The core players are showing their true colors again

[Hellcat]

First two lines need to be the best, and the other will follow. It is not up to the bottom 6. They should be +-0 most nights and score now and then.

It really comes down to that, competitive players tend to see other competitive players and want to be better than them. This team for what ever reason is looking for a lighthouse in the fog. Add a Gilmour (93) and a Clark (17) to this line up ... unstoppable.... nah who am I kidding this teams give a shit level is at an all time low... you could add a Gretzky, Lemieux, Yzerman, Jagr, Messier all in their primes and they'd get the life sucked out of them too. Do we need a Shaman or a Witch to rid us of this freaking curse of mediocrity?

 

[killer1980]

Hopefully the team we trade him

"Boy Genius" will really believe he's gonna sign here. He'll sit there with that smug look on his face and let Matthews walk. He'll get nothing in return for him.

 

[DarkKnight]

When people say this isn’t a Trotz type team, maybe that’s the point.

 

[All Mod Cons]

I'd love to see:

Hyman Matthews Marner
Marchment Kadri Nylander
McCann xxx Mikheyev
Moore Kampf xxx

And then go from there. Maybe call up Guhle or Schneider. Swayman should be ready soon.

 

[killer1980]

I'd love to see:

Hyman Matthews Marner
Marchment Kadri Nylander
McCann xxx Mikheyev
Moore Kampf xxx

And then go from there. Maybe call up Guhle or Schneider. Swayman should be ready soon.

I'd like to throw Connor Brown in there.

 

[Leaffan1991]

There is plenty of blame to go around. As well as the top guys being awful what happen to these new bottom 6 players Nar, Zar and Jancrock that were touted as being great additions. They have been awful. It could easily be argued that our bottom 6 is worse then last year

The problem with dubas is he always brings in either vanilla players or one dimensional. Yes it costs more for players with size physicality and decent hands but it's worth the price instead of always having these vanilla players... they don't change the game in any way

 

[Racer88]

The problem with dubas is he always brings in either vanilla players or one dimensional. Yes it costs more for players with size physicality and decent hands but it's worth the price instead of always having these vanilla players... they don't change the game in any way

I agree with that but unfortunately the way he has allocated the cap he simply cannot afford better quality support players

 

[DarkKnight]

The best part about these posts, they blame the last GM for everything, while simultaneously absolving this one of anything. I mean….

 

[Racer88]

Ok this is an over reaction, we are not or should not be trading him.

Why shouldn’t we trade him if the return is good enough. His personal regular season stats are awesome but he has done very little in the playoffs and he has never raised this team above 1st round failure.
He is not some magical unicorn

 

[killer1980]

Isn't it strange that Dubas got rid of every guy that actually laid their bodies, heart and soul on the line night after night? Maybe this was intentional. That way all his buddies could go for a skate, stay on the outside and never get hurt so they'd look good for the Timmie commercials.

I except JT and Gio from the above. I'd take 4 guys that actually gave a shit over AM, MM, WN, MR.

 

[All Mod Cons]

I'd like to throw Connor Brown in there.

Ooooh yeah. 4th line RW.

Just need a 3rd line C and the forwards are done.

 

[All Mod Cons]

The problem with dubas is he always brings in either vanilla players or one dimensional. Yes it costs more for players with size physicality and decent hands but it's worth the price instead of always having these vanilla players... they don't change the game in any way

His whole thing was it's dead easy to trade for size and toughness later on.

It's obviously not, Kyle.

 

[Havoc]

Embarssing play. At this point, I want to care less about this team and pay more attention to our prospects

Then why are you such a Dubas fan boy. You should have more than just Knies to talk about by now who might not even make the NHL and a top 6 guy that can no-contest Denis f***ing Malgin in training camp.

An anti-core but pro dubas group will be the death of these boards.

 

[notdoneyet]

This is the same thing every year

Matthews marner struggle first ten games then carry the team to record year

Willy jt have great first ten games disappear for next 20

Cant play our two best players one game in exhibition. Why give malgin holmberg 20 minutes a night in preseason to see what they can do. They wont play 20 minutes a night in the nhl. Give them 10 minutes that is what they will get in the nhl.

Keefe is not a good coach.

Teams cant afford to have inexperienced coach and managet learning their craft when you have to take advantage of two of the best young players in the league

 

[Shooter2x]

Then why are you such a Dubas fan boy. You should have more than just Knies to talk about by now who might not even make the NHL and a top 6 guy that can no-contest Denis f***ing Malgin in training camp.

An anti-core but pro dubas group will be the death of these boards.

They'll say the output was reflective of being contenders and give Dubas a pass lol.

If you're excited about that prospect group over the core , it confirms Dubas did a horrible job building around the core. Its time people did their own homework to see why. There's a big logical inconsistency I hope people can see.

 

[Carltons Cup]

Hey, but they will always lead the league in fancy stats and that's all that matters to some on this board.

 

[Nineteen67]

My guess, the morale is low amongst the team because of what the GM dId in the off-season. Put yourself in their (AM, Mitch, TJ, JT, Rielly) shoes and tell me you wouldn’t be disappointed with what management didnt do.

Make no mistake the advisors, agents, and themselves ( AM, Mitch, Willy) are responsible for taking advantage of an inexperienced GM, putting them in this situation.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

The coach and GM have very little clue to what they’re doing.

I’d throw Shanahan in there as well.

I still remember when they said they would address killer instinct after that humiliation against the Habs and went out that offseason and added Nick Ritchie and Mrazek.

They should have all been fired after that series.

 

[Notsince67]

Hopefully the team we trade him to

Matthews is a pro and while he is slumping, this has been a team failure. The core is constantly scrutinized without ever really examining the coach's culpability. There should be a focus on simplicity. The team should look in condition.
You don't play an aggressive PK 3 on 5 with 2 defensemen including Holl. You box shit up.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Embarssing play. At this point, I want to care less about this team and pay more attention to our prospects

What prospects?!

 

[ULF_55]

Core players are core players

 

[GoonieFace]

You know things are bad when the Dubites are getting restless. For the love of God, clean house and dismantle this core

 

[ZEBROA]

It really comes down to that, competitive players tend to see other competitive players and want to be better than them. This team for what ever reason is looking for a lighthouse in the fog. Add a Gilmour (93) and a Clark (17) to this line up ... unstoppable.... nah who am I kidding this teams give a shit level is at an all time low... you could add a Gretzky, Lemieux, Yzerman, Jagr, Messier all in their primes and they'd get the life sucked out of them too. Do we need a Shaman or a Witch to rid us of this freaking curse of mediocrity?

We need to be patiencent many say. I say show that u dont expect nothing but the best every night. No they will not bring that every night, but u want to see that effort.

Especialy in the beginning of the season, mix the hell out of the lines. Find the best formula, right now, and be a sure u understand that the formula will change during the season until it is perfect.

If the system sucks with this core. Tweek the system. Action demands action. Doing nothing, gives u the same or worse.

 

[capfit9]

I’d throw Shanahan in there as well.

I still remember when they said they would address killer instinct after that humiliation against the Habs and went out that offseason and added Nick Ritchie and Mrazek.

They should have all been fired after that series.

said it a couple years ago, Dubas is the Sam Hinkie of hockey. A complete fraud.

 

[Stephen]

Whenever Mitch Marner faces criticism and pressure his game reverts to some junior ice dance and just crumbles. The good news is it usually resolves itself and he puts it all back together. But my critical point after the Montreal series is we can’t let Marner’s career arc and personality be the identity of the team’s come up story. Harness the good but build a more resilient group character, etc.

But it seems like the Leafs have completely taken on his personality. Even Matthews play style looks like it’s trying to be more like Marner. I don’t get it.