My honest opinion for 2021-22

[Shamus2009]

Hey Im a leafs fan from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and like many of you I’m still disappointed as hell and probably a little bitter.

My honest opinion on this team is this team is going into probably it’s most important season in recent memory. I’m not sure what Kyle dubas, Sheldon keefe, and Brendan shannahan are going to do or if they are the ones that should be holding those positions but this off-season is what will ultimately shape this teams future for the coming years. There’s rumblings out there that mlse is upset with the amount of money they’ve put into this team with out any success. I really think that mlse before the press conferences with keefe, dubas, and shannahan had a meeting with them and going into it they were not sure if they would be continuing for me with that group, ultimately they by the looks of it decided that they will be but I would say the tone of the meeting was if you do not get 4 playoff wins next season when the final buzzer goes of that deciding game pack up you stuff and don’t wait for the call to know weather your coming back or not.

I am going to say this I’ve never really been a dubas fan I wanted them to keep Lou, and as far as keefe I really thought that he was the right guy to come in last year at the time he did but he should never have been given the head coaching position right away he should have been the interm head coach and had been reevaluated at the end of the season. In that case I think dubas hired with his heart and not with what was best for the team in mind because last offseason there were some good head coaches available and maybe with keefe getting some experience as an nhl assistant under one of them then take over the team with some more experience.

This team is at a major cross roads right now, Matthew’s is only locked up till 2024 you’ve gotta think he’s not coming back if things don’t change. Teams are going to want him bad and let’s face it Toronto can be a pretty poopy place to play when your loosing.

This is just my take like it or lump it it’s how I feel, I’d love to hear how you guys feel about the future, what you think will happen and who do you think will be suiting up for the leafs next season.


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[Bender]

Hey Im a leafs fan from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and like many of you I’m still disappointed as hell and probably a little bitter.

My honest opinion on this team is this team is going into probably it’s most important season in recent memory. I’m not sure what Kyle dubas, Sheldon keefe, and Brendan shannahan are going to do or if they are the ones that should be holding those positions but this off-season is what will ultimately shape this teams future for the coming years. There’s rumblings out there that mlse is upset with the amount of money they’ve put into this team with out any success. I really think that mlse before the press conferences with keefe, dubas, and shannahan had a meeting with them and going into it they were not sure if they would be continuing for me with that group, ultimately they by the looks of it decided that they will be but I would say the tone of the meeting was if you do not get 4 playoff wins next season when the final buzzer goes of that deciding game pack up you stuff and don’t wait for the call to know weather your coming back or not.

I am going to say this I’ve never really been a dubas fan I wanted them to keep Lou, and as far as keefe I really thought that he was the right guy to come in last year at the time he did but he should never have been given the head coaching position right away he should have been the interm head coach and had been reevaluated at the end of the season. In that case I think dubas hired with his heart and not with what was best for the team in mind because last offseason there were some good head coaches available and maybe with keefe getting some experience as an nhl assistant under one of them then take over the team with some more experience.

This team is at a major cross roads right now, Matthew’s is only locked up till 2024 you’ve gotta think he’s not coming back if things don’t change. Teams are going to want him bad and let’s face it Toronto can be a pretty poopy place to play when your loosing.

This is just my take like it or lump it it’s how I feel, I’d love to hear how you guys feel about the future, what you think will happen and who do you think will be suiting up for the leafs next season.


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After bungling Zaitsev and completely screwing up with Marleau I think Lou's tenure is unforgivable. Both those contracts were albatrosses that we had to spend assets just to get out of.

As well, it's just been a questionable track record ever since they drafted Matthews. Nik has said repeatedly they should never have short circuited the rebuild and instead of hitting it out of the park with draft picks and turning the roster over theg let guys walk for nothing repeatedly and have not a lot to show for it. I'm so tired of walking guys to free agency.

To me Lou having success for the Islanders is less to do with Lou and a lot more to do with Trotz being an amazing coach. Washington has been pretty trash since he won them a Cup. It's no surprise that the Isles are playing well with high level coaching even without the most elite talent.

[Shamus2009]

I agree those contracts were bad but dubas hasn’t had the greatest track record yet with his contracts, marners 10 million dollar contract when you already have two 10 million dollar players and a third 7 million dollar contract to make 40 million on four forwards with an 80 million dollar cap. That doesn’t look good either. I don’t think the leafs made a good decision having a rookie gm dealing with rfa to the three young guys dubas had to sign. He followed Willy all over Europe trying to get the deal done only to have Willy call him at the 11th hou and say let’s get this done, Willy had the upper hand there because dubas showed his cards they he was going to do anything to get him to sign. That then gave Mathews and Marner a lot of negotiation pull because they knew they were more valuable than Willy. Matthew’s get what he gets regardless but I think most gms get Willy and Marner for 2 mill less each.

I do agree through The islanders success has a lot to do with trotz he’s the best defensive coach in the league give me trotz behind the leafs bench please. Only thing is even if he was available dubas doesn’t even think about hiring him, he and keefe are a package deal and I really think that’s going to be his death certificate his stubbornness he can’t admit that he didn’t build a cup contender he built the best leafs team in years yes but is that really something you can brag about.


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[L K]

The problem with the big contracts isn't just about what you have to fill around them but also in judging what you do with the space if you don't sign a big contract.

Leafs 2018 - Sign John Tavares to 7/77 contract
Islanders 2018 - Sign Komarov 4/12, Hickey 4/10, Filppula 1/2.5, Acquire Matt Martin 2/5, Jan Kovar 1/2

Komarov + Hickey + Filppula + Martin + Jan Kovar= 12.5M - 75 points
John Tavares - 88 points

Obviously its not all about points but Lou didn't get a bunch of contract steals.  Uncle Leo has 2G/8P in 39 games in the postseason.  He starts 2/3 of his shifts in the offensive zone and has negative possession and goal differentials.

If you think that you are getting Nylander coming off back to back 60 point seasons for 4.9M you are crazy.

[Shamus2009]

The problem with the big contracts isn't just about what you have to fill around them but also in judging what you do with the space if you don't sign a big contract.

Leafs 2018 - Sign John Tavares to 7/77 contract
Islanders 2018 - Sign Komarov 4/12, Hickey 4/10, Filppula 1/2.5, Acquire Matt Martin 2/5, Jan Kovar 1/2

Komarov + Hickey + Filppula + Martin + Jan Kovar= 12.5M - 75 points
John Tavares - 88 points

Obviously its not all about points but Lou didn't get a bunch of contract steals.  Uncle Leo has 2G/8P in 39 games in the postseason.  He starts 2/3 of his shifts in the offensive zone and has negative possession and goal differentials.

If you think that you are getting Nylander coming off back to back 60 point seasons for 4.9M you are crazy.

Ok maybe not 4.9 but I still think that negotiation goes a little different with Willy with another gm,
I also don’t think jt is a leaf with Lou as gm.

Like I said I’m not a dubas fan I don’t think the way he wants to build a team is a cup contending team, I could be wrong, but I really don’t see a cup before Matthew, nylander and Marners contracts run out.
 
Tavares is also something that worries me that was a nasty blow to the head I know he was probably coming back in round two, but with concussion he may never be that same player again, it might not even be physically that’s the problem subconsciously he may come back a bit more timid and not be able to do the things he use to the same way. That’s not something anyone’s going to know until he back on the ice in a real game.


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[bustaheims]

After bungling Zaitsev and completely screwing up with Marleau I think Lou's tenure is unforgivable. Both those contracts were albatrosses that we had to spend assets just to get out of.

As well, it's just been a questionable track record ever since they drafted Matthews. Nik has said repeatedly they should never have short circuited the rebuild and instead of hitting it out of the park with draft picks and turning the roster over theg let guys walk for nothing repeatedly and have not a lot to show for it. I'm so tired of walking guys to free agency.

To me Lou having success for the Islanders is less to do with Lou and a lot more to do with Trotz being an amazing coach. Washington has been pretty trash since he won them a Cup. It's no surprise that the Isles are playing well with high level coaching even without the most elite talent.

Lou's track record in the cap era is not great - questionable draft choices, poor contracts, and bad trades abound. He basically had to pioneer the concept of moving a pick with a bad contract to free up cap space because of the terrible contract he signed Malakhov to. Then there's the mess with Kovalchuk, the 6 year deals he gave Zubrus and Volchenkov, constantly bringing back "his guys" even when they're not contributors, and so on. There's the occasional good move in there, but there's much more of the bad stuff. He's lucky Trotz is clearly able to spin straw into gold, because the moves he's made with the Islanders have also not been great in a capped league.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

Welcome to the convo.

I have no idea if MLSE sat down with Shanahan/Dubas/Keefe before their pressers but I just want to second your point that if the Leafs don't get past the first round next spring (or if they miss entirely, a definite possibility when they return to the usual divisions) then it could — and I think should — be a complete wipeout.

Babcock/Lou weren't the answer but their focus on getting a team ready for the playoffs is something Keefe/Boy-King haven't demonstrated success at, at least beyond the AHL.  They get one more kick at the can, but that's it.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

And an unrelated thought for the mods: isn't it time we close this board and just move the GM thread and this one to the front page?  Until Shamus started this thread here, there hasn't been a new one outside of the GM threads for several years.  Frankly, at this stage all Leafs threads should just go on the front page, IMO.

[L K]

The Keefe criticism seems odd to me.  He's put the Leafs at 113 point pace in his two partial seasons.  He's 5-7 in the postseason with four games going to OT.  Obviously results are the deciding factor on what you do but he still hasn't had a full 82-game season with the team.

[Highlander]

The Keefe criticism seems odd to me.  He's put the Leafs at 113 point pace in his two partial seasons.  He's 5-7 in the postseason with four games going to OT.  Obviously results are the deciding factor on what you do but he still hasn't had a full 82-game season with the team.

Ya we had 113 point pace, the team was way more consistent this year with Brodie on the D.  My comments are this; we have a great core team, Spezza is returning, some acquisitions/trades will be made to hopefully improve the overall level of competitiveness.   
We have now had two abbreviated seasons with virtually no normalcy.  No full training camps, no crowds, pretty unsettling for us oldsters, what does it do to the mental health of a 24 year old.
We are returning to normal, perhaps a new normal, but as close to our old lives as possible.  Give this team one more year, a full training camp, playing in front of home town crowds.  Add a killer or two and we will be on our way.
When Shamus says we are "loosing", no we are preparing to win. 

They will open the vault for Matthews when they have to, or trade him for a zillion draft picks and get McDavid off the Oilers, but now we are getting really ahead of ourselves.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

The Keefe criticism seems odd to me.  He's put the Leafs at 113 point pace in his two partial seasons.  He's 5-7 in the postseason with four games going to OT.  Obviously results are the deciding factor on what you do but he still hasn't had a full 82-game season with the team.

Fair or not, Keefe is tied to Dubas.  If they flop again, Shanahan and Dubas will likely get the boot, and thus so will Keefe.

[L K]

The Keefe criticism seems odd to me.  He's put the Leafs at 113 point pace in his two partial seasons.  He's 5-7 in the postseason with four games going to OT.  Obviously results are the deciding factor on what you do but he still hasn't had a full 82-game season with the team.

Fair or not, Keefe is tied to Dubas.  If they flop again, Shanahan and Dubas will likely get the boot, and thus so will Keefe.

Depending on how the offseason goes I'm not even sure that will be the case.  If they trade Marner this offseason and they flop...yeah I think they rebuild the front office.  If they don't I think there is still room for the "break up the top of the roster" offseason.

[Nik]

I just feel like a lot of the criticisms of Dubas are really based in a lot of unfair hindsight. Like, I was just about the only person here during the Foligno trade saying "Eh, I don't like this. Too high a price. I'd rather have spent less on Hall*" and virtually everyone else was "No, the team needs more grit and leadership. It's why they got beat by Columbus".

Likewise, they "needed" a more physical defense. In comes Brodie. They "needed" more grit and veteran leadership. Here comes Thornton/Simmonds. Everything people said the Leafs should do, they did. It's why they were so favoured over Montreal. Nobody was saying "Man, the Leafs are at a real disadvantage because of all the money they gave to their top 4 forwards against the Habs" until they lost.

The Leafs were a good team. They had depth. They had balance. They got good goaltending. Odds are, absent injuries to Foligno and Tavares, they win the series.

I'm all for a post-mortem but there's a difference between finding a cause of death and saying that it was forseeable. There is no way of building a team where an injury to one of your best players and your key deadline acquisition doesn't hurt. There is no way of building a team that renders you immune from running into a hot goalie. 

Until someone actually presents a positive way forward, advocating for changes just because "Things didn't work" might feel cathartic but I don't think we can confuse it for actual strategy.

[Highlander]

I just feel like a lot of the criticisms of Dubas are really based in a lot of unfair hindsight. Like, I was just about the only person here during the Foligno trade saying "Eh, I don't like this. Too high a price. I'd rather have spent less on Hall*" and virtually everyone else was "No, the team needs more grit and leadership. It's why they got beat by Columbus".

Likewise, they "needed" a more physical defense. In comes Brodie. They "needed" more grit and veteran leadership. Here comes Thornton/Simmonds. Everything people said the Leafs should do, they did. It's why they were so favoured over Montreal. Nobody was saying "Man, the Leafs are at a real disadvantage because of all the money they gave to their top 4 forwards against the Habs" until they lost.

The Leafs were a good team. They had depth. They had balance. They got good goaltending. Odds are, absent injuries to Foligno and Tavares, they win the series.

I'm all for a post-mortem but there's a difference between finding a cause of death and saying that it was forseeable. There is no way of building a team where an injury to one of your best players and your key deadline acquisition doesn't hurt. There is no way of building a team that renders you immune from running into a hot goalie. 

Until someone actually presents a positive way forward, advocating for changes just because "Things didn't work" might feel cathartic but I don't think we can confuse it for actual strategy.

I am total agreement, when you look at Lou's gaffes and that Hunter was our 2nd choice for GM, it makes one think that things are not so bad as they may seem.  I think Dubas has made many good moves for the reasons Nik states.

[lamajama]

I think the Leafs made a reasonable gamble and assumption that the Cap would continue to increase even if only a few M per year and then adding in the new US TV deal would bump it up ?? Say 5M at least….this makes the Big 4 deals a lot more maneuverable.

Why they didn’t anticipate a worldwide pandemic is beyond me.

Just the Leaf fans luck that occurs at this time.