Kipper talking a bold move like saros
- Fakepartofme

Why would Nashville move him? He's such a stud goalie, I'd love him as a leaf but it would depend on the cost to some degree.

From the last blog:



Actually ya if you want to beat the Bruins, Lightning or a heavy west coast team in a 7 game series.

It's not complicate or totally necessary to make all 5 moves but let me try to break down my thoughts.

The bottom 6 is soft with guys like Engvall and Anderson (who doesn't do much of anything at all). These are easy guys to replace with some players that have more jam. If you are not playing to primarily contribute on the scoreboard then you are there to do other things like wear down the opponents defense with a strong forecheck and knock around some of the oppositions forwards when you get the chance. Our bottom 6 contributes equal to other bottom 6s on the scoreboard but they are without the hits/forechecking...jam. Not good enough as per 31 other NHL teams who fill out their bottom 6 with Goodrows, Cizikas, Fredrics, etc.

The top 6 is great, a lot of good talent, even with Kerfoot on JTs LW but ONE upgrade wouldn't hurt.

There's only 2 players: 2LW and 3/4LW that need to fit and balance the forward group.

The D, is ALL soft and mostly small and 3 of them are terrible at actual defense. Since some are not trade-able that leaves two that are soft and not good enough but expendable: Holl, Sandin (and this is mostly cuz you can't play him with Lily and expect a good result and Lily seems like the better of the two)

There's 2 more players: LD and RD that need to fit and balance the D.

Murray seems like a liability currently and I wouldn't feel comfortable going on a Cup run with an oft injured #1a/b, whatever he is.

There's one more player.

It's not completely unobvious Aaron.

Does Dubas need to do all 5 players at the TDL for success in the playoffs, no. But if he did, the team would be better for it and tougher in the playoffs. JMHO and it's not completely wrong. If our team was built like that we'd all be excited and looking forward to the playoffs.

And, ya, sure this team does well in the regular season, most nights, but those stinkers have to make you evaluate the roster's make up for the playoffs.

I'm most concerned about the exact some thing happening 6 years in a row without any significant changes/upgrades as we go into the 7th attempt while our stars contracts are expiring right before our eyes.

Things need to fixed for a better result.


Edit: and I'm not poopting on this team but if I were the GM without a contract these are things that I would be wondering/concerned about. Just my opinion on a comment board filled with opinions and fake trade rumors. (frank)ing can't have an opinion in here any more unless it's Leafs are great. From a mod no less

Give me a break.
- underhill14

You are coming in here and saying the 3rd best team in the league needs 5 pieces...its not that you aren't allowed the opinion its just a far out there. One that many would look at and scratch their heads given the results and stats in front of us.

I was referring to the gushing about the Bruins season so far vs just last night but having no Matthews in the line up vs top teams does have an impact as does Sammy having a poor 40 minutes.
- Cush29

Sure it does have an impact. But had sammy had a better two periods, we could be having a different convo.

Hopefully a convo about pasta....mmmmm

Why would Nashville move him? He's such a stud goalie, I'd love him as a leaf but it would depend on the cost to some degree.
- Cush29

The discussion was based around Nashville falling out of the playoffs before the tdl.

Top tier

Vasilevskiy
Shesterkin
Oettinger
Saros
Sorokin
Hellebuyck
Demko


Mid tier

Ullmark
Hart
Jones
Markstrom
Merzlikins
Binnington
Vanacek
Knight
Gibson
Vejmelka
Samsonov

No cause the team wasn’t playing well…but possibly cause a couple of those were stinky at bad times in game….But would Demko vs Samsonov make the Leafs more solid in net going into playoffs and give the Leafs their first legit stand alone starter since Eddie Belfour - Yes.
- Big23Questions

I agree the leafs would be better with sammy and Demko vs sammy and murray.

You are coming in here and saying the 3rd best team in the league needs 5 pieces...its not that you aren't allowed the opinion its just a far out there one that many would look at and scratch their heads given the results and stats in front of us.
- Santo_44

Ya I agree with that fully. Leafs don’t need all those pieces. Just need some muck and snarl in their middle 6 (with skill) and defensive physical dman….my thoughts on tender is that you never turn down an opportunity to snag a legit starter if they become available - you augment your plans a bit to make that happen.

Leafs were a shot away last year and in my opinion were the better team in the first rd series vs Tbay…they don’t need 5 changes

Matthews or not, Tampa and Boston find ways to beat the Leafs, this year is no different. Both Tampa and Boston have evolved and changed and still manage to beat the Leafs, while Dubas holds pat with his belief is his guys. Dubas is blinded by his own ego and unable to change direction when needed.

The discussion was based around Nashville falling out of the playoffs before the tdl.
- Fakepartofme

Ah got it. I see Saros is another 2 years at 5M per after this year - I like that!

Sure it does have an impact. But had sammy had a better two periods, we could be having a different convo.

Hopefully a convo about pasta....mmmmm
- Fakepartofme

I didn't see the game - was the back 40 mostly Sammy or Sammy and the boys not playing well?

Regardless a Pasta convo vs why they lost would have been preferable for sure.

You are coming in here and saying the 3rd best team in the league needs 5 pieces...its not that you aren't allowed the opinion its just a far out there. One that many would look at and scratch their heads given the results and stats in front of us.
- Santo_44

…….it’s all about playoffs and we all know how that’s going to end, yet again. All you have to do to beat the Leafs is play the body!

Matthews or not, Tampa and Boston find ways to beat the Leafs, this year is no different. Both Tampa and Boston have evolved and changed and still manage to beat the Leafs, while Dubas holds pat with his belief is his guys. Dubas is blinded by his own ego and unable to change direction when needed.
- Bullot

Somebody bump the jukebox it's stuck on the same line from that one song.

I didn't see the game - was the back 40 mostly Sammy or Sammy and the boys not playing well?

Regardless a Pasta convo vs why they lost would have been preferable for sure.
- Cush29

The leafs had some moments of breakdowns, which unfortunately seem to occur just before sammy also had an ugh moment.
The leafs were in the game until the 3rd.

…….it’s all about playoffs and we all know how that’s going to end, yet again. All you have to do to beat the Leafs is play the body!
- Bullot

If the playoffs end differently will you acknowledge being wrong about this?

The leafs had some moments of breakdowns, which unfortunately seem to occur just before sammy also didnt had an ugh moment.
The leafs were in the game until the 3rd.
- Fakepartofme

Well that's encouraging then. So they were not actually "outclassed"?

…….it’s all about playoffs and we all know how that’s going to end, yet again. All you have to do to beat the Leafs is play the body!
- Bullot

They were 1 shot away last year ffs.

If the playoffs end differently will you acknowledge being wrong about this?
- Cush29

They will move on to complaining about the Jays

From the last blog:



Actually ya if you want to beat the Bruins, Lightning or a heavy west coast team in a 7 game series.

It's not complicate or totally necessary to make all 5 moves but let me try to break down my thoughts.

The bottom 6 is soft with guys like Engvall and Anderson (who doesn't do much of anything at all). These are easy guys to replace with some players that have more jam. If you are not playing to primarily contribute on the scoreboard then you are there to do other things like wear down the opponents defense with a strong forecheck and knock around some of the oppositions forwards when you get the chance. Our bottom 6 contributes equal to other bottom 6s on the scoreboard but they are without the hits/forechecking...jam. Not good enough as per 31 other NHL teams who fill out their bottom 6 with Goodrows, Cizikas, Fredrics, etc.

The top 6 is great, a lot of good talent, even with Kerfoot on JTs LW but ONE upgrade wouldn't hurt.

There's only 2 players: 2LW and 3/4LW that need to fit and balance the forward group.

The D, is ALL soft and mostly small and 3 of them are terrible at actual defense. Since some are not trade-able that leaves two that are soft and not good enough but expendable: Holl, Sandin (and this is mostly cuz you can't play him with Lily and expect a good result and Lily seems like the better of the two)

There's 2 more players: LD and RD that need to fit and balance the D.

Murray seems like a liability currently and I wouldn't feel comfortable going on a Cup run with an oft injured #1a/b, whatever he is.

There's one more player.

It's not completely unobvious Aaron.

Does Dubas need to do all 5 players at the TDL for success in the playoffs, no. But if he did, the team would be better for it and tougher in the playoffs. JMHO and it's not completely wrong. If our team was built like that we'd all be excited and looking forward to the playoffs.

And, ya, sure this team does well in the regular season, most nights, but those stinkers have to make you evaluate the roster's make up for the playoffs.

I'm most concerned about the exact some thing happening 6 years in a row without any significant changes/upgrades as we go into the 7th attempt while our stars contracts are expiring right before our eyes.

Things need to be fixed if you're looking for a better result. Or, just go with the "they've all matured and now will be better" approach???


Edit: and I'm not poopting on this team but if I were the GM without a contract these are things that I would be wondering/concerned about. Just my opinion on a comment board filled with opinions and fake trade rumors. (frank)ing can't have an opinion in here any more unless it's Leafs are great. From a mod no less

Give me a break.
- underhill14

The big bad west? The top 4 teams in the league are in the east. Dallas is 5th. The big hitting Knights sitting at 11 you're worried about? Tell me how they are set to win but sit 11th. Hanging onto 3rd in the division with the big and tough Oilers right on their team.

Let me know which team has "gone deep" or been a contender after moving 5 pieces at the deadline. You're absolutely poopting on this team and essentially saying it needs massive changes to win. You just don't like how it's constructed because they aren't built from the 70s.

Leafs can swing with the best teams in the league. Games against boston or tampa go both ways. If boston lost last night are you going to claim they need to move 5 pieces in to be competitive because they lost to the lowly leafs? Leafs beat Boston in November. I don't see you claiming they need some massive changes because the lowly leafs beat them with their shoddy line up. You can't claim the team sucks when they lose to a top team and also claim that top team is amazing with no faults when they lose to the leafs, which you claim are complete trash.

Would it be that Boston can lose games to "lesser" teams like the leafs just the same as the leafs can lose a game to the equal bruins? Of course. That's why we play 82 games. You tend to view it one way with blinders on without seeing the whole picture to spout some rhetoric here that you're right and a better fit as a GM for a NHL club.

If the playoffs end differently will you acknowledge being wrong about this?
- Cush29

If the Leafs were in the west they’d have a good chance. They’re in the East and need to beat heavy teams, and they can’t do that with lightweights, so to speak. They need to build to win the heavy game. I’m not talking about a complete overhaul, but hell, we don’t even have a D that can hit! And who protects our goalies? Other teams have nothing to look over their shoulders about when playing the Leafs.
Yes of course, I’d be thrilled to be wrong and see the Leafs win a round, but we’ve played that same record for years and it has a skip in the same spot, playoffs.

The big bad west? The top 4 teams in the league are in the east. Dallas is 5th. The big hitting Knights sitting at 11 you're worried about? Tell me how they are set to win but sit 11th. Hanging onto 3rd in the division with the big and tough Oilers right on their team.

Let me know which team has "gone deep" or been a contender after moving 5 pieces at the deadline. You're absolutely poopting on this team and essentially saying it needs massive changes to win. You just don't like how it's constructed because they aren't built from the 70s.

Leafs can swing with the best teams in the league. Games against boston or tampa go both ways. If boston lost last night are you going to claim they need to move 5 pieces in to be competitive because they lost to the lowly leafs? Leafs beat Boston in November. I don't see you claiming they need some massive changes because the lowly leafs beat them with their shoddy line up. You can't claim the team sucks when they lose to a top team and also claim that top team is amazing with no faults when they lose to the leafs, which you claim are complete trash.

Would it be that Boston can lose games to "lesser" teams like the leafs just the same as the leafs can lose a game to the equal bruins? Of course. That's why we play 82 games. You tend to view it one way with blinders on without seeing the whole picture to spout some rhetoric here that you're right and a better fit as a GM for a NHL club.
- Aaron_85

Yeah he wants it built a certain way, he isnt saying all this based on the stats and reality in front of him.

Which the issue here is he is cheering for the wrong team, the guy running the team doesnt share his views.

Matthews or not, Tampa and Boston find ways to beat the Leafs, this year is no different. Both Tampa and Boston have evolved and changed and still manage to beat the Leafs, while Dubas holds pat with his belief is his guys. Dubas is blinded by his own ego and unable to change direction when needed.
- Bullot

Tell me how Boston and Tampa lost to the lowly leafs then earlier this season? Or the big bad west teams like Winnipeg or Dallas. How are these teams losing to the leafs that you claim are so terrible? Where was their way to beat the leafs!

Man, the games are good against both teams. When it's two top teams, it isn't going to be a cake walk or a stomp as you think it would be. It wasn't for Boston last night. They didn't run the leafs over.

They were 1 shot away last year ffs.
- Santo_44

It’s always one shot away. Bottom line, they don’t get it done, ever.

If the Leafs were in the west they’d have a good chance. They’re in the East and need to beat heavy teams, and they can’t do that with lightweights, so to speak. They need to build to win the heavy game. I’m not talking about a complete overhaul, but hell, we don’t even have a D that can hit! And who protects our goalies? Other teams have nothing to look over their shoulders about when playing the Leafs.
Yes of course, I’d be thrilled to be wrong and see the Leafs win a round, but we’ve played that same record for years and it has a skip in the same spot, playoffs.
- Bullot

I will await your admission of being wrong after round one then.

If the playoffs end differently will you acknowledge being wrong about this?
- Cush29

I bookmarked the page for such a time

If the Leafs were in the west they’d have a good chance. They’re in the East and need to beat heavy teams, and they can’t do that with lightweights, so to speak. They need to build to win the heavy game. I’m not talking about a complete overhaul, but hell, we don’t even have a D that can hit! And who protects our goalies? Other teams have nothing to look over their shoulders about when playing the Leafs.
Yes of course, I’d be thrilled to be wrong and see the Leafs win a round, but we’ve played that same record for years and it has a skip in the same spot, playoffs.
- Bullot

Don't play this middle game of "oh i want to be wrong!" it's riding a fence so you're never wrong. If the leafs win you'll be all 'I'm so happy! They did it!" while you've also done nothing but tear down the GM and the team/players. If they lose you'll be here saying "See! I'm right! As usual!"