Tremendous Free Agency For Toronto

[notbias]

But I was told it was impossible to add impact players to the roster because of the core 4 ? Suck it Dubas

The cheap depth he added has helped.

Without Knies/Jarnkrok/Holmerg/Lafferty/Robertson on good, cheap deals, those two players we added are likely playing in the top 6 and we go back to having no depth.

There is a real chance that both Knies and Jarnkrok are top 6 next year and two of Nylander, Bertuzzi, and Domi are playing on the 3rd line.

 

[SprDaVE]

Max Domi is the furthest thing away from a tough and rough player. People need to understand the kind of player he is. He's an offensive player at his core that avoids contact. He's not his dad. Please don't put him on a pedestal for something he isn't and then complain that he's not what you thought he was.

Bertuzzi is about the same level of grit as Bunting. He's just way better offensively.

 

[seanlinden]

The Reaves signing was ridiculously bad... he's signed until he's 40, and not on a contract that can be fully buried.

Klingberg, Bertuzzi, and Domi are al fine signings in isolation; but are repeats of the same problem -- which is taking the "core 4" and recycling depth chairs around them -- the "2 tier class" of the Maple Leafs. The fact that they're all 1 year deals, screams just how obvious Treliving & co view this.

Luke Schenn was a tough loss, but he's not a good buy at $2.75m X 3 year defenceman at 33 years old. No hard feelings there, and you have to wish him the best.

ROR is tough. Presumably, the Leafs had a very similar contract offer to ROR on the table; and the fact that a winner like that chose Nashville over Toronto should be a black mark on this organization. Nashville has $9m in dead cap this year, and over $11m in dead cap next year.

You walk into NMCs for Marner & Matthews, without a contract in place for Matthews. That's a problem and now risk allowing history to repeat itself with what Johnny Gaudreau did to Calgary. As for Nylander, his 10-team NTC isn't the end of the world; although with everyone having spent their money now, a deal could be tougher.

My biggest question(s).... you know John Tavares is a potential issue at #2C...what did you do to address that? Tyler Bertuzzi isn't a centre. Is Max Domi one? Who's the #3C on this team?

Sign John Klingberg that's great, but you also had a need for size and some tenacity on the blueline.... where's that coming from?

 

[All Mod Cons]

But I was told it was impossible to add impact players to the roster because of the core 4 ? Suck it Dubas

Brad did really well considering how hampered he was from the previous management. The whole Murray situation is one of the worst things previous management did (in a long list of bad things).

 

[Nineteen67]

It’s a start and they had to make changes but are they better than the team that lost in the playoffs?

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Max Domi is the furthest thing away from a tough and rough player. People need to understand the kind of player he is. He's an offensive player at his core that avoids contact. He's not his dad. Please don't put him on a pedestal for something he isn't and then complain that he's not what you thought he was.

Bertuzzi is about the same level of grit as Bunting. He's just way better offensively.

Maybe it's true, but 14 career fighting majors is not exactly nothing.

 

[SprDaVE]

Maybe it's true, but 14 career fighting majors is not exactly nothing.

It ain't nothing. He's definitely a hot head and will probably lose his temper and all that. He's a feisty rat and I like him a lot for what he brings. The Leafs did well. But I think people have a warped sense with Max because of Tie.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

The Reaves signing was ridiculously bad... he's signed until he's 40, and not on a contract that can be fully buried.

Klingberg, Bertuzzi, and Domi are al fine signings in isolation; but are repeats of the same problem -- which is taking the "core 4" and recycling depth chairs around them -- the "2 tier class" of the Maple Leafs. The fact that they're all 1 year deals, screams just how obvious Treliving & co view this.

Luke Schenn was a tough loss, but he's not a good buy at $2.75m X 3 year defenceman at 33 years old. No hard feelings there, and you have to wish him the best.

ROR is tough. Presumably, the Leafs had a very similar contract offer to ROR on the table; and the fact that a winner like that chose Nashville over Toronto should be a black mark on this organization. Nashville has $9m in dead cap this year, and over $11m in dead cap next year.

You walk into NMCs for Marner & Matthews, without a contract in place for Matthews. That's a problem and now risk allowing history to repeat itself with what Johnny Gaudreau did to Calgary. As for Nylander, his 10-team NTC isn't the end of the world; although with everyone having spent their money now, a deal could be tougher.

My biggest question(s).... you know John Tavares is a potential issue at #2C...what did you do to address that? Tyler Bertuzzi isn't a centre. Is Max Domi one? Who's the #3C on this team?

Sign John Klingberg that's great, but you also had a need for size and some tenacity on the blueline.... where's that coming from?

John Tavares is Toronto's second line center. Yes. And yes. Max Domi could likely be Toronto's 3rd line center.

Toronto is not done, and then they can improve their situation on defense at the trade deadline.

 

[francis246]

If you don't think it changed last year by bringing in the personality types, why would it change this year?

I think we addressed our biggest need which is scoring, so I am happy.

If we do well, it won't be because Domi sucker punched some guy for the 10th time in his career or because Bertuzzi stole someone's stick.

I feel like the names are bigger than the players at this point, at least on this board.

Happy with day 2 and for sure think we upgraded offensively.

Domi is better than Kerfoot but Kerfoot put up more ESP in the last 3 years (11 more games, 1 more point) and Domi is likely getting PP2 time, not 1 here.

I am saying Domi is better offensively, but people need to realize Domi is not a 70 point player, Bertuzzi isn't either.

Btw I am glad we added scoring since it has been our biggest issue in the playoffs... I am curious if we gave away too much on the defensive side, but we will see, it at least changes the dynamic of the team a little so it's fun.

Domi put up 72 points in 2018-19. He's capable of being a 50 point plus guy in the right situation. The thing about both is they are tenacious and puck hounds and can score in transition. That was a huge issue for the leafs. They could not score in transition for much of the season. We had trouble advancing the puck (which Klingberg will help with).

This team is going to be better because we are actually addressing realistic deficiencies in our game. The style of play for the team is going to change. We are actually going to have established forechecking now as well.

 

[All Mod Cons]

It’s a start and they had to make changes but are they better than the team that lost in the playoffs?

I think we are a worse regular season team and a better playoff team, especially when you consider the typical deadline acquisitions of a rugged dman and bottom 6 forward.

I suspose it will come down to how someone measures success.

 

[BallardEra]

One problem.

Keefe is still the coach.

 

[DraftSchmaft]

Nylander is a lock for 100 points the way this team is trending and people are still trading him away.

Securing a nice supporting cast is only relevant If you have your stars

 

[MAB1]

What the next steps should be:

- Trade Murray for cap relief
- Trade Brodie for assets and cap relief (Rielly/McCabe/Liljegren/Klingberg/Giordano/Timmins)

Those 2 moves open up $10 million in cap space

- Sign Nylander and Matthews to their extensions
- Use assets from Brodie trade + own picks + prospects to acquire top 4 d-man (Tanev?) or sign one from the UFA list
- Sign Samsonov to a bridge deal (2 years, $3 mill AAV)

Knies-Matthews-Nylander
Bertuzzi-Tavares-Marner
Jarnkrok-Domi-Robertson
Reaves-Kampf-Holmberg

Rielly-Tanev
McCabe-Liljegren
Giordano-Klingberg

Samsonov
Woll

 

[Nineteen67]

I think we are a worse regular season team and a better playoff team, especially when you consider the typical deadline acquisitions of a rugged dman and bottom 6 forward.

I suspose it will come down to how someone measures success.

They weren’t fast enough last year and the got a little slower and maybe worse defensively.

They need players all over the lineup and auditioning a couple of new bodies on one year deals, without giving up resources, is perfect strategy.

If they make the playoffs and even one guy sticks and signs an extension I‘d consider that a success.

 

[socko]

How many threads are we going to have bashing our old GM. It's getting ridiculous.

Move on already.

I'm still celebrating.. It's early yet and this is the best I felt since we won that lottery.

 

[notbias]

What the next steps should be:

- Trade Murray for cap relief
- Trade Brodie for assets and cap relief (Rielly/McCabe/Liljegren/Klingberg/Giordano/Timmins)

Those 2 moves open up $10 million in cap space

- Sign Nylander and Matthews to their extensions
- Use assets from Brodie trade + own picks + prospects to acquire top 4 d-man (Tanev?) or sign one from the UFA list
- Sign Samsonov to a bridge deal (2 years, $3 mill AAV)

Knies-Matthews-Nylander
Bertuzzi-Tavares-Marner
Jarnkrok-Domi-Robertson
Reaves-Kampf-Holmberg

Rielly-Tanev
McCabe-Liljegren
Giordano-Klingberg

Samsonov
Woll

Just trade Murray, sign Sammy for ~3 million, send Robertson down, and problem solved.

Would like to push Gio out of the lineup if possible.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

This… the cast around the core has constantly changed, including leadership… this just seems like doing more of the same thing, but with a different flavour. Perhaps the differences in play style, more grit and physicality, will have a greater impact come playoff time… but ultimately it would be in the core players to, once again, figure their shit out in the playoffs

That being said it will be a fun road to get there and I’m happy for a fresh new look now that they’ve moved on from Holl and Kerfoot

They're all young. When did Yzerman win his first cup? What about Ovechkin? There's many examples of players who were branded as playoff chokers before they won. I'm not worried. The Leafs have a core who can consistently get them into the mix. Not many teams can say that.

 

[justashadowof]

Ignore the surname for Domi. Think John Cullen or Mikhal Grabovski or Jason Blake. In the best way possible.

 

[thewave]

Nylander is a lock for 100 points the way this team is trending and people are still trading him away.

Securing a nice supporting cast is only relevant If you have your stars

If they are running it back they better have success because at least with success you can negotiate they stay for less..

Outside success what do we have to offer as a reason for them to take a discount?

 

[IPS]

How many threads are we going to have bashing our old GM. It's getting ridiculous.

Move on already.

Probably for as long as those shitty overpayments are going to haunt the franchise for. This isn't a thread about Dubas either, it's more about the work of the new GM.

Why are you guys so desperate to memory hole him anyway? Dubas fans loved to bring up Lou non-stop anyway. Just how things go on this board.

But I was told it was impossible to add impact players to the roster because of the core 4 ? Suck it Dubas

TONS of players would have loved to come to Toronto on one year deals to cash out big playing with our superstars but Dubas seemed deadset on his Kerfoots, Ritchies and Vesyes. Every once in awhile he got a good one with Bunting. We literally went into last year with Kerfoot pencilled in as our 2nd line LW. Dubas could NEVER find a decent LW for the 2nd line and Treliving found one in 2 days.

 

[hullsy47]

Brad did really well considering how hampered he was from the previous management. The whole Murray situation is one of the worst things previous management did (in a long list of bad things).

Dubas messed this up

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

Ignore the surname for Domi. Think John Cullen or Mikhal Grabovski or Jason Blake. In the best way possible.

I would be fine with either of those players if they were supposed to be our 7th or 8th best offensive forward. Back in the day those guys were expected to be top-line producers.

Domi has put up 70 points in an NHL season before and he's still not old. He can slide up in the line up and play top minutes if we're racked with injuries. For only $3M, it's a huge win. This isn't 2009 anymore.

Dubas messed this up

To be fair to Dubas, he also brought in Samsonov who worked out well. He picked up 2 goalies hoping 1 would pan out, and that was the case.

 

[crump]

Losing Acciari, ROR and Schenn is tough. Good character guys, grit. They got paid though, can’t blame them. ROR gets to play in a small market, check out some awesome bands after games in Nashville, probably start an open mic club for NHL players in a tax fee state with his cup ring and. Conn Smyth.

Klingberg- very concerned about his defense. He’s like the anti-Holl. A PP specialist. Having Matthews and Marner on a PP with him will be intriguing, he could put up career numbers. Holl was a PK specialist but still was kinda bad defensively. That’s how bad Klingberg has been for 3 years. Holl was a better defensive D man. Needs to be sheltered and see little ice defending a lead. Let’s hope we’re cheering #3 this year.

Reaves - getting older but still tough as nails. Reg season add mainly. I think Pridham made this contract burialable burialiable (wut), palatable in year 3. I look forward to some regular season shenanigans. Orr/McLaren vs Habs part deux?

Bertuzzi- upgrade on Bunting, just stay healthy. 1 year is great show me contract. Great add.

Domi- love it for one year. Would always wonder how he would have done as a Leaf. There’s a Marner connection as well. More skill added and a little sandpaper if needed. (Won’t walk away from cheap shots against teammates.) should benefit from playing with elite players.

In a vacuum l, I love the term on these signings, and I like what they can bring when they are on their game. A lot has to go right for all these guys, be it health, limiting stupid plays or shoring up weaknesses in their games. I think the PK will be busy and Sammy will be bailing out Klingberg a little. Maybe a lot.

 

[leafsfan5]

What did the Caps do after 7 years of the Ovi era? Where is their Ovi/Backstrom/Kuznetsov trade?

What did the Bolts do after 7 years of the Stamkos/Hedman era? Where is their Stamkos/Kucherov/Point trade?

You'd think for being the hockey mecca of the world the Leafs would have smarter fans...

For someone acting so smug about their hockey knowledge it’s ironic that you don’t see how either situation does not translate to ours

1.) Washington’s original core was Ovechkin/Backstrom/Semin/Green. They moved on from that and won with new pieces such as Kuznetsov, Wilson, Oshie
2.) Between 2014 and winning their cup, Tampa made the ECF 2 times and the cup final once. They had consistent deep runs with the core which suggested they could do it again. How many do we have? We’ve made the 2nd round once and got our asses swiftly kicked

 

[Maple Leaf]

Lweaf need to boslster the blueline for a change