The Window Starts Now

[WillNy29]

As a HUGE LEAFS FAN, I refuse to be bundled into the "We". Replace the "We" with Dubas and Shanny. I bolded and increased the fonts with red color where this can be replaced



Nope I agree. I second this motion.

32 teams in the league not all of them have McDavid; and the teams that have won the cup don't have McDavid on their roster. He will cost too much, will be aging and won't help that much in post season IMO. If I am the GM I will not pursue McDavid if the goal is to actually win the cup and not to sell jerseys

lol man f*** the current NHL system. imagine a system where in order to win a cup it makes sense not to have McDavid. this is why the NBA will always be better

 

[sunstersun]

We should trade Marner for a top 6 and draft pick. Ideally a 2C Then use the cap savings to sign Montour.

Sign a 1B goalie and boom.

Bring Domi back. I'm not sold on Bertuzzi. Maybe FA can solve that? I'd love a short term guy while we wait out the Tavares contract. A big FA winger for Matthews in 2025.

Tavares and Marner out for two top 6 guys + a 2D in is a good trade imo.

Ideally Woll can stay healthy. I have no questions about his play. If Cowan can be a top 6 guy in 2025 imagine the possibilities for this team. We're still lacking a young defenceman with high potential who can grow into high minutes. The only way to grab those kind of players is through the draft.

I'm not sold on Rielly being on this team. Right now he's an asset, in two years he's a negative asset.

 

[colchar]

Deal with Tavares now by extending this this off-season. Get him locked up for three or four more years for under $3M per. For his production as a middle six centre or winger this is good value. We also shouldn't force our hometown captain off the team. Release the pressure valve on him by changing him from overpaid underperformer to underpaid, discount taking leader.

Why bother extending him now? It won't change his cap hit next year.

He should also trade letters with Matthews. This is Auston's team, let's make it so.

Matthews has never been the captain of any team he has played on at any level, but you think he should captain the Leafs???

His playoff performance shows he isn't a leader but yeah, let's make him captain. Brilliant idea.

Lock in Bertuzzi and Domi for a combined $10M or less per year for four or five years. These are the types of guys we want. They play hard, they bring the snot and grit, they can play up and down the lineup, and help us absorb the loss of Marner with goals and playmaking for Matthews, on the PP too.

Domi? Sure. Bertuzzi? Not so sure.

Fix the D and start now. In addition to Oleksiak or Larsson, sign three more D at a combined $12M. Make one of them a top four and make at least two of them RD. Sign Liljegren to a one year, show me one last time deal, around $2M. As for rh acquisitions, think Roy with term, and Tanev or Demelo, or Hakanpa, Lyubushkin and Edmundson. Go seven deep and leave opportunities for Niemela, Webber, Rifai, and others to get a cup of NHL coffee.

Yeah, because its just that easy.

Bridge goaltending for one more year by spending our remaining cap space wisely. We should have about $4M or $5M left here and spend it on a 1B or high end back up. We have to see if Woll can stay healthy enough to be our guy. I think one of Stolarz, Dredger, Nedjelkovic, Broissoit, DeSmith, Lankinen or Talbot will come at short term, +/- $3M per. Sign Jones and /or Murray as our third guy and maybe sign both so we can inevitably lose one on waivers. Be ready for Hildeby to jump all of these guys and play some games if he shows he is ready.

You think they should see what Woll can do? They've seen it - he plays great but cannot stay healthy. Why would you want to run with a guy who has never played more than 32 games in a season as a professional?

 

[thewave]

Make sure to time the cap space for McDavid hitting free agency in 2 years

Freeing cap for McDavid sounds really good. Its a good excuse to do the hard things this team has to do. Even if its unspoken but eluded to only.

Losing Marner and JT wont seem so bad if the hope is we are getting McDavid (low odds)

 

[conFABulator]

Why bother extending him now? It won't change his cap hit next year.



Matthews has never been the captain of any team he has played on at any level, but you think he should captain the Leafs???

His playoff performance shows he isn't a leader but yeah, let's make him captain. Brilliant idea.





Domi? Sure. Bertuzzi? Not so sure.




Yeah, because its just that easy.




You think they should see what Woll can do? They've seen it - he plays great but cannot stay healthy. Why would you want to run with a guy who has never played more than 32 games in a season as a professional?

I think there is a positive sorry for this t am and it's leader if he resigns early and for well below market value. He is not going anywhere and he is expensive. If we know that he is coming back next year at a very low number I believe it changes the narrative around everybody is only here for the money and the soone we do that the better.

This looks like Matthews' team to me and I believe they should make that official. He has always been a younger guy on his teams and almost always had an A. I don't think Rielly or McCabe is the choice, it's not there team and I think this helps move Tavares to a proper role of lower paid middle winger.

I am not sure on Bertuzzi either, depends on the number. $5M at four years and I would.

No, it's not easy to build a D. This is why we are raising one of the top wingers in the league to do it. Not easy, so we shouldn't try? We have Reilly, McCabe, Benoit, and maybe Liljegren that are all NHL dmen. Now let's put them in the correct slots by signing or acquiring a couple of top 4 guys.

Will could be injury prone or he could be one of those guys that had injuries early and then didn't. Like Crosby or Bergeron.

This team needs to change and in a cap world with pending window we need to take a few chances in this first year. One is goaltending.

It's a nice list of problems you have with my plan, any ideas of your own?

 

[ACC1224]

The window has been open for years and Teams retool every off season.

 

[Confucius]

I think it's the same obsession with keeping Bertuzzi. Give him a long-term contract and there will be a dozen threads here in two years about how terrible of a deal it is.

I dont want him now @ 5.5 even on a 2 year deal. Tavares is a much better player so how much over 5.5 should we offer JT?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

This year should be viewed as the first in. Two year re-tool and re-load. We have a new GM with his first full off-season, a new coach, young players and prospects ready to contribute, contracts coming off the cap, the cap rising, and key players in their prime.

We cannot waste this opportunity and cannot go "all-in" this year at the expense of a window we have here.

THIS OFF-SEASON PRIORITIES

Trade Marner for two pieces and prospects (and therefore cap space). Something like the suggested Wright and Oleksiak (with picks or prospects) is fine for us. Wright gives us a middle-six centre on the right timeline and Oleksiak is a big, hometown boy filling a top four role. Removing Marner will bring a strong, presumably strong cultural change for the team. How issues with contract, the playoffs and the media are not things he will grow out of and he will be gunning for $12M on his next deal. Take two pieces and $6M in cap space.

Deal with Tavares now by extending this this off-season. Get him locked up for three or four more years for under $3M per. For his production as a middle six centre or winger this is good value. We also shouldn't force our hometown captain off the team. Release the pressure valve on him by changing him from overpaid underperformer to underpaid, discount taking leader. He should also trade letters with Matthews. This is Auston's team, let's make it so.

Lock in Bertuzzi and Domi for a combined $10M or less per year for four or five years. These are the types of guys we want. They play hard, they bring the snot and grit, they can play up and down the lineup, and help us absorb the loss of Marner with goals and playmaking for Matthews, on the PP too.

Make room for the kids by moving out overpaid under-contributors. Marner, Samsonov, Brodie, Kampf, and Jarnkrok. Two walk in FA, Marner is dealt, and so are Kampf and Jarnkrok -- the latter two without much return. We need room and opportunity for youngsters to start/continue to contribute. Knies, McMann, Robertson, Holmberg, Dewar, Benoit, Woll can all play at the NHL level and many are ready to give more with more opportunity. We also need to get Cowan, Minten, Grebenkin, Tverberg, Steeves, Hirvonen, Niemela, Webber, and Hildeby a chance to see if they can be part of this and some will. Maybe find 150 games for this group to split this year. We do this by moving guys out and by not clogging the lineup with too many vets that won't give us much more. Maybe we keep Gregor as RFA though.

Fix the D and start now. In addition to Oleksiak or Larsson, sign three more D at a combined $12M. Make one of them a top four and make at least two of them RD. Sign Liljegren to a one year, show me one last time deal, around $2M. As for rh acquisitions, think Roy with term, and Tanev or Demelo, or Hakanpa, Lyubushkin and Edmundson. Go seven deep and leave opportunities for Niemela, Webber, Rifai, and others to get a cup of NHL coffee.

Bridge goaltending for one more year by spending our remaining cap space wisely. We should have about $4M or $5M left here and spend it on a 1B or high end back up. We have to see if Woll can stay healthy enough to be our guy. I think one of Stolarz, Dredger, Nedjelkovic, Broissoit, DeSmith, Lankinen or Talbot will come at short term, +/- $3M per. Sign Jones and /or Murray as our third guy and maybe sign both so we can inevitably lose one on waivers. Be ready for Hildeby to jump all of these guys and play some games if he shows he is ready.

Knies Matthews Domi
Bertuzzi Tavares Robertson
Cowen Weight Nylander
Dewar Holmberg McMann
Gregor

Rielly Tanev/Demelo
McCabe Oleksiak/Larsson
Benoit Liljegren
Lyubushkin/Edmundson/Haakanpaa

Woll
Stolarz/Broissoit/Nedjelkovic
Jones/Murray
Hildeby

Next Year

1. Use the cap increase to re-sign Knies, Woll, and maybe Liljegren.

2. Use the Tavares savings on an $8M D, F, or G

3. Plan to have 3 or 4 kids busting down the door for meaningful ice time. Cowan, Minten, Grebenkin, Hildeby, Niemela, etc.

We finally get to a core with proper allocations across F, D and G. We finally have guys contributing on low cap hits, and we finally have a gap rising where we can outspend others.

Lebrun has already said they are going big game hunting for a goaltender which is the right call, we have had bridge goaltending for at least 5 years and it's failed.

Time to go get a REAL goaltender cut the bullshit with the bridge goaltending.

 

[Nineteen67]

Then, let's run it back I guess, right?

I think we need to trade Marner and get some pieces back. One of those pieces will be cap space to spend on free agents.

Tell me how we do that, in Toronto without overpaying at least a bit? First of all, everyone overpays on July 1. Secondly, we are in a high tax rate, cold weather, fishbowl of a market.

The reason I want to keep Domi, Tavares and Bertuzzi (throw McCabe in next year too) is because I think we can get two of them at least in hometown discounts and the other two might be reasonable. $5ish for Bert and 4ish for Domi, seems fair and at most a slight overpay.

What's the better plan? No free agents?

No, I’d do the opposite of running it back.

Id consider Domi at 4 or less, but other than that I wouldn’t sign any older, 34+ yo FA. The odds of building a contending team through FA has to be very low

 

[conFABulator]

Lebrun has already said they are going big game hunting for a goaltender which is the right call, we have had bridge goaltending for at least 5 years and it's failed.

Time to go get a REAL goaltender cut the bullshit with the bridge goaltending.

I could get behind that for sure. The right goalie at the right price/acquisition cost though.

I am not sold on Markstrom and I don't know what Saros would cost. Neither rod them have won a cup before. Goaltending is voodoo and you never know who is going to get hot. I believe a healthy Woll might be the best option. I believe he is another Oettinger.

Having said this, I remember singing Cujo turning this franchise around.

No, I’d do the opposite of running it back.

Id consider Domi at 4 or less, but other than that I wouldn’t sign any older, 34+ yo FA. The odds of building a contending team through FA has to be very low

a team with Matthews, Nylander, Marner (trade return), Rielly, McCabe, Knies, Robertson, Liljegren, Will, Holmberg, Cowan, Minten, Hildeby, Niemela, Grebenkin as contributors would not have been built through FA.

We do need to add and surround our core though

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I could get behind that for sure. The right goalie at the right price/acquisition cost though.

I am not sold on Markstrom and I don't know what Saros would cost. Neither rod them have won a cup before. Goaltending is voodoo and you never know who is going to get hot. I believe a healthy Woll might be the best option. I believe he is another Oettinger.

Having said this, I remember singing Cujo turning this franchise around.


a team with Matthews, Nylander, Marner (trade return), Rielly, McCabe, Knies, Robertson, Liljegren, Will, Holmberg, Cowan, Minten, Hildeby, Niemela, Grebenkin as contributors would not have been built through FA.

We do need to add and surround our core though

The words "healthy" and "Woll" have never gone together he has gotten hurt every year of his career, and I'm including everything not just NHL.

Go get a real goaltender there are several available.

 

[Nineteen67]

I could get behind that for sure. The right goalie at the right price/acquisition cost though.

I am not sold on Markstrom and I don't know what Saros would cost. Neither rod them have won a cup before. Goaltending is voodoo and you never know who is going to get hot. I believe a healthy Woll might be the best option. I believe he is another Oettinger.

Having said this, I remember singing Cujo turning this franchise around.


a team with Matthews, Nylander, Marner (trade return), Rielly, McCabe, Knies, Robertson, Liljegren, Will, Holmberg, Cowan, Minten, Hildeby, Niemela, Grebenkin as contributors would not have been built through FA.

We do need to add and surround our core though

We know a couple of those guys can’t play, but if any of the others are ready, let them play, let them develop and see what they have.
Don’t sign old UFAs to high $ and term which will handcuff them.

 

[Al14]

So you see Tavares and Mcdavid as the same? okeedokee

Of course not !!! I see their situations as being comparable. Both would be coming to play for their hometown Leafs at the top of their games. Already being at the peak of their careers means that it's likely their skills will likely diminish as they age even further as Leafs. We have seen this first hand with Tavares.

I see Tavares being vilified NON-STOP by many Leaf fans on this board. I don't want to see the same thing happen with McDavid. He has already given his best years as a young and skilled hockey player to the Edmonton Oilers and their fans.

Despite his great regular season achievements, look what is happening now with Marner. He is also being vilified for NOT performing in the playoffs. Sure, he cheered for our Leafs growing up, however even this hometown player is now being vilified for taking too much salary and not being a playoff performer.

If McDavid were to become a Leaf, our fans will turn on him as well if he can't bring his hometown Leafs a Stanley Cup in his first few years here. And after the first few years here, his skills WILL begin to diminish.

JMHO.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

The window is just opening now?

What the f*** has been the last eight years. I'm so confused. I thought these guys were closing in on thirty years old.

Windows don't usually open up that late.

Maybe if forty is the new thirty then thirty is the new twenty. These guys are just hitting their primes. Instead of over halfway through without any success.

The way they play you'd think they wore diapers.

And a tampon. This team has been full of baby mangina's for years. Pick your nose pick your bum now you got some bubble gum.

Glad the window is finally open to let the stink of failure out.

 

[Trapper]

The window is just opening now?

What the f*** has been the last eight years. I'm so confused. I thought these guys were closing in on thirty years old.

Windows don't usually open up that late.

Maybe if forty is the new thirty then thirty is the new twenty. These guys are just hitting their primes. Instead of over halfway through without any success.

The way they play you'd think they wore diapers.

And a tampon. This team has been full of baby mangina's for years. Pick your nose pick your bum now you got some bubble gum.

Glad the window is finally open to let the stink of failure out.

The window is finally open for the Leafs. About time. No more waiting.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

The window is finally open for the Leafs. About time. No more waiting.
View attachment 876227

They're gonna be real contenders this year I'm sure.

They reacted so well under a hard noser like Babcock. I'm sure they will respond just as well to Berube. At minimal I can honestly say I'm enjoying watching this all unfold.

It's just too bad I'm being more entertained by the off ice activity than by the on ice results.

 

[Fogelhund]

They're gonna be real contenders this year I'm sure.

They reacted so well under a hard noser like Babcock. I'm sure they will respond just as well to Berube. At minimal I can honestly say I'm enjoying watching this all unfold.

It's just too bad I'm being more entertained by the off ice activity than by the on ice results.

We will find out if some of this cast has a problem with hard nosed coaches, or if it was just Babcock, who we should all know by now, has some problematic tendencies in dealing with people in an acceptable manner.

 

[Tak7]

They aren't in a window - they aren't close to being a contender.

 

[Niagara Bill]

If you are watching the playoffs you can see Dubas, Shanny biggest mistake.
Like the Oilers big 4 Mc, Leon, RNH and Nurse they were incapable of winning without Bouchard.
Reilly is no Bouchard.

 

[colchar]

This looks like Matthews' team to me and I believe they should make that official.

If this is his team he ain't exactly making a case for them making it official. Why would they want to be led by a regular season hero and playoff ghost?

He has always been a younger guy on his teams and almost always had an A.

So?

I don't think Rielly or McCabe is the choice, it's not there team and I think this helps move Tavares to a proper role of lower paid middle winger.

Being captain has nothing to do with his role as a middle winger.

I am not sure on Bertuzzi either, depends on the number. $5M at four years and I would.

Thankfully you aren't their GM.

No, it's not easy to build a D. This is why we are raising one of the top wingers in the league to do it. Not easy, so we shouldn't try?

Who said anything about not trying?

We have Reilly, McCabe, Benoit, and maybe Liljegren that are all NHL dmen. Now let's put them in the correct slots by signing or acquiring a couple of top 4 guys.

And it is just so simple to do that is it? Just go out and get them like I'll pop out for milk today?

It's a nice list of problems you have with my plan, any ideas of your own?

Yeah, trust the GM and coach to do it rather than coming up with simplistic ideas like "make a playoff ghost the captain and just pop out and grab some top four defencemen".

 

[Maple Leaf]

Window is open for more cash keep going to the games boys

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

We will find out if some of this cast has a problem with hard nosed coaches, or if it was just Babcock, who we should all know by now, has some problematic tendencies in dealing with people in an acceptable manner.

So did Bowman, what's your point?

 

[ACC1224]

We will find out if some of this cast has a problem with hard nosed coaches, or if it was just Babcock, who we should all know by now, has some problematic tendencies in dealing with people in an acceptable manner.

Players have no problem with 'hard nosed' coaches if they believe in them, players just want to win.
Babcocks failings had nothing to do with being 'hard nosed', it was his whacked out approach to things.

 

[Fogelhund]

So did Bowman, what's your point?

Seriously? Nobody can be that obtuse.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Seriously? Nobody can be that obtuse.

Apparently Bowman had the same personality temperament that you speak of with regards to Babcock and that didn't stop player after player on team after team from playing for him.

If these guys thought Babcock was hard on them they would have thought the guy I worked for cutting grass in high school was a dictator. Getting yelled at in the face making millions of dollars a year sucks. It sucks even more when you're making minimum wage.

If these guys don't have the mental fortitude that goes into the head games the worlds best coaches play with the media, competition, fans, players, and pretty much the entire world, then they don't have the strength of mind it takes to win.