2025-26 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

[Bill_Berg]

The Leafs 3.60 GAA, 2nd worst in the league, is their worst GAA in the last 33 years
Their top 7 D and 2 goalies are signed up for next year as are most of the forwards. The top 4 D are 33 or more next season signed up for years beyond that.
Not only do they need to acquire players because their prospects are so thin but they have to get rid of some contracts to be able to fit the new players under their cap or roster limits.
With the cap rising so much, the UFA market is going to be thin again.
Out of that rubble, they're supposed to assembled a true Cup contender for Matthews in two years?

Hopefully, he can start the season well after his knee injury to maximize his trade value

It is not just fixing the team. It is Matthews who is on the back 9 of his career. If he is going to be a significant part of a Cup winner, he has to do it soon. I do not see how that is likely with the Leafs. Like poker, you have to know when to fold. It would probably be best for both parties.

My opinion is also that they should fold, but they're not doing that. So they're going to try, well, something. Matthews will probably give it a shot next year, and if they suck again, then trade him at the deadline for two playoff runs. If they don't suck, then he sticks around. It's probably a year by year thing with him for the next two years.

Maybe they're all just waiting to see if they win the draft lottery. Or maybe they pull a rabbit out of someone's ass. It looks grim for sure though.

 

[cabber24]

I don't have as much fault for the core 4 as I do for the players they surrounded them with.

I hate this comment. They could not afford anything else. They even had to give away additional depth/picks for retention and cap dumps. You cannot pay that much to 4 forwards and expect to ice decent depth.

 

[cw]

I hate this comment. They could not afford anything else. They even had to give away additional depth/picks for retention and cap dumps. You cannot pay that much to 4 forwards and expect to ice decent depth.

But this is what you said:

I don't believe in this core. I would be content with a rebuild. I am mad about how much money the core 4 made and how little they delivered. For me, it was Stanley Cup or bust, and we didn't even get out of the second round.

That criticizes the core 4 players, doesn't it?
"They could not afford anything else." is on the GM much more than the players.

Those players contracts were close to being in line with the league and their signing circumstances.
Covid bit the GM's plans - that was part of it that screwed up his financial plan.
But the result was the core 4 didn't have a great goalie, not a great D and not a great bottom 6.
That isn't the fault of the core 4 talent. That is on the GM and the financial circumstances.

When Colorado faced that, they moved Rantanen BUT they got more than a 4th line center back.
When Leafs did it, the UFA market was barren and they got a 4th line center.
I fault management far more for that.

 

[cw]

My opinion is also that they should fold, but they're not doing that. So they're going to try, well, something. Matthews will probably give it a shot next year, and if they suck again, then trade him at the deadline for two playoff runs. If they don't suck, then he sticks around. It's probably a year by year thing with him for the next two years.

Maybe they're all just waiting to see if they win the draft lottery. Or maybe they pull a rabbit out of someone's ass. It looks grim for sure though.

I think you are right. MLSE won't rebuild at this time. Matthews is under contract. So they'll give it a shot for playoff revenue.
I think it drags out to when they can truly contend again.

Draft year
2014 1st round #8 Nylander
2015 1st round #4 Marner
2016 1st round #1 Matthews

That gave them a core that was going to come along together
We probably won't see that again in our lifetime

 

[L K]

Mehta is the Devils GM.

I have a feeling they are going to mess around because we have an incompetent person running the organization

And it's not really so much about Mehta. It's that this AI nonsense is absurd. It's that Pelley is a lying sack of garbage who came in talking about results over jersey sales and the Leafs have done nothing but monetize everything. We are going to dick around with the GM search. That Bérubé isn't fired already is a joke. We signed a handful of fringe college free agents and with a roster that could kill to get some youth have done nothing with any more significant players.

This is the first year in 10 years (pandemic season aside) that I didn't go to a Leafs game. I'm sad at the state of this franchise

This notion of holding off on firing the coach u til the new GM is picked. Who the hell can look at that decision and not see it 100% as being a cheap franchise not wanting to pay for two coaches

 

[Kaberle15]

is Berube still the Leafs coach ? it has being 24hours now, he should be already gone.