News Article: The Leafs are the best, just unlucky

[Trapper]

If the farm system is so good, then why is the team being filled with old, past-their prime players? (Spezza excluded)

It’s very simple really.
Around here anyway.
You see in order to maximize a players potential, we have to review certain metrics and analyze the potential of union between said individual and skill set to be able to properly identify the need to train a player’s ability to adapt to an environment we are creating to succeed at some point down the line.

This is your answer to any questions about Dubas or core you may have.

 

[WTFMAN99]

If the farm system is so good, then why is the team being filled with old, past-their prime players? (Spezza excluded)

The Dubas/Hunter draft and subsequent Hunter only drafts produced nothing really so we're waiting to see if the other draft classes produce anything for us.

 

[Gary Nylund]

they have the second best player in the world and, at worst, the 5th or 6th best player in the world on their roster.

I don't know whether to or to

 

[Brobust]

Here is what Sergechev from Tampa Bay (oh yea the team we are so much like in skill around here) did to Gallagher.

View attachment 450523

And it’s more luck we need?
Lol.

All legitimate criticism is lost when people post nonsense like this.

Go watch a wrestling match or something.

 

[Trapper]

All legitimate criticism is lost when people post nonsense like this.

Go watch a wrestling match or something.

Might as well. The Leafs are done by that time anyway.
You are the kind that thinks you are just going to dangle your way through 4 rounds. Like Disney on ice you should be watching.

 

[Gabriel426]

The way I see it:
Keefe completely underestimated the Habs and this blew up in his face due to terrible lineup choices, plus Tavares and Muzzin going down. You cannot underestimate how significant losing Muzzin was.
Toronto would have beat Jets but not as easily as the Habs (as Schiefele was missing)
Toronto would have beat Vegas. Seeing the number the Habs did on the Knights leaves me sure of this.
Toronto would be a better matchup then Habs against Tampa.
This is probably a more likely reality then just saying everyone sucks and trade the core. We were missing a franchise C for the entire series and also our best defenseman for the last two games essentially. It is/was an elite team.

They won THREE games without JT.
So the JT injury is not an excuse.
Muzzin was injured in Game 6. The Leafs could have closed out the series before Muz's injury in Game 5 or Game 6.
Why are there always excuses for the Leafs? It is either this or that but never, AM and Marner didn't show up.
OR the offence just could not score when they needed one goal, or maybe the team just aint good enough.

 

[rocketman588]

The way I see it:
Keefe completely underestimated the Habs and this blew up in his face due to terrible lineup choices, plus Tavares and Muzzin going down. You cannot underestimate how significant losing Muzzin was.
Toronto would have beat Jets but not as easily as the Habs (as Schiefele was missing)
Toronto would have beat Vegas. Seeing the number the Habs did on the Knights leaves me sure of this.
Toronto would be a better matchup then Habs against Tampa.
This is probably a more likely reality then just saying everyone sucks and trade the core. We were missing a franchise C for the entire series and also our best defenseman for the last two games essentially. It is/was an elite team.

Everybody is pissed and may never recover but eventually you have to reconcile to the fact that losing Tavares/Muzzin plus having a moron for a coach probably did us in, even if Auston was awful and Mitch was god awful.

The Habs had 10 mil of contracts scratches or injured and stupidly sat their best goal scorer for three games

They also just won a series without their head coach

Maybe we need to make our own luck instead of making excuses for these guys when they repeatedly choke

We didn't even really make the playoffs last year.

 

[rocketman588]

The Dubas/Hunter draft and subsequent Hunter only drafts produced nothing really so we're waiting to see if the other draft classes produce anything for us.

Hunter has always been a very convenient scapegoat for something that Dubas definitely had input in. In three years his drafts ( when he hasn't cap dumped our picks) haven't produced anything either...

 

[ShaneFalco]

The excuses never end for this soft gutless team

 

[Guided by Veseys]

They won THREE games without JT.
So the JT injury is not an excuse.
Muzzin was injured in Game 6. The Leafs could have closed out the series before Muz's injury in Game 5 or Game 6.
Why are there always excuses for the Leafs? It is either this or that but never, AM and Marner didn't show up.
OR the offence just could not score when they needed one goal, or maybe the team just aint good enough.

Tavares is an excellent player, he plays hard and goes heavy to the net (like Gallagher). I’m sure he could have been a difference maker in one of the last three games.
Game five was on Keefe for subbing out Dermott for no reason.
Game 6 and 7 was poor goaltending and choke-fest.
Matthews and Marner definitely didn’t show up. However, probably wouldn’t have been an issue without the shit coaching and key injuries.

 

[Buds17]

1. There's always more to it than simply just good or bad luck.
2. Arguably. "On paper" unfortunately doesn't always translate to what happens on the ice.
3. Don't know enough about this league-wide to agree or disagree.
4. This is yet to be determined either way.
5. No bad contracts per se. They're just a team close to the cap (as contenders typically are) with a forward heavy structure. That's not necessarily a criticism (see #4).
6. At times, absolutely. Regular season vs playoffs is the thing here though.
7. Generally agreed. A team that can make the playoffs will always have more of a chance than the others. Many of the top players are under contract too. Lack of progression is why I can't fully agree.

 

[ShaneFalco]

All legitimate criticism is lost when people post nonsense like this.

Go watch a wrestling match or something.

Isn't there a we'll get em next year rally you could attend?

 

[DavePoulin4PM]

All legitimate criticism is lost when people post nonsense like this.

Go watch a wrestling match or something.

Hockey is a violent game. Always has been. Always will be. You probably were doing cartwheels when Matthews got rag dolled and was laughing. He was “showing discipline” in your world.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Hunter has always been a very convenient scapegoat for something that Dubas definitely had input in. In three years his drafts ( when he hasn't cap dumped our picks) haven't produced anything either...

So Dubas has had the reigns 100% since 2018...or at the very least, Hunter wasn't in the picture.

18 - We picked Sandin who looks like he's nearly ready, won player of tournament at WJC and Holmberg just won MVP in SHL...mostly promising class
19 - Too soon
20 - Definitely too soon

I don't like Dubas as GM but way too early to be bombing on his drafts. About my only complaint is it gets tiring of pretty much knowing our picks are all going to be 5'7-5'10, yea guys grow etc but you need more than a team of little people at some point. We're seeing that adding grit is actually not as cheap as people think...or by the time you can get your hand on it at a decent price, the miles are too high.

IE. Simmonds.

 

[DavePoulin4PM]

Damn Dekes was right Leafs are not lucky and every team that beats us or wins a round are. Such a shame. Maybe it is time for Dubie to buy some rabbit feet.

Seriously when will everybody stop with the excuses for this team ??

The excuses will never end. It is like being in an abusive relationship. Leaf fans and to a larger extent Canadians have Stockholm syndrome.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

The Habs had 10 mil of contracts scratches or injured and stupidly sat their best goal scorer for three games

They also just won a series without their head coach

Maybe we need to make our own luck instead of making excuses for these guys when they repeatedly choke

We didn't even really make the playoffs last year.

I dunno man. I think it was a great team but everyone including the coach underestimated the Habs. I understand why the overwhelming majority feel there are no more excuses and changes need to happen. I’d feel the same if we lost and Tavares (and maybe Muzzin) were in the entire series. For now though I feel okay going back against the Atlantic next year. Hopefully team stays healthy.

 

[Martin Skoula]

If I had 2 goals in 18 games I'd probably look to get in a fight to make people forget about that as well. This goes for both Marner and Gallagher.

At the end of the day their on-ice impact is the same but Gallagher gets praised for being a playoff forward. All it costs you is taking a couple punches Mitch, it's a good investment in not getting your car keyed in Toronto.

 

[Lightsol]

All legitimate criticism is lost when people post nonsense like this.

Go watch a wrestling match or something.

Oh, yeah, I was actually watching when that happened. And I'm convinced Gallagher hides a short razor blade in his helmet so that when someone comes after him he can quickly cut himself to try for a double minor. Sergachev punched him ONCE. You do not bleed like that from being floored once, and it's not like it's the first time we've seen Gallagher get nailed and pop up looking like he lost Hell in a Cell...

As for the whole "IT'S NOT LUCK!" thing... Bulshit. The Leafs have had a mind-boggling amount of bad luck that goes all the way back to the team getting f***ed by Kerry Fraser. I can't explain how across 6 management teams, a bunch of different coaches, and 25 years of roster turnover, they still have long stretches where the puck seem to follow their opponents and no matter what they do, and the worst things happen right when they don't want them too...

It was the first thing I noticed in Game 5. First four games, it wasn't noticeable. But Games 5-7? EVERY TIME the Leafs had the puck and shot, rebound went straight to a Montreal player. Pucks in the corner popping out to a random Montreal player standing there doing nothing. Pucks bouncing around and landing on Montreal player's sticks for free chances.

And for f***'s sake, the same thing happened with Boston, all three times we've played them in the playoffs going back to when we had Kessel. This isn't an isolated incident; it seems to constantly happen to this team. It happens when they had Mats and the lunchbox crew against Philadelphia, too. It's what allowed Carolina to beat them in 2002...

Seriously, does the franchise need an exorcism? I'm starting to seriously wonder, because I've watched it so many times in my life it's getting ridiculous now.

 

[MakeTheIronSing]

The Dubas/Hunter draft and subsequent Hunter only drafts produced nothing really so we're waiting to see if the other draft classes produce anything for us.

I’m probably not the only one saying this, but so much would be forgotten right now if this team just continued to draft well instead of mortgaging the future. Cap becomes less relevant, less reliance on “core” etc. It’s a real shame the team doesn’t really recognize that drafting is what put them in the position they are in, so why not continue to place a lot of emphasis on it.

 

[rocketman588]

So Dubas has had the reigns 100% since 2018...or at the very least, Hunter wasn't in the picture.

18 - We picked Sandin who looks like he's nearly ready, won player of tournament at WJC and Holmberg just won MVP in SHL...mostly promising class
19 - Too soon
20 - Definitely too soon

I don't like Dubas as GM but way too early to be bombing on his drafts. About my only complaint is it gets tiring of pretty much knowing our picks are all going to be 5'7-5'10, yea guys grow etc but you need more than a team of little people at some point. We're seeing that adding grit is actually not as cheap as people think...or by the time you can get your hand on it at a decent price, the miles are too high.

IE. Simmonds.

My only issue with the Hunter stuff is that people seem to just conveniently forget Dubas was part of the decision making process as well even as assistant GM

Like he wasn't just sitting in the corner spanking the monkey during the evaluation process and if he was then he should have been more active in making his point

Seems like every bad pick during that era is just "hunters fault"

Idk if 2018 is too early to tell tbh

The Habs have three kids that they took from 17-19 playing massive mins in the cup finals and one more who played pretty large mins in the regular season.

 

[rocketman588]

I’m probably not the only one saying this, but so much would be forgotten right now if this team just continued to draft well instead of mortgaging the future. Cap becomes less relevant, less reliance on “core” etc. It’s a real shame the team doesn’t really recognize that drafting is what put them in the position they are in, so why not continue to place a lot of emphasis on it.

This is why the JT move was kinda weird

It was a gamble that accelerated the process massively and has yet to pay off so far

As much as I like him as a player etc

 

[Lightsol]

My only issue with the Hunter stuff is that people seem to just conveniently forget Dubas was part of the decision making process as well even as assistant GM

Like he wasn't just sitting in the corner spanking the monkey during the evaluation process and if he was then he should have been more active in making his point

Seems like every bad pick during that era is just "hunters fault"

Idk if 2018 is too early to tell tbh

The Habs have three kids that they took from 17-19 playing massive mins in the cup finals and one more who played pretty large mins in the regular season.

Well, first of all, Lou was the GM during those years. I don't know how much input Dubas would have had, seeing as he was the co-assistant GM and equal to Hunter. And they stated over and over again that Hunter was the draft guy, and it was up to him to pick who the Leafs were taking. And it's not like the fridge drafts were out of character for EITHER Lou or Hunter... I don't like how he's gone in the complete other direction with drafting, but I think it's safe to say Dubas wouldn't have been drafting 6'3" defensemen with suspect skating if he were calling the shots.

As for the Habs, they have three kids from the last three drafts in their lineup because their lineup lacks scoring talent, and that's what teams desperate for talent do. The Leafs did it in the mid-00's, too... Luke Schenn in the NHL at 18, anyone?

 

[Bluelines]

There are things that are true, that Leafs Nation doesn’t want to hear: 1) the team lost only because it got unlucky 2) they have one of the best rosters in the NHL 3) they have one of the best farm systems in the NHL 4) they were correct to set their salary cap structure up the way they did 5) they don’t have a single bad contract on the team 6) they have the second best player in the world and, at worst, the 5th or 6th best player in the world on their roster. 7) They are set up to be competitive for years.


source The Toronto Maple Leafs Are Right to Not Care What We Think

When your article is this bad, its an editor in leaf article.

I've had a few of these article's from this website show up in my news feed recently. Do middle school children write for this website?

 

[rocketman588]

Well, first of all, Lou was the GM during those years. I don't know how much input Dubas would have had, seeing as he was the co-assistant GM and equal to Hunter. And they stated over and over again that Hunter was the draft guy, and it was up to him to pick who the Leafs were taking. And it's not like the fridge drafts were out of character for EITHER Lou or Hunter... I don't like how he's gone in the complete other direction with drafting, but I think it's safe to say Dubas wouldn't have been drafting 6'3" defensemen with suspect skating if he were calling the shots.

As for the Habs, they have three kids from the last three drafts in their lineup because their lineup lacks scoring talent, and that's what teams desperate for talent do. The Leafs did it in the mid-00's, too... Luke Schenn in the NHL at 18, anyone?

You realize caulfield scored more goals in one playoff Series then Matthews has his entire career right? I'm so glad we were so deep that we played jumbo Joe on the first power play. We could definitely not use Nick Suzuki

It's not desperation if they're kids are good enough to score massive goals to lead them to the finals

If that's the case then we shouldn't have hired a GM whose entire experience was buying a title with the marlies.

None of his picks have worked out either so far. Sandin is the only one in the league and he's our bottom pair D man in an average d corps

 

[egd27]

Damn Dekes was right Leafs are not lucky and every team that beats us or wins a round are. Such a shame. Maybe it is time for Dubie to buy some rabbit feet.

Seriously when will everybody stop with the excuses for this team ??

Crossed my mind more than once that a certain poster and the writer of the article have just a little too much in common in both opinion and attitude.