21 Oct 2023 13:15:45
I continue to harp on our cap! I see it as a MAJOR problem that will only get more difficult the closer we get to TDL.

As it stands right now with 21/ 23 players on the roster we will need to make a move to allow Timmins to return.

Sending Minten back to Junior (he’s a healthy scratch tonight so it WILL happen IMO) will only get us closer.

A large deduction is needed. Brodie’s $5m is probably most likely. Tre won’t want to offload Bertuzzi’s $5.5 or Klingberg’s $4.1 since it would signal a mistake.

Would he feel the same about Domi’s $3m?

Would Domi alone get us Peeke? Not likely so a small add would be needed. A later draft.

21 Oct 2023 14:36:34
We can harp on the cap all we want. That was Dubas. Dubas is also the reason why there were so many spots to fill and not much money to do it. People can complain on how Treliving spent, but he also got Murray to give up on this season, have surgery and go on LTIR to create more cap space. If he didn't do that, Leafs have would have had even less to spend. He took Sammy to arbitration instead of giving him $5M. Didn't re-sign Kerfoot. He has made some good moves. His signings look questionable, but for cryin out loud it's 4 games in and there are 8 new players on the team.

As far as trading guys; Betuzzi has a full no move. Domi a partial, no trade, Klingberg a partial no trade. Brodie a partial no trade.

Yes, they should send Minten down if not playing him. Otherwise maybe the fan base should relax some. If anyone thought with the cap space available and the D that were already signed to contracts that Treliving could miraculously build an obvious contending looking team, I think that was wishful thinking. It may take a couple of seasons to undo what Dubas did.

21 Oct 2023 15:13:32
I have always hated the CAP, if these owners of the southern states teams didn't have the money to pay their players to stay then they shouldn't have bought the team. We need less teams in the NHL as the talent has become extremely watered down.

As far as the Leafs are concerned their defence is very porous and not tough. As much as I can't stand Craig Button he had a very point the other day when he said until the team sticks up for one another (Nylander getting pasted from behind by Kulikov of the Panthers and the team let it go unchecked) they are going no where. Keefe has lost the room and should be fired (should have happened this summer), Guy Boucher is not my favorite choice to take over but he usually does well in the first year of being a head coach (ie Tampa and Ottawa) but really sucks in the second year.

Samsonov did ok the other night but those 2 goals from the point put them behind the 8 ball.

I would suggest trying to trade Marner (should be able to get a serviceable defenceman or 2 for him), switch Reilly from D to winger (ie Gary Leeman), send Minten back to junior to play first line minutes and keep improving his game, send Knies down to the Marlies for the same reason, bring up McMann, Logan Shaw and perhaps Robertson and see how things go.

I understand that most players have a NMC or M-NMC so you would have to convince them to leave but it's worth a shot.

21 Oct 2023 17:03:47
Don’t really care who put us in cap purgatory; matters not now.

The issue is we have it and are unable to move the deck hand around and expect to get better.

I’m unhappy will only one of Tre’s moves so his final season’s batting average is still unknown. Domi, Bertuzzi, Klingberg and Gregor contracts were all one year deals. I can also accept his belief that Reaves was needed but why 3 years?

I believe the time is now BEFORE other teams take away the good/ better/ best options.

Patience is certainly one strategy but I don’t subscribe to it because there are just so many teams wanting to position themselves for the TDL.

My view is a good trade (one that makes us better and/ or accomplishes a team goal) is a good trade no matter when it’s made.

Some trades are better and I’m suggesting that fewer options will be available as a team in cap hell makes their strategic move.

Yes it’s only 4 games but this may be a case of “he who hesitates is lost”.

21 Oct 2023 17:37:56
Rsears. If Tree can make a good trade, of course I am for it. Domi for Peeke isn't ikely and I don't think Brodie for Petry is a good trade.

21 Oct 2023 18:22:34
RLF
I also Domi for Peeke isn’t likely so suggested a late draft pick which I hate giving up.
Petry certainly isn’t ideal.
I rewatched Thurs RedWing game against Pitts; he really looked decent and picked two big assists.
Hard to say for sure.

21 Oct 2023 19:33:11
Reaves for 3 years was only to outbit the other teams interested, I'm sure. The leafs need to go back to playing better team defense, like they did last season when Woll was starting and they were missing all of those defenceman. Our defense is like Swiss cheese, but until we can make a trade to change that, they have to play better defensively as a team.

21 Oct 2023 20:31:55
Rsears. A later pick I doubt moves the needle on that trade. I know you said you don't care who put us in cap hell, but my point was that Dubas put the team there and expecting Tree to solve it in one summer I don't feel is realistic. If Petry can't play every game as is, how does he help the Leafs? We need an every day defenceman.

L1967. I agree. That would be the ultimate outcome. I am willing to give it some time. No need for panic yet.

21 Oct 2023 20:35:05
@raears. I also suggested a Domi for peeked with late pick and nobody liked it. might require a higher pick. not a first

Sending Minten down might be best but dont do much for cap. Holmberg has been brought up or maybe they shift domi to 3C and bring Robertson up and Holmberg back down.

21 Oct 2023 20:43:44
@L67 Reaves is fully buryable. I wouldn't have cared if he gave him 100 years.

Going forward, I think Willy signs and Keefe is fired if the team underperforms. That's every GM's first bullet in the chamber, and especially when it's a different GM's coach.

21 Oct 2023 20:46:44
@RLF. not to defend Dubas for the cap but I think the cap hell we are in has to do with the slight over payment to Marner. the fact he could not sign either him or Mattews to long term 8 year deals. but also have to lay some blame on the c.v. and cap being frozen.

As for Tre. taking Sammy to arb turned out to be a good move. not bringing Kerfoor back a no brainer but I dunno that I would give him too much credit for the Murray situation. sounds like he is scheduled for some heavy duty surgery

As for the 3 signings I think some of us had our concerns. is Bertuzzi a playoff type guy. sure but we all knew about his health issues . here we are 4 games in and Keefe already saying he may need maintenance days. Domi for most who wanted him was a nostalgia thing cause of his dad. but he is horrible defensively. always has been. as for klingberg. if he is the only big name that wanted to sign here I think Tre and the leafs brought him in in the hopes he'd turn it around with this offensive team and that maybe we could flip him later for a tough playoff Dman. but he has not done much yet. hopefully he can turn that around with more team play

And like you said. only been 4 games. so let's give them a little more time. I think we all have less patience with the team this year as we expected big changes. and pretty much everone can back.

21 Oct 2023 21:37:13
@Loxley. I don't disagree that C. V was part of the issue. Let's not forget though that most of us thought that the contracts were too much and/ or not long enough from the start. That was before the c.v. had made any impact. That was Dubas who gave the contracts out and part of what I meant that Dubas created it.

21 Oct 2023 22:20:53
So I conclude from the dialogue (which was great btw) that nobody is as concerned as I am about our cap situation.

And that everyone is content to wait until perhaps game 15 or so.

So how do the Leafs get room for Timmins? Even with Minten back to Juniors something else has to give.

22 Oct 2023 00:01:19
Leafs_67
What team was bidding on Reaves?

22 Oct 2023 06:33:16
@Rsears. I think cap is and always has been a concern. as for Timmins I have not done a cap friendly redentlyceith him back . hey nay have to put him on waivers to end him down. with his injury history teams might be reluctant to pick him up. yes re had a couple of good games in exhibition games but no garantees that follows him to regular season. Mintenlooked good too and might now will probly be sent down.

22 Oct 2023 06:38:01
@RLF. I did agree with you that Dubas was part of problem but I think we'd be in a little better shapes gad we not lost out on wfat was it 3 seasons where cap fud not move and some of it has be blamed on the players themselves. we now seeihg again how willy is once again in no rush to sign. and Matthews it was said he wanted less term this year. so Tre was not able to get him to sign the 8 year deal everyone always wants based on players in other markets.

22 Oct 2023 13:53:22
Minnesota really wanted to resign Reaves. What other team/ s, I'm not sure. Guerin said Treliving backed up the brinks truck to get him.

22 Oct 2023 14:07:17
Loxley

Don’t think it’s wise to put Timmins on waivers; some team will take him.

I believe this year could be a breakout year for him so we need to find space.

Also Dubas is no longer here; it’s pointless to lay blame on him whether it’s merited or not.

We have some important decisions coming up soon. The group here seem to prefer patience so let’s hope the adds made by Tre find their way and make us ALL believers that this is our year.

22 Oct 2023 15:45:18
@Loxley. And I agreed that CV was a part of Dubas problem. So does that mean we agree? lol

As for Matthews not signing 8 years. I'm not really unhappy with that. Leafs have him for his best years and can re-evaluate after that. If Matthews helps bring a Cup, the Leafs will give him whatever he wants to stay next contract and he will retire ne day a Leaf legend and everyone will be happy. If he doesn't help bring a Cup in the next 5 years, Leafs have the option to go another direction.

23 Oct 2023 02:07:11
RLF

I would disagree that Treliving has made many/ any good moves.
Murray was a medical decision by the doctors and had nothing to do with Treliving.
All of Treliving’s signings were poor to questionable; Klingberg $4.5, Kampf $2.45 x 4, 36 year old Reaves $1.35 x 3, Bertuzzi $5.5, Domi $3
Samsonov was never going to get more than $3.5 - $4. There never was any question about paying him $5.

Signing Dumba $3.9 would have been far superior to signing Klingberg $4.1
For $2.45 x 4 years he should have let Kampf walk and given Holmberg the job for $800,000
Personally I would have preferred Treliving had signed Duchene for $3 to play LW with either Matthews or Tavares rather than pay Bertuzzi $5.5
Signing Domi for $3 was unnecessary with Robertson and McMann likely as effective for $800,000, or Tatar for $1.5

Leafs defense is in crisis but was completely neglected by Treliving outside of signing the defensively challenged Klingberg.

I have not been at all impressed with Treliving’s body of work with either the Leafs or the Calgary Flames.
If you go back and look at Treliving’s free agent signings with the Flames they were even more questionable/ disastrous than what he has accomplished with the Leafs.