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Leafs 2024-2025 Season Thread

superstar_88

The Chiseler
Jan 4, 2008
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Buffalo has not lost a playoff series in over 13 straight seasons.
By someone's definition that is truly a remarkable success story.

For the longest time it's been TB, Boston, Toronto, Florida as the top four in the Division but it was always Toronto on par with Florida chasing TB and Boston.

With all their high end talent in all positions TB has taken a step back. Which goes to show the rest of the team matters. They recognize it which is why they've turfed Stamkos.

Florida once on par with Toronto has jumped everyone. They recognized that Huberdeau was not the guy and turfed him.

Boston 8 straight playoff appearances and no cup in that span. They no longer have Bergeron and Krejci and Marchand is getting old. They're still good but can't see them getting better than they were.

I don't see any other team uprooting these 4 teams to make the playoffs for yet another season.
 
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K Douglas

Half Man Half Amazing
Jan 5, 2005
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Room 112
Max Pacioretty is 35 and has played just 90 games in the past three seasons. Whoever thinks that he can contribute anything of significance for us hasn't been paying attention.
 

superstar_88

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Jan 4, 2008
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Leafs are weak on LW. All they are looking for is if he is at least the 4th best option they have on LW
Quite frankly I think all they want to know is whether he is a better option come playoffs than Robertson, Holmberg, Dewar, and the like. He's a minimum wage player at this stage after all so compare him to other min wage players. If he was any good Leafs would not be able to afford him.

It's also a PTO that he's on. It's a tryout. They haven't committed to him.
 
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shack

Nitpicker Extraordinaire
Oct 2, 2001
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Toronto
Leafs are weak on LW. All they are looking for is if he is at least the 4th best option they have on LW
Quite frankly I think all they want to know is whether he is a better option come playoffs than Robertson, Holmberg, Dewar, and the like. He's a minimum wage player at this stage after all so compare him to other min wage players. If he was any good Leafs would not be able to afford him.

It's also a PTO that he's on. It's a tryout. They haven't committed to him.
Will he renounce his former loyalty to the bleu, blanc, rouge.
 

superstar_88

The Chiseler
Jan 4, 2008
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Leafs LW by salary:
  • Bobby McMann $1,350,000
  • Connor Dewar $1,180,000
  • Matthew Knies $925,000
  • Nick Robertson $875,000
  • Pontus Holmberg $800,000
For comparison to see what Leafs are dealing with Ryan Reaves plays RW and he makes $1,350,000.
So Reaves makes as much or more than all of Leafs LW options.

Here's Leafs cap hit on D:
  • $7,500,000
  • $4,500,000
  • $3,500,000
  • $3,000,000
  • $2,000,000
  • $1,470,000
  • $1,350,000
  • $1,100,000
and goalies:
  • $2,500,000
  • $766,667
 
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glamphotographer

Well-known member
Nov 5, 2011
16,967
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Canada
Leafs are weak on LW. All they are looking for is if he is at least the 4th best option they have on LW
Quite frankly I think all they want to know is whether he is a better option come playoffs than Robertson, Holmberg, Dewar, and the like. He's a minimum wage player at this stage after all so compare him to other min wage players. If he was any good Leafs would not be able to afford him.

It's also a PTO that he's on. It's a tryout. They haven't committed to him.
Mitchy only likes Right-wingers.
 

shack

Nitpicker Extraordinaire
Oct 2, 2001
51,424
9,978
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Toronto
Leafs LW by salary:
  • Bobby McMann $1,350,000
  • Connor Dewar $1,180,000
  • Matthew Knies $925,000
  • Nick Robertson $875,000
  • Pontus Holmberg $800,000
For comparison to see what Leafs are dealing with Ryan Reaves plays RW and he makes $1,350,000.
So Reaves makes as much or more than all of Leafs LW options.
But you are talking peanuts.
 

superstar_88

The Chiseler
Jan 4, 2008
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Will he renounce his former loyalty to the bleu, blanc, rouge.
The other Max, Domi also once played for the Habs.
 

superstar_88

The Chiseler
Jan 4, 2008
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Goes good with milk ...
 

smuddan

Well-known member
Mar 7, 2007
2,301
297
83
Another training camp starts, another year the Leafs have cup aspirations.

Reasons to be optimistic : a new coach with a ring, two top four d men added, some young bloods, Knies, McMann, Minton, Cowan, may be able to give the offence a boost.

Reasons to be pessimistic : core four is still intact, key players, namely Tavares and Tanev are on the downside of their careers, questionable goaltending and specialty teams.

It’ll take an act of God for this team to miss the playoffs, but same kind of miracle is needed for this team to win the cup. How far they go in between will determine the fate of Shanahan and probably that of Marner and Tavares as far as their Leaf careers are concerned.
 

shack

Nitpicker Extraordinaire
Oct 2, 2001
51,424
9,978
113
Toronto
Another training camp starts, another year the Leafs have cup aspirations.

Reasons to be optimistic : a new coach with a ring, two top four d men added, some young bloods, Knies, McMann, Minton, Cowan, may be able to give the offence a boost.

Reasons to be pessimistic : core four is still intact, key players, namely Tavares and Tanev are on the downside of their careers, questionable goaltending and specialty teams.

It’ll take an act of God for this team to miss the playoffs, but same kind of miracle is needed for this team to win the cup. How far they go in between will determine the fate of Shanahan and probably that of Marner and Tavares as far as their Leaf careers are concerned.
Curious, is Tanev one of the top 4 d'men and also on the downside? That's kind of double dipping. LOL
 

smuddan

Well-known member
Mar 7, 2007
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Curious, is Tanev one of the top 4 d'men and also on the downside? That's kind of double dipping. LOL
He‘ll be 35 come December and I think the Leafs will be lucky to have him perform near the same level as he did last year and stay healthy for one full season. Last 3 seasons he played 65-56-19 games and I don’t think it’s coincidental that his number of games played went down each year.
 

tml

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2011
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He‘ll be 35 come December and I think the Leafs will be lucky to have him perform near the same level as he did last year and stay healthy for one full season. Last 3 seasons he played 65-56-19 games and I don’t think it’s coincidental that his number of games played went down each year.
According to the Hockey Reference website, in the past 3 seasons Chris Tanev played 82, 65, and 75 games. Last year his 75 games were divided between Calgary(56) and Dallas(19). Perhaps you read last year's split of games as 2 seperate seasons.
 

smuddan

Well-known member
Mar 7, 2007
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According to the Hockey Reference website, in the past 3 seasons Chris Tanev played 82, 65, and 75 games. Last year his 75 games were divided between Calgary(56) and Dallas(19). Perhaps you read last year's split of games as 2 seperate seasons.
I stand corrected Thanks


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superstar_88

The Chiseler
Jan 4, 2008
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In the regular season Leafs PP has always been good. They were 7th last season ahead of cup champs Florida.
They were also the second highest scoring team behind only Colorado by only 1 goal. Only 2 teams scored over 300.
That is their strength. In the Playoffs is where it became questionable but everything became questionable.

As for the PK they had very weak D for killing penalties. Holl blocked a lot of shots from his side and he was gone. Brodie took over his side and was not good. Couldn't block shots. We all know Rielly can't kill penalties. Sandin wasn't any good hence why he was shipped out. Lili and Benoit weren't good at killing penalties either. Gio could block shots but he was tres old and slow. They no longer had a prime Muzzin and McCabe is not a defensive stalwart. Hence why they brought in a guy like Edmundson for the playoffs and this year Hakanpaa. Tanev was tied for 3rd in total blocked shots last season.
 
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superstar_88

The Chiseler
Jan 4, 2008
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It's only one exhibition game but looks like Leafs will try to go with Matthews, Nylander, Tavares as their top 3 centers and probably Kampf as the 4th. Tavares in all his years with NYI has always been the best player on his line carrying a bunch of no names as his wingers and doing it successfully. In Toronto he's been the second best player behind either Marner or Nylander. Leafs have always had a weak 3rd line. Particularly in the playoffs. Having Tavares carry a 3rd line could very well work for them. Tavares and Max P looked good together albeit against AHL competition. Both former captains.
Max P by the way, is wearing number 67.
 
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smuddan

Well-known member
Mar 7, 2007
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With 3 (Tanev, OEL and Weber) new guys the defence looked bad. Understandably they need time to jell.

I’m not sure I like the Nylander at centre experiment. Even a step slower Tavares is still their second best centre and Nylander has proven that he’s an elite winger when he wants to be and the wing positions get a lot weaker with him at centre. Their first priority is to get the top two line going. Getting a competent 3rd line centre is a lot easier than replacing Nylander’s presence on the wing. Just mho.
 
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