What are you looking forward to most this season?

[Nineteen67]

What rebuild do you honestly think is gonna happen? As long as Matthews is a leaf there will not be a rebuild. The team is going to be retooled this off-season, with the cap space and infusion of young talent (Knies, Cowan, Minten, Greby, Niemela if he can grab a spot).

There is no traditional rebuild coming for at least 5-7 years.

That’s true, as soon as they drafted Matthews they quit rebuilding and won’t do a proper one for another decade.

I know. I have just lost interest in this group. The young guys you mention interest me a lot more than more of Matthews and Marner. They kids represent hope, the others failure.

Are there enough of prospects?

 

[The Shrike]

I am most curious about how the players react to Berube.

That's going to determine how the rest of the season goes.

 

[The Shrike]

The goals for will be coming down, as more players are forced to play a sound defense first game, where ALL players are going to be required to finish their checks as Leafs transform away from a figure skating team and towards a real hockey team that is built for playoff success.

Keefe had them playing overly defensive in the playoffs, which is why they lost.

Hopefully Berube utilizes his teams strengths as opposed to trying to over emphasize shoring up their weaknesses at the cost of those strengths like Keefe did.

 

[Dayjobdave]

There wasn’t a parade option so I went with the coaching influence.

I’m pretty optimistic for how the team will play, and I’m intrigued to see if some of the Mitch turn backs at the blue line and outside play were coached moves.

Hoping Knies takes a big step this year, wondering if we end up with two Nylanders on the squad.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Shanahan's final season easily tops the list for me.

He's led this team to one series win in ten years. All while telling the greatest fan base in the world how stupid they were. Does anyone really think this lame duck POS POHO deserves an extension.

All he does every year is to keep running it back.

The same team with the same problems with the exact same results. If your stupid mistake doesn't work the first time then just keep making the same stupid mistake over and over again. That's the Shanaplan in a nutshell.

I can't wait for the season to start so we can see the predictable happen and watch it all burn down.

Shanahan thought this team could win, failed miserably, and should have been fired already. Unable to catch even a whiff of the results he set out to achieve. The whole "we are going to get this done" thing is the biggest joke since "we can and we will".

I could be drooling while walking around in my underwear after taking my sleeping pills and do a better job.

 

[NVious]

Marner, Tavares and Shanahan gone.

If you think this group is going anywhere because we added old man Tanev, I'd like the copium you're huffing.

Having any positive expectation of this core is insane at this point.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

I'm at the point in the year where i start looking forward to hockey in general. I'm optimistic about the Leafs season.

Same for me other than the Leaf optimism. It's a great sport whether the Leafs crap the bed as usual or not.

 

[Anthrax442]

More choices can be added upon request

I do want to see more international hockey on the highest level, so 4 Nations cup is one of my choices. I really like seeing more and more players from countries like Germany being drafted, I really hope that this pattern continues.

 

[notDatsyuk]

I'd like to see the battle for 2C.

 

[diceman934]

Excited to see the effect a real coach has on this group. The whole coaching staff is demanding and expectations will be high. On paper our best group of D man in a long while.
Line matching will be more prevalent and players will earn their ice time.

 

[DutchHockeyGuy]

That’s true, as soon as they drafted Matthews they quit rebuilding and won’t do a proper one for another decade.


Are there enough of prospects?

Situation could have been better, but there can always be surprises and guys like Cowan will be fun to follow.

Bobby McMann’s unexpected rise last year was one of the better storylines for example. We really missed him in the playoffs.

Stories like his keep me more involved with the team than guys that get paid like superstars but always disappoint when the pressure rises.

 

[LeafSteel]

 

[rumman]

Marner trade…….

 

[Stephen]

We all know Mitchy is going to have like 32 points in the first 12 games, at which point the extension will be announced. Nothing else is Leafy enough.



To the question, and I’ll get to the poll, my first thought is style of play under Berube. Can he reign these guys in to play a focused, complete game most nights?

Mitch pretty much never starts a season on a hot streak. If this year follows the typical script he’s going to look pretty rough the first two weeks, there’s going to be a crisis in confidence and things will smooth out in November.

 

[namttebih]

Leafs having structure and possibly winning the division. I really think they have a team capable of winning a division.

Would also love to see Bobby McMann become a 20+ goal scorer this year

Came to post this. I selected Knies progression. Would be over the moon if both became steady 20-25 goal forecheck animals. This team desperately needs a couple of big boys with drive and presence.

 

[namttebih]

How Berube can get this team to play/compete is probably #1 on everyones list

Matthews wearing the C

More than anything, playoffs. Anything can happen once you get in the playoffs, most of the regular season is meaningless in terms of determining how the playoff bracket will actually play out. Can this team compete at a high level and play playoff (Cup winning) hockey when it matters ?

Not really interested in the regular season a whole lot, will still watch most games probably not all like in years past.

I have to believe that this is a possibility. I also have a hard believing that this is a possibility.

 

[Leafidelity]

Mostly looking forward to seeing Matthews play another season

 

[Budz]

I’m hopeful to see a playoff type of play style for the whole regular season - like Florida.

I don’t believe teams can flip a switch when playoffs start.

 

[Niagara Bill]

While I am doubtful it can happen, I want Mitchy to be an adult, play like an adult, be an adult team mate, shut his whiney mouth, listen to his coaches, and be an Allstar that his talent should make him. He could be the reason we win a cup.
If not, bye bye but really I want him to be that team mate that inspires others.

 

[Nineteen67]

While I am doubtful it can happen, I want Mitchy to be an adult, play like an adult, be an adult team mate, shut his whiney mouth, listen to his coaches, and be an Allstar that his talent should make him. He could be the reason we win a cup.
If not, bye bye but really I want him to be that team mate that inspires others.

What you listed is not the reason he’s struggles in the playoffs.

 

[Squiffy]

Mitch pretty much never starts a season on a hot streak. If this year follows the typical script he’s going to look pretty rough the first two weeks, there’s going to be a crisis in confidence and things will smooth out in November.

Not Leafy enough. Contract year, everyone buzzing about what to do with Mitch, sign, don’t sign, seems clear he will come out a house on fire pacing to 170 points, get his extension and promptly fall off the cliff. It’s really the only way.

 

[mydnyte]

I'm actually looking forward to seeing if Matthews is still the first on his line to go to the bench every shift, and in the same breath, the opposite for Knies, as no matter what line he was on, he was always the last off the ice, and caught out too long multiple times a game.
i.e. coaching and how the lineup looks and the ice time and responsibilities.

oh, and if we actually start the games at puck drop, or in the 2nd/3rd period

 

[Stephen]

Not Leafy enough. Contract year, everyone buzzing about what to do with Mitch, sign, don’t sign, seems clear he will come out a house on fire pacing to 170 points, get his extension and promptly fall off the cliff. It’s really the only way.

Yeah there’s Leafy, but that’s not how Mitch operates.

 

[Niagara Bill]

What you listed is not the reason he’s struggles in the playoffs.

It is one of the reasons. He inspires no one, he actually discourages team mates with his selfish approach. To ask him to grow a backbone is asking too much, me thinks.

 

[Fogelhund]

I could be drooling while walking around in my underwear after taking my sleeping pills and do a better job.

We've all seen your trade posts. This is false.