Morgan Rielly / ???
Jake Muzzin / ???
??? / Nikita Zaitsev

IR
Travis Dermott - LD

GONE
Jake Gardiner
Martin Marincin
Igor Ozhiganov

Maybe
Ron Hainsey

We need to add defencemen.


- .OHOH.

If Dermott is healthy, the left side is okay.

But that right side.

Leafs want to dump Zaitsev and he's their only RHD.

It's pretty bad.

Morgan Rielly / Dumba
Jake Muzzin / Zaitsev
Rosen/Borgman / Hainsey

IR
Travis Dermott - LD

GONE
Jake Gardiner
Martin Marincin
Igor Ozhiganov



We need to add defencemen.


- .OHOH.

That’s better

To be clear - I have defended Gardiner quite a bit. I think he has been far better than most give him credit for, and I think that while he has insanely bad giveaways, he is still overall a beneficial player to have. And we will likely miss him.

I just felt that this year in particular, his skating seemed diminished - he would get down to about the hash marks and give up on a play and just retreat. Sometimes it was so questionable that I wondered if it hadn't been a firm instruction from the coaching staff.

He wasn't anywhere near as effective as he had been in the previous 2 years. But he also wasn't as reckless, so I guess . . .there's that?

Ultimately, I agree that Gardiner was decent, and that asking a rookie to fill his shoes would be a disaster, but asking Muzzin to take up those minutes will be different. I do have faith in Muzzin, so we'll see where that faith ends up.

They were 9-11 without Gardiner in the line-up, but they were already playing suspect hockey when he went down. I'm not sure if there's a direct causation there or not. I also think we'll miss him, but I don't think we'll miss him as much as I thought we would earlier in the season, if that vague sentence makes sense.
- Monkeypunk

Muzzin looks more like a replacement for Hainsey than Gardiner but knowing the Leafs, they'll probably expect him to replace both.

Muzzin had 102 giveaways last year and has never scored 50+ points. I think he helped the Leafs D but the honeymoon might be over with him by mid season and he's going to be a pending UFA so if he does provide help, it won't be for very long.

Morgan Rielly / ???
Jake Muzzin / ???
??? / Nikita Zaitsev

IR
Travis Dermott - LD

GONE
Jake Gardiner
Martin Marincin
Igor Ozhiganov

Maybe
Ron Hainsey

We need to add defencemen.


- .OHOH.

There aren't many affordable options in the UFA market either. Not even as try-out options, it would seem. But losing Marincin and Ozhiganov is not exactly going to hurt.

Backfilling Hainsey's minutes and an injured Dermott's minutes are going to be a risk.

To your point:

Rielly / ????
Muzzin / Zaitsev
???? / ????

. . . it's slightly more palatable, because the 5/6 pairing should be sheltered.

Bruins got gifted the final.

Bruins got gifted the final.
- RickJames77

Jacobs paid for it.

Goaltending we definitely need a solid backup. That said I do think they give Sparks the chance to rebound, much as I hate the idea personally. Plus with the cap crunch he is affordable.

As far as the defence goes... honestly I think we see Sandin/Borgmann bottom guys... and Dermott will be back got to survive the first few months of the year so I think 5-7 is covered.

IF we keep Z with Muzzin which was not too bad that leaves replacing Hainsey for a Rielly pairing really at this point.

Muzzin looks more like a replacement for Hainsey than Gardiner but knowing the Leafs, they'll probably expect him to replace both.

Muzzin had 102 giveaways last year and has never scored 50+ points. I think he helped the Leafs D but the honeymoon might be over with him by mid season and he's going to be a pending UFA so if he does provide help, it won't be for very long.
- JohnFergusonJr

Your comments never get old

Your comments never get old
- Santo_44

I don't think Muzzin is bad - he's a good 2nd line LHD.
He's not a difference maker however - I know he's a advanced stats boy favorite, but I didn't see anything which warranted the overpayment by Dubas.
I expect Muzzin to be better next season though - so might pan out to be a good trade after all - for now though I don't buy all the hype around him.
He does have a good contract though.

I don't think Muzzin is bad - he's a good 2nd line LHD.
He's not a difference maker however - I know he's a advanced stats boy favorite, but I didn't see anything which warranted the overpayment by Dubas.
I expect Muzzin to be better next season though - so might pan out to be a good trade after all - for now though I don't buy all the hype around him.
He does have a good contract though.
- MaximusAurelius

I strictly just come on here for comedy, too many posters like this.

(frank) the Broons.

I don't think Muzzin is bad - he's a good 2nd line LHD.
He's not a difference maker however - I know he's a advanced stats boy favorite, but I didn't see anything which warranted the overpayment by Dubas.
I expect Muzzin to be better next season though - so might pan out to be a good trade after all - for now though I don't buy all the hype around him.
He does have a good contract though.
- MaximusAurelius

One thing Muzzin brings that none of our other defenders do is the big body with physical play. I agree with the rest. It's all about usage. He might be the second best D we have next year, but it doesn't change that he's a second pairing guy.

Mike Augello: Leafs final report card - Part I - The goaltenders
- mikeinbuffalo

RJ. Sorry for your beloved Canes loss. Sadly, the sweep curse will be on the Broons and they will lose next round.

(frank) the Broons.
- gravyface

Yeah!

RJ. Sorry for your beloved Canes loss. Sadly, the sweep curse will be on the Broons and they will lose next round.
- AdamFrench

Ok. That's understandable.

For most of the year though, he was probably right. Freddy was arguably the best. But he got hurt and didn't have a strong finish.

Still should have been a finalist for the Veznia.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Maybe for he Vezinia.

But definetely not for the Vezina.

Yeah!
- RickJames77

That avatar man.

That avatar man.
- Scabeh

I don’t know what you’re talking about

But

I don’t know what you’re talking about

But
- RickJames77

I like both stories for the finals.

Blues vs Bruins, Blues avenge the 1970 finals.

Bruins vs Sharks: Joe Thoronton goes full circle and wins the cup vs the team that gave up on him so long ago.



God I hope the Bruins lose.....

Good team though. Rask is playing better than ever too.

I don't think Muzzin is bad - he's a good 2nd line LHD.
He's not a difference maker however - I know he's a advanced stats boy favorite, but I didn't see anything which warranted the overpayment by Dubas.
I expect Muzzin to be better next season though - so might pan out to be a good trade after all - for now though I don't buy all the hype around him.
He does have a good contract though.
- MaximusAurelius

I don't think Muzzin is bad - he's a good 2nd line LHD.
He's not a difference maker however - I know he's a advanced stats boy favorite, but I didn't see anything which warranted the overpayment by Dubas.
I expect Muzzin to be better next season though - so might pan out to be a good trade after all - for now though I don't buy all the hype around him.
He does have a good contract though.
- MaximusAurelius

I don't think Muzzin is bad - he's a good 2nd line LHD.
He's not a difference maker however - I know he's a advanced stats boy favorite, but I didn't see anything which warranted the overpayment by Dubas.
I expect Muzzin to be better next season though - so might pan out to be a good trade after all - for now though I don't buy all the hype around him.
He does have a good contract though.
- MaximusAurelius

hockeyfights
‏ @hockeyfights
15h15 hours ago

The Sharks have now eliminated six refs and two teams in their playoffs.



But they also wouldn't have eliminated 2 teams without the refs.

RJ. Sorry for your beloved Canes loss. Sadly, the sweep curse will be on the Broons and they will lose next round.
- AdamFrench

I'm not betting against Boston anymore. I did that for three consecutive rounds and I've lost all three times.. I'm picking the Bruins to win the Cup.

I like both stories for the finals.

Blues vs Bruins, Blues avenge the 1970 finals.

Bruins vs Sharks: Joe Thoronton goes full circle and wins the cup vs the team that gave up on him so long ago.



God I hope the Bruins lose.....

Good team though. Rask is playing better than ever too.
- Scabeh

Bruins are going to win.

The playoffs are changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost; for none now live who remember 2011. It began with the forging of the 2003 draft: Bergeron was given from the gods, immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings. Marchand from the Nose Lords; great miners and craftsman of the mountain halls. And Rask, Rask was gifted by the race of Leafs, who above all else desire power. For within these players was bound the strength and will to govern the League. But they were all of them deceived, for another deal was made: in the land of Boston, in the fires of Mount Doom, the dark lord Jeremy Jacobs forged, in secret, a master deal to control all the Refs. And into this deal, he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all Officiating.