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I agree with what's in this post. The only thing I'd point out is these are reasons to think long and hard about whether Tavares is a fit for the Leafs as a 2C. He's not at the point of shoving him into a 3C role with some "smushers on his wing" while inserting guys who don't have the offensive...

As far as sliding doors moments go, that concussion is as big a turning point as I can think of. Give Toronto Tavares in that (7 game) series, and it's hard not to see it turning out differently. Even if they somehow choke against the Jets (who Mtl swept), the whole narrative of the team is...

Tavares scored 74 points in 75 games, including 38 goals. He put up another 5 goals in the playoffs. Ross Colton put up 29 points in 61 games. Charlie Coyle put up 35 points in 83... The decline of John Tavares is overblown.

The team I keep reminiscing about lately is 1999. I never really thought they were going to win it all, but they were such a pleasant surprise that every win along the way to the Conference Finals was a bonus. Compare that to this year where every win just felt like a relief. I also have a...

I guess we'll see where he lands and for how much. I think it's a stretch to say that winning is out. Carolina or LA have room. Tampa and Florida look like they're tapped out... and wherever he signs, he'll also be looking at what he adds to the team. He was PPG in the 2025 playoffs after a 100...

Florida got swept in the 2022 Playoffs. It's indicative of the current mood that you're suggesting the two are equivalent. It's not like Florida spent the summer of 2022 blowing up their roster either. They made the big Huberdeau for Tkachuk trade. Otherwise, 7 of their top 10 scorers were the...

Unfortunately, other markets will be able to pitch players that they can have money, fun and win without the microscope of Toronto. If our pitch is players need to be emotionally mature enough to give on one of those things, that seems likely to be a problem for the Leafs signing free agents...

Framed like that, there could be a lesson. I don't think most Leafs fans and media would want to hear it. Because if you assume that Florida is the best team, then instead of the distance between the Leafs and serious, viable contention being 2 more rounds of playoffs, it's win 1 more game in a...

Losing first rounds has been frustrating and all, but the level of pessimism about a team currently in first place is wild to me. Over the 6 years (not eight) since John Tavares joined the roster, the Leafs have played in 4 game 7s in their 5 first round exits.... and the 5th was a 5 game...

$9M would be a lot. That would make him 2nd highest paid player 24 or under behind only Rasmus Dahlin. The time to try and lock up Knies at a discount, was last summer - and we don't know they didn't try. If I was Knies I would have been reluctant to extend for the numbers people were throwing...

I always wonder about what the best teams are doing behind the scenes at this time of year. I've seen plenty of teams look great in March and fall in the first round. I suspect the difference is not going to be what I see in March, but things that I don't see. Specifically, I'm thinking about...

For any Leafs fans out there who need to hear it: Harold Ballard is gone. He can't hurt you any more.

Ignoring the hatchet job of the source material here, the problem with trying to do a Dubas retrospective right now is that this in a substantial way, the current Leafs roster is really still Dubas' team. As long as the team's fate is decided by the core 4 + Rielly, we're still operating in a...

If Matthews needs surgery, there are some big decisions to be made. With Marner and Tavares contracts expiring, next year could look very different.

Love the loaded line... as a December experiment. My personal belief is the Leafs will be better off dividing them across 3 lines - all 3 on one line will not get the most out of them (too many puck carriers, who is the net front presence), but I'm also a little excited to see how it plays...

Professional sports is about entertainment, so the viewer gets to decide what they prioritise. The standards by which you decide to judge are arbitrary, to be decided by you. And so, if you choose to judge an individuals contribution to team sports by something that is clearly, obviously beyond...

I feel this statement in my bones. Sorry for taking away (well written) context. I feel like the statement stands up without it. Beyond it. The pieces are in place. Now just win.

We Leafs fans also have selective memories. That series converted a lot of people who had been fans of Sheldon Keefe's approach of possession hockey and skate the puck zone entries to believe that dump and chase is now necessary to succeed in the playoffs. Painting it as an effort thing - and...

The cupboard is bare because that's the way that NHL teams are run. Tampa Bay hasn't made a pick in the first round since 2019 (no 2025 pick either), and Florida hasn't since 2021 (no 2025 pick). The Bruins have selected twice in the first round in that time. Those are the teams the Leafs have...

You're right, a 12 game stretch is not enough to justify that, which is why any Knies contract will wait - that was the point of the Byfield comparison. TML would be reluctant to put him on Byfield status today (reasonable), but if Knies scores 30+ (plausible), looking at contracts signed in...