Locker Clean-out Day

[hamzarocks]

The more I think about it I wonder why would qny UFA want to come to Toronto

The pressure will be insanely high, the reward isn't worth it with the high taxes and the fact this team is unable to win


Coleman, Schwartz, Palmeri etc they all have better options available to them on teams with a realistic shot of winning a round.

If I were a ufa I'd stay away from Toronto at this point. They're just not a organization you can trust to take the steps needed to become a winner

 

[Transplanted Caper]

They're pro athletes. You're getting rote answers for the most part, I wouldn't read too much into that, one way or the other.

 

[hamzarocks]

Seems like they will just get asked stupid questions like the players.

Were there really any hard hitting and thoughtful questions that made them have to give a cogent answer about what they did wrong, or were they just
not-so-subtle jabs about them.

Definately the second. I'm finding that this presser is just a formality right now and the answers being given are just standard PR stuff with the players basically repeating themselves after the loss to CBJ.

Feels like a waste of time to be honest.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Honestly this one f***ing pissed me off. I have not heard or seen the interviews myself so I will not rush to judgement on it. But I just cannot for the life of me understand how anything would be cause for laughter at this point. And if Auston genuinely thinks that they can underperform in the playoffs with that regularity and still think that nothing will happen that's a major major problem. Makes my blood boil to be honest. From the shit I've read on twitter Mitch and Auston more or less feel sorry for themselves, and are not showing any accountability or remorse. Really disappointed

 

[Amadeus]

Hoping we can nab someone like Chris Tierney for our 3rd line as a C to replace Kerfoot if he's lost.

I won't be bringing any of Foligno, Thornton and Simmonds back. I wasn't impressed with Foligno at all and yes, small sample size, but I'd like to get someone durable.

Let's just see who we can promote from within.

 

[Mats13]

When are Dubas and Shanahan speaking to the media?

 

[TopChedder]

The more I think about it I wonder why would qny UFA want to come to Toronto

The pressure will be insanely high, the reward isn't worth it with the high taxes and the fact this team is unable to win


Coleman, Schwartz, Palmeri etc they all have better options available to them on teams with a realistic shot of winning a round.

If I were a ufa I'd stay away from Toronto at this point. They're just not a organization you can trust to take the steps needed to become a winner

I don't view it that way at all. Players talk and love playing here, the team jumped through cap gymnastics to improve the team (players see that) and we are a historically relevant franchise in a great diverse city (and not Raleigh or Zona)

Many places have highish taxes, and the variables of how the tax is structured for athletes is very complex.

We have good standing with players overseas and in North America.

 

[TopChedder]

When are Dubas and Shanahan speaking to the media?

4 I believe.

 

[Mats13]

Honestly this one f***ing pissed me off. I have not heard or seen the interviews myself so I will not rush to judgement on it. But I just cannot for the life of me understand how anything would be cause for laughter at this point. And if Auston genuinely thinks that they can underperform in the playoffs with that regularity and still think that nothing will happen that's a major major problem. Makes my blood boil to be honest. From the shit I've read on twitter Mitch and Auston more or less feel sorry for themselves, and are not showing any accountability or remorse. Really disappointed

Did you expect him to say he wants his teammates and close friends traded?

 

[Gallagbi]

The more I think about it I wonder why would qny UFA want to come to Toronto

The pressure will be insanely high, the reward isn't worth it with the high taxes and the fact this team is unable to win


Coleman, Schwartz, Palmeri etc they all have better options available to them on teams with a realistic shot of winning a round.

If I were a ufa I'd stay away from Toronto at this point. They're just not a organization you can trust to take the steps needed to become a winner

The reward.

If someone is scared of pressure, they aren't a fit here. It's really that simple

 

[robertmac43]

The more I think about it I wonder why would qny UFA want to come to Toronto

Don't agree at all. People want to play here as has been seen the past couple of years. Also, Dubas has proven he will trade you if the team no longer has a fit for you. If you're a UFA, it may be nice to have that kind of security, you won't be trapped in the minors or in the press box.

 

[Gabriel426]

Hoping we can nab someone like Chris Tierney for our 3rd line as a C to replace Kerfoot if he's lost.

I won't be bringing any of Foligno, Thornton and Tavares back. I wasn't impressed with Foligno at all and yes, small sample size, but I'd like to get someone durable.

Let's just see who we can promote from within.

Tavares is signed for another 4 yrs.

 

[TopChedder]

Unless Marner gets stronger (mentally and physically) plus develops a better shot, he is a complete liability in the playoffs.

You don't spend 10.9 million on that.

 

[Gallagbi]

Did you expect him to say he wants his teammates and close friends traded?

Or stick to the expected script, I can understand how the "laughing it off" is frustrating

I'm sure the PR guys had something less frustrating and the panel was throwing some heat his way for the laughing during scrums that ultimately made him look silly, so it's a bit of a consistent theme

 

[hamzarocks]

The reward.

If someone is scared of pressure, they aren't a fit here. It's really that simple

But where is the reward? This team has all the elite talent in the world yet they've shown those guys can't step up and play to their role come playoffs.

The depth guys we get would know that they're not expected to be stars but if the main guys like 16 and 34 fail to show up then who's doing the heavy lifting and scoring? If the pressure comes to a guy like Coleman or Hoffman would they want to be here? They could join teams whose stars show up and produce and play a role that they are comfortable with rather than being asked to do to much.

Coleman is a guy who Tampa would probably love to bring back and he'd love to be there considering how great Point, Kuch, Cirelli, Palat and Stamkos(kind of) are. The only bad break for them is Tampa is capped out already

 

[Amadeus]

Tavares is signed for another 4 yrs.

Whoops I meant to write Simmonds.

 

[Trapper]

As I understand it we are going to do the same thing and expect different results.

That pretty much sums it up.
Get ready for attempt no. 6

 

[cupcrazyman]

If we trade rielly and don't bring back a comparable fast skating and great transitioning defenseman our defense will be proving no support to the forwards and we already know how bad those chokers are come playoffs.

Don't even have the draft lotto to look forward to like last year after the loss to CBJ

We have 1 second round pick in the first 4 rounds with nothing to show for.

To quote another poster. "We'll probably draft some 5'6" Russian player nobody has ever heard of with that 2nd. "

 

[nuck]

Did you expect him to say he wants his teammates and close friends traded?

It does come off as though he doesn't think he and Mitch were big contributors to the fail though. Kind of a dumb question IMO. hoping to get a hot take reaction.

 

[hamzarocks]

Don't agree at all. People want to play here as has been seen the past couple of years. Also, Dubas has proven he will trade you if the team no longer has a fit for you. If you're a UFA, it may be nice to have that kind of security, you won't be trapped in the minors or in the press box.

I'm talking about a impact ufa should have been clear not guys like Barabonov, Lethenon, Leivo. I agree well still get those guys but uts more so due to them seeing Toronto as a great city and an option to get league wide exposure if they're a hit. They are also super cheap deals

Guys like Schwartz, Coleman, Hoffman, Palmieri, Hall, Saad etc

These are guys that are guaranteed top 9 players on any team. If they're in the press box than coaching is failing to do their job. These guys with the exception of Hall are all secondary support pieces.

I was wondering why they'd chose to come to Toronto when other teams have shown they can win in the playoffs and that their abilities can be better utilized on a team that has core players which can produce in the playoffs.

These guys would be taking on way to pressure coming here and being asked to basically win us a series

 

[IranCondraAffair]

Why would Matthews give a shit about fan complaints to trade one of the big-4?

He knows it isnt happening. Management will never do anything to piss them off, they have no power. They proved that when they fired Babcock.

Fans have no power, without some massive boycott (which will never happen in a fanbase as big as the Leafs) management will never do anything.

Media cant say anything or the Leafs will just f*** with their media access.

Marner isnt going anywhere. Matthews isnt worried because it is an empty threat. You cant create accountability when you have no leverage.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Definately the second. I'm finding that this presser is just a formality right now and the answers being given are just standard PR stuff with the players basically repeating themselves after the loss to CBJ.

Feels like a waste of time to be honest.

Well I mean if the media is just taking shots at them, why should they dignify them with a response?

Ask them what they are going to do differently... And if they can't give a good answer or say something like "We are going to work harder", then press them on that. "You said you were going to work harder each of the past 4 years and it hasn't yielded results... Do you have anything more concrete that you want to work on that you think will actually lead to success?"

Taking jabs at players is a waste of time. They clearly feel bad about losing. Get them to genuinely think about things for once.

 

[TheGreatOne11]

As I understand it we are going to do the same thing and expect different results.

That pretty much sums it up.
Get ready for attempt no. 6

Minor tweaks but i doubt anything earth shattering happens, we are riding or dying with this core. Tavares was out which was a huge loss, and next season we will have a more capable 3rd and 4th line I'd imagine, and just hope the boys get over these playoff demons and perform next post season.

Took a long time for Ovie to get there, they are getting their experience and hopefully they learn more after every year of heartbreak and come back stronger.

I like that Matthews after the game 7 loss said to Campbell we will do this together. As in win. My anger over the game 7 loss has subsided and now we just wait for next year with hopefully a mentally stronger team and better depth players.

If we play up to our capabilities as a team. We can go far. My mind hasn't changed about that. We just didn't this year. As the age old saying goes.

Better luck next year.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

We have 1 second round pick in the first 4 rounds with nothing to show for.

To quote another poster. "We'll probably draft some 5'6" Russian player nobody has ever heard of with that 2nd. "

Alex Kisakov is getting a lot of hype. 5'9" but plays hard

 

[robertmac43]

I was wondering why they'd chose to come to Toronto when other teams have shown they can win in the playoffs and that their abilities can be better utilized on a team that has core players which can produce in the playoffs.

I think they would probably look at it as an amazing opportunity to help some young stars figure it out. Imagine being a solid player and getting the opportunity to play with Marner and Matthews? They are not rejecting that.