For me... It's a matter of where he fits more so than despising him. He's been horrific on the right, the mere idea that he's on the right says they're running out of options. He's been outperformed by Liljegren through camp and to me it hasn't even been close.
- joel878

Agreed. Dermott has looked pretty inconsistent while Liljegren has looked confident and has made very few errors (I'd like to see him be a bit more stable on his skates though).

Having said that, I think the Leafs are pretty much guaranteed to send Liljegren down per their cap situation. Maybe Dermott gets packaged up sooner rather than later for a Top 6 player and Liljegren steps into the lineup on a more permanent basis when and if that happens.

I think Dermott has hit his ceiling as a 6/7 guy. He was a nice story as a rare Leafs drafted d-man who graduated to the big club. I just think it's time that he's shipped out.

Will be an interesting story this season for sure.

Agreed. Dermott has looked pretty inconsistent while Liljegren has looked confident and has made very few errors (I'd like to see him be a bit more stable on his skates though).

Having said that, I think the Leafs are pretty much guaranteed to send Liljegren down per their cap situation. Maybe Dermott gets packaged up sooner rather than later for a Top 6 player and Liljegren steps into the lineup on a more permanent basis when and if that happens.

I think Dermott has hit his ceiling as a 6/7 guy. He was a nice story as a rare Leafs drafted d-man who graduated to the big club. I just think it's time that he's shipped out.

Will be an interesting story this season for sure.
- mjones242

If we’re losing Rielly it might be a good idea to keep him around, I don’t mind him on the left 3rd pair. Puts up pretty good #’s.

Braccoccaine proved to be a pretty one-dimensional PP specialist who had zero compete and wasn't interested in the defensive aspect of the game.

Robertson is all about compete. He just needs to figure out how to translate his game to a league that has a lot more pace and physicality.

I definitely feel like he's got a lot more upside and ability than Braccoccaine.
- mjones242

Fixed that for you.

IMHO, if Hughes was 27, and entering his UFA years, he wouldn't be signing for less than 8M.

He is definitely very flawed at this moment in time though. His defence is, charitably, (frank)ing terrible.
- mjones242

Hughes will be interesting. He's small and will always likely be weaker than most competition - but he's creative, offensively gifted and a wonderful skater.

He feels, at times, like Tyson Barrie + - more offensively capable, but just as defensively frustrating.

Do they try and curtail some of his offensive gifts to give him more opportunity defensively? Or do they just let him go as an offensive weapon and take the pain that he brings with it? We all know that pain with guys like Gardiner. There's value in just having the unbridled weapon, but someone is bound to try and curb his game at some point (to Hughes' detriment, I'd think).

Have you considered other teams?
- TheMussel

no…😭

If we’re losing Rielly it might be a good idea to keep him around, I don’t mind him on the left 3rd pair. Puts up pretty good #’s.
- Garnie

I don't see Dermott ever playing LHD again if Sandin works out for us. And if we lose Rielly in the off-season, we're for sure replacing him with a Top 4 guy.

So I'm not sure if there's a place for Dermott going forward. Maybe he's the 7th d-man?

Then again, Sandin and Liljegren are still big question marks, so who knows? Dermott is at least a known quantity and is for sure NHL calibre... even if he is mediocre AF.

Fixed that for you.
- underhill14

Accurate.

Hughes will be interesting. He's small and will always likely be weaker than most competition - but he's creative, offensively gifted and a wonderful skater.

He feels, at times, like Tyson Barrie + - more offensively capable, but just as defensively frustrating.

Do they try and curtail some of his offensive gifts to give him more opportunity defensively? Or do they just let him go as an offensive weapon and take the pain that he brings with it? We all know that pain with guys like Gardiner. There's value in just having the unbridled weapon, but someone is bound to try and curb his game at some point (to Hughes' detriment, I'd think).
- Monkeypunk

Nailed it!

I don't see Dermott ever playing LHD again if Sandin works out for us. And if we lose Rielly in the off-season, we're for sure replacing him with a Top 4 guy.

So I'm not sure if there's a place for Dermott going forward. Maybe he's the 7th d-man?

Then again, Sandin and Liljegren are still big question marks, so who knows? Dermott is at least a known quantity and is for sure NHL calibre... even if he is mediocre AF.
- mjones242

I would hope if we let Rielly go we are moving Sandin up. Dermott doesn’t put up mediocre #’s I don’t think.

Leafs D last year went from bottom 10 ( 2019-2020 ) in expected goals against to top 10 I believe.

( part is the division I think but it gives us some hope. )

Keefe hasn’t been there 54 years. The debate about security vs golden parachute is silly. His extension is neither. Ownership is giving some more time. They’ve set two years.
- Canada Cup

interesting point
i hadn’t thought of that👍

I hope Nylander flips it over the glass and Marner scores on the ensuing power play so I can read about it for 5 pages

- jribout

lmfaooooooooo🤣

We said the exact same things about Bracco.
- Atomic Wedgie

And he didn’t pan out. That doesn’t have anything to do with whether Robertson will or won’t.

I would hope if we let Rielly go we are moving Sandin up. Dermott doesn’t put up mediocre #’s I don’t think.

Leafs D last year went from bottom 10 ( 2019-2020 ) in expected goals against to top 10 I believe.

( part is the division I think but it gives us some hope. )
- Garnie

derbustt is just that🤦‍♂️

laffs don’t need more fancy pencil necks who can get pointz on d🤦🏿‍♂️

they need some more grown men back there to clear the crease🤦‍♂️

nbd dubass n queef will keep collecting their paychecks and padding their dz after they bail with their golden chutes🤦‍♂️

in the meantime, we’ll keeping keep taking it long and hard up the dookie chute🤦🏿‍♂️

what a (frank)ing joke🤦‍♂️

edit: nice alliteration👍🏿

derbustt is just that🤦‍♂️

laffs don’t need more fancy pencil necks who can get pointz on d🤦🏿‍♂️

they need some more grown men back there to clear the crease🤦‍♂️

nbd dubass n queef will keep collecting their paychecks and padding their dz after they bail with their golden chutes🤦‍♂️

in the meantime, we’ll keeping keep taking it long and hard up the dookie chute🤦🏿‍♂️

what a (frank)ing joke🤦‍♂️

edit: nice alliteration👍🏿
- Skalapy

Well, Derm doesn’t score points but the team gets more chances for then against while he’s on the ice. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I won’t live or die by who we keep on the 3rd pair. 😬

2 hours til gametime….😳

Big test against Victoria
Lost 17-4 last year🤨

new blog everyone

If Matthews grew a big greasy beard he’d look a lot like Bogo.

I don't see Dermott ever playing LHD again if Sandin works out for us. And if we lose Rielly in the off-season, we're for sure replacing him with a Top 4 guy.

So I'm not sure if there's a place for Dermott going forward. Maybe he's the 7th d-man?

Then again, Sandin and Liljegren are still big question marks, so who knows? Dermott is at least a known quantity and is for sure NHL calibre... even if he is mediocre AF.
- mjones242

Part of my rant the other day. Along with Kerfoot. They seem to get to a certain level they are comfortable with. Just can't move to the next step on the ladder. Which is why, at season's end we'll be left scratching our heads again.