No kidding, I thought someone was getting me with a late April Fools joke when I saw the announcement.

Oh well, Boston fans will forget all about Quillan when they get Graf

Matthews if he stays hot these last few games is 8 goals away from 70 and 4 away from passing Ovie's 2008 season

Leafs have 8 games left probs will be HS the final game so maybe 7 left (TBL x 2, MTL, PIT, NJ x 2, DET, FLA)

Lets see

Been trying to come up with a reasonable comparable for Quillan. He plays a lot like Al Iaffalo coming out of Minnesota Duluth, I love his grit and I favor players like him. It’s painful to lose, but if they think they can secure Graf … he probably fills a bigger need in the org.

Feels like a fantastic DeBrusk replacement, and for cheap no less. Graf in Boston will be nasty and I would be genuinely surprised if he signed somewhere other than Boston

Great comp for Quillan too, I get the same impression. Defensively capable, smaller frame, tenacious player.

Bruins signed Jaxon Nelson to a one year ELC - ATO and assigned him to Providence. According to Mark Divver, they have not been pursuing Collin Graf so losing out on Quillan was losing out on their top choice.

For what it's worth, Nelson is a fantastic pickup and is a real gem himself. Huge frame and produces well, should fill the same niche that they were hoping Quillan would fill. Nelson just seems like a Bruin, which is something Sweeney and co. are real good at identifying.

I was surprised no scrum at the end of the Leafs-Panthers game... Usually, there is one

He’s a big / tough kid and I like his defense. I struggle with him because he’s been a disappointment offensively until this last stretch

At 24, he should be dominating college kids. He’s got an NHL frame. He’s good for a FA signing, but I view Graf and Quillan as players that should have been 3rd round picks. Nelson is an interesting flyer for him as a free agent. I’d rate him below Bavaro.

I am curious if they also take a flyer on Riese Gaber whose been at their last two developmental camps since they are walking through a lack of signing possibilities outside of Dyck and Jelvik in this years class.

Because Keefe put Reaves out there in the last 2 minutes (which almost cost them the 2 points).

He made a b-line to Bennett at the end of the game.


The first 2 periods were a ****show from Florida. I think Nashville stole their mojo.

Or the Leafs responded to Keefe's comments after the Sabres game: "Lots of things I really liked in the game, and some that I certainly did not like. The things that I liked are what we will focus on the most tonight.
I thought we defended really hard. When I say that, I thought we defended a little too much. The game was a little chaotic. Especially in the first two periods, the majority of what looked like their scoring chances didn’t get to our net because of our guys’ second and third efforts."

https://x.com/WaltRuff/status/1775245207308509423?s=20

Scott Morrow "Makar" has signed

the real ones know

Newfoundland Growlers folded.

The guy who owned them also owned the Trois-Rivieres Lions and both were about to go bankrupt. AFIAK the owner bailed out Trois-Rivieres but let the Growlers cease operations. Sucks for Newfoundland that they got shafted.

Yep, it was the only Pro team in Atlantic Canada and now they're gone. Hopefully we see one pop up in NS or NB

Extremely disappointing news out of Newfoundland this afternoon with the Growlers ceasing operations. They were an extremely valuable part of Toronto's developmental plans, with quite a few current Leafs having suited up for the Growlers. Sucks for the people of Newfoundland who have lost their only pro team out of nowhere, and also a tremendous loss for the Leafs

Am I forgetting some people? Like Liljegren played one game down there I think and McMann had a cup of coffee... don't recall any other current Leafs playing for them.

Four teams have done quite well already with NCAA signings

BOS
Drew Bavaro, D, Notre Dame (Big Ten)
Ryan Bischel, G, Notre Dame (Big Ten)
Jaxon Nelson, F, Minnesota (Big Ten)
Xander Lamppa, F, Penn State (Big Ten)
Christian Sarlo, F, Penn State (Big Ten)

DAL
Justin Hryckowian, F, Northeastern (Hockey East)
Luke Krys, D, Providence (Hockey East)
Ben Kraws, G, St. Lawrence (ECAC)
Anthony Romano, F, Clarkson (ECAC)
Jack Jensen, F, Augustana (CCHA)
Connor Mylymok, F, Niagara (Atlantic)

FLA
Riese Gaber, F, North Dakota (NCHC)
Cooper Black, G, Dartmouth (ECAC)
Ben Steeves, F, Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC)
Pito Walton, D, Northeastern (Hockey East)
Adrien Bisson, D, Mercyhurst (Atlantic)
Dustyn McFaul, D, Clarkson (ECAC)
Craig Needham, F, Providence (Hockey East)

TOR
Jacob Quillan, F, Quinnipiac (ECAC)
Matthew Barbolini, F, Miami (NCHC)
Mathieu Gosselin, F, Clarkson (ECAC)
Brandon Tabakin, D, Arizona State (Ind)

If Pittsburgh adds Collin Graf (to Jared Westcott and Scooter Brickey), they will jump to top.

Minnesota sounds to be favorite for TJ Hughes and Dylan Anhorn...would jump them to top tier too.

Here are best guys remaining...

F: Collin Graf, F, Quinnipiac (ECAC); TJ Hughes, F, Michigan (Big Ten); Christian Fitzgerald, F, Wisconsin (Big Ten); Jack Williams, F, Northeastern (Hockey East); Carter Wilkie, F, RIT (Atlantic)*; Gabriel Seger, F, Cornell (ECAC); Joey Larson, F, Michigan State (Big Ten); Luke Grainger, F, Western Michigan (NCHC); Karsen Dorwart, F, Michigan State (Big Ten); Ondrej Psenicka, F, Cornell (ECAC); Dylan Wendt, F, Western Michigan (NCHC); Josh Eernisse, F, Michigan (Big Ten); Garrett Schifsky, F, Michigan (Big Ten); Carter King, F, Denver (NCHC); Liam McLinskey, F, Holy Cross (Atlantic); Jack Musa, F, Mass-Amherst (Hockey East); Dalton Bancroft, F, Cornell (ECAC); Lynden Breen, F, Maine (Hockey East)

D: Dylan Anhorn, D, St. Cloud State (NCHC); Zach Bookman, D, Merrimack (Hockey East); Jacob Bengtsson, D, Boston College (Hockey East); Colton Huard, D, New Hampshire (Hockey East); Tim Lovell, D, Arizona State (Ind)*; Evan Murr, D, Minnesota State (CCHA)

G: Victor Ostman, G, Maine (Hockey East); Kyle McClellan, G, Wisconsin (Big Ten); Blake Pietila, G, Michigan Tech (CCHA)

(* transfer portal)

I know Bjornfot is a bust, but:
1-just because he became a bust in LA doesn't mean he would've become a bust in TOR as well
2-the Leafs wouldn't have necessarily drafted him in 2019

Look at the playoff results bud:

2017: Round 1 loss to the Caps in 6
2018: Round 1 loss to the Bruins in 7 after trailing 1-3
2019: Round 1 loss to the Bruins after leading 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2
2020: Play-In Round loss to a team with 3 times less talent, shutout twice
2021:Round 1 choke to a lesser team after leading 3-1
2022: Round 1 loss to TB after leading 3-2
2023: Round 1 win to TB in 6 and Round 2 loss in 5 to FLA

The fact is that, in the playoffs, the Leafs completely stalled after 2018. They only started progressing again in 2023. Is this normal? Why did this happen? Why did their organizational development stall begin at precisely the season they started going all in with a team that wasn't ready?

Muzzin was not there in 2017 and 2018

Came in 2019
2020 was hurt game 2 vs. CBJ
2021 hurt in MTL game 5
2022 Played and was fine
2023 DNP

Again conjecture. There is more than just him

Playoff opponent, goaltending, scoring, coaching all come into play

If it all came down to one Dman they traded for every team would be ****ed lul.

Rangsey be right they just be cursed

The problem isn't merely Muzzin.

Muzzin is more of a symptom than the problem itself if that makes sense.

TOR didn't have pressure in 2017 and 2018 because they were rookies and sophomores, respectively.

Again, they were not ready to go all in in 18-19. They still lacked organizational depth (this is in part due to the Lamoriello/Hunter era btw, I'm not letting Lou off the hook at all here). How can a team sustain itself long term? By building organizational depth, which, again, the Leafs badly lacked.

2018-2019 Leafs

Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Hyman-JT-Marner
Marleau-Kadri-Kapenan
Brown-Ennis-Moore

Extra: Gauthier, Petan

Rielly-Hainsey
Muzzin-Zaitsev
Gardiner-Dermott

Extra: Oghigenov, Holl

Anderson
Sparks
Hutchinson

Prospects in the system pushing: Sandin and Liligren

Team was deep back then issue was their Dcore and coaching. So where's the lack of depth?

If anything the Muzzin trade was a step in the right direction but it came to late as the Trio's deals were coming up and so the ELC era was over. Should have went in the year prior adding JTM and McDonagh then did the Muzzin trade the following season

Only four players who played for the Growlers have (or do) play in the NHL: McMann, Liljegren, Brazeau (Boston) and Johnstone (Pittsburgh). ECHL to NHL is very difficult but it's a worthwhile organization investment.

Also this had nothing do with the revenue or travel for the team, the owner was terrible. There's still hope that under a new owner they could be reinstated.

Lol, having two prospects when you've got multiple holes at D and you're not (yet) in your window is not enough. Need another one.

Tavares was too old IMO, so you needed 1-2 prospects at C and probably 2 at the wing also.

Im honestly surprised MLSE didnt get involved

Again if Management played their cards right earlier TOR could have made the JTM and McDonagh trade

Add those two and Muzzin along with JT FA signing and u got

Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Hyman-JT-Marner
Marleau-Kadri-Miller
Brown-Ennis-Kapenan

Extra: Gauthier

Rielly-Hainsey
McDonagh-Gardiner
Muzzin-Zaitsev


Extra: Oghigenov, Holl

They were to passive during the ELC era of this team. Could have traded picks earlier and filled in the holes sooner

2017-2019 was the prime chance and they let it go as the flat cap forced them to make tougher choices after. Caps going back up and come 2026 JT is off the books.

This is where they need to take full advantage


As in the end cup wins are not always quick look how long it took WSH and TBL to get. Cause in the end competitive teams do not always rely on prospects. Often they are traded away with picks to add help now

TBL traded Foote + picks for Goodrow + Coleman wise move

VGK from their start till now where be the prospects?

They'll probably add a 3rd team in Ontario now. It's better that way for them anyways.