Confirmed with Link: Shanahan, Dubas, Keefe all staying

[ShaneFalco]

The team has gotten better since Keefe has taken over, he has an excellent record so far and had led the team to a historical season. Playoff success doesn’t happen overnight.

No apparently it takes 6 years of first round exits which is historical

It’s also stubborn and egotistical.

One of these years they’ll break through and win a round and we’ll get the ‘see we just needed patience’ garbage thrown at us when in reality they’re just wasting the prime years of the best young core the team has ever had.

A rookie President hiring a Rookie GM hiring a Rookie Coach was always a bad idea. This has been proven to be true every off season.

The 3 Stooges wasting the most talented team ee've had

 

[Trapper]

Oh dear, guess I’m headed back under the rock I crawled out from under, be back next spring for a rinse and repeat no doubt……..

After years of watching Leaf games, this management team has brought me to the point of:
1. Hardly watching the regular season at all
2. Only watching the playoffs because there is no way they could possibly lose a 7th in a row

I’m starting to question their grasp on reality.
If you do something once, it could be isolated.
If you do something 3 times, it could be a pattern.
If you do something repeatedly, 5,6,7 times, it becomes the norm.
Good times.

 

[Mr Bill Waters]

Wise decision. You don't change horses in midstream.

 

[ACC1224]

Wise decision. You don't change horses in midstream.

Since you seem to have your own definition of ‘mid stream’ can you let us in on what you mean?

 

[Trapper]

This has to be the last attempt.

Hypothetical: we win a round of the playoffs next year and then lose in round 2, do they stay? One step further, we win a round of the playoffs and then get swept in round 2. What happens?

This could very well happen to Florida. You are seeing it now. Florida a 122 point team, finally won a round for the first time since 1996 and could go bye bye round 2.
So what happens if Florida gets bounced round 1 next year?

We could very well do that with the exception of if we win the round, it will be treated a 10x the level of Florida winning their round.

Since you seem to have your own definition of ‘mid stream’ can you let us in on what you mean?

Don’t you have to get out of the gate before you hit midstream?
Fans and management are talking like we are stuck getting by the 3rd round. We won a handshake so far.

 

[Dave92]

Wise decision. You don't change horses in midstream.

What if you have in an incompetent horse that is about to drown you.

 

[Nineteen67]

If Robertson is still not ready, then we have more argument for why making trades for picks is less risky.

How many recent draft picks (8 years to now) have actually made it to the Leafs, outside of the top 8 picks?

Since the 2012 Draft, we have had a total of 6 players who have actually stepped in and played for the Leafs.
Verhaeghe was also drafted by Toronto, but he's in Florida now.
Durzi and Grundstrom also broke into the Kings lineup.

That's 6 (9 if you count Verhaeghe, Durzi and Grundstrom) out of 70 players drafted over these past 10 years, outside of the top 8, that have actually gone on to represent the Leafs (or NHL teams)
I'm not counting the guys with a cup of coffee in the NHL - Robertson, Scott, Abruzzese, etc.

For people freaking out about Dubas mortgaging the future, it's not quite as bad as you think when you delve into the Leafs drafts for the past decade.

If they rebuilt properly they would procure and develop players. Some players would jump into the line up and some would be used in trades.

How they solve their #1 issue will be interesting. Will it open other holes or will they reallocate their cap dollars?

They shouldn’t be in this situation after drafting Nylander, Marner, and Matthews.

 

[ShaneFalco]

This could very well happen to Florida. You are seeing it now. Florida a 122 point team, finally won a round for the first time since 1996 and could go bye bye round 2.
So what happens if Florida gets bounced round 1 next year?

We could very well do that with the exception of if we win the round, it will be treated a 10x the level of Florida winning their round.


Don’t you have to get out of the gate before you hit midstream?
Fans and management are talking like we are stuck getting by the 3rd round. We won a handshake so far.

Hey but it was a respectful handshake!

 

[notbias]

If by a bunch you mean 2 at the most then sure that's a bunch.

There's a better chance we have 0 ELCs on the 23 man then having 2

Lily and Rasmus are no longer ELCs

we may have 0 on the team next year because Dubas keeps doing a great job of filling out the roster, but there is a handful at are ready to get some games.

On forward Abruzzese, Robertson, Steeves, Holmberg, and Anderson are probably all knocking on the door and some extra forward spots could go to any of them. Some forwards who are potentially going to get some time, but are unlikely are Douglas and SDA.

On defense, I don't think anyone will get time without injuries (if we re-sign Gio we have 7 NHL D), but Kral and Rubins seem closest, with maybe Kokkenen a distant third.

Also, I really think Amirov would be making his debut if not for his terrible luck, he's a great player (our best prospect in my opinion)

All my opinion on our prospects, but to me, we are in really good shape moving forward with prospects.

 

[Gary Nylund]

That’s exactly what I used. As you can see there’s a lot of work to fill positions and only 7.85 million available.

There's work to do every off-season. What you said was you had no idea who was going to fill "key positions", yet the big 4 are under contract, as are our best Dmen.

 

[Wrong Wilson]

This has to be the last attempt.

Hypothetical: we win a round of the playoffs next year and then lose in round 2, do they stay? One step further, we win a round of the playoffs and then get swept in round 2. What happens?

We run it back again because it was an "improvement"....

 

[Nineteen67]

There's work to do every off-season. What you said was you had no idea who was going to fill "key positions", yet the big 4 are under contract, as are our best Dmen.

Goaltending, Defence, third and fourth lines, and specialty teams are key positions for a contending team, in my book.

Started out with Rielly, Nylander, Marner, and Matthews in his stable. In year 5, with 0 success under their belt and a host of self-inflicted wounds, the strategy is to cast their net and hope they catch something.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I don't understand why Dubas is willing to tie his entire future in the NHL by gambling on Keefe one more time. He's been given a magnificent gift from old man Lou - a top 3 coach in the NHL suddenly available and looking for a job...and he doesn't even give him an interview. In fact, I don't think that he's interviewed a single coach in his entire tenure here.

On one hand, I could give Dubas a pass here. The team has shown massive improvement (especially defensively) since Keefe took over and just had a fantastic regular season. Yes playoff failures but we lost what, 3 OT games last two seasons so that's two bounces away from winning both those series. Bottom line, Keefe has done well, he is under contract and that's not a situation where you rush to interview a good coach that becomes available.

On the other hand, I get the feeling that Dubas will never fire Keefe no matter what, just like maybe he will never trade Nylander because he takes the concept of loyalty too far which hurts the team. That's just a feeling of course, I don't know that for sure and I sure hope I'm wrong.

Goaltending, Defence, third and fourth lines, and specialty teams are key positions for a contending team, in my book.

Started out with Rielly, Nylander, Marner, and Matthews in his stable. In year 5, with 0 success under their belt and a host of self-inflicted wounds, the strategy is to cast their net and hope they catch something.

I already mentioned goaltending. But if you don't think that M&M&Rielly cover key positions and our defence is pretty much set, hey good for you.

Agree to disagree, have a nice day.

 

[janesy12]

Ridiculous. This isn't a team on the cusp of winning a Cup or losing in the finals or conference finals...this is a team that has literally accomplished nothing. 2 more attempts at winning 4 rounds before Matthews has every team in the league convincing him to come play for them.

The "lost to the back to back champs in 7" excuse would be tolerable if not for the track record. Just a year ago they went nuclear while being up 3-1 against a far inferior team. 0-9 with a chance to clinch the first series in 18 years isn't exactly a case to give them credit for playing a good series. The result is the same. They failed to advance..again.

 

[pcruz]

People in Toronto really need to grow up and move into the real world.


It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.

Quotes - It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.

It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life. Get all the details, meaning, context, and even a pretentious factor for good measure.

www.shmoop.com

The way to succeed after failing despite making no mistakes, is to try again.

Did the Leafs play perfectly? No.
Were they fatally flawed? No.
Will they have to make changes in the periphery? Yes.
Will that be enough to guarantee success? There is no guarantee.

 

[pcruz]

On one hand, I could give Dubas a pass here. The team has shown massive improvement (especially defensively) since Keefe took over and just had a fantastic regular season. Yes playoff failures but we lost what, 3 OT games last two seasons so that's two bounces away from winning both those series. Bottom line, Keefe has done well, he is under contract and that's not a situation where you rush to interview a good coach that becomes available.

On the other hand, I get the feeling that Dubas will never fire Keefe no matter what, just like maybe he will never trade Nylander because he takes the concept of loyalty too far which hurts the team. That's just a feeling of course, I don't know that for sure and I sure hope I'm wrong.


I already mentioned goaltending. But if you don't think that M&M&Rielly cover key positions and our defence is pretty much set, hey good for you.

Agree to disagree, have a nice day.

2 bounces away?

How about not giving up the puck straight to the opposition and allow them alone on your goalie in the overtime? Twice in back to back games.
How about not taking an imaginary 2 man disadvantage with a few minutes left in an elimination game?

That is more than just bounces, those are basic mistakes by individual players and in no way reflect the construction of the team, or the performance of the other 17 skaters.

 

[TorMapleJays]

Yes, shit happens.
Life isn't fair, and what should happen doesn't always happen.

What are the chances a player scores on a goalie, from 180 feet away?
Almost 0.
Yet Toskala let one of those in when he came here.

Weird how he didn't stop the puck when every single sign and experience and rational thought is that it is a routine save that should maybe not be registered as a shot on net.
But it went in.

Because sometimes stuff just happens.

Gaudreau scored a really bad goal in game 7. It should have been stopped.
Calgary missed a million good chances and shots, but scored on a really low percentage shot.

That night Gaudreau was a hero, but if the puck misses the net and Dallas scores, he is a donkey taking such a bad shot that has a high chance of bouncing off the glass and exiting the zone for a rush against.

A team and a person can get bad results despite doing the right things.
The inverse is true. You can succeed at times, despite doing the wrong things.

Tampa just wiped the floor with Florida. Chances are high Toronto would have as well.

Montreal lost 3 games to Toronto last year, and comfortably should have been swept, or lost in 5. Bad giveaways and bad goal in 2 overtime periods while Price was standing on his head and it's a game 7!
Montreal went on to lose 2 or less games the next 2 series.

If anything, this team needs to trust itself more. I commented at the start of the 3rd period game 6 that Toronto was playing suicidal hockey in trying to hold a lead. Their game is pressure and speed.
Winning 3-2 is bad, go for 2 or 3 more and blow them out!!

That was what made Toronto good all year, and in game 6, they went to a defensive style that doesn't suit the players at all.

Whoever made that call needs a kick in the face.

Now is Trotz the solution for this team? No, his style clashes terribly with our players who are playing well.

Like Ovi in Washington when they won the cup

Imagine saying that a HoF coach will not
Improve the team and letting Keefe coach for 15 years so he can get to that level is the right move

This presser was ALL about self preservation

 

[ShaneFalco]

The team has shown massive improvement (especially defensively) since Keefe took over and just had a fantastic regular season. Yes playoff failures but we lost what, 3 OT games last two seasons so that's two bounces away from winning both those series

Wow - you've turned over to the excuse makers

 

[TorMapleJays]

At this pace Matthews will be 70 by the time the Leafs win the cup.

Trust the process.

 

[ShaneFalco]

At this pace Matthews will be 70 by the time the Leafs win the cup.

Trust the process.

Or he leaves this shit-show and signs with a team that can actually win something

 

[Trapper]

We run it back again because it was an "improvement"....

This is the kind of logic you could understand a year or 2 ago but after 6 times it’s hard to fathom.
I’m sure there are many who believe that the team will build on what just happened but how many think they could face a new opponent next year in the playoffs and be flat again? They choose to believe what they’ve showed once and ignore what they’ve shown several times.

 

[Gary Nylund]

2 bounces away?

How about not giving up the puck straight to the opposition and allow them alone on your goalie in the overtime? Twice in back to back games.
How about not taking an imaginary 2 man disadvantage with a few minutes left in an elimination game?

That is more than just bounces, those are basic mistakes by individual players and in no way reflect the construction of the team, or the performance of the other 17 skaters.

Hey I'm on your side. I was just trying to put it in the simplest terms I could think of to assuage the crowd with the pitchforks. I don't think they're listening though but whatever, it's the internet so no surprises there.

Wow - you've turned over to the excuse makers

Nope, just trying to be objective and calling it like I see it. If we had played listlessly in game 7 (again) and lost 5-1 or whatever as we've done the 4 years previous, that would be one thing. These playoffs were completely different though and for the first time since the WSH, I have no reason to crap on the teams playoff performance. We had a great regular season but most important, we carried over a high level of play into the playoffs and went down fighting hard to what has been the best team in the NHL the last couple of years and what might be the best team again this year. This is a very good hockey team, it just doesn't make sense to say otherwise.

JMHO, I realize I'm in the minority with that opinion but what can I say, that is my opinion and I'm not ashamed to say what I think.

 

[67leafs]

How was the game overall? I didn't catch much of it but I remember last years series between them was a beauty, I was super impressed with how FLA played (and of course they followed it up with an amazing season).

It was a good game……panthers took the play to them early and went up 1 zip.
then the penalties started…sound familiar?…..the bolts then went ahead and locked it down……gave them absolutely nothing in the 3rd.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Lou Lam wouldnt be stupid to offer what Nylander Tavares Rielly Marner suckered Dufas into paying them.

But he was stupid enough to pay Marleau, Zaitsev and basically half the Isles roster the bad contracts they got.

 

[Gary Nylund]

It was a good game……panthers took the play to them early and went up 1 zip.
then the penalties started…sound familiar?…..the bolts then went ahead and locked it down……gave them absolutely nothing in the 3rd.

Haha interesting. I can't comment on the penalties but I will say that TB is extremely good at locking it down when it's time to do just that. There's a reason these guys won cups and they still have all their key players. They were the one team I wanted to avoid in the East, they're my pick to go to the finals and COL is the only team that I can see beating them.