2022-23 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

[herman]

https://twitter.com/SEllisHockey/status/1659195631481548801
Nylander awaiting some insurance clearance last I heard, but Timoth is already cooking

[Kaberle15]

This delay in extend Dubas or let him go is going to hurt the Leafs.
They got several decisions to do, free agents to sign, outstanding players to retain or move.

But without someone making the calls, that is going to be hard. I really enjoyed having RoR, hoping that he signs a favorable deal with the Leafs to stay. Acciari, Schenn as well.

But the 1st decision is will Dubas stay ? Clock is ticking on this.

[CarltonTheBear]

I really enjoyed having RoR, hoping that he signs a favorable deal with the Leafs to stay.

I think he's reading way too much into boring locker room clear-out interviews but Chris Johnston seems pretty certain that ROR isn't coming back. I will say though as like the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th best available UFA centre it would make a lot of sense for O'Reilly to check out what the market has to offer. I'm not as certain he'll be back as I'd like to be, which could be a big problem.

[bustaheims]

I really enjoyed having RoR, hoping that he signs a favorable deal with the Leafs to stay.

I think he's reading way too much into boring locker room clear-out interviews but Chris Johnston seems pretty certain that ROR isn't coming back. I will say though as like the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th best available UFA centre it would make a lot of sense for O'Reilly to check out what the market has to offer. I'm not as certain he'll be back as I'd like to be, which could be a big problem.

That's strange. I interpreted ROR's comments quite differently - he had high praise for the organization and seemed really open to coming back. Obviously, not a certainty by any means, but from what I saw, it felt like the Leafs are near or at the top of his list of potential landing spots.

[CarltonTheBear]

That's strange. I interpreted ROR's comments quite differently - he had high praise for the organization and seemed really open to coming back. Obviously, not a certainty by any means, but from what I saw, it felt like the Leafs are near or at the top of his list of potential landing spots.

Yeah, I know he tweeted something to the effect of "sounds like ROR wants to test the market" immediately after his comments, and he reiterated that on the Dangle podcast yesterday. Like you, I really don't know what code words he apparently heard that would indicate that. But also don't think it's anywhere close to a slam dunk that he'll return.

[bustaheims]

Yeah, I know he tweeted something to the effect of "sounds like ROR wants to test the market" immediately after his comments, and he reiterated that on the Dangle podcast yesterday. Like you, I really don't know what code words he apparently heard that would indicate that. But also don't think it's anywhere close to a slam dunk that he'll return.

At most, it's when ROR said he hasn't made any decisions and it's something he'll be thinking over in the coming weeks - but, that's a pretty standard line used by basically every pending UFA regardless of their intentions. That's just protecting your negotiating position.

[CarltonTheBear]

Nylander awaiting some insurance clearance last I heard, but Timoth is already cooking

I hope Lily gets more of a green light to step up offensively next season. I get that growing his defensive game is obviously very important and will help his career in the long run, but I sorta feel like they've been trying to force him into more of a "defensive defenceman" role since his time with the Marlies. Which of course did start with Keefe even back then.

[Bender]

Whatever is going on with Dubas I do hope the organization makes a move sooner than later.  This off-season is too important to have the GM position in flux like this

What if they had made it to the conference finals? Then what?

That was a key part of the reason for me to extend him. Not so much because of a few weeks. But because a new guy coming in has a lot to get his head around. Dubas is intimately knowledgeable of the talent on the team, the staff, where they fell short, etc. That is not possible to absorb very well between now and July 1. Draft is coming up and the new GM won't know the scouts, etc. New GM won't know the organizational talent as well, their health, their development progress, etc. Trade talks are back to square one. etc.

It is a different situation than when a team has fallen short and it is time for a rebuild or significant retooling. That GM has plenty of time to get oriented. The Leafs are a 4th place team that still has a window and needs some adjustments. A Sam Pollack clone would have trouble taking over in the first year. The haste to get up to speed makes it more likely to make some mistakes.

Dubas can carry on discussions with the UFA's or RFA's agents. New GM has to start up without the intimate knowledge of what has gone on with the player. Ditto for trade discussions with GMs. Or with his scouts and staff.

They would have to find a GM. I guess Shanahan or Pridham would be interim if he isn't leaving for Calgary. Then they probably have to find a coach.

I doubt this problem with Dubas will be left unresolved very long.

40 days to NHL draft
43 days to July 1.

How is this specifically a problem for the Leafs though? GMs and coaches are let go all the time at the end of the season. I understand there are a lot of things to do during this offseason but so what?

And at the end of the day his heart is either in it or it's not, and if not we have to move on. It's that simple. Rightly or wrongly to me he looks like a farmer who got too close to his pigs. I mean, just the fact that they weren't even entertaining trade offers for their stars (according to CJ) is grounds for dismissal.

[Bender]

I really enjoyed having RoR, hoping that he signs a favorable deal with the Leafs to stay.

I think he's reading way too much into boring locker room clear-out interviews but Chris Johnston seems pretty certain that ROR isn't coming back. I will say though as like the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th best available UFA centre it would make a lot of sense for O'Reilly to check out what the market has to offer. I'm not as certain he'll be back as I'd like to be, which could be a big problem.

And I mean not to sound rude, but he does seem like a declining asset. I don't want a mini-Tavares deal.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

I really enjoyed having RoR, hoping that he signs a favorable deal with the Leafs to stay.

I think he's reading way too much into boring locker room clear-out interviews but Chris Johnston seems pretty certain that ROR isn't coming back. I will say though as like the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th best available UFA centre it would make a lot of sense for O'Reilly to check out what the market has to offer. I'm not as certain he'll be back as I'd like to be, which could be a big problem.

And I mean not to sound rude, but he does seem like a declining asset. I don't want a mini-Tavares deal.

For all the flak the core 4 are taking here and elsewhere, aside from the tying goal in R1 what did he do offensively?  Not much.  His best game as a Leaf was his very first; after that he was solid but meh.

I like him plenty but not at the money he will command elsewhere.

I don't think the Leafs need to bring in any more "veteran leaders" at the TDL.  It hasn't moved the needle yet and every one of those acquisitions made the team slower.  More Knies types, please.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

I really enjoyed having RoR, hoping that he signs a favorable deal with the Leafs to stay.

I think he's reading way too much into boring locker room clear-out interviews but Chris Johnston seems pretty certain that ROR isn't coming back. I will say though as like the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th best available UFA centre it would make a lot of sense for O'Reilly to check out what the market has to offer. I'm not as certain he'll be back as I'd like to be, which could be a big problem.

And I mean not to sound rude, but he does seem like a declining asset. I don't want a mini-Tavares deal.

For all the flak the core 4 are taking here and elsewhere, aside from the tying goal in R1 what did he do offensively?  Not much.  His best game as a Leaf was his very first; after that he was solid but meh.

I like him plenty but not at the money he will command elsewhere.

I don't think the Leafs need to bring in any more "veteran leaders" at the TDL.  The core 4 are all plenty "veteran" now themselves.  It hasn't moved the needle yet and every one of those acquisitions made the team slower.  More Knies types, please.

[herman]

Nylander awaiting some insurance clearance last I heard, but Timoth is already cooking

I hope Lily gets more of a green light to step up offensively next season. I get that growing his defensive game is obviously very important and will help his career in the long run, but I sorta feel like they've been trying to force him into more of a "defensive defenceman" role since his time with the Marlies. Which of course did start with Keefe even back then.

I think he will, given what the rest of the top 6 looks like. Outside of Rielly, there are no offensive instincts to be found apart from Liljegren, until Niemela/Villenueve make the jump.

Edit: oops, forgot about Timmins

[Dappleganger]

Can we re-sign Gustafsson and get him and Liljegren comfortable together?
 

[Rob]

Can we re-sign Gustafsson and get him and Liljegren comfortable together?
 

Keefe seemed loath to play Gustafsson, but I thought the limited amount of time he did play he looked quite serviceable with an offensive upside. 

[bustaheims]

Can we re-sign Gustafsson and get him and Liljegren comfortable together?
 

Keefe seemed loath to play Gustafsson, but I thought the limited amount of time he did play he looked quite serviceable with an offensive upside. 

Yeah. If Keefe is retained, I don't think Gustafsson is a real option. He'll cost more than the value the team would likely get from him under those circumstances. If Keefe is relieved of his duties, then maybe he becomes an option. With his defensive deficiencies, he'd be more of a PP specialist/3rd pairing guy than anything else, though. Not sure that's the best use of the team's resources