Come on now yourself. You're missing the point. We need a top pairing on defense. We should have used or use future tense JT's money on a top RHD to go with Reilly.

This is a deep draft. The 13th overall pick is nothing to sneeze at.

Matthews / Kadri is still a good 1, 2 punch up the middle. We are sorely lacking on d.
- floater_willy

Except there never was a top D available as an UFA. I'm sick of this false narrative.

It wasn't sign JT or Jones. It was sign JT or use the money on 3rd and 4th liners in free agency.

watch Gardiner win the cup with the canes lol
- wingz4life

I like how you think.

Can you believe the poor guy is playing Boston again?

Nah.

All 31 teams are taking a superstar c in his prime without having to give up value. You are brainless if you think otherwise.
- Santo_44

In a non Cap league yes. The Cap is a huge factor and especially when you already have top offensive players and a huge needs like in grit and D.

and Reimer as the goalie..which imo is much more hilarious
- senstroll

yeah, thats probably what ends Carolina. Mrazek/Reimer , not good.

I fully expect Columbus to beat Tampa again.

No Stamkos. No Hedman. Same old tune.

Roster full of elite players and all of them are made of glass.

Marner is the ultimate perimeter player.

Columbus is the ultimate shut down the real estate that is really important team.

You really can't argue with his 1 5-on-5 point this series. He was invisible.
- Atomic Wedgie

I don't blame a young player for getting the best contract possible....But in Marner's case he was asking for way too much and the only reason Dubas was willing to cave was Toronto's financial power.

He is owed 900K, 10M, 8M, 8M, 8M. As half of the league operates off real dollars that is a really good contract.

There's two things I know for sure from my extensive experience of managing the team drunk from my couch.

#1. Team needs a bit of a retool. Become more multi dimensional and have a more reliable blueline. How that looks is up for debate and surely to be debated endlessly. But it should be evident this offensive powerhouse approach and a team devoid of heart, character, grit.. Everything.. Doesn't work.

#2. Time to move on from Andersen. I don't blame him for where the team is at, and I don't care who considers him to have been good or bad. Reality is its contract time, he's not worthy of a mega contract (team couldn't fit it anyways), and allowing him to walk for free isn't an option.

And if there's to be a #3, get rielly extended this summer so we know what that looks like for #1 please.
- joel878

nicely done.... and all that while drunk on the couch


agree about the Rielly thing completely... and there is NO way he takes less than Nylander's money.

and agree completely about Andersen as well... not his fault when his teams scores zero goals... but he's going to want to get paid, trade him now, recoup some assets before you get nothing

I like how you think.

Can you believe the poor guy is playing Boston again?

- Scabeh

Boston to me is on the downside a little. they have Pastrnak but the red of their core is aging. window is open but, closing quick.

Marner is the ultimate perimeter player.

Columbus is the ultimate shut down the real estate that is really important team.

You really can't argue with his 1 5-on-5 point this series. He was invisible.
- Atomic Wedgie

He mostly looked like this whole playoff thing was (frank)ing with his call of duty ranking.

I fully expect Columbus to beat Tampa again.

No Stamkos. No Hedman. Same old tune.

Roster full of elite players and all of them are made of glass.
- GalacticStone

Is this officially official?

yeah, thats probably what ends Carolina. Mrazek/Reimer , not good.
- wingz4life

With the 13th overall, they can draft Askarov to be their goaltender of the future.

Changes need to be made. For starters they need a new mascot. A politically correct female one. They should call her Miss Playoff.
Haha Leafs. Sucks to Suck.

In a non Cap league yes. The Cap is a huge factor and especially when you already have top offensive players and a huge needs like in grit and D.
- ses111

Nope.

You take the free superstar C every day of the week.

You can always off load other value to get help at where you need. You are talking nonsense.

Is this officially official?
- Atomic Wedgie

No.

They just haven't played the last few games.

But it IS possible.

I fully expect Columbus to beat Tampa again.

No Stamkos. No Hedman. Same old tune.

Roster full of elite players and all of them are made of glass.
- GalacticStone

Just picked the BJ's in 6 in my bracket. Loool.

Marner is the ultimate perimeter player.

Columbus is the ultimate shut down the real estate that is really important team.

You really can't argue with his 1 5-on-5 point this series. He was invisible.
- Atomic Wedgie

He was not.

I saw(seen?) every one of his giveaways and bad drop passes.

I like Marner, but it was an ugly series for him.

With the 13th overall, they can draft Askarov to be their goaltender of the future.
- Scabeh

yeah thats what they should do. doesnt help them now though.
couple years down the road..

Except there never was a top D available as an UFA. I'm sick of this false narrative.

It wasn't sign JT or Jones. It was sign JT or use the money on 3rd and 4th liners in free agency.
- Atomic Wedgie

Who said we needed to spend JT's money right away? It wasn't a use it or lose it situation with that cap space either. Could have kept powder dry for when the opportunity presented itself.

Signing JT was a mistake. Let's face it.
It costs us Kadri and our first round pick (13th pick) this year short of winning the lottery.
Yes, Kadri got suspended last 2 years but you can't blame him this year for losing.
JT hasn't been terrible but hasn't lived up to $11 million a year especially in the playoffs. The Leafs are not a well balanced team.
His money is needed to sign a top defenseman to play with Reilly.
Now, one of Nylander or Marner will have to go to get a top defender.
- floater_willy

If you really want to play that card - signing Marleau was the mistake. That $6.5 could have been used towards a defenseman, and wouldn't have cost us a 1st round pick to get away from that horrible contract, and we could have signed JT without everyone female doging about us signing JT.

Boston to me is on the downside a little. they have Pastrnak but the red of their core is aging. window is open but, closing quick.
- wingz4life

Well they did make it to the finals last year... and won the president's trophy.

I'd say they still have a few years of success in front of them.

And they, somehow, keep drafting good young players despite not getting top 10 picks.... McAvoy and Pastrnak who are both ridiculously good, just fell to them.

Who said we needed to spend JT's money right away? It wasn't a use it or lose it situation with that cap space either. Could have kept powder dry for when the opportunity presented itself.
- floater_willy

When has a legit superstar D ever hit the market? Suter? He was maybe a top 10 D at the time?

Stop talking nonsense. Out of all the things to complain about, signing JT isn't it.

Well they did make it to the finals last year... and won the president's trophy.

I'd say they still have a few years of success in front of them.

And they, somehow, keep drafting good young players despite not getting top 10 picks.... McAvoy and Pastrnak who are both ridiculously good, just fell to them.
- Scabeh

i mean the red wings went to the finals in 09 and faded into oblivion pretty quickly. just saying, they have potential to fade quick .

I fully expect Columbus to beat Tampa again.

No Stamkos. No Hedman. Same old tune.

Roster full of elite players and all of them are made of glass.
- GalacticStone

i think TB handles them pretty easily this time

I don't blame a young player for getting the best contract possible....But in Marner's case he was asking for way too much and the only reason Dubas was willing to cave was Toronto's financial power.

He is owed 900K, 10M, 8M, 8M, 8M. As half of the league operates off real dollars that is a really good contract.
- Santo_44

I'm wondering if the NHLPA would agree to a percentage rollback of all existing salaries.

It's going to get really freaky for a lot of teams (Leafs included, but not limited to) when they have no money for new contracts, so you have guys making $7M+, and other guys being offered $3M contracts, and they are the same talent level.

So keep in mind I know nothing about junior players, but from what I understand people think he can step in and help the team immediately.

So grab him, trade Marner and Nylander, elevate Robertson (no doubt Marner and Nylander >> Robertson and Lafrenierre), and take the money to sign a couple of defencemen.

Team looks different next year, which is needed.
- Atomic Wedgie

Yuppers.
I did this on the ps4, everything works out, no reason it shouldn't in real life.
Right?

So what do we do if (when) we dont win Laf?