Where do the Leafs go if they blow it yet again?

[Arthuros]

 

[lakeshirts37]

In a couple days we'll know whether the series is over or if we're going to game 7. Until then this feels premature.

If Marner/Matthews has two great games and wins the series it would be funny to watch the flip flopping on here.

Not happening lol

 

[rojac]

Honestly, it's not the kind of thing I waste much time thinking about. Keith Pelley, president of MLSE, and probably the board will decide Shanahan's fate and it will trickle down from there. What I think they should or shouldn't do is utterly unimportant. If I really don't the decisions they make, I can cheer for a different or step away from following the Leafs or the NHL temporarily. Or, I guess I could continue to follow the team and then incessantly whine on the Internet about the them. But life's short and there is probaby a much more productive way to spend my time.

 

[ChuckW]

The Leafs should have broken up the "Core Four" years ago. We'll take Marner and Rod will whip him into shape in no time.

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

Who wants that shitty contract for a player that is a walking band aid?

There are always one or two suckers out there.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Run it into the ground one more time.

 

[geebster]

They are learning a lot of lessons this season. Berube coaching a new team too. They will build on it next season. One year older and wiser. Deeper into their primes.

Heck just thinking about it, they probably should raise ticket prices.

Jokes aside, its clear Marner is gone. He didn't want to negotiate at all and has shown zero interest in it. You just know some team desperate for top 6 talent like Vancouver is going to sign him for way too much. Marner being gone and JT being re signed for significantly less or gone too means the core 4 era is done and they can (hopefully) finally make some moves. Won't be easy since the FA market isnt the greatest, will have to make some deals for sure.

 

[WillardJFredricks]

Who wants that shitty contract for a player that is a walking band aid?

Dubas, probably.

 

[namttebih]

ya ok
dream getting mcdavid classic leaf thinking
how about draft guys

Ha! Shows how much you know. We don't have ANY draft picks for the foreseeable future. You don't look so smart now.

No 1st round picks for 3 years
1 pretty good prospect
0 other prospects of note
1 giant p***y with a no move
1 tiny p***y about to become UFA
Lots of other players with little to no trade value.

It's basically McDavid or 10 year rebuild. Profit

 

[Legend123]

Just consider the years a sunk cost and start a full rebuild or perhaps a retool

 

[nORRis8]

It's getting more and more apparent that NHL teams need to start to reevaluate how they view players and their contracts. How to build both a good regular season team and a playoff team.
Getting points in the regular season is fun to look at. But if that's all they do....it'll show up how useless they are in the playoffs.

Marner and Matthews are not physical. They don't really hit but they are also terrified of being hit .
I don't know who started this crap, likely TSN or SN, but when Matthews slumped in scoring a few years ago a few geniuses said it's because " he's a 200' player now". Huh? Then the Selke talk started! What? He is constantly out of position defensively, he is lazy back checking on turnovers and it is only as of late he's used on the pk and well...he looks totally uncomfortable. He must be thinking...why be out there on a non scoring assignment?

Marner aka The Fall Guy....will not be back next year. He's going full UFA and there'll be some team stupid enuf to likely pay him 13+. He wants out of The Center of the Universe.
He's done.

Both of these guys are worth...maybe 8 million each. They make at times stupid decisions, don't hit, don't fight, kinda back check, zero leadership skills. Scoring goals covers up there misgivings in the regular season.
The playoffs expose them.

So please Florida...for the love of everything that's right in the world....do the Hockey World a tremendous favor añd end it tonight.

 

[kevsh]

I don't know who started this crap, likely TSN or SN, but when Matthews slumped in scoring a few years ago a few geniuses said it's because " he's a 200' player now". Huh? Then the Selke talk started! What? He is constantly out of position defensively, he is lazy back checking on turnovers and it is only as of late he's used on the pk and well...he looks totally uncomfortable. He must be thinking...why be out there on a non scoring assignment?

I agree that I still have no idea why he's on the PK, but you're underestimating his defensive game just like so many non-leafs fans do (and many leafs fans).

His line was so effective vs. Barkov's that Maurice started matching his 3rd line against him. Don't believe me? Go watch the games in Toronto where they get last change. Berube kept sending him out there vs. Barkov, clearly indicating he was fine with the matchup.

The problem for the Leafs was that the Matthews line wasn't scoring either, so they kind of cancelled each other out.

But yes, he is soft. So is Mitch.

When the checking tightens up as it inevitably does as a series drags on, he seems perfectly content just sticking to the outside, never attacking or trying to fight through. It's been the biggest frustration with those two since they came to Toronto: They stubbornly stick to the mindset that what works in games 10, 42, and 68 will also work in game 7 of a playoff series.

That is why if this series somehow gets to game 7, expect donuts for both these guys while Florida's assistant to the travelling secretary makes flight/hotel plans for Carolina.

 

[shortfuze]

If they lose, let Marner walk. If they bring him back they deserve what they get. Dude makes Johnny "strip club" Huberdeau look like Gretzky. Also I dont think you trade Matthews but god hes awful too. Try to build around Nylander and Knies.

you take matthews over nylander everytime. whats so special about Nylander? that hes gotten some goals and points. matthews is a 1C, great at faceoffs and great defensively. they both have almost identical PPG in the playoffs. nylander is always cheating out of the defensive zone.

 

[nORRis8]

you take matthews over nylander everytime. whats so special about Nylander? that hes gotten some goals and points. matthews is a 1C, great at faceoffs and great defensively. they both have almost identical PPG in the playoffs. nylander is always cheating out of the defensive zone.

Nylander cheats out of the zone?
And Matthews?

Watch at 7:20 which resulted in Tampa's winning goal in game 6.
Nice Ballet move.



Then in game 7 where he takes off up ice which quickly results in Tampa's winning series goal. Like seriously, where the frig is he skating to when the puck is in their zone?

Watch at 2:20.



But shhhhh...he's a Selke candidate.

 

[behemolari]

you take matthews over nylander everytime. whats so special about Nylander? that hes gotten some goals and points. matthews is a 1C, great at faceoffs and great defensively. they both have almost identical PPG in the playoffs. nylander is always cheating out of the defensive zone.

Nylander has been the most dangerous player in this series and its not even close contest

 

[branch]

-Let Marner walk. Opens up $14M and changes the culture instantly.
-Trade Matthews for two forwards who fit Berube's identity. Culture reset done.
-Make Nylander 1C.
-Bring back Tavares, run him at 2C.
-Back the Brinks truck up to Knies for an extension.
-Re-up Robertson and give him a f***ing chance.

Knies-Nylander-?
McMann-Tavares-?
Robertson-Domi-Jarnkrok
Laughton-Kampf-Lorentz

Rielly-Tanev
OEL-Carlo
McCabe-Benoit
Myers

Stolarz
Woll

No it won't be as sexy a "core", but if the Leafs can find the right two forwards to replace Matthews, the above should be a harder and more resilient group to play against come playoff time, and that's what really matters.

You're slotting McMann on the second line? Guy has had an awful performance

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

The writing was on the wall with a 1-dimensional goal-scoring centre being your main focus. The same with a playmaking winger but Marner's a better offensive player than Matthews IMO.

Positions should've been switched a long time ago.

I'm not a AM fanboi - but calling him 1 dimensional is a crock. He's also a great defensive player as well. I assume he's really hobbled injury wise, because he hasn't looked "right" all year IMO.

 

[Draiskull]

Toronto’s changed their bottom six, goaltending and D numerous times. The one constant is the core four. They’re good skilled players but they’re all soft and take up too much cap space. They need to move on from at least one of them (probably Marner) and reshape their top six with more grit.

Tavares is also easy to move on from. He really isnt a core player anymore despite his numbers.
25M or so million saved by walking away from these 2 should be plenty of ammo to fill out the roster properly.

If JT wants to return at 6M one year deal then sure. otherwise Leafs should look elsewhere.

 

[sampollock]

Nylander cheats out of the zone?
And Matthews?

Watch at 7:20 which resulted in Tampa's winning goal in game 6.
Nice Ballet move.



Then in game 7 where he takes off up ice which quickly results in Tampa's winning series goal. Like seriously, where the frig is he skating to when the puck is in their zone?

Watch at 2:20.



But shhhhh...he's a Selke candidate.

norris you must be a color man in the booth

but this can't be true nostrils is the next big thing , you must not watch SN or TSN

he is so overrated... but hey when he does not sign in as a UFA in TO the fans will turn on him then

 

[shortfuze]

Nylander has been the most dangerous player in this series and its not even close contest

ya offensively. more to the game than just offense.

 

[shortfuze]

Nylander cheats out of the zone?
And Matthews?

Watch at 7:20 which resulted in Tampa's winning goal in game 6.
Nice Ballet move.



Then in game 7 where he takes off up ice which quickly results in Tampa's winning series goal. Like seriously, where the frig is he skating to when the puck is in their zone?

Watch at 2:20.



But shhhhh...he's a Selke candidate.

defensively there is no comparison between nylander and matthews. nylander cheats way to much.

 

[rboomercat90]

Should have never traded Kadri. Signing Tavares for that term set their franchise back at least 5 years. Tavares is a career loser.

Signing Tavares didn’t set them back five years. It closed their competitive window before it even opened. They’ve been bleeding depth every year since. That was the dumbest move any NHL executive has made in the cap era.

 

[DueDiligence]

One guy Leafs are stuck with is Morgan Rielly. Has 5 years left at $7.5 million with a NMC. The guy is a tire fire defensively.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Nothing that you can do when the other team cripples your goalie and probably destroys the rest of his life without any penalty from the league.

Stay the course, because it's a good one.

Are we talking Kreider/Price here - or am I imagining the change in narrative?

0% of this is Woll's fault IMO. Double deflection goal for GWG in OT. Then in games 4-5 he allowed one weak goal and his team lost by a combined score of 8-1, while he made some amazing saves and gave his team a chance.

 

[centipede2233]

The Leafs should have broken up the "Core Four" years ago. We'll take Marner and Rod will whip him into shape in no time.

Marner doesn’t like contact, that ain’t changin