2020-2021 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

[herman]

Couldn't stick with Buffalo what does that tell you?

That Buffalo is where offence dies? I mean, look at Hall's lack of production this season, Skinner's massive drop off, the end of Staal's resurgence, etc. I wouldn't use decisions made by Buffalo's front office or players struggling to produce offence with the Sabres to support any argument other than the Sabres being awful.

I mean, Bogosian couldn't make it in Buffalo and he's suddenly a player the Leafs can't afford to lose for a long stretch. I wouldn't look at Buffalo as a model franchise when it comes to player development and deployment.

Scoring plays generally take what, 3-6 passes, and then the scoring play generally needs to be in a high danger area of the ice and sufficient finishing skill to put it into the net. A team in a tough talent-deficit will have a hard time getting even their elite players (Eichel) to reasonable numbers.

We're a little bit spoiled in Toronto in that regard. The rising tide of offense floats all boats.

Defensive development of Ristolainen and Dahlin have also been wonderbusts; these were offensive defensemen that were thrown into no-win situations: forced to only defend and overly often leading to developing only to chip pucks out (see Cody Ceci), and not really allowed to use the skillset they'd honed in junior.

A reasonably pruned tree can come back stronger and grow in the right direction. Tearing one down the way Buffalo did for McEichel took out any remaining viable root. Vesey was tied for 6th in goal scoring for Buffalo with 9 goals playing third line minutes over 64 games. He's had 5 with the Leafs in 30 games playing mostly fourth line minutes.

 

[Zee]

I'm going to assume that the presser was a whole lot of Dubas talking about nothing, given the biggest quote seems to be that he'd "consider" moving a top prospect if the deal was right.

Really sticking his neck out there.

What do you want him to say? Yup, looking to trade Freddie, Nylander and Matthews to, the bum with the sore wrist.

Jim Benning would have.  ;D

 

[Guilt Trip]

I'm going to assume that the presser was a whole lot of Dubas talking about nothing, given the biggest quote seems to be that he'd "consider" moving a top prospect if the deal was right.

Really sticking his neck out there.

What do you want him to say? Yup, looking to trade Freddie, Nylander and Matthews to, the bum with the sore wrist.

Jim Benning would have.  ;D

Benning said in his presser they need more time....He's been there for 7 years. How much time does he need?

 

[ZBBM]

What more can they do?

Anticipated a global pandemic that wiped up potentially as much as $6mil in available cap space for the 20/21 season.

Used telepathy to bend the trajectory of the puck that hit Simmonds.

The Boy King is such a dope.

Telekinesis is the ability to move objects with your mind. Telepathy is the ability to read minds.

*Maybe* what I meant was that they could have caused the shooter's brain to send a different signal to his hands that would have then caused the puck to go on a different trajectory.  Yeah ... I'm running with that.

 

[rdowdall]

What more can they do?

Anticipated a global pandemic that wiped up potentially as much as $6mil in available cap space for the 20/21 season.

Used telepathy to bend the trajectory of the puck that hit Simmonds.

The Boy King is such a dope.

Telekinesis is the ability to move objects with your mind. Telepathy is the ability to read minds.

*Maybe* what I meant was that they could have caused the shooter's brain to send a different signal to his hands that would have then caused the puck to go on a different trajectory.  Yeah ... I'm running with that.

That's a better save than Andersen has produced this year.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

With the cap flat and some major pieces that have to be re-signed or replaced, it's really hard to see how anything other than a rental fits in, and you're not giving up a top prospect for a rental.

I think you're already getting a nice addition if Simmonds comes back healthy, and the the only area I might consider a bit of an upgrade for a relatively small outlay would be  possibly 3rd line center or a bit of 6-7D depth for taxi insurance.

 

[bustaheims]

With the cap flat and some major pieces that have to be re-signed or replaced, it's really hard to see how anything other than a rental fits in, and you're not giving up a top prospect for a rental.

I think you're already getting a nice addition if Simmonds comes back healthy, and the the only area I might consider a bit of an upgrade for a relatively small outlay would be  possibly 3rd line center or a bit of 6-7D depth for taxi insurance.

One of the replacements you reference could be acquired at the deadline this season, theoretically. Obviously, the cap makes that complicated, but, if they can find a way to make it work, it would strengthen the team this year and solve an off-season problem earlier - though, it could also potentially create a new one with the expansion draft.

 

[Zee]

I'm going to assume that the presser was a whole lot of Dubas talking about nothing, given the biggest quote seems to be that he'd "consider" moving a top prospect if the deal was right.

Really sticking his neck out there.

What do you want him to say? Yup, looking to trade Freddie, Nylander and Matthews to, the bum with the sore wrist.

Jim Benning would have.  ;D

Benning said in his presser they need more time....He's been there for 7 years. How much time does he need?

He needs more time to fix the mess he made himself.

 

[rdowdall]

I was told by the internet that there would be a trade today. 

 

[herman]

Taxi ?> Marlies: Calle Ros?n
Marlies ?> Taxi: Alex Galchenyuk, Timoth Liljegren

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Taxi ?> Marlies: Calle Ros?n
Marlies ?> Taxi: Alex Galchenyuk, Timoth Liljegren

I've been curious to see what the end game with Galchenyuk is. It almost feels like the Leafs are trying to rehabilitate his game so he's an option for next season (he's a UFA, but I imagine re-signing him wouldn't be difficult). I just don't really see where he fits on the team right now.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Taxi ?> Marlies: Calle Ros?n
Marlies ?> Taxi: Alex Galchenyuk, Timoth Liljegren

I've been curious to see what the end game with Galchenyuk is. It almost feels like the Leafs are trying to rehabilitate his game so he's an option for next season (he's a UFA, but I imagine re-signing him wouldn't be difficult). I just don't really see where he fits on the team right now.

With Vesey going down, and Keefe being unhappy with the 4th line, does Galchenyuk slot in there for a couple games or does Simmonds coming back simply push Engvall down a line to fill Vesey's spot?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

With Vesey going down, and Keefe being unhappy with the 4th line, does Galchenyuk slot in there for a couple games or does Simmonds coming back simply push Engvall down a line to fill Vesey's spot?

Simmonds coming back pushes one of Vesey or Boyd out of the line-up. Galchenyuk could potentially bounce the other out though yeah. Galchenyuk-Engvall-Spezza could be an interesting 4th line, albeit one that might look like a mess in their own end.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

With Vesey going down, and Keefe being unhappy with the 4th line, does Galchenyuk slot in there for a couple games or does Simmonds coming back simply push Engvall down a line to fill Vesey's spot?

Simmonds coming back pushes one of Vesey or Boyd out of the line-up. Galchenyuk could potentially bounce the other out though yeah. Galchenyuk-Engvall-Spezza could be an interesting 4th line, albeit one that might look like a mess in their own end.

Ok, with that in mind, is Engvall the player that gets pushed down to the 4th line? Any chance it's Kerfoot?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Ok, with that in mind, is Engvall the player that gets pushed down to the 4th line? Any chance it's Kerfoot?

I mean you never know, but I doubt it. At least if he's still on the team come Friday.

 

[herman]

Taxi ?> Marlies: Calle Ros?n
Marlies ?> Taxi: Alex Galchenyuk, Timoth Liljegren

I've been curious to see what the end game with Galchenyuk is. It almost feels like the Leafs are trying to rehabilitate his game so he's an option for next season (he's a UFA, but I imagine re-signing him wouldn't be difficult). I just don't really see where he fits on the team right now.

I think the bet is he'll be the new Vesey: third fiddle on a top-6 line. Galchenyuk's deficiencies on defense stemmed from his skating limiting his ability to remain dynamic with the puck and make plays faster. From the AHL footage, it looks improved, but still needs to reach instinctive. I think it'll still be better than Vesey falling though, who has also improved in that regard and is starting to receive and make plays within movement.

Anything that keeps Hyman on the third line with the other speedy worker bees benefits the team overall, hence the forward acquisition reports (and Hyman cloning efforts).

 

[Zee]

I can see someone claiming Vesey cause he's so cheap.

I can see no-one claiming him cause he's garbage and Dubas having to do some juggling with the cap situation. Who's fault is that Kyle?

https://twitter.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/1372216793494908937?s=20

 

[herman]

Alexes and Timoth move up to the NHL roster/taxi squad
Maybe Liljegren sees some minutes to spell Bogosian for a bit, and to see how he looks across from Dermott.
https://twitter.com/joshsimpson77/status/1372213727026671618

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'd like to see Liljegren get games on B2B's, but I very highly doubt we'll see Bogosian sitting any more than that.

 

[Zee]

Liljegren only turns 22 this April don't know why people are so down on him, unless you're a bonafide stud, defenceman usually take some time to become NHL regulars.