The Core Has To Go

[NVious]

Watching the Draft Lottery.

Some of you people don't deserve the good things because you can't appreciate the good things.

I have to assume too many of you are too young to remember all the way back to watching Shanahan all giddy for drafting 1st overall.

Its true, we don't deserve the honor of holding the NHL record for first round losses in a row at 8 or getting swept by Florida, we don't deserve such good things or such amazing playoff performers like Matthews, Nylander, Marner, Tavares or Rielly.

 

[horner]

If Matthews is not willing to resign this off season he has to be traded
Trade Marner, the fact OP want to keep him is absolutely crazy
Keep in mind both AM and MM have a full NMC starting next year

Rielly is cool
No one will want JT (and I truly believe JT will never, ever, agree to be traded)
As for Nylander I think that really depends on the return but I don't think trading him is a priority

edit: oh TJ Brodie has to go don't really care for the return

I really hope Toronto starts a retool with their new GM

Build from the goaltender out
Good thing is we have Sammy and Woll
Def

Mo
*
Mcabe
*
Liljegren
Schenn
We need two young top dman You need size on the back end and players that get involved physically and can play defense

Except for a few players we are a soft perimeter team in the playoffs.

When knies got roughed up by Tkachuk and Bennett ( who I wanted when he was available ) and no one when after them . I new we were done.

Nick Paul was another player I wanted when he was available

These are the type of players I want to go after.

 

[WillyC]

No, not what I'm looking for. The team only wanted to move him for assets as a rental late in his last year before being a UFA. He stood his ground, and I love the guy and wear his jersey, but I hate him for that. It's complicated. But it was his right.

We're talking about a guy with two full years on his deal. Have we ever seen a guy ride out multiple years of a contract while the team and fanbase are dying to drop him, but he just sits there, crosses his arms and says nuh-uh, I have a no trade clause, not going anywhere, sorry?

Because I can't think of one, but maybe my memory isn't working that well tonight. I suspect the reality is that NTCs are really just a way for a player to maintain control over where they go. They can point to the NTC if the GM has a deal to Columbus worked out, and conveniently waive it when the trade partner is the Rangers.

Basically the reason I'm asking is to find out just how much stock we should put in all these folks who keep saying JT isn't going anywhere. I say he might. If you ask him. And make him uncomfortable. Eat some salary and a draft pick and you can do it. I'm quite certain

There’s never been one… because NHL teams don’t think like you.

JT will retire as Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

[Funk21]

There’s never been one… because NHL teams don’t think like you.

JT will retire as Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

IF it’s more than a one day contract for JT we are in serious trouble. Honestly when they blow this series i tear it down and it’s at that point I say to JT you can stay here for the next two years with zero chance of winning anything but a draft lottery or you can be traded to a contender? It’s your choice but know once your contract is up we will not be resigning you. End of story.

Given the amount of high end talent we could pawn off a rebuild should and could be done in short order.

 

[Strangle]

Sadly, that game convinced me. The Core has to be broken up, the team actually played decent but the core 4 guys no shows. Just like Montreal, just like Columbus, just like etc.... we thought it was different this year. It is not. I'm fine with Dubas staying he only mistake is keeping Keefe this long but I really have no idea how to fix this team. Tavares can't go anywhere, Nylander is probably the best gamer of the group but inconsistent. One of M&M have to go I guess.

I think you are forced to trade Marner and Nylander.

You clean up about $20m on the cap, you bring in a couple good players, maybe a great goalie and some picks/prospects

 

[Strangle]

Mathews and Marner are two different players in the regular season and playoffs.

Regular season: Mathews franchise center, Marner elite 1st line winger
Playoffs: Mathews inconsistent 1st line center, Marner average 2nd line winger

It will never change they will always get us to the playoffs and make this team great during the regular season

It’s because THEY ARE SOFT as f***ing muffins

In terms of long-term thinking, especially if things don't go well on Wednesday and I'm foolishly still not going to 100% write things off until that actually happens - but something that does separate Matthews for the rest is the fact that he plays center. As disappointing as he has been in the postseason, we spent a decade plus Not that long ago looking for a 1st line center.

Doesn't mean you can't consider also trading him, but it's worth thinking about, especially if he's willing to sign long term.

The other thing that I think people need to brace for is just because they might want to break up the core Doesn't mean this team is going to be doing a through the draft rebuild. Leafs ownership has only allowed that to happen once in the last several decades, I don't think they're going to be very keen to do it again. Which means if they do blow it up, trading (parts of) the core for more win-now Players is probably what's going to happen

Matthews has played how many years in the league? Man still has all his teeth. Same with Marner and Nylander and I bet Tavares too

I don’t trust them.

Gimme more toothless warriors out there who aren’t afraid

 

[WillyC]

It’s because THEY ARE SOFT as f***ing muffins



Matthews has played how many years in the league? Man still has all his teeth. Same with Marner and Nylander and I bet Tavares too

I don’t trust them.

Gimme more toothless warriors out there who aren’t afraid

You must have missed the game where Marner lost some chiclets.

 

[Strangle]

You must have missed the game where Marner lost some chiclets.

I saw he had a cut lip, but didn’t know he lost teeth

 

[francis246]

So all the other times "team x is looking to move player y" comes out in the media, that's just cause player y doesn't have a NTC?

Come on. Of course it would get out.

No but that player likely didn’t sign there as the biggest UFA and probably wasn’t coming home. Listen anything is possible but I doubt Tavares is moved.

San Jose tried to move a 100 point Karlsson and couldn’t make it happen because of his cap hit. We are stuck with JT.

 

[WillyC]

I saw he had a cut lip, but didn’t know he lost teeth

I take it you also missed the game where Matthews lost teeth too?

 

[Strangle]

I take it you also missed the game where Matthews lost teeth too?

I guess I did?

 

[WillyC]

I guess I did?

Yeah, you must have missed those games… both Marner and Matthews have lost teeth playing in the NHL.

 

[Strangle]

Yeah, you must have missed those games… both Marner and Matthews have lost teeth playing in the NHL.

Well there goes my joke, back to square 1

 

[TheGoldenJet]

First Dubas needs to go.

Let the new GM steer the ship from here on out. He can bring in his own coach too.

 

[Byron Bitz]

You know what makes me sick to my stomach?

Losing him for absolutely nothing after he achieves absolutely nothing here.

Or, paying him 16M per year from the age of 27 through 34, to do even less than he did for us from the ages of 19-26.

Both of those things bring the bile right to the top of my throat.


But why though?

We wouldn’t have to pay him 16. It would probably cost 14 and he’s well worth it.

 

[hullsy47]

Build from the goaltender out
Good thing is we have Sammy and Woll
Def

Mo
*
Mcabe
*
Liljegren
Schenn
We need two young top dman You need size on the back end and players that get involved physically and can play defense

Except for a few players we are a soft perimeter team in the playoffs.

When knies got roughed up by Tkachuk and Bennett ( who I wanted when he was available ) and no one when after them . I new we were done.

Nick Paul was another player I wanted when he was available

These are the type of players I want to g

it looks to me like these guys know dubas is going
And the biggest ally most of the core 4 has is dubas
I'd give DR WICKENHIESER a shot at shanahans job
Keep prindham and carberry

o after.

 

[hoglund]

The team has been a disappointment to put it mildly. They just don’t have it and while Dubas has moved heaven and earth to keep them together and do Cap Gymnastics putting together version after version of this group they just are winners or the type of players who hate losing more than they like winning. They are regular season superstars and that just doesn’t cut it.

Both AM and Nylander are eligible for contract extensions this summer and it’s my belief that both should be traded because trying to do the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.

Do we again tear it down to the studs or do we keep some players?
IMO Trade:
Am
Nylander
JT-but I don’t think anybody would take him unfortunately
Lafferty
Murray-even if it’s for a coke machine
Brodie

Honestly if we can get Bedard or Fantilli or a player like Byfield plus for AM I do it. I even look at trading him to Zona to get a boatload of picks. We are up against the cap and can’t build a proper team With the type of money AM and Nylander are likely looking for. The great thing is some other team likely is willing to pay a kings ransom for them. This is not an overreaction this core sucks.

Keep
Marner
Reilly
Samsonov
Woll
Liljegren
Timmins
Knies

So far of the core 4 Nylander is the only one that has looked good. His stats aren't great, but he's looked good and had many chances, he hit a few posts in many games, if those had gone in we'd be discussing the 3rd round.

 

[thewave]

it looks to me like these guys know dubas is going
And the biggest ally most of the core 4 has is dubas
I'd give DR WICKENHIESER a shot at shanahans job
Keep prindham and carberry

I would empty to the bare walls. It's time to reinvent the Toronto Maples Leafs. They are getting dangerously close to people wanting a second GTA team. I am leaning that way, the organization is a zombie.

 

[Tuna99]

From the outside looking in - keep Matthews and Marner - get Reilly some big time help and trade William Soft-lander anywhere that wants a player that never does it when it counts (Vancouver would be the place)

 

[TMLAM34]

No but that player likely didn’t sign there as the biggest UFA and probably wasn’t coming home. Listen anything is possible but I doubt Tavares is moved.

San Jose tried to move a 100 point Karlsson and couldn’t make it happen because of his cap hit. We are stuck with JT.

Most likely. However they also need to start playing JT in a more appropriate/suited role/position. Third line winger.

 

[banks]

I don't really think the core has to go becasue you can't win with them. I don't know how you can watch a team win 3 games in overtime against tampa, and then have close games against florida, and say they can't win. It's a good team with good players.

But I do think someone from the big 4 gas to go, because being a good team is only good enough for so long. That was a good team that lost game 3. I thought they deserved to win, especially controlling the 3rd period. But it seems to me like the players think they deserve it, too. o they're not quite earning it.

A change should be made because bringing back the same team after getting ousted before even a conference final (I'm assuming) can't happen. They've been rewarded for failure since they all arrived. Big pay cheques, pampered Toronto treatment, and a team that loads up at the deadline. All rewards that have been unearned in the playoffs. So trade one or more of the core 4, so whoever is left knows the ride ends is they don't go deep.

 

[LeafGrief]

From the outside looking in - keep Matthews and Marner - get Reilly some big time help and trade William Soft-lander anywhere that wants a player that never does it when it counts (Vancouver would be the place)

My dude, you should try watching the games if you're going to tell us who never does it when it counts.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

His drive definitely can be questioned, and it is, daily, by a lot of observers. We got the best years out of him already (just based on historic age curves) and he's only going to want even more money for an even longer time while he goes into decline.

This isn't Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews at 26 where they've won you some cups and you owe them a retirement contract and/or the chance to get you another one. This core has done nothing. Nothing! There is nothing here to be attached to or emotional about. It's a business. Get what you can for this asset and let overpaying him be someone else's problem. If it ends up being our problem we're in big trouble because that extension will only age about 10% than Tavares' contact has aged. Learn from that one.

If we couldn't build a winner around him on this deal, we sure as hell won't do it on his next deal.

Not only that but if Matthews has chronic wrist issues that negate that amazing shot his production may never recover from this year and that is what he will remain.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Yes. Again, elite players very very rarely move somewhere on this contract if the team is willing. It's just this side of unheard of. It's the Leafs call imo, AM will take the monster contract from the team that drafted him.

Unless LA or Arizona offer him the same monster contract.

 

[Squiffy]

Unless LA or Arizona offer him the same monster contract.

Maybe? I don’t think so, but I’m guessing just as much as you are. Mostly, high end players don’t switch team on the third contract, that’s statistically true. Other than Tavares, are there any examples? These guys pretty much always sign with their team.. the move comes later via trade.

But you know, 9 out 10 people are right handed… and meeting a left handed person is not unusual. The possibility exists.