Trouba. He is a good player, but Fox and DeAngelo have outperformed him on a nightly basis. Signing Trouba to 8M, and having Shatts buyout combine for 14M AAV next season was a ridiculous move by their GM. Now Shatts has 20 points in 24 games in Tampa......... With Smith/Staal still combining 11M AAV for the next two seasons, it really didn't make any sense to bring in this pricey D, who has been underwhelming.

Honorable mention to my Devs P.K. Subban. He looks slow and has shown no signs of being a top pairing D. The only good thing is that the Cap hit doesn't appear to be hindering them, as Hall likely won't be a Dev, and Greene/Simmonds 10M will be off the books. Should have about 28M cap space this offseason.
- bikeguy99

I like Trouba but Rangers tried to rush the rebuild.

I like Trouba but Rangers tried to rush the rebuild.
- RogerRoeper

how so?

He's letting Fox and DeAngelo flourish offensively by being the go to guy on the right side in defensive situations, almost 60% of Trouba's zone starts are in defensive zone

the Rangers are better than most forecasters predicted, they had a great record in November after a slow start

Not sure I agree about "Easily" Seabrook looks finished. Not an NHl player and 5 years left.
- RogerRoeper

I don't disagree with that.....I didn't see his name mentioned anywhere, but you're right, he's not an NHL calibre dman......but an argument could easily be made that Ceci isn't either, or AT BEST he's a 6-7 NHL dman....who's playing on the top pair because his coach and GM are either too stupid or too stubborn to cut their losses.

I like Trouba but Rangers tried to rush the rebuild.
- RogerRoeper

says the fan of the team who went out and signed Tavares to the 2nd highest contract in the league, 1 year after being in dead last.........

Trouba is an excellent #2-3 dman......guy is solid offensively, and a beast in his own zone. he'd be the best dman on your team

says the fan of the team who went out and signed Tavares to the 2nd highest contract in the league, 1 year after being in dead last.........

Trouba is an excellent #2-3 dman......guy is solid offensively, and a beast in his own zone. he'd be the best dman on your team
- sensarmy_11

This is incorrect. It was 2 years after and Leafs had Marner, Matthews, Rielly, Andersen ETC.


Leafs had made the playoffs 2 in a row already before Tavares signed. Apples and ornages.

And please spare me that Trouba is better than Rielly that's never happened once in their careers. LOL And that's with you horribly underrating Trouba. In no world is he close to a #3 D. So are you calling Rielly a #4 or 5 D then?

This is incorrect. It was 2 years after and Leafs had Marner, Matthews, Rielly, Andersen ETC.


Leafs had made the playoffs 2 in a row already before Tavares signed. Apples and ornages.

And please spare me that Trouba is better than Rielly that's never happened once in their careers. LOL And that's with you horribly underrating Trouba. In no world is he close to a #3 D. So are you calling Rielly a #4 or 5 D then?
- RogerRoeper

you're not even worth arguing with anymore.......you're so (frank)ing blind to the holes and problems with the leafs and their players that even the leafs fans on this site mock you for it.

enjoy living in your wonderful dream world, where Dubas is the best GM in the league, and the leafs are a legit cup contender.

This is incorrect. It was 2 years after and Leafs had Marner, Matthews, Rielly, Andersen ETC.


Leafs had made the playoffs 2 in a row already before Tavares signed. Apples and ornages.

And please spare me that Trouba is better than Rielly that's never happened once in their careers. LOL
- RogerRoeper

I just don't understand how the Rangers "rushed" their rebuild

they literally have the youngest team in the league and that's including Lundqvist's age in the average

Trouba's still young

I just don't understand how the Rangers "rushed" their rebuild

they literally have the youngest team in the league and that's including Lundqvist's age in the average

Trouba's still young
- jimbro83

nope, when other teams go out and do it, you're rushing the rebuild......when the leafs do it, it's just smart management.

roeper logic

I just don't understand how the Rangers "rushed" their rebuild

they literally have the youngest team in the league and that's including Lundqvist's age in the average

Trouba's still young
- jimbro83

Signing an expensive RFA, trading and signing Trouba and getting in cap trouble already is not the way to go.

nope, when other teams go out and do it, you're rushing the rebuild......when the leafs do it, it's just smart management.

roeper logic
- sensarmy_11

So the Leafs' timeline is the same as the Rangers? Explain...

So the Leafs' timeline is the same as the Rangers? Explain...
- RogerRoeper

not at all, the Rangers will enjoy success much sooner than the leafs will......they're a much better constructed team. they didn't go out and blow their entire wod on like 4 guys, they are actually building a solid overall team....with good goaltending, defense, and forwards

the leafs will be even worse next year than they are this year

Signing an expensive RFA, trading and signing Trouba and getting in cap trouble already is not the way to go.
- RogerRoeper

the leafs are literally the biggest cap disaster in the league. you have 1 dman signed next year and will only have about 13 mil in cap space to fill out your roster.

this year, you don't even have enough cap space to replace injured players.

Signing an expensive RFA, trading and signing Trouba and getting in cap trouble already is not the way to go.
- RogerRoeper

I don't know, I really like the way things are going

Rangers are 1 point behind the Leafs with 4 games in hand

and like I said, because they have a young vet like Trouba playing 22 minutes a night and focusing on his own zone, it's allowing Fox and DeAngelo to absolutely THRIVE offensively

I don't know, I really like the way things are going

Rangers are 1 point behind the Leafs with 4 games in hand

and like I said, because they have a young vet like Trouba playing 22 minutes a night and focusing on his own zone, it's allowing Fox and DeAngelo to absolutely THRIVE offensively
- jimbro83

you're wasting your breath.....arguing with him is worse than arguing with Tanner. he's so unbelievably "homer blind". he argued until he was blue in the face that the leafs D corps was top 5 in the NHL this year. he's beyond delusional

So is Babcock to blame for giving Ceci the rich deal. Come on Tanner. I believe Dubas should be taking full credit for this. Kyle always seems to get a pass with you though. I’m guessing that will end when they miss the playoffs.

I don't disagree with that.....I didn't see his name mentioned anywhere, but you're right, he's not an NHL calibre dman......but an argument could easily be made that Ceci isn't either, or AT BEST he's a 6-7 NHL dman....who's playing on the top pair because his coach and GM are either too stupid or too stubborn to cut their losses.
- sensarmy_11

I mean in 30 games of Zaitsev, it's night and day compared to Ceci. Z is a better puck handler, skater, and his hockey sense is soooo much better. I am not christening him the next Bobby Orr, but the improvement on Cody mouth-breather is very obvious

I mean in 30 games of Zaitsev, it's night and day compared to Ceci. Z is a better puck handler, skater, and his hockey sense is soooo much better. I am not christening him the next Bobby Orr, but the improvement on Cody mouth-breather is very obvious
- AlexBoucher

I would say it's "pick your poison" between the 2.

ceci is much more of a player who will look good for stretches, and then make a series of unbelievably boneheaded plays that usually end up in the back of his net

zaitsev seems to be consistently average.....no real flashes of being really good, but no hi-light reel mistakes either.

i'll take zaitsev's "consistently average" over Ceci's peaks and valleys all day every day............I certainly expect more of Zaitsev given his contract, but any sane non-leaf homer would take zaitsev over Ceci (contracts being equal)

I would say it's "pick your poison" between the 2.

ceci is much more of a player who will look good for stretches, and then make a series of unbelievably boneheaded plays that usually end up in the back of his net

zaitsev seems to be consistently average.....no real flashes of being really good, but no hi-light reel mistakes either.

i'll take zaitsev's "consistently average" over Ceci's peaks and valleys all day every day............I certainly expect more of Zaitsev given his contract, but any sane non-leaf homer would take zaitsev over Ceci (contracts being equal)
- sensarmy_11[/quote

Good way of putting it- It might be just the change to anyone of 'average' talent from Ceci is exactly what they needed

you're not even worth arguing with anymore.......you're so (frank)ing blind to the holes and problems with the leafs and their players that even the leafs fans on this site mock you for it.

enjoy living in your wonderful dream world, where Dubas is the best GM in the league, and the leafs are a legit cup contender.
- sensarmy_11

What are you whining about? All he did was call out the massive error in your statement. You made a stupid comment. At least own that

And I guarantee every single GM in the league would rather have the Leafs roster and cap situation than Ottawa’s. Sens franchise is an embarrassment to the league, and they should fold that team

I like Trouba but Rangers tried to rush the rebuild.
- RogerRoeper

If the Rangers didn't sign Trouba, they would have a D corp of Staal and a bunch of guys born in the mid to late 90's with no more than a cup of coffee in the league (aside from D'Angelo's 100 or so games with 3 different teams and Skjei's inconsistencies).
Overpaid by perhaps a million/year, yes. But, an absolute net plus to the team. He is a beast defensively, hits like a train and rarely tries some dumb poop outside his comfort level with the puck.
Same goes for signing Panarin. Perhaps a little too much cash and perhaps a year too early for a big FA signing. But, guess what... they don't get to choose when these guys become FA's. There won't be anybody of the Breadman's caliber on the market for years to come. Now they have one of the league's best wingers locked up long-term for the kids to learn how to be a pro from. Invaluable.

I’m pretty sure Chyka is “stats based” too.
- Tanooki

Lots of GM's are, but Chayka's sort of a wildcard, he doesn't really apply stats the way in which basically everyone else does. The "stats community" considers him a wackadoo.

James, why would it make sense to overplay a bad player on any team other than the Leafs? Surely the other 30 teams can evaluate talent to an extent as well, no? Or did I misinterpret this:

"The entire thing would make sense on any other team, but it's extremely weird that the Leafs are the ones who've done this"
- jmatchett383

Well didn’t you know the Leafs and Dubas are the smartest of the bunch. The rest of teams are just lucky. I’ll stick with my dinosaur GM even though he obviously has no idea what he’s doing. Standings don’t matter the Leafs are the best team ever assembled in the cap era. You’ll see.

What are you whining about? All he did was call out the massive error in your statement. You made a stupid comment. At least own that

And I guarantee every single GM in the league would rather have the Leafs roster and cap situation than Ottawa’s. Sens franchise is an embarrassment to the league, and they should fold that team
- AxlRose91

You would rather have the cap situation of the Leafs? Woof. Very top heavy and there isn't really any flexibility- especially on D. Does Barrie sound like good investment at 8 mill plus? You need defense to win cups...

how so?

He's letting Fox and DeAngelo flourish offensively by being the go to guy on the right side in defensive situations, almost 60% of Trouba's zone starts are in defensive zone

the Rangers are better than most forecasters predicted, they had a great record in November after a slow start
- jimbro83

How so???? Are you serious? You guys couldn't afford him, so bye bye Zuccerello/Hayes/likely Krieder. All this and you still had to buy out Shatts who has more points than any D on your roster this season, and has massive cap penalties going forward. Essentially his cap hit + Trouba's contract combine for 14M next season!!! That is insane. I agree it is nice to shelter your prospects like DeAngelo and Fox, but Shatts could have done that. With Smith and Staal still under contract for two more seasons, it just didn't make any financial sense. You spent 8M and Pionk looks just as good as Trouba did in Winnipeg.

I don't know, I really like the way things are going

Rangers are 1 point behind the Leafs with 4 games in hand

and like I said, because they have a young vet like Trouba playing 22 minutes a night and focusing on his own zone, it's allowing Fox and DeAngelo to absolutely THRIVE offensively
- jimbro83

idk.

you guys gave up (frank) all for trouba, relatively speaking.

roeper can't anyone saying that player y is better than player x on the leafs.