The Case For Bringing Back The Core

[LeafsFan89]

There can't be a good argument to bring the core back imo. We have changed everything from the bottom six, the whole defence, goaltending, coaches, and support staff. The core 4 is the problem --their attitude and effort.

You may "lose" those trades, but the team needs to go in a different direction before we can't (i.e., sign the core 4 to monstrous contracts). I would rather lose the trades (hopefully by a small margin) and re-tool, than another 2 years (potentially more if they sign extensions) of the same results.

 

[HockeyVirus]

You can have the best roster in the world around the players, when the games matter they will let you down. It doesn't work. Change the core ffs

 

[Dayjobdave]

I say bring ‘em back. Have 4 milk cartons on the table in the dressing room on the first day of camp. New coach, new supporting cast, let’s rock and roll.

 

[Zero1]

Good.

Keep them nice and comfortable here in Toronto. Leafs should give them huge raises as well.

It’s not about winning here in Toronto, it’s about making as much money as you can and maybe along the road you can win a couple of rounds. Only a couple of rounds though because we shouldn’t get carried away here, you don’t get paid enough for that.

I don’t know about you guys but I’ll be cheering for these guys when they get the pay day they deserve. That’s my Stanley Cup.

Anything less than 5x$15mill for Matthews and 6x$14mill for Marner would be devastating. It may cause me to lose my fandom.

 

[notbias]

Shanny has given his fans here the orders to now like the core, this is hilarious how you've all switched your opinions.

 

[Donnie740]

O

Lmao what. Dubas did these things.

The issue is in round 2 is we got one (1) goal from Matthews, Tavares and Marner across 5 games.

No, that’s exactly what Dubas FAILED do.

Instead of surrounding the core with tough, aggressive, fast skating, hard checking players he added more soft finesse players - - the only difference was they were less skilled.

Instead of dumping his buddy Bozo the Keefe, he insisted on sticking with him for five consecutive years of embarrassing coaching mistakes.

When players are struggling - - like Matthews and Marner clearly were against Florida - - a competent coach would scale back their ice time and send out guys who were playing better in the moment, instead of continuing to force feed them 22 to 24 minutes per game and 90 seconds of every power play.

When the opposition clogs the neutral zone with five players lined up across the blue line, a competent coach would employ the dump and chase instead of watching his core try to single-handedly stick handle through the opposition or turn around and skate backwards into their own zone.

 

[Donnie740]

Shanny has given his fans here the orders to now like the core, this is hilarious how you've all switched your opinions.

My opinion has been the same since the day Dubas was handed control of the premier NHL franchise and almost immediately appointed his buddy Bozo the Keefe as coach.

Neither is capable of being a coach or GM at the professional level. This has been proven year after year for the past half decade.

Allowing Bozo the Keefe to coach this core is the equivalent of letting Joey Moss coach the 1980’s Oilers.

 

[sxvnert]

Hell no. Ship Matty, Marner, Nylander out. Let JTs contract expire. Start the next wave.

They've had seven cracks at the can and failed. Time to move on.

 

[Notsince67]

I'm good with it. These players have pretty well won everywhere else other than the Leafs. The idiocy of thinking there is a magic character flaw is pretty dumb. I question line ups, deployment strategy and supporting cast. Time to scour the team from the likes of Holl and Kerfoot. Buy out Murray. Make room for up and coming prospects. Time for a new coaching philosophy and get back to the business of hockey

 

[Donnie740]

So Brad Treliving is going to get a different result from the core? Ok.

No, his job would be to surround the core with the grit, toughness and checking they lack.

A competent coach will be responsible for holding the core players accountable and implementing schemes that work in the playoffs - - ie dump and chase, traffic in front of the net.

You know, everything the core has been unable/unwilling to do for the past five years.

 

[BayStBullies]

I'm fine with the core, but Keefe has to go. They also need to take haircuts.

 

[sxvnert]

Re: Matthews
He's one of two things: a choke or injury prone
Either way, time to move on.

 

[Mentat]

Bringing back the core for what? MORE PO failure?
Thanks but no thanks,

 

[Trapper]

No, his job would be to surround the core with the grit, toughness and checking they lack.

A competent coach will be responsible for holding the core players accountable and implementing schemes that work in the playoffs - - ie dump and chase, traffic in front of the net.

You know, everything the core has been unable/unwilling to do for the past five years.

So in other words I’m to expect a different result?

 

[ToneDog]

On the topic of jam the way i see it is we need more jam from core players whether these ones or others. Keep what fighting spirit we have outside of the core as well.

Exactly. You can't add a couple of players with jam at the TDL and all of a sudden think you have a team that plays with jam. If the team is not asked to play with jam all through the season, why would you expect them to be able to in the playoffs ? Our core has very little jam. Is anybody surprised ROR said they were not physical enough ??

 

[hamzarocks]

Gross f*** me if this actually happens

 

[Donnie740]

So in other words I’m to expect a different result?

With a different GM and HC - - yes, absolutely next year the existing core will go further in the playoffs than they ever did with Dubas and Bozo the Keefe.

 

[Donnie740]

The pre-game “speeches” from Bozo the Keefe were comically blasé and about as uninspiring as you could possibly get.

Compare that with Tortorella addressing Columbus before their series against Tampa. Obviously CBJ was badly outclassed from a talent standpoint, but Torts made sure they were going to compete on a physical level and Tampa was going to get the hell beat out of them regardless of the series outcome.

 

[29Potvin]

Keefe took Willy off the top PP unit when he was the best forward and forced Holl back into the lineup.
If anything JT and RoR should have been on the second unit and Gus point shot on PP one with willy,AM,Mitch and Mo.
All the teams still remaining have a common theme. A Dman with a bullet from the point that opens up seam pas.
Ovi/Stammer all the best goalscorer in league have the same setup not two muffins from the point so AM34 can been covered/ teams can cheat towards him.
Keefe can't help himself but stay the same

 

[On-the-Fly]

Simple question. Who the f*** are the core 4 now?

 

[Donnie740]

Simple question. Who the f*** are the core 4 now?

In order of overall value to the franchise:

Rielly
Nylander
Marner
Matthews

 

[leafsfan5]

I'd say it's fine only if you can't find decent value on the market

You have to at the least least shop some of the core and see what you can get

 

[Donnie740]

Keefe took Willy off the top PP unit when he was the best forward and forced Holl back into the lineup.
If anything JT and RoR should have been on the second unit and Gus point shot on PP one with willy,AM,Mitch and Mo.
All the teams still remaining have a common theme. A Dman with a bullet from the point that opens up seam pas.
Ovi/Stammer all the best goalscorer in league have the same setup not two muffins from the point so AM34 can been covered/ teams can cheat towards him.
Keefe can't help himself but stay the same

It’s unbelievable how a no-talent hack like Justin Holl was given so much ice time in spite of constantly screwing up.

Defensive liability
ZERO offensive ability
Horrifically bad skating
Absolutely no physical presence

About the only thing Holl was remotely useful at doing was standing in the way of opposing shots.

 

[On-the-Fly]

In order of overall value to the franchise:

Rielly
Nylander
Marner
Matthews

Sure Shanny agrees or what?

Case for bringing back the core or the core 4?

Not following here.

 

[Donnie740]

Sure Shanny agrees or what?

Case for bringing back the core or the core 4?

Not following here.

I’ll try to dumb it down for you:

The biggest problem for the Leafs for the past half decade was the GM and coach.