Leafs talk 2

30 Apr 2024 01:22:40
So who do we want as the leafs new head coach? I heard rod the bods contract is up after this year.. I also wonder about marlies coach John gruden don't know much about him other then he was an assistant coach with Boston. I truly believe this team needs a coach with strong systems over a hard nose guy like burbe

30 Apr 2024 04:19:29
Jon Gruden is my pick for who gets hired.

If Brindamour is available, give him whatever he wants. I don't think he is, but a man can dream.

Wanted Gallant in the off season, still be happy to have him.

30 Apr 2024 08:59:49
Money talks and that’s one great thing about being corporate owned they can toss stupid money at rod that most can’t… I’m not really into having knuckle draggers like gallant he too has demons coaches a good team successfully for two years then gets himself fired.

30 Apr 2024 12:17:58
Man if Rod is available. I’d trade Marner for him straight up. Don’t see them not resigning him though unless he wants out. Other than that, someone that can teach defence in their own end and hold everyone accountable, even Nylander.

30 Apr 2024 15:23:56
@clarky like I said I think Toronto realistically can offer him more but ultimately depends on what he wants to do.

30 Apr 2024 18:35:21
@Clarky and Goat

I'd love to have Rod as well, but he seems really set on staying with the Canes. How much does he care about money? He's made a bunch as a coach, and was a pre-cap player. I'm not sure if he needs 70m the same as a guy like Keefe.

29 Apr 2024 18:48:54
Anyone else really wondering what's wrong with Mathews? Medical staff pulled him for sickness, now he may miss game 5. I don't think I've ever seen this situation before.

29 Apr 2024 19:02:59
I don’t think it’s sickness. His last shift he was labouring from one of his legs. I think it’s a knee IMO just from watching his last shift.

29 Apr 2024 19:21:36
@Clarky I've been wondering if it's something else as well. I've never seen "food poisoning" last 5 days, and keep you out of games.

29 Apr 2024 17:53:40
Tor: marner
Vgk: karlsson, Hague and a 2nd

If there's a top player to be had Vegas will be in on them they just picked up another centre in hertl they have Roy and eichel too leafs get karlsson who isn't end all be all but he's a good two way player and a centre then the leafs also grab 6'6 dman Hague still only 25 and most likely the leafs have to retain a bit so Vegas throws in a 2nd to me if marner is gonna waive it's gonna be for a good team I think the leafs add some decent pieces and start into a new direction with this team

29 Apr 2024 19:03:35
I’d honestly entertain any trade with Marner involved but I like it.

29 Apr 2024 17:07:08
If they Lose Tomorrow Night then, Fire Keffe first thing Wednesday Morning and start gearing up for a complete tear down. We have the Assets to go out an acquire picks, Prospects and rebuild around Easton Cowan, Keiffer Bellows, Fraser Minton and Jospeh Wall if not him another goalie.

29 Apr 2024 15:50:25
Leafs trade jarnknok Kämpf
Utah 3 rd. 2024

Mph.

You can't blame keefe the mix is wrong that is treliving fault

29 Apr 2024 17:34:00
@DM two things can be true at once.

29 Apr 2024 15:13:24
Is it player mentality or is it coaching? Either or, or a combination of both(likely), it isn't working.

We all know about being in puck wars. You have to want it more than the other guy. You have to protect it with everything you have and get it back when you don't have it with the same tenacity. It's a physical battle, and the one willing to be the most physical typically wins the battle.

There is another battle that the Leafs lose constantly by their core players. It's the battle for space. This is one that bothers me as well. You need to claim your space on the ice and not let anyone take it. If they are in the space you want, you have to battle to take it from them. This is missing even more so than the battles for the pucks imo.

They won't battle for space. They need to watch Bertuzzi and Reaves for example on how they will battle for their space. Benoit, Edmundson and McCabe on D will battle for their space.

JT does it the most of the core, Matthews next (not that that means he truly battles), but Nylander and Marner don't seem to believe in it. Rielly on D doesn't either.

The core just don't buy into physical battle. They won't stop on a spot and try and claim it. They prefer to keep moving all over the place and look for a spot that is not occupied and has no traffic. You can't win playing that way in the playoffs. Does Keefe not tell them they need to battle physically for space? Is he happy with them not battling for space and pucks, so they don't get possibly hurt?

If they changed their mentality, they can win. How much would a change in coaching mentality make a difference?

I know this would have been radical and a mostly unheard of move and questioned by many, but I actually would have liked Tree to fire Keefe at the end of game 4 and name Boucher as interim head coach for whatever is left in this season. Why not try it? It's not like anyone should think after 5 years of Keefe and the results we've seen believe he could motivate the guys for a comeback. Sure, the team may just fold from the Keefe firing, would that be any different from what we have witnessed the past two games.

29 Apr 2024 22:52:59
I was thinking the same about firing Keefe. It could be enough to light a fire and get them going.

This is my issue as well. Keefe and Babs (I'm sure) have been telling them they need to fight for pucks, and space. I can't imagine either coach saying "Just go out there and skate around" they just don't seem to care.

30 Apr 2024 02:42:55
It's a while ago, but I thought they worked harder under Babcock. He and Dubas disagreed on what style to play, so in came Keefe and they switched to a very offensive style. I think Babs was teaching them the hard way to play even if it meant giving up some offence. Then Keefe comes in and let's them put up huge personal points, but they don't know how to play playoff hockey. I said it for years that Dubas will ruin this team and I believe he did. Can Trèe get them to buy in? Can he put the right coach in place to make them play team hockey even if it means less personal goals are met? That is the main question imo.

30 Apr 2024 04:21:38
Babs said for years that Mathews could be a Selke winner, and he wasn't wrong.

My point is, it's hard to say whether they just didn't care what Babs had to say, or they were young. We all know almost every player under 21 can't play in his own zone. Just the nature of growth as a player.

The core 4 still enjoyed taking entire games off, or at least periods fairly regularly under Babs though.

30 Apr 2024 13:04:33
LL. I think a coach that didn't play into their wants and taught them what they need to do to win would have been better in the long run. No, Matthews may never had scored 69 goals or maybe even 60, but they would have had better playoff success I would think. Dubas and Keefe seemed to agree on philosophy. Shanny responsible for the rookie GM and rookie coach with the most talent the Leafs have had in decades. Mistakes all around.

30 Apr 2024 21:03:02
@RLF did you think Mitch or Willy specifically, give a rubbish? I'm not convinced.

01 May 2024 12:52:08
LL.
I think they do. I think they all care and want to win. I just think they haven't had a coach in the last 5 years that has beat it into their head on how to play the game the right way to win.

29 Apr 2024 14:19:27
Fire keefe and run it back. The team is fine its just coaches.

29 Apr 2024 01:14:01
Leafs trade first 2026 Knies Abruzzese

Calgary trade Markstrom

Leafs are going to have a great offseason they finally round out this team and Tavares enters his finally year at that killer cap number

Leaf's will have close to 20 million in cap space with players not returning that Leaf's have no interest in resigning

Muzzin
Brodie
Giordano
Bertuzzi
Domi
Samsonov
Jones
Jarnknok
Kampf

Leaf's need a goalie markstrom is a good target as Calgary are in a full rebuild.

Leaf's need two defencemen I would like to see Pesce and Skjei

Those three players would eat up most of the cap but leaf's would have around 5 million to spend on a forward. I try to sign Stankos offer him more years and get him for around 5 million per

So leafs would need Minten and Cowan to join big club

Robertson Matthews Cowen
Mcmann Tavaras Nylamder
Quillan Stamkos Marner
Reaves Holmberg Steeves

Reilly Pesce
Skjei McCabe
Benoit Liljegren

Markstrom
Woll

I think leaf's can squeeze this under the cap offer Stamkos 5 years if needed at 5 million per

That top line will bring more scoring than Domi and Bertuzzi bring

28 Apr 2024 15:44:17
I can't even tell if Boston is really a better team because they are simply better coached with a better system and better goaltending. They go to the net. They make life difficult on the goalie. Leafs did the same in game 1 and 2 and got a split in Boston.

Not that it matters what I would do or have done, but I will go at it anyway.

Coaching mistakes imo
Starting Samsonov. Played one good game. Not the reason they lost, but good part of why they didn't win.
Line combos and ice distribution. In game 3 Keefe goes back to running the big guys massive ice time and doesn't play the guys who got them a split in Boston. Puts Robertson on 4th line in game 4. Why? He's useless as a 4th line player. He needs to be minimum top 9 to be effective, but should have sat the whole series anyway imo.
I don't think it's a coincidence that the physicality, energy and going to the net stopped when Keefe went back to heavy core minutes up front. Keefe is a huge reason this team can't win.

Going forward, they need to get bigger and players with passion, physicality and willing to play mostly in the hard areas(net front).The Dubas Era needs to be more in the garbage. How is that done? Bye to Keefe, Marner, Jarnkrok, Robertson, Liljegren, Samsonov, Brodie.

I'd try and bring back Bert, Domi, Edmundson, Lyubushkin, Dewar. Keep Kampf, he's a big body that plays a good playoff style of game.

Trades of Marner, Liljegren, Jarnkrok and Robertson should bring back some good players, assets and cap space.

On a side note, good of Willy to tell Marner to stop crying because this isn't Junior.

Target big bodies in free agency that want to compete

28 Apr 2024 16:13:05
Honestly this team will never win with those players marner and Reilly would be guys I’d look to move yes Reilly needs to go for an offensive dman he has little impact in the ozone enough trying to find him a partner the biggest problem I see and you nailed it RFL is no one goes to the hard area.

28 Apr 2024 17:47:41
We might question Willy's motivation at times, but you can tell everyone is tired of Mitch.

I still like Jarnkrok. I wouldn't throw him out the door as well.

Keefe is out of his depth. He's losing the coaching battle worse than I have ever seen. But, I'm not sure a different coach helps this exact roster. Even if they come back by some miracle, you have to go through Fla, NY, CAR. Good F'in luck.

28 Apr 2024 20:24:27
Goat. Still too many perimeter players with not enough size. Bert, JT, Reaves, McMann, Kampf, Dewar and even Jarnkrok will go to the net. Matthews, Domi, Knies and Holmberg somewhat. Marner, Willy, Robertson don't like it around the net.

The issue is lack of size and desire to be there. Only Bert, Reaves, Kampf are nasty enough to be there. McMann and Knies have the size.

That's the biggest issue to me. Not enough size and desire to go there. Matthews and Willy are staying. JT has another year. Move the smaller, skilled guys for more size and the team will still score, just in a different way.

LL. I like Jarnkrok, but Leafs need more size and that's why he needs to go. Imo.

28 Apr 2024 23:02:16
Rlf, I disagree Robertson will go to the net, just has no idea what to do once he's there.

28 Apr 2024 23:26:08
Randy. What I mean is that you will barely find him net front. He hangs around the edges of scrummed rebounds waiting for the puck to spring loose. I can't remember him driving the net with the puck while taking on a Dman or being a net front screen battling for position. He is just too small for that. If he does those things, then I've missed it.

28 Apr 2024 23:29:02
@Randy I'll give Robertson effort. If the rest of them had half his energy, we'd be planning a parade. He is very confused though. His hockey IQ is some of the worst I've seen.

28 Apr 2024 23:44:39
@RLF I just don't see a way that this team improves with JT another year older, still making 11m and Mitch doing another disappearing act next year, while also making 11m.

29 Apr 2024 14:20:05
LL. I said above to move Marner.

28 Apr 2024 03:54:22
That was pathetic.

Marner: we all know. He cannot return. That looked like my kids when they play.

Mathews: Food poisoning? I still go to work with food poisoning and make a lot less than he does.

JT: Probably the best if the "core four" imo, but clearly not what he was, and is vastly overpaid at this point. Also, not a leader. Marchand is the same age, not the skater he once was, but he's all over the ice.

Willy: Not the worst, but definitely not good. Usual avoiding contact, skating in circles when he doesn't feel like doing anything, etc. We all know Willy.

Don't tell DM, but Robertson is growing on me. At least the kid give a rubbish. He may be skating in circles a little confused half the time, but I never question his effort.

You could see how the team follows the leadership on this team. Physicality wasn't there, effort wasn't there, they just didn't want it.

Woll looked good in his limited action. Put him in.

28 Apr 2024 13:20:22
Marchand and Swayman are difference makers!

The Bruins execute better and have smarter players than the Leafs.

The Bruins are better coached.

The Bruins have more puck luck and special teams are much better.

Robertson and Dewar are different players; the Leafs needed offence. Hence Robertson.

Not having Nylander for three games, Matthews being ill and Marner still having residual high ankle issues and no McMann have clearly been factors BUT the big bad Bruins perhaps have had some issues as well.

Samsonov will not be back.

I don’t expect Bertuzzi returns, depending on his salary ask. Same thing with Domi.

Brodie, Giordano, Edmundson and probably Lyubushkin (unless he resigns @ $2m or less and plays RD#3) are definitely gone.

No reason to resign Gregor.

Leafs will definitely try to trade Marner and Liligren. Flip the coin on Jarnkrok, Dewar and Kampf.

Plus Reaves to deal with; he’s had his moments of physicality but @ $1.35 it’s TOO much.

The summer will be interesting. After the playoffs are finished I’m quite certain we all will be back at posting suggestions because we are blindly loyal.

28 Apr 2024 19:28:23
@Rsears what offense has Robwrtson created? Especially on the 4th line. Marner's issue isn't his ankle. Even Willy is telling him that. It's his complete lack of effort, followed by whining to every ref.

B's definitely have better coaching and goaltending, and it isn't even close.

28 Apr 2024 20:27:11
LL. Exactly. What has Robertson done really? For every chance he has had to score, he has also fumbled a play or got knocked off the puck etc. He has not been a factor by any means.

It's coaching a better team mentality and better goaltending. Totally agree with that.

29 Apr 2024 17:23:56
I stated in my post that it was coaching, special teams, goaltending and execution.

No need to suggest that Robertson is the reason for game4 loss or any of the previous losses.

I think he’s been fine but certainly placing him on the 4th line is wrong.

Marner still is nursing the ankle injury. I think it shows. His effort is not what it normally.

But he is a whiner!

Having said this it is time to cut bait and send him somewhere! Get what you can!

The savings might allow the team to sign a big UFA.

Here’s to hoping.

28 Apr 2024 02:12:08
It hurts watching this team.
Marner with the temper tantrums, wow. Just compete boys and play the f**ken game!

28 Apr 2024 14:08:03
Agreed!
Would Montgomery allow that?
It’s a maturity (and frustration) issue.
His days are numbered.
And my guess he would flourish in another city without the intense media pressure.