mr grieves
New member
MR. GRIEVES REBUILD PLAN
Wherein the Leafs become the Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, or Islanders (with more playoff success). They could turn out to be the Panthers or Colorado, I suppose... but they've got better management than Dale Tallon's and better coaching than Patrick Roy's. So, optimistic fan fiction follows:
2016-2017:
2017-18:
2018-19:
2019-2020 and 2020-21:
2021-22:
2022-23:
2023-24 on:
Keep winning. Become most hated team in the league. Moreso.
Wherein the Leafs become the Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, or Islanders (with more playoff success). They could turn out to be the Panthers or Colorado, I suppose... but they've got better management than Dale Tallon's and better coaching than Patrick Roy's. So, optimistic fan fiction follows:
2016-2017:
- Season: Recently signed Stamkos (9.5x7, front-loaded) and recently acquired RH RFA D (JvR+ trade) joins Matthews and Nylander in development/learning year. Marner
starts in junior, but after a month of 3ppg, is called up. Heeased in, ends up playing 55-60 games of the season, the least of the young trio. Leafs get league average goaltending from tandem of Bernier and UFA. Season-long experiment clarifies what this team's top 4 D will look like. Stamkos and Nylander play first line minutes, Kadri leads the second line, Matthews and Marner enter the league as a sheltered kid line. Leafs surprise* and are on pace for a ~25 point improvement, but Bernier and other expiring UFAs are moved at the deadline. Leafs miss the playoffs and finish with 85-90 points. - Offseason: First of 9 picks in the 2017 draft is their own first, in the 10-15 range. Otherwise, a quiet off season.
2017-18:
- Season: Several Marlies who came up after last year's deadline (Kapanen, Johnson, Leipsic) make the jump to full-time NHLers. In the pool of Sparks, Bibeau, RFAs, UFAs, Leafs find a serviceable, cheap tandem. After a year of development, Matthews and Marner aren?t as carefully sheltered, so they ?disappoint,? relative to lofty expectations. Leafs make the playoffs. Early exit to powerhouse Florida Panthers.
- Offseason: Thanks to management's not getting excited by the surprise success of last season and evisioning playoffs, the Leafs still have more picks than there are rounds. Nylander's ELC expires. Keeping with recent philosophy, Nylander is signed through his RFA years; Lou handles negotiations (6 x 7m). Leafs core now up to 35-40% of cap.
2018-19:
- Season: Three years after drafting 1OA, and 4 after drafting a player who would've gone second in a good draft, 5 years after drafting a Swede who would've gone top-5 but for perceived attitude problems, the Leafs are contenders. Matthews establishes himself as first-line center. Leafs' early exit last season was a valuable learning experience. They go deep this season. Do they win? Flip a coin.
- Offseason: Still got all our picks, though they're deeper in the draft. Oh well. Marner and Matthews see their ELCs expire. Toews/Kane after the first Cup is the model, and both are signed to bridges to carry them through their RFA years at ~10% of the cap. Before retiring, Lou negotiates these contracts, creates a bit more space than would be expected. Still, top-heavy cap structure puts the core at about 50% of cap. Some valuable, fan-favorite contributors to the first run -- Brown, Hyman, Soshnikov types -- are shipped out for picks and prospects; those deep picks from the 2015 draft class who?ve panned out move onto the roster.
2019-2020 and 2020-21:
- Seasons: With core locked in, Leafs contend for the next 2 seasons. Do they win? Keep flipping coins. Given churn on the edges of the roster as prospects get worked into the line-up, some years are slightly better than others. Things mostly hang on the health and well-being of the core, of course.
- Offseasons: Gardiner re-signed with modest (25%) raise. New GM Kyle Dubas is ruthless in turning over the non-core roster. No bad contracts to merely good middle-6 players. When they have a good years: picks picks picks.
2021-22:
- Season: With Kadri, and Rielly's contracts expiring, Stamkos is moved out west with the 1 year left on his deal. Moving the second line's shooter in the lead-up to a playoff run is unconventional and surprises the league, but Matthews, Marner, Nylander are in their primes. GM Kyle Dubas is an asset management wizard. Another run, with Nylander as 2C.
- Off season: Kadri and Rielly are now UFAs. Kadri walks, is replaced internally. Rielly is re-signed. Core is 1 player smaller, eats about 40% of the cap.
2022-23:
- Season: One more run with most of the core. Matthews and Marner are on expiring contracts; upcoming off-season foretells cap doom.
- Off-season: Years of deep playoff runs have enriched Rogers and Bell beyond measure. Having used their financial might to hire top managerial talent, build world-class training facilities for minor league teams, and cater lunches and dinners at all levels of the organization, they buy half a dozen small market American teams. With so many votes at the NHL's BoG meetings, they repeal the salary cap.
2023-24 on:
Keep winning. Become most hated team in the league. Moreso.