Also known as Sofakingbored's favorite part
- Scabeh

followed by hoho hat

maybe just a different way to motivate players?

you can say you expect someone to be in the lineup, but there are no weak spots..so he has to preform and earn it, they wont just give him a spot.

honestly though..these preseason comments are pretty useless and just ignore them
- senstroll

My thoughts exactly.

Camp is just barely starting much less over yet. He shouldn't be saying he's on the team full time yet. He basically handed him a spot by the sound of it and he's done (frank) all to earn one. Signing him is one mistake, handing him a spot is another one.
- Unholy_Goalie

For 650K, I'd take that risk with Ennis.

Also it provide some competitions for spots.

I'm going to conveniently throw out Nylander's first year, because: a) the Leafs sucked: and b) it was only 22 games.

Over the last two seasons, Nylander has one more goal than Marner. Marner has 9 more assists (Nylander has 4 more games).

0.82 ppg for Marner
0.75 ppg for Nylander

Marner averages 15 seconds more per game.

In my humble opinion, they should get the same deals.

So if I'm the Leafs, I'd go at Marner hard. Play the hometown boy angle - take less to bring the cup home. Be the man.

Sign Marner first to box in Nylander.

I know you are reading this, Dubas.

You're welcome.
- Atomic Wedgie

This is actually a pretty good idea, well done Wedgie, didn't know you had it in ya.

For 650K, I'd take that risk with Ennis.

Also it provide some competitions for spots.
- zazzle

Yeah Ennis at 650K really doesn’t matter to anyone that isn’t looking for a reason to argue.

I saw it but how much per year you think that takes off? 500K? 1 million?

There's a fine line between getting paid like the hometown boy and the hometown hero. Who's side do you think the fans take?
- Unholy_Goalie

So if he takes off $1 million, and Nylander's agent listens to you (who wouldn't?) and excepts $500,000 less than Marner, I've just saved the Leafs $2.5 million on the cap.

You're welcome.

Yes, I'm sure that once he heard that come out of Dubas' mouth, he immediately pounded back a meat lovers' pizza and 2 pitchers. He knows he doesn't have to work anymore - he has sewn up his roster spot.

https://www.theglobeandma...-career-with-maple-leafs/

With 105 goals and 153 assists in 492 career games, Ennis has made a living by finding and creating space for himself.

He doesn’t plan to change that formula.

“I’m obviously not the biggest guy,” he said. “I’ve kind of learned growing up just to always be moving and shake defenders.”

Should he make the Leafs, Ennis will no doubt be pushed further down the lineup when Nylander eventually returns to the fold, but he’s made some early waves with teammates, including a shot block in one of the scrimmages at camp in Niagara Falls, Ont.

“I’m going to sell out,” he said. “If I’m not working hard and I’m not going the extra mile ... I know what I’m up against. I have to work twice as hard to gain respect again and show people I’m ready to put the effort in.”

Ennis knows full well that he could be running out of chances in a league that continues to get faster and younger.

“I don’t feel pressure, I feel excitement,” Ennis said. “I’m a little bit older and experienced now. I’ve had situations growing up dating back as a kid where you’ve had to earn a lineup spot.

“I just have to work hard and show people what I can do.”
- Atomic Wedgie

Good to hear he's trying hard but I was thinking more towards the rest of the guys fighting for that last one or two spots. When you have Babcock saying Dermott has to pick it up or he's not making the team, it'd be nice if Dubas was on the same page.

For 650K, I'd take that risk with Ennis.

Also it provide some competitions for spots.
- zazzle

Well apparently not since Ennis is expected to be with the Leafs full time this year.



He's not worth the risk. 16 goals in the past 3 years combined. Plenty of other guys both in the system and UFAs more likely to be more effective and bring a different element to the team rather than another small, skill guy.

I have to believe that Babcock decides to go bat-poop crazy and our 1st PP unit is Tavares-Matthews-Nylander with Marner and Rielly on the point

At 650K, it's pretty much a two-way contract, just guarantees he gets paid big league money if he gets sent down and won't affect the cap because it's an amount that can be buried.

Waste of a roster spot as far as I'm concerned. He has 16 goals in the past 3 years combined and he's possibly the smallest player in the league. He brings nothing to the table that the Leafs don't already have too much of.
- Unholy_Goalie

He's a gud pro

Good to hear he's trying hard but I was thinking more towards the rest of the guys fighting for that last one or two spots. When you have Babcock saying Dermott has to pick it up or he's not making the team, it'd be nice if Dubas was on the same page.
- Unholy_Goalie

I don't give two poops about what comes out of Dubas' mouth - or anyone else even remotely related to hockey. It's all canned garbage - it means nothing.

Now if you want to talk about not actually signing Ennis, on that we can agree. We have too much young talent - Ennis has no future on the Leafs.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to take it one post at a time, and focus on doing the little things right...

Good to hear he's trying hard but I was thinking more towards the rest of the guys fighting for that last one or two spots. When you have Babcock saying Dermott has to pick it up or he's not making the team, it'd be nice if Dubas was on the same page.
- Unholy_Goalie

Disagree.

I think Babcock is saying Dermott needs to earn his spot to temper the Toronto media.. How many, some on here as well, have appointed Dermott as a future top pairing guy?
Babcock is trying to put less media pressure on Dermott.

So if he takes off $1 million, and Nylander's agent listens to you (who wouldn't?) and excepts $500,000 less than Marner, I've just saved the Leafs $2.5 million on the cap.

You're welcome.
- Atomic Wedgie

Hope so, wouldn't bank on it though.

Disagree.

I think Babcock is saying Dermott needs to earn his spot to temper the Toronto media.. How many, some on here as well, have appointed Dermott as a future top pairing guy?
Babcock is trying to put less media pressure on Dermott.
- PatC80

Less media pressure by saying he might not make the team? Doubt it.

Dubas' first mistake was not re-signing Roman Polak...

...I'll show myself out
- PatC80

Disagree.

I think Babcock is saying Dermott needs to earn his spot to temper the Toronto media.. How many, some on here as well, have appointed Dermott as a future top pairing guy?
Babcock is trying to put less media pressure on Dermott.
- PatC80

I can't wait for Dahlin - an 18 year old who hasn't played on NHL sized ice - to not look like an all-star in his first 10 games. 90% of Hockeybuzz will declare him to be a bust.

I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!

https://nypost.com/2018/0...me-street-writer-reveals/

I don't give two poops about what comes out of Dubas' mouth - or anyone else even remotely related to hockey. It's all canned garbage - it means nothing.

Now if you want to talk about not actually signing Ennis, on that we can agree. We have too much young talent - Ennis has no future on the Leafs.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to take it one post at a time, and focus on doing the little things right...
- Atomic Wedgie

by doing the little things right...

will you get better every day? (except weekends of course)

Less media pressure by saying he might not make the team? Doubt it.
- Unholy_Goalie

Yes..

What would happen if Babcock came out and said we plan on playing Dermott upwards of 25 minutes a night? If Dermott struggled or failed, the media would treat him like Murphy/Phaneuf/Gardiner..

Is that fair to Dermott?

Less media pressure by saying he might not make the team? Doubt it.
- Unholy_Goalie

All he said was he wants him to act like he still has to make it, and said it about Johnson too. It seems pretty obvious for everyone both them will be on this team. Maybe they’re both not practicing with as much intensity, which means we should probably be questioning their character.

I can't wait for Dahlin - an 18 year old who hasn't played on NHL sized ice - to not look like an all-star in his first 10 games. 90% of Hockeybuzz will declare him to be a bust.
- Atomic Wedgie

Yes..

What would happen if Babcock came out and said we plan on playing Dermott upwards of 25 minutes a night? If Dermott struggled or failed, the media would treat him like Murphy/Phaneuf/Gardiner..

Is that fair to Dermott?
- PatC80

Nobody said he should be saying that either.

Matthews is one greedy S.O.B;

https://www.tsn.ca/toront...ews-and-tavares-1.1175200

All he said was he wants him to act like he still has to make it, and said it about Johnson too. It seems pretty obvious for everyone both them will be on this team. Maybe they’re both not practicing with as much intensity, which means we should probably be questioning their character.
- ClarksonDavid

Which is great and should be said about all the guys fighting for spots.

Nobody said he should be saying that either.
- Unholy_Goalie

you sir, are excellent at dodging questions.