Reilly has not been very good since coming back from that knee injury and he doesn't do much for them on the PP. But they are stuck with him forever now with that contract.
And when 40 year old Giordano is your 2nd or 3rd best Dman and goaltending is iffy, they should be worried going into the playoffs, games are won and lost behind the blue line.

Mattias Ekholm would fit perfectly for them, but Nashville isn't giving him away cheap.
- RickJ

Agree about Ekholm. Actually trading some of the firepower up front for D would make the Leafs a much better team, a real hockey deal to allow them to be cap compliant. At this point though, I'm sure Nashville wants prospects/picks.

Reilly has not been very good since coming back from that knee injury and he doesn't do much for them on the PP. But they are stuck with him forever now with that contract.
And when 40 year old Giordano is your 2nd or 3rd best Dman and goaltending is iffy, they should be worried going into the playoffs, games are won and lost behind the blue line.

Mattias Ekholm would fit perfectly for them, but Nashville isn't giving him away cheap.
- RickJ

Maybe they’ll take Murphy?

Agree about Ekholm. Actually trading some of the firepower up front for D would make the Leafs a much better team, a real hockey deal to allow them to be cap compliant. At this point though, I'm sure Nashville wants prospects/picks.
- Popsghostly

If they can't afford McCabe they definitely can't afford Ekholm.

The Leafs have a similar problem to Edmonton - lots of offence but under pressure the D isn't good enough. Like Paul said, makes you appreciate what the Hawks had in Keith, Seabs, Hammer and Oduya.

Not sure if Kane would waive for the Isle. Not a popular place to be sent to. That said, we could send Domi there.
- Popsghostly

Domi, AA, Lafferty and #17 could be options for NYI, but they don’t have much to spend. Their 2023 2nd could be a decent option, but they don’t have too any prospects to make it work KD’s while.

Fwiw - don't think Winnipeg was ever in the Norris Division. It was only ever 5 teams. North Stars, Leafs, Wings, Blues, and Hawks.

Maybe they’ll take Murphy?
- paulr

Wasn't that a lovely play he made last night when it was 4-3. Rushes back to pick up the puck behind his net and to get rid of it just fires it off the boards to a waiting Leaf that led to about 2 minutes of craziness in the Hawks zone.

Wasn't that a lovely play he made last night when it was 4-3. Rushes back to pick up the puck behind his net and to get rid of it just fires it off the boards to a waiting Leaf that led to about 2 minutes of craziness in the Hawks zone.
- RickJ

Murphy would win the weakest clearing attempt competition at the allstar game every year.

Murphy would win the weakest clearing attempt competition at the allstar game every year.
- Popsghostly

WTF would Murphy be on the ice at the All Star game?

Fwiw - don't think Winnipeg was ever in the Norris Division. It was only ever 5 teams. North Stars, Leafs, Wings, Blues, and Hawks.
- SC116

They were for one season 81/82.

Thats the good news, its a great hockey market with big fan interest not just within Chicago but across North America. And its so much better for the league when they are a decent team.

I happened to be at the train station in downtown Toronto last Wednesday when the Hawks were in town. Huge number of people wearing Hawks jerseys wandering around Union Station prior to the game. Same thing happens when they play in Montreal.
- RickJ

But that can't be, I thought everyone hates the Hawks and their organization.....................

If the Hawks put Toews on LTIR and with his consent trade him to say the Rangers, could New York use the LTIR cap relief to obtain a certain player also with a 10.5M cap hit?
- boilermaker100

Didn't the statement last night say he wouldn't be traded?

WTF would Murphy be on the ice at the All Star game?
- paulr

Driving the zamboni in between periods.

I’m surprised the NHL hasn’t tried to close that loophole.
- paulr

I thought I read last summer teams were pushing for the league to figure out how to police this better? Think the only logical step is putting a cap number/limit on teams come playoff time.

Fwiw - don't think Winnipeg was ever in the Norris Division. It was only ever 5 teams. North Stars, Leafs, Wings, Blues, and Hawks.
- SC116

For one season they were.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norris_Division

Reilly has not been very good since coming back from that knee injury and he doesn't do much for them on the PP. But they are stuck with him forever now with that contract.
And when 40 year old Giordano is your 2nd or 3rd best Dman and goaltending is iffy, they should be worried going into the playoffs, games are won and lost behind the blue line.

Mattias Ekholm would fit perfectly for them, but Nashville isn't giving him away cheap.
- RickJ

This is why Tampa is going to beat them again. Especially with Cooper at the helm. He'll put somebody on Matthews and the leafs will implode.

Somebody put Pierre LeBrun on suicide watch.

All joking aside when does Dumbas and Shanahan get axed? I mean rolling out the same plan year after year....is insanity by definition.

Wasn't that a lovely play he made last night when it was 4-3. Rushes back to pick up the puck behind his net and to get rid of it just fires it off the boards to a waiting Leaf that led to about 2 minutes of craziness in the Hawks zone.
- RickJ

Oh but that leadership Rick J....so invaluable.

he is hockey dumb at the simplest level. It would be a blessing for somebody to take this guy off our hands.

Thank god I managed to skip any postgame recap and his dictionary of cliche excuses on what went wrong and how to fix it......

Maybe they’ll take Murphy?
- paulr

Can you imagine? That would increase their odds of being swept by Tampa by at least 10%

This is why Tampa is going to beat them again. Especially with Cooper at the helm. He'll put somebody on Matthews and the leafs will implode.

Somebody put Pierre LeBrun on suicide watch.

All joking aside when does Dumbas and Shanahan get axed? I mean rolling out the same plan year after year....is insanity by definition.
- SteveRain

The strategy has always been to stop Marner, Boston did it, Montreal did it and Tampa did it. Tavares or Matthews play their best when Marner is on their respective line. Marner is an elite playmaker and he controls the puck to make plays. Matthews benefits with his release and Tavares creates a net front disturbance.

I thought I read last summer teams were pushing for the league to figure out how to police this better? Think the only logical step is putting a cap number/limit on teams come playoff time.
- SteveRain

I think the way they were trying to police it was that the team you put on the ice has to be cap compliant in the playoffs. So, you can have all these great players at your disposal, but you needed to either alternate who plays or make some other difficult decision to leave out a higher cost player.

Didn't the statement last night say he wouldn't be traded?
- vabeachbear

That was before KD heard my idea. LOL.

The strategy has always been to stop Marner, Boston did it, Montreal did it and Tampa did it. Tavares or Matthews play their best when Marner is on their respective line. Marner is an elite playmaker and he controls the puck to make plays. Matthews benefits with his release and Tavares creates a net front disturbance.
- paulr

Well considering they haven't won a series since they were all in the league, not sure it matters.

I get why they signed Tavares going after the big star to compliment their big "3" upfront, but man...I get he had that injury but in 20 games he has 13 points.....the others are all within 3 points of each other...33 for Matthews and Marner and 30 for Nylander. Matthews has 17 goals, 13 for Nylander and 7 for Marner.

Their lack of addressing goaltending and defense is what continues to ail them and for all the circle jerking Dubas and Shanahan seem to get from canadian press on twitter....they have nothing to show for it....and I don't see how Tampa doesn't bounce them again in round 1 baring a major injury to close out the series. That's before THEY likely add to their group.

Well considering they haven't won a series since they were all in the league, not sure it matters.

I get why they signed Tavares going after the big star to compliment their big "3" upfront, but man...I get he had that injury but in 20 games he has 13 points.....the others are all within 3 points of each other...33 for Matthews and Marner and 30 for Nylander. Matthews has 17 goals, 13 for Nylander and 7 for Marner.

Their lack of addressing goaltending and defense is what continues to ail them and for all the circle jerking Dubas and Shanahan seem to get from canadian press on twitter....they have nothing to show for it....and I don't see how Tampa doesn't bounce them again in round 1 baring a major injury to close out the series. That's before THEY likely add to their group.
- SteveRain

I guess the Makemelaughs are hoping to overwhelm them with offense? It isn’t generally the most successful way to win in the playoffs but I’m not sure they can compete in a low scoring defense first game? The other thing is Matthews, Marner and Nylander, among others need to grow a pair and be stronger on the puck and not be afraid of the tough areas on the ice.

I guess the Makemelaughs are hoping to overwhelm them with offense? It isn’t generally the most successful way to win in the playoffs but I’m not sure they can compete in a low scoring defense first game? The other thing is Matthews, Marner and Nylander, among others need to grow a pair and be stronger on the puck and not be afraid of the tough areas on the ice.
- paulr

100%

I am still surprised they haven't traded 1 of the 3 in Marner, Matthews or Nylander to get cap space to get a proven D man(men) as they are far too F heavy as you rightfully stated.

Matt Murray isn't saving the day, assuming he is however healthy he can be.

100%

I am still surprised they haven't traded 1 of the 3 in Marner, Matthews or Nylander to get cap space to get a proven D man(men) as they are far too F heavy as you rightfully stated.

Matt Murray isn't saving the day, assuming he is however healthy he can be.
- SteveRain

If they go out early and are forced to trade one of those three, it is probably too late.

On another note there have been rumblings, true or otherwise, that Matthews may not re-sign. Should it be true there are going to be thousands of Leaf fans ready to make the jump. Can you imagine Chicago drafting Bedard and signing Matthews as a UFA.

Wasn't that a lovely play he made last night when it was 4-3. Rushes back to pick up the puck behind his net and to get rid of it just fires it off the boards to a waiting Leaf that led to about 2 minutes of craziness in the Hawks zone.
- RickJ

I was there last night and saw that. Got a sore neck from shaking my head. Peewees I've coached know to never give the puck to the point man cuz he sends it right back to the net. Really a tough watch with that guy.

Had to go, family thing and I had to drive. But we were in a penthouse suite. Eight stories above grade and the rink is 1 1/2 stories below grade. As high as you can get. The good news is the sound is tolerable. Building is designed to make the sound travel downward and replicate the old building. So I couldn't see much but my ears weren't ringing.