Why will this team not go all in?
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deprw
Registered User
- Mar 7, 2010
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You're doing it wrong! We were capturing the fun little tid bits to bash Leafs. Don't bring that boring context into play.
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
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(Relatively) slow and steady might win the race for Toronto over the next 2 seasons when it comes to Florida, Tampa and Boston. I think each of those teams has more of a step back and are on a steeper decline curve relative to what Toronto has lost/replaced. Our futures pool is the healthiest out of the teams that have been contending. You never know but there’s an argument for not going all in…
Buffaloed
webmaster
Multiple rebuilds are a result of lack of patience. GMs try to go all in before they have the depth and everyone ends up unhappy.
From a budget perspective - we put two on L1 and two on L2. Filling out two more competitive F lines shrinks the D budget.
A player/contract like Chych for three years would help mitigate the lack of D funds was my thinking - not many of those around and potentially available.
What is he top 3 playmaker in the league? Not looking for an argument so you can use any of 1, 2 or 3. Lol!
Felix the Cat Potvin
Registered User
- Jun 18, 2022
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Unfortunately, I think our prospect pool is grossly overrated. The analytic scouting community loves the Dubas drafts because he selects a lot of slow, undersized players who people know will put up big numbers in juniors; it's the question of whether those statistics and their playstyles will translate to the NHL that concerns me. So far, none of his drafted players have made a real impact, so until then, I'll have my doubts.
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
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I have my concerns too, but prospect capital carries some value as trade currency outside of what they may ultimately become. Right now we have more chips than Florida and Tampa.
paulhiggins
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- Feb 4, 2006
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We have what is IMHO the worst bottom 6 forwards in leaf history. In the top 6 we have a PPG player that could use a jet pack strapped to his back and a line mate who avoids contact at all costs. On D, other than Morgan Reilly, we have defencemen who are either old, inexperienced, unsigned or injury-prone. Both goalies are question marks. The refs are against us and management just sucks it up. This is the last rites of the management and coaching staff and all three of Shanny, Dubas and Keefe want to land on their feet to plague some other organization after this. That's why we aren't going all in.
The flat cap has caused the Leafs to stagnate. The cap was supposed to jump to 90M by now if not for COVID. The Leafs would have been all in, but you need cap space to acquire a Giroux, JT Miller etc. Even though Giroux's Panthers got swept and looked bad in the playoffs. This is not an exact science. The right players have to be available at the right time.
Notsince67
Papi and the Lamplighters
- Apr 27, 2018
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One of the best playmaking forwards in the league can't drive a line?
News to me.
RoyalCitySlicker
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- Sep 6, 2013
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It'll really be a miracle if this team can win any games with a roster that bad.
Racer88
Registered User
- Sep 29, 2020
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The Leafs are in an interesting spot. They have elite talent in the regular season in their top lines. But, during the playoffs, that same talent has established itself as having a consistency problem. Marner for example 6 points in 2 playoff games last year, and 2 points in the other 5. One of the key parts of getting over their first-round playoff hump is figuring out how to help their elite player adjust their game to a playoff style of play where the checking and coverage are tighter and one's opponents are studying your tendencies closely.
So one of the reasons they don't go "all in" is because they understand that they are handcuffed by the salary cap and by their choice to pay players such as Marner and Matthews the sort of money they are paying them. This means they have to depend on their prospect system to try and produce cheap talent to try and give themselves a deep enough team to compete. Unfortunately, the consistency issues that Marner, Matthews Taveres, and Nylander have had in the playoffs despite paying them elite money and not being able to get consistent elite production in the playoffs from them has resulted in them having to resist the temptation to go "all in" because of the medium and long term damage such a move could do to the team especially when it's not clear that if Marner, Matthews and so on are the sort of players that have what it takes to win.
Looks at a team such as Colorado, they were willing to move big-name players out of the team to help it compete for the long-term (Duchene trade). Teams such as Tampa have also shown a willingness to negotiate hard if need be (Stamkos) or get rid of good players if needed for cap reasons (JT MIller trade)
So one of the reasons they don't go "all in" is because they understand that they are handcuffed by the salary cap and by their choice to pay players such as Marner and Matthews the sort of money they are paying them. This means they have to depend on their prospect system to try and produce cheap talent to try and give themselves a deep enough team to compete. Unfortunately, the consistency issues that Marner, Matthews Taveres, and Nylander have had in the playoffs despite paying them elite money and not being able to get consistent elite production in the playoffs from them has resulted in them having to resist the temptation to go "all in" because of the medium and long term damage such a move could do to the team especially when it's not clear that if Marner, Matthews and so on are the sort of players that have what it takes to win.
Looks at a team such as Colorado, they were willing to move big-name players out of the team to help it compete for the long-term (Duchene trade). Teams such as Tampa have also shown a willingness to negotiate hard if need be (Stamkos) or get rid of good players if needed for cap reasons (JT MIller trade)
Which of his 8 playoff points were a result of him driving the line?
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Its not your fault
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- Nov 24, 2016
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Matthews was a beast this postseason.... #1 pick, Calder, 2 Richard's, 1 art ross and 1 lindsay...he is worth every penny of his contract and MUCH more than $600,000 more than Marner.
Marner 2 goals in his last 25 playoff games...one was the 4 goal in a 5-0 win and the other one was the 2nd goal when down 5-1 with 8 minutes left in the game. Both his goals his linemates were screening the goalie and the Goalie didn't see the shot. The second goal Marner actually fanned on the shot and the play by play described it as "barely moving". Did any linemates score goals because Marner was standing in the crease?
He had the giveaway and shi$ defense in OT in game 6 this year.... and he had the &$^% delay of game in game 6 last year when nobody was even pressuring him leading to a 5-3 goal against.
He had zero shots in 25 minutes of ice time in the most important game of the year, game 7.
Two of his primary assists in the playoffs were a results of his shot/clearing attempt being blocked by Tampa and the puck squirting to a leaf. Another was a 5 on 3 pp Matthews goal that was more of a compliment to the powerplay coach. You get 24 minutes of hockey and most of them with Matthews and your gonna get points, problem his points are mostly just fortuitous.
The guy certainly doesn't seem to produce when the team needs him most and struggles in general offensively in the playoffs.
I just hope he's buying all Matthews meals on the road.
ACC1224
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Notsince67
Papi and the Lamplighters
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And now when they need that next wave to fill in behind prime aged Marner/Matthews, it simply isn't there. Let's hope Sandin and Robertson make a serious impact this year, as opposed to being guys that have to be sheltered in a more limited role.
Or in Liljegren's case, simply benched by the coach in favour of a mediocre veteran player.
Racer88
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