Where someone like Mik can go above Keefe and complain about ice time and suggest a trade. Where it seems certain players get what they want (Jumbo getting a regular shift, and on the PP regardless of his play. Mitch remaining on the #1PP despite it being terrible etc).

They both need to go. Bring new people in who have no emotional ties to these players and won't coddle them. Losing is not ok. If you want to be traded - buh bye.

Top five team in points the last five years. "where losing is ok"

Once this team finds it's stride shortly, and is a top five team in the standings again, then wins a couple of playoff rounds, you really wonder how many of these posters disappear again?

 

[ShaneFalco]

Top five team in points the last five years. "where losing is ok"

Once this team finds it's stride shortly, and is a top five team in the standings again, then wins a couple of playoff rounds, you really wonder how many of these posters disappear again?

First round exits in 5 years. Embarrassing losses and total collapses each year. Easy to play against and fragile team

You really wonder how many posters will keep saying "wait till they find their stride" if they bow out again this year. Or maybe regular season is all that matters to some

 

[slozo]

Shanny and Dubas have built a culture where losing is ok because they're learning. Where a "killer instinct", standing up for eachother, starting on time etc will all of a sudden click with this group. Where players "care deeply" apparently but get no results. Where someone like Mik can go above Keefe and complain about ice time and suggest a trade. Where it seems certain players get what they want (Jumbo getting a regular shift, and on the PP regardless of his play. Mitch remaining on the #1PP despite it being terrible etc).

They both need to go. Bring new people in who have no emotional ties to these players and won't coddle them. Losing is not ok. If you want to be traded - buh bye.

I don't think they've necessarily built a "losing" culture, but teams at different stages need different emphases. For last year, we clearly needed way more actually hard core pressure - not the "hey guys just relax" Jumbo Joe formula for success (hasn't worked for him either, despite him being an amazing HOF player for many years). The Leafs in fact should have guys like Marner and Matthews take a really good hard look at Thornton's career, and undertstand, truly GROK that they need to do the exact opposite of that for playoff success.

In the past, Montreal as an organisation along with their fans were so hard on their players, much more hard core than the Leafs, and while some scoffed at how they chased away some talent in doing so, I started to learn that this process actually culled the weak from the herd - if you couldn't cut it and left, well, that means you wouldn't have helped them to a cup anyways, so it was a net positive.

So long story short - I'd make it a serious organisation. Serious, as in tone, the expectations, the work ethic required, etc. Screw coddling, and if it made a star unhappy, so be it - sink or swim and be gone. It would take guts, and would have to implemented top down.

I have a feeling that under that kind of program, that
- Matthews would become unhappy, and would have to be dealt
- Marner would shape up and be better for it, along with Nylander
- the rest of the team would perform better

My two cents.

 

[Fogelhund]

First round exits in 5 years. Embarrassing losses and total collapses each year. Easy to play against and fragile team

You really wonder how many posters will keep saying "wait till they find their stride" if they bow out again this year. Or maybe regular season is all that matters to some

Remember when it was said that there would be pain? Do you remember when it was said it would be learning process?

How long did it take Sakic to win? Yzerman? Ovechkin?

If you lack the patience, jump off the boat... no problem. If they bow out again, sure changes will be needed... but it isn't burn it all down, it's likely a few moves that can make a difference...

What you say is accurate, the playoff loses, easy to play against in the playoffs....

and yet, we saw Matthews and Nylander mature in the playoffs... Nylander's results were great, Matthews played very well, physically.. but it seems had a wrist injury that saw his shooting percentage go from 18% in the regular season, to 2.9% in the playoffs... He's just recovering from wrist surgery, and his shooting % reflects that... FFS, Matthews lead the team in hits in the playoffs... 25 in 7 games... 11 blocked shots... Tavares out, and Matthews injured.... I'm not sure how many teams can recover from such a situation... If you can't see the growth in both Nylander and Matthews, it's because you are not paying attention, or purposefully ignoring it.

Marner is the guy who hasn't figured it out yet... and it's clear he's put a lot of pressure on himself, and isn't playing the way he can. This is the guy that they need to join the party. If he can't figure it out, he's going to be gone at the end of the year... but we really should be hoping that he figures it out, as when he's on, he's a fantastic talent.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Remember when it was said that there would be pain? Do you remember when it was said it would be learning process?

How long did it take Sakic to win? Yzerman? Ovechkin?

Comparing the Leafs to anyone else makes no sense whatsoever. Most teams have some semblance of playoff success at some point before going deep or winning
Who said blow it up? I just want someone who may be able to step back and evaluate their plan and not stick to it because they think they have a winning formula - you know based on all of Dubas's NHL success.
Soft, entitled, fragile, almost unlikeable team that will go nowhere. Weak from the top on down. I'll be happy to be proven wrong

 

[Fogelhund]

Comparing the Leafs to anyone else makes no sense whatsoever. Most teams have some semblance of playoff success at some point before going deep or winning
Who said blow it up? I just want someone who may be able to step back and evaluate their plan and not stick to it because they think they have a winning formula - you know based on all of Dubas's NHL success.
Soft, entitled, fragile, almost unlikeable team that will go nowhere. Weak from the top on down. I'll be happy to be proven wrong

Oh... and then you didn't stop right there... LOL

Hockey didn't start with the drafting of Marner, Matthews and Nylander... Those who don't understand history, and doomed to repeat it.

Given your dislike of Dubas NHL success, please explain your NHL playoff success, so that we understand we are dealing with an expert. Thanks.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Oh... and then you didn't stop right there... LOL

Hockey didn't start with the drafting of Marner, Matthews and Nylander... Those who don't understand history, and doomed to repeat it.

Given your dislike of Dubas NHL success, please explain your NHL playoff success, so that we understand we are dealing with an expert. Thanks.

I should have stopped there. The old "he knows more than you" line and what's your NHL experience.
Well done perhaps you can give a history lesson sometime

 

[Fogelhund]

I should have stopped there. The old "he knows more than you" line and what's your NHL experience.
Well done perhaps you can give a history lesson sometime

Perhaps...but if you want to criticize someone's lack of success in the NHL, and then pretend you know more, it's going to happen.

Besides, if you still are holding onto this idea that the Leafs in the playoffs last year were soft and entitled, I think you missed watching the games... Matthews was a team leader in hits, and blocked shots... did you somehow miss that, weren't paying attention?

At some point, if they keep failing, change is inevitable.. but at least stick to some truths, instead of tired old falsehoods.. the players progressed in play last year, but didn't get the results. I've explained why.. and Marner in particular needs to grow further.

 

[ACC1224]

Oh... and then you didn't stop right there... LOL

Hockey didn't start with the drafting of Marner, Matthews and Nylander... Those who don't understand history, and doomed to repeat it.

Given your dislike of Dubas NHL success, please explain your NHL playoff success, so that we understand we are dealing with an expert. Thanks.

Unfortunately we've all had the same post season success as Dubas.

 

[Dreakmur]

Defend against a bunch of manchild betas? His mother might be enough.

It’s almost as if defending him is a waste of your time….

 

[ShaneFalco]

Perhaps...but if you want to criticize someone's lack of success in the NHL, and then pretend you know more, it's going to happen.

Besides, if you still are holding onto this idea that the Leafs in the playoffs last year were soft and entitled, I think you missed watching the games... Matthews was a team leader in hits, and blocked shots... did you somehow miss that, weren't paying attention?

At some point, if they keep failing, change is inevitable.. but at least stick to some truths, instead of tired old falsehoods.. the players progressed in play last year, but didn't get the results. I've explained why.. and Marner in particular needs to grow further.

Pretend I know more? All I said was get someone in who isn't tied to these players. That can actually make adjustments rather than going ahead full steam on a plan that has failed year after year. And someone who doesn't coddle players

This team gives up!!! They flat out quit. Did you somehow miss that!? Game 7 - no pushback whatsoever which is the theme of this team. Are you not paying attention? I could give you a list of big games where they totally collapsed, and showed no compete or heart including playoff games.
Oh but AM had some hits and blocked shots so it's all going in the right direction.

 

[Fogelhund]

Pretend I know more? All I said was get someone in who isn't tied to these players. That can actually make adjustments rather than going ahead full steam on a plan that has failed year after year. And someone who doesn't coddle players

This team gives up!!! They flat out quit. Did you somehow miss that!? Game 7 - no pushback whatsoever which is the theme of this team. Are you not paying attention? I could give you a list of big games where they totally collapsed, and showed no compete or heart including playoff games.
Oh but AM had some hits and blocked shots so it's all going in the right direction.

No patience, no perspective. That's all I see.

We have so many entitled fans, who throw tantrums that they weren't give the cup now.

 

[ShaneFalco]

No patience, no perspective. That's all I see.

We have so many entitled fans, who throw tantrums that they weren't give the cup now.

Yeah us impatient, entitled Leaf fans! So many would be happy with winning a round for once. But how dare we expect more ....
But you do you, and keep the going - we'll get 'em next year when they decide to put in an effort for a full game

 

[Macallan18]

Mandate that no broadcast of the Leafs can be blacked out

 

[Theboss007]

I'm gonna pretend I'm actually two people I start at the very top so if I'm in control of the Leaf's then I'm Larry Tanenbaum aka chairmen of MLSE. I have no confidence in this management team so....

My first move would be to clean house of the entire front office from Shanahan, Dubas all the way down to the the coaching staff. entire cleaning out of the front office..

I then go out and hire George McPhee as the new President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leaf's and let him reshape our organization from scouts to the next head coach.

now I Pretend I'm George McPhee, the new President and General Manager

he picks the next head coach maybe a vet maybe someone from Vegas. complete trust in the man to reshape this team.

I call Anaheim and I see what it would take to pick up goaltender John Gibson as our new #1 goalie.

I ask John Tavares to wave his no trade and I'm assuming he would want a deal to one of the New York teams or maybe even New Jersey. no offence but he's getting older and he's the odd man out in my opinion.

I shop Marner around if we get a great deal I move him. give the kid a fresh start and hopefully releave some cap space if possible if not we go after a young Dman or lesser contract to help the team

I start their