2018-19 Toronto Maple Leafs - General Discussion
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
The Johnsson/Marleau swap carries over, nice.
Guilt Trip
Active member
It needed to be done 2 weeks ago.CarltonTheBear said:
Guilt Trip said:
I mean you could say 2 months ago. But as long as it sticks going forward it doesn't really matter.
Guilt Trip
Active member
True enough and you're right. Now it's time to sort out the other lines.CarltonTheBear said:
herman
Well-known member
CarltonTheBear said:
Basically this.
I don't think the team or Kapanen/Johnsson are any the worse (long term) for having to bust through Komarov/Marleau/Martin/Brown levels to claim their rightful spots. If anything it should be creating internal competition from both above and below the roster spot. Babcock might look married to Marleau and Komarov and Hainsey, etc. but the contract lengths tell the tale and these players are good in the room but played to be professional hurdles.
Sometimes Babcock is right about his assessment, and sometimes he's wrong. Carrick couldn't hurdle Polak, and currently still cannot on a new same team. That sucks. Leivo is semi-shining alongside the best players Vancouver has to offer but his path to the lineup was through Marner, Nylander, Kapanen, Brown. And Babcock is soooo stubborn that he... agreed to play Leivo every single game while Nylander was out so he would have a stronger body of work for the eventual trade when he had multiple opportunities to scratch him.
Some of us here seem happiest when there is something to kvetch about anyway, so win-win!
https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1099008543116705795
bustaheims
Active member
CarltonTheBear said:
He was on the receiving end of a pretty solid check on the 2nd Caps goal last night. Wouldn't surprise me if his back isn't great today.
Kin
New member
You know, when we talk about next year and the cap crunch when ever I've talked about Marleau potentially not being here I've gotten a lot of "You're crazy! Marleau won't just walk away without a cup! He'll leave over his dead body!" but I think we're sort of approaching a scenario that would make it very possible that Marleau isn't around.
I don't think it'll happen, because of the respect he's got in the dressing room primarily, but right now if hockey operated somewhat more like Basketball where a few nights off wasn't seen as some sort of horribly insulting demotion then I think the team would be right to be rotating a younger player in to spell Marleau occasionally. He's looked a step behind some nights and while I think he's still a net positive, it's fair to say that we're coming towards the end of his career.
So it would be very reasonable for Marleau to be faced with the reality that next year, if he wants to stick around, he might not be in the lineup every night or even most nights. Is that how he's going to want to end his career? Is sticking around for a cup worth it if he's not dressing in the playoffs?
Call me crazy but I don't think he's going to want to go out like that. I think there's a very good chance he "retires" and lets the Leafs trade him to Phoenix or Ottawa or someplace that wants to hit the minimum.
I don't think it'll happen, because of the respect he's got in the dressing room primarily, but right now if hockey operated somewhat more like Basketball where a few nights off wasn't seen as some sort of horribly insulting demotion then I think the team would be right to be rotating a younger player in to spell Marleau occasionally. He's looked a step behind some nights and while I think he's still a net positive, it's fair to say that we're coming towards the end of his career.
So it would be very reasonable for Marleau to be faced with the reality that next year, if he wants to stick around, he might not be in the lineup every night or even most nights. Is that how he's going to want to end his career? Is sticking around for a cup worth it if he's not dressing in the playoffs?
Call me crazy but I don't think he's going to want to go out like that. I think there's a very good chance he "retires" and lets the Leafs trade him to Phoenix or Ottawa or someplace that wants to hit the minimum.
Bullfrog
Active member
That seems generally reasonable. The only thing is I don't see Marleau getting bad enough where he wouldn't at least earn a spot on the 4th line. He also strikes me as someone who's ego wouldn't be hurt by sticking around and contributing in a lesser role.
That said, he also seems like a pretty strong family man and might be more amenable to early retirement as you suggest.
That said, he also seems like a pretty strong family man and might be more amenable to early retirement as you suggest.
There's been some talk about how the Isles must be better coached than us so I'd just like to point out they're currently playing Matt Barzal with Leo Komarov and Tom Kuhnhackl.
edit: obviously they won this game 4-0 despite being outshot 36-23 and outcorsi'd 57-32.
edit: obviously they won this game 4-0 despite being outshot 36-23 and outcorsi'd 57-32.
herman
Well-known member
https://theathletic.com/837419/2019/02/26/frederik-gauthier-trevor-moore-and-the-importance-of-the-leafs-unheralded-development-program/
On top of the work they already do on the Marlies side:
Justin Holl hasn't been idling in the pressbox, exactly. He's been receiving focused dev time in season to get him over-ready to play NHL defense when the time comes. He's one of the several cast offs whose tools put them on Dubas' radar and whose work helped elevate their games to the point of being NHL-useful. It's not the traditional route to the league, but for a cap-committed team like the Leafs, it's good to have a constant influx of freebies who have 1-3 season of peak that play above their league-minimum paygrade and can be spun off for assets down the road.
On top of the work they already do on the Marlies side:
Justin Holl hasn't been idling in the pressbox, exactly. He's been receiving focused dev time in season to get him over-ready to play NHL defense when the time comes. He's one of the several cast offs whose tools put them on Dubas' radar and whose work helped elevate their games to the point of being NHL-useful. It's not the traditional route to the league, but for a cap-committed team like the Leafs, it's good to have a constant influx of freebies who have 1-3 season of peak that play above their league-minimum paygrade and can be spun off for assets down the road.
