Re-tooling For One More Run With This Core

[Nylanderthal]

Rielly scored, but I count him as part of the core anyway. Those guys make up 60% of the cap next year, so it their offence isn’t enough, we’re in trouble.



The problem with all those internal changes is they aren’t really changes. It’s just a bunch of new soft/small skill.

None of Steeves Anderson Douglas or Lilly would be considered soft, plus you’d still add to the group

 

[Dreakmur]

Watch better… what an asinine response.
The Leafs could have been more physical, it tapered off a bit as the series wore on from where it started, but they did not play soft or weak. And it wasn’t why they lost

It’s why their depth couldn’t score and Tampa’s could.

None of Steeves Anderson Douglas or Lilly would be considered soft, plus you’d still add to the group

Steeves and Anderson are feisty, but they’re still sub-6 foot and sub-200 pounds. We need to add at least 2 - but ideally 3 - forwards with some size and aggressiveness.

 

[Sypher04]

It’s why their depth couldn’t score and Tampa’s could.

I’m certainly not against getting more physically aggressive bottom 6 players, but there is no reason Mikheyev and Engvall should have been as ineffective as they ended up being. They just didn’t show up to play

 

[Dreakmur]

I’m certainly not against getting more physically aggressive bottom 6 players, but there is no reason Mikheyev and Engvall should have been as ineffective as they ended up being. They just didn’t show up to play

They didn’t show up because it was too physical for them.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

Here's your re-tool...

 

[Sypher04]

They didn’t show up because it was too physical for them.

Disagree.

 

[Dreakmur]

Disagree.

So why did we lose?

 

[Koolboss]

After setting a franchise record for points in the regular season, before making their same routine exit in round one, I find myself interested in seeing one more run with this core, provided some coaching and roster changes are made in an attempt to get the mix right. I'd love to hear everyone's plan in depth. Here is mine...

Trade Them
Alexander Kerfoot (3.5 million)
Jake Muzzin (5.6 million)
Justin Holl (2.0 million)
Petr Mrazek (3.8 million)

Let Them Walk / Retire
Ilya Mikheyev (1.6 million)
Ondrej Kase (1.25 million)
Jason Spezza (750k)

Re-sign Them
Mark Giordano (1× 1.0 million)
Jack Campbell (3x 4.0 million)
Ilya Lyubushkin (2× 2.0 million)
Timothy Liljegren (3x 3.0 million)
Rasmus Sandin (2x 1.5 million)
Colin Blackwell (1x 900k)
Pierre Engvall (2x 1.75 million)

New Money
Phil Kessel's cap retention (1.2 million)
Salary cap increase (1.0 million)

Roster Forwards
C #1: Auston Matthews (11.6 million)
C #2: John Tavares (11.0 million)
C #3: David Kampf (1.5 million)
C #4: Addition
RW #1: Mitch Marner (10.9 million)
RW #2: William Nylander (7.0 million)
RW #3: Addition
RW #4: Colin Blackwell (900k)
LW #1: Addition
LW #2: Michael Bunting (900k)
LW #3: Pierre Engvall (1.75 million)
LW #4: Addition
13th Forward: Wayne Simmonds (900k)
14th Forward: Kyle Clifford (763k)

Roster Defense
LD #1: Morgan Rielly (7.5 million)
LD #2: Mark Giordano (1.0 million)
LD #3: TJ Brodie (5.0 million)
RD #1: Addition
RD #2: Timothy Liljegren (3.0 million)
RD #3 Ilya Lyubushkin (2.0 million)
7th Dman: Rasmus Sandin (1.5 million)

Roster Goalies
Jack Campbell (4.0 million)
Addition

Total estimated Cap Hit: 71.2 million
Total remaining Salary Cap: 11.3 million

- IMO, this team needs to add a physical, top 6, power forward to play alongside Matthews and Marner, allowing Bunting to slide down to the 2nd line, where he would be a natural fit. I would expect this forward to cost in the $3.0-4.0 million range.

- IMO, this team requires a long term, steady, shutdown partner for Morgan Rielly. A natural RHD that will allow Brodie to play further down the lineup.

- There are numerous players in the system, on ELCs, that should get an opportunity to cheaply fill out some of the bottom 6 roster spots. The 5 names that come to mind include Nick Robertson, Nick Abruzzese, Joey Anderson, Pontus Holmberg and Alex Steeves. I expect at least 2 of those players will make the opening day roster in 2022.

- I think that Toronto will likely stick with Jack Campbell in goal, unless someone unexpected comes available. That said, it's imperative that Mrazek is replaced, with a cheap, solid backup, who has played meaningful games in the NHL. I'm expecting Campbell to cost a little bit of money, therefore, I'd hope that the backup comes in under $2.0 million.

- If the correct addition is made to the defense core, I really like the group on paper. Not only do I think the mix is right, I love the 7 man depth of that group, allowing some of the guys in the system to keep cooking and Sandin to rotate in regularly, keeping everyone fresh. I'd hope the addition they make costs between $3.0-$4.0 million and is a natural RHD.

No

 

[Nylanderthal]

It’s why their depth couldn’t score and Tampa’s could.



Steeves and Anderson are feisty, but they’re still sub-6 foot and sub-200 pounds. We need to add at least 2 - but ideally 3 - forwards with some size and aggressiveness.

I don’t disagree that the team needs to add a few north south effective big bodies, but those guys and the young guys coming can coexist, it’s just been too many of the kerfoot Blackwell Kase or Clifford & Simmonds types, you can have a mix, definitely not multiples of each of that type though. A bottom end of the forward group with kampf, Blackwell, one of steeves or Anderson and two guys like Paul, Greenway or one of the FA options that provide what we’re all looking for is very different then the current group

 

[hamzarocks]

Here's your re-tool...

Not that desperate yet thank God

Fine with 100 1st round losses than seeing that bitch play for the leafs.

Keep him away. He'd cost a lot because he's an amazing player (marner straight maybe) but naw no thanks to him or any Bruins core piece for that matter

 

[pcruz]

Here's your re-tool...

Do you have any clue how expensive he would be to acquire?

I hate the guy with a passion, but if he were to put on a Leafs jersey, he would instantly become beloved like Tucker was and still is.
Perry is another guy who falls into the same category - someone who makes me want to punch the screen, but who would look oh so good in a Leafs uniform.

 

[keonsbitterness]

"One more run with this core"...only in Toronto

San Jose ran Marleau and Thornton for like 15 years. I think there's a a ten-year window in there if you add Burns, Couture, Pavelski and Vlasic.

 

[kevsh]

IMO, this team needs to add a physical, top 6, power forward to play alongside Matthews and Marner

I don't believe that the answer is surrounding our stars with guys that play playoff hockey or they need to add toughness, etc. This team will never win a round, ever, if the $40 million guys don't learn to go to the tough areas themselves.

The past 3 series have proven that all you need to do is take away shooting lanes in front of the net and this team is content to stay to the outside and pray something gets through. Unless that changes, adding prime Darcy Tucker on Matthew's wing isn't going to make a difference.

It's also lets those $40M guys off the hook: "Just give us a guy who can bang in the corners and rush to the net so we don't have to." Enough of that. The best players find it in themselves to adapt, and these four, clearly after all the similar-looking failures still haven't figured it out or they simply are unwilling.

 

[Nylanderthal]

Don't know what to tell you, watch better.
Sure they played somewhat more aggressive this year than prior years but not enough, too many passengers.

And so the idea to improve on too many passengers is to trade out a core guy and dilute the talent even further?

 

[RoadWarrior]

I run this team back minus a few players. Took 2x cup champ to game 7 and outside of horrendous officiating in game 6 probably would have won the series in 6 games and we wouldn't be having any of this talk.

Kerfoot, Holl, Marazek all moved to free up cap space. Re-tool the 4th line with younger players and keep Spezza as the 13th forward who plays half 3/4 of the games to stay fresh for the playoffs.

"Running it back" is going to produce another game 7 loss next season as it has for the last 5 straight seasons. 2022 wasn't some kind of anomaly. It's the norm with this group. They need a shake up and since the leafs are in cap trouble that means a coaching change at a minimum and a big trade of one of the core 4 which is likely Nylander for another top six player with more compete and jam.

Kerfoot, Holl and Mrazek should be gone but all that does is give you just enough space to re-sign Campbell or a 1A goalie.

 

[Nylanderthal]

I don't believe that the answer is surrounding our stars with guys that play playoff hockey or they need to add toughness, etc. This team will never win a round, ever, if the $40 million guys don't learn to go to the tough areas themselves.

The past 3 series have proven that all you need to do is take away shooting lanes in front of the net and this team is content to stay to the outside and pray something gets through. Unless that changes, adding prime Darcy Tucker on Matthew's wing isn't going to make a difference.

It's also lets those $40M guys off the hook: "Just give us a guy who can bang in the corners and rush to the net so we don't have to." Enough of that. The best players find it in themselves to adapt, and these four, clearly after all the similar-looking failures still haven't figured it out or they simply are unwilling.

Each one of those big ticket guys matched or surpassed their regular season output, the game always clogs up and becomes about taking away shooting lanes in the post season, and they still produced.
The difference was that this team was let down in net and from the bottom end of the forward group, aside from kampf and Blackwell they got SFA from the bottom end. Tampa got results from their support guys when they needed it, Toronto didn’t.

 

[Hoglund4MvP]

So why did we lose?

If he disagrees he's actually being more harsh than you.

It's worse to be able to survive in a physical setting but choose to not show up versus not playing well because you're incapable of surviving in a physical setting.

No way we can trust them for a 4th time. Time to cut.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Each one of those big ticket guys matched or surpassed their regular season output, the game always clogs up and becomes about taking away shooting lanes in the post season, and they still produced.
The difference was that this team was let down in net and from the bottom end of the forward group, aside from kampf and Blackwell they got SFA from the bottom end. Tampa got results from their support guys when they needed it, Toronto didn’t.

And so the idea to improve on too many passengers is to trade out a core guy and dilute the talent even further?

To re-allocate the cap because the the 3 11 million players and WN taking up so much cap has worked so well!? We didn't get support from the bottom 6 but Dubas should be absolved of that too

 

[ACC1224]

San Jose ran Marleau and Thornton for like 15 years. I think there's a a ten-year window in there if you add Burns, Couture, Pavelski and Vlasic.

How did that work out?

 

[keonsbitterness]

How did that work out?

No Cups but better than us.

My bigger point is that most teams hold on to their best players long-term in hopes for a breakthrough.

 

[supermann_98]

San Jose ran Marleau and Thornton for like 15 years. I think there's a a ten-year window in there if you add Burns, Couture, Pavelski and Vlasic.

San Jose didn't win a whole lot with that "run it back" philosophy. There are definitely parallels with our team and that San Jose core, specifically with Thornton's ineptitude come playoff time and our top guys, as both have that hard-to-define unclutch, loser gene

 

[keonsbitterness]

San Jose didn't win a whole lot with that "run it back" philosophy. There are definitely parallels with our team and that San Jose core, specifically with Thornton's ineptitude come playoff time and our top guys, as both have that hard-to-define unclutch, loser gene

That's definitely a fair comparison. I just think it's likely the Leafs will not move on from Matthews, Marner or Nylander any time soon assuming there is no problem re-signing them.

 

[BlueBaron]

The OP is a lot to unpack.

Kase is an Rfa and should stay.

Mrazek is probably traded with a 2nd give or take.

Black might be doable at a mil but he played well and might get plucked for higher in someone's lineup.

Campbell....let's just leave that at it's complicated. No to your offer.

We will see what Bush costs but he can't get real money or he's gone. 2mil max.

Holl is gone.

You overpaid Timmy.

Gio might Spezza us or he's gone.

Spezza stays if he wants to.

Think we're stuck with Muzzin.

Mixed feelings about Kerfoot. He's our 5th best forward, sorry Bunting.

Should be an interesting summer with few changes except in goal.

 

[Zanks]

I'll run it back...

With Marner, Reilly and Muzzin in Calgary...and Matthews and Holl in Ottawa.

Brady Tkachuk - Tavares - Nylander (26m)
Bunting - Kadri - Matthew Tkachuk (17m)
Bunting - Kampf - E Kane (6m)
Engvall - Blackwell - Kase (4m)

Chabot - R Andersson (12.5m)
TJ Brodie - Liljegren (6.5m)
Sandin - Lyubushkin (2.5m)

Ville Husso (3m)
Mrazek (3.8m)

 

[LMFAO]

Trade Kerfoot, graduate Steeves to take his spot, sign Nick Paul for 4 x 3.5M

His skillset is more needed for this club than Kerfoot.


Also try to acquire a Ryan Lomberg type player, team really needs this.