Dubas had a vastly superior building blocks than Burke ever had, and nothing he has done so far convinces me he know what it takes to win anymore than Burke.

In sports, in my experience, you either have “ir” or you don’t... he would make a great assistant GM, but he hasn’t shown fan anything other than he is stubborn about skill or bust approach, despite evidence otherwise.
- gamerdoc

Maybe if Burke did not trade 2 first rounders in a rebuild he could have had great building blocks?

Sandin can't play defense and Liljegren can't even crack the line-up.

Sorry buddy but reality is those guys are both projects, not top pair D. They'll be lucky if they're reliable 2nd pairing D at this point. Not nearly strong enough to consider them cornerstones of a Cup winning D-core.

Rielly is the only legit player they have on D and even his defensive game is suspect on most nights. They have a major problem defending and the solution is not in the system of players they have.
- JohnFergusonJr

You probably said the same thing about Schultz before he held down a cup winning d core.

Sorry I am not seeing it. Matthews is 3rd in the NHL in takeaways. He is 1st in goals and 1st in 5 on 5 goals. He's a franchise C you build your team around.
- RogerRoeper

a spot shooter, like kessel was only matthews will also fire one timers.

The Raptors are such a great, hardworking "team". The reverse Leafs

a spot shooter, like kessel was only matthews will also fire one timers.
- ghetto puck

Kessel never hit 40 goals.

The Raptors are such a great, hardworking "team". The reverse Leafs
- PlatosRepucklic

Raptors really have the best management in the NBA.

You probably said the same thing about Schultz before he held down a cup winning d core.
- Aaron_85

That arrogant blithering idiot and has crystal ball aren't worth your rationale.

Rasmus Sandin is an elite D prospect.

Raptors really have the best management in the NBA.
- RogerRoeper

Yes. Masai and Nurse are outstanding. Completely unselfish, competitive, hardworking team. Really fun to watch.

Same way they taught Kadri to grow the hell up a few years ago. I am also hoping they mature with age. But I'm a believer that it is easier to teach a skilled player to give a poop than it is to teach the level of skill that Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Tavares have.

Your strategy would undoubtedly have us stuck with a Lucic/Clarkson types.
- Leafs43

You DO know that some guys are not tough by nature right?

Some dudes fight, some don't. Some dudes work their asses off...Hyman...and some guys don't....Nylander, Marner, Matthews. They've always been more talented so the extra push isn't in them.

I'm not saying get rid of the talent. I'm saying add heart to the talent.

As JFJ mentioned, the Ryan O'Rielly types, Justin Williams types, Bergeron, Marchand...fu3k Svechnikov has all of it too.

Some of you guys think you can inject heart and grit into talented players. It doesn't happen, pussies be pussies. You have it or you don't, just like talent.

Here's a line up example

Hyman, Matthews, Marner
Hyman, JT, Nylander
Hyman, Kerfoot, Kapanen
Clifford, Spezza, Micheyev

Reilly, Manson
Muzzin, RH'd Muzzin (maybe Holl can become this guy but doubt it)
Sandin, Holl

Andersen
Campbell

It's about surrounding soft, talented players who have had it easy in the junior leagues with guys that have had to work a little harder because they were a less talented.

Not all talent/skill Dubas team. They will ALWAYS cave when things are tough. It's not in their nature.

Every time this Leafs team plays a tight checking team that close the gap quickly, they're fu3ked. No push back. But guys like Hyman keep on going and going, the others....not so much.

Kadri is the type of player they need.
- aminnes

Certainly is the type of player they need more of.

Hyman / Matthews / Marner
Bennett / Tavares / Nylander
Foligno / Kadri / Kapanen
Clifford / Engvall / Justin Williams type veteran

Imagine that type of a line-up. Every line has a guy who digs, who cycles, who has a big body, who hits, who fights etc. But every line also has some form of skill and speed to it too. More balanced, more dangerous.

Yes. Masai and Nurse are outstanding. Completely unselfish, competitive, hardworking team. Really fun to watch.
- PlatosRepucklic

The way Masai has built the team is unlike anyone else in the NBA. He's the best.

Kadri doesn't look like anything special anymore and he's almost 30

Would a 1st and Hague from Vegas be enough for Barrie? Would it be something they consider? He hits, is 6'6 and 215lbs. Puts up points as well.

The Raptors are such a great, hardworking "team". The reverse Leafs
- PlatosRepucklic

That's coaching and a GM who knows what type of players to bring in for that coach to be able to use. Leafs don't have that.

To be fair, I already went into your post with very little intention to take anything you wrote seriously.

Moving Tavares to the wing though? You have outdone yourself, sir!
- mjones242

the leafs are weak at left wing and hyman is a right shot playing left wing who should be playing right wing who converted from having played centre most of his hockey life. tavares is getting older and wasn't the strongest skater to begin with, i think he would be better suited for this team as currently constructed coming off the left wing. i also think nylander should be playing centre not either wing, usually guys with size or snipers are best playing the wings.

Would a 1st and Hague from Vegas be enough for Barrie? Would it be something they consider? He hits, is 6'6 and 215lbs. Puts up points as well.
- matt1337

Why would Vegas give up that much for 3 months of Barrie?

Rasmus Sandin is an elite D prospect.
- RogerRoeper

In your mind, sure.

In reality, can't play defense and he's small. So overall, he's not elite.

Even in the offensive department he's not that elite, he's no Makar.

He's another Kaberle; a good 2nd pair LHD.

Did I really just read a comparison of Matthews with Kessel? Lmfaooooo...and I really liked Kessel, but c'mon now, Matthews is clearly on a whole other level.

Did I really just read a comparison of Matthews with Kessel? Lmfaooooo...and I really liked Kessel, but c'mon now, Matthews is clearly on a whole other level.
- Zezel

That was a good one

Edit: Almost as good as the Scott Gomez comaprison I read on here a week or so ago.

I think you missed the first few years of Yzermasn's career. He only did not win a scoring titlew because he had Lemieux and Gretzky. He was also destroyed as a player you couldn't win with until he was in hjis 30's.
- RogerRoeper

So outside his second contract then.

You probably said the same thing about Schultz before he held down a cup winning d core.
- Aaron_85

Was Schultz playing in defensive situations? Doubt it. Penguins played the right guys in the right situations. They also had Crosby and Malkin up front creating Ozone time and Fleury / Murray standing on their head.

Yzerman for his era as well. He was never a scoring champ but had massive heart and balls and did have plenty of skill. Played on a broken ankle FFS.
- aminnes

plus the red wings had control of him well into his 30's because they couldn't become ufas until they were like 32 years old or something like this. yzerman had all the time in the world to develop into a winner in detroit. if you want to call it that.

That's coaching and a GM who knows what type of players to bring in for that coach to be able to use. Leafs don't have that.
- JohnFergusonJr

Except he stuck to his horses through a complete meltdown in the playoffs against the wizards. Then lebron beat the poop out of them for a couple years. Then he made a big trade.

Know what else he did? Knew his window and kept trading pieces and picks and let players walk away. Let me know when you realize Dubas is acting in the same way.

Kadri doesn't look like anything special anymore and he's almost 30
- RogerRoeper

His team wins games. That’s what they are paid to do. I’ll take AM at 30 goals if the teams a winner all day