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

What team is gonna do that?

Chia-pet is out of a job and Holland is pretty much out of moves.

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.
- winsix

I know hindsight is 50/50. We're all Monday morning Quarterbacks. But I said it then and I know many of you did as well. Leafs should've kept Lou around long enough to re-sign the big boys. Then let Dubie replace him. There's no way Lou would've knuckled under like Dubie did.

Oilers are in another conference. Cap hit reduction is fairly negligible.

I will die on this hill.
- mjones242

You’ll die on whatever hill that goes against Dubas.

It’s hard to take you serious because that’s the only thing that matters to you.

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…
- Steven_Seagull

I got the sense Rielly is willing to play ball. You might get him for 6.

I know hindsight is 50/50. We're all Monday morning Quarterbacks. But I said it then and I know many of you did as well. Leafs should've kept Lou around long enough to re-sign the big boys. Then let Dubie replace him. There's no way Lou would've knuckled under like Dubie did.
- gergeswillems

He probably would have forced them into bridge deals and pissed them off to the point that they would want out.

I got the sense Rielly is willing to play ball. You might get him for 6.
- gergeswillems

And I’ll be happy with that.

👀

He probably would have forced them into bridge deals and pissed them off to the point that they would want out.
- shack67

Does Barzal want out?

He probably would have forced them into bridge deals and pissed them off to the point that they would want out.
- shack67

You may be right. But is that any worse than what ended up happening? Getting paid big bucks before winning anything? Where's the motivation to win coming from when you're making 11 mil AAV?

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

There is no chance he makes that kind of impact move. He's scared to change course and admit his 'vision' didn't work. He has said over and over since the Habs series that he believes in his core players. Nothing will change going into the new season outside of trying to plug all the gaping holes with has beens and never weres.

You’ll die on whatever hill that goes against Dubas.

It’s hard to take you serious because that’s the only thing that matters to you.
- shack67

I'm not a Dubas hater and I'm not a Dubas apologist.

I actually quite like a lot of his moves: Muzzin, Campbell, the recent McCann trade. Even the Kadri deal I think he did as well as could be expected.

However, I'm starting to lose my patience with the lack of playoff results and the Marner contract - which I felt was an overpay when it happened - I'm now actively enraged by.

The idea that we could roll out the same team next year with only minor deck chair re-arranging may have me on a slight Dubas tilt. I'm hoping he makes some moves that can re-assure the fanbase that next season we're taking a step forward towards some post-season success.

Lastly, I'd be worried if you took me even half seriously.

Does Barzal want out?
- Steven_Seagull

Speaking of Barzal, Mitch could learn a thing or two from that guy on how to play playoff hockey.

I know hindsight is 50/50. We're all Monday morning Quarterbacks. But I said it then and I know many of you did as well. Leafs should've kept Lou around long enough to re-sign the big boys. Then let Dubie replace him. There's no way Lou would've knuckled under like Dubie did.
- gergeswillems

I think the fear was that if the Leafs re-signed Lou that Dubas, the heir apparent GM, was going to fly the coop.

He probably would have forced them into bridge deals and pissed them off to the point that they would want out.
- shack67

That would still be better than the current state of affairs.

Speaking of Barzal, Mitch could learn a thing or two from that guy on how to play playoff hockey.
- fifty__missions

Barzal got off to a slow start in the playoffs but then the light switched. He really came on after that.

You’ll die on whatever hill that goes against Dubas.

It’s hard to take you serious because that’s the only thing that matters to you.
- shack67

Very ironic, the only hills I've ever seen you want to die on are very pro Dubas.

I'm not a Dubas hater and I'm not a Dubas apologist.

I actually quite like a lot of his moves: Muzzin, Campbell, the recent McCann trade. Even the Kadri deal I think he did as well as could be expected.

However, I'm starting to lose my patience with the lack of playoff results and the Marner deal - which I felt was an overpay when it happens - I'm now actively enraged by.

The idea that we could roll out the same team next year with only minor deck chair re-arranging may have me on a slight Dubas tilt. I'm hoping he makes some moves that an re-assure the fanbase that next season we're taking a step forward towards some post-season success.

Lastly, I'd be worried if you took me even half seriously.
- mjones242

The Kadri trade was garbage from the get go, and many people here called it that way.

Ville Ottavainen was drafted. That makes two Kitchener Rangers drafted.

I think the fear was that if the Leafs re-signed Lou that Dubas, the heir apparent GM, was going to fly the coop.
- mjones242

Perhaps. It's unfortunate things worked out the way they did. If I travelled back 5 years in David Poile's time machine and told everyone here the Leafs wouldn't have any playoff round wins in 2021 you'd die laughing.

I think the fear was that if the Leafs re-signed Lou that Dubas, the heir apparent GM, was going to fly the coop.
- mjones242

Shanahan's biggest mistake. The only question is whether MLSE cleans Shanny out too when Dubas is canned.

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

Found it tough to want to play. Sounds like the lazy entitled player we are short supply of.

I know hindsight is 50/50. We're all Monday morning Quarterbacks. But I said it then and I know many of you did as well. Leafs should've kept Lou around long enough to re-sign the big boys. Then let Dubie replace him. There's no way Lou would've knuckled under like Dubie did.
- gergeswillems

Agree and Lou has done alot with much less for the NYI. Hiring an excellent coach was perhaps his best move there.

Shanahan's biggest mistake. The only question is whether MLSE cleans Shanny out too when Dubas is canned.
- fifty__missions

I think Shanny already used up his 1 get out of jail Free card. Babcock was scapegoated and thrown under the bus. Shanny and Dubie's fates are tied together.

Agree and Lou has done alot with much less for the NYI. Hiring an excellent coach was perhaps his best move there.
- winsix

Hiring Trotz was definitely Lou's best move.

Found it tough to want to play. Sounds like the lazy entitled player we are short supply of.
- drexel

Another top shelf contribution from the most useless poster on this entire site.