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Armchair GM Thread 2025/26

dappleganger said:
Mike Reilly is a good defenseman, can fill in at both LD/RD, can move the puck, and wins his minutes on the ice. Ideally he'd come in as a 7th defensman and should cost around $1m.

Jankowski has size, can provide a lot of what the Leafs were getting from Laughton or Kampf at 4C but for less money, probably around $1m and he wins his minutes.

Jeff Malott is big, 6'5", probably one of the toughest guys in the league, can provide the toughness of a Ryan Reaves or Pezzetta but is a better player overall. He wins his minutes and would come in probably around $1m.

All in all those players could replace the Benoits/Stetchers/Jarnkroks/Kampfs of the lineup and be slightly better overall, provide a little more value.
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Thx for explaining...
 
dappleganger said:
Mike Reilly is a good defenseman, can fill in at both LD/RD, can move the puck, and wins his minutes on the ice. Ideally he'd come in as a 7th defensman and should cost around $1m.

Jankowski has size, can provide a lot of what the Leafs were getting from Laughton or Kampf at 4C but for less money, probably around $1m and he wins his minutes.

Jeff Malott is big, 6'5", probably one of the toughest guys in the league, can provide the toughness of a Ryan Reaves or Pezzetta but is a better player overall. He wins his minutes and would come in probably around $1m.

All in all those players could replace the Benoits/Stetchers/Jarnkroks/Kampfs of the lineup and be slightly better overall, provide a little more value.
Click to expand...

Malott would be interesting. Local guy. His underlying numbers are pretty good with LA, and he's has 4 straight 20-goal seasons in the AHL so there's obviously some talent there too. I think there would probably be too much overlap with Joshua and Lorentz though as the roster stands right now, especially with all of them being lefties.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Malott would be interesting. Local guy. His underlying numbers are pretty good with LA, and he's has 4 straight 20-goal seasons in the AHL so there's obviously some talent there too. I think there would probably be too much overlap with Joshua and Lorentz though as the roster stands right now, especially with all of them being lefties.
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Oh, Lorentz is not on my Leafs roster next season. 😃

I think Joshua is on the roster cuz, quite frankly, I don't think they'd be able to move him.
 
Chicago and San Jose are willing to part with their 4OA/2OA picks respectively for immediate top half scoring/defensive players.

Seattle also shopping Shane Wright for scoring.

It's too bad all our best assets are wingers.
 
Leafs need a shutdown C for PK and to leverage Matthews' offense instead of stifling him in the DZ yet again.

Quillan is not quite there, and would honestly benefit from time on the wing as a shutdown checker. I think the Leafs need to look at one or two of these UFAs:
  • Tyson Jost
  • Cole Schwindt
  • Jason Dickinson
  • David Kampf (lol)
alongside real fast and responsible wingers after dumping Berube.
 
herman said:
Leafs need a shutdown C for PK and to leverage Matthews' offense instead of stifling him in the DZ yet again.

Quillan is not quite there, and would honestly benefit from time on the wing as a shutdown checker. I think the Leafs need to look at one or two of these UFAs:
  • Tyson Jost
  • Cole Schwindt
  • Jason Dickinson
  • David Kampf (lol)
alongside real fast and responsible wingers after dumping Berube.
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Laughton had a respectable 49.8 CF% and 54.5 xGF% with the Kings while being buried in the defensive zone. Led all Kings forwards in PK time post-trade and had the highest face-off percentage (59.4, slightly better than even Kopitar). And chipped in a little offence. He basically did everything a checking line 3C is expected to do. I'd easily take him back over any of those guys and just play him in that role like we should have to begin with.
 
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CarltonTheBear said:
Laughton had a respectable 49.8 CF% and 54.5 xGF% with the Kings while being buried in the defensive zone. Led all Kings forwards in PK time post-trade and had the highest face-off percentage (59.4, slightly better than even Kopitar). And chipped in a little offence. He basically did everything a checking line 3C is expected to do. I'd easily take him back over any of those guys and just play him in that role like we should have to begin with.
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Oh yeah that’d be good.

I think I mentally dismissed him because he’ll be looking for 4Mx5 or something like that. Wouldn’t bother me to get Laughton and one or two other league min PK centre options with wheels (Tyson Jost has scoring ability that hasn’t translated to the NHL).

In any case, we need a 3rd line that relishes the shit minutes and takes pride in being assholes and rubbing it in the opposing top line’s faces.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Laughton had a respectable 49.8 CF% and 54.5 xGF% with the Kings while being buried in the defensive zone. Led all Kings forwards in PK time post-trade and had the highest face-off percentage (59.4, slightly better than even Kopitar). And chipped in a little offence. He basically did everything a checking line 3C is expected to do. I'd easily take him back over any of those guys and just play him in that role like we should have to begin with.
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I haven't got time to look it up but someone noted Roy's numbers in Colorado - roughly a somewhat similar story.
Rielly too has suffered under Berube.

Many thought they would miss Marner but no one thought they were a 28th place team based upon the talent they had.

Aside from MLSE pinching pennies and that he seems like a nice guy, I do not know how Berube keeps his job.
 
Scott Laughton
Leafs - 40.37 CF% 44.50 xGF%
LA - 49.81 CF% 54.54 xGF%
Playoffs - 40 CF% 52.31 xGF%

Nic Roy
Leafs - 45.25 CF% 44.60 xGF%
Colorado - 52.71 CF% 48.87 xGF%
Playoffs - 53.85 CF% 56.21 xGF%

Bobby McMann
Leafs - 46.90 CF% 46.68 xGF%
Seattle - 46.67 CF% 41.38 xGF%
 
L K said:
Scott Laughton
Leafs - 40.37 CF% 44.50 xGF%
LA - 49.81 CF% 54.54 xGF%
Playoffs - 40 CF% 52.31 xGF%

Nic Roy
Leafs - 45.25 CF% 44.60 xGF%
Colorado - 52.71 CF% 48.87 xGF%
Playoffs - 53.85 CF% 56.21 xGF%

Bobby McMann
Leafs - 46.90 CF% 46.68 xGF%
Seattle - 46.67 CF% 41.38 xGF%
Click to expand...
Seattle struggled but McMann in Seattle - second in team scoring, .78ppg, 10 goals in 18 games, in on over 30% of their goals, +/- 0

Leafs power play struggled until they made a coaching change.
 
cw said:
Seattle struggled but McMann in Seattle - second in team scoring, .78ppg, 10 goals in 18 games, in on over 30% of their goals, +/- 0

Leafs power play struggled until they made a coaching change.
Click to expand...
Sullivan and Lalonde did their jobs.
 
Guilt Trip said:
Sullivan and Lalonde did their jobs.
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Many Leafs fans and media seem to realize this. Seems pretty obvious.
But the springtime musical chairs for coaches is well underway. The best ones tend to get the empty chairs first. The coaches for the final four are not likely to provide another empty seat.
I'd prefer a rebuild but it is not sounding like that is the way they're going,
If they want to retool, finding a coach and system that is a better match for the talent they have will probably get them a lot further towards that end than free agency and trades alone. Sullivan and Lalonde proved that. So did Pat Quinn. Their current roster is more capable than 28th place. I don't dislike Berube. I dislike underachievement more. They're less likely to win a Cup with this path but they could entertain us a little better in the short term.
Lets get on with it.
 
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