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2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

bustaheims said:
I don't know if I'd consider Tavares' and Minten's Leafs future to be so directly linked. Minten likely tops out as a 3rd line C. Tavares is more likely to end up as a 2nd line W on his next contract.
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Tavares is so good at faceoffs and I think that has a longer shelf life. Hard to ignore. I think he's underestimated defensively. He's not best used as a speedy winger going deep for the forecheck though his skating speed clocked pretty well in preseason as I recall.

If they do this:
Matthews 1st line center
decent 2nd line Center TBD
Tavares 3rd line center - high man in offensive zone
Makes some sense to me during the Matthews "window"
BUT Minten, who still needs some seasoning, as a 4th line center? He's probably trade bait to get the 2nd line center in that scenario

I don't get Tavares as a winger. Doesn't resonate with me. Maybe I'm wrong ....
 
Frank E said:
Maybe, but Domi can sure provide that sandpaper you need in the playoffs, right?
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herman said:
You mean take braindead OZ penalties? Whereas Robertson (and Holmberg) tends to draw them
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I'm with Herman here. The grit, sandpaper stuff is so overblown. Leafs need goals, not gloves to the face. I like Domi but I'm trading him and keeping Holmberg and Robertson if that's the choice.
 
Biggest bottom six disappointment for me is Domi. If he isn't scoring, which has hasn't this season, he's so clueless defensively at times when he throws the puck away, he's addition by subtraction. I expected more.

I'm not Robertson's biggest fan but at least the guy has made a credible, steady effort to change his game defensively and has not wavered in that through his dry spells. I have to respect that effort even when the results haven't always come in and he's made more than his share of defensive gaffes.

I'd hoped for more from Pacioretty. Doesn't look like that is going to happen.

Dewar had a few good games but seems to have fizzled out.

Kampf is a terrible price performance but can win draws and help on the PK.

I'd hoped for more from Holmberg but maybe he can help on the 4th line.

Reeves ... I'm not going to waste any more keystrokes.

Jarnkrok can help in the regular season but is part of the disappearing act in the playoffs.

Lorentz - I still have time for. He's probably the only one of the bottom six I'd keep.

I don't think they can win a Cup with that crew. Maybe a good center could salvage a couple of them.
 
It would be really nice if Jarnkrok could play well really really soon right down the middle at 3C.

We rarely get nice gifts like that...like when's the last time we had a solid 3C that stuck?
 
Frank E said:
Would we consider Stajan a decent 3C at that time?
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I think the Leafs had higher hopes than 3C for Stajan. 3C usually involves being a shutdown guy who can chip in some offense. Not sure what his role was with Calgary.

I don't really remember much of his time in Toronto. So I really can't answer your question fairly.

My benchmark for a quality 3C is still Peter Zezel.
 
Frank E said:
It would be really nice if Jarnkrok could play well really really soon right down the middle at 3C.

We rarely get nice gifts like that...like when's the last time we had a solid 3C that stuck?
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I don't know why they wouldn't at least try him. He's taken nearly as many draws as Max Domi. His faceoff win% is close to Domi's - both around 48.x% He skates well. He's smart and decent defensively. He's a decent PKer. Healthy, he might be better than anyone else they have for that role. He hasn't put up as many points as Domi in terms of ppg but he's not bad - he's a top 7 points producer so he can help with 3rd line scoring. I'm not convinced he's the ideal answer as a 3rd line center for the playoffs but there is a fair chance he could help them some right now without costing them a draft pick or prospect. He'd push one of poorer performers into the press box. Getting Domi, who isn't great defensively, out of the center position is probably helpful to the player and his team.

EDIT: if Jarnkrok and Domi were on the same line, Jarnkork is a righty and Domi a lefty. They could swap places for draws situationally. Combined, they could probably elevate the line faceoff win% to above 50%.
 
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Guru Tugginmypuddah said:
I think the Leafs had higher hopes than 3C for Stajan. 3C usually involves being a shutdown guy who can chip in some offense. Not sure what his role was with Calgary.

I don't really remember much of his time in Toronto. So I really can't answer your question fairly.

My benchmark for a quality 3C is still Peter Zezel.
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Personally the best 3rd line I’ve ever seen with the leafs was Hoglund-Reichel-Domi.
 
Joe S. said:
Personally the best 3rd line I’ve ever seen with the leafs was Hoglund-Reichel-Domi.
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Is that better than JvR-Bozak-Marner (or Hyman-Matthews-Nylander I think those middle 6 were somewhat interchangeable for the first half of 2016-2017)? or Kulemin-Grabovski-MacArthur (which was a shutdown line)
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/1895504844271882695

On Wednesday Berube said that Patches would probably be available for tonight's game, so hopefully this is more just a roster management thing to get Rifai up as opposed to an actual set back. Although if they needed space Steeves could have just been sent back down.

Also something that almost a week ago Berube said Dewar was ready to play but hasn't been activated off IR yet.
 
herman said:
Is that better than JvR-Bozak-Marner (or Hyman-Matthews-Nylander I think those middle 6 were somewhat interchangeable for the first half of 2016-2017)? or Kulemin-Grabovski-MacArthur (which was a shutdown line)
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Maybe I’m not remembering properly but I don’t think any of those lines were considered ‘3rd lines’ but maybe I’m wrong.
 
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