Speculation: Leafs rushed the rebuild

[TML11]

Bottom line.
We will not win the cup without a good D system.
This is what we are missing.
The forwards can fly all game long IF they know they have a D that will shut down the blue line...they rely on the Goalie and that isn't the way it's done.

 

[Fakejake51]

Bottom line.
We will not win the cup without a good D system.
This is what we are missing.
The forwards can fly all game long IF they know they have a D that will shut down the blue line...they rely on the Goalie and that isn't the way it's done.

Forwards are terrible defensively too. In fact more so than this D.

 

[TML11]

Forwards are terrible defensively too. In fact more so than this D.

yeah; my point is , if they had a better D, then the Forwards would be easier to let fly !

 

[Suntouchable13]

For the future to be truly bright, some cap maneuvering is needed. Can not win when you have 40 mil of the cap tied up in 4 forwards. Too top heavy there.

 

[Zybalto]

Bottom line.
We will not win the cup without a good D system.
This is what we are missing.
The forwards can fly all game long IF they know they have a D that will shut down the blue line...they rely on the Goalie and that isn't the way it's done.

The last 3 cup winners were all built on great scoring and goaltending with a shoddy D system. Its been the winning formula.

 

[Mr Hockey]

They weren’t ready to add a huge UFA like Tavares. The timing they had to make a choice and I get it. I said at the time how much I hated the decision.

Here it is now proving to us all why it was the wrong one. Yes he’s a hell of player but he destroyed the cap structure on the team. Leafs should of re signed their core before going after Tavares.

That should of been priority number one not getting another high priced forward. It arguably took away 3 years of us being competitive. Can’t even imagine what the Marner contract will look like either. Fact is also Tavares was a luxury not a need at all.

Doubt Matthews contract looked like this if not for Tavares.

Reported asks for Marner 9X8 and Matthews 12.34*8 in the summer (although Matthews there was a lot of different insider opinions on what the number in the summer was but either way it was 8 years.)

Leafs are right on track, get a "grip", and don't expect them to win 5 straight cups either ...

 

[Fakejake51]

yeah; my point is , if they had a better D, then the Forwards would be easier to let fly !

My point is the D can’t be better if the forwards can’t play D.

 

[Tak7]

Not even close. There's no "proper" amount of time for a rebuild.

Sure there is: the amount of time it takes for you to secure a core that is good enough for you to compete.

 

[Its not your fault]

They weren’t ready to add a huge UFA like Tavares. The timing they had to make a choice and I get it. I said at the time how much I hated the decision.

Here it is now proving to us all why it was the wrong one. Yes he’s a hell of player but he destroyed the cap structure on the team. Leafs should of re signed their core before going after Tavares.

That should of been priority number one not getting another high priced forward. It arguably took away 3 years of us being competitive. Can’t even imagine what the Marner contract will look like either. Fact is also Tavares was a luxury not a need at all.

Doubt Matthews contract looked like this if not for Tavares.

Reported asks for Marner 9X8 and Matthews 12.34*8 in the summer (although Matthews there was a lot of different insider opinions on what the number in the summer was but either way it was 8 years.)

As any trade will net assets and we could win said trade. As well we have Tavares. This statement completely fails Im sorry I think you are premature on this judgement.

 

[nick942]

Look at the Islanders defensively this year compared to last year. The biggest problem with the Leaf's defensive system isn't the personnel, it's the coaching staff.

 

[AejonStarkgaryen]

Look at the Islanders defensively this year compared to last year. The biggest problem with the Leaf's defensive system isn't the personnel, it's the coaching staff.

I get the point you're trying to make. But lets say the Islanders go out in the 2nd round instead of the first like the leafs did. Does it all really matter? Would you be happy with Babs and the coaching staff if we had a 2nd round exit instead of the first?
Would you also be happy with the product on the ice and our offensive players playing a more sound defensive game and say dropping 25% of their offensive production from previous years?
Does Freddy freeze the puck instead of playing it leading to the first goal in game 7 if we had Trotz?
Does Jake not do the same mistakes we've seen him do since day one even before Babs leading to another goal if we had Trotz?
Do 4 players who look like they are writing on the ice with crayons with the way they were swinging their sticks not happen if we had Trotz?

A part of me agrees with you and what you said. But let's not act like the personnel didn't make their share of the mistakes. I'm pretty sure Babs or any other coach in the world never drawn up any play that led to those mistakes.

 

[TML11]

The last 3 cup winners were all built on great scoring and goaltending with a shoddy D system. Its been the winning formula.

I disagree, sorry.

 

[Community]

I disagree, sorry.

Do you think Pittsburghs defense was good? Or do you just mean the system they use needs to be good. The one year their best dman was Hainsey...

It is all about a proper defensive system where the forwards and dmen work well to cover for one another. Then elite goalie and elitr forwards.

In a good defensive system, elite foreards will still find a way to score.

 

[hector morrison]

Bottom line.
We will not win the cup without a good D system.
This is what we are missing.
The forwards can fly all game long IF they know they have a D that will shut down the blue line...they rely on the Goalie and that isn't the way it's done.

Looking at this years crop of 'Cup contenders' ...there doesn't appear to be a hard cast formula for assembling a winning team.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Looking at this years crop of 'Cup contenders' ...there doesn't appear to be a hard cast formula for assembling a winning team.

Oh no it has to be 5 years or it s rushed

 

[Community]

yeah; my point is , if they had a better D, then the Forwards would be easier to let fly !

Forwards and defense covering/suppoeting the other in each zone is more important than having good defensemen if the last 3 cup winners have shown us anything.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

The teams defensive capabilities from top to bottom is horse crap. That's the biggest issue

 

[TML11]

Looking at this years crop of 'Cup contenders' ...there doesn't appear to be a hard cast formula for assembling a winning team.

well that's true too. except I think Bruins win this year--makes me want to vomit

 

[JSn0w93]

We're fine. If theres one thing I'm never going to criticize the team for us acquiring elite talent while giving up no assets except cap space. It's frustrating to not have success with a good team and players making big money, but it will come. We pushed a great team to the limit and in my opinion lost due to tactical error (coaching) and the Kadri suspension didn't help us.

We're in a good spot, people need to realize it's better to have problems like how are we going to pay Marner than not have a player like Marner to pay.

 

[IPS]

We're fine. If theres one thing I'm never going to criticize the team for us acquiring elite talent while giving up no assets except cap space. It's frustrating to not have success with a good team and players making big money, but it will come. We pushed a great team to the limit and in my opinion lost due to tactical error (coaching) and the Kadri suspension didn't help us.

We're in a good spot, people need to realize it's better to have problems like how are we going to pay Marner than not have a player like Marner to pay.

That's what keeps me happy.

Our problems on this team are very fixable. We're abundant in a lot of areas that are hard to address.

 

[hfman]

Bottom line.
We will not win the cup without a good D system.
This is what we are missing.
The forwards can fly all game long IF they know they have a D that will shut down the blue line...they rely on the Goalie and that isn't the way it's done.

we're missing players like Tucker Roberts Komarov Polak.. guys who get up in the other teams' faces and stand up to physical opposition... we don't have a single, solitary player like this. All we have is a roster full of mega-talented players who are small, soft and scared. It's why we can't win.

 

[FraumBallard]

Leafs did not rush the rebuild. We're a very good team a season or two away from becoming a great team. We've still got a healthy group of prospects who should make a positive impact soon enough.

If anything, our rebuild got accelerated due to the quality of players we were able to draft and develop in a short period of time.

True.
Well said.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Oh no it has to be 5 years or it s rushed

Yea needed to wait for the next elite franchise centre to go on the UFA market and willing to take a ~15% discount to play for us.

 

[Nithoniniel]

There was nothing wrong with our rebuild. The only thing we've missed is that late round homerun that most good teams seem to find.

I'm not even sure how we would continue our rebuild? Not play Matthews, Marner, and Nylander in their rookie season? Not acquiring a starting goaltender in decent age when one was actually available? All so we can acquire that one last piece through high draft picks, instead of using one of the many other avenues available.

 

[thewave]

It's ok if we rushed. It's ok if we overpaid players. In Toronto what's another 50 years for a cup. We just love paying for the team with the unique name. Go Leafs Go!