You take a kid like Zack Stringer, probably the most talented kid I've ever watched play AAA hockey. He gets every aspect of the game, his vision and scoring ability are insane, he's fast, hits like a truck.

He was a top 10 WHL pick, last year was projected in the first round.

Covid happened, the WHL was only playing 24 games this year. With all the pandemic poop he basically found it tough to want to play hockey, had a subpar year and dropped to 190th.

24 games, from 14th to 190th.

6th rounders matter in this draft, throw your darts.
- joel878

Exactly this. There is so much uncertainty in scouting this past season that the rounds in question seem arbitrary at best.

Well, that was certainly a scathing and enlightening read.
- mjones242

I'm not really over Holland ruining the Red Wings. I give him his due for managing a Cup team which was already built when he became GM. But he really ran the Red Wings into the ground his last 7-8 years as Red Wings GM. He's damn lucky McDavid and Draisaitl are in Edmonton. They hide alot of warts. But that's likely the main reason he went there in the first place.

So very very angry. Finally somebody gets me
- Canada Cup

Methinks Dubas has over-estimated this team's ability to go deep in the playoffs and his trades have seriously damaged the prospect pipeline as a result.

Cap hell with no prospects and never a sniff past the first round.

Not a good look.
- mjones242

He has a chance coming up to fix that. If he moves Rielly it should be for a solid d-man plus a lottery pick. Shane Wright beckons.

He has a chance coming up to fix that. If he moves Rielly it should be for a solid d-man plus a lottery pick. Shane Wright beckons.
- winsix

Shane Wright will end up in Seattle. Gary will make sure of it.

So very very angry. Finally somebody gets me
- Canada Cup

have a snicker bar and bang on some ivory keys.

I'm not really over Holland ruining the Red Wings. I give him his due for managing a Cup team which was already built when he became GM. But he really ran the Red Wings into the ground his last 7-8 years as Red Wings GM. He's damn lucky McDavid and Draisaitl are in Edmonton. They hide alot of warts. But that's likely the main reason he went there in the first place.
- gergeswillems

Well, at the very least, you won some Cups in spite of Holland.

- winsix

Great (frank)ing Beatles deep cut. (if that is even a thing in their oeuvre)

He has a chance coming up to fix that. If he moves Rielly it should be for a solid d-man plus a lottery pick. Shane Wright beckons.
- winsix

While it would be awesome, I doubt any team would be willing to give up a lottery ticket for Wright.

Also, I'm thinking he rides Rielly next season.

Are you still a Boy Wonder fan? (serious question SS)

I was indifferent mostly but definitely not a fan of his soft/skill analytic BS.

I will absolutely have fu3king immense hate for him come September if he hasn't fixed this team. Not band-aid $1m contract fixes but a real attempt at some type of real trade. Just an attempt even if it failed.

Trading Rielly or Marner or pulling some magic out of his a$$ is all he can do to save face for me. I'm really starting to hate him and the team he's put together.

Never been this way before either, even with sh1t Leafs teams and GMs. For me, those other teams had nothing to work with, Dubas has had everything... AM/MM/JT/WN/MR/1st Rounders/great UFAs have been available during his tenure/and even the magnificient JHoll... to make the team better and still hasn't.

I don't think he's good at the job. He is terrible at unwinding a mistake...to stubborn or arrogant perhaps?!?
- underhill14

Rielly for Boeser

Well, at the very least, you won some Cups in spite of Holland.
- mjones242

Should've won more really. But that's another story.

Are you still a Boy Wonder fan? (serious question SS)

I was indifferent mostly but definitely not a fan of his soft/skill analytic BS.

I will absolutely have fu3king immense hate for him come September if he hasn't fixed this team. Not band-aid $1m contract fixes but a real attempt at some type of real trade. Just an attempt even if it failed.

Trading Rielly or Marner or pulling some magic out of his a$$ is all he can do to save face for me. I'm really starting to hate him and the team he's put together.

Never been this way before either, even with sh1t Leafs teams and GMs. For me, those other teams had nothing to work with, Dubas has had everything... AM/MM/JT/WN/MR/1st Rounders/great UFAs have been available during his tenure/and even the magnificient JHoll... to make the team better and still hasn't.

I don't think he's good at the job. He is terrible at unwinding a mistake...to stubborn or arrogant perhaps?!?
- underhill14

I like his emphasis on skill as it’s harder to get high end skill than it is to get a 3rd line grinder type. I just don’t understand the need to have 3 forwards averaging 11.2M each. So, so stupid. Even if the cap was rising normally, that is still difficult to manage, but with the flat cap he still refuses to adapt. Posters like Santo clearly don’t see why this is a problem, as I said earlier, Dubas himself has said this hasn’t been done before. I don’t know why he’s so insistent on doing this.

He seems like a player agent disguised as a GM. Caring more about the player’s feelings than the betterment of the team.

I like his philosophy, just hate the execution. Honestly, if the Leafs don’t make the Conference Finals next season, I’ll be done with him.

Should've won more really. But that's another story.
- gergeswillems

Do you think Babs may have cost you additional glory? I'm thinking yes.

Shane Wright will end up in Seattle. Gary will make sure of it.
- gergeswillems

(frank) Seattle, he wants to be a Leaf. He can pull a Lindros

I like his emphasis on skill as it’s harder to get high end skill than it is to get a 3rd line grinder type. I just don’t understand the need to have 3 forwards averaging 11.2M each. So, so stupid. Even if the cap was rising normally, that is still difficult to manage, but with the flat cap he still refuses to adapt. Posters like Santo clearly don’t see why this is a problem, as I said earlier, Dubas himself has said this hasn’t been done before. I don’t know why he’s so insistent on doing this.

He seems like a player agent disguised as a GM. Caring more about the player’s feelings than the betterment of the team.

I like his philosophy, just hate the execution. Honestly, if the Leafs don’t make the Conference Finals next season, I’ll be done with him.
- Steven_Seagull

Well said.

I like his emphasis on skill as it’s harder to get high end skill than it is to get a 3rd line grinder type. I just don’t understand the need to have 3 forwards averaging 11.2M each. So, so stupid. Even if the cap was rising normally, that is still difficult to manage, but with the flat cap he still refuses to adapt. Posters like Santo clearly don’t see why this is a problem, as I said earlier, Dubas himself has said this hasn’t been done before. I don’t know why he’s so insistent on doing this.

He seems like a player agent disguised as a GM. Caring more about the player’s feelings than the betterment of the team.

I like his philosophy, just hate the execution. Honestly, if the Leafs don’t make the Conference Finals next season, I’ll be done with him.
- Steven_Seagull

I think Dubie is so far dug in with his philosophy that he can't go back. He convinced Shanny to run with him by bringing new fresh ideas. He sold Shanny a bill of goods. But they're both now at the end of their rope so it's Hail Mary time. They're going down with the ship! That's essentially what Dubie was saying the other day.

Do you think Babs may have cost you additional glory? I'm thinking yes.
- mjones242

Oh definitely yes.

I think Dubie is so far dug in with his philosophy that he can't go back. He convinced Shanny to run with him by bringing new fresh ideas. He sold Shanny a bill of goods. But they're both now at the end of their rope so it's Hail Mary time. They're going down with the ship! That's essentially what Dubie was saying the other day.
- gergeswillems

I just hope he either extends Rielly to a reasonable contract, or he trades him before he gets fired. I don’t want yet another good assist to walk for nothing next year.

I just hope he either extends Rielly to a reasonable contract, or he trades him before he gets fired. I don’t want yet another good assist to walk for nothing next year.
- Steven_Seagull

This is exactly how I feel. You just can't lose Reilly for nothing. Too many wasted assets.

I just hope he either extends Rielly to a reasonable contract, or he trades him before he gets fired. I don’t want yet another good assist to walk for nothing next year.
- Steven_Seagull

Can't see Riellys value getting higher than it would be now, should trade him now.

If this draft is such an unknown and you want to get as many darts as possible, why the hell do we care if it's a 3rd, 4th, etc?

Get your lotto tickets.

We've already seen teams go off the board and scouting reports are not lockstep.

So yes, quibbling over the Round you're getting in return seems rather absurd this year. 🤷
- mjones242

It Dubus, he's a noob.

I just hope he either extends Rielly to a reasonable contract, or he trades him before he gets fired. I don’t want yet another good assist to walk for nothing next year.
- Steven_Seagull

If Rielly really does want to stay in Toronto and is willing to take less than market value, he should be re-signed. Flaws and all he's still a good player. There's nothing worse than losing a good player for nothing. Isles lost Tavares for nothing and they managed to not be ruined by it. But that's rare. Losing Hyman for nothing is a gut punch. Re-sign Rielly or trade him this summer. You don't want that R word (rental) attached to him killing his trade value.

I think Dubie is so far dug in with his philosophy that he can't go back. He convinced Shanny to run with him by bringing new fresh ideas. He sold Shanny a bill of goods. But they're both now at the end of their rope so it's Hail Mary time. They're going down with the ship! That's essentially what Dubie was saying the other day.
- gergeswillems

make her or breaker her time for Dubas

I like his emphasis on skill as it’s harder to get high end skill than it is to get a 3rd line grinder type. I just don’t understand the need to have 3 forwards averaging 11.2M each. So, so stupid. Even if the cap was rising normally, that is still difficult to manage, but with the flat cap he still refuses to adapt. Posters like Santo clearly don’t see why this is a problem, as I said earlier, Dubas himself has said this hasn’t been done before. I don’t know why he’s so insistent on doing this.

He seems like a player agent disguised as a GM. Caring more about the player’s feelings than the betterment of the team.

I like his philosophy, just hate the execution. Honestly, if the Leafs don’t make the Conference Finals next season, I’ll be done with him.
- Steven_Seagull

Several good points. For me the three biggest mistakes were 1) not forcing a bridge deal with Marner. It would have been difficult to predict Covid and the flat cap. Revenues were on the rise, and had the cap continued to move up as they did previously, this would not be a discussion. 2) Hiring his friend Keefe as a coach and 3) Not inserting more grit into the lineup especially on defense.

If Rielly really does want to stay in Toronto and is willing to take less than market value, he should be re-signed. There's nothing worse than losing a good player for nothing. Isles lost Tavares for nothing and they managed to not be ruined by it. But that's rare. Losing Hyman for nothing is a gut punch. Re-sign Rielly or trade him this summer. You don't want that R word (rental) attached to him killing his trade value.
- gergeswillems

5.75-6.25 for 6-8 years.

He’ll be the highest paid Dman on the team, and it’s basically just his current cap hit plus the Kessel retention.


Also, he’s not worth more than 6.5. So Dubas probably gives him 8 years at 8.44 per year and call it a bargain…