@SammyT_51 @Jamiepo @aadoyle @jack_ @TMLSage @vr1995 @hockeytor_15 @trickster @onex

What’d you guys think of this team? Does it win the cup if coached by Keefe?

zaitsev thing i agree, marleau you are only saying that from what you know now, over 9m is ridiculous , sparks was the right move at the time, he was the best ahl goalie 2 years in a row and won the marlies a calder cup, he had to come up st some time and that was the time, unfortunately it didnt work out, agree with the signings, nick rob trade idea isnt good, guys have him in the first round of redrafts, hes 6 years younger than roy and is better, plus you wanna give a first rounder? and if the johnsson trade was possible then yes they should have done that, buffalo stole him from chi

kadri trade is a tough one, i had mixed feelings about it cause as much as they needed a rhd, i dont think barrie was the right one, col did retain half of his salary which was huge, i would have liked to see them go for someone a bit more d minded.

all in all i like this team, connor brown was a very underrated loss for us that doesnt get talked about

I told people this and agreed Marner should have did what crosby did and signed for 8.93 million. He gets his 93 and signs for a reasonable contract. Also for Matthews I would have signed him on a tavares deal with slightly more money so 11.5 million for 7 years as to be his original deal was to short. If keefe coached this team hard to say. Maybe a round 2 or 3 exit the first year and with more development maybe cup finals who knows.

What’d you guys think of this team? Does it win the cup if coached by Keefe?[/quote]

Doubtful and mildly concerned that you traded Robertson and a first for Roy alone.
MacElhinney hasn’t been all that fantastic this season either, part of why Kadri was traded was because of his antics in the playoffs and I don’t think Jokiharju and Roy really make that defence better by a whole lot.

Yes, the Zaitsev signing was terrible.

Marleau signing was also stupid. It drove me crazy to hear Lou say that when they signed the deal, they knew the 3rd year was going to be a problem.

Letting go of McElhinney was the right move at the time. He was in his mid 30's and had just played the best hockey of his life. What were the odds that he would keep it up? Now, I did not believe in Sparks for one second. Even watching him in the AHL, it looked unlikely that he would be able to translate that style to the NHL. However that was a completely reasonable decision. Hindsight is 20/20.

Kadri traded himself after being a complete knucklehead in two consecutive playoffs. You needed RD and a replacement center. Obviously everything hasn't panned out the way we'd all like, but again, hindsight. Kadri made himself the expendable piece.

If either of those contracts for Matthews and Marner were available, that's what they would be signed to.

That Robertson trade is awful for the Leafs

That Johnsson trade is awful for the Sabres.

tbh i think the kadri getting traded because he got suspended isa a little overblown, hes a solid center on a great contract which made him expendable, they also traded a surplus for a need, i think the way it worked out sure seemed like it was cause of the suspension. also debrusk should have been kicked out of that game earlier for that knee. if that happened the kadri thing wouldnt have happaned lol

I wish all of that. I would still like Kadri to be traded though.
If we got a better defenseman we would win it all

the Robertson trade is AWFUL

Yeah, I'm not saying he got traded BECAUSE of the suspensions, (actually I did say that, but I was exaggerating) but I'm sure it made Dubas' decision much easier. There were several things that made him a viable trade piece, I just think the second suspension was just him putting the stamp on the envelope if you get me.

And yes, absolutely, Debrusk should have been GONE from that game. It was an embarrassment how the officials let that game get out of hand. They had so many opportunities to nip it in the bud, but continued to let it escalate. It was disgusting.

Yeah hes another rat, i hate soundling like a whiny baby but they truly get away with alot, not even just against the leafs but everyone. last 2 years they are first in OpponentsPIM/g, they are a great hockey team, im not taking anything away from them but they get alot of calls. debrusk and marchand are scum

Yeah, they take advantage of the biggest flaw in NHL officiating, which is the incomprehensible need for refs to give a relatively even amount of penalties to each team in a game. They won't call everything that they should, and, knowing that, the Bruins commit a lot of infractions because they know they won't get called for them all. I don't even blame them for it, they've exposed the league, and they take advantage. Good on 'em. And yes, **** Marchand and Debrusk.

As a Los Angeles guy, I'm a little embarrassed by that Robertson trade . . .

For some reason, signing Russian defensemen hasn't turned out well for anybody. After Zaitsev, the Maple Leafs signed Ozhiganov and Florida signed that guy they later traded to Winnipeg for a seventh and New Jersey signed that guy who hasn't panned out, either . . . This is an example of groupthink . . . makes me even wonder if that Romanov guy is going to turn out to be the Lidstrom equivalent all the Montreal guys keep claiming . . .

The Marleau trade is a gross overpay but still better than having to give up a 1st to dump him the next season. Even though Sparks played great i just never liked him. He seemed way too arrogant & egoistic. Always full of his own achievements & blaming others for his failures. Last season wasn’t his fault entirely, but he let in a bunch of soft high glove & five hole goals. Instead of working on his game & improving, he played himself out of the organization because of his attitude. It would’ve been nice if the Leafs got Erik johnson. He’s a smooth skating 2 way defenseman who plays with some physicality. Would’ve cost more to get obviously. I agree about the Bruins getting away with dirty plays.

Yeah I agree about the contracts.

Agree Barrie got exposed this season.

Doubtful and mildly concerned that you traded Robertson and a first for Roy alone.
MacElhinney hasn’t been all that fantastic this season either, part of why Kadri was traded was because of his antics in the playoffs and I don’t think Jokiharju and Roy really make that defence better by a whole lot.[/quote]

Matt Roy has been an excellent 2 way defenseman this season. I fixed the trade to just Robertson, but he is definitely what the Leafs need.

Russian players & Europeans in general have a tough time adjusting to the physicality & intensity of the North American game. There’s much more checking. Romanov is a big guy who loves to be physical, he can skate pretty well, so he should translate better but we shall see.

Absolutely right. The money when Marleau signed barely mattered, the term did. Your contract for him is definitely preferable.



Don't really disagree with anything you say here. Never liked him either. I didn't think he'd be able to hold his own in this league. But it was still the decision that made sense.



Yeah, Johnson fits the Leafs needs better, but that contract is tough. And there's no way the Av's would've retained on it, and without any retention, there couldn't be a deal.

Agree on all points.

..

So, the Leafs front office as made a lot of mistakes that’s costed this team to be in shambles. It all went wrong from that Zaitsev signing. He had an unimpressive rookie season. Looked great on the offensive side of the game, poor defensively. Should’ve given him 1 year maximum & if he doesn’t improve, let him walk.

The Marleau signing - should’ve given him 2 years at 9.375 million AAV. They had the cap to pay him & no reason to burn a first rounder the next season to dump him cuz you need to pay Marner.

Keep McElhinney

Revert Kadri trade.

Sign Matthews 12x8

Sign Marner 9x8

Trade Nick Robertson for Matt Roy of LAK

Trade Andreas Johnsson + 2020 1st Round Pick to CHI for Henri Jokiharju

I disagree with paying Marleau so much on a two year deal. I don't know the the Leafs even wanted him in the place. Better ways to spend 6.25m. Leadership....I don't get it.
Should never signed Babcock. His coaching cost the Leafs at least one playoff series lost to Boston...maybe two. Plus he put Leafs way behind in the standings before he was fired.
I don't know if the Kadri trade was so bad. But who would have guessed Barrie would have the Leafs worse Dman this season.
Unreasonable to expect Matthews or Marner to sign those contracts. Player had the option not to sign, What the Leaf should've done is let Nylander sit last year, and then they would have go Matthews and Marner on more reasonable (league comparable) contracts.
Matt. Roy and Jokiharju aren't THAT good.

Hindsight is always 20/20. I think it is about as relevant to comment on this scenario as it is to comment on how I should have picked "those numbers" after the lotto max winning numbers are already known.

That being said, what you have created here still really doesn't move the needle enough for me to believe that very much would be different.

That Chicago trade..... YIKES!

Pass.

I guess you are right about Marleau, but he did help Marner & Matthews’ Development with his leadership. I don’t necessarily think Babcock is a bad coach in terms of ability, it’s just his arrogance and ego costed him that 2019 Bruins series. They should’ve won easily. He is genuinely an evil person. Matt Roy is a really good defenseman & Jokiharju, let him develop on the bottom pair. Both are better options than what TOR currently have in Ceci & Barrie. I’d even argue it’s better than Hainsey last season.

The thing with this team is that they have way better forward depth with guys like Brown, Kadri & Mikheyev. The defense is improved as well since Matt Roy is an excellent 2 way guy, exactly what the Leafs need. Jokiharju has played pretty good in Buffalo.