Time for the Austin Matthews auction. Let's see if the team can get huge assets, like Eric Lindros when he was auctioned off. I'm sure the Rangers will be all in, as will a couple of the Western teams. Save the cap money and buy up a couple of decent free agents. Say goodbye to Willy and also grab assets and draft picks. Marner stays and unfortunately Tavares. Sign O'Reilly, Schenn and Accari. Jankrok, ZAR and Kerfoot goodbye. The same should also apply to Holl, Giordano and Brodie. Time to do a retool, not a teardown. Step back for one year and retool and come back firing in 2 years. Tampa did that and were successful. We do seem to have found our goaltender for the next 10 years. Keefe should go and replaced by Spezza.
- PrinceLH

I just cannot get behind the idea of trading the kind of player we screamed for 15 years we were missing. 31 teams in the league would be all over that and laughing along the way. Back to back rocket winner, league MVP. Didn't have the best year and was wearing a brace in the handshake line.

Trading him seems like an obvious version of we are leaf fans we love bullets in our feet.

That part I can agree with. But also, fool me once. If he's even the slightest bit positioning for a payday which is more than likely above market value... That's twice he's put himself before his hometown team and he's got to go.
- joel878

Oh, sign the extension with the resigned or new gm immediately or bye bye. Agreed.

A lot of the next steps are predicated on what the Leafs and Matthews decide to do. If he asks out, that's your core shaken up. I honestly think it may happen. He may have had enough of the intensity of the spotlight here.

So Florida should get rid of Tkachuk
- jribout

I’d take him over Matthews in a heartbeat.

He makes less than $10 mill, plays an all around game, therefore is still useful when not scoring.

Matthews however is just a waste of space if he isn’t burying the puck, he doesn’t play a grinder’s physical game at all. He’s just a puck shooter and nothing more.

Umm yes? Did they trade Crosby/Malkin/Letang after they didn't win for 8 years? No. Will a big change come? I say yes. Could be Styles. Could be Matty or even Marner. You dont blow it up.
- Aaron_85

By blown it up, its moving out the coach., 1 or 2 of the core, bye to holl and kerfoot

Oh, sign the extension with the resigned or new gm immediately or bye bye. Agreed.
- Dozzer

I trade him personally. And I have all the respect in the world for that being an unpopular opinion.

JT isn't going anywhere, Willy has value at his hit. If I pick between Marner and Matthews, it's Matthews every time. He's the one capable of winning league MVPs, he's the one playing the pivotol position, he's the one with size.

Love Marner, but trading him is a drone strike to this team. He has term left and value with it, I also think he's the easier skillset to replace. He's elite, but premiere passers can be found. Elite franchise centres cannot.

Just my two cents. I'd be more committal to the idea that I don't know what the right path forward for this team is anymore.

I feel like part of that is maturity. Theres a small chance that Dubas and co are paying for expecting 20 year olds to be the face of their franchise and be the ones to face the firing squad when it didn't work out.

They didn't shelter these kids they put them front and centre and said we win or die on your sticks. Did they develop those characteristics you're saying as a result?

Onus is on coaching and management.

But also, now we're at a point something needs to be done. How that looks is beyond my armchair capabilities.
- joel878

These young guys demanded top dollar, without going through a bridge deal. They were paid 3 years early and were ruined by becoming super-rich too soon. Leafs management pretty much let them run the asylum. They've become arrogant and vain. I've had enough of their pretty boy lifestyles. Fulc Bieber and the rockstar lifestyle. Give me substance and grit. The results speak for themselves after 7 years. Time for a retool and a change in direction.

So Florida should get rid of Tkachuk
- jribout

Its not the same.
Its 7 years and again matthews didnt show up.
Theyve had tka(frank) and are in the 3rd round his first year with the team

I just cannot get behind the idea of trading the kind of player we screamed for 15 years we were missing. 31 teams in the league would be all over that and laughing along the way. Back to back rocket winner, league MVP. Didn't have the best year and was wearing a brace in the handshake line.

Trading him seems like an obvious version of we are leaf fans we love bullets in our feet.
- joel878

Maybe hes not the player weve screamed for 15 years. Maybe hes not who we thought he was.
Another great reg season player.
Leafs need a great CONSISTENT playoff player.
Dunno, we'll see.

I just cannot get behind the idea of trading the kind of player we screamed for 15 years we were missing. 31 teams in the league would be all over that and laughing along the way. Back to back rocket winner, league MVP. Didn't have the best year and was wearing a brace in the handshake line.

Trading him seems like an obvious version of we are leaf fans we love bullets in our feet.
- joel878

Well, don’t give him away…..or anyone else. You see what the offers are, and if he doesn’t sign an extension, he HAS to go! You do not let him walk for nothing.

Woll
Hildebeast

Schenn
Rielly
Brodie
McCabe
Liljegren
Timmins
Niemela

These young guys demanded top dollar, without going through a bridge deal. They were paid 3 years early and were ruined by becoming super-rich too soon. Leafs management pretty much let them run the asylum. They've become arrogant and vain. I've had enough of their pretty boy lifestyles. Fulc Bieber and the rockstar lifestyle. Give me substance and grit. The results speak for themselves after 7 years. Time for a retool and a change in direction.
- PrinceLH

I’m on team retool.

The way I see it, Dubas tried to reinvent the wheel. He thought he was smarter than everyone else. “The NHL is changing, fighting is obsolete, puck possession etc etc…”

It didn’t work. This is on Dubas. He was handed a highly skilled team and he didn’t fill out the roster with players who’ll do whatever it takes to win.

I’ll give him credit for trying at the deadline, but ultimately his vision didn’t work.

These young guys demanded top dollar, without going through a bridge deal. They were paid 3 years early and were ruined by becoming super-rich too soon. Leafs management pretty much let them run the asylum. They've become arrogant and vain. I've had enough of their pretty boy lifestyles. Fulc Bieber and the rockstar lifestyle. Give me substance and grit. The results speak for themselves after 7 years. Time for a retool and a change in direction.
- PrinceLH

Amen buddy!! Exactly!! Paid before they earned it.

I’m on team retool.

The way I see it, Dubas tried to reinvent the wheel. He thought he was smarter than everyone else. “The NHL is changing, fighting is obsolete, puck possession etc etc…”

It didn’t work. This is on Dubas. He was handed a highly skilled team and he didn’t fill out the roster with players who’ll do whatever it takes to win.

I’ll give him credit for trying at the deadline, but ultimately his vision didn’t work.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Yep.

Stamkos wasn’t their core player when he chose to stay. Lecavalier was.

Nor did he get the miserable media attention.

Toronto sucks to play in. End of story. So if the player doesn’t “love” Toronto don’t be surprised when they go.
- Dozzer

agree about the Stamkos comment.


couldn't disagree more about the "toronto sucks to play in" narrative... that's BS that the media has thrown out there too many times to count.

can it be a difficult place to play - certainly - but what do the fans want more than anything - and honest effort.

why Gilmour loved? Clarke? and whole bunch of others... they would never go meekly into the night like this generation.

I don't believe that this has to be a wholesale rebuild - but one of Matthews or Marner MUST go - my preference would be Marner.

and then I would be looking to move Brodie while
you still might get something for him... I think he's spent... too much mileage...

ask Tavares if he "wants to retire"...

resign Nylander and if willing Matthews.

Maybe hes not the player weve screamed for 15 years. Maybe hes not who we thought he was.
Another great reg season player.
Leafs need a great CONSISTENT playoff player.
Dunno, we'll see.
- Fakepartofme

You realize the player were nailing as a playoff flop has 22 goals and 44 points in 50 playoff games... Right?

Holding call in the Vegas game. Apparently you cant hold the stick.
- Drapz

Brodie also knows this from game 4

"Sheldon Keefe says the #leafs lost the series in the first three games."

This guy is brilliant.

Get rid of him

Kudos to young Woll who played a hell of two games when called upon.

I really think the Leafs have a keeper there moving forward.
- Scabeh

Def earned some starts next year! He was fast!

"Sheldon Keefe says the #leafs lost the series in the first three games."

This guy brilliant.

Get rid of him
- Fakepartofme

Yeah he’s chopped liver.

Shanahan: Fired
Dubas: Fired
Keefe: Fired

Kerfoot: Bye
Bunting: Bye
Simmonds: Bye
Aston-Reese: Bye

Tavares: Ask to waive NMC. Trade to BUF for Casey Mittelstadt.

Holl: Bye
Brodie: Trade
McCabe: Trade
Giordano: Trade

Murray: Dump or buy-out.
Samsonov: Bye

Throw ridiculous money at:

George McPhee as President and GM @ 10 million
Joel Quenneville as Head Coach @ 10 million

Pay them whatever the (frank) it takes.

O'Reilly: Keep @ 2
Acciari: Keep @ 2
Domi: Sign @ 3
Donato: Sign @ 2.5
Monahan: Sign @ 2
Perry: Sign @ 1.5

Gustafsson: Keep @ 2.5
Schenn: Keep @1
Severson: Sign @ 5
Mayfield: Sign @ 5
Gavrikov: Sign @ 5

Hellebuyck: Acquire in trade.

Domi / Matthews / Marner
Mittelstadt / Monahan / Nylander
Jarnkrok / Donato / Acciari
Perry / O'Reilly / Lafferty
Knies

Rielly / Mayfield
Gavrikov / Severson
Gustafsson / Schenn
Liljegren

Hellebuyck
Woll

These young guys demanded top dollar, without going through a bridge deal. They were paid 3 years early and were ruined by becoming super-rich too soon. Leafs management pretty much let them run the asylum. They've become arrogant and vain. I've had enough of their pretty boy lifestyles. Fulc Bieber and the rockstar lifestyle. Give me substance and grit. The results speak for themselves after 7 years. Time for a retool and a change in direction.
- PrinceLH

Yup.
They should have never gotten over 9m per...they simply didnt earn it and still havent

"Sheldon Keefe says the #leafs lost the series in the first three games."

This guy brilliant.

Get rid of him
- Fakepartofme

That genious observation will give him an extension, book it.

Shanahan: Fired
Dubas: Fired
Keefe: Fired

Kerfoot: Bye
Bunting: Bye
Simmonds: Bye
Aston-Reese: Bye

Tavares: Ask to waive NMC. Trade to BUF for Casey Mittelstadt.

Holl: Bye
Brodie: Trade
McCabe: Trade
Giordano: Trade

Murray: Dump or buy-out.
Samsonov: Bye

Throw ridiculous money at:

George McPhee as President and GM @ 10 million
Joel Quenneville as Head Coach @ 10 million

Pay them whatever the (frank) it takes.

O'Reilly: Keep @ 2
Acciari: Keep @ 2
Domi: Sign @ 3
Donato: Sign @ 2.5
Monahan: Sign @ 2
Perry: Sign @ 1.5

Gustafsson: Keep @ 2.5
Schenn: Keep @1
Severson: Sign @ 5
Mayfield: Sign @ 5
Gavrikov: Sign @ 5

Hellebuyck: Acquire in trade.

Domi / Matthews / Marner
Mittelstadt / Monahan / Nylander
Jarnkrok / Donato / Acciari
Perry / O'Reilly / Lafferty
Knies

Rielly / Mayfield
Gavrikov / Severson
Gustafsson / Schenn
Liljegren

Hellebuyck
Woll
- Rare_Jewel

Maybe hes not the player weve screamed for 15 years. Maybe hes not who we thought he was.
Another great reg season player.
Leafs need a great CONSISTENT playoff player.
Dunno, we'll see.
- Fakepartofme

Seems like he set up his excuse knowing they’d lose. Selfish coward. What does a brace do for a kitty cat?