Toronto Maple Leafs - 2016/17 Season
- Thread starter GameBoy27
- Start date
A more accurate description : Marincin couldn't handle Johansson and Boyle lost that key face off leading to the goal. If Polak wasn't injured he would have been the defender instead and I doubt if that goal would have been scored.
It's clear what the Leafs management need to address in the off season. Maybe the Leafs pay the price (1st round pick) like Edmonton did (though it was Hall) and get a solid top 3 or 4 defenseman.
Biggest issue for the Leafs going forward is they have no stud defenceman, and they will have to conserve cash as they will have a shitload of contracts coming up for negotiations over the next few years. All of these young guys are going to expect huge raises and trying to get them all under the contract will be a chore, especially if they go after a big name defender in FA.
Marner looked small and young. It'll be interesting to see if he can develop his game to be able to play playoff hockey. What would this Leaf team look like with Hanifan rather than Marner. Marincin was the weak link unfortunately. That Polak injury was huge but Leafs had no margin for their defense. Marchenko is way worse so. The only line that looked anywhere near dangerous was Matthews. Bozak's line couldn't do anything. Kadri's line looked commendable against Washington top line. Brown looked weak and slow though. He didn't do anything. Kapenan looks like a player. Anderson almost stole game 6.
Well thanks for a fun few weeks. I'll be getting off the band wagon. 
I am going back to hopelessly rooting for the Raptors.
Brightside is that the Leafs are a pretty decent team and are only a few players away from being playoff threat.
I am going back to hopelessly rooting for the Raptors.
Brightside is that the Leafs are a pretty decent team and are only a few players away from being playoff threat.
Defense matters.
Lou wasn't there to make the call in 2015, he would not have selected Marner over Hanifin. Marner may prove us wrong, he could develop into another Martin St Louis. The loss of Polak was worse than the loss of Alzner, the Caps still had Brooks Orpik. It cost the Penguins at least another Cup by not resigning him. Holtby had the advantage, he was dealing with far less traffic than Andersen. The Canes will make the playoffs next year and do significant damage. It may not look like it now but the Canes are ahead of the Leafs in the development curve. Dickhead move Pagula in Bufallo, he wont find a better management team.
Still thoroughly enjoyable season but I expect the Leafs to regress next season unless they add more muscle to the defense.
Lou wasn't there to make the call in 2015, he would not have selected Marner over Hanifin. Marner may prove us wrong, he could develop into another Martin St Louis. The loss of Polak was worse than the loss of Alzner, the Caps still had Brooks Orpik. It cost the Penguins at least another Cup by not resigning him. Holtby had the advantage, he was dealing with far less traffic than Andersen. The Canes will make the playoffs next year and do significant damage. It may not look like it now but the Canes are ahead of the Leafs in the development curve. Dickhead move Pagula in Bufallo, he wont find a better management team.
Still thoroughly enjoyable season but I expect the Leafs to regress next season unless they add more muscle to the defense.
The white free Leafs playoffs tower's color has to be changed---Any other colors but white. It was a fun journey to watch the young Leafs growing in this playoffs season.
Go Leafs Go in 2018!
Go Leafs Go in 2018!
It was a good run!
D let the team down, but most of Leaf land knew this to be the real Achilles heel for them.
With a few exceptions, they have a good mix of guys and I can see Kapanen being there all year and I think he'd be a good addition to the Kadri line.
The coaching staff and management know the changes that need to be made and what to tell the boys that they need to work on in their off season.
D let the team down, but most of Leaf land knew this to be the real Achilles heel for them.
With a few exceptions, they have a good mix of guys and I can see Kapanen being there all year and I think he'd be a good addition to the Kadri line.
The coaching staff and management know the changes that need to be made and what to tell the boys that they need to work on in their off season.
What will work for the Leafs this time around is that The Board of Directors will not undercut the Shany Regime for the sake of short term profits.
There is nostalgia for the Leafs teams of the early 90's, the reality was they were not close to winning the Cup. Cliff Fletcher knew that and wanted to rebuild. He got vetoed by The Board and was forced to bring back Wendell Clarke. In 2000-02 they had a much better chance, if Pat Quinn had been allowed to run the club they may have. Unfortunately Steve Starvo's health was failing and his groceries were going bankrupt. Larry Tannenbaum bought a greater share of the club, but not controlling interest. He had hired Richard Peddie back in 1999 to run the Raptors, Peddie engineered a controlling stakes for the TPF once Stavro stepped down. By the winter of 2007, Tannenbaum and MLSE lawyer Tom Anselmi had had enough of Peddie and wanted to fire him. The Teacher's vetoed that move since Peddie had gotten them lucrative downtown property rights. Eventually The Teachers had gotten as much as they could from MLSE and sold their shares to Roger's/Bell. Tom Anselmi who brokered the deal with Morgan Stanley became MLSE President, Peddie went into retirement and Brian Birke was fired.
This is all water under the bridge but it's significant as to how times have changed. Now The Board is subordinate to the current MLSE President who answers to Rogers/Bell only, does anyone who he is? Michael Friisdahl was the CEO of Air Canada Leisure Group and before that Thomas Cook North America. He is the exact opposite of the larger-than-life Tim Leiweke and the grandiose Peddie. He is a low key manager who has the backs of those that run the sports franchises and that is the most important item.
Friisdahl hasn't given many interviews, he's the one standing in front of Mr. Wonderful (Dikembe Mutombo).
There is nostalgia for the Leafs teams of the early 90's, the reality was they were not close to winning the Cup. Cliff Fletcher knew that and wanted to rebuild. He got vetoed by The Board and was forced to bring back Wendell Clarke. In 2000-02 they had a much better chance, if Pat Quinn had been allowed to run the club they may have. Unfortunately Steve Starvo's health was failing and his groceries were going bankrupt. Larry Tannenbaum bought a greater share of the club, but not controlling interest. He had hired Richard Peddie back in 1999 to run the Raptors, Peddie engineered a controlling stakes for the TPF once Stavro stepped down. By the winter of 2007, Tannenbaum and MLSE lawyer Tom Anselmi had had enough of Peddie and wanted to fire him. The Teacher's vetoed that move since Peddie had gotten them lucrative downtown property rights. Eventually The Teachers had gotten as much as they could from MLSE and sold their shares to Roger's/Bell. Tom Anselmi who brokered the deal with Morgan Stanley became MLSE President, Peddie went into retirement and Brian Birke was fired.
This is all water under the bridge but it's significant as to how times have changed. Now The Board is subordinate to the current MLSE President who answers to Rogers/Bell only, does anyone who he is? Michael Friisdahl was the CEO of Air Canada Leisure Group and before that Thomas Cook North America. He is the exact opposite of the larger-than-life Tim Leiweke and the grandiose Peddie. He is a low key manager who has the backs of those that run the sports franchises and that is the most important item.
Friisdahl hasn't given many interviews, he's the one standing in front of Mr. Wonderful (Dikembe Mutombo).
No guarantee the Leafs will make the playoff next year. Two lousy mistakes cost Leafs the series. Two lost faceoffs were the difference in gm5 and gm6. In gm5,cant have a winning goal from losing a draw in offensive zone. And in gm6 that was why Boyd was brought in for the playoffs. He lost the frigging faceoff and game over. Unless the Leafs are the upcoming version of the Hawks it will be a challenge to go back to the playoff next season.
I assume you mean Boyle?
His FOW% was pretty good.
No team is guaranteed a spot in the playoffs from year to year. The regular season dictates who gets in and who doesn't. So the Leafs have as good a shot as any other team of making the playoffs next year.
Wondering how many new faces will make the lineup for the Leafs next year. If they can sign Boyle so that he can anchor the 4th line. Then, you have Matthews and Kadri in the middle of the first and second line. Third line center will be tricky for the Leafs. I would try to find a better replacement for Bozak. I think that Bozak,Jvr and Komarov could be expendable during the off season. It's too early but here's hoping that the kids won't get the case of a sophomore jinxed!
