[ADF] Toronto Maple Leafs (A2) vs. Florida Panthers (WC2) | Panthers win series 4-1

[Bobby James]

1 hour ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

Dreadful goaltending but obviously the top stars not performing sums it up. If you have what, 40% of your cap allocated to the core and they don't produce, that's a problem. Edmonton has a very top heavy team but at least their stars are performing. I doubt that's a sustainable recipe in the long-run down the line in the playoffs, but at least Draisaitl is carrying the team. No one is carrying Toronto. Their depth sucks and their stars are invisible and not playoff performers.

 

You've got to start thinking big trade after they bow out. They need a solid goalie and top defenceman and have forwards to spare. JT is probably too costly to trade, I'd stick with Marner - he's probably the best of the bunch. Nylander is a very neat trading chip but you have to think Matthews has been dreadful and could get them a massive haul. I'd be thinking Tkachuk-like haul if they can manage it with someone. Try and get a decent top-4 defenceman back, a top-6 forward and maybe a first and prospect. They need to shake up that stale core.

Toronto is clearly a good team, but I agree with you that their core needs a shakeup (unless they shockingly win 4 in a row) and they'll need to clear a little cap if they can next offseason. 

 

Marner and Matthews I think you gotta stick with. Yeah Matthews may be struggling right now, but he is a wildly talented goal scorer who needs to find his playoff mode more frequently. JT I agree is too old and costly to move, he also isn't bad and expires at the same time as Marner, so the cap should work out. 

 

I think Nylander is the trade chip you move out. Due for a big raise soon, but often sounds like he is hot and cold. When he's on people talk about him as an elite forward, but when he's cold he kinda disappears and you can't have your core players doing that. He definitely will have good value and that clears 7 million (and avoids the raise) plus he can bring you back a variety of things depending on what they want (a top 4 Dman, youth or draft picks). 

 

They also have to look at moving out Murray and Muzzin who both have a year left and combine for 10 million. Murray doesn't seem to be able to stay healthy and lock in the starter spot and Muzzin is too hurt and likely done. That space plus guys like Holl and Kerfoot leaving will clear another 5ish million. 

 

That is a good chunk of money to re-tool (Canucks fans favorite word) the team in the short term as well as plan for the Matthews extension. They also have a 1st this draft and next, so they have pieces they can attach to players to move them if needed. 

 

It's not all doom and gloom for Toronto long term in my mind, but if they get swept here they need to make a change. 

[canuckwings]

I think out of all of this, there's a better chance of Schenn coming back to Canucks in the off-season. I was a bit worried if leafs go deep, Schenn might incline to resign with them for another run. 

 

It's not over yet. Panthers need to close this out in 4 games. Don't pull a no show in  next game because they have a 3-0 lead. 

[King Heffy]

14 minutes ago, canuckwings said:

I think out of all of this, there's a better chance of Schenn coming back to Canucks in the off-season. I was a bit worried if leafs go deep, Schenn might incline to resign with them for another run. 

 

It's not over yet. Panthers need to close this out in 4 games. Don't pull a no show in  next game because they have a 3-0 lead. 

Best case scenario is that they keep Dubas and allow him to make trades.  There's a very real risk of him being fired and replaced with a qualified GM.

[King Heffy]

https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2023/05/07/family-of-referee-wes-mccauley-got-threats-when-maple-leafs-played-lightning-in-nhl-playoffs-source.html

 

As much as I think sport would be better if Sutherland was physically unable to ref another game, even I wouldn't stoop to bringing his family into it.

[canuck73_3]

15 minutes ago, King Heffy said:

https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2023/05/07/family-of-referee-wes-mccauley-got-threats-when-maple-leafs-played-lightning-in-nhl-playoffs-source.html

 

As much as I think sport would be better if Sutherland was physically unable to ref another game, even I wouldn't stoop to bringing his family into it.

If Canuck fans did this it would be run ad nauseam, Leaf fans, this will get swept under the rug. 

[rekker]

3 minutes ago, canuck73_3 said:

If Canuck fans did this it would be run ad nauseam, Leaf fans, this will get swept under the rug. 

So true. I've actually heard nothing of the story except on these boards.

[rekker]

1 hour ago, Bobby James said:

Marner and Matthews I think you gotta stick with

I think AM has one foot out the door being UFA after next year. He clearly is not a player or person that can or wants to elevate. The pressure cooker that is Toronto, or any other Canadian team just isn't his thing. He will be in Cali or Arizona soon enough. Doubt Arizona, as it's a mess, but I see Anaheim or even LA going hard after him if they can find the cap space. 

Edited May 8, 2023 by rekker

[McBackup]

1 hour ago, King Heffy said:

https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2023/05/07/family-of-referee-wes-mccauley-got-threats-when-maple-leafs-played-lightning-in-nhl-playoffs-source.html

 

As much as I think sport would be better if Sutherland was physically unable to ref another game, even I wouldn't stoop to bringing his family into it.

Fake news. The Canucks have the only fanbase that is capable of doing something remotely objectionable.

[DSVII]

7 hours ago, canuck73_3 said:

If Canuck fans did this it would be run ad nauseam, Leaf fans, this will get swept under the rug. 

Didn't some of our fans threaten Mike Mathesons dog or something after the Petey injury?

[canuck73_3]

4 minutes ago, DSVII said:

Didn't some of our fans threaten Mike Mathesons dog or something after the Petey injury?

Him at least and they had a whole segment on it on SN. Crickets on this one. 

[IBatch]

17 hours ago, rekker said:

I think AM has one foot out the door being UFA after next year. He clearly is not a player or person that can or wants to elevate. The pressure cooker that is Toronto, or any other Canadian team just isn't his thing. He will be in Cali or Arizona soon enough. Doubt Arizona, as it's a mess, but I see Anaheim or even LA going hard after him if they can find the cap space. 

It will be pretty sweet to watch him go to ARI, after all his talk trying to alleviate the media and TO fanbase of the fears he's going to bolt.   That said, if they get swept and he again does nothing of consequence, wouldn't surprise me if a narrative comes with knives first... as in "TO needs to trade Mathews" ... and the imaginary haul that would bring.  

 

ARI might not  stay bad for long.   They've truly committed to an old fashion rip it apart rebuild.  Keller and Mathews would create a decent support for that stable of youth they've collected, next couple drafts if they pick decent, should give them two core players and a couple good support players.   If they knock it off the park, should give them their next core with what they've already accrued.    Adding Mathews is something they also have the cash to do.   You can bet their fans would love it, and you can also bet they'd have a great marketing angle, new arena new team homegrown guy coming home etc.   They also have no state taxes.   They could offer AM the exact same wage, and he'd be getting close to a 2 million dollar raise. 

 

As for CALI teams ... they've got high taxes, not as high as TO (they are tied with us OTT and MTL for the highest in the league) but still high.   You can bet AM will be asking for a raise to stay in TO.   Other places in the US, TO would have to offer more than they can possibly afford to match take home.   That extra year will help of course, but the AVV will be ugly. 

Edited May 9, 2023 by IBatch

[Alflives]

3 minutes ago, IBatch said:

It will be pretty sweet to watch him go to ARI, after all his talk trying to alleviate the media and TO fanbase of the fears he's going to bolt.   That said, if they get swept and he again does nothing of consequence, wouldn't surprise me if a narrative comes with knives first... as in "TO needs to trade Mathews" ... and the imaginary haul that would bring.  

 

ARI might not  stay bad for long.   They've truly committed to an old fashion rip it apart rebuild.  Keller and Mathews would create a decent support for that stable of youth they've collected, next couple drafts if they pick decent, should give them two core players and a couple good support players.   If they knock it off the park, should give them their next core with what they've already accrued.    Adding Mathews is something they also have the cash to do.   You can bet their fans would love it, and you can also bet they'd have a great marketing angle, new arena new team homegrown guy coming home etc.   They also have no state taxes.   They could offer AM the exact same wage, and he'd be getting close to a 2 million dollar raise. 

New rink getting started. Lots of young players coming up. Bring in AM to be the savior of hockey in Arizona. Makes sense. Do the Coyotes trade for AM this summer or wait to sign him as a UFA in July 2024?

[Neversummer]

Samsonov out ... Woll in for game 4.  Should be interesting to see how the kid performs with the pressure.  Dubas' plan for Matt Murray surely didn't go as planned.  

[Bobby James]

Okay I can see a situation where Auston Matthews leaves Toronto...but common do people here really believe he will pick Arizona just because he is from there? Maybe I am totally wrong, but just feels like such a waste of talent.

 

That organization is completely garbage, a very small (no offense to the dedicated fans) group of supporters and they currently play out of a school arena. 

 

Like maybe if Arizona offers 17 million or something crazy, but then they'll be struggling to ever build a competitive team. 

 

I just don't see this superstar picking one of the worst places to play in pro hockey as his main destination for the next 7/8 years. If he leaves why wouldn't he just pick an American hockey city. 

 

lol imagine if he picked Boston. Old crew is retiring. They can move out other bodies too that are older but have a little value on the trade market still like Marchand/Hall, then resign Matthews and re-tool a team around Matthews, Pasta and McAvoy...I hate it. 

Edited May 9, 2023 by Bobby James

[Bounce000]

The biggest Leaf thing that the Leafs could do is win the next 3 games only to lose game 7.

[Nucker 67]

What's annoying, in a way, is that TOR will be picking at #18 regardless, I believe, as they traded for BOS's 1st. They're going to get a good player at #18 and they're in the 2nd Round of the playoffs.

 

They might want to consider taking a goalie 

[Canuck You]

[King Heffy]

24 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

What's annoying, in a way, is that TOR will be picking at #18 regardless, I believe, as they traded for BOS's 1st. They're going to get a good player at #18 and they're in the 2nd Round of the playoffs.

 

They might want to consider taking a goalie 

They likely won't even take a good player if Dubas isn't replaced with a real GM.

Edited May 9, 2023 by King Heffy

[flat land fish]

2 hours ago, Neversummer said:

Samsonov out ... Woll in for game 4.  Should be interesting to see how the kid performs with the pressure.  Dubas' plan for Matt Murray surely didn't go as planned.  

This isn’t the nfl where with a good o-line your running back doesn’t matter.  Leafs getting what they deserve dumpster diving on goaltending.  For all their cache of draft picks during the rebuild coming out of that with a home grown goalie would have really helped them.

[King Heffy]

15 minutes ago, flat land fish said:

This isn’t the nfl where with a good o-line your running back doesn’t matter.  Leafs getting what they deserve dumpster diving on goaltending.  For all their cache of draft picks during the rebuild coming out of that with a home grown goalie would have really helped them.

The last time Toronto drafted a good goalie was Rask.