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I think the Leafs should do the Columbus deal. Don't think the Blue Jackets would accept

They can't help themselves. Frustration x desperation = cuckoo time.

Yeah because super elite goal scoring centres are definitely not worth much these days. What a joke.

Man don’t take it personally. Mathews is a better player, but the Leafs may be a better team with Dubois and Werenski. You obviously don’t think that much of them.

Would you trade Petterson for Dubious and Werenski? Would Edmonton trade McDavid for a good defenceman and a huge drop off at centre?

If my team needed defensive help, had invested too much money on its forwards, and had not made it past the first round, I would consider it.

Unlike the NBA, difficult to win in the NHL with a few stars and not enough depth or balance.

How do you think Vancouver would be doing if they lost Hughes and Edler for the 3 months? Do you think they would have the same record? Because TO is currently ahead of Vancouver despite early season turmoil under an old school coach that lost the room, and then lost their two best defenceman for what will be close to 3 full months. Do you think Benn would do well being asked to play against top competition like Dermott currently is? All these anti Leaf non sense posts about how they need balance because they have an AHL defence is just blatant trolling or stupidity. Pittsburgh a veteran team that has gone through it all has done great despite missing key contributors, but most teams don't do that well. TO is 3rd in the league in man games lost based off time on ice. Meaning their injuries have been major and specifically to the blue line. They need to get healthy not trade their best player for lesser players because non Leaf fans want to see the Leafs burn.

Jackets turn that down. It's not quite as egregious as recent attempts to poach Jones, but it's still a two-core-players-for-one downgrade.

I think you're conflating two issues. You are completely correct when you discuss the challenges this season. However, the team, despite its talent, hasn't performed as expected that last 3 years. I'm speaking of playoff success.

You might be right that trading Mathews may not be the solution to this. You may also think there may not be an issue at all. Let's see what happens.

I don't see how any of this is as anti-Leafs. The whole thread was based on the premise that his might help the team.

So when did TO finish last overall? I'll save you looking it up. It was 4 seasons ago. Then they drafted Matthews. That year they were not supposed to make the playoffs, but they did and took on the top team in the league in Washington and took them to 6, with all the games being 1 goal games. That was way better than anyone expected from them 1 year removed from being the worst team in the NHL.

The year after they took a pretty big step forward and ended up taking on the 3rd best team in the NHL in the first round and took them to 7 games.

And then last year they again made the playoffs and took on Boston who were once again tied for 3rd best in the entire NHL.

You like many, see the Leafs as a team that has been near the top of the league for years and has never done anything. They are one of the youngest teams in the league and are still learning. To say the team hasn't performed for the past 3 seasons is ridiculous. If Vancouver misses the playoffs or loses in the first round will you be calling on Petterson getting traded because obviously the core isn't good enough?

This is why I am saying what I am saying. People seem to think TO needs to win the cup immediately after drafting Matthews and since its only been 3 seasons that means this 22 year super elite goal scorer should be traded.

I said the team didn't perform as expected particularly for the playoffs. I didn't say they didn't perform. Is that wrong? Did they over perform? Did Leafs fans expect a first round loss?

The team fired their coach, in part, because of this.

Alright so you didn't read any of what I wrote cool.

Babs should have been fired in the off season, he was the reason they didn't beat Boston in the playoffs last year. He wouldn't change anything on the PK and also played Marleau way more than Matthews when down 1 goal in game 6 when they had a chance to put Boston away. Babs used to be good but like many people, he was successful and fell in love with his own reputation and refused to ever change.

How were they expected to do in the playoffs the past 3 years? Lets say Vancouver makes the playoffs this year and ends up in the 2nd wild cars spot and takes on St Louis? Lets say you lose in 5. Is that a huge disappointment that should cause you to trade Petterson?

I did read what you wrote. For example: "To say the team hasn't performed for the past 3 seasons is ridiculous." Nobody said that.

I understand your argument to be that the expectations should not have been so high and their coach was the MAIN reason for the losses in the playoffs. Well he's not there now. Let's see what happens.

It will be interesting for sure. This year is going to be a weird one for TO. They have dealt with massive injury issues. Only Columbus and Pittsburgh have had more man games lost from high impact players, so its been a weird season. Once Rielly and Muzzin get healthy its going to be interesting. Only maybe St Louis with Tarasenko coming back will have anywhere close to the same boost TO is going to get ahead of the playoffs.