Please take one moment to imagine how this Leafs team would fare in the Norris division.

Probert vs. Nylander.

McRae vs. Dermott.

Twist vs. Dubas.
- Atomic Wedgie

Nothing CAUSE HE AIN'T WAIVING HIS NMC FOR A CANADIAN TEAM!
- zazzle

What a racist bum Kreider is!

Refs are warming up for the brewns series.

Comeau pushed him around.my only knock on sandin is he needs to add strength.

He's not strong enough for the nhl yet.

Brewns 4th liners will be salivating watching this game tape.
- Tumbleweed

I'm not arguing to argue here . . . the Leafs have a lot of guys smaller than Sandin.

Sandin is listed at 6'0 / 184. That's not a filled out guy, yet. That said:

Moore is 5'10 / 175
Marner is 6'0 / 175
Kerfoot is 5'10 / 175
Johnsson is 5'10 / 181
Barrie is 5'10 / 190
Nylander is 6'0 / 191

These guys have survived in the NHL against 4th lines bigger and meaner than Boston's.

A funny stat: Boston averages 72.8 inches in height and 198lbs. That's with 6'9 / 250lb Zdeno Chara included. Toronto averages 73.4 inches in height.

Boston is not as big and bad as everyone thinks - they're smaller than the tiny snow flake Leafs. They are, however, mature enough to know how to skate right on that edge. They also get the benefit of the calls, and let's be fair - I've never understood how teams with guys like Marchand, Tkachuk, Cooke, Torres and so on - manage it. A ref should be staring at the one guy the whole time because have the time they'd have them in the box for something stupid. But that's not how the NHL works.

Maybe the Leafs should have been patient and brought him up next year? Just don’t want a guy like that to get hurt. It’s one thing to be a young forward, its another to be a young smallish d-man and having guys run you into the boards... Plus you don’t burn a year of his contract...
- Hockey_Reverend

But its okay for Quinn Hughes?

Also, we already burned a year off his ELC.

Does anyone look at the cap hits? Cant bring in Manson and Dumba because cant afford them. Dumba would be great and he would set a salary for Reilly in the future. I would like to see the following defense going into the playoffs:

Reilly-Dumba
Muzzen-Holl
Sandin-Dermott
Marincin-Liljgren

To get Dumba you probably need a 1st round pick but Barrie could get the Wild that pick at the deadline. In addition one of Kerfoot, Johnson or Kapenin (I prefer it is Kerfoot that goes), one of the young d prospects still in junior, and Ceci.

That leaves Bracco to go for a new back up. I would go to Pittsburg for Casey DeSmith. Bracco, Hutchinson, and a late pick should get him.

This leaves you with the following going into the play-offs:

Hyman-Matthews-Marner
Johnsson-Taveres-Nylander
Moore-Engvall-Kapenin
Marchment-Goat-Spezza
Mickayluk (if he is ready)-Timoshov

Freddy-DeSmith

Not a bad line-up for the playoffs.
- crawfordg

Keep kerfoot

So does this blog prove that Friedman reads hockeybuzz?

Wasn't the gull suggesting we pick up Dumba for a few weeks now?

I see Perimeter Willy is still doing Perimeter Willy things, like scoring from in close to the net.
What a year he's having!

Great to see another win. If we can just go on another little winning streak we can hopefully get back into a playoff spot. Very close.
- Thecakeisalie

Getting dumba has been suggested for years by media and others.
But it was a fun game last night

Maybe the Leafs should have been patient and brought him up next year? Just don’t want a guy like that to get hurt. It’s one thing to be a young forward, its another to be a young smallish d-man and having guys run you into the boards... Plus you don’t burn a year of his contract...
- Hockey_Reverend

Again, there's concern about his size, and yet there are a number of guys who are smaller and still successful:

Quinn Hughes, Stecher, Russell, Ellis, Butcher, Vatanen, Spurgeon, Gzelcyk, Mete, Krug, Brannstrom, Hicketts, Gostisbehere, DeAngelo, Fox . . .

As long as he plays his game and is aware, it's all good.

Maybe the Leafs should have been patient and brought him up next year? Just don’t want a guy like that to get hurt. It’s one thing to be a young forward, its another to be a young smallish d-man and having guys run you into the boards... Plus you don’t burn a year of his contract...
- Hockey_Reverend

He’s done some good things so far.

Do we win against NJ and NSH without him? Maybe but he did make two plays to score goals in each of those games.

The difference is one is clearly available and the other might not be.
- Santo_44

which is which?

I like Dumba

I like Manson

One thing is for sure is that Dumba is available...Manson hasn’t been made available to our knowledge.

Dumba could be had for a fair price while the Ducks say “we don’t want to trade him unless you overpay.”

I'm not arguing to argue here . . . the Leafs have a lot of guys smaller than Sandin.

Sandin is listed at 6'0 / 184. That's not a filled out guy, yet. That said:

Moore is 5'10 / 175
Marner is 6'0 / 175
Kerfoot is 5'10 / 175
Johnsson is 5'10 / 181
Barrie is 5'10 / 190
Nylander is 6'0 / 191

These guys have survived in the NHL against 4th lines bigger and meaner than Boston's.

A funny stat: Boston averages 72.8 inches in height and 198lbs. That's with 6'9 / 250lb Zdeno Chara included. Toronto averages 73.4 inches in height.

Boston is not as big and bad as everyone thinks - they're smaller than the tiny snow flake Leafs. They are, however, mature enough to know how to skate right on that edge. They also get the benefit of the calls, and let's be fair - I've never understood how teams with guys like Marchand, Tkachuk, Cooke, Torres and so on - manage it. A ref should be staring at the one guy the whole time because have the time they'd have them in the box for something stupid. But that's not how the NHL works.
- Monkeypunk

it's not as much as size thing as an obvious strength issue to me. he gets pushed around out there.

it's a little easier for a forward like marner to get away it. nowhere to hide for a d-man.

playoffs will be more physical. he's going to be targeted by opposing teams.

which is which?
- senstroll

Dumba being available has been leaked by many insiders.

Manson trades are solely made by fans. Bobby Mac said there is zero evidence they are looking to trade him to this point. But could change.

it's not as much as size thing as an obvious strength issue to me. he gets pushed around out there.

it's a little easier for a forward like marner to get away it. nowhere to hide for a d-man.

playoffs will be more physical. he's going to be targeted by opposing teams.
- Tumbleweed

Trade for Manson.

Sandin-Manson

I like Dumba

I like Manson

One thing is for sure is that Dumba is available...Manson hasn’t been made available to our knowledge.

Dumba could be had for a fair price while the Ducks say “we don’t want to trade him unless you overpay.”
- Santo_44

Two things must happen if the Leafs are trading for Dumba.

1) the Wild must retain at least 1M, preferably 1.5M.
2) Barrie has to be traded. Either in the deal for Dumba or for a 1st.

Uncle Bree’s Family Feedbag
@Breeganism
·
1h
Keefe, evaluating Nylander: Hmm. He’s been great this season. But you know what this cutie needs?
Dubas: You mean...
Keefe: A patootie.
(They call up Sandin).

Ceci got the leafs game ball last night.

I actually thought he was really good last night. I think he would be good for the playoffs in the 5-6 roll.

it's not as much as size thing as an obvious strength issue to me. he gets pushed around out there.

it's a little easier for a forward like marner to get away it. nowhere to hide for a d-man.

playoffs will be more physical. he's going to be targeted by opposing teams.
- Tumbleweed

He will get hit. There's no denying it. Teams are going to want to try and throw him off his game. They're going hope to rattle the kid.

I think he can withstand it, but the thing is that - just like hitting anyone - the hits have to be clean. Charging a guy, trolley-tracking or hitting from behind . . it doesn't matter if you're smaller or bigger, that's when guys get badly hurt.

Last year Tyson Barrie was very good in the playoffs, Calgary hit him 16 times in 5 games. He was still a solid play-driver, but still had 5 assists (only 1 at 5v5 though). In the subsequent series against San Jose, they hit him 13 times in 7 games, but he only produced 1 goal and 2 assists.

Hitting can help, but really - success in the playoffs is all about special teams.

Two things must happen if the Leafs are trading for Dumba.

1) the Wild must retain at least 1M, preferably 1.5M.
2) Barrie has to be traded. Either in the deal for Dumba or for a 1st.
- Steven_Seagull

Why? Because he’s had an off season?

That ain’t happening.

Leafs won, but the 2nd period they got smoked.
3rd they pushed back a little

now keep it going, no (frank)ing let down game against snottawa
- senstroll

I thought the 3rd period was pretty excitng, lots of back and forth.
Fun game

Ceci got the leafs game ball last night.

I actually thought he was really good last night. I think he would be good for the playoffs in the 5-6 roll.
- bryant

Agreed.

Nothing you can do about his salary, so let's just look at what he can bring.

He's fine in 5-6.

Better than Marincin.

Ceci got the leafs game ball last night.

I actually thought he was really good last night. I think he would be good for the playoffs in the 5-6 roll.
- bryant

I thought he played well also.

Still hate him at 4.5m though
But its only for 1 year

So Leafs' true test is against Florida next week, but they need to show up against Ottawa and work hard, because Ottawa will be flexing their inferiority complex.

No nights off.

So Leafs' true test is against Florida next week, but they need to show up against Ottawa and work hard, because Ottawa will be flexing their inferiority complex.

No nights off.
- TheMussel

I want them to just blow them out.

Matthews hatty.

Agreed.

Nothing you can do about his salary, so let's just look at what he can bring.

He's fine in 5-6.

Better than Marincin.
- Atomic Wedgie

Yup, the whole point of getting him was short term cost certainty and having a body in the lineup that can play in the NHL, which he is.

So Leafs' true test is against Florida next week, but they need to show up against Ottawa and work hard, because Ottawa will be flexing their inferiority complex.

No nights off.
- TheMussel

Agreed.
Gotta win the next two games.

Then they can lose the next 3 and we can do this all over again