Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose 3-2 in OT | Down 3-0 in the Series

[Nineteen67]

How do you think the Panthers will do against the winner of NJ and Carolina ?? No way should these Leafs be embarrassed by this Panthers team. They have no heart or thought mission accomplished, we won a round.

My guess is it’ll be a good hard fought series. For example, That OT goal I don’t see happening against a good team.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Can Gary just give us an expansion team?

lol

It's about getting more money from America (TV contracts, etc.). Owners know the growth is about growing the game in the U$A. Bettman is trying VERY hard to not bring any more Canadian teams into the league (or at least the smallest number possible).

I think the GTA does need another team from a fan perspective.

But the league runs on growing the game in the US, so the owners keep making money.

 

[ToneDog]

How much more do you get for Matthews?

And, almost 5 million more in cap space.

Yes, we know Matthews averages 51 goals over 82 games.
But he is injury prone.

The marner-Matthews combination has had this type of collapse before in the playoffs.

Could a different coach give them heart?

Simplest change is the coach but Dubas has to go as well. If you think Gallant is the coach that can get the best out of these guys, go for it but I've seen enough of Dubas. He bet everything on this core and they have failed miserably. GTFO Kyle.

 

[Statsman1]

You literally cannot sign him to an extension until July 1st, which is also when his NMC goes into effect.

He's not a UFA this season, he still has over a year left. You can only sign an extension when a player has a year left, which is July 1st.

Right - but the problem is, if we cannot sign him to an extension, we will learn that AFTER his NMC starts…so we potentially could lose him and get nothing back. (Boy, the Islander fans would let us have it for that!!)

My point is, unless somehow you are 100% sure he is staying, don’t you have to explore trade options here?

 

[theTTC]

I think the GTA does need another team from a fan perspective.

But the league runs on growing the game in the US, so the owners keep making money.

Snoop Dog will move the Senators to Compton or Skid Row with Bettman's blessing before Hamilton ever gets a franchise. Bow to our American masters.

 

[Gallagbi]

Right - but the problem is, if we cannot sign him to an extension, we will learn that AFTER his NMC starts…so we potentially could lose him and get nothing back. (Boy, the Islander fans would let us have it for that!!)

My point is, unless somehow you are 100% sure he is staying, don’t you have to explore trade options here?

I think you have the conversation with him and plan from there.

 

[Shooter2x]

Okay....did Nylander/any of the core 4 score?
Leafs had 11 forwards so someone had to be floated around the lines. Nylander seemed to be that guy as Kampf/Lafferty looked good and Nylander had been the best top guy so far this series.

Hence why Keefe rolled Nylander with those two guys.

Okay....and the top guy you float around should be Matthews. It's a no brainer. He's our most lethal weapon going to waste beside floppy Marner

 

[ULF_55]

They do. Its tracked like GVA and TKA

So there you go, and of course I believe they track shots directed towards goal?

Shots on net, is kind of like +/-, doesn't really clarify much.

 

[ToneDog]

Right - but the problem is, if we cannot sign him to an extension, we will learn that AFTER his NMC starts…so we potentially could lose him and get nothing back. (Boy, the Islander fans would let us have it for that!!)

My point is, unless somehow you are 100% sure he is staying, don’t you have to explore trade options here?

If his ask is too much, ask him to give you the teams he'd be willing to resign with and ask them to put in their bids. All this has to happen prior to the draft. Lots or work for the dumb dumbs at MLSEL.

 

[justashadowof]

Remember back to the summer of 2022 and all the snarky comments about the "terrible reactionary trade" Florida made with Calgary. "Calgary had robbed them" was the vocal consensus. Florida reacted to a 2nd round embarassment in a major way, suffered through an uneven 1st half and now they appear on the cusp of the Conference Finals.

 

[capfit9]

On May 7th, 2023, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares & William Nylander QUIT on the city of Toronto & on the logo.

 

[theTTC]

Right - but the problem is, if we cannot sign him to an extension, we will learn that AFTER his NMC starts…so we potentially could lose him and get nothing back. (Boy, the Islander fans would let us have it for that!!)

My point is, unless somehow you are 100% sure he is staying, don’t you have to explore trade options here?

This is what I keep saying. Determine now from his agent what their plans are. Get the contract prepared to be signed immediately after July 1 for no more money than he's making now. If any balking by Matthews, then trade his a** out of here before July 1, because it'd be obvious he is preparing to walk for free in a year.

And we know Kyle doesn't have the stones to make this happen, so ownership has to be talking right now to his successor.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Tavares being the big outlier. Just doesn't make any real hockey sense.

This was Dubas' fatal flaw.

(1) Spending alot when you didn't know what you needed. You don't splash in the UFA market when your team is just growing.

(2) Diving into the UFA market when you don't have your core signed.

(3) Underestimating the importance of young D and a goalie to balance out a team.

(4) You don't acquire a slow C when you know your core is ALREADY composed of forwards.

on the logo.

It's not a thing.

Just a fan myth.

Marketing to the fans.

They players are just employees trying to make money for all the time they have invested.

 

[TkachukMyAho]

Has there been any indication on what was injured for Samsonov? It doesn't appear to be a head injury. I watched it over and over and it didn't seem like much....is it a knee/shoulder type thing?

 

[Statsman1]

If his ask is too much, ask him to give you the teams he'd be willing to resign with and ask them to put in their bids. All this has to happen prior to the draft. Lots or work for the dumb dumbs at MLSEL.

I do NOT want him traded. It is nearly impossible to land a talent like AM…I would much sooner see them move Tavares (which likely cannot happen) and Nylander (which might be possible) and get a solid D. Rielly has really been good this playoff, but after him on the roster, it’s (as McCown would say) largely just a bunch of guys.

I think someone said it best about Marner - when he feels like he is not going to get hit, he plays a fantastic game. But when the contact is a very real possibility, Marner is distracted and tentative. He is also a talent that would be SO hard to give up, but he would be very valuable on the market.

But, most importantly, if MLSE gets any sense that Matthews won’t sign…then hopefully it’s farewell, Papi, we had some laughs.

 

[hoglund]

How much more do you get for Matthews?

And, almost 5 million more in cap space.

Yes, we know Matthews averages 51 goals over 82 games.
But he is injury prone.

The marner-Matthews combination has had this type of collapse before in the playoffs.

Could a different coach give them heart?

I can't believe how many Leaf fans were arguing that Mathews is the 2nd best player in the league and now asking who could we get for him because he's no good.

 

[ToneDog]

I do NOT want him traded. It is nearly impossible to land a talent like AM…I would much sooner see them move Tavares (which likely cannot happen) and Nylander (which might be possible) and get a solid D. Rielly has really been good this playoff, but after him on the roster, it’s (as McCown would say) largely just a bunch of guys.

I think someone said it best about Marner - when he feels like he is not going to get hit, he plays a fantastic game. But when the contact is a very real possibility, Marner is distracted and tentative. He is also a talent that would be SO hard to give up, but he would be very valuable on the market.

But, most importantly, if MLSE gets any sense that Matthews won’t sign…then hopefully it’s farewell, Papi, we had some laughs.

Agreed but Tavares is not moving and 34 is not worth his ask. By giving him a 5 year deal Dubas all but guaranteed he'd break the bank his next contract. Seeing what I've seen this year, I'd rather trade him than overpay him.

Marner can take his taped fork and GTFO.

 

[Trapper]

Agreed but Tavares is not moving and 34 is not worth his ask. By giving him a 5 year deal Dubas all but guaranteed he'd break the bank his next contract. Seeing what I've seen this year, I'd rather trade him than overpay him.

Marner can take his taped fork and GTFO.

Lol

 

[ToneDog]

I can't believe how many Leaf fans were arguing that Mathews is the 2nd best player in the league and now asking who could we get for him because he's no good.

Are you willing to pay him $13-$15mx8 seeing what he has done this year and if he has chronic wrist issues? Go ahead if you are happy with regular season success.

 

[thusk]

Good gaslighting. Nylander was way better than 20 minutes out of 180 lol.

3rd period of gm 2 was the only period he was great... he had some flashes at time for sure but some thing he didn't look great... like stop skating in pressure and just wait around the board and try to block d dump with his hand unstead of just pressure the D and goes to contact like you need to and maybe creating turnover

WHY they need to wait until late in the game and trailing to play with intensity at 110%?

Its not about keefe and dubas who will pribably be fired after this series... whatever who the coach he is, until the core playing that way... it will never change

 

[Thornbury]

This is what I keep saying. Determine now from his agent what their plans are. Get the contract prepared to be signed immediately after July 1 for no more money than he's making now. If any balking by Matthews, then trade his a** out of here before July 1, because it'd be obvious he is preparing to walk for free in a year.

And we know Kyle doesn't have the stones to make this happen, so ownership has to be talking right now to his successor.

I disagree about Dubas not having the stones. I think he is much more savvy than when he originally signed the Core 4. He realizes that the nucleus just isn't getting it done, and big changes have to be made. It will be a fascinating two months leading up to the draft and the July 1 deadline for the NMC to kick in. This of course assumes he isn’t shown the door along with Keefe when this series and season are over.

 

[Statsman1]

Agreed but Tavares is not moving and 34 is not worth his ask. By giving him a 5 year deal Dubas all but guaranteed he'd break the bank his next contract. Seeing what I've seen this year, I'd rather trade him than overpay him.

Marner can take his taped fork and GTFO.

Would you keep Nylander as the big offensive player? I do not actually *watch* enough games to know, but many posters here believe he is awesomely talented, with an ability to float and play a passive game to match that talent. Without AM and MM, we would lose a ton of RSO (regular season offense) and put our hopes in the hands of a guy who reportedly doesn’t give 100% all the time.

Most teams in the lottery have a long way to go, but if a team like WAS or DET wins the lottery somehow, wouldn’t it be great if they’d take AM or MM plus our 1st for Bedard? It’s nice to dream on a sunny Monday morning…

 

[ACC1224]

Are you willing to pay him $13-$15mx8 seeing what he has done this year and if he has chronic wrist issues? Go ahead if you are happy with regular season success.

He's been the biggest disappointment for me.

 

[stats1]

In typical Leaf fashion they’ll win the next 3 and then the pressure will eat them up in game 7 and they get dummied. The stars on this team are soft, weak mental midgets

 

[ToneDog]

Would you keep Nylander as the big offensive player? I do not actually *watch* enough games to know, but many posters here believe he is awesomely talented, with an ability to float and play a passive game to match that talent. Without AM and MM, we would lose a ton of RSO (regular season offense) and put our hopes in the hands of a guy who reportedly doesn’t give 100% all the time.

Most teams in the lottery have a long way to go, but if a team like WAS or DET wins the lottery somehow, wouldn’t it be great if they’d take AM or MM plus our 1st for Bedard? It’s nice to dream on a sunny Monday morning…

Nylander has his moments but he is not the guy to pull the cart (see Phil Kessel). If the winner of tonight's lottery is willing to move that pick, I'd be making offers. I was thinking the bright lights of Chicago is the best landing place for 34.