2023 - 2024 Toronto Maple Leafs thread

[Pingeye2_fan]

As we look ahead, time to close the books on this leaf season.
Made one small leap but a disappointing playoff run.

Are their management coaching moves coming.
God forbid they say they are close and try to run it back as much as they can.

Is the time to move Marner before his NMC kicks in on July 1st?

How much will the cap go up?

Will Bunting price himself off the team?

Woll will not clear waivers if they sent him down.

How much will Samsonov want?

If Dubas stays (hope he does) will he trust Murray as part of a tandem?

Is Keefe let go? Sadly I don’t think it’s entirely his part the core 3 played the way they did.

How much will ROR want, is he too young to be in the home town discount phase of his career?

Will Nylander be the collateral damage of changes, he seems to rise or at least maintain his level in the post season.

My opinions of Matthews and Marner have changed as it’s possible they have the skill but not the will.

Would moving Tavares to the wing help him and the group?

Hearing talk that some would like to see Morgan get the “C”, not sure how that could happen with Tavares under contact.
IMO I would have liked to see him get it in the first place.

What’s in the farm that could take the step up?

Robertson ( can he stay healthy?)
Holmberg
Timmins
McCann
Anderson
Kallgren

Hopefully it’s a hectic exciting off season because changes are needed.

[Lefty17]

It’s easy to take the C unstitch it and tell him you haven’t led this team to squat. Thank for your time.

[Pingeye2_fan]

It’s easy to take the C unstitch it and tell him you haven’t led this team to squat. Thank for your time.

Not quite as easy as that unfortunately.

[Reflog]

Why is that? He’s an employee, senior management can take it away and give it to someone more deserving like Morgan. At least he plays with purpose and passion.
Blake Wheeler lost the captaincy in Winnipeg so there is a precedent.

[Lefty17]

Not quite as easy as that unfortunately.

Well it happened to Joe Thornton and he’s 10x the player Tavares is.

[Pingeye2_fan]

Why is that? He’s an employee, senior management can take it away and give it to someone more deserving like Morgan. At least he plays with purpose and passion.
Blake Wheeler lost the captaincy in Winnipeg so there is a precedent.

I did not say it can’t happen, I said it’s not an easy decision.

[4wedges]

Not quite as easy as that unfortunately.

Exactly. As a captain he’s been fine. Changing captains won’t mean a damn thing as long as the country club atmosphere exists.

[Lefty17]

Exactly. As a captain he’s been fine. Changing captains won’t mean a damn thing as long as the country club atmosphere exists.

As a captain what has he done in Toronto and NYI? Everything a captain should do you hear about everybody else doing it. Every year there’s veteran leadership that’s brought in. It’s not like the guys that are brought in have been a captain for the sake of being a captain they’ve been leaders for years.

Captains lead Tavares hasn’t really done much to prove to me he’s a captain aside from signing a big contract in his home town.

[4wedges]

As a captain what has he done in Toronto and NYI? Everything a captain should do you hear about everybody else doing it. Every year there’s veteran leadership that’s brought in. It’s not like the guys that are brought in have been a captain for the sake of being a captain they’ve been leaders for years.

Captains lead Tavares hasn’t really done much to prove to me he’s a captain aside from signing a big contract in his home town.

Ok what should he do? None of us has any idea what goes on in the dressing room, nor do we know how the players perceive him.
as long as Matthews and Marner are catered to as they’ve been, it won’t matter who the captain is.

[Lefty17]

Well he should stick up for himself for one. He’s a punching bag. When the team is struggling go out and do something to get them going. Show some emotion. If you captain shows no emotion how to do you follow the leader.

[Pingeye2_fan]

Ok what should he do? None of us has any idea what goes on in the dressing room, nor do we know how the players perceive him.
as long as Matthews and Marner are catered to as they’ve been, it won’t matter who the captain is.

Well said, we have no idea what goes on in the room.
He’s very stoic but I bet he has one heck of a work ethic.
im sure he’s not happy with the results as a group and on his own.

[WWFS]

As I said in the other thread, I think at least 2 of the Big 4 should go.

I'm not surprising anybody by saying that I think Nylander has to go. He's just too much of a defensive liability.

In the end, the market will determine who, if anyone, goes.

None of the Big 4 did anything to increase their off season value.

I think it will come down to their current contracts, and how much time is left on them. I would think Nylander has the most attractive contract because of the $s, and the time until it has to be renegotiated.

Second best in terms of trade value is Matthews. He's probably worth a lot more to an American franchise than the other 3.

[Arthur Dailey]

As a captain what has he done in Toronto and NYI? Everything a captain should do you hear about everybody else doing it. Every year there’s veteran leadership that’s brought in. It’s not like the guys that are brought in have been a captain for the sake of being a captain they’ve been leaders for years.

Captains lead Tavares hasn’t really done much to prove to me he’s a captain aside from signing a big contract in his home town.

I for one have never put that much importance on the captaincy.

Sometimes management or the coach picks the captain.

The players know who their leader is, regardless of who wears the letter.

How many seasons was Gordie Howe the captain?
When was Bobby Orr the captain?

[Jeffc]

As I said in the other thread, I think at least 2 of the Big 4 should go.

I'm not surprising anybody by saying that I think Nylander has to go. He's just too much of a defensive liability.

In the end, the market will determine who, if anyone, goes.

None of the Big 4 did anything to increase their off season value.

I think it will come down to their current contracts, and how much time is left on them. I would think Nylander has the most attractive contract because of the $s, and the time until it has to be renegotiated.

Second best in terms of trade value is Matthews. He's probably worth a lot more to an American franchise than the other 3.

With Nylander, he has 2 more seasons but can't sign an extension until a year from July 1 so any team trading is taking a bit of a risk he will resign with them. Look at the Sens with DeBrincat - he had 2 seasons max left and could choose to not resign and then they have to trade him. Marner is in the same boat.

And they need win now assets back, not draft picks (unless they know they can convert those) or prospects.

Regardless, they have less than two months to determine who will manage and coach the team and then put a plan in place for what happens before, during and after the draft.

[WWFS]

With Nylander, he has 2 more seasons but can't sign an extension until a year from July 1 so any team trading is taking a bit of a risk he will resign with them. Look at the Sens with DeBrincat - he had 2 seasons max left and could choose to not resign and then they have to trade him. Marner is in the same boat.

And they need win now assets back, not draft picks (unless they know they can convert those) or prospects.

Regardless, they have less than two months to determine who will manage and coach the team and then put a plan in place for what happens before, during and after the draft.

I believe Marner has the same contract terms, but at a higher salary. My thoughts are that teams may be more likely to take that risk on Nylander.

As for Matthews, he becomes an UFA on July 1, 2024.


The Leafs are certainly not in the driver's seat.