Which raises the question about playoffs this year. Dubas might make all the right moves between now and TDL, create a really, really good team only to lose to a great team in the first round.

The verdict will be that Dubas failed, end of story.
- Canada Cup

- TheMussel

Perhaps. And you're right, there's almost no scenarios where the Leafs end up facing anyting else than another very, very good team.

I think it's all about "how" they lose.

For example, last year they lost being the favorites and saw some of their very important players underperform.

Now that could be a bump in the road, but if it were to happen again after Dubas decided there didn't need to be a change, he'll have to take part of the blame for it.

One thing is for certain in my mind, I don't think another first round exit can be accepted without some change to the core of the team.
- Scabeh

Agreed.
But Im not sure Dubas will do that.

From the tweeter:

"Leafs ranked 2nd in an Atheltic poll among agents for who they’d recommended clients to sign with. Obviously you can joke that it’s because the Leafs like to hand out money, but big part is stuff like this. Business is a business, but it doesn’t have to be cut throat all the time"

The above was in response to the below:

"Ryan Dzingel credited Leafs GM Kyle Dubas for the way his situation was handled. He remained in Arizona after the trade and knew he was going to get waived: "He called me and was honest, and you don't find that a lot in this league." #SJSharks"

Classy move
- Fakepartofme

You have to think it's not surprising. I think he is a relationship manager.

As much as Martin was traded for cap space, he was also traded because he wasn't going to get an opportunity to play here.

He also traded guys like Carrick, Leivo, Lehtonen and Barabanov because they weren't going to get the opportunity to play here, but they would elsewhere.

Those assets weren't going to appreciate in value, so at some point doing the right thing for the person becomes more important than the business decision to keep them.

I think those things matter to players and agents. It matters when he's scraping the bottom of the barrel for cheap bottom-6 talent - agents know he'll keep his word about moving them if it doesn't work out.

He also does it quietly, unlike a former GM who was too busy to tie his tie and he would have f'n let you f'n know what a great f'n guy he was.

- TheMussel

Cause he would have failed in building a team to get past the 1st round.
Sorry, its the playoffs, youre gonna play good teams. No excuses.
Granted you shouldnt have to play a top team in the 1st round, but thats the way its been for while now.
- Fakepartofme

It’s not an excuse but it might ignore the reality of them being a very good team where everyone pushes for changes that might end up being counterproductive.

Cause he would have failed in building a team to get past the 1st round.
Sorry, its the playoffs, youre gonna play good teams. No excuses.
Granted you shouldnt have to play a top team in the 1st round, but thats the way its been for while now.
- Fakepartofme

This is such a peculiar subject in a way. You can be unsuccessfully successful - like San Jose and Ottawa. Dubas has built, what I think is, the best Leafs team I've ever seen. Keefe is coaching them very well. They are going through a bit of a rough period where not everyone is together and whether it's the Defense, the Goaltending, the second line or all of the above - doesn't matter. Rough patches are good because you learn how to fix them and adapt and adjust. That will be necessary in the playoffs as well.

But I digress from the peculiar subject that popped in my head: One of the Leaf teams that many of us loved was the late 70's Leafs with Palmateer, Sittler, McDonald, Salming, Turnbull, Williams, Ellis and Thompson. That was a very good team that was on the rise - but they ran into the powerhouse dynasty Canadiens (I still think the best team ever assembled) and it prompted the management team to start tearing it apart. Could they, with growth, have interrupted the Canadiens dynasty or stood toe-to-toe with the Islanders dynasty that followed? As they were constructed in 77-78, maybe not, but they had the pieces in place that with proper management, they could have tweaked and changed and gotten better - instead of into the laughingstock they became for over 15 years. It still took them over 30 years to realise that a real rebuild was required.

Sometimes you have to outwait the other powerhouses and build with them until you beat them. Washington didn't give up their core with Ovi - they built and grew. So, too, can the Leafs - I think.

At the end of the day, if this not a successful Leafs team, our post mortem would likely conclude that while overpaying Marner in particular, signing Tavares was the largest misstep in the team's construction.

It’s not an excuse but it might ignore the reality of them being a very good team where everyone pushes for changes that might end up being counterproductive.
- Canada Cup

Hindsight is nice, it's predicting the past basically. Wouldn't it be great if we could use hindsight to buy lottery tickets? Matthews has been pretty good on the draw this year, not as good as JT but among the league leaders. That OT loss came right after losing the draw - just saying. It was also disappointing to lose a game to another zamboni driver who outgoalied Campbell.

This is such a peculiar subject in a way. You can be unsuccessfully successful - like San Jose and Ottawa. Dubas has built, what I think is, the best Leafs team I've ever seen. Keefe is coaching them very well. They are going through a bit of a rough period where not everyone is together and whether it's the Defense, the Goaltending, the second line or all of the above - doesn't matter. Rough patches are good because you learn how to fix them and adapt and adjust. That will be necessary in the playoffs as well.

But I digress from the peculiar subject that popped in my head: One of the Leaf teams that many of us loved was the late 70's Leafs with Palmateer, Sittler, McDonald, Salming, Turnbull, Williams, Ellis and Thompson. That was a very good team that was on the rise - but they ran into the powerhouse dynasty Canadiens (I still think the best team ever assembled) and it prompted the management team to start tearing it apart. Could they, with growth, have interrupted the Canadiens dynasty or stood toe-to-toe with the Islanders dynasty that followed? As they were constructed in 77-78, maybe not, but they had the pieces in place that with proper management, they could have tweaked and changed and gotten better - instead of into the laughingstock they became for over 15 years. It still took them over 30 years to realise that a real rebuild was required.

Sometimes you have to outwait the other powerhouses and build with them until you beat them. Washington didn't give up their core with Ovi - they built and grew. So, too, can the Leafs - I think.

At the end of the day, if this not a successful Leafs team, our post mortem would likely conclude that while overpaying Marner in particular, signing Tavares was the largest misstep in the team's construction.
- Monkeypunk

I think half the team was inducted into the HHOF.

That’s all you got pin head? Weak! LMFAO! Keep making those predictions it’s very entertaining
- Bobd62

Enjoy your ban!

Flagged 17 times by accident.

Agreed.
But Im not sure Dubas will do that.
- Fakepartofme

If they don't make it passed the first round this year, it will be time to move one of the core 3 or lose his job IMO.

Shanahan doesn't have the nutsack to take the helm and make those types of moves. He's been awesome at skirting any responsibility while here in Leafland. So it will be Dubas to save his job or a new GM will do it for his new job.

That’s all you got pin head? Weak! LMFAO! Keep making those predictions it’s very entertaining
- Bobd62

7

This is such a peculiar subject in a way. You can be unsuccessfully successful - like San Jose and Ottawa. Dubas has built, what I think is, the best Leafs team I've ever seen. Keefe is coaching them very well. They are going through a bit of a rough period where not everyone is together and whether it's the Defense, the Goaltending, the second line or all of the above - doesn't matter. Rough patches are good because you learn how to fix them and adapt and adjust. That will be necessary in the playoffs as well.

But I digress from the peculiar subject that popped in my head: One of the Leaf teams that many of us loved was the late 70's Leafs with Palmateer, Sittler, McDonald, Salming, Turnbull, Williams, Ellis and Thompson. That was a very good team that was on the rise - but they ran into the powerhouse dynasty Canadiens (I still think the best team ever assembled) and it prompted the management team to start tearing it apart. Could they, with growth, have interrupted the Canadiens dynasty or stood toe-to-toe with the Islanders dynasty that followed? As they were constructed in 77-78, maybe not, but they had the pieces in place that with proper management, they could have tweaked and changed and gotten better - instead of into the laughingstock they became for over 15 years. It still took them over 30 years to realise that a real rebuild was required.

Sometimes you have to outwait the other powerhouses and build with them until you beat them. Washington didn't give up their core with Ovi - they built and grew. So, too, can the Leafs - I think.

At the end of the day, if this not a successful Leafs team, our post mortem would likely conclude that while overpaying Marner in particular, signing Tavares was the largest misstep in the team's construction.
- Monkeypunk

Excellent post (blog) as always.

That’s all you got pin head? Weak! LMFAO! Keep making those predictions it’s very entertaining
- Bobd62

easy there you scallywag, people are allowed to make predictions you scoundrel, go back to your own thread you nincompoop

It’s not an excuse but it might ignore the reality of them being a very good team where everyone pushes for changes that might end up being counterproductive.
- Canada Cup

You have battered wife syndrome CC.

If this team doesn't get passed the 1st round, they're not a good team. They might be a bunch of talented players with amazing individual stats that are good at regular season hockey but they're not a good "hockey team". Being a good hockey team means winning in the playoffs.

The GMs job is to see passed the regular season and individual stats and assemble a team of players with the mettle to get the job done when it matters most. If the job doesn't get done then the GM is not good at his job. The players are not good at their job of winning.

easy there you scallywag, people are allowed to make predictions you scoundrel, go back to your own thread you nincompoop
- TheMussel

He's a rapscallion.

easy there you scallywag, people are allowed to make predictions you scoundrel, go back to your own thread you nincompoop
- TheMussel

Boggles my mind that people spend so much effort, time and energy to hate another team or it’s fans. Some people need to get a life

Boggles my mind that people spend so much effort, time and energy to hate another team or it’s fans. Some people need to get a life
- .OHOH.

I find it more boggling to see some fans hating their own team to be honest.

He's a rapscallion.
- Atomic Wedgie

I've seen my share of shabaroons around here but that ragamuffin really takes the cake

That’s all you got pin head? Weak! LMFAO! Keep making those predictions it’s very entertaining
- Bobd62

Why so angry?
Dont worry, the rangers will be relevant again, soon.

In time.

I've seen my share of shabaroons around here but that ragamuffin really takes the cake
- TheMussel

Mmmmm cake.

Poor kid

This is such a peculiar subject in a way. You can be unsuccessfully successful - like San Jose and Ottawa. Dubas has built, what I think is, the best Leafs team I've ever seen. Keefe is coaching them very well. They are going through a bit of a rough period where not everyone is together and whether it's the Defense, the Goaltending, the second line or all of the above - doesn't matter. Rough patches are good because you learn how to fix them and adapt and adjust. That will be necessary in the playoffs as well.

But I digress from the peculiar subject that popped in my head: One of the Leaf teams that many of us loved was the late 70's Leafs with Palmateer, Sittler, McDonald, Salming, Turnbull, Williams, Ellis and Thompson. That was a very good team that was on the rise - but they ran into the powerhouse dynasty Canadiens (I still think the best team ever assembled) and it prompted the management team to start tearing it apart. Could they, with growth, have interrupted the Canadiens dynasty or stood toe-to-toe with the Islanders dynasty that followed? As they were constructed in 77-78, maybe not, but they had the pieces in place that with proper management, they could have tweaked and changed and gotten better - instead of into the laughingstock they became for over 15 years. It still took them over 30 years to realise that a real rebuild was required.

Sometimes you have to outwait the other powerhouses and build with them until you beat them. Washington didn't give up their core with Ovi - they built and grew. So, too, can the Leafs - I think.

At the end of the day, if this not a successful Leafs team, our post mortem would likely conclude that while overpaying Marner in particular, signing Tavares was the largest misstep in the team's construction.
- Monkeypunk

This is a really solid post. I questioned the JT signing at the time, and truly believe it has hindered the ability to build a balanced team. I know they were trying to accelerate the timeline but they would have benefitted more from growing within IMO.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...nosis-want-stay-positive/

Seems like a good kid He mentions that snowboard Olympian and Lindbolm, he wants to be like them and be an example for hope for anyone who has to go through this.

Wish him the best and speedy recovery.

Grip it & Rip it… Laine he’s on a heater …

Good effort tonight from the boys…
- dozerD10

He's got a trend going where he has 1 good month a season. This appears to be the month this season.

If he could get it going all the time, he'd be great.