That was a good one

Edit: Almost as good as the Scott Gomez comaprison I read on here a week or so ago.
- PlatosRepucklic

Wtf

Wtf

Lol

Wtf

Did I really just read a comparison of Matthews with Kessel? Lmfaooooo...and I really liked Kessel, but c'mon now, Matthews is clearly on a whole other level.
- Zezel

He's closer to Kessel than he is to Crosby right now.

Like a step up from Kessel but a step below Crosby / Ovehckin / Malkin / McDavid.

Was Schultz playing in defensive situations? Doubt it. Penguins played the right guys in the right situations. They also had Crosby and Malkin up front creating Ozone time and Fleury / Murray standing on their head.
- JohnFergusonJr

Yes he did. He was doing it all because they had no one else. But nice try.

Colorado wishes they still had him and Buffalo was a poophole team that also wishes they still had him but he wanted out.

Again, you people have this idea that 1 player puts the team on his back and does it all. Reality is, even McDavid's team misses the playoffs. It's not a 1 player job. But when the playoffs start, there's certain guys who rise above because of their heart, not solely because of their talent.
- JohnFergusonJr

Guaren(frank)ingteed you weren't singing ROR's praises at the beginning of last season.

Actually, you and a bunch of others here probably would have blown that St. Louis blues team up before they turned things around.

Except he stuck to his horses through a complete meltdown in the playoffs against the wizards. Then lebron beat the poop out of them for a couple years. Then he made a big trade.

Know what else he did? Knew his window and kept trading pieces and picks and let players walk away. Let me know when you realize Dubas is acting in the same way.
- Aaron_85

He didn't really stick to his horses, he ended up trading DeRozan. You see Dubas trading Matthews for 1 year of Crosby / Ovechkin?

Let me know when Dubas wins a Cup and you realize that he's not the same.

Kessel never hit 40 goals.
- RogerRoeper

cool, he still scored a lot of goals. i just said he is quickly becoming like a more talented phil kessel like spot shooter.

Guaren(frank)ingteed you weren't singing ROR's praises at the beginning of last season.

Actually, you and a bunch of others here probably would have blown that St. Louis blues team up before they turned things around.
- Leafs43

Hindsight is 20/20 to some people and it creates their new arguments. Rationale thought in context is lost on some.

Rasmus Sandin is an elite D prospect.
- RogerRoeper

elite d prospects are drafted 29th overall now?

He's closer to Kessel than he is to Crosby right now.

Like a step up from Kessel but a step below Crosby / Ovehckin / Malkin / McDavid.
- JohnFergusonJr

A big step up from Kessel, in 50-60 goal, 100 point conversation at this point. And being a tier under those four guys puts him in some very, very good company. He's clearly the heir apparent to Ovie as the best goal scorer in the sport.

He didn't really stick to his horses, he ended up trading DeRozan. You see Dubas trading Matthews for 1 year of Crosby / Ovechkin?

Let me know when Dubas wins a Cup and you realize that he's not the same.
- JohnFergusonJr

DeRozan was signed to a max deal. He was there for Brooklyn loss to the multiple Cavs losses THEN and only then was he moved. Pretty sure that's sticking to his horses. Even after a 4 and out.

Dubas might if one were available. Leonard became available.

elite d prospects are drafted 29th overall now?
- ghetto puck

Zetterberg was drafted in the 7th round. Wasnt elite based on draft position. Got it.

Yes he did. He was doing it all because they had no one else. But nice try.
- Aaron_85

Not even close. Check your facts.

2016/2017 - SH TOI for Schultz 0:03 per game. Dumoulin, Cole, Hainsey and Maatta were the PKers. So no, Schultz wasn't playing in every situation. Schultz was a PP guy putting up points, 3:24 PP TOI per game. He was their #4 D in TOI/GP.

In 2015/2016, he was #8 in TOI/GP. Letang was the #1, all situation D.

I don't even know what your point is bringing up Schultz anyway. It makes no sense whatsoever.

As much as I’m laughing at the leafs right now (I’ve determined they’re no longer worth anger) I am pretty happy for this guy.... what a huge life moment
- Dozzer

I would agree to be happy for the guy!

DeRozan was signed to a max deal. He was there for Brooklyn loss to the multiple Cavs losses THEN and only then was he moved. Pretty sure that's sticking to his horses. Even after a 4 and out.

Dubas might if one were available. Leonard became available.
- Aaron_85

It's sticking to your horses and losing over and over again.

I doubt he would. But he should with Nylander.

Comparing basketball to hockey is apples to oranges. 1 player in basketball makes so much more of a difference than in hockey. Your best player in hockey still only plays 20-25 minutes out of 60. In basketball, guys can play 40 out of 48 minutes. It's just a bad comparison the deeper you go.

Toronto fans are so melodramatic
- RogerRoeper

Nah, most of us watching from other fan bases think Dubas has really (frank)ed this thing up as well.

You DO know that some guys are not tough by nature right?

Some dudes fight, some don't. Some dudes work their asses off...Hyman...and some guys don't....Nylander, Marner, Matthews. They've always been more talented so the extra push isn't in them.

I'm not saying get rid of the talent. I'm saying add heart to the talent.

As JFJ mentioned, the Ryan O'Rielly types, Justin Williams types, Bergeron, Marchand...fu3k Svechnikov has all of it too.

Some of you guys think you can inject heart and grit into talented players. It doesn't happen, pussies be pussies. You have it or you don't, just like talent.

Here's a line up example

Hyman, Matthews, Marner
Hyman, JT, Nylander
Hyman, Kerfoot, Kapanen
Clifford, Spezza, Micheyev

Reilly, Manson
Muzzin, RH'd Muzzin (maybe Holl can become this guy but doubt it)
Sandin, Holl

Andersen
Campbell

It's about surrounding soft, talented players who have had it easy in the junior leagues with guys that have had to work a little harder because they were a less talented.

Not all talent/skill Dubas team. They will ALWAYS cave when things are tough. It's not in their nature.

Every time this Leafs team plays a tight checking team that close the gap quickly, they're fu3ked. No push back. But guys like Hyman keep on going and going, the others....not so much.
- underhill14

Your OG post had them trading JT and Nylander.

Glad you realized that would be moronic.

elite d prospects are drafted 29th overall now?
- ghetto puck

What a stupid comment

It's sticking to your horses and losing over and over again.

I doubt he would. But he should with Nylander.

Comparing basketball to hockey is apples to oranges. 1 player in basketball makes so much more of a difference than in hockey. Your best player in hockey still only plays 20-25 minutes out of 60. In basketball, guys can play 40 out of 48 minutes. It's just a bad comparison the deeper you go.
- JohnFergusonJr

You brought up how great Masai is. You made the inference of great a GM he is compared to Dubas. Dont backpedal. If you were adult enough to admit such things I'd continue this conversation but okay.

A big step up from Kessel, in 50-60 goal, 100 point conversation at this point. And being a tier under those four guys puts him in some very, very good company. He's clearly the heir apparent to Ovie as the best goal scorer in the sport.
- Zezel

60 goals and 100 points? Not yet, sorry.

And when we're talking Crosby and McDavid, we're talking 120 points and playoff success (Crosby).

He's not Ovechkin either. Ovechkin scored more goals in his first four seasons. He also hit like a truck and rarely missed a game. More points too. Ovechkin AVERAGED 50 goals a season. Matthews hasn't hit it once yet.

Better than Kessel but still below the true generational talents.

Not even close. Check your facts.

2016/2017 - SH TOI for Schultz 0:03 per game. Dumoulin, Cole, Hainsey and Maatta were the PKers. So no, Schultz wasn't playing in every situation. Schultz was a PP guy putting up points, 3:24 PP TOI per game. He was their #4 D in TOI/GP.

In 2015/2016, he was #8 in TOI/GP. Letang was the #1, all situation D.

I don't even know what your point is bringing up Schultz anyway. It makes no sense whatsoever.
- JohnFergusonJr

Um did you even look at playoffs or just cherry pick when the team was healthy to prove your point?

Schultz was the guy in the playoffs when Letang and others went down but hey twist your narrative.

You brought up how great Masai is. You made the inference of great a GM he is compared to Dubas. Dont backpedal. If you were adult enough to admit such things I'd continue this conversation but okay.
- Aaron_85

Masai brings in the hard working players for his coach to utilize and the coach in turn has a system that works to those players advantage. That was the beginning and the end of it. But alright.

Zetterberg was drafted in the 7th round. Wasnt elite based on draft position. Got it.
- Aaron_85

that was 20 years ago and in a much more different nhl where size was favored more than smallish skill players.

In your mind, sure.

In reality, can't play defense and he's small. So overall, he's not elite.

Even in the offensive department he's not that elite, he's no Makar.

He's another Kaberle; a good 2nd pair LHD.
- JohnFergusonJr

That doesn't prove he's not good LOL

I bet people in Toronto are gonna be wearing the guy's shirt

Um did you even look at playoffs or just cherry pick when the team was healthy to prove your point?

Schultz was the guy in the playoffs when Letang and others went down but hey twist your narrative.
- Aaron_85

I posted the statistical facts. He was not used in all situations and he was not the #1 D. He was a 2nd pairing offensive D that they used heavily on the PP. They used his strengths and hid his weaknesses. Why you brought up his name is still a mystery when we're talking about Sandin. Unless your point was that Sandin is a 2nd pair offensive D. In which case, you'd be accurate. That's his potential.