Quoting: tatatavares
The Leafs D is among the worst in exiting their own zone. (specifically Hainsey, Zaitsev, Carrick. Gardiner is dead average on exits/entrances, he just goes on his belly and gives up huge goals. Dermott is great)
Leafs Team D rankings
19th in the league. Between MTL without Shea Weber or Carey Price, and Detroit during their worst season in decades
D takes longer to ripen than forwards. Leafs are at the cap. The D is definitively not good enough to get past the 1st round of the playoffs.
No planning ahead has been done, and it may get worse with Zaitsev staying as he's overpaid while Gardiner and Hainsey walk as UFA
Kyle Dumbas could get lucky and acquire D for free.
More likely a move is required just to tread water, and that either means moving Nylander for less than he's worth or it means losing Gardiner at the same time which will hardly be a big net gain for defence.
Most likely is that D will only be improved by taking chances on younger players who have high ceilings, which needs multiple prospects and time.
So Kyle Dumb will be burning years of Matthews waiting.
Right now, I expect inaction. Like the kind that burned JVR and Bozak for a return of ZILCH. I had hoped that it was the decision by committee causing the lack of attention, but odds are now that the future will look like the past.
I chuckle when I hear super fans talk about how bad or good stuff is but in reality you don't play hockey, never have played hockey and don't really understand the game beyond when the puck goes in its a goal. I am not saying you are one of those guys but you are just wrong on many of your assessments here.
1) TO finished 12th for goals against last season
2) They had the lead more than I think every other team than Tampa (Who allowed more goals than TO did last season)
3) Toronto had far more high danger scoring chances than they allowed which contributed to them having one of the best goal differentials in the entire league
4) TO had the 11th best PK in the league as well
5) Toronto did not play well against Boston in the 1st round, (My take is they had trouble handling the pressure of not being an under dog. Many felt they were the better team than Boston but they fell flat and had trouble at times)
6) Tavares makes Toronto much better defensively. (If you look at shot charts of our defence, the slot is often red with unblocked shots, that is the centres fault not the defence. Same with point shots. Better team defence from centre and wingers will make a huge difference)
7) Babcock is part of the problem here but I think he's also part of the solution. (He relies on vets too much and that results in guys like Polak and Hainsey getting too much ice time over guys who are just hands down better. Carrick is the best shot suppressor on the team, he just needs a full season to prove he belongs.)
8) I think trading Gardiner is a smart move, move him for assets that will help the Leafs win 3-5 years from now. Its better than watching him walk.
9) Dubas beat Lamoreillo with Tavares, then swindled him into taking Martin. He let JVR walk and get immensely over paid and the same with Bozak.
10) Toronto can win the cup with this lineup (Not saying it will happen this year but it could, Pittsburgh's D when they 1 the first of the back to backs was much worse than TO's.)
So you calling Dubas a Dumbass is unfounded and quite honestly makes you look like you have no clue what you are talking about.