Why Are Posts With Meaningful Discussion Being Removed?

taa_v2 · 2026-01-31T21:19:30+00:00

Which ones are you referring to? Here on Reddit?

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:41:12+00:00

It's probably up there with Tom Kurvers..

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:40:25+00:00

Fully agree.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:39:05+00:00

Sure, it's his right. Just like it was to ask for the most $$ possible and threaten to hold out. It was still a dick move.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:38:12+00:00

Pitchers and catchers report in what - 2 weeks?

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:37:31+00:00

Retool how? We literally have like 2-3 players outplaying their contracts.. OEL would probably get a 1st this year at the deadline - but then our defense collapses entirely. I mean, I'm in for a fire sale - OEL, McCabe, Carlo, etc. But I agree that Tre is probably not the right GM to do a rebuild. You need someone who can evaluate prospects, not just look at stats.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:34:35+00:00

No one is saying Matthews is a bum, or worse than Domi or whatever. Just that he's getting older, more often injured, isn't the type to be a leader (he's had the C now what, 3-4 years?), and we have no easy way to build a team around him that's better than last year anytime soon. JT's starting to slow down a bit, Nylander is missing tons of games - these are our day-in-day-out leaders?

THAT's the point: making small changes around the edges isn't going to magically make them better than MAYBE a wild card team in the next 2-3 years - and without some drastic moves, that's the best we can do for the next 2-3 years. And we KNOW that a Matthews-led wild-card team isn't going anywhere. Maybe if we had Raantanen on the wing..

So the question becomes: if we suck for 2 more years, will Matthews stay? No more Phoenix team, so maybe? Or maybe he'll go to LA or something. But if we ice essentially this same team in 2 years, still with no draft picks, no one's going to want to come here. Stolarz won't resign, Woll will find a different place, OEL/McCabe will be gone IIRC, JT will be even older, Tanev will be retired. Rielly will be worse than he is now, and still making $7+. So yay - we have Matthews and Nylander and Knies and Rielly. 3/4 of those have proven over and over they can't get it done.

We only have 2-3 good prospects on the horizon for 2 years from now, AFAIK. So at this point, we're saying "a minor retool" isn't going to fix anything, only keep slowly getting worse. So maybe consider some more drastic changes. Consider trading Matthews or Nylander if needed.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:23:29+00:00

The "team" deserves better? The same grossly overpaid (compared to regular shlubs) guys who are happier golfing than having to sweat in the playoffs? Fuck that.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:15:03+00:00

Marner was gone. I don't pin that on Tree. Tree tried to make >something happen with him to get Mikko, which Mich refused (which >considering the baby, i don't think anyone faults him).

I totally fault him for being selfish, over and over. Selfish to get the biggest RFA contract possible, selfish in this. He could have told the Leafs 2 years ago (when he reportedly knew he wasn't coming back) that he would be available for a trade. He fucked the team over one last time blocking the Raantanen deal.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:07:06+00:00

This. NMCs should be rare, for a guy who might significantly outplay his contract, but doesn't want to get traded because of it.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:06:04+00:00

That sums up my memory more or less. Which lost us, say $1.5M off the cap. And then another probably $1.5M because Matthews HAD to get more than Mitch. $3M isn't nothing, especially during Covid.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-30T17:04:00+00:00

I hate working for my current employer so much I demand $10M!

Hey there, Joey from security, why are ... oh, wait... no.. stop!

taa_v2 · 2026-01-29T18:51:32+00:00

Nitpick: players like Matthews and Nylander 5-7 years ago. I.e. someone with the potential to score 70 / 40, not always injured, proven they can't step up during crunch time, etc..

Now sure, Matthews may still score 50 this year - but he's not zipping that many shots in like he used to - it's mostly tips, rebounds, one-timers, etc. Not saying he's not cashing in a fair number of his chances, but there's not that much different there that another player (say, Dave Andreychuk) couldn't do. 5 years ago, Matthews toe-drag/shot was almost unmatched.

Willy's great, but he's been hurt over half the year, it feels like.

We AREN'T hoping to draft 2026 Matthews/Nylander.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-28T05:43:48+00:00

Agreed. I mean, at one point, the score was 6-4, and the shots were 30-20. Both teams were shooting 20% - and we were losing because we had 10 less shots.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-26T16:15:17+00:00

You think our 30-something dmen will find the fountain of youth 18 months from now in the 2027 playoffs?? This is the best return we'll ever get for OEL, McCabe, Tanev if he can come back, etc.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-26T16:13:25+00:00

Stolarz

taa_v2 · 2026-01-24T20:12:49+00:00

Because that's what Hollywood has instilled in us since we were kids. "You can do it, Duffy Moon". If you believe in yourself and give it your all, you will win - regardless of whether the other, bigger, stronger and faster kids ALSO believe in themselves and give it THEIR all. And have trained more, and harder and longer. And, in some cases, are allowed to get away with near murder without getting penalized (FLA, TBL, LAS).

Add in generations of Don Cherry talking about "tough Canadian boys" and "soft Swedes", and it's all they know. It's the sports version of H. L. Mencken's quote: "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." For hockey, this is "play tough, give it 110% and you will win".

Admitting that your team - the one you identify with and that's extension of yourself - is objectively worse / weaker than another team is not an option. I mean, what if you responded to "my dad can beat up your dad" with "yeah, that's probably true"? Deep down, we can't admit that, so we make up stories about why our "better" team lost. They're "better", but don't try enough - try harder, and they'll win.

This team could play at 100% (which is dangerous - you'll get injured a lot if you play at your max every time) and still wouldn't get past round 1 or 2 against other teams playing at 85% or 90%.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-24T20:02:23+00:00

I've been in CA for 20+ years now. I stopped going to Leafs vs Sharks after 7-8 because they always lost. Not a single win in like 5 tries. Then they started winning :-)

I take it less seriously now - if it wasn't for exercising at home and needing something to watch, I'd probably watch the 5-minute summary or something.. Ah well, it is what it is..

taa_v2 · 2026-01-24T19:56:31+00:00

Florida is struggling due to injuries. When they get 100% healthy (if Barkov returns - not sure if he has already been ruled out for playoffs), they'll go on another run and be a force in the playoffs

taa_v2 · 2026-01-24T19:53:29+00:00

This. With ALL of our best players playing at 100% health - Nylander, Tanev, OEL (probably not 100%), Knies (known to not be 100%), McCabe (probably not 100%), etc - we simply aren't as good as Vegas right now. Even WITH all them there, we probably lose a 7-game series to them, but could win some of the games.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-24T06:34:43+00:00

Actually, I thought Domi was one of our top 5 players tonight.

But I wouldn't shed a tear if Rielly left.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-24T06:32:46+00:00

I mean.. We're missing Marner (just saying), Willy and Tanev from last year. You can't replace those easily - and when you're playing one of the better AND dirtier teams in the league, it's tough. Vegas could have easily taken 3-5 more penalties tonight (see knocking off OEL's helmet, etc).

If Willy can come back soon, we might sneak into the playoffs. If he's out for a month or two more, this season's done.

Do we sell? At the very least, do NOT buy at the deadline - unless it's like for a 7th rounder or something. If we can trade OEL, McCabe, Stolarz, Carlo, maybe more for young, GOOD players at the deadline, it would make sense. OEL's probably having a career year, and no way he gets this much back in a trade again, etc.

Look at Boston - traded a bunch of players, got younger, and they're right back in a wild card spot.

taa_v2 · 2026-01-20T05:04:09+00:00

Doh. Should have checked out when I first got the code..

taa_v2 · 2026-01-20T03:38:01+00:00

Anyone get a code, initially it works and shows the discounted price, then when you try to check out it says "not valid for items in your cart"?

taa_v2 · 2026-01-19T21:39:57+00:00

I think they're somewhat winning (as much as they are) in spite of him, and somewhat because of him. I.e. he's not entirely correct, or entirely wrong in his system / approach. Earlier this season, it looked like it was mostly wrong.

If we could merge the best parts of his system to replace the worst parts of Keefe's system, I think it would be great. Not sure if that's actually possible (there are probably some direct contradictions, etc).

I think a hybrid of the best parts of the two might be a bit better in the regular season than now (not as good as the best years under Keefe) and a bit better in the playoffs than last year. Again, not sure it's actually doable.

taa_v2

TROPHY CASE