It is just ridiculous.

You cannot look at team performance and say it is getting better. You can't look at 3 of the big 4 and say they aren't overpaid. I mean, you *can* if you want to ignore numbers or pick and choose ONE stat that you like.

You can't argue we don't have firsts the last couple years.

You can't argue that our best prospect is yet another very small forward.

You can't argue that we don't have the cap space to address that most glaring problems on the team

and you can't argue that these problems are new.

So while everyone is all full of their own opinion. I have yet to hear what they are basing it on.
- Aetherial

You also can't argue he scored the most GPG as a 18 year old since Lindros and scored a goal as the youngest player to debut in the playoffs. But yeah he's small so lets look at this as a negative thing. Boo leafs

Dude

He may or may not

He has the luxury of not having to worry about money as much as other players

that is all, I am not here to have a pointless argument with you about wether he would or not. Me or you know absolutely (frank) all about what he wants.
- Santo_44

Max referring to literally any other poster on this site as 'just another of your dumb comments' is 100% the richest (frank)ing comment I've read so far today.

Who the (frank) ties that guys shoes.

Max referring to literally any other poster on this site as 'just another of your dumb comments' is 100% the richest (frank)ing comment I've read so far today.

Who the (frank) ties that guys shoes.
- joel878

He is a poop poster

I try not to respond as much as I can

I'm already seeing posts on Twitter how amazingly Komorov has been and Leafs should have him. Guy has been scratched more than played since NHl returned.

2 more years at 3 million per. Believe me, Dubas can get him for almost nothing if he wants. lou will do it LOL. Lou will give him away.

I think you're right... But I don't think that's all on them.

Granting these kids the forum to grow is about providing them the opportunity to succeed, and that to me is about providing them with a more balanced team which isn't so depended on them to sink or swim.

That, and time. I mean Marner and Matthews are what... 22/23? What can realistically be expected by this point from them?

Don't even want to (frank)in talk about where I was at that age. 🤦‍♂️
- joel878

agreed.
and neither do I

I really think Dubas and Shanahan had a vision for the team that looks like a failure right now.

Matthews looked REAL pissed in the last presser I saw. When asked about what went wrong, he definitely looked like he had something to say and wouldn't say it, for obvious reasons.

It is just ridiculous.

You cannot look at team performance and say it is getting better. You can't look at 3 of the big 4 and say they aren't overpaid. I mean, you *can* if you want to ignore numbers or pick and choose ONE stat that you like.

You can't argue we don't have firsts the last couple years.

You can't argue that our best prospect is yet another very small forward.

You can't argue that we don't have the cap space to address that most glaring problems on the team

and you can't argue that these problems are new.

So while everyone is all full of their own opinion. I have yet to hear what they are basing it on.
- Aetherial

So, nobody can argue with you, or wants to.. We get your opinion.

Why be so MAD all the time, trying to ram your opinion down everyones throat??

I'm not. Dubas' hockey philosophy - skill and puck possession above all else - have never proven to be a winning formula, most clearly in the playoffs. The Leafs deficiencies are not something I believe Dubas can remedy. The team is not balanced, nor has Dubas' expressed much commitment/interest to changing his vision. He literally said that he was "willing to bet his job" on his vision. Dubas' philosophy is perfect for winning October Cups. And we weren't even good in October.
- fifty__missions

This coming year will be the first year he'll have zero excuses to fall back on. This is the first season where his vision will truly be tested without any lingering Babs or Lou poop stinking up The Plan(tm).

Frankly, I don't care if you're not optimistic in the slightest.

He is a poop poster

I try not to respond as much as I can
- Santo_44

Yes, there is no point.

So, nobody can argue with you, or wants to.. We get your opinion.

Why be so MAD all the time, trying to ram your opinion down everyones throat??
- bixll

fair.

...but I was basically referred to as a poopshow for having that opinion, so what reaction was expected.

the islanders are probably gonna win the first round then who knows?

they have a great coach and, obviously, good playoff performers with just enough skillz👍

not to mention, a team mentality with everyone skating their asses off, performing their roles not worrying about the next contract or sick snipes and dirty dangles 👍🏿
- Skalapy

Bold prediction! I kid ....

But seriously the Isles are lead by guys with hair on their nuts. That core has got a few years on the Leafs and definitely has a nice quota of compete. But nobody's thrown money at them to win it all ..b/c they lack some high end skill.

Leafs have the skill (and the hair) ... but theiy're young and lack nutsack hair. Will it come? (frank), I don't know but I hope so.

It is just ridiculous.

You cannot look at team performance and say it is getting better. You can't look at 3 of the big 4 and say they aren't overpaid. I mean, you *can* if you want to ignore numbers or pick and choose ONE stat that you like.

You can't argue we don't have firsts the last couple years.

You can't argue that our best prospect is yet another very small forward.

You can't argue that we don't have the cap space to address that most glaring problems on the team

and you can't argue that these problems are new.

So while everyone is all full of their own opinion. I have yet to hear what they are basing it on.
- Aetherial

I think you bring a very defendable opinion my friend.

But just to be clear.

Is that a no on the salad or...?

It's not irrelevant. You're arguing what should NOT have been done. So what WOULD you have done last summer?

I might actually have traded MM if a good deal was there.

That being said ...I'd rather the year have played out the way it did ...and now Willie is a 30+ goal scoring asset. I'd rather trade Willie than Mitch ...assuming both can bring back a good young affordable RHD.
- The Law

i would not have traded marleau. we needed to eat that contract.

trading marner should have been an option. but having the balls to stick to a number that worked for the team would have been better.

but he spends money like a drunken sailor and marner's agent knew it. he saw exactly how much cap space the team had and took almost every penny of it. goes back to overpaying willy and matthews by a mil each. and signing tavares without a real plan on how to make it work. and going back - he had his hands all over the kessel deal that we are still paying on. then ends with overpaying marner by 2-3m.

it's fine if the team wins. last summer i saw the risk but was hopeful it paid off. but it didn't and the decline continued.

i don't see how it goes differently with dubas at the helm again. to me, the stage is already set. he'll force a trade with nylander that will look okay but suck. then he'll luongo andersen out of town with a last minute sell low.

i have completely lost confidence in him.

So, nobody can argue with you, or wants to.. We get your opinion.

Why be so MAD all the time, trying to ram your opinion down everyones throat??
- bixll

He looks at everything negatively.

The fact that the Leafs have a top prospect who had one of the most successful OHL seasons ever as an 18 year old and was the youngest player to score a goal in his playoff debut and what he thinks it is a problem because he is small...

Solid proof that he will look at every thing negatively with the Leafs. Which hey I get it...being a fan of an NHL team is frustrating but come on.

If Leafs won a Cup in the next 3 years would you care if you ate the last 3 years of that contract?
- Nasty_Duck

From a Price for Marner trade, sure. I would have been happy if Kessel for two firsts and a second brought us a Cup but I don't think the Price upgrade is worth Marner and I don't think we win a Cup under those circumstances.

I think you bring a very defendable opinion my friend.

But just to be clear.

Is that a no on the salad or...?
- Scabeh

Lately, I am not really into Caesar Salad.

There is a really good pre-male bagged salad I get from the grocery store, I think it is Sunflower Crunch. Has toasted edemame and quinoa, very yummy

Bold prediction! I kid ....

But seriously the Isles are lead by guys with hair on their nuts. That core has got a few years on the Leafs and definitely has a nice quota of compete. But nobody's thrown money at them to win it all ..b/c they lack some high end skill.

Leafs have the skill (and the hair) ... but theiy're young and lack nutsack hair. Will it come? (frank), I don't know but I hope so.
- The Law

Who has nutsack hair these days? Gross.

From a Price for Marner trade, sure. I would have been happy if Kessel for two firsts and a second brought us a Cup but I don't think the Price upgrade is worth Marner and I don't think we win a Cup under those circumstances.
- Canada Cup

Good topic though.

I mean how awesome would it be to have Price on the Leafs.

But the contract kills us, and Losing a Marner is too much also.

Lately, I am not really into Caesar Salad.

There is a really good pre-male bagged salad I get from the grocery store, I think it is Sunflower Crunch. Has toasted edemame and quinoa, very yummy
- Aetherial

And people say you can't be positive. That's sounds delicious.

Anderson, Gudas, Simmonds, Murray.

Guys I see Dubas adding. Some guys who have won and add a missing element to this team.

Gudas replaces Ceci and I'd bet Dubas goes out and trades for a cheap d man to replace Barrie.

agreed.
and neither do I

I really think Dubas and Shanahan had a vision for the team that looks like a failure right now.

Matthews looked REAL pissed in the last presser I saw. When asked about what went wrong, he definitely looked like he had something to say and wouldn't say it, for obvious reasons.
- Aetherial

Yeah I think it's fair to say that it hasn't played out the way they planned, but I also think there's a reason they all preached patience right out of the gate. These guys are smart enough to know that a young group is going to be volatile in terms of progression and there's going to be learning curves along the way.

That being said I really think Dubas is better set up this summer than he has probably ever been, and what's been done to date is nothing more than water under the bridge. It's what he does from here on out which will define this group and his tenure.

Core extended, a lot of manageable contracts/trade able assets, great free agent crop... All in a market there will be lots of penny pinchers who don't have a fraction of the buying power the leafs do.

Dwelling on what's been done to date doesn't do it for me because I don't see it defining what happens going forward. 🤷‍♂️

Who has nutsack hair these days? Gross.
- Zezel

I'm too old to keep up with current manscaping trends.

Yeah I think it's fair to say that it hasn't played out the way they planned, but I also think there's a reason they all preached patience right out of the gate. These guys are smart enough to know that a young group is going to be volatile in terms of progression and there's going to be learning curves along the way.

That being said I really think Dubas is better set up this summer than he has probably ever been, and what's been done to date is nothing more than water under the bridge. It's what he does from here on out which will define this group and his tenure.

Core extended, a lot of manageable contracts/trade able assets, great free agent crop... All in a market there will be lots of penny pinchers who don't have a fraction of the buying power the leafs do.

Dwelling on what's been done to date doesn't do it for me because I don't see it defining what happens going forward. 🤷‍♂️
- joel878

i hope that is a "perfect storm".

One brght side I see is that teams will have to shy away from free agents, and I wonder if that means more "hockey" trades. Maybe Dubas can parlay some offensive depth into defensive help.

We really need a #1 and I am not sure that is achievable.

i would not have traded marleau. we needed to eat that contract.

trading marner should have been an option. but having the balls to stick to a number that worked for the team would have been better.

but he spends money like a drunken sailor and marner's agent knew it. he saw exactly how much cap space the team had and took almost every penny of it. goes back to overpaying willy and matthews by a mil each. and signing tavares without a real plan on how to make it work. and going back - he had his hands all over the kessel deal that we are still paying on. then ends with overpaying marner by 2-3m.

it's fine if the team wins. last summer i saw the risk but was hopeful it paid off. but it didn't and the decline continued.

i don't see how it goes differently with dubas at the helm again. to me, the stage is already set. he'll force a trade with nylander that will look okay but suck. then he'll luongo andersen out of town with a last minute sell low.

i have completely lost confidence in him.
- Tumbleweed

You can think what you want all day, but trading Marner would have been inexcusable to the media, the pundits, the fanbase... The group in the dressing room ffs.

It may have been an option to you, but where the team was at and the expectation, dumping off one of their best players at age 22 for the sake of wrapping up Marleaus contract would have been inexcusable to the same group of people who are on here blasting him today.

Anderson, Gudas, Simmonds, Murray.

Guys I see Dubas adding. Some guys who have won and add a missing element to this team.

Gudas replaces Ceci and I'd bet Dubas goes out and trades for a cheap d man to replace Barrie.
- Santo_44

Gudas fits way better than Cici. Not sure Simmonds has anything left. I did not see anything of him since Nashville(?).

Anderson scares me because he seems like Clarkson.

Still like the Murray for Ander5en idea.

To people saying there's no help in the Leaf system, did you miss Robertson (frank)ing going off like a damn savage animal cyborg this year, looking like he should've been a top 5 pick? Cmon now.

Also recall both Tampa and Boston have missed playoff years during their current powerhouse eras. There are switchbacks up a mountain.