The Core Has To Go

[HandshakeLineRespect]

This team has no emotional and/or spiritual leader.

 

[PromisedLand]

It is not $$$ thing with owners they are all multi billionaires many times over .. Larry's $25M per dividend happens every year irrespective of playoffs .. rest of $$$ just goes into bank .. da real question is does Shanny gets to choose another GM or is he removed too??? .. i think Shanny is fine .. my guess is he appoints Spezza and Dubas stays on as an analytics advisor with 10% raise .. then Spezza must decide between Matty and Mitch???

I don't want dubas anywhere near the Leafs. he is an entitled loser who has never had to work for anything in his life. he is the kardishian of hockey.

As much as I love Spezza I think he has emotional investment in matthews and marner since he played with them so I would be very skeptical of appointing spezza as a gm unless he guarantees that emotional attachments would have nothing to do with hockey decisions


I just want someone to corner shanahan and ask him what bs did dubas sell him for shanny to appoint him as a gm and completely bendover and change his hockey philosophy compared to the one he played.

 

[LeafGrief]

The problem with trading just Marner or Matthews is that whichever one remains is still "The Guy", and neither of them have the guts or the heart to lead. Tavares is a terrible Captain, and this team needs leadership more than it needs anything else. We need a coach, captain, and leadership structure that can bring accountability to the room.

Does a new coach, a Marner trade, and giving the C to Rielly actually make this team different enough to win? It's still the Matthews show. Maybe we trade Marner for Crosby or something, idk, but we the team desperately needs to rebuild its leadership.

 

[tony135420]

I still think Matthews is playing injured right now. And it'd be crazy to get rid of him.

While healthy, Marner and Nylander do NOT show up in playoffs. At all. Even during the regular season they're streaky as hell. Nylander is gonna want too much on his next contract, Mitch has to go though.

Tavares needs to be demoted to less important roles, he's getting older and it shows you can't be playing him maximum time on the ice anymore against 20 year old determined NHLers. I still want him to retire in the blue and white.

JT is making way too much to be playing anywhere but outside the top 6. IMO if AM doesn't commit to an extension by mid July, you move him. Nylander (aka as Pillows in my house), has to go. He is way too soft and doesn't make enough of an impact away form the puck. Marner is probably not going to be traded at this point. It feels bad right now, but tearing things down to the studs shouldn't be the first option. Trading any of these players will return less than their value IMO.

 

[Twine Tickler]

We have just about as talented of a core as there is in the NHL. Unfortunately they fail to up their games in the pressure packed moments. What is more concerning is that they tend to sit back until there comes a point where we inevitably chase the game. We have had more than enough games this post season where we have lead or have been in a tie game, and fail to make that fatal blow. Even in this series, we have had the lead for a decent amount of time. But we are not comfortable pressing in those moments. We are looking to not make mistakes rather than forcing our opponent to make those mistakes. It's been a running theme for 7+ years.

I have no doubt in my mind that Mitch, Auston, and Willy will have great careers and have playoff success. I just don't think that will be in Toronto. The moment is too big for them. It always has been.

It is unfortunate to have to part ways with some or all of those guys, but they just don't move the needle when we need it the most.

I've got no ill will towards any of them. Whatever happens, happens. I just don't see this working long term any more. There are only a couple grains of sand left to fall on this hour glass. I imagine there will be major changes this offseason should they not find a way to pull the impossible.

 

[horner]

With a new coach
What system would suit this team the most..

The Seattle coach has a for less talented team.but they work there ass of for him.
I take it he uses a trap system.

 

[The Best Leafs Everr]

This team has no emotional and/or spiritual leader.

Exactly making an unproven garbage Tavares a captain, who didn't win a single Stanley cup over some of our own drafted players who could've had a chip on their shoulder if not robbing them off the deserved captaincy.

Whoever says you don't need a captaincy to be a leader is just spewing a bunch of bull shit. YOUR CAPTAIN HAS TO BE THE LEADER WHO SETS EXAMPLES FOR THE OTHERS TO FOLLOW.

Just get rid of him already. Mother f***ing pajama shit.

 

[ULF_55]

How many dekes last night for the core?

JT is making way too much to be playing anywhere but outside the top 6. IMO if AM doesn't commit to an extension by mid July, you move him. Nylander (aka as Pillows in my house), has to go. He is way too soft and doesn't make enough of an impact away form the puck. Marner is probably not going to be traded at this point. It feels bad right now, but tearing things down to the studs shouldn't be the first option. Trading any of these players will return less than their value IMO.

How can you keep 3 players who are paid top 7 in the league after yet another failure.

Hey, wait, it ain't over.

Those 3 top 7 players in the league still have an opportunity to turn this turkey around.

Actually, you know both Reilly and O'Rielly make more than 86th. highest paid Nylander?

 

[GoonieFace]

I love how people praise JT for wanting to be a Leaf, yet he scored $11 mil a year, didn’t do them any favors

 

[rielledup]

Color me crazy but I think that if you want to attract future talent, that you don't shit on and chase out of town your current drafted talent. Kind of says a bad message. "why the f*** would I play for Toronto? If I don't win them a cup in 7 years they are going to publicly crucify me before running me out of town?"

San Jose never won anything during the Thorton, Marleau era...do you see them shitting all over those players?


I agree. But the league was fresh out of wife abusers who know the value of body shots because black eyes on your wife's face are harder to explain!

It's disingenuous to suggest that people want to move on from the core just because they haven't won a cup yet. People want to move on from the core because they've won one playoff series in seven years and when they finally got past the first round they looked like crap doing it and followed it up by getting destroyed in the second round.

Thornton only failed to get past the first round four times in twelve years in SJ and got to the CF three times and went to a cup final. Not even remotely the same situation.

 

[frog]

I dont care if your mackinnon, stamkos or crosby these guys won in the playoffs by playing ugly, mean and gritty. Non of this fancy, skill bs. Marner and mathews just dont get it. Do try harder by playing faster and fancier play meaner and grittier

 

[Bluebear]

I would see what offers Matthews gets after the playoffs. Probably don't get a player back as good as him and would lose the trade by some people's definition, but they might get a haul back that could give a good GM plenty of options. I can see an American team make a marketing rather than hockey trade that works in the Leafs favour similar to when the Nordiques traded Lindros.

 

[francis246]

Lol keep Marner... Yeah keep the soft, small, mentally fragile, perimeter player who looks like a 3rd liner in the playoffs and is a top 5 paid NHL player.

I’m the biggest Marner fan but I think keeping him may be a mistake. Nylander is cheaper and can score goals.

Has a bit of a come to Jesus moment, I think moving Marner is the right move to shake up the core. You have to look for a Huberdeau for Tkachuk type deal this summer before NTC’s kick in.

 

[horner]

I also ymthibk this core is the weakest physically in the NHL.. I was shocked that no one on this team went after Tkachuk or Bennett after going after knies .
I get we probably would have got the extra 2 min for instigating but there are times in a game where you have too stand up.
After that Florida smelt blood.
.this was directed at our team

 

[ToneDog]

I dont care if your mackinnon, stamkos or crosby these guys won in the playoffs by playing ugly, mean and gritty. Non of this fancy, skill bs. Marner and mathews just dont get it. Do try harder by playing faster and fancier play meaner and grittier

As Kyper says, why would you ask them to play gritter now when you have not asked all year ??

 

[Apex Predator]

Keep marner, knies n trade everyone else

I would trade Marner. He can’t handle the pressure of playing in Toronto. I’m sure he will go to a small market place and thrive but the media and pressure in Toronto is too much for him.

 

[Atomos2]

I've been watching Niemela in his first AHL playoffs a a rookie and he has more grit than this entire NHL core. How sad is that?

 

[Nineteen67]

View attachment 704616

Better Goalie - Samsonov or Hart?

Hilarious placement

 

[ULF_55]

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[Nineteen67]

I'd look at trading for Tom Wilson from the Caps. He's UFA after next season.

No.
They need to find the next Tom Wilson. They need far too much to be spending time on aged players.

 

[tony135420]

How many dekes last night for the core?



How can you keep 3 players who are paid top 7 in the league after yet another failure.

Hey, wait, it ain't over.

Those 3 top 7 players in the league still have an opportunity to turn this turkey around.

Actually, you know both Reilly and O'Rielly make more than 86th. highest paid Nylander?

I get it, the series is over.

JT, for better or worse is playing out his contract in a Leaf jersey. He's too overpaid and has a full NMC. He's not going anywhere. AM and MM are both great during the regular season, however, IF AM doesn't commit to a reasonable extension he should be shopped. MM is still one of the best RWers in the league, regardless of how bad he was this series. Nylander is reasonably priced for what he brings and has shown he has the tools, just needs more commitment in aspects that don't involve pure offensive skill.

Keefe on the other hand needs to be jettisoned. Immediately. IMO Dubas should get an extension.

 

[Anthrax442]

I've been watching Niemela in his first AHL playoffs a a rookie and he has more grit than this entire NHL core. How sad is that?

This is what the Leafs dont have enough of - the Finns.

 

[centipede2233]

JT is making way too much to be playing anywhere but outside the top 6. IMO if AM doesn't commit to an extension by mid July, you move him. Nylander (aka as Pillows in my house), has to go. He is way too soft and doesn't make enough of an impact away form the puck. Marner is probably not going to be traded at this point. It feels bad right now, but tearing things down to the studs shouldn't be the first option. Trading any of these players will return less than their value IMO.

AM no trade kicks in July 1…

 

[Nineteen67]

I do not 100% agree with you.
If you trade more than one of the core guys, will you get equal talent back, probably not, but that doesn't mean you are tearing it down.

Lets look at an example. Buffalo trades Eichel. Pre-injury Eichel was not as good as Matthews but before he got hurt many thought he was a top 10 player/talent What do they get back? A first round pick. A guy (Krebs) who was a first rounder the year before. A 2nd round pick. Oh, and a former first round pick who was entering the prime of his career, one of the best forecheckers in the league and someone who just scored in the mid 30's for goals (Tuch). Buffalo did NOT get back any one player even close to Eichel's talent on paper, but what they got back was probably better than what they gave away. Its not easy to make a trade like that, but if you are going to trade Matthews there is no reason you can't get even more than Eichel got. He is going to command a very good NHL player or 2, a first round pick (or multiple ones), and maybe a legit prospect on the verge of making the NHL also.

I guess what I am saying is if you traded Matthews and Marner, how much worse is this team if in return you get 1 or 2 legit top 4 NHL defenders, and 1 or 2 forwards who score 10+ goals less per year but may bring something else to the team, AND possibly some future picks/cap space? I think you can take that team and ride it into the playoffs for the next few years.

Ottawa, Detroit, and especially Buffalo are going to be coming hard the next year or two. BUT, even if you made those moves I mentioned above they are not better thant he Leafs...while Tampa and Boston are aging/retooling also. Even if you don't get 'equal value' back initially, you can get a very, VERY good haul for those guys and use it to retool. not rebuild, this team.

They need defencemen in the worst way. Probably four good young players, not anyone riding out the end of their career.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

Hello darkness my old friend