Campbell should have been the first star. Scandalous it went to Willy.
- Atomic Wedgie

hope you were making some noise last night as the crowd seemed quiet to some of the posters.

Matthews hasnt been a dominant force when it matters either.
Hes overpaid by a million, agreed.
But hes over a pt a game player for his career.
Its been one game.
- Fakepartofme

Yes, my Marner critique is very clearly, and only, based on the 2021/22 home opener.

Per AM34, averaging 5 shots a game but only managing 2.9 S% is pretty (frank)ed up and disappointing. I still take him 10 out of 10 over Marner and lay more blame on the winger who has barely averaged half a point in his past 18 playoff games and 0 goals.

From last blog:


Brady Tkachuk #61 in actual goals over the last 2 seasons.
- Atomic Wedgie

Similiar to Nylander who was 79th and then signed for $7m
😬

Get’n paid for the future. 🤷🏻‍♂️🕺🏻

I liked Kase quite a bit as well.
- Leafs43

EKK is going to be our line that makes us happy this year.

*fingers crossed.

I don't see any sane scenario where you trade Auston Matthews.
- mjones242

He’d get the biggest return.

Marner would likely require the leafs to hold onto a big chunk of his salary and they’re not going to move their captain.

So move the guy who likely doesn’t even want to stay in Toronto

Campbell should have been the first star. Scandalous it went to Willy.
- Atomic Wedgie

Both were excellent, officiating was a bit stinky in the third which kept it closer than it should have been. No issues with the three minors in a row to the Leafs, the non-calls on the Habs were a bit puzzling

He’d get the biggest return.

Marner would likely require the leafs to hold onto a big chunk of his salary and they’re not going to move their captain.

So move the guy who likely doesn’t even want to stay in Toronto
- Dozzer

Ryder, Halak and a 2nd?

From Kevin McGrann's blog in the Star:

Weird fact of the night: Marner got an assist on Nylander’s winner, but not a plus, even though the goal came at even strength. Marner passed to Morgan Rielly, then headed to the bench. Rielly passed to Nylander, who came on for Marner. Nylander scored, fooling Jake Allen with a little fake.
- Atomic Wedgie

Spezzinator taught him that fake.

Both were excellent, officiating was a bit stinky in the third which kept it closer than it should have been. No issues with the three minors in a row to the Leafs, the non-calls on the Habs were a bit puzzling
- winsix

Refs did an overall good job last night, but they'll miss things for sure.

Dvorak got lucky he didn't get called for a check from behind in the turd.

Kerfoot got lucky his high stick on Savard wasn't called in the first.

No team got less or more missed calls last night in my book.

He’d get the biggest return.

Marner would likely require the leafs to hold onto a big chunk of his salary and they’re not going to move their captain.

So move the guy who likely doesn’t even want to stay in Toronto
- Dozzer

At that point you might as well rebuild. Its an awful idea.

Ryder, Halak and a 2nd?
- Scabeh

(frank) it trade him for Kane (and a first of course) to put that bastard into the Toronto media… he’d lose all privacy to his life and that would be hilarious

At that point you might as well rebuild. Its an awful idea.
- Archaic

Alright wait it out and let him sign elsewhere as a UFA

Great idea

I don't see any sane scenario where you trade Auston Matthews.
- mjones242

Hell no, but as Dozz was saying IF he doesn't want to stay you definitely can't lose him for nothing.

And you would need to move someone if your plan is to grab McD....moving a top 5 winger who would play with that center wouldn't make sense.

I would rather keep Matthews over any player on this team. If the Leafs stumble this year again....Marner is on my hit list. Keep your centers, move out Marner to shore up the D and Bottom 6. Then figure out a solution for some top line winger/s.

He’d get the biggest return.

Marner would likely require the leafs to hold onto a big chunk of his salary and they’re not going to move their captain.

So move the guy who likely doesn’t even want to stay in Toronto
- Dozzer

How do we know AM34 doesn't want to stay in Toronto? How do we know Mitch would want to stay here?

You don't move a superstar C and the most dominant goal-scorer in the league even if you have a 2C who can also score some goals.

Not sure where you get the idea that the Leafs would have to retain any salary if trading Marner. That would be absolutely bonkers.

(frank) it trade him for Kane (and a first of course) to put that bastard into the Toronto media… he’d lose all privacy to his life and that would be hilarious
- Dozzer

What's great about this comment is that it works for any Kane in the NHL.

(frank) it trade him for Kane (and a first of course) to put that bastard into the Toronto media… he’d lose all privacy to his life and that would be hilarious
- Dozzer

Mmm, there is 100% no doubt he'd excercise his NMC and veto any trade to a canadian team. he's american after all.

Refs did an overall good job last night, but they'll miss things for sure.

Dvorak got lucky he didn't get called for a check from behind in the turd.

Kerfoot got lucky his high stick on Savard wasn't called in the first.

No team got less or more missed calls last night in my book.
- Scabeh

There was a slew foot on TJ Brodie, a couple of trips (simliar to the chintzy one called on Marner) and a cross-check on Marner all in the third. Watching the Habs coach and Anderson, complain to the officials after the game was comical. Especially when the Habs got a virtual 2 man advantage for a full 2 on a call that was iffy.

He’d get the biggest return.

Marner would likely require the leafs to hold onto a big chunk of his salary and they’re not going to move their captain.

So move the guy who likely doesn’t even want to stay in Toronto
- Dozzer

yes Matthews would get a nice return if traded in his last year of his contract.

we both know that the Leafs don't trade their UFA to be recently

I totally disagree with your assessment on Marner and the Leafs needing to retain $$ to trade him unless there was something huge coming back like multiple 1st.

Alright wait it out and let him sign elsewhere as a UFA

Great idea
- Dozzer

Or just a thought, you resign him and build around him. How many superstars in the prime have left their teams? Not many.

There was a slew foot on TJ Brodie, a couple of trips (simliar to the chintzy one called on Marner) and a cross-check on Marner all in the third. Watching the Habs coach and Anderson, complain to the officials after the game was comical. Especially when the Habs got a virtual 2 man advantage for a full 2 on a call that was iffy.
- winsix

Well they were right to say the Anderson penalty was silly.

It was an obvious make up call after missing the Gallagher interference a few minutes before.

It's the twisted way the refs thinks it makes things right I guess.

But, as I said, overall they did a good job despite missed calls on both sides.

I could list the ones I saw from the Leafs but what's the point?

Hell no, but as Dozz was saying IF he doesn't want to stay you definitely can't lose him for nothing.

And you would need to move someone if your plan is to grab McD....moving a top 5 winger who would play with that center wouldn't make sense.

I would rather keep Matthews over any player on this team. If the Leafs stumble this year again....Marner is on my hit list. Keep your centers, move out Marner to shore up the D and Bottom 6. Then figure out a solution for some top line winger/s.
- Barb34

You keep AM34 and offer him a max deal. If he turns it down, you try a Hail Mary to land McJesus the next season and hope beyond hope that he'll want to play here (I have my doubts).

The only possible scenario where you trade AM34 is if the Leafs are in rebuild mode and I can't see that happening anytime soon.

Alright wait it out and let him sign elsewhere as a UFA

Great idea
- Dozzer

Or wait it out and watch him re-sign where he was drafted, will make the most $ in endorsements and will be loved.

Arguments can be made that he will leave, or stay but they are all based on hypothetic situations and opinions and nothing more unless someone has the inside scoop on what's going on in AM34's head right now. Even if someone did have the inside scoop it doesn't really matter all that much as a lot can change between now and the end of his contract.

I personally don't think it's impossible to see the Leafs resign Matthews promising him the "C" when JT leaves and asking him to take a bit less in year 1 to take more in year 2 when JT's contract expires.

I could also see JT at that point taking less than market value if there is any possibility of the Leafs getting Mc David but for sure at that point Willy or Mitch is probably gone.

Lots of what if's and maybe's and opinions but I'm just going to try and enjoy the ride to that point.

Well they were right to say the Anderson penalty was silly.

It was an obvious make up call after missing the Gallagher interference a few minutes before.

It's the twisted way the refs thinks it makes things right I guess.

But, as I said, overall they did a good job despite missed calls on both sides.

I could list the ones I saw from the Leafs but what's the point?
- Scabeh

Was it though? He jumped into a 2 man scrum from the top rope and went ape poop - he deserved a penalty. You can argue maybe there should have been a Leaf penalty too on that scrum but Anderson def. deserved one (the non leaf penalty was the make up call in my opinion) and to see him whine about it at the time and after the game was extra delicious as a Leafs Fan.

Well they were right to say the Anderson penalty was silly.

It was an obvious make up call after missing the Gallagher interference a few minutes before.

It's the twisted way the refs thinks it makes things right I guess.

But, as I said, overall they did a good job despite missed calls on both sides.

I could list the ones I saw from the Leafs but what's the point?
- Scabeh

Gallagher ran Campbell twice and got away with it both times. Happily, he got a few noogies later on for his efforts. The call on Anderson was not a make up call, he went into a crowd after the whistle and laid a cross-check on a Leaf. I guess his complaint to the official was "I usually get away with that, why call it now?" Hockey officiating is better than most sports, isn't perfect though and both the league and the refs do not respond well to criticism at all.

I don't see any sane scenario where you trade Auston Matthews.
- mjones242

For McDavid or McKinnon.

Or last year of his contract, if we are out of the playoffs, and he has said he isn't coming back.

That's about it.