2021-22 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

[Bender]

Let's not forget that the Andersen signing was after the team had already given up a 1st and a 2nd for him. The Leafs could have been in a much better position than they are if Lamoriello had just been patient with the rebuild, traded expiring guys for assets and drafted well.

I mean, you make some very good points in the last couple of lines.  I'm all for keeping draft picks and building.  The only time we should have went for it was maybe last season and even still I didn't feel comfortable giving up a 1st for Foligno.

I just think Lou would have been better at negotiating with the kids than Dubas ever has.  He treats them like best friends when he needs to think like a business owner more.

Lou being better than Dubas isn't a very good argument for wanting to keep Lou here if his results weren't very good and his decisions hamstrung the team. Some would argue he was the catalyst for prematurely ending the rebuild by bringing in Andersen when one could argue they could've used one more year of accumulating prospects and draft picks.

Dubas has been mediocre, but Lou wasn't much better, and in some cases (Zaitsev, Marleau) worse.

 

[herman]

Well Keefe got a 2-year extension so that might suggest Dubas has a little more leeway to make a core altering trade if this year doesn?t go well

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2021/10/01/sheldon-keefe-signed-to-two-year-contract-extension-entering-make-or-break-season/

2-year extensions (for MLSE) have not stopped some former coaches from getting canned. It's definitely a show-me deal.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Well Keefe got a 2-year extension so that might suggest Dubas has a little more leeway to make a core altering trade if this year doesn?t go well

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2021/10/01/sheldon-keefe-signed-to-two-year-contract-extension-entering-make-or-break-season/

2-year extensions (for MLSE) have not stopped some former coaches from getting canned. It's definitely a show-me deal.

Yeah this just makes sure Keefe gets a payday in case things do go sideways.

 

[bustaheims]

Also takes away the idea that he's a lame-duck coach.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/jtbourne/status/1443992847917715463
:|

Reminds me of Phil Kessel on the PP some what. They're both rush* players, and are worse than ineffective stationary (because people keep giving them the puck and now everyone else sucks). Anyway, this article is a lot of words to say give the puck to William. I'm pretty serious about putting Bunting into the bumper and let Marner see what he can do on PP2 rush drives with Spezza, Kerfoot, and Kase.

* Kessel, traditional rush player. Marner, more like an alpine skier winding, wending, and serpentining through the OZ (maybe that's why he was so good with Tavares).

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/RinkRatReport/status/1443301023406305289
Like pretty much all Jack Han content, this was a good listen for the answers.

One thing Jack harped on while he was with the org, that they have not apparently listened to, was how practices were handled in relation to ice condition (you're just going to have to listen*). Not mentioned explicitly, but there's a wider-ranging metaphor embedded in that illustration to the team in general.

* I am not affiliated with this or any media outlet.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/mapleleafs/status/1444054529125793798
A 4th draft pick essentially

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/mapleleafs/status/1444077569767264261
Kerfoot and Mikheyev are only offensively effective in the presence of Nylander. Willy absolutely victimizes Tavares on the strip and then Bunting with that head fake pass behind his heels.

For Carlton:
https://twitter.com/mapleleafs/status/1444080245368410114

 

[herman]

Rasmus: 1
https://twitter.com/mapleleafs/status/1444071465473781760
Hutchinson: 1
https://twitter.com/mapleleafs/status/1444084070607204355

 

[herman]

https://theathletic.com/2861700/2021/10/05/meet-greg-harden-the-performance-coach-who-could-exorcise-the-maple-leafs-demons/

This was a very sneaky signing in the summer when everyone still hated the team. I was a bit surprised they dropped Dr. Meg Popovich (along with the head dev folk) but clearly they had some bigger fish to reel in on both fronts. Not much fanfare at the time this was casually announced, mostly because no one was giving any information, but the track record speaks for itself, and I can see a lot of the seeds about taking care of what's in your actual control creeping into the player's interviews.

Here's what Dr. Popovic did:
https://twitter.com/JhanHky/status/1445429047153119245

 

[Bullfrog]

Just throwing this out there, but there's probably not a lot of fanfare because I'm assuming very few fans are too concerned with who the performance coaches are. That's not a jab at you, just a comment that an article like that targets a pretty small audience.

 

[herman]

Just throwing this out there, but there's probably not a lot of fanfare because I'm assuming very few fans are too concerned with who the performance coaches are. That's not a jab at you, just a comment that an article like that targets a pretty small audience.

I take no jab at this. That's probably accurate.

I've maintained that this set of core personnel, on ability/paper, is sufficient for claiming the Cup. The issue is clearly a mental hurdle or two and it's just a function of being really really good but also really young and not really learning how to go through and overcome adversity yet. When Marner figures it out and plays within his asset base, that's it, the Leafs are finalists at the least. To a lesser degree, Matthews has to figure out how to power through and inspire teammates by setting the tone a la Bergeron/Crosby, and Keefe has to stop galaxy braining at the last minute -- ground work for the flexibility he wants in those situations needs to be tilled and prepared throughout the season.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/IneffectiveMath/status/1445381349297344514
Only disappointment awaits us.

 

[herman]

Dom Luszczyszyn has been posting season previews for teams starting from the bottom up, per his model's projections and still hasn't gotten to the Leafs yet after dropping Tampa, Vegas, and Boston.

https://twitter.com/domluszczyszyn/status/1446117969159864324
Spoiler, Toronto first in their division, and #2 overall behind Colorado
Again, disappointment awaits

 

[Redleaf]

It?s been my experience that when the majority goes negative or positive on something the opposite is usually true. Look no further than last years playoff round with the Habs . So lets keep all the negativity coming for this year's Leafs.  ;D

 

[Frank E]

I was thinking that with all the CHL players out there who haven't really played much meaningful hockey over the past 2 seasons, I'd bet the Leafs are all over the CHL games this season trying to find some undrafted guys that slipped through radars given no games...

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/domluszczyszyn/status/1446477719970197505
Sigh

Edit: This is actually a very fun read

 

[Kin]

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1446578317918973961

 

[princedpw]

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1446578317918973961

I'm a little worried about the covid impact of this.  Alberta has been panned for not being strict enough, right?  Is this going to lead Toronto in that direction too?

 

[Guilt Trip]

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1446578317918973961

I'm a little worried about the covid impact of this.  Alberta has been panned for not being strict enough, right?  Is this going to lead Toronto in that direction too?

Alberta basically lifted all restrictions including masks indoors for the most part. They also didn't take into account the variant which is running wild right now. There was no Vax Pass in place and at the time 70.2% had 1 does only. In Ontario 82.2% are fully vaxed and they're the only ones allowed in. We'll see what happens but at least Ont seems a little more prepared and isn't lifting the restrictions Alberta did.