What changes next year?

[TopChedder]

So after last night my emotions are a tad less, but still hurting.

If the Leafs are going to move forward a few things need to happen.

Prospects. We have a lot of them, we need to start getting them closer to the big team. Sandin, Lily, Brooks, Robertson. After that you are looking at guys like Hirovan, Nemila, Amirov, Ambramov, etc.

Reilly. I think he had a good series, but he fails at special teams, and they are massive at playoff time. If we let another player walk for free during his contract year the management group is stupid. We need to get back something for him as we are not going to pay him what he will most likely ask for.

Anderson. Bye and cap savings (kinda like Reilly)

Old guys. Simmonds and Jumbo take care but bye.

Hyman. Please give us a god damn break on contract, plus get healthy over the summer.

Foligno. Bye (wish you were healthy)

Keefe. GONE you are terrible and changed nothing as we lost, and in fact you played Jumbo more. Get a guy like Gallant in.

Maholtra. GTFO

Dubas. Last chance

Shanny. Last chance.

Matthews and Marner get one more single chance or trade and rebuild.

I think we can end up with some decent cap space if we let the dead weight walk and trade Morgan. Maybe talk to the Jackets about Jones, and look around the league for young wingers/C's.

 

[smokes lets go]

I dont think much changes. Hyman, bogo and spezza come back, and musical chairs for the bottom 6. I assume Malhotra is gone but keefe is coming back. Dont see dubas selling low on Marner. Im starting to believe Matthews will dip in 3 years unless we win the cup or something.

 

[rocketman588]

Regarding the reports of Marner acting like a prima donna, I am not the least bit surprised.

Yet another reason to move on from him. It's bad for the locker room.

The team is at a crossroads and news comes out that protects our completely plugged into the Toronto media GM while throwing someone else under the bus once again?

Wonder where they're getting all this information and the stuff about Babcock right after this team doesn't show up again

 

[Voight]

Both better outcomes than us.

Carter and Richards went on to be core members of a 2 time cup champion. & I'd argue Matthews/Marner are better than both of them.

Why exactly is Columbus signing and trading Seth Jones, their most noteworthy player who plays hard every game, for Mitch Marner who barely shows up in the playoffs?

the wrong side is adding, idrc what some random Blue Jacket fans say

Jones is gonezo next year so they'd at least get a top forward back. Marner is also an exciting offensive player which would help them keep fans around and hes young enough that you could spend a year or two retooling before jumping back into contention.

2 strikes for Dubas? More like 5+ strikes:

1. Lost a winnable series to a mediocre Columbus team.
2. Blew a series to an inferior Montreal team after leading 3-1.
3. Tried to make a flake his backup goalie (Sparks) overburdening Andersen for two straight seasons, maybe breaking him down.
4. Rushed to extend Matthews and Marner with above market deals hamstringing the team with its cap long before the pandemic cap made it worse.
5. Stubbornly denied the value of young more rugged talents over softer talents. Tried to slam the barn doors shut with expensive fill in moves to harden the team. Too little too late.

Were those deals really above market? Yea term could have been better but both were going to get more than Eichel / less than McDavid. RFA's used to get a lot less but Eichel sort of reset the market in a way.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Why exactly is Columbus signing and trading Seth Jones, their most noteworthy player who plays hard every game, for Mitch Marner who barely shows up in the playoffs?

the wrong side is adding, idrc what some random Blue Jacket fans say

Because Jones has already stated he won't be returning. Atleast with a sign and trade you get an asset back in Marner.

 

[leafsgirl12]

Because Jones has already stated he won't be returning. Atleast with a sign and trade you get an asset back in Marner.

Seth Jones does have a modified no trade clause and who knows if toronto is on it or not

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Anyone that says this teams issue is that they need “more DEFENCE” did not watch them this year or are so devoid of any knowledge they shouldn’t analyze the game, let alone work in it (looking at you anonymous executives in that LeBrun piece).



Like come on, can anyone read that list of things they supposedly need and think they didn’t do that?

 

[I am Canadian]

Dubas has been GM for 3 drafts and Sandin was the only player he drafted playing tonight. And he was only playing because of injury. That's not lights out! But if you consider Lou Lam getting Matthews, Marner and Nylander then yes it's much better.

That's an incredibly stupid way to look at things. We haven't drafted high in years and yet we have a ton of prospects on the cusp of making the team.

 

[mydnyte]

Why exactly is Columbus signing and trading Seth Jones, their most noteworthy player who plays hard every game, for Mitch Marner who barely shows up in the playoffs?

the wrong side is adding, idrc what some random Blue Jacket fans say

because Jones told them he's leaving as a UFA, and then they get nada ...at least Marner is a high end talent and signed

 

[mydnyte]

we need a coach in the mold of Tortorella.
he would get the best out of his players, or, break them completely.
at least you'd know the team would either compete every shift, or the players wouldnt see the ice.
no more 1/2 effort frustrated arms in the air players

 

[Goomba]

That's an incredibly stupid way to look at things. We haven't drafted high in years and yet we have a ton of prospects on the cusp of making the team.

Not to mention the average prospect takes three to four season to stick to an NHL roster, and thats for the ones who make it

 

[Carltons Cup]

Relocate the team to Yellowknife

 

[Buds17]

A first round defeat following a first place finish is definitely different. It feels like a change of quality could be the way to proceed. Whether that might be on ice and/or off ice...

 

[Puckclektr]

Do you understand how RFA contracts work or not? If another team had signed Marner to an OFFER SHEET for his AAV the compensation would have been FOUR FIRST ROUND PICKS. Dubas had leverage, you use it to negotiate

4 1sts are still 4 decently high caliber picks as opposed to one greedy idiot of a player

Yea I understand how it works. So you are telling me that when the leafs drafted a superstar in Marner that you and other Leaf fans would be willing to just give him up for four picks that would NOT be four HIGH calibre picks.
You’re kidding yourself if you think a team like NJ/OTT would’ve given up four high end picks all for a kid who wants $11 million this early in his career. no team is giving up four lottery picks.
How many teams put in an offer for toronto to match? How many times in the last 20 years or more has a team sent an offer sheet? Of those times how many times has the team not matched it?

 

[Stonehands1990]

Yea I understand how it works. So you are telling me that when the leafs drafted a superstar in Marner that you and other Leaf fans would be willing to just give him up for four picks that would NOT be four HIGH calibre picks.
You’re kidding yourself if you think a team like NJ/OTT would’ve given up four high end picks all for a kid who wants $11 million this early in his career. no team is giving up four lottery picks.
How many teams put in an offer for toronto to match? How many times in the last 20 years or more has a team sent an offer sheet? Of those times how many times has the team not matched it?

Then based on your last paragraph we should have signed Marner to a reasonable contract. 6 x 8.5 MAX

 

[Puckclektr]

Then based on your last paragraph we should have signed Marner to a reasonable contract. 6 x 8.5 MAX

If they could they would have but they couldn’t. You don’t think Marner was like “too bad give me what Austin is making”?
Do you not think that Dubas tried to come in low like anyone with common sense would’ve done?
He was mentored by Lou who was a hard ass and had numerous hold outs in Niedermayer and Arnott to name a few. Do you think that when Dubas and Marners agent were negotiating that Dubas walked up and said “here is $11M?

 

[Stonehands1990]

If they could they would have but they couldn’t. You don’t think Marner was like “too bad give me what Austin is making”?
Do you not think that Dubas tried to come in low like anyone with common sense would’ve done?
He was mentored by Lou who was a hard ass and had numerous hold outs in Niedermayer and Arnott to name a few. Do you think that when Dubas and Marners agent were negotiating that Dubas walked up and said “here is $11M?

Either he signs for something manageable, he signs an offer sheet or he sits. Problem is Dubas was shell shocked by cutting it close with Nylander

 

[Mitch Matthews]

Either he signs for something manageable, he signs an offer sheet or he sits. Problem is Dubas was shell shocked by cutting it close with Nylander

Leafs fans were upset because they thought Dubas didn't get enough term on the contracts(5 years instead of 8)

In retrospect that may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Talking Matthews and Marner, not Nylander

 

[Puckclektr]

Either he signs for something manageable, he signs an offer sheet or he sits. Problem is Dubas was shell shocked by cutting it close with Nylander

Exactly. He sits. And how long before he sits does the GM give in?
You’d be okay playing the season without him? You’ve just rebuilt your team and are now competitive. Are you content with taking this time to rebuild in order to let a star player sit?
My point is that the outrage would be insane and the power would be in Marners hands. Leaf fans would be livid.

 

[Stonehands1990]

Exactly. He sits. And how long before he sits does the GM give in?
You’d be okay playing the season without him? You’ve just rebuilt your team and are now competitive. Are you content with taking this time to rebuild in order to let a star player sit?
My point is that the outrage would be insane and the power would be in Marners hands. Leaf fans would be livid.

Historically when players hold out they hurt their own negotiating position.

 

[AllDay28]

So now we’re trading the rocket Richard winner? Lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


This fan base doesn’t deserve a title.

 

[Puckclektr]

Historically when players hold out they hurt their own negotiating position.

Not always the case. I guess we can agree to disagree. My original arguement anyways was the fact that whatever the needs were st the end of last year were addressed this year by Dubas. I’m not claiming he is a really good GM and think he made some stupid mistakes but since last year he addressed the issues.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Build around Matthews and JT, Marner ain't it.

 

[Stonehands1990]

Not always the case. I guess we can agree to disagree. My original arguement anyways was the fact that whatever the needs were st the end of last year were addressed this year by Dubas. I’m not claiming he is a really good GM and think he made some stupid mistakes but since last year he addressed the issues.

Overall I’m happy with the job Dubas has done. Other than hiring Keefe. But that’s a whole other discussion

 

[Puckclektr]

Overall I’m happy with the job Dubas has done. Other than hiring Keefe. But that’s a whole other discussion

I think he has a done a decent job especially this year. This is still a good young team and everyone is over reacting and calling out players which puts more pressure on them.
IMO a big part of why the leafs choked was pressure. Montreal won game 5 to make it 3-2 and had nothing to lose. Toronto had everything to lose. Especially when you are a 23-24 year and people start talking about chocking and a montreal comeback and you have the whole city in your shoulders.
Leaf fans should learn to stop throwing their players under the bus.
This year management wasn’t to blame in my opinion. But for the last 50 years it has been and the fans continue to blame the players.