NHL Talk Miscellaneous NHL Discussion CIII: 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs for Thee

[Sombastate]

Matthews is the Embiid of the NHL. Fantastic player. But just doesn't get the results. Not sure who you blame, but the results aren't there

 

[TCTC]

You almost have to feel bad for the Leafs at this point. Coming back from 3-1 down in the series. Taking the lead late in game 7, only to lose it again in OT.

But then again, you just know how unbearable that entitled fanbase will be if they actually win the Cup.

 

[Angry Hockey Dad]

Incredible game 7 OT winner. RIP HF boards

 

[Redpath]

I will forever love the crashing/traffic influx of HFBoards whenever something notable happens with the Leafs.

It is endearing to know that everyone is coming together to gaze at their misery.

 

[FlyerNutter]

Would have been smoked by the Panthers, but a gutsy performance.

Obvious Matthews, and Marner weren’t healthy especially Auston.

It’s crazy, but I would roll it back. Improve the defense core, but that Tavares contract is murder. Legs are shot.

As always, the team will be held to the fire by the media for failure. The Flyers are being gushed over for “culture” after a decade of dogshit.

I’d be the Leafs any day.

 

[GKJ]

If I’m a Flyer, I stay awake at night imagining shaking Dan Hilferty’s hand after a game 7 OT winner. Chills.

Fun fact: Flyers have never had a playoff OT series winner at home.

 

[ponder719]

I wish we had a front office who would abuse Toronto this off-season.

I’m not sure why people think anyone’s abusing that FO this off-season. Literally goddamn everyone on that team next year making $2M+ has some form of trade protection. They’re going to have to run these players out of town at gunpoint if they want them to assent to a deal.

 

[Danko]

Lol. I honestly would have reveled in it if the B's lost as well. Either team losing is a win.

 

[renberg]

Lol. I honestly would have reveled in it if the B's lost as well. Either team losing is a win.

One of them is gone. If Boston plays Florida like they did the last three games against Toronto, they’ll be gone in an embarrassing way themselves. All good in the end

 

[Danko]

Reading the Leafs Post Game Thread and having a beer. Happy Times.

 

[TCTC]

The Leafs core is aging as well. Matthews and Marner will both be 27 next season. Nylander 28. Rielly 30. Not to mention Tavares who already looks like he's well past his prime.

I'd probably trade Marner tbh. He only has one more year on his contract and he's proven to be a pain in the ass in contract negotiations without anything to show for it.

 

[Danko]

I'd probably trade Marner tbh.

Pretty much what many leafs fans are saying.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

All four of Nylander, Matthews, Marner, & Tavares have full NMC’s. So it’s gonna be hard to trade those guys & get what you feel is adequate or better return.

 

[DancingPanther]

The Philadelphia Seventy Leafers

 

[Magua]

I’m not sure why people think anyone’s abusing that FO this off-season. Literally goddamn everyone on that team next year making $2M+ has some form of trade protection. They’re going to have to run these players out of town at gunpoint if they want them to assent to a deal.

Why? Because desperate teams with mediocre GMs do desperate things. I don’t know what’s happening with Marner, although I expect there will be teams calling. But contracts can go in as well as out.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I will forever love the crashing/traffic influx of HFBoards whenever something notable happens with the Leafs.

It is endearing to know that everyone is coming together to gaze at their misery.

Every year for big games and the deadline our admins ask for additional server capacity and it still doesn't matter lol

 

[Angry Hockey Dad]

Everyone is so quick to blame the top 4 but imo it’s defense. Reilly is a 1d but aside from him they are lacking. Adding Lyubushkin and Edmunson didn’t solidly the D core in any way. It would be foolish to trade away Marner and every GM can smell blood in the water. A savvy GM would be low balling on Marner asap.

 

[ponder719]

Why? Because desperate teams with mediocre GMs do desperate things. I don’t know what’s happening with Marner, although I expect there will be teams calling. But contracts can go in as well as out.

That still doesn't resolve the point I was making, which is that they can't do those desperate things without the players' assent. Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, and Rielly have full NMCs, Kampf and Jarnkrok have 10 team NTCs, McCabe has a 7 team NTC, nobody else they'd be willing to move is worth a damn thing, they're on the hook for about $69M for 16 players, and have 4 RFAs and 11 UFAs, counting the players on LTIR. They can, just barely, field a team with players under contract if they resign all their RFAs and don't attempt to replace anyone (well, presuming they're OK with a 12th string minor league goalie as their backup; Woll's the only NHL goalie under contract for next year, so they almost have to sign someone there.)

It's certainly possible that the players get sick of the situation and agree to be shipped out of town, and if that happens, they're probably driving the bus in terms of where they go, so yeah, the value will be wretched. But absent that, they don't have the flexibility to actually blow up their core; they can potentially wait another year for Tavares (and Marner, if they don't extend him) to hit UFA, but for now, they are severely limited unless their players are just done with them.

 

[Deadpool8812]

Hahahaha...Leafs

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Everyone is so quick to blame the top 4 but imo it’s defense. Reilly is a 1d but aside from him they are lacking. Adding Lyubushkin and Edmunson didn’t solidly the D core in any way. It would be foolish to trade away Marner and every GM can smell blood in the water. A savvy GM would be low balling on Marner asap.

Jesus Christ, imagine if the Flyers completely sweep him away. I know Briere isn't that smart but f*** me, I'd go for it.

 

[Magua]

That still doesn't resolve the point I was making, which is that they can't do those desperate things without the players' assent. Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, and Rielly have full NMCs, Kampf and Jarnkrok have 10 team NTCs, McCabe has a 7 team NTC, nobody else they'd be willing to move is worth a damn thing, they're on the hook for about $69M for 16 players, and have 4 RFAs and 11 UFAs, counting the players on LTIR. They can, just barely, field a team with players under contract if they resign all their RFAs and don't attempt to replace anyone (well, presuming they're OK with a 12th string minor league goalie as their backup; Woll's the only NHL goalie under contract for next year, so they almost have to sign someone there.)

It's certainly possible that the players get sick of the situation and agree to be shipped out of town, and if that happens, they're probably driving the bus in terms of where they go, so yeah, the value will be wretched. But absent that, they don't have the flexibility to actually blow up their core; they can potentially wait another year for Tavares (and Marner, if they don't extend him) to hit UFA, but for now, they are severely limited unless their players are just done with them.

I think players waiving their NTCs isn’t ultra rare. Hockey culture is weird. When someone asks to waive their NTC, it’s almost considered dishonorable to do otherwise (Giroux exercising his NTC at the deadline was taken as some grave offense). The team is telling you they don’t want you — some players will take that personally. Marner is a free agent in a year too. Do I think it’s likely? I don’t know, but a good GM is calling. A good GM is also asking shopping Laughton, Ristolainen, etc. to the Leafs.

 

[ponder719]

I think players waiving their NTCs isn’t ultra rare. Hockey culture is weird. When someone asks to waive their NTC, it’s almost considered dishonorable to do otherwise (Giroux exercising his NTC at the deadline was taken as some grave offense). The team is telling you they don’t want you — some players will take that personally. Marner is a free agent in a year too. Do I think it’s likely? I don’t know, but a good GM is calling. A good GM is also asking shopping Laughton, Ristolainen, etc. to the Leafs.

I absolutely agree a good GM is calling.

Whether or not we have one of those, I don't yet know. If we do, I hope he at least waits long enough to confirm that we don't somehow jump up to #2 or #3 in the lottery. (Did my first postseason Tankathon sim just now; Anaheim #1, Philly #2. Good job, me, now we can get the possibility of that happening out of our system.)

My main issue is with the assumption that Toronto is definitely going to be able to blow it up (not just here, that's all I was hearing on hockey Twitter, too.) Sure, it's possible, but I just don't believe it's as much of a done deal that these NMCs will be waived as people think it is. If I'm Marner, frex, I think I'm looking at serving my time and being the biggest prize on next year's FA market, where I can go wherever I damn please for whatever reason pleases me, rather than to whatever specific location piqued Treliving's interest enough to ask me to waive.

The Flyers should absolutely be inquiring, though, even if I don't think Marner's enough to turn this roster around by himself, because we're not going to stumble ass-backwards into talent like Michkov again, so we need to make our own luck.

 

[BritainStix]

Wonder if the leafs would look at a konecny for Marner straight swap.

 

[BernieParent]

What is the benefit of trading for Marner, even if they are paying pennies on the dollar? Zero fit for the "rebuild", the type of big-contract player in whom Brière has said they are not interested, and Tortorella would hate him.

 

[Chinatown88]

Woke up to see the Laffs lost in OT. Sucks to be them.