no
burkie already significantly increased the leafs' scouting budget in 2009.
leafs is doing really really bad in drafting (considering the competitive advantage they have over low-budget teams)
- MaximusAurelius

go an look at what was done after shanny took over with the scouting and all that. it was a pretty drastic overhaul

forget Burke..lol that was a million years ago..he traded up 2 times to get Biggs and Brad Ross

How about the simple fact that they seem to be in demand around the league?

That guys named McKenzie, Dreger, Freedman, Lebrun, etc. consistently tout them as "being really good at what they do". Please excuse Hockeybuzz from not clamouring to answer your essay question about this topic, but the names I mentioned earlier in this post carry a lot more weight than Atomic Wedgie's opinion on the subject.

Hunter is known as a first class talent evaluator, has played in the NHL and has an extensive hockey management pedigree as a coach, owner and manager.

Dubas is known to combine analytics with a keen eye for talent, and as a very young executive for league standards, brings a fresh perspective to the AGM or GM chair based on a proven track record of building an excellent program with the Marlies and in the Soo.

Both guys who made a name for themselves in the minors/junior and have taken their skills to the NHL for further development. Just like player prospects do...

So I ask you - what indications are there that they AREN'T really good at their jobs? That not every draft pick has become a top of the roster player in Toronto in 3 years? That in two seasons since being the worst team in the NHL they've made the playoffs both years, progressively turning in better regular seasons and longer playoff pushes? Because they've drafted and developed a stable of prospects easily in the top-10 of depth league wide?

Maybe jump on this topic when they actually regress, because by all quantitative measures they have not done so yet.

And yes, this is an extra pissy response because today is not the day to start with this nonsense.
- Deeps27

Dubois has a dark side.
I can see it.
When it comes out, remind this post.

Amazing. The troll like to spout off using 1 data point and build a straw man argument out of it, but his inability to answer if he believes Gardiner should get paid to be our #4 speaks volumes that he doesn't even believe the drivel he's peddling.
- Pen15

I'm not too bothered actually - at this point I've heard the following from the same person/could be a dog or a bot not sure:

1) trade Gardiner because he'll be a upcoming FA
2) keep Gardiner because he's paid like a #3-#4 but plays the most minutes - like a #1
3) don't play him like a #1 cause he isn't a #1
4) he's more of a #2
5) randomly picking points 1 - 4 to justify whatever particular argument he/she is having at the moment...
6) he can still develop / improve
7) only top 3 players can be generational/elite
8) change argument tangentially (which I know he/she won't understand) to some random factoid from the 2013 reason

conclusion
trade him for picks before he reaches FA unless he improves into a #1 magically by the md-way point of the 2018-19... but don't offer to much cause then he might want to stay and play less minutes + add 8) from above

talk about setting the bar very low.
the leafs with all their financial means should be in playoffs every year.
how long do you want to be in rebuild style?
another 15years?
- MaximusAurelius

Salary cap? Can’t buy a winner.

How about the simple fact that they seem to be in demand around the league?

That guys named McKenzie, Dreger, Freedman, Lebrun, etc. consistently tout them as "being really good at what they do". Please excuse Hockeybuzz from not clamouring to answer your essay question about this topic, but the names I mentioned earlier in this post carry a lot more weight than Atomic Wedgie's opinion on the subject.

Hunter is known as a first class talent evaluator, has played in the NHL and has an extensive hockey management pedigree as a coach, owner and manager.

Dubas is known to combine analytics with a keen eye for talent, and as a very young executive for league standards, brings a fresh perspective to the AGM or GM chair based on a proven track record of building an excellent program with the Marlies and in the Soo.

Both guys who made a name for themselves in the minors/junior and have taken their skills to the NHL for further development. Just like player prospects do...

So I ask you - what indications are there that they AREN'T really good at their jobs? That not every draft pick has become a top of the roster player in Toronto in 3 years? That in two seasons since being the worst team in the NHL they've made the playoffs both years, progressively turning in better regular seasons and longer playoff pushes? Because they've drafted and developed a stable of prospects easily in the top-10 of depth league wide?

Maybe jump on this topic when they actually regress, because by all quantitative measures they have not done so yet.

And yes, this is an extra pissy response because today is not the day to start with this nonsense.
- Deeps27

Dubas is the GM of the Marlies, brought in a great coach ( that some guys on here said they would quit being Leaf fans if he was hired - Sheldon Keefe ) that went on to break some records for winning I believe....that's a good start for Mr. Dubas IMO

Go Vegas Go

Dubois has a dark side.
I can see it.
When it comes out, remind this post.
- MaximusAurelius

Eklund should just turn over the season ticket holder names and email addresses to the NHL and they'd have plenty of fresh GM candidates all ready to go and turn around 31 teams in the first 3 rounds of the next draft.

Only issue would be cap-related as anyone with a season ticket on HB obviously can't be trusted with managing money effectively.

I have done a bunch of reading on Dubas and his time with SSM. So far anything he has touched SSM/Marlies they have become very successful. the Leafs need to see what they have in him, and I'd prefer if he is one of the better management he do it with the Leafs
- senstroll

That's a very, very good point. His success with the Marlies is very obvious and the pipeline it's created to the NHL is very good. A good portion of the Leafs prospects have benefited from the system Dubas has helped create with the Marlies. They're a legit Calder Cup contender this year for that reason.

Eklund should just turn over the season ticket holder names and email addresses to the NHL and they'd have plenty of fresh GM candidates all ready to go and turn around 31 teams in the first 3 rounds of the next draft.

Only issue would be cap-related as anyone with a season ticket on HB obviously can't be trusted with managing money effectively.
- Deeps27

seriously... I think Spatso, BloatedMosquito and UG should apply for the position in Carolina

they could just SIM the draft and trades using XBOX ahead of those events

and how hard can a spreadsheet be with what 50 entries in it?

Dubas is the GM of the Marlies, brought in a great coach ( that some guys on here said they would quit being Leaf fans if he was hired - Sheldon Keefe ) that went on to break some records for winning I believe....that's a good start for Mr. Dubas IMO

Go Vegas Go
- Garnie

Garnie I think you should apply for the Carolina GM role...

then when they call to arrange an interview over Skype... decline, tell them you don't want to pay taxes in Quebec.

That's a very, very good point. His success with the Marlies is very obvious and the pipeline it's created to the NHL is very good. A good portion of the Leafs prospects have benefited from the system Dubas has helped create with the Marlies. They're a legit Calder Cup contender this year for that reason.
- Unholy_Goalie

wait.
so we can attribute recent Marlies success to Dubas.
but we cannot attribute Leafs' failures to Dubas + Hunter and friends, because 'too early'??

go an look at what was done after shanny took over with the scouting and all that. it was a pretty drastic overhaul

forget Burke..lol that was a million years ago..he traded up 2 times to get Biggs and Brad Ross
- senstroll

I knew about the Briggs trade-up... never heard about the Ross one?

wait.
so we can attribute recent Marlies success to Dubas.
but we cannot attribute Leafs' failures to Dubas + Hunter and friends, because 'too early'??
- MaximusAurelius

What failures are you talking about exactly? Because considering the path they're on, there haven't been many. If you consider drafting guys in 2016 or 2017 and those players not being impact players in the NHL yet a failure, you're being very shortsighted.

go an look at what was done after shanny took over with the scouting and all that. it was a pretty drastic overhaul

forget Burke..lol that was a million years ago..he traded up 2 times to get Biggs and Brad Ross
- senstroll

Brad Ross for Jimmy Hayes. Tyler Toffoli went 47th. Brad Ross went 43rd.

Biggs for Rakell and Gibson.

Burke was especially terrible. Put this team 5 years behind, if not more.

But that bar is pretty low.

1 goal and 12 assists in half a regular season.

1 goal and no assists in 7 playoff games.

He's not going to replace Gardiner's offence any time soon.
- Atomic Wedgie

You conveniently left out ice-time.

Give Dermott Gardiner's minutes and I think he gets close for sure.

Are some still freaking out of they calmed down yet?

Are some still freaking out of they calmed down yet?
- burn

We're going to be freaking out about this non sentence.

You conveniently left out ice-time.

Give Dermott Gardiner's minutes and I think he gets close for sure.
- gravyface

10mins a night playing with polak in a defensive role with no
Pp time, how many pts do we expect?

Dermott is a very good dman. He certainly needs to get more mins, that IMO will be part of the improvement

Dahlin for Matthews, fill one hole open another

You conveniently left out ice-time.

Give Dermott Gardiner's minutes and I think he gets close for sure.
- gravyface

Dermott scores 52 points? That's a leap and a jump.

Gardiner scores 1 point every 32 minutes of ice time he gets.

Dermott gets 1 point every 45 minutes of ice time he gets.

And Gardiner plays against harder competition.

Dermott can get to that level in a few years but expecting that from him next year is expecting a lot.

From an outside perspective: yeah, the D needs help, but your depth forwards were pretty impressive. Hyman and Kapanen were really effective. Marner is a stud.

I hope the Sabres can push the leafs for a playoff spot next year

Dermott scores 52 points? That's a leap and a jump.

Gardiner scores 1 point every 32 minutes of ice time he gets.

Dermott gets 1 point every 45 minutes of ice time he gets.

And Gardiner plays against harder competition.

Dermott can get to that level in a few years but expecting that from him next year is expecting a lot.
- Unholy_Goalie

Yup. Dermott is a beaut but until he actually shows he can do it it's just a guess. He's just 21 still. He's a good one.

The way to fix the d isn't to throw out the good ones you have and try to replace them (becomes to expensive $ ans/or acquisition wise) need to push those guys down and get them more support. Not play them 25mins a night, find more guys that you trust to play more than 12mins a night

Dahlin for Matthews, fill one hole open another
- wingz4life

Dahlin for Matthews? Pffft. I got Dahlin for Kadri in NHL18.

Dermott scores 52 points? That's a leap and a jump.

Gardiner scores 1 point every 32 minutes of ice time he gets.

Dermott gets 1 point every 45 minutes of ice time he gets.

And Gardiner plays against harder competition.

Dermott can get to that level in a few years but expecting that from him next year is expecting a lot.
- Unholy_Goalie

I said close. I don't think 45 points is a hard ask if he plays a full season with PP time and more responsibility.

Mitch Marner should be the next captain of the Maple Leafs. Incredibly talented, extremely competitive and delivered when it mattered the most.

Mitch Marner should be the next captain of the Maple Leafs. Incredibly talented, extremely competitive and delivered when it mattered the most.
- SensFan25

I'd be okay with Marner as captain, but not for a few more years. All these young guys have enough pressure as it is and the next few years might be up and down. The hounds are already after Matthews, I can only imagine if he was the captain how much more pressure would be on his shoulders.