TheBeastCoast
Registered User
I mean…we need to score more in the playoffs. Our PK also needs to be fixed. This isn’t an either or situation. Our special teams need to be better generally speaking.
Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign defenceman Jani Hakanpää (1 year, $1.47M) (official)
- Thread starter SprDaVE
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Because the rebuild was completely botched from the get go, and now that they have 53% of the cap spent on “scoring” that has shown they don’t have the skill to play in the post season and certainly haven’t prioritize it they’re left with hoping they find the right scraps.
Until they blow it up this is model.
I don't disagree, we just brought in someone specifically for the PK and defending last year and he sucked and didn't help.
This may help the PK but hurts the scoring issue.
When you sign #6 Ds who can't move the puck up ice, it is hard to score because you are defending a lot.
Also, the only players scoring are the star players, what we spend on depth scoring is not that bad, our goalies are very cheap, for reference, Florida spent $9 million more on goaltending last year, which basically voids Marner's contract and we still can't find depth.
Treliving spent over $50 million, he had a chance to change things, but he chose not to.
We've had this issue for multiple GMs, this isn't specifically Treliving, but depth scoring is always bad and every year we focus on D.
- Dec 12, 2017
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45%, 48%, 53% spent on 4 guys. Lead by Auston Matthews. Seriously, what more do you expect?
They are PPG over the last few seasons (minus Tavares), and we spend almost nothing on goaltending... should be able to find depth scoring, we need it.
Seriously, do you know what other teams are spending?
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
Our issue was mostly related to PP running bone dry. OEL should help on that front. Why are you expecting the 6th/7th defensemen to fix our powerplay? That is an unrealistic expectation. Different players fill different holes.
HamiltonNHL
Parity era hockey is just puck luck + draft luck
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To me the partial blow up is not signing Marner.
JT for stupid cheap is fine, but I prefer not.
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Yes, they desperately need good players and have for years. They prematurely believed they had them and quit the rebuild prior to fully evaluating their talents. Consequently they were left with holes all through the organization. 8 yrs ago they had 6-8 of them, today they have 4-6.?
Ianturnedbull
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They hope that Cowan can replace Marner, but it’ll take a year or three of growth.
But it’ll always be hard to win big with both Matthews and Nylander in the lineup.
ULF_55
Moderator
Yeah, and people were lowballing how much Edmondson would get ... 4*$3.85mm.
Scoring looks like it has to come from player development. It isn't like you can ask 40 and 60 goal scorers to pick up the pace.
Some teams bring in PP specialists as bottom pairing guys, bottom pairing is not exclusive to just being defensive trees, not saying that we should do that, it'd just be nice to get some contribution from depth at some point and have some D with offensive ability (I actually think we've improved on this but the bar was low from last year).
Edmundson sucked, good for him for cashing in after a terrible playoff.
Scoring might come from development, we are entering a time where we have legit prospects, Hunter screwed us.
The good players are performing like good players recently (they have bad series here and there).
Our issues have continually been depth scoring and special teams.
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
Couldn’t we in theory have OEL as our 3rd pair left defensemen? That’s pretty much exactly what you are looking for I would think.
ULF_55
Moderator
Yes, OEL helps, but I am saying there has been a constant of "We need the top guys to perform better, and we need better D".
Our issue in every playoff has been depth scoring (except the year we played the best — 2022 and the year we exited the first round).
OEL helps to address puck movement and so does Tanev to an extent.
I don't know that OEL is better than Rielly on the PP, we shall see, a point shot doesn't solve everything.
For the most part, the D moves were good, I just am pointing out that Hakanpaa is redundant with Benoit, and he helps in some areas and hurts in others.
We have an expensive 7th and 8th D and an expensive 13th forward, as well as a questionable #6 with a bad knee.
I have also said this signing is not a big deal, just not 100% sure it will end up being a good one, and now Benoit is not needed.
rumman
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Rare Jewel
Patience
ULF_55
Moderator
rumman
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ULF_55
Moderator
I'd say 1st. pair is set, everyone else is going to have to slot in based on performance.
They have 7 NHL defenders, and Timmins.
Going down to 6, with Hakanpaa, in my opinion, isn't an option they'll likely take.
Mess
Global Moderator
You might well see him running Leafs #1PP unit as the PP QB, replacing Rielly.
That's definitely the plan and it'll be a huge disappointment if he doesn't. We're way too easy to gameplan with virtually no point threat.
Thankfully Keefe is gone, who probably would have gone back to Mo the moment OEL turned the puck over at the blueline
rumman
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Sure, Domi, Knies, Bert were decent, but they need help from the high priced players, if they want to win.
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