Ryan Leaf was a real bust.
- gergeswillems

So main differences for the Leafs this year over last:

Ceci over Zaitzev, Kerfoot over Kadri, Barrie over Gardiner, Hainsey and Brown gone, Spezza, Petan and Shore in, full year of Muzzin.

Dubas did a good job with salary cap management, is the actual team better? I think with maturity of younger players getting better that's where the improvement of the team is this year. Prob better mobility on defence but worse of defensively.

Do they have enough to get past the Bruins finally... I think with Muzzin all year, avoiding a top 3 D injury they have a shot at 1st in thier division to avoid Boston. Skill is sure there but any thoughts on thier grit and toughness being lacking a bit...

That's his schtick...
- 21peter

He should really get a new one. I recommend a vow of silence.

As per the statistical breakdown on Sportsnet, he's actually worse than Zaitsev in his own zone. And he's horrible on the PK.

The real fear should be not that he plays beside Muzzin (another guy people falsely think is good in his own zone) but rather that he plays beside Rielly and heavy PK minutes. The real fear should be they treat him the way they treated Hainsey. Because if that's the case, he's going to be a disaster.

If he's sitting in the press box at 4.5 million, that'd be horrible as well.

They should have done everything to dump him ASAP.
- JohnFergusonJr

I love how it says to apply directly to the anus, yet it shows applying it to the forehead in the diagram.
- Thecakeisalie

Some people are ass-heads.

- 21peter

Great movie and song.

How does one become a Super fan? Is it like karate? You get different belts as you work your way up? Is there a Super fan committee which votes on your Super Fandom?
- gergeswillems

Not really sure. Blind love maybe.

They see a project they think they can fix.

And he's a RHD and played the PK.

He did so very, very poorly but he did it.
- JohnFergusonJr

The PK definitely got worse on paper.

That's a great question.

And the correct answer is neither.

He did well to dump Zaitsev (thankfully Ottawa is also stupid and we've dumped our trash there before) but he also had a way out with Ceci and the way out was to either let him go to arbitration and then walk away from the settlement.

Alternatively, give him a signing bonus so his salary would be really low and he could be traded to a cap floor team later on if need be.
- JohnFergusonJr

The signing bonus idea is actually a good one. The player I'm sure would have been happy with that as well.

So main differences for the Leafs this year over last:

Ceci over Zaitzev, Kerfoot over Kadri, Barrie over Gardiner, Hainsey and Brown gone, Spezza, Petan and Shore in, full year of Muzzin.

Dubas did a good job with salary cap management, is the actual team better? I think with maturity of younger players getting better that's where the improvement of the team is this year. Prob better mobility on defence but worse of defensively.

Do they have enough to get past the Bruins finally... I think with Muzzin all year, avoiding a top 3 D injury they have a shot at 1st in thier division to avoid Boston. Skill is sure there but any thoughts on thier grit and toughness being lacking a bit...
- Greenbacks75

This is a surprisingly rational breakdown. Usually Canucks fans that come in here aren't so reasonable.

I think skill-wise, the team is pretty similar. We did a lot of moves to help the cap situation now and moving forward.
Barrie was a great pickup to help our back end, but we'll have to see if Dubas can re-sign him for a manageable amount.

Should have, but didn't. Time to focus on something else.

Also, I really doubt they traded for Barrie to have Ceci play as Rielly's partner. Babcock's choice, yes, but that seems to line up pretty nicely.
- BetterCallSaul

Barrie isn't good in his own zone. So, putting him with Rielly is going to put a lot of pressure on Rielly and take away from his offense which is already better than Barrie's.

The perception is that Muzzin and Ceci play defensively and do well with an offensive partner. Putting them together would be a disaster because they both suck at moving the puck

So expect it to be, Rielly with Ceci and Muzzin with Barrie with the bottom pairing being decided in camp, unless they bring somebody else in.

Some people are ass-heads.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Agreed.

So main differences for the Leafs this year over last:

Ceci over Zaitzev, Kerfoot over Kadri, Barrie over Gardiner, Hainsey and Brown gone, Spezza, Petan and Shore in, full year of Muzzin.

Dubas did a good job with salary cap management, is the actual team better? I think with maturity of younger players getting better that's where the improvement of the team is this year. Prob better mobility on defence but worse of defensively.

Do they have enough to get past the Bruins finally... I think with Muzzin all year, avoiding a top 3 D injury they have a shot at 1st in thier division to avoid Boston. Skill is sure there but any thoughts on thier grit and toughness being lacking a bit...
- Greenbacks75

They will be a good run and gun team. Very fun to watch. I don;t think that translates in the playoffs.

The PK definitely got worse on paper.
- aminnes

And it wasn't good to begin with.

Barrie doesn't play the PK and Ceci does but he sucks really bad at it.

The bottom pairing will probably be Marlies and/or rookies.

So who is going to be killing penalties? Rielly?

Kerfoot has like 5 minutes of career PK time in two seasons in Colorado.

Barrie isn't good in his own zone. So, putting him with Rielly is going to put a lot of pressure on Rielly and take away from his offense which is already better than Barrie's.

The perception is that Muzzin and Ceci play defensively and do well with an offensive partner. Putting them together would be a disaster because they both suck at moving the puck

So expect it to be, Rielly with Ceci and Muzzin with Barrie with the bottom pairing being decided in camp, unless they bring somebody else in.
- JohnFergusonJr

I really hope they don;t put Reilly with Ceci. Reilly really broke out when he wasn't trying to cover for Gardiner. He deserves better.

Barrie isn't good in his own zone. So, putting him with Rielly is going to put a lot of pressure on Rielly and take away from his offense which is already better than Barrie's.

The perception is that Muzzin and Ceci play defensively and do well with an offensive partner. Putting them together would be a disaster because they both suck at moving the puck

So expect it to be, Rielly with Ceci and Muzzin with Barrie with the bottom pairing being decided in camp, unless they bring somebody else in.
- JohnFergusonJr

I think someone mentioned that Barrie and Muzzin are expected to play together, but who knows if Babcock changes that up.

I don't really like the idea of Ceci with Rielly. I'd rather he had sheltered minutes on the 3rd pairing. But if Muzzin and Barrie are a pairing, then I'm not sure who else would play with Rielly, other than maybe Dermott (but he'll be injured to start the season). I'm not really sure Dermott is ready for top pairing responsibility either.

They will be a good run and gun team. Very fun to watch. I don;t think that translates in the playoffs.
- aminnes

That's where i get jealous of the Leafs as a Canuck fan. Not sure if they have a team to win it all but man they are going to be exciting to watch and that's all you can ask for.

And it wasn't good to begin with.

Barrie doesn't play the PK and Ceci does but he sucks really bad at it.

The bottom pairing will probably be Marlies and/or rookies.

So who is going to be killing penalties? Rielly?

Kerfoot has like 5 minutes of career PK time in two seasons in Colorado.
- JohnFergusonJr

2 forward PK guys gone. Should be able to fill those easily, but yes, on d is another question.

That's where i get jealous of the Leafs as a Canuck fan. Not sure if they have a team to win it all but man they are going to be exciting to watch and that's all you can ask for.
- Greenbacks75

After over 50 years I ask for more. Could be worse though.

That's where i get jealous of the Leafs as a Canuck fan. Not sure if they have a team to win it all but man they are going to be exciting to watch and that's all you can ask for.
- Greenbacks75

Barrie isn't good in his own zone. So, putting him with Rielly is going to put a lot of pressure on Rielly and take away from his offense which is already better than Barrie's.

The perception is that Muzzin and Ceci play defensively and do well with an offensive partner. Putting them together would be a disaster because they both suck at moving the puck

So expect it to be, Rielly with Ceci and Muzzin with Barrie with the bottom pairing being decided in camp, unless they bring somebody else in.
- JohnFergusonJr

I don't expect that. But if that happens then I guess I have to hope against hope they find some success.

I think someone mentioned that Barrie and Muzzin are expected to play together, but who knows if Babcock changes that up.

I don't really like the idea of Ceci with Rielly. I'd rather he had sheltered minutes on the 3rd pairing. But if Muzzin and Barrie are a pairing, then I'm not sure who else would play with Rielly, other than maybe Dermott (but he'll be injured to start the season). I'm not really sure Dermott is ready for top pairing responsibility either.
- Thecakeisalie

Reilly deserves a good top stay at home partner. He has never really had one. As good as he is he would be even better in that scenario.

I think someone mentioned that Barrie and Muzzin are expected to play together, but who knows if Babcock changes that up.

I don't really like the idea of Ceci with Rielly. I'd rather he had sheltered minutes on the 3rd pairing. But if Muzzin and Barrie are a pairing, then I'm not sure who else would play with Rielly, other than maybe Dermott (but he'll be injured to start the season). I'm not really sure Dermott is ready for top pairing responsibility either.
- Thecakeisalie

You think the Leafs are paying a guy 4.5 million to put him on the 3rd pairing?

Looks more like they think Ceci can play top-pair minutes like he did in Ottawa.

Dermott is a LHD and he's not ready to play beside Rielly either.

They will be a good run and gun team. Very fun to watch. I don;t think that translates in the playoffs.
- aminnes

Right now the Leafs are an excellent pond hockey team.

Right now the Leafs are an excellent pond hockey team.
- gergeswillems

Those teams always win the Cup too.