2022-23 Season: Is this the Year?

[Pokecheque]

Well...not the greatest of starts but there's 81 games left to play.

Murray was no great shakes but what in holy fucking hell was Muzzin doing with that weak-ass clearing attempt that landed right on the opposition's stick? Like, seriously, there's SECONDS left in regulation. Don't just pull a Mini-Mite and slap the puck away like it's about to explode.

Poor Marissa at TSN.

https://www.tiktok.com/@mrob29/video/71 ... v1&lang=en" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Hounsy]

Yes this is the year the Leafs disappoint once again I would expect.

But hey at least a single round victory is now a success to us fans so the bar is good an low.

[Pokecheque]

Even the advanced stats guys on Twitter who usually defend this team with fervor are questioning the character of the core players.

It's still early, and something tells me Matthews is not 100% healthy, but this is not the start they wanted, that's for sure.

Oh well, Nick Robertson had a banner night against his brother's team. Hope he sticks.

[Pokecheque]

This seems like it captures the current mood in Toronto:

https://twitter.com/twistedleafs/status ... 3790204929" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Hounsy]

Toronto is going to be fine by end of season not to worried. But then then I get to worry.

[Pokecheque]

Keefe is fired for sure, just a matter of when.

Mitchell Marner is kind of weird.

[Chris18]

Keefe is fired for sure, just a matter of when.

Mitchell Marner is kind of weird.

Can Dubas fire Keefe and keep his own job? Didn’t he fire Babcock to hire Keefe? Dubas is the one who built the team. Doesn’t he get more of the blame?

[Hounsy]

Geeze ten games in and they are a 500 team. Bad start but the doom and gloom going on is ridiculous right now in Leaf land media.

Leafs, Pens, Avs, wild, Blues, and Preds all teams that are looking to be competitive and are 500 or worse and I still expect 4 of the 6 to make playoffs. Too early to panic, talk to me after 20 games about making drastic changes.

[Pokecheque]

Can Dubas fire Keefe and keep his own job? Didn’t he fire Babcock to hire Keefe? Dubas is the one who built the team. Doesn’t he get more of the blame?

He did, yes. I always like to point out though that Dubas also had to do some heavy lifting to fix the mess Lamoriello made for him before he left. Had to sacrifice a first rounder in order to dump Patrick Marleau's horrid contract, and then had to lose additional assets in order to get rid of Nikita Zaitsev. Those moves had some long-lasting implications. Also keeping Babcock around at least one year too long (and that one is on Shanahan, not Dubas) was a serious mistake that probably disrupted their contention window.

There's also been some shiiiiiiiit luck in the drafting/development department. Nick Robertson has been severely hampered by injuries, and he was supposed to be even better than his brother. Then you have poor Rodion Amirov coming down with fucking BRAIN CANCER, and it's like...come on.

Kinda tough to discuss this situation because the Leafs' success or failure has serious real-world consequences that go far beyond being just a casual observer or fan.

This is still an elite core of talent--it can and should work. We'll see what they do. They have not been a terrible team by any means, but something seems very much off.

[Hounsy]

I would argue that they have been terrible in spite of my "relax" stance posted earlier today. That said teams go through it and if they do that to start the year the drama of it all is magnified.

Two seasons in a row Marner has started the year off, that may be something they should look into if it becomes a trend. Both last October and this it looks like the speed of the game is eating up his space and lanes far faster than he is anticipating. May need to change his preseason routine?

[Pokecheque]

Never thought I’d say Darryl Sittler would make me cry, and yet last night…

[E.L.]

Six months ago Borje was the epitome of the strong, ageless Swede. Dude looked like he could still run a marathon and kill a coyote with his bare hands. Absolutely crushing to see him last night. Human bodies are weak and suck.

[Chris18]

Six months ago Borje was the epitome of the strong, ageless Swede. Dude looked like he could still run a marathon and kill a coyote with his bare hands. Absolutely crushing to see him last night. Human bodies are weak and suck.

Yep.

Very cool of Keefe to start the 5 Swedes.

[Pokecheque]

Well, shit, this ain't good. Any team missing it's top three defensemen (and a goalie) is going to really struggle to get wins.

To that end, Dubas reaches back into his Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds roots and acquires Conor Timmins from the Arizona Coyotes.

Timmins is a very talented defenseman who could be an impact player...problem is dude simply cannot stay healthy. Still probably worth the gamble at this point. Originally an Avs draft pick (Colorado's second pick after whathisname 4th overall in 2017), he was dealt with a first rounder to Arizona for Darcy Kuemper.

[Pokecheque]

Leafs trade Denis Malgin to Colorado for winger Dryden Hunt.

Malgin from what I understand has a lot of skill, just hasn't put it together at the NHL level for some reason. Hunt is a decent, very scrappy 4th line winger with good defensive skills but do not for an instant think he will produce in any fashion offensively. Dude is just about the worst shooter I've ever seen at the NHL level, everything he sent toward the net looked about five feet wide every time. But if that's all the Leafs need on the depth chart, then that's fine.

[Bosc]

Apparently Hunt scored all of his goals against the Leafs.

I think the guys on one of the afternoon radio shows called Malgin Gino. Wasn't John Mitchell called Johnny Malkin for the same reason?

[Pokecheque]

Apparently Hunt scored all of his goals against the Leafs.

I think the guys on one of the afternoon radio shows called Malgin Gino. Wasn't John Mitchell called Johnny Malkin for the same reason?

Well I dunno how widespread it was but the Avs fans on HF Boards called Mitchell Johnny Malkin because he always tried to dangle his way through, like, three to four skaters in front of him instead of just making the simple play. I just assume they call Malgin "Geno" since he actually does have high-end skill (Mitchell had decent mitts but they weren't, like elite or anything) and the name is similar to "Malkin."

[Bosc]

Apparently Hunt scored all of his goals against the Leafs.

I think the guys on one of the afternoon radio shows called Malgin Gino. Wasn't John Mitchell called Johnny Malkin for the same reason?

Well I dunno how widespread it was but the Avs fans on HF Boards called Mitchell Johnny Malkin because he always tried to dangle his way through, like, three to four skaters in front of him instead of just making the simple play. I just assume they call Malgin "Geno" since he actually does have high-end skill (Mitchell had decent mitts but they weren't, like elite or anything) and the name is similar to "Malkin."

I have no idea how much high end skill Malgin has but the Geno nickname's pretty good.

[Chris18]

Saw a TSN headline that the Leafs were fined for violating the CBA and I got excited to read a juicy story about cap circumvention off the record pay, players needing to be moved.... Turns out they left for St Louis a few hours before the Christmas travel ban lifted to avoid a huge snow storm and keep their players safer, so they got fined $100k, which is nothing to them.
Then Keefe got fined $25k for behavior demeaning to an official in the St Louis game, after they missed a Leaf's face getting broken open just prior to OT. I don't blame him one bit for yelling.

[E.L.]

Leafs made out like bandits in the ROR deal. Still has good underlying numbers that'll better serve him as a 3C instead of the main guy in St. Loo, plus Acciari gives them needed bottom-6 depth. They dealt picks they won't need and got Minny to pick up part of the tab.

Hope it starts a flurry of activity from the buyers.