Speculation: The Problem - Grinders, Did Dubas fail?

[AllDay28]

Whether it be the VGK, Isles, or MTL, we're seeing that the teams that thrive in the playoffs and beat high skill teams are these teams composed of hard-working individuals that are puck hungry.

On the leafs? Only Hyman and maybe Kerfoot plays a style similar to the above.

Looking back, the players that fit this criteria:
1) Connor Brown
2) Kasperi Kapanen
3) Nazem Kadri
4) Matt Martin
5) Leo Komarov (although I know isn't good now)

We traded all 5 for softer players or to sign our high skilled players.

Based off today's NHL, did dubas clearly build the wrong team?

how many rounds did they win with those 5? I’ll hang up and listen.

 

[LeafGrief]

If Marner, and to a lesser extent Matthews, play well in our series this isn't a conversation. The depth can always be better, it's our core guys who didn't get it done.

And our defense, that Dubas built, scored 5 goals. They were phenomenal.

Perhaps Dubas failed at building the right mix of grit and heart in the bottom six. But at least to my eyes, the 40m on four players is the only Dubas decision that truly sunk us this year. The defense was terrific. The depth scored enough, Kerfoot and Spezza are both Dubas additions and they were brilliant. Campbell, a Dubas addition stood tall. But Marner, a guy that Dubas gave 11m to, is where we really fell short. Tinker with the depth mix and come back again next year, but Marner's success or lack thereof in the playoffs will almost certainly be what determines if Dubas has a job next summer.

Truly, I don't blame him for wanting to bet on Marner, and I'd certainly rather that he be right than us at the end of the day.

 

[Twine Tickler]

If Marner, and to a lesser extent Matthews, play well in our series this isn't a conversation. The depth can always be better, it's our core guys who didn't get it done.

100%

Obviously with the early departure from the postseason comes with a lot of extra time to over analyze what "didn't work". We were the better team 5 out of 7 games, had the statistical advantage in every category including goaltending and somehow still managed to lose the series. It was truly the most Leaf way to lose.

Ultimately, if Mitch OR Auston show up in this series, we are talking about round 3 right now. It's just that simple.

I think our depth was good enough to get us to the final 4, but maybe not good enough to win it all. I expect there to be a bit of a change in the depth for sure, but at the end of the day you don't win it all with depth alone. You need your top guys to be top guys. This discussion is really a moot point until this core proves that they can be top players when it counts.

 

[Trapper]

how many rounds did they win with those 5? I’ll hang up and listen.

Zero I believe.
We also didn’t win any without them.

wait a minute.
I see what you did.
You’re holding the core accountable aren’t you?
Sneaky.

 

[Donnie740]

But at least to my eyes, the 40m on four players is the only Dubas decision that truly sunk us this year.

Appointing his incompetent buddy to be the coach was even WORSE than the terrible overpay for the big four.

No coach in NHL history has ever had a bigger disaster of a series than what Keefe had against Montreal.