2018-19 Toronto Maple Leafs - General Discussion
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
https://twitter.com/adidasCA/status/1040608080092909568
Uh oh.
This would be funnier if Adidas didn't own Reebok
Uh oh.
This would be funnier if Adidas didn't own Reebok
Redleaf
Active member
I realize that this comment may go against the grain of many fans on this board, but I?m really starting to think the Leafs would be better off trying to trade William Nylander to shore up the defense.
They already have a plethora of star forwards in this lineup, with or without Nylander in the fold, and with guys like Andreas Johnnson and Kasperi Kapanen ready to take the next step this season, the forward group is set for years to come. Their archilles heel right now is not having nearly enough capable D-men to truly round out the team into cup contending form.
I don?t have trade proposals , but I think a solid defenceman could be shaken free from a team looking for a gifted young forward of Nylanders ilk.
Winning the Tavares sweepstakes has given the club the opportunity to make a trade like this without sacrificing too much offence, and no matter what people say about the ?new? NHL, I still strongly believe you win championships with solid defence.
They already have a plethora of star forwards in this lineup, with or without Nylander in the fold, and with guys like Andreas Johnnson and Kasperi Kapanen ready to take the next step this season, the forward group is set for years to come. Their archilles heel right now is not having nearly enough capable D-men to truly round out the team into cup contending form.
I don?t have trade proposals , but I think a solid defenceman could be shaken free from a team looking for a gifted young forward of Nylanders ilk.
Winning the Tavares sweepstakes has given the club the opportunity to make a trade like this without sacrificing too much offence, and no matter what people say about the ?new? NHL, I still strongly believe you win championships with solid defence.
Zee
Active member
RedLeaf said:
I hear what you're saying, but I can't agree on this one. I think Nylander is an elite level winger, and you'll never get a fair piece back for that. I think he's ready to have a breakout year, a little more luck and a little more ice time and he could push through to be a point a game player this season. Trading him for a steady young dman would have shades of Hall for Larsson type deal, and we all know how that one worked out with Hall just winning the Hart trophy.
It's funny that the apparent ask for Willy's contract is in the $8M range, and I think he and his agent knows he's ready to earn that money. If we get him on a lower cap hit, his contract will probably look like a bargain in 3 years.
You brought up the plethora of young wingers, I say let the Johnsson and Kapanens of the world prove themselves as good scoring wingers, and if one of them breaks through and can score 20 goals, he's the guy you move in a trade. I just think Nylander has a next level type of skill that the other guys don't possess, so you'll do much better in a deal giving away a good scoring winger as opposed to someone like Nylander who can be more than that.
Redleaf
Active member
Zee said:
I think we really need to see how his contract plays out , and mostly how the team plays with the defense they have now before we can gauge which argument holds water. I like Nylander, but if there is a trade available that allows us to greatly improve the defence, I wouldn?t hesitate moving him. The bigger picture here is we now have the movable pieces in place to shore up the teams weaknesses. If they can do that by moving out some of the lesser players , than I?m all for that, but if the right defenceman becomes available that would bring this team closer to winning a championship, and Nylander is the ask, then you do it .
Kin
New member
Zee said:
Yeah. I'm open to moving anyone if the result is a net positive for the Leafs but I don't have any real reason to think a Nylander for a defenseman deal would be that. Odds are that you'd get a solid, unspectacular defenseman in the Larsson mold.
If the Leafs see that their defense is really holding them back they'd be much better off looking to acquire an older solid-type and pay a price that's more in line with what, say, Dallas paid for Methot or something along the lines of the Ryan McDonagh deal.
herman
Well-known member
Nik the Trik said:
First, how dare you take this long to start thinking that.
Second, if someone asks for something on this board that you can easily oblige, who amongst us would not gladly help his or her fellow neighbour?
Third, you should see the video it came from
https://twitter.com/melissaloparco/status/1042546070633365504
herman
Well-known member
https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1042832145792872448
Which implies that Matthews, as he mentioned earlier this week, will be on the Marner-Tavares PP unit.
This would work for me.
Tavares
Matthews - Marleau - Marner
Rielly
Kadri
Kapanen - Johnsson - Nylander
Gardiner
Which implies that Matthews, as he mentioned earlier this week, will be on the Marner-Tavares PP unit.
This would work for me.
Tavares
Matthews - Marleau - Marner
Rielly
Kadri
Kapanen - Johnsson - Nylander
Gardiner
Kin
New member
I'm very quick to give execs and coaches crap when they regurgitate tired and worn out cliches so, in the spirit of fairness, I suppose I have to give Babcock a lot of credit for saying one of the truest things I've ever heard a coach say about an issue that's been talked to death.
The idea that the best way for players to deal with media scrutiny in Toronto being to have a full, rounded life outside of hockey seems like a remarkably insightful and intelligent thing to say. It's the sort of thing that's been nipped around the edges here but usually in a pejorative way("He's not going to care about the newspapers, he's out partying" etc) and we saw it in a regrettably unfair way with the Wellwood situation. Traditional "Gud Hockey Pro" logic is for guys to be 100% committed to the game but I think that's the sort of thing that can cause burnout and getting too involved with pressure and bad press.
So kudos Coach Babcock for encouraging your players to have well-rounded lives. I hope this means fewer rules on beards and more team field trips to the ROM.
The idea that the best way for players to deal with media scrutiny in Toronto being to have a full, rounded life outside of hockey seems like a remarkably insightful and intelligent thing to say. It's the sort of thing that's been nipped around the edges here but usually in a pejorative way("He's not going to care about the newspapers, he's out partying" etc) and we saw it in a regrettably unfair way with the Wellwood situation. Traditional "Gud Hockey Pro" logic is for guys to be 100% committed to the game but I think that's the sort of thing that can cause burnout and getting too involved with pressure and bad press.
So kudos Coach Babcock for encouraging your players to have well-rounded lives. I hope this means fewer rules on beards and more team field trips to the ROM.
Phileas Fogg
New member
Nik the Trik said:
I'm dougie hamilton, and I approve this message.
herman said:
Sure sounds like the plan is for Kadri to stay on the Marner unit as well. At least to start.
herman said:
https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1043135665825882114
Seeing as how Kapanen isn't getting PP reps in pre-season, I'd assuming that Ennis would start in his spot. Also gives them a left-handed shot on that wall which is what I think the coaching staff would prefer.
herman
Well-known member
CarltonTheBear said:
We'll know by preseason game 5 what the opening night plans will likely be for special teams when the two split squads are consolidated into the Leafs + longer looks and cuts to the Marlies.
If they're going to super stack a PP1, I think it would make sense to spin up the fourth line wingers (Johnsson, Kapanen) on PP2 as they won't be getting much 5v5 time (probably not much PP time either, given who are being rolled out first).