The Core Has To Go

[egd27]

I am fine with AM staying, it’s the 2 perimeter oriented softies (Marner and Nylander) who have to go.

Funny, I'm beginning to think just the opposite.

I'm of the mind that you could get 2 nasty, had nosed, 35 goal scorers for the $13M AM is going to want.

 

[mydnyte]

This. So much this. Some of the times these guys are just lost cause the coaches are telling them weird shit.

And it worked all season long. Until now.

Keefe and his 2 assistants can be fired the second we lose on Wednesday

i would have fired them after game 1 vs TB to be honest if Trotz was still available.

 

[egd27]

Mitchy gave everything he had left to try and get that 100th point...quite literally.

And failed to get it.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

The sandpaper has to be in some of your core.





It’s not in ours.
I’m convinced Tavares could wear his street clothes under his uniform.
We will only half or not engage to win a battle at all costs, etc.
We don’t put pressure on players who are struggling on the other side.
We don’t bug bite away at the other team.

It's not something I think you can teach either. They have it or they don't and our guys seem to not have a scintilla of the nastiness you need to win. They probably grew up skating circles around everyone (except JT) and never had to have any Jam. The issue is obvious...too many players of the same ilk. No variety in the talented class. We finally have something a bit different in Knies.

Planning the 2025 lineup today doesn't make a lot of sense as we don't know the cap or who the available UFA talent might be. But on Tavares in general I think his decline started with Keefe's arrival rather than old age. At least I would like to see him under another coach before saying style and deployment have not been a factor in his game changing. There will be a few players who's games are going to look quite different once a new coach arrives and god willing some young guys that come up in the system to stake their spots. He might have more game left than we think but not have a spot where he is needed.

Hopefully the new coach won't pair JT with a fast winger like Willy. That has not worked for 3yrs and yet we still see them together. In a way I think Willy is fed up with this crap, if fans can see it's just plain stupid. All to keep AM and MM paired in a series where they are doing sweet f*ck all together.

 

[The Best Leafs Everr]

I think Phil Kessel tried harder than these bunch tbh.

They thought they would be fine after getting past the first round. Just send a message loud and clear. Start with trading the captain. Even if we lose that trade.

 

[Stephen]

Planning the 2025 lineup today doesn't make a lot of sense as we don't know the cap or who the available UFA talent might be. But on Tavares in general I think his decline started with Keefe's arrival rather than old age. At least I would like to see him under another coach before saying style and deployment have not been a factor in his game changing. There will be a few players who's games are going to look quite different once a new coach arrives and god willing some young guys that come up in the system to stake their spots. He might have more game left than we think but not have a spot where he is needed.

My issue with JT is he won't be a player I can see doing very much in a reduced capacity two years from now. He won't be occasionally transporting the puck with beautiful efficiency like Spezza did in his later years cause he can't do that now. He's defensively mediocre. He doesn't really hit, nor do you want an older guy to do that for you. He wins faceoffs but then he'll have to get off the ice. I don't know if I want to see He's not a raw raw leader. I don't really know if I want him leading by example in a new era. Frankly haven't really had a wonderful time watching his play style since at least 2021 and would be happy to turn the page on this project.

 

[pcruz]

I wonder if the typical Leaf fan actually likes the franchise at all.

When I was growing up, Sundin was lambasted for being a heartless Euro who "could f*** right off".
When his contract was up, he was just about pushed out of town by this fanbase and reviled when he vetoed possible trades out of the team he wanted to represent.

For a decade, Leafs fans lamented the absence of a star centre on the team who could do what Sundin did for them in the "good ol' days of the late 90's and early 00's".

And now they're back to hating on the centre that has shattered franchise markers all over the place.

Like I've said before, I'm just about disgusted to be associated, as slightly as it is, with the overwhelming majority of this fanbase.

It a collection of people to whom the expression "you don't know what you have 'till it's gone" applies aptly.


That's not to say that the team doesn't need to play better.

They were disturbingly pedestrian in game 3.

And yet, despite being as pedestrian as the top players were, the team was 1 shot away from winning the game.

The team was 60 seconds away from a decisive and conclusive win in Game 2. It was 2 terrible turn-overs and 1 horrendous bit of tending that lost that game.


Many of you who look to Edmonton and your eyes glaze over with lust for 29 and 97.
Look at their game - all out offense and absolutely no defense; run and gun like the Wilson Leafs you hated so much; dirty penalties due with slashes.

And what have the 2 best players in the world achieved?

Nothing.

That team is 1 night away from being in the exact same situation this team is in.


So to the Hayes and O'Dogs of Leaf nation:

Don't ride the highs so much and make this team out to be a cup favourite; and don't sink to the lows and ask to blow up the franchise.

It's sad that Leafs nation is built primarily of binary people - team is either the best, or it's the worst.

 

[TMLAM34]

Ideally you move Tavares as he’s definitely not worth the 11 million dollars he’s getting paid… Not sure if it’s possible though given his NMC.

I can see Marner wanting to be a career Maple Leaf unlike Nylander (obviously pure speculation).

I wonder if LA would be interested in something around Nylander for Clarke. We get a rookie who might develop into that number 1 right handed defenceman while LA gets a player who will probably excel in their system and be their best forward and someone who would probably re-sign long term in LA.

Obviously there would be other pieces from both sides in that kind of deal.

 

[WillyC]

I never go to the main boards… surely they can’t be worse than this?

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Nice plan, I would get rid of prez and Gm too. They kept inept Keefe for multiple seasons.

Just look at the goalie coach for an example. They finally get rid of Briere and suddenly even Murray looks not bad...Sammy looked pretty good...but we kept that shithead for 3 or 4 seasons too long. It was just mystifying to the geeks that it could be the goalie coach who might be bad at his job. It's almost comical at this point.

 

[Trapper]

I never go to the main boards… surely they can’t be worse than this?

Have you ever gone to the darkest part of the internet? The dark web? All alone at home with the wind howling outside and it sounds like a horror movie slasher is trying to break into your house at the same time?

Well do that before you go to the main boards.

 

[LeafsFan89]

I really don't like Kypreos. But it's what a lot of us have been saying for the last few years.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Funny, I'm beginning to think just the opposite.

I'm of the mind that you could get 2 nasty, had nosed, 35 goal scorers for the $13M AM is going to want.

There were only 38 players that achieved 35 goals or more. Ironically Matthews was one of them.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

I really don't like Kypreos. But it's what a lot of us have been saying for the last few years.

100% on the money

 

[yubbers]

Funny, I'm beginning to think just the opposite.

I'm of the mind that you could get 2 nasty, had nosed, 35 goal scorers for the $13M AM is going to want.

Matthews was gone the minute they handed JT the C supposedly over some petty nonsense in the summer. This was always his team.

IMHO he'll end up in Vegas.

I wonder if the typical Leaf fan actually likes the franchise at all.

When I was growing up, Sundin was lambasted for being a heartless Euro who "could f*** right off".
When his contract was up, he was just about pushed out of town by this fanbase and reviled when he vetoed possible trades out of the team he wanted to represent.

For a decade, Leafs fans lamented the absence of a star centre on the team who could do what Sundin did for them in the "good ol' days of the late 90's and early 00's".

And now they're back to hating on the centre that has shattered franchise markers all over the place.

Like I've said before, I'm just about disgusted to be associated, as slightly as it is, with the overwhelming majority of this fanbase.

It a collection of people to whom the expression "you don't know what you have 'till it's gone" applies aptly.


That's not to say that the team doesn't need to play better.

They were disturbingly pedestrian in game 3.

And yet, despite being as pedestrian as the top players were, the team was 1 shot away from winning the game.

The team was 60 seconds away from a decisive and conclusive win in Game 2. It was 2 terrible turn-overs and 1 horrendous bit of tending that lost that game.


Many of you who look to Edmonton and your eyes glaze over with lust for 29 and 97.
Look at their game - all out offense and absolutely no defense; run and gun like the Wilson Leafs you hated so much; dirty penalties due with slashes.

And what have the 2 best players in the world achieved?

Nothing.

That team is 1 night away from being in the exact same situation this team is in.


So to the Hayes and O'Dogs of Leaf nation:

Don't ride the highs so much and make this team out to be a cup favourite; and don't sink to the lows and ask to blow up the franchise.

It's sad that Leafs nation is built primarily of binary people - team is either the best, or it's the worst.

Oh we know what we got. They're not contenders. That's the problem.

 

[baton elevated]

And failed to get it.

Even the Nuge got 100pts , Marner Sh!t the bed.

 

[thewave]

Matthews was gone the minute they handed JT the C supposedly over some petty nonsense in the summer. This was always his team.

IMHO he'll end up in Vegas.


Oh we know what we got. They're not contenders. That's the problem.

Matthews was going to get the C over the summer but they didn't do it?

 

[Superstar]

Matthews was going to get the C over the summer but they didn't do it?

Babcock probably pushed hard to give the C to Tavares.

 

[thewave]

Babcock probably pushed hard to give the C to Tavares.

Haha probably. It's just another days of our Leafs.

 

[Eye Test]

My issue with JT is he won't be a player I can see doing very much in a reduced capacity two years from now. He won't be occasionally transporting the puck with beautiful efficiency like Spezza did in his later years cause he can't do that now. He's defensively mediocre. He doesn't really hit, nor do you want an older guy to do that for you. He wins faceoffs but then he'll have to get off the ice. I don't know if I want to see He's not a raw raw leader. I don't really know if I want him leading by example in a new era. Frankly haven't really had a wonderful time watching his play style since at least 2021 and would be happy to turn the page on this project.

He can play the kampf role if/when he signs for cheap but besides that I agree.

 

[ULF_55]

marner and Robertson

Cozens and Tuch

 

[egd27]

There were only 38 players that achieved 35 goals or more. Ironically Matthews was one of them.

ok drop it to two 30 goal scorers, there's 54 of them

Matthews was gone the minute they handed JT the C supposedly over some petty nonsense in the summer. This was always his team.

IMHO he'll end up in Vegas.

yea, that's a pretty good. guess. also would lean toward the Kings

 

[Stephen]

He can play the kampf role if/when he signs for cheap but besides that I agree.

I'd prefer to just have a guy in his 20s with energy and upside play that role.

 

[therealkoho]

True


I hope they can come back but if not the entire management group should be fired the day after they lose so we can get someone in to handle this tough time

I have a feeling that the new GM and coach are all ready lined up

The board has a good idea what's at stake and the time sensitivity of things. Tannenbaum has been around hockey at the executive level for over 50 years, I think he might understand what needs to happen

 

[57 Years No Cup]

The funny thing is I believe they do listen to what media says. Whether they will admit it or not.

I don’t think Marner can handle the Toronto market. I think he would thrive in a smaller market but all the demons and past failures are in Marners head.

It's a shambles in there.

The funny thing is I believe they do listen to what media says. Whether they will admit it or not.

I don’t think Marner can handle the Toronto market. I think he would thrive in a smaller market but all the demons and past failures are in Marners head.

It's a shambles in there.