A Toronto Maple Leafs team that was supposedly 'good enough to win the Stanley Cup' failed to make it halfway through the Stanley Cup playoffs. Something has to change. It just has to
“Where is their Radko Gudas?” Interesting question. If the Leafs signed Gudas, and he made the same play in the playoffs, and got called for a penalty, and then the Panthers won, I have a sneaky suspicion that the media would be all over Dubas. “Here’s what happens when you sign a defence man with no speed, and no bla bla bla.” The Leafs could go undefeated in the playoffs and win every game 17-3, and the media would find something else to complain about. “Shame on them”? The media continues to bash this organization and uses its position to make countless suggestions about what the Leafs must do. But almost none of these writers have ever been a GM, let alone played the game. Perhaps authors can start writing about what happened with objective viewpoints, instead of this constant plethora of editorials regarding how the Leafs are garbage. And wow - “the team should know that the refs don’t call that many penalties in the playoffs?” Really? If you actually read the stats, you’ll see that over the last 10 years, the number of penalties called on each team in the playoffs is 4.21. And wouldn’t you know it? Over the same period in the regular season, that number is actually 3.82. In future, perhaps you can do your research before making such an assertion based on anecdotal evidence.
I feel as though Dubas and Keefe are done. And a trade of Marner or Matthews might be accomplished when a new GM and coach are hired -- but it has to be done within next month.
We traded away our muscle - Kadri and Hyman. Muscle is an imperative in the playoffs.
We didn't finish the checks - we let them skate freely around us - see OT goals by Florida.
Where was Simmons?
The funniest thing in the world is watching Panthers totally ignore Marner body checks. Like he wasn't even there.
Unless we make the opposition pay a steep puck proximity tax - we are never going to advance.
With Dubas’ contract up, I’d let him walk (to Pittsburgh?), put in Spezza or some on else already in the organization as GM.
Replace Keefe.
Boudreau?
Gallant?
Trade one of Nylander, Matthews or Marner.
Get a top pairing D-man in the trade (yes, easier said than done).
The bright side is that goaltending seems settled with Woll.
“Where is their Radko Gudas?” Interesting question. If the Leafs signed Gudas, and he made the same play in the playoffs, and got called for a penalty, and then the Panthers won, I have a sneaky suspicion that the media would be all over Dubas. “Here’s what happens when you sign a defence man with no speed, and no bla bla bla.” The Leafs could go undefeated in the playoffs and win every game 17-3, and the media would find something else to complain about. “Shame on them”? The media continues to bash this organization and uses its position to make countless suggestions about what the Leafs must do. But almost none of these writers have ever been a GM, let alone played the game. Perhaps authors can start writing about what happened with objective viewpoints, instead of this constant plethora of editorials regarding how the Leafs are garbage. And wow - “the team should know that the refs don’t call that many penalties in the playoffs?” Really? If you actually read the stats, you’ll see that over the last 10 years, the number of penalties called on each team in the playoffs is 4.21. And wouldn’t you know it? Over the same period in the regular season, that number is actually 3.82. In future, perhaps you can do your research before making such an assertion based on anecdotal evidence.
I feel as though Dubas and Keefe are done. And a trade of Marner or Matthews might be accomplished when a new GM and coach are hired -- but it has to be done within next month.
Interesting hypothetical....two franchises might be different had Stamkos signed with Toronto.
I think the easiest part of the equation is replacing the head coach.