When I saw the Leafs final couple of regular season games involve everyone passing to Matthews so he could score 70, I knew nothing had changed. You have a coach and team leaders focused on personal milestones instead of preparing for the playoffs. Happened last year with Marner at 99 points and obsessed with 100. These guys just aren't winners.

I think people care way too much about the rhetoric of coaches. Who cares. I doubt he's sharing his true feelings in a post game presser. He's been criticized for being too critical ..he gets criticized for not being critical enough ...it's all nonsense.

If they fail he should be canned but not because of his quotes but bc his special teams are a complete and utter failure ....like record setting failure. The PP and PK coaches should have been strung up at centre ice - Tehran style.
- The Law

Know your market, know your audience. After a performance like that you know you have one of the hungriest fanbases in sports clamoring for something, if that's what you have to give them it speaks volumes as to why they're in the mess in the first place.

May as well have a coach that comes out and says "I don't get it".

It might not to you but the rhetoric has value, for better or worse.

Thanks Mike.

Hopefully this is rock-bottom. The yelling on the bench was actually a good thing. Get it all out in the open and get it solved. One win at a time. Get the GM 5 win on the road and see where it goes. Get it done.

It is the way.
Lol

At the end of the day, we can all rest easy knowing that Tre is at the helm to maneuver the leafs through this tough time amd tough choices.
He did a great job in Calgary.

Right?

....right?

Ah man
😞
- Fakepartofme

I get what you are saying Fake... but there is some upside. Most of the roster imbalance is on Dubas and Shanahan. Treliving gets to make some changes this coming offseason - and it would seem that those changes will be far easier to make - less whining from the Toronto media - when he cleans out a few folks. The Toronto media knows that the only meaningful way of shaking up the roster - given the current roster construction & contracts - and who is coming up for new contracts is to move Marner. The media will start with the "he's a local boy" shyte for a few weeks - the usual. Exactly the same nonsense that effectively underwrote Dubas chain of errors.

There will be a number of open slots simply as a result of contract expiration - but nothing will come close or can come close to "cleansing the room" than moving Marner.

I'm not suggesting he's solely to blame - he isn't. But facts are facts - he's been unable to raise his play in the playoffs. Matthews continued to score without him during the regular season when Marner was injured. Earlier in Marner's career he drove lines - whether it was with Bozak and JVR or whoever he played with. He simply played the game with more pace.

there's an exact parallel between the PowerPlay success or failure rate and its predictability. They do the same things that work for 30-40 games a season - then it tails off in the second half because either they simply all attempt to get the puck to Matthews ALL THE TIME - which is just plain dumb - or they become so static that it predictable to defend - all on the outside. Powerplay had a bit of different look when Marner and Rielly were out ... different personel - not as predictable. That's on Keefe for not calling that out and literally breaking up the non-functional first unit. They of all people should realize that they are stale.


Simply put, asking Tavares to retire a year early, moving Marner combined with clearing out a few of the expiring contracts will help.

A friend of mine was sitting right behind the Leafs bench. That argument started when Matthews said he had diarrhea. Bertuzzi was grossed out. Marner said go to the dressing room, this isn't worth it. Nylander snapped and told Matthews to just do your job and shoot the puck. Marner was upset because nobody talks to my BFF like that. The whole bench stunk.
- HockeyBuzzed

Thank you for making me laugh this morning.

When I saw the Leafs final couple of regular season games involve everyone passing to Matthews so he could score 70, I knew nothing had changed. You have a coach and team leaders focused on personal milestones instead of preparing for the playoffs. Happened last year with Marner at 99 points and obsessed with 100. These guys just aren't winners.
- HockeyBuzzed

The leafs had great draft picks and was working on building a true contender for years to come and then they made the mistake of getting JT. This team should have built its future around the three young men, but never bring in a guy that the management treated as the core leader of the future, a guy that never lead a team to the cup finals. Why did Mathew’s only sign such a short contract, did he believe in the teams future? They thought that they could buy a cup by getting JT and in doing so they forgot to focus on building a team. Not too late, move JT, and maybe trade one of the three kids and build an all around better club, a better team.

New blog
New life
New hope
- Fakepartofme

wait, it's not Starwars day yet man.

Run. It. Back.
- fifty__missions

every god damn year

get used to it.

They need to look at the Jets model and see if they can pull off a PL like trade …

Marner somewhere like Utah and get 3 solid guys back - 1 being an up and coming D man and 2 middle forwards like Vilardi and Iafallo… and get a pick along with it …
- dozerD10

Marner MNC will make that a little difficult and his cap hit now and moving forward

The leafs had great draft picks and was working on building a true contender for years to come and then they made the mistake of getting JT. This team should have built its future around the three young men, but never bring in a guy that the management treated as the core leader of the future, a guy that never lead a team to the cup finals. Why did Mathew’s only sign such a short contract, did he believe in the teams future? They thought that they could buy a cup by getting JT and in doing so they forgot to focus on building a team. Not too late, move JT, and maybe trade one of the three kids and build an all around better club, a better team.
- Slimvinnie

Exactly.

Why the (frank) would marner agree to a trade to Utah?
- Fakepartofme

there's a pretty simple reason which Marner would understand much much better than either Nylander or Matthews.

as the annointed Local Boy made good - the press attention on his every move and comment is only going to ramp up this summer. Of course he's going to be looking to make more money than Nylander - and if Treliving gives it to him - he's nuts.

Plus everyone in Toronto and within the ecosystem knows what the situation is. The attention will be relentless. I'm not suggesting he should be followed around by the media... but he will be - and he'll get a steady stream of "Howard Bergers" who are trying desperately to keep themselves relevant asking ridiculous questions - I'm guessing he choses to spend his lengthy offseason away from Toronto and Ontario.

To the Kings for Brandt Clarke. He'll like LA and might wave. Make the money work somehow
- PlatosRepucklic

I think PLD would need to come back in the deal to make the cap hit work

I get what you are saying Fake... but there is some upside. Most of the roster imbalance is on Dubas and Shanahan. Treliving gets to make some changes this coming offseason - and it would seem that those changes will be far easier to make - less whining from the Toronto media - when he cleans out a few folks. The Toronto media knows that the only meaningful way of shaking up the roster - given the current roster construction & contracts - and who is coming up for new contracts is to move Marner. The media will start with the "he's a local boy" shyte for a few weeks - the usual. Exactly the same nonsense that effectively underwrote Dubas chain of errors.

There will be a number of open slots simply as a result of contract expiration - but nothing will come close or can come close to "cleansing the room" than moving Marner.

I'm not suggesting he's solely to blame - he isn't. But facts are facts - he's been unable to raise his play in the playoffs. Matthews continued to score without him during the regular season when Marner was injured. Earlier in Marner's career he drove lines - whether it was with Bozak and JVR or whoever he played with. He simply played the game with more pace.

there's an exact parallel between the PowerPlay success or failure rate and its predictability. They do the same things that work for 30-40 games a season - then it tails off in the second half because either they simply all attempt to get the puck to Matthews ALL THE TIME - which is just plain dumb - or they become so static that it predictable to defend - all on the outside. Powerplay had a bit of different look when Marner and Rielly were out ... different personel - not as predictable. That's on Keefe for not calling that out and literally breaking up the non-functional first unit. They of all people should realize that they are stale.


Simply put, asking Tavares to retire a year early, moving Marner combined with clearing out a few of the expiring contracts will help.
- BorjeFan4Ever

Wishful thinking

I think PLD would need to come back in the deal to make the cap hit work
- dmnted

I would take PLD and Brandt Clark over Marner in a heart beat....and I don't even know who Brandt Clark is.

Throw in the coach and the defenseman Roy and it's a deal.


Hey 50, do we get an "I told you so" moment yet???

The leafs had great draft picks and was working on building a true contender for years to come and then they made the mistake of getting JT. This team should have built its future around the three young men, but never bring in a guy that the management treated as the core leader of the future, a guy that never lead a team to the cup finals. Why did Mathew’s only sign such a short contract, did he believe in the teams future? They thought that they could buy a cup by getting JT and in doing so they forgot to focus on building a team. Not too late, move JT, and maybe trade one of the three kids and build an all around better club, a better team.
- Slimvinnie

To get more money as the cap goes up.
Moving JT is easier said than done

I would take PLD and Brandt Clark over Marner in a heart beat....and I don't even know who Brandt Clark is.

Throw in the coach and the defenseman Roy and it's a deal.


Hey 50, do we get an "I told you so" moment yet???
- underhill14

so you want the team to get even more lazy? Bold strategy Cotton

Marner does like his money. Also, much lower pressure market, the bar is set about as low as it can get. You know Mitch would like that. Wouldn't have to share the spotlight much either.
- joel878

Whoever has him on the team should have M&Ms paying for advertising on the ice

I would take PLD and Brandt Clark over Marner in a heart beat....and I don't even know who Brandt Clark is.

Throw in the coach and the defenseman Roy and it's a deal.


Hey 50, do we get an "I told you so" moment yet???
- underhill14

Dubois is so overrated it's crazy, LA just paid him 8.5 million to put up 16 goals and go - 9 as an allegedly strong defensive centre.

7 more years to go loaded with trade protection.

Leaf fans would lose their poop if they were stuck with him, rightfully so. It would literally be better to punt Marner to the open market when his contract expires and just have the 11 million in cap space.

wait, it's not Starwars day yet man.
- dmnted

Just the attack of the bruins

Why don't they just tell Tavares that next year you will be in the bottom 6. No PP time. So your stats in a contract year will be terrible. And we don't plan to resign you.

Instead, please waive your NMC. We're sending you to Chicago or San Jose or Columbus where you can play top 6 and try to earn a better contract.

Why don't they just tell Tavares that next year you will be in the bottom 6. No PP time. So your stats in a contract year will be terrible. And we don't plan to resign you.

Instead, please waive your NMC. We're sending you to Chicago or San Jose or Columbus where you can play top 6 and try to earn a better contract.
- HockeyBuzzed

Or just take him to the gravel pit and shoot him

Mariner to LA for PLD. Straight up.
- Pacificgem

Cuz he’s a seaman?

They need to look at the Jets model and see if they can pull off a PL like trade …

Marner somewhere like Utah and get 3 solid guys back - 1 being an up and coming D man and 2 middle forwards like Vilardi and Iafallo… and get a pick along with it …
- dozerD10

Agree. Sign and trade would be good for both teams. Utah gets a “name” to attract fans.

In the last 7 years the Rangers have retooled on the fly, Canucks, Florida, as always Vegas, Jets with some big moves! Absolutely NO reason why the Leafs couldn’t do the same! This franchise should be leaders NOT followers.

Cuz he’s a seaman?
- Woderwick

Was he blown ashore?