Maple Leafs 2018 - 19

Problem is they can't put together one good pair of shut down defensemen. Who are the Leafs 2 best shut down guys? They don't even have 1 that can be considered a good shut down guy let alone elite
 
My time machine is in the shop.

My bad, I meant Leafs/Sharks game. Got a little ahead of myself. ;)


The Leafs can give Marleau a front office job for $6.25 mil. Think outside the box like Dubas.

Boston is a 1 line team. The Leafs can have 2-3 lines that can score. Once Babcock has the last line change, the Leafs shut down Boston's top line. BTW, Bergeron is out for at least 4 weeks.

Good news story of the day. Their super-line is not so super now. :D
 
My bad, I meant Leafs/Sharks game. Got a little ahead of myself. ;)




Good news story of the day. Their super-line is not so super now. :D

Pasternak and Marchand tend to step up with Bergie but will see how they do. THe Leafs play Boston on Nov 26.
 
If Leafs can't beat a full Bruins line up they don't deserve to win anything. Leafs at full strength already have the team that should beat the Bruins. They just have to not choke in game 7's. I wouldn't even consider Bruins leading contenders. A few other teams ahead of them as threats.
 
If Patrick Marleau retires, his full $6.25Mm A.A.V. counts against the Leafs cap.
He would have to be injured, in order for the club to get relief.
My suspicion is he will develop an unfortunate injury after the playoffs this season, and need to be placed on L.T.I.R.
Either that, or after July 1st, he may waive (entirely up to him, he has full NMC) his NMC, the Leafs will have paid his $3Mm bonus, and a team needing to get to the cap floor will only be responsible for $1.25Mm in actual salary, while getting to use $6.25Mm in cap space.
 
This makes more sense. Mysterious injury sounds like Robidas Island or the Lupul treatment.
 
Saw a video of "the franchise" skating at the Leaf practice yesterday. He was wearing a "do not touch me" jersey. When is he coming back?
 
Why the rush?

- because the Toronto Sports Writers and Leafs Nation Twitter have already awarded him the Art Ross and Hart Trophies for 2019, 2020 and 2021 - so he's got some catching up to do.
- because it'll be a struggle for him to argue for $13 million/season if he misses 20 games each year.
- plus, he's been watching as Patrik Laine scored 11 goals in his last 4 games. That eats him up.
 
Those are reasons to not rush him. Leafs interest or his interest?

Oh, totally agree - I think it's in the Leafs interest to take their time resting him for multiple reasons.
This whole thing with Nylander has demonstrated there's trouble brewing after July 1st and players aren't going to buy this "You should play for us at a deep discount" argument - so start strategizing now, not later...
 
All 3 Johnson goals between the legs. That is not a coincidence. Johnson played with him plenty in minors. Knows the weakness.

Leafs may one day become top heavy like Pitt with a bunch of nobodies filling the roster. 2 5 mill defensemen. A few hymans and browns at 2 mill andersen at 6 and the rest 1 mill or less fillers
 
Nice win tonight against the Bruins, they always give the leafs problems

No, the leafs give themseves problems, they fail to mark Pasternak twice. They need to shut down the top line but they can't. Hopefully when Matthews and Nylander (yes I said he's coming back) come back, it will give the Leafs 3 scoring lines vs Boston 1 top line.
 
Game could have gone either way. You make it sound like 3 lines can beat 1 super line. Boston also plays better defense overall. Leafs also need to get that game 7 choke out of their system. You didn't watch last years playoffs where the super line was scoring at will and Matthews/Nylander were not?
 
gentlmen big bruin fan here. went down to the game last night, paid big time for tickets. decent game, bruins be fine down the road. on a happier note, i sit down and who sits down right beside me ... mitch marners parents. real nice people, told them their son was not only a dynamite hockey player, but a nice young man as well.