Shanahan Post Season Presser

[nuck]

This is what I don't get.

Shanahan, knew enough to grab respected, experienced guys like Lou and Babs to turn this franchise around, and I don't think any rational person would disagree that they did just that.

Of course there were some mistakes made, but holistically at the end of 3 years the team was much better off. Now maybe at this point it was time for a change, and it's been debated to death, so let's agree for a moment that it was time to move on from both guys,

So why does Shanahan move away from the formula that he just successfully used and hand the keys over to a couple of guys with zero NHL experience? I mean it's not some budget team like the Yotes that have to take these kinds of chances because it's all they can afford

I'll even go as far as conceding Dubas, but if you are going to go with a rookie GM, why would you let him hire a rookie coach as well?

The agents have their way with the inexperienced GM, and it seems the players may be having their way with an inexperienced coach.

Just seems like a flawed strategy to me.

Yeah a bit of a gamble for sure. I am not sure what the wunderkind success rate is for GMs winning but there is always a first time I guess. I feel early non there was a big knowledge gap for Shanny and Dubas in high level decision making that did not help either of them, and they both did their training on the job. Now I also think those growing pains are mostly behind them as Dubas put together what looked like a playoff ready lineup on a shoestring budget and the misses in Simmonds and JT would have been less impactful if used differently, or just less. We don't know the Foligno was damaged goods (do we?) or what he may have accomplished in subsequent series.

Now comes the final test for both these guys- you have built a team of your people but you are failing. Can you divest yourself of the attachment to "your guys" and make some immediate adjustments before the big 4 and Rielly burn deeper through their contracts? The biggest problem I had with the presser was they were acting like they weren't on a clock, either to finally do some damage in the playoffs or to win something before their stars are all UFAs. "We need to do better" rings hollow when it is every year but what they should have been saying is "we need to do better now!"

I don't think today means no big changes because that is not something they would advertise this early after the loss, there's no point. They need to consider their options and probably meet with the MLSE Board to explain why they should be given more time. I don't get the sense that Dubas is in trouble, at least with Shanny, as he wouldn't need Board approval to remove him but I am pretty certain given the brief timeline there has not been a vote of confidence from above yet either. I don't think today signals stay or go for Keefe but I would be stunned if there isn't a veteran head coach brought in.

 

[Stephen]

I dont know what you watched but this year against tampa the best team in the league, they played pretty well. Playoff energy thats wht i saw. Not the garbage play leafs vs habs.

will have serious trouble in atlantic next seaso

It’s difficult to compare play series to series but when Tampa Florida started I thought Florida had a credible chance to win. The playoff pace and work ethic that team generated vs the Lightning was more desperate in Game 1 than Toronto in the last 10 minutes of Game 7.

Different factors like freshness vs desperation will factor in to the start and end of a series for sure, but Toronto didn’t really have that Florida gear. Not sure how the two teams would match up though.

 

[Stephen]

Then look what happened to the Jackets and what will likely happen to the Habs. Teams who play to edge out wins like that don't go far.

You don't see the Avs or the Bolts looking to steal 1 goal wins.

Avs tend to give their goalies 4+ run support!

 

[ItsFineImFine]

They're drinking their own kool-aid.

I said that you can't be objective since Dubas is too attached at these guys and you need someone with new eyes to come in and be ruthless. This isn't even about if Dubas is a good GM or not, you can't have the same guy make evaluations now and it's gonna end up wasting another generation of this franchise.

 

[Leafsfan74]

This team isn’t going anywhere with what Shanahan is saying.

The trouble here is: management is looking for some type of magic (killer instinct, hard to play, unshakable) to put around the core when in order to win the core must BE the magic. It’s not player x bringing killer instinct to Crosby. Crosby is the instinct.

The problem is right there.

Yep. Worse, the motivation to earn the big contract is.gone, they have it. So now the motivation is pride and desire to dominate. Something few of them showed this playoffs when they easily should have hated the Habs.

 

[Stephen]

I wonder if either of them play bad cop behind closed doors. If I was an underperforming player and lacked motivation and work ethic I probably wouldn’t feel too insecure in my job security and be extra motivated playing under Shanahan and Dubas. Would be a different story with Cam Neely in Boston though.

 

[daveleaf]

FIRE DUBAS!!!

What else should be drawn from this? Let's be honest, is this year three when he comes out and is facing the same questons? This team has not grown one bit, they are every bit as bad, if not worse than the previous versions.

One thing that really ticked me off about this series was when Mathews is getting tossed around and he is laughing getting rag dolled. I'm sorry you big idiot, get up and push back. Show some damn emotion and fight. Stick a glove in Webers face and give it right back. Bunch of flowers on this team.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Excellent press conference. I am looking forward to next season!

Leafs PR Dept employee?

 

[koyvoo]

Too bad the one adjustment he made which was unnecessary (Sandin for Dermott) ultimately cost us the series

In the same way that if Sandin had scored the biggest OT winner and we advanced, it wouldn’t have been a number 6 D who won the series, it wasn’t the play of a #6 D who lost us the series.

We lost the series because our two superstars once again exposed the fact that they can’t get it done when the games matter and when you’re opponent is bringing max effort every shift.

 

[Stephen]

FIRE DUBAS!!!

What else should be drawn from this? Let's be honest, is this year three when he comes out and is facing the same questons? This team has not grown one bit, they are every bit as bad, if not worse than the previous versions.

One thing that really ticked me off about this series was when Mathews is getting tossed around and he is laughing getting rag dolled. I'm sorry you big idiot, get up and push back. Show some damn emotion and fight. Stick a glove in Webers face and give it right back. Bunch of flowers on this team.

Laughing at Weber is a flex you can pull off after you torch the Habs repeatedly for 2G 1A and it’s the dying minutes of a close out game and you’re the team moving forward.

 

[ShaneFalco]

This team isn’t going anywhere with what Shanahan is saying.

The trouble here is: management is looking for some type of magic (killer instinct, hard to play, unshakable) to put around the core when in order to win the core must BE the magic. It’s not player x bringing killer instinct to Crosby. Crosby is the instinct.

The problem is right there.

Yup they’ve tried bringing in leaders, toughness, character hard working guys, depth, defensive specialist all to assist the core. But if the core needs all that and still can’t perform when it matters.....
Matthews response and MMs response to questions shows exactly where they are.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Leafs PR Dept employee?

No, he is the President of the team.

 

[Pete2000]

THE KRAKEN WILL WIN THE CUP BEFORE THE LEAFS. BANK IT!

 

[Gabriel426]

I don't understand your question.

Use this year zoom call for next year

 

[AllDay28]

Scotty Bowman all but told Steve Yzerman to change or that he was getting traded. He didn't get traded but he did change. That said I could have predicted nothing else from the Leafs, these are losers that will keep on losing until someone eventually fires them.

“
We're going to face a weaker team than the Bruins with much more solid goaltending. I think we win a series or two at minimum.”

“The Penguins look pretty scary. They're playing great hockey now. Glad they're not in our division.”

Both quotes from you. You could predict they’d lose? But you also said they’d win 2 rounds.

you were also afraid of Pittsburgh. Good call! Shocking really.

 

[socko]

Oh, and if anyone doubts whether Scotty Bowman was serious about trading Yzerman to Ottawa for Alexei Yashin. He told Paul Coffey the same thing twice, once in Pittsburgh and once in Detroit. Yes, Hall of Fame defenceman Paul Coffey. Yzerman said yes, Coffey said go pound sand. You won't find a guy that hates Bowman more than Paul Coffey.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

No, he is the President of the team.

It's about you, and your obvious role.

So easy to see the paid ones.

 

[hockeyes]

The organization always delays the hard decisions as long as possible. Babcock should have been fired after the last Boston series instead of dragging it out into the next year. Andersen should have been replaced or a plan put in place for a successor years ago, especially last off season, and instead they gambled and actually got lucky with the emergence of Campbell, at least for this season. It's become pretty clear the 40 million core isn't going to work in a flat cap world especially with 50% going MIA when it actually matters so naturally they will waste another year repeating the same mistakes.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Use this year zoom call for next year

Oh, maybe of it is the same, history can repeat, but it is improbable.

 

[socko]

“
We're going to face a weaker team than the Bruins with much more solid goaltending. I think we win a series or two at minimum.”

“The Penguins look pretty scary. They're playing great hockey now. Glad they're not in our division.”

Both quotes from you. You could predict they’d lose? But you also said they’d win 2 rounds.

you were also afraid of Pittsburgh. Good call! Shocking really.

Yeah, even I thought we were going to beat Montreal. Pathetic isn't it. And Pittsburgh lost because of really bad goaltending. What's your point?

 

[dragonballgtz]

Babcock stated pain was coming... he wasn't lying.

Stay positive Leaf fans, 3 of your top forwards are 25 or younger. This is just painful growth

 

[Superstar]

David Alter "How did it feel waking up yesterday after the loss" Who gives a f***. Complete filler questions from their media lackeys.

Seriously, asking a question that you already know the answer to...what's Shanny gonna say? I had a great night sleep? Really enjoyed my morning coffee?

 

[Leaf Fans]

It's about you, and your obvious role.

So easy to see the paid ones.

Not for you. I am neither working for the Leafs nor am I involved directly in PR. I work for a Swiss company and I am currently based in Asia.

 

[Leafy Undergrowth]

Clean house. I don't trust any of them to make the necessary moves with the roster.

 

[Aus34Matt]

The organization always delays the hard decisions as long as possible. Babcock should have been fired after the last Boston series instead of dragging it out into the next year. Andersen should have been replaced or a plan put in place for a successor years ago, especially last off season, and instead they gambled and actually got lucky with the emergence of Campbell, at least for this season. It's become pretty clear the 40 million core isn't going to work in a flat cap world especially with 50% going MIA when it actually matters so naturally they will waste another year repeating the same mistakes.