So what do you guys think? Edmonton is in a similar situation as Toronto.
We look to be on the verge of elimination in 6 by a very good Las Vegas Team after a a very competitive series against the under rated Kings. The Oil boast 2 of the players in the league if not the 2 best and came into the playoffs the hottest team in the NHL .
This roster is pretty much set for 2 full seasons after this one before we start losing key players to free agency.
They are not without their warts , but I believe this team can win a Stanley Cup, but there’s plenty of reasons why it won’t happen over the course of a series or 4 of playoff hockey.
Is this the kind of situation where you ride out this core group and go for a Stanley or do you start trading away pieces before we lose them for nothing.
I have no problem losing Draisaitl and McDavid to free agency so long as they deliver us a Stanley Cup before that happens.
What are your thoughts, being faces with a similar situation?
- HonkyTonkMan

Edmonton still has poor goaltending and questionable depth up front. The major difference between the two teams is that your stars play like stars in the playoffs. Ours are terrible, so Edmonton is closer than the Leafs.

A glorious day out here on the west coast!
Bennett and Gudas had a great series.
Anyway, I'll let you guys get back to blaming the refs.
- Marwood

Go back to your crybaby reporting of posts against Leafs fans, it’s such a cute look for you.

No need to buy him out, move him to a team like Chicago who needs a few million to reach the minimum. Something simple like Murray and a fourth for their fifth.
- Dozzer

We already did that with Chicago and it cost moving out of the 1st round for less money.

A glorious day out here on the west coast!
Bennett and Gudas had a great series.
Anyway, I'll let you guys get back to blaming the refs.
- Marwood

You are (frank)ing useless.

Fun facts:

Leafs lead the 2023 playoffs in most blocked shots per game. They also sit 4th in hits per game (the top 3 all were eliminated in round 1)

What's this about not being able to play a certain brand of hockey? I mean they did all sorts of things not expected of them.

It sucks they lost in the fashion they lost but trying to be objective, the games were real tight checking, playoff games. It'll mean something for guys looking to stay in Toronto.
- Aaron_85

You have to watch the games and not just read the stats. Why is the only guy who consistently drove to the net Morgan Reilly? I'll even give Nylander some credit - he did it very occasionally.

The rest of our guys were perimeter darlings. East-west, stop and curls, 35 ft wrist shots. THAT is why we scored 2 - TWO goals for 7 - SEVEN straight games. You have to get to the middle of the (frank)ing ice. It blows me away Shanahan has watched over this poop for so long - that was his game.

No jam. Florida had loads of JAM. Look at that (frank)ing wiener Gudas on the winner. That's how you win in the playoffs. It's not just counting body checks unfortunately.

vs Leafs:
Barkov 1 goal on a floater Sammy should have saved
Thachuk- 0 goals

So it's not just our guys that don't produce in a series.

Edmonton still has poor goaltending and questionable depth up front. The major difference between the two teams is that your stars play like stars in the playoffs. Ours are terrible, so Edmonton is closer than the Leafs.
- Interloper

That seems to be the case in this series. The previous series we had production from all lines and no player on the active roster went pointless.
I think it’s our 5x5 play , particularly on the defensive side. A Victor Herman type would be nice but there’s only a couple of those and none available or affordable.

You are (frank)ing useless.
- joel878

Oh he knows man - even his dad pm’s me to talk about what a disappointment he is.

Ugh and the Lakers won

Fun facts:

Leafs lead the 2023 playoffs in most blocked shots per game. They also sit 4th in hits per game (the top 3 all were eliminated in round 1)

What's this about not being able to play a certain brand of hockey? I mean they did all sorts of things not expected of them.

It sucks they lost in the fashion they lost but trying to be objective, the games were real tight checking, playoff games. It'll mean something for guys looking to stay in Toronto.
- Aaron_85

Shot blocks and hits are general proxies to not having the puck. Hence why most of the top teams in those categories usually aren't successful.

new blog everyone

UFA:

Quick
Varlamov
Bishop (obviously done)
Bernier
Andersen (lol doubt he comes back)
Talbot
Jarry
Khudobin
Nedeljkovic
Broissoit
Reimer
Hill
Smith
Raanta
Jones (played well in Seattle)
Halak
Korpse

List goes on. A few guys will likely be overpaid (Korpse for sure). I didn't list any RFAs.
I personally just don't like buyouts so while it's a valid option it's simply not my preference. I think Murray/Woll would be fine. Woll will get plenty of work anyway and the leafs can go find another guy to deepen the Marlies.
- Aaron_85

Get rid of Murray. He is done. Cant have him constantly hoing down injured.

Jones is ok, but he only works well when he can get in s groove meaning lots of starts. I'd pass on him there.

Of that list Broissart or Varlamov might not be bad as a backup but...

Woll needs to step in as backup next year. 25-30 games get him in and see how he can do. Knowing tgat Id rather just sign Sammy for 2-3 years and see how Woll pans out and keep developing goaltending.

I'll say this about Radko Gudas and the Leafs. If the Leafs have any, and I mean ANY shred of self-respect, this guy should be on the clock for payback going forward. I don't care if Mother Teresa is the next GM. After the poop he pulled with the Kampf hit, the stick hold on the winning goal, and then gloating in Woll's face, there needs to be payback.

(frank) that piece of poop.
- fifty__missions

Best thing for the Leafs to do is ACQUIRE Gudas, or somebody like him. He is the kind of guy you need for playoff hockey. A couple like him, and the Leafs might have went further.

I'm actually leaning towards this move.

You have the Core 4 all coming up within the next couple of years for new contracts. A core that Dubas has hitched his wagon to (to put it in the slightest of terms).

You have a coach, in Keefe, who Dubas handpicked to run the team in accordance to his strategy.

While you can't lay all of the blame on the architect there are obviously some serious, fatal structural flaws with the team makeup.

Now is the perfect time to inject some new blood and new ideas into the organization at the GM level. The team doesn't necessarily need to be "blown up", but re-upping Dubas seems like a recipe for more of the same results.


To give Dubas a little credit, he did come around on his thinking of evaluating strictly on skill, and not factoring in the grit and intangibles some players bring, and playoff teams need.

Two years ago he ever would have went after guys like O'Reilly and Accairi and Lafferty. And those guys were good fits. The team lost on the backs of the "Core 4"....and like you, I am not sure Dubas would break away from them, They are his "babies". I like that his thinking eveolved some, but maybe not enough.

Can Kyle make a serious pivot from his roster construction if he were to re-sign? I'm not so sure but one has to believe that if he re-signs, TML execs believe he can and he will.
- mjones242

Mirtle’s use of the word evident is carrying a lot of weight there.
- Canada Cup

It carries a lot more weight than anyone who posts here, sir.