In this video, I go over the Maple Leafs being eliminated from the playoffs by the Florida Panthers. Then discuss the quotes from locker cleanout day using salary cap analysis, advanced stats and other information to break it all down!
@Toronto Maple Leafs
44 Comments
Great work as usual DTSB. Looking forward to the coming videos in the next few weeks leading to the draft and July 1. IMO Your best videos of the year.
Coach has to go
Matt Murray STFU and enjoy Robidas Island
have to decide on dubas 1st sooner the better ..
The Leafs don't need more goal scorers. They outshot the Panthers in every game. They need to adjust their game style away from a puck control team and more towards an opportunistic net crashing team with shutdown defense. Their series against Tampa was closer to this.
They really have to find a way to make Matthews a powerplay demon. He is often too far to the boards as more of a passer, he sometimes is able to get that wrist shot off, great. But definitely is not used as effectively as he should be, and that's a coaching issue. Gotta get him to be a threat ala Stamkos/Ovechkin with those cross-ice one-timers. I mean pushing 20, maybe more PPG a season.
[% of career goals scored on the power-play]
Stamkos – 37.9% reg season, 37.8% playoffs
Ovechkin – 36.4% reg season, 38.9% playoffs
Matthews – 25.4% reg season, 22.7% playoffs
The difference in staggering. GET THIS GUY IN THE POSITION TO FIRE THE PUCK!!! Not used as a floater by the boards.
Tampa and Florida manhandled them all night they need some Ruff bastards, these guys are not power forwards like Ryan Smith, Trevor Lindon. Trade Mathews to LA and bring back a premier d man and picks, from what I've seen from Knies in his juniors he's not afraid to hit or fight like a Clark or Ryan Smith, marner can make a bum a scoring machine!
Keefe seems like they're buddy too he's gotta go!!
I'm fine with Matthews being the highest paid player in the league, as long as it's not in Toronto.
The guy take short term contracts to get all he can and leaving the rest of the team to suffer because they don't have enough cap space to surround him with good players.
Then when he doesn't come through when it matters most everyone not only gives him a pass, but gives him a raise to go along with it. What a joke!!
There's an old saying that goes, "A fool and his money shall soon part" and in this case if you give someone who has a proven track record of not getting it done, again, and again, and again, in the playoffs, we know who the fool is.
True captains sacrafice for the greater good, which is the team, not themselves.
Guys like Crosby did that, when he took 8.7m per season when he could of got doubled. He took less because he wanted to win, and give his team the best chance he could to win. And win they did.
Guys like Mackinnon took less because he wanted to win, and once he won he got paid, which is totally fair at that point.
The best player in the world Connor Mcdavid took 12.5m per season for a full length contract of 8yrs not 4yrs because he wanted to win, and give his team the best chance he could to win.
He could have gotten 15m per but he didn't. This is what true captains do. For anyone to compare Matthew's with this type of attitude, to those other guys is ridiculous.
He is not that type of guy, he's a great player who arguably has the best shot in the league, but he is not a captain like those guys.
That's why I'd trade Matthew's to someone where he can get his max money and he'd be happy, and the leafs could get a couple really, really, good players who fits more of a team first philosophy, which would make the leafs management happy.
Somewhere like Anaheim would make sense for Matthew's to make his max money.
They have 13.8m in cap space, so they could afford to do it.
Matthew's for the second overall pick, and Mason McTavish. Something like that would give Toronto what they need, a future top line center, and a second line center, both of whom would be on league minimum contracts for the next few years.
That would give the Ducks a young superstar 60 goal center who they could build around, and the leafs would get some much needed cap flexability, and youth at center debth, which they really need with Tavares on the decline, could move to the wing, or be your 3rd line center.
With the cap space you could resign ROR, Accari, Kampf, and Schenn.
And with the money that's left look for a top 4 right hand d man. Top two if possible.
Seems kinda fitting the the name of the TML arena is Scotiabank Arena, because that's were most of the leaf players seem to be taking them!!!
2-1 games were gutsy playoff performances when they won, and they were not good enough offensively when they lost. I've found there is always a narrative to pick out. I'm not feeling as doom and gloom as everyone else seems to be in all honesty.
Anyways, great work as always. I'm excited to see how things shake out in a few weeks' time!
Matthews should be traded he doesn’t deserve 14 million
The problem with these leafs is that they have no need to give more. All 4 big guns are paid well why should they play harder and maybe get hurt. That injury that Taveras got at the hands of the Canadians' was on purpose, again Florida took out Knies on purpose to hurt leafs moral. The leafs did not retaliate if I was on this team I would have taken the player Bennet out all thru the game and series constantly. The leafs are not capable of these thoughts they say why hurt myself I make enough money. Mathews was lost, Marner was being banged around every game, Tavares still had a head injury, and Nielander dah all the way. Nobody cares, they have no clue how to win. Get rid of them all replace them with young hungry players like knies and see what changes. Get rid of Dubas and then coach both are useless. Replace them with Sittler as GM and Gilmour as coach.
Keep Matthews, trade out or let these players walk: Holl, Lilegrin, kerfoot, reese, murray, nylander, tavaris, bunting. "Keefe'.
The problem with the Leafs is the coaching and the missing pieces of the puzzle.
They are small physically when it comes to their best players. Who are needed to do what they are there for. Why you have them on the team. . You can not tell them to change the way they play because this is why they are one or two in the league.. But you need to put players together on lines that are able to complete what each other has to give making the most successful and balanced line and then time playing together knowing where the other is.
The Leafs will not win the cup until they are comfortable with the fact that playoff hockey is about being the best cheaters, not the best hockey players
They cant score in the playoffs because interference is not a penalty at this time of year. More so without the puck and behind the play is the huge problem.
I can’t see how Matthews or MLSE can justify him taking up an higher percentage of the cap space, when not having cap space to fill out the rest of the roster has been the issue all along.
Seems to me they need to lower his cap percentage, and he can still be paid more. How much money does this fucking guy need? Everyone paying his salary (fans) are tortured watching this team shit the bed in the playoffs. Quit milking the cow!
Mrazek helped Chicago tank.
At this point, yours is the only analysis that I find worth listening to. Thanks for keeping it balanced and rational!
Trade Nylander and bolster the D and get a heavy winger with the 10M he'll be asking for
got to say steve i like your show but the hardest thing to overcome is a lack of contacts , quoting stats and analytics makes a lot of people very uncomfortable as a hockey purist hard work beats talent every time good luck with your new gig
Time to make some bold decisions. Maybe get both Hunter boys for GM and Coach. Matthews to the Ducks for the #2 overall pick, Mason McTavish and Jaime Drysdale. He wants $13-$14 million a year? Not here, sorry we got burned on that previously. Next Nylander to the Blue Jackets for the #3 overall pick and Kent Johnson.
U.F.A Dumba Schenn O'Reilly Acciari Ashton-Reese to start.
Murry for a low pick or bury him in the minors. Samsonov and Woll for goalies .
2025 UFA is supposed to be great. Marner owes the team a team friendly contract, 8 years at $9 million a year. They gotta start filling out the team better. After Taveras $ 11 million, no more $10 + million players unless it's McDavid.
Crosby Malkin made $8.7 and $9.5 million a year and won 3 Cups.
Leafs need a heart transplant and 2 power forwards and heavy d men.
Is Knies fully recovered yet?
Watch the replay and you'll see a ref looking right at Marner and he saw the elbow to his face and did nothing!
Taking a goal back AGAIN, BS delay of game, tripping Matthews which lead to a goal and on and on and on! As far as I'm concerned the league needs to have an impartial investigation into these refs because in my mind these refs were blatantly steering the games and one has to wonder whether there's any illicit gambling going on.
Refs have been caught doing this multiple times especially in college leagues. Players have also been caught illegally gambling.
This needs to be looked into, or we can never fully trust the refs again and that is a damn shame.
I AM SAYING the Leafs could have won if not for the energy draining BS calls beginning with the negated goal. You could clearly see Bobonanobsy dragged the puck out with his right pad and his face also corroborated the fact, as he looked absolutely sick knowing he cheated.
Had that goal counted, and had the Leafs not had to drain their energy late in the game killing off another BS call, they would have won!
On the other butt cheek, they lost the series during the first three games.
I do NOT believe we're going to see drastic moves. YES it's most probable that one of either Marner or Nylander will be traded.
In my mind, I'm taking a good long look at their play in regular season and their playoff performance.
As hard as it would be, I would trade Marner. Marner was not big enough to be effective against big bruisers who don't play nice in the playoff sandbox!
He looked defeated after finding himself on his ass OVER and OVER! Nylander had a career season scoring 40 goals and was the best player overall in the playoffs. When Matthews and Marner were incapable of finding ways to score in the series would we be out right now? Probably not.
Marner will get a stupid rediculous return and teams would be bidding against each other! If you must trade one of them, it has to be MArner.
TO BE CLEAR – I DO NOT WANT HIM TRADED, HE IS AN ELITE PLAYER, and you need that kind of player through regular season as it helps to get into a playoff slot. But he's just not big or strong enough to be effective in rough n tumble playoffs! This is NOT ROMPER ROOM, you have got to have an attitude of "UP YOUR GLUE BAGS, I REFUSE TO LOSE AND YOU ARE….POWDERED TOAST…man!
Jack ~'()'~
Couldn't the Leaf's just buy out Murray???
What the hell is wrong of you so call hockey experts. We cannot keep trading picks to cover wonder boy NOT Dubas mistakes.
Missed tour videos bro.. don't go Mia again dude especially during a playoff series.. 😢
Why trade the most intelligent hockey player ever to put on a leaf jersey, that being Mitch Marner? He is worth every penny.
Marner, Tavares, and Keefe have to go IMO
Bye Justin holl????? This years draft and free agency (silly season) is going to be entertaining
Auston Matthews has gotta be fed up with this. Poor kid’s wasting his career.
Yea, it's true, power plays disappear and anything goes deeper into the playoffs. But, my question is why? Why is it that Radko Gudas cheating, (in the strictest definition of the word, doing things against the rules), is what is valued in the playoffs? Meatheads win playoff series. The game has not matured in the way that many thought. All the talk about protecting stars and letting the stars reflect where this league is as a product is BS. Assaults go unpunished, elbows fly at heads, sticks chop at the wrists of the Conn Smythe front runner. Game breaking rookies have their heads cocobonked into the ice to extract them from the series. George Paros is the player safety guy… That is like making Trump the president of the US…. oh… WTF?
Simmonds should have been put in to make Bennet answer the bell after injuring Knies. The team needed that extra grit.
the problem with the leafs comes down to those core 4
and just plain EFFORT !! they play like they dont give two shits about playing or winning , thats the culture here oh its ok guys next game we will try to do better … how about get pissed show emotion , shot you give a crap start the damn games on time a full 60 mins they care more about getting paid then actually playing !! , ive seen playoffs where other teams players have broken rib and sprain ankle or tons of stitches just broken down but still push through and power through
none of the core 4 would do that id say 75% of this team minus the new additions accari , schenn , mccabe , lafferty , all the rest play like they scared
Focus on the goalie position .
Dubas and Keefe did a good job this year, again…..improvement every year….. The core did not score. Bottom line. The core, top 6 did not score and we are out. Thats not the GM or coaches fault. Win or learn….this is on the players now. Dubas, Keefe, 2 of the best minds in hockey.
Im done watching the playoffs. Im sick of the officiating being the cause of losses. 30 years of no Canadian Cups? Im saying it's fucking impossible without influencing the games, which has obviously happened. Why no investigation like what would happen in any other real league? It's blatantly obvious. They lose Canadian viewers, they can't operate. They couldn't afford to. They can't fill games promising free beer.
Matthews is on the lazy cue now, joining greats like Kessel and Phaneuf… Think his pRon moustache will fit in nicely in LA…if he resigns, it's prolly only because of his pad and nightly lineup
Dubas not returning as gm breaking news
The Leafs lost for one reason only: They failed to step up in the physicality and meet the Panthers in that. That is largely on the coach. Matthews Nylander and both golies need to be traded out. Maybe Tavares too cuz he's getting way too much. Im glad to see Dubas go with contracts like he was putting out. These contracts should be sectional. We'll pay you 8 for the year if you bag 60 goals in reg season. Will pay you an extra mil for ever series you bag 2 per game. And oh, btw, the first time we see you skate past your check instead of into him, you lose your bonus. Incentive. These dumb fuks thought their obligations were fulfilled after winning a series. They polished their golf clubs up the night they put Tampa out. They had no intention of winning till they started hearing the fans reactions to getting their asses ragdolled by Florida.
My huge question here is for Keefe… At the end of the season. Matthews addmittedly said he was dealing with an injury some of the season and the playoffs that affected his shooting.. WHich i noticed and commented somewhere months ago. We rarely sawthat one deadly one timer half slapper that he added the year before that got him 60 goals the season before. So if Matthews was hurt enough to affect his shot it was super noticable by his production drop off. WHY is Keefe not sitting Matthews down and saying we understand this nagging injury may not get any worse however I want you to take a month or so off at the end of the year to try and be ready for the playoffs and rehab this hand injury.. why is he running him out the every single night when the playoff matchup was locked up and the team they were playing was locked up two months before the season ended. TO me and my oppinion Keefe failed to protect Matthews from himself and couldnt stand up to matthews and tell him he needed to sit . Heres where having to soft of a coah and to laid back of a coach is horrible.
You have to protect these players from themselves. a month of two at the end of the season wouldnt have changed much in the standings but it may have changed alot come playoff time if Matthews was actually able to consistently use his shot effectively the only time i saw that half slapper was when he absolutely needed to to end the OT game I beleive or put tem up by another goal in a close game i only saw it a handful of time him actually fully releasing one.
1 of Matthews or Marnie have to go. They are being paid all this money to not show up in the playoffs when we need them the most. Injuries shouldnt be an excuse. Every player is dealing with something at this time of year. You have to find a way to create offense. Matthews refused to fight for open space in the playoffs, Marnie refused to fight for space in the playoffs. Ironically Nylander was the one who was fighting for space, the one guy we all criticized for being lazy. Marnie and Matthews waited for space on the ice to open up and that never happens in the playoffs. They are not playoff performers. They are elite season players. They are just good players in the playoffs. They dont have what it takes to do anything they have too to win and that reflects on the coach too. The coach Keefe, he shouldnt be here next year either. He refuses to hold his stars accoubtable and when he does, he back tracked his comments and apologized publicly. Not what a good coach does.
Its time for a change. Its time for these players to get use to being uncomfortable in that locker room, if you dont perform the way you should, if you are not willing to buy it, then you gone.
Lets be real here…. Shannahan is the king of getting out infront of things. He knew what he was doing when he came out and gave his timeline of what went down with Dubas.
My oppinion is… SHannhan wanted Dubas in there because as a new GM SHannahan could control things more without push back and he expected DUbas to defer to him alot more then a normal GM would or would want to. Dubas was SHannhans pawn. He knows the pressure and the scutiny and not only that but the usual career lifespan of a GM in this league, SHannhan wanted the say of a GM but doesnt want to hold the title he wants president because hes sheilded from his decisions by having a scape goat and DUbas infront of him. And he expects dubas to just lay down and take it because hes Brendan Shannahan.
SHannahans reasoning makes ZERO sense if you break it down. He says , " After the trade deadline he saw enough , that he was sure he wanted Kyle back." SO much so that he wasted ZERO time in presenting him with the framework for a new deal. In which he admits right then and there Dubas is upfront with Shannhan that it has taken a toll on him and his family and that he needs to talk with his family before making any decisions… addmittedly still at this point SHannhan was ok with it. COmes dubas press conference. Dubas basically tells the public what he told shannahan and he was ok with it.. Shannahan was STILL ok with moving forward AFTER the press conference…. These are his words not mine. It wasnt until the final version of the contract Dubas sent back to shannahan which is totally NORMAL in business did SHannahan decide not to renew Dubas.
Heres my theory. Dubas now had SEVERAL years experience as a GM. hes not no rookie GM anymore. Before he was more then willing to take suggestions. defer to shannahan on many things… Now that hes an actual GM Dubas wanted actual GM abilities. he wanted equal say on trades then Shannahan had. Shannahan took exception to this as if it was Dubas saying he wanted SHannahan to back off that lot of these decisions that were made were his fault and its his fault they wernt succeeding. when all it was , was dubas wanting the actual responsibilities as a normal experienced GM without being overlooked and overruled by the President on everything. THIS is where the gap came into play , Shannahan wants the say , he wants to Presidents job but he wants to actual role of the GM without the backlash of being the GM. He wants his cake and eat it too. News flash Shannahan. No experienced GM is going to want to work under that… So Heres my guess… Shannahan hires another GM that has very low or No NHL GM experience but may have had other league experience somewhere. If my theory is right that should prove it right there.