Leafs 2024-2025 Season Thread

[xmontrealer]

Kinda wondering why nobody is at least partially blaming Coach Berube for the Leaf's shortcomings.

The Panthers played like a well-oiled machine, showing evidence of an abundance of practice in pin-point passing, being in position so that your team members know where the other team members will probably be when they do a drop-back pass, or proper player positioning to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and a whole lot of other "playing as a team" skills that can only be attributed to intense practice and disciplined coaching.

The Leafs seemed overwhelmed, disorganized, and played as individuals instead of a well-trained team.

And at the start of Game 7 the Leafs couldn't even get the puck out of their defensive zone for at least the first 10 minutes. I foresaw the end result of the game as soon as I saw that...

 

[smuddan]

More rants the day after :

- Shanahan and Marner have passed their shelf life date. Both should be and will be gone;

- Berube. he had a good thing going when McMann was playing with Nylander and Tavares but when playoffs started, instead he put Holmberg there the majority of time. Any offence the duo created stalled on Holmberg’s stick.

- Berube said after game two that he should leave Willy alone. Willy promptly disappeared in the final three game.

- Matthews post game said “too many -passengers” - look who’s talking ?

- Tavares - if he’s willing to re sign for 3year max and less than 6 mil per, I’d be happy to see him stay, he should be good as a second line centre for a couple more years; although there are signs of slowing down, he had a very good season overall so I wouldn’t be surprised that he gets way overpaid.

- Nylander was the best of the core 4 overall but in the do or die game he was terrible.

- Woll played well enough to lose. The key game of the series was game 3 and Woll allowed a soft ot goal.

- Rielly has the ability to make his partner look bad. I don’t think he’ll waive his no trade, but even if he does, the Leafs will have to eat a big chunk of his salary, probably to the proportion equal to buying him out. Either way, it’ll be an addition by subtraction. They’ll have a couple millions to replace him with a stay at home type d man who won’t be a liability like him.

On the positive side, they got great value from Max Paceoretty. Domi played better than I had expected but the dumb penalties have to stop. Stolartz, Tanev, Knies, OEL, McCabe, Carlo and Benoit along with Matthews, Nylander and Tavares will be the new core. They’ll have a lot of cap space to add whoever Treliving sees fit , if he’s allowed to stay on.

 

[bazokajoe]

I heard there was a flood warning issued last night in downtown Toronto. Issue was put out shortly after the leafs game from too many tears in Toronto..

 

[smuddan]

Kinda wondering why nobody is at least partially blaming Coach Berube for the Leaf's shortcomings.

The Panthers played like a well-oiled machine, showing evidence of an abundance of practice in pin-point passing, being in position so that your team members know where the other team members will probably be when they do a drop-back pass, or proper player positioning to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and a whole lot of other "playing as a team" skills that can only be attributed to intense practice and disciplined coaching.

The Leafs seemed overwhelmed, disorganized, and played as individuals instead of a well-trained team.

And at the start of Game 7 the Leafs couldn't even get the puck out of their defensive zone for at least the first 10 minutes. I foresaw the end result of the game as soon as I saw that...

Your criticism of Berube are not unfounded. He should especially be held accountable for how poorly the team started in game 5 and 7. I’d only point to the fact that this core of Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Rielly have played under 3 coaches and each time when the season was on the line, they collectively choked. There’s a distinct possibility that this core is “uncoachable” or there is a serious lack of leadership among this core.

 

[SaturnFan]

....... this core of Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Rielly have played under 3 coaches and each time when the season was on the line, they collectively choked. There’s a distinct possibility that this core is “uncoachable” or there is a serious lack of leadership among this core.

Agreed. This core group needs to be broken up, otherwise the same thing will continue to happen year after year. Matthews needs to be replaced as Captain.

 

[glamphotographer]

As Craig Button said, the Shanaplan was to build the Leafs on skill and skill was the way to go but in the playoffs skill isn't enough. Time to fire shanny and restructure the team to be playoff-ready. Perhaps stop drafting and signing these GTA area guys, the pressure in Toronto is too big for them.

 

[glamphotographer]

Marner is Leafs Huberdeau. Trading Marner for Rantanen, a big hulking winger and proven playoff performer, would have been that trade for the Leafs. Lost opportunity. Marner is a free agent. Leafs will need to find their Marner replacement somehow in free agency. If that's even possible. The time to trade Marner was when he was tradeable. This is on Shanahan.

Leafs tried to trade Marner for Rantanen but Marner refused to waive his NTC. Rantanen could've helped get the Leafs past the Panthers.

 

[glamphotographer]

 

[superstar_88]

Leafs tried to trade Marner for Rantanen but Marner refused to waive his NTC. Rantanen could've helped get the Leafs past the Panthers.

One thing for sure, he would not have been a "passenger".
The thing with Carolina is their top 2 forwards are Aho and Jarvis.
Both considered small and skilled.
Marner would have fit in with their play style.

 

[glamphotographer]

Marner and Tavares gone = $21.9M in freed-up cap space. Bennett, Marchand, and Ekblad are UFAs.

 

[Sonic Temple]

BrianBeLeafs

 

[Sonic Temple]

Thanks BrianBeLeafs - Until the new season starts - we will BeLeaf again in a few months.

 

[roddermac]

Your criticism of Berube are not unfounded. He should especially be held accountable for how poorly the team started in game 5 and 7. I’d only point to the fact that this core of Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Rielly have played under 3 coaches and each time when the season was on the line, they collectively choked. There’s a distinct possibility that this core is “uncoachable” or there is a serious lack of leadership among this core.

Tavares wasn't the guy in Long island and he certainly wasn't in the T-Dot either. I think another year of Marleau or signing a veteran with playoff success would've been better early in the rebuild.

 

[oral.com]

Seemed as though the team’s confidence imploded after Stolartz was injured. They never recovered.

 

[K Douglas]

Marchand is the second highest scoring left winger since he came into the league, only Ovie is ahead of him.

He's also a career +285 during that time.

When he's done he'll be a legitimate hall of fame candidate.

Pains me to agree with that since he's one of my most hated players of all time. But he would get my vote for HOF.

 

[The Oracle]

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/matthews-discusses-tough-year-physically-confident-he-ll-be-back-to-100-from-training-camp-injury~3137030

Man he got hurt in training camp and had to endure that all year...Puts things into perspective.

 

[The Oracle]

Pains me to agree with that since he's one of my most hated players of all time. But he would get my vote for HOF.

He's the Claude Lemieux of this generation...

 

[K Douglas]

Our showing on home ice in games 5 &7 was about as pitiful as it gets. I think we have to let Marner go and if we can somehow sucker a team to take Rielly's contract I'd be all for that. The core has failed us over multiple playoffs, enough is enough. I'd like to re sign Tavares and have him retire as a Leaf. He really slowed down in the 2nd half of that Florida series, I wonder if he was injured. I'm really looking forward to see what Easton Cowan can bring to our team next season. Still the problem as I see it is Matthews in the playoffs. This is our leader our go to scorer. And in his last 3 series his numbers are as follows:
GP-18
G- 4
A -11
P/M +2
SOG -67

 

[superstar_88]

Knies was probably still injured. He couldn't get back fast enough to cover Seth Jones on the first goal.
Rielly pinched so it's on the winger to cover. Rielly though shouldn't have pinched. Florida suckered him.
That attempted head shot by Rodrigues is probably what slowed Tavares down but he's slow to begin with.
Bottom line is with the way Leafs were playing they needed an out of this world game from Woll and he was far from it.

 

[The Oracle]

Our showing on home ice in games 5 &7 was about as pitiful as it gets. I think we have to let Marner go and if we can somehow sucker a team to take Rielly's contract I'd be all for that. The core has failed us over multiple playoffs, enough is enough. I'd like to re sign Tavares and have him retire as a Leaf. He really slowed down in the 2nd half of that Florida series, I wonder if he was injured. I'm really looking forward to see what Easton Cowan can bring to our team next season. Still the problem as I see it is Matthews in the playoffs. This is our leader our go to scorer. And in his last 3 series his numbers are as follows:
GP-18
G- 4
A -11
P/M +2
SOG -67

You think Cowan is ready for prime time?