There is nothing wrong with Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares.

[RorschachWJK]

Leafs have four 11 million dollar guys, Florida has 0.

Game, set and match. Further questions, anybody?

 

[ashs]

Problem is marner wouldnt accept a team friendly deal.

 

[Fatass]

Not sure why this isn’t brought up more. Toronto’s defence is old and relatively immobile. It’s literally tailor made for Florida’s forecheck.

I think that was the biggest reason why Florida always does really good against Toronto, moreso than either teams’s top forwards showing up.

The downside to this is that Florida gives up tons of breakways, but Toronto failed to capitalize on those. They’re beatable but you need to finish.

Okay. Can we agree the playoffs are at a higher compete than regular season? Given that obvious declaration, we need to look at something in a game that actually shows how players react to the added physical compete of the playoffs. For me that’s the after whistle battle net front. Snd looking at those the Leafs top paid guys end up on the walls. They don’t fight net front but are rather easily pushed to the walls. That’s losing right there.

 

[Fatass]

Problem is marner wouldnt accept a team friendly deal.

Why should he?

 

[Miller Time]

Problem is marner wouldnt accept a team friendly deal.

You're missing a qualifier...
Problem is marner & Matthews wouldnt accept a team friendly deal AND neither produce when it matters the most.

 

[ashs]

Why should he?

He's done nothing that's why.

 

[Fatass]

He's done nothing that's why.

Players should be fairly compensated. For MM that’s 14-15 x 7 on July 1.
You do realize players don’t get paid contract dollars during the playoffs, right? They’re paid for the regular season games.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

He's done nothing that's why.

Matthews didn't, Nylander didn't. Why would Marner?

 

[Fatass]

Matthews didn't, Nylander didn't. Why would Marner?

This ^^^
The highest paid guys, who are always the leaders of a club, set the bar. They hold out for maximum dollars (like Nylander clearly did) and it sets the precedent for the club.
IMO the Leafs should have immediately traded Nylander when he held out.

 

[ashs]

Nylander at least gave term and wasn't max.. Marner and Mathews have been pure mercenaries

 

[sampollock]

Sure ok
Keep them together

 

[serp]

Maybe not individually but as a core ? They do not work together . This core has been together for 7 seasons now and won 2 rounds during this whole time . They've been kept together for much longer than they deserve already.

 

[HofT]

Sign Marner, sign Tavares for cheap - trade Rielly

 

[ijuka]

This ^^^
The highest paid guys, who are always the leaders of a club, set the bar. They hold out for maximum dollars (like Nylander clearly did) and it sets the precedent for the club.
IMO the Leafs should have immediately traded Nylander when he held out.

Nylander's "held out" contract was an absolute bargain.

 

[Fatass]

Nylander's "held out" contract was an absolute bargain.

Sure it is. Nylander is a leader of men. He’s one of those very special guys who rises up during the toughest of times and drags his teammates through the battle.
Lmaoapotf.

 

[HofT]

In general, Canadian teams have to overpay for their players.

 

[pelderhostiga]

Why does the title of this thread immediately remind me of this picture:

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Wanna point out something obvious.

Back when the Oilers paraded around a 'core' it was Hall Eberle Nuge Schultz. When we had a 'core' that was deemed 'more important than the rest' we were perrennial losers.

Outside of McDavid/Drai there is no core. And even then, these 2 guys are just our best 2 players who would never consider themselves the core.

The rest are all important, yet all replaceable. Ekholm, Bouchard, Hyman, Nuge, Kane.. none are 'core'. They're important to our current success, but so are our 4th liners like Janmark and Brown. Newcomers like Walman, Perry, Henrique and Klingberg are every bit as important as our non-McDrai players.

Parading around a 'core-4' is demoralizing to the rest of the bench, and elevating a small clique as a 'core' on whats supposed to be a 'team' is poor for cohesion.

 

[jackjohnson]

Wanna point out something obvious.

Back when the Oilers paraded around a 'core' it was Hall Eberle Nuge Schultz. When we had a 'core' that was deemed 'more important than the rest' we were perrennial losers.

Outside of McDavid/Drai there is no core. And even then, these 2 guys are just our best 2 players who would never consider themselves the core.

The rest are all important, yet all replaceable. Ekholm, Bouchard, Hyman, Nuge, Kane.. none are 'core'. They're important to our current success, but so are our 4th liners like Janmark and Brown. Newcomers like Walman, Perry, Henrique and Klingberg are every bit as important as our non-McDrai players.

Parading around a 'core-4' is demoralizing to the rest of the bench, and elevating a small clique as a 'core' on whats supposed to be a 'team' is poor for cohesion.

Oilers have the best 2 centers in the league and you say having Janmark and Perry are just as important as those 2? Fact of the matter is if you didn't have Drai and McDavid, Oilers wouldn't be even close to a playoff spot. McDavid and Drai takes out the hardest matchup and frees up 4th liners on the Oilers like Perry or Janmark to score. Take out Drai and Mcdavid and the Oilers would be in same spot as Chicago

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Oilers have the best 2 centers in the league and you say having Janmark and Perry are just as important as those 2? Fact of the matter is if you didn't have Drain and McDavid, Oilers wouldn't be even close to a playoff spot. McDavid and Drai takes out the hardest matchup and frees up 4th liners on the Oilers like Perry or Janmark to score. Take out Drai and Mcdavid and the Oilers would be in same spot as Chicago

I Don't disagree. I'm just saying we don't label certain players 'core' players.

And I said OUTSIDE of those 2... Janmark is seen as equally important as a 50 goal player like Hyman, or a historically offensive dman like Bouchard.

There is never any mention of a 'Core' on the Oilers team.

 

[LightningStorm]

This has been said ad nauseum, but signing Tavares was the defining mistake of this Leafs team. A wasteful luxury when there were all kinds of other pressing needs for their roster.

 

[jackjohnson]

I Don't disagree. I'm just saying we don't label certain players 'core' players.

And I said OUTSIDE of those 2... Janmark is seen as equally important as a 50 goal player like Hyman, or a historically offensive dman like Bouchard.

There is never any mention of a 'Core' on the Oilers team.

They already know Oilers core at McDavid and Drai. No need to mention them because all fans know who the Oilers core is

 

[Johnny Concussion]

Sure it is. Nylander is a leader of men. He’s one of those very special guys who rises up during the toughest of times and drags his teammates through the battle.
Lmaoapotf.

apotf? Not trying to call you out or be a dick. Legit no idea what that means and would love to know.

 

[winnipegger]

No, the problem is with the two man children in Matthews and Marner, and if you don't get rid of them now you're a fool. I guess maybe keep Matthews but don't expect the guy to lead you to a cup he just doesn't score goals in the playoffs. 1 goal in 7 games in the biggest leafs series in 20 years. From a guy who scored 60+ twice.

 

[Chris18820]

Problem is marner wouldnt accept a team friendly

Nylander at least gave term and wasn't max.. Marner and Mathews have been pure mercenaries

Nylanders contract turned out to be a bargain. The other two took as much as they could get leaving no room for other pieces. Matthews even took the 4 year contract so he could cash in again as the cap rises, leaving less room again for other contracts.