The TSN Hockey panel discussed whether or not this year’s playoff exit is the final straw for this Maple Leafs group, Toronto’s scoring struggles throughout the postseason, what led to Nick Cousins’ series-winning goal in overtime, and more after Florida eliminated Toronto in Game 5.
@Toronto Maple Leafs
47 Comments
If we're being honest, No.
You could fire the entire front office and coaching staff and no GM is going to come in and make a trade involving the "core four" because Toronto has no draft picks for the next 3 years so rebuilding is impossible and making a "hockey trade" that would give a worthwhile return is statistically impossible.
Until their contracts expire naturally this is what we've got, a top 5 team in the NHL that can't get over the hump.
Goodluck traiding tavares😂😂 why anybody would want him
Keefe needs to go. Leafs tactics were poor, it’s coaching.
Keep Dubis, Keefe got to go. Just think what you could get for any one of those overpriced core four, but I don't think anybody wants them, because they cannot finish like a shifty lover.
Laff Nation crying in their Molson…😂
Leafs gotta get rid of Marner. Trade him now. If Matthews doesn’t wanna discuss an extension, trade him. Cannot afford to lose him for nothing. Sign Nylander. He’s shown to be a guy who can put the puck in the net during the toughest times of the yr. Sure he’s a floater, but every great team has that type of guy. His talent is too immense to lose. And fire Keefe into the sun. Easily the worst coach in the game
The funniest thing ever was leaf fans saying Florida is not a real nhl team 😂
Crosby,Malkin, Letang and MAF were never reffered to as the Core 4. Not sure why this market continues to hammer this Core 4 crap. Split up this core so we dont have to hear this shit no more.
Hope so; time for a new management team to sort this out with a new mind-set regarding players, compensation, etc.
It's cute you think they had a chance at all. 😂😂😂
for the sake of their wholly obnoxious and unlikable fanbase I hope they're never good again.
Dubas has been massively over-mythologised as some managerial prodigy. I have never bought it. For all his supposed 'analytical' brilliance, he has built precisely the team an excitable 13 year old would build: four flashy stars up front, leaving nothing for boring things like defence, goaltending, or grit.
To give a sense of what he has built, the 90s equivalent of what he has done would be to built your team around a 'core four' of Mike Gartner, Pierre Turgeon, Tony Amonte, and Eric Daze – the only thing softer than their hands was their attitude, leading to a combined zero championships despite regular season success.
Dubas is often contrasted with Babcock – the latter being a rigid guy obsessed with his structure. But in his obsession with his 'blueprint', Dubas has proven himself to be just as rigid. I suspect they didn't get on because they both recognised the the other's schtick because they were both faking it until they made it.
Dubas is one of the most contrived personalities I've ever seen in pro sports. Clearly, his calm, polite demeanour has been proven to be false – you can see from his titanically unprofessional behaviour in getting in a swearing match with spectators that in truth he's has none of the grace or dignity he works so hard to suggest he does. I even wonder if anyone would still think he is some analytics genius if he didn't wear glasses – which I suspect he doesn't even need.
It all seems like smoke and mirrors. For 7 years, he has done the same thing and every time it has failed. What possible evidence is there that he has managed the team well? He buckled on Nylander when he should have set an example; he overpaid for Matthews for the term and Marner in general; and he should never have brought in Tavares at that age on that contract at all.
Dubas got lucky to land the job. I simply can't see what value he added. His legacy will be to have stripped the team of future assets to try to win today, because the team built to his 'blueprint' wasn't good enough.
God… I hope so….
Three things killed the leaf's. Character, effort, and losing most battles for the puck. You watch that overtime and count the number of times Florida ended up with the puck in a one-on-one situation.
56 years and counting
Toronto is unable to match the line changes . These guys are not the famous Montreal Canadians . They are not Scotty Bowman . They are not the famous Oilers . Please explain the history of the Leafs .
It's time for a rebuilt. How about trading Matthews for several first round draft choices?
An “era”? What defined the era? A bunch of spineless superstars who didn’t show up in the playoffs. The value of these players is also rock bottom compared to their salary. Leafs are going to end up giving them away if they want to trade any of them.
It’s shame TSN doesn’t get any playoff games
TSN needs a Barkley or Stephen A. I need a few “this was utterly disgraceful”
The Leafs have changed everything from GMs, coaches, players over the past few decades! Doesn’t matter what is changed, it doesn’t work in Toronto! Money doesn’t get the cup! Heart gets the cup and Toronto never recruits heart when it counts!
Canada should withdraw their teams from the NHL since they stink!
I think we keep Kyle and we get rid of Keefe and get a head coach who actually knows what he’s doing
Matthews needs to take a paycut for his next contract if this team wants to stay competitive
The players only care about themselves and their regular season plays and stats.
That’s the problem with this younger generation
I mean Toronto didn’t have to hold someone’s stick to get an open lane, not the same situation on either end of the ice
If Matthews doesn’t agree to an extension this summer then they have to move him.
Regular season is just practice for the real prize; The Stanley Cup. If you can't put the biscuit in the basket during the playoffs then you're no good to anyone, you've got to be able to handle the pressure. I think everyone has a good idea who the real solid players are on every team that played this year in the playoffs, FYI these are the players that stay out of the penalty box by being level headed, also.
Get rid of Marner for a stud defenseman.
All the obsevations all the laments there is one key factor why they' re heading to the cottage.
No ❤
Why have I not yet read that Keefe has been fired?
So, on July 1st Matthews has a ‘hammer’ to negotiate etc? Incredible considering he did absolutely NOTHING in the playoffs. I say….GET LOST!!!!👋🏻
They showed no fight.Soft doesn't begin to describe them
What more can Dubas do though? All those guys he brought in at the deadline was the correct moves but it seems that locker room has no passion in the postseason
It's the day after, why am I not seeing headlines of Keefes firing? And yes, that was the last time you get to see Matthews in a Leafs jersey
Toronto shot themself in the head 😆
I think Matthews, Nylander, Keefe and Dubas may be gone.
Though I wanna see some team and management changes
We definitely need more effort, grit and heart.
Toronto never really played well all throughout the playoffs with exception of maybe 2 games. They barely deserved tampa and never deserved florida. I hope the team is blown up
Just to start. I’m a pens fan. Why did Toronto not challenge the play? Gudas clearly held the leafs defenseman’s stick…
Holl, gio, brodie were the biggest problems. None can skate and constantly turned over the puck. Core 4 cant do much with zero support from half the d and being stuck in own zone. And why was Gustafson, i guy who can skate and move the puck not playing?
The problem is surprisingly the fans. I respect the passion leaf fans have for their team I really do. And although I’m not a leaf fan I do not root against them or hate on them like a lot of people tend to do. But from the outside looking in, I can see you fans always gushing over your players every year . Always supporting your team no matter what and that’s the issue. I’m not saying to stop following your team but start demanding better. Stop paying thousands of dollars to watch them every game. Let ownership and front office know you guys want to win a cup with more than just 6 teams competing for it. Keep them on edge knowing they’ll lose money if they don’t figure it out.
And going forward they’re screwed. It’s so sad seeing all you guys giving money to that underachieving over priced team every year. I mean, the leaf’s literally have half their cap space filled up from 4 guys who under preform every year when it counts.
Their division has teams like Buffalo, Ottawa and Detroit who are all up and coming young and talented. It doesn’t look good for you guys and I’m truly not trying to hate on Toronto. But maybe instead of seeing things through your rose colored glasses, listen to someone who is looking at the leafs with a non fan non biased opinion.
Why would Dubas even want to come back he knows this off season and yrs to come will suck in Toronto. He is gone
tbh. I think this is an overreaction. The window is not closed. Though imo what needs to happen is a trade to relieve cap space. So someone from the "core 4" has to go. It probably wont be Tavares because his contract and lack of commitment outside Toronto. It wont be Matthew, because goals. So its either Marner or Nylander. You need atleast one more Patrick Maroon, Ryan O'Reilly, Corey Perry type to your team to do the dirty work. The leafs top 6 has enough skill, but you still need that one workhorse that can disrupt the opponents gameplan and go into those dirty areas. Marner, Nylander, Matthews, Tavares all get leveled to the ice in those dirty areas. You need guys on the top 6 that can do THAT stuff and still possess enough skill to make plays when they need to ala O'Reilly, Rantanen, Marchand etc. Leafs management have to be ready to give up someone big to get back something like that.
Anyway, GO PANTHERS.
11mil for a 3rd line center in taveras. Thats a huge problem for next 2 yrs.
Matthews always has that unhappy look on hia face
Someone should count how many times a Leaf shot missed the net and bounced off the boards to create a breakout for Florida.
I bet Dubas next job he gets he won't be giving out 11mill $ contracts like candy..he had on job training in Toronto.