Speculation: Leafs rushed the rebuild

[Joey Hoser]

Took the Capitals 14 years to win their cup, but the Leafs didn't do it in 3 so they did it all wrong.

It's kinda hilarious actually, people trying to say we weren't patient enough, all because we haven't won a cup right away.

 

[Menzinger]

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.

Its certainly a strange idea, I mean you could even make the case they kept Marner and Nylander away from the team longer than they needed too, so this notion of te team rushing things doesnt stand up to much scrutiny

You raise an interesting point about late round impact players. Not an ssue yet but unfortunately the Leafs drafting as late doesnt look like it'll produce any stars beyond those top 10 picks. Though Sandin and Liljgren may challenge that

 

[Joey Hoser]

You raise an interesting point about late round impact players. Not an ssue yet but unfortunately the Leafs drafting as late doesnt look like it'll produce any stars beyond those top 10 picks. Though Sandin and Liljgren may challenge that

Well, if any of our later-round picks surprisingly turn into stars, we won't really know it until they do. That's kinda how that works.

 

[Menzinger]

Well, if any of our later-round picks surprisingly turn into stars, we won't really know it until they do. That's kinda how that works.

At the moment its probably safe to say we wont get any from 2014-17 draft cycles. Bracco maybe the wild card here

 

[aingefan]

With emphasis on slow-cooking prospects, it’s hard to say, but, from:
2014-Engvall’s trajectory is still good
2015-Bracco, you mentioned, Dermott’s a strong pick, Lindgren is tracking well
2016- Woll and Brooks are tracking well, Korshkov is here.
2017- Scott is tracking well, toolsy/big D...maybe
2018- early returns are pretty good on 5 guys outside of the first round, and another impressed enough to earn an ELC.
Add in Durzi and Grundstrom moved.
14 and 17....not as strong as 15,16, and 18.

 

[francis246]

Again I don’t think we rushed it, but we didn’t address key issues. Lou didn’t get us a RHD and neither did Dubas. I think we needed a RHD. Either they needed to trade for one or Liljegren should have been brought up for the playoffs.

Secondly coaching this year has been awful. Babcock made no adjustments. If we are going to win he has to make adjustments on the fly and not fall in love with matchup stuff. Just try and win at all costs

 

[francis246]

Additionally we have tough decisions to make. We need to let Hainsey and Marleau go. Trade Johnsson for a picks or a quality damn. And call up Liljegren and Bracco (both are ready). We need those young ELC players.

 

[TDotMassive]

Took the Capitals 14 years to win their cup, but the Leafs didn't do it in 3 so they did it all wrong.

It's kinda hilarious actually, people trying to say we weren't patient enough, all because we haven't won a cup right away.

Perfectly wrapped up in this statement.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

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.

Some would argue that adding Tavares didn't address our problems at D, and will ultimately trigger cap problems.

IDK - real hard to say or conclude anything, but that is something that could be said that at least warrants some thought. Regardless, might not have any impact many years from now.

 

[Dayjobdave]

Seems to be lots of good young talent on the Marlies.

The big club is young, and is a contender.

I’ve been watching the Leafs since the 60 s. This is the first rebuild they didn’t rush.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Nylander signs above market value
Matthews signs above market value
Marner wants to get paid Matthews money

Why can't we have nice things?

Because Dubas is weaksauce.

 

[Racer88]

The rush was signing Tavares when he was the last person the rebuild needed.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

They weren’t ready to add a huge UFA like Tavares.

Their GM was an inexperienced newbie.

The mistake was, Dubas failing to take the "gamble" of signing Marner and AM this summer while their prices were still reasonably low.

inexperience.

 

[Leafs87]

Their GM was an inexperienced newbie.


inexperience.

Holy bump!

Imagine how Marner would be viewed at 9 for another 2 years vs 11 as a pending UFA.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

No, there is never a bad time to add a guy like Tavares.

Apparently, there was and we found it.

10/10 thread btw.

Way to dig up this chestnut.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Took the Capitals 14 years to win their cup, but the Leafs didn't do it in 3 so they did it all wrong.

It's kinda hilarious actually, people trying to say we weren't patient enough, all because we haven't won a cup right away.

This comment is so LOL now.

 

[ruaware41]

No, there is never a bad time to add a guy like Tavares.

yes, I also wish the leafs had fewer good players

Lol get a grip

everything about the energy including the dumb wording to justify it, petty sarcasm and full of it tone as well as how pervasive it is seeing the reactions is precisely why this fanbase doesn’t deserve f*** all and never learns their lesson. I had argued with countless people on here (ignore join date) and none of them remotely cared about sticking to what they whined they wanted the org to do for a decade and were very happy with doing what they wanted the team to get away from.

 

[ruaware41]

I screamed about this... SCREAMED about it... after the leafs 7 rookie team snuck into the playoffs. This was less than ONE year after we were told to "prepare for pain". I said that the rebuild WASN'T done. That we needed to improve our defensive prospect depth. But that MLSE wouldn't be able to control themselves and the rebuild would be over. And then (OF COURSE) the Marleau contract was signed, sealing our fate.

MLSE will never be able to not see the short term playoff profit margin. It will never go away. EVER.

And now we got too good too quickly, inflating our young players stats, making them sign for unprecedented numbers. This rebuild got royally f***ed up. Most leaf fans won't accept it yet. We've already been through so much, and they just can't accpet it. But they will. We pay unproven players far FAR too much money right now, and we won't be able to acquire the depth to make deep playoff runs.

felt the same way brother very well said amazing post. if shanny had any iq as a manager he’d read this post, see the date, and hire you in a part time consultant role. I can respect your experience watching this core over the years fail repeatedly because unlike management and most of this fanbase you had enough emotional maturity and wisdom to stick by the principles everyone claimed they wanted for so long.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Go look at all the picks gone next 2 drafts. Go look at all the picks traded and for what? It wasn't rushed, it was blown up. Kadri for spare parts. Then the boring apologists cry because we can't pay Marner as we have no backend. They need a reset. If I'm the Leafs I'm looking for young, cheap, NHL ready for Marner.

 

[Craig Button]

They didn't rush the rebuild.
They just didn't do a good job.

we have a 2 year window to build a Stanley cup contender before Matthews asks for a trade.

I can't see why a 29 year old Matthews would continue to be a leaf if the organization failed to build a contender.

retain 50% the final 2 years of Matthews contract and we should get a significant return.
Matthews at a $6.6 Cap hit for 2 years is pretty sweet for a contender to pass up.

Marner, Tavares and Matthews all need to go for their own sake.

not trading Nylander last year was a mistake.

 

[keonsbitterness]

If I'm the Leafs I'm looking for young, cheap, NHL ready for Marner.

The team that gets Marner has to pay him at least $11m. Leafs may have to take back an expiring contract or two to get a young player(s) back.

 

[I am Canadian]

To this day I will defend the decision to lock up the core.
The cap was going up, they would have easily extended Hyman and had plenty of cap for another good defender or two. Covid completely screwed them.

I won't defend not moving one of Marner/Nylander way earlier. It was very dumb to walk back this core after the Columbus and then Habs series.

 

[darrylsittler27]

The team that gets Marner has to pay him at least $11m. Leafs may have to take back an expiring contract or two to get a young player(s) back.

I doubt he takes $11m. He will get $12m on the open market if hits Ufa.

 

[thewave]

Some of us were spot on about this stuff. Thanks for the memory lane bump.

 

[hobarth]

Lou Lam was the problem, he had tons of $s to upgrade the roster because the young stars were on ELCs but he didn't know how, his 3 years at the helm were a total waste.