I wanna get hyped, but this happens every year

ik same too but te leafs have actually good defence now

I was pleased with the addition of Brodie, but I hope guys like Holl can continue their play from last year. He was solid with Muzzin

Trust The Process

i hope so too I also hope Matthews and Marner do great next year too and I think the leafs would dominate an all Canadian division

With the corona situation, the teams that can act maturely with avoiding contact with others and want to win are the ones who are going to succeed. Two things you would never see used to describe the Leafs current core is acting maturely and a desire to win. This season will be a disappointment like all the others when the young guys like Matthews, Nylander and Marner get quarantined multiple times.

(tempered expectations voice)

"The team has a lot of talent but I am concerned about the character in that dressing room. Hopefully they can put it together this year..."

*Dubas puts out alert to all former Soo Greyhounds*

*Jumbo Joe and Wayne Simmonds join*

(Screams like a charging Viking)
"LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BOYS! 2021 IS OUR YEAR!!!"

-Brodie was a great addition. He is exactly what the Leafs needed on the back end.
-I'm still confused about signing Simmonds. He wasn't needed, and the additional $600K or so over an ELC could have freed up an extra roster spot.
-I feel like Barabanov is supposed to make this team. Dubas's M.O. has been to promise the Russian guys a roster spot, which is the main reason why they sign with the Leafs, no? I mean, I don't think it's the end of the world if he's not, but I assume that would affect future signings a bit.
-Freddie has been the subject of about 15,000 Leafs trade threads this summer. I'm betting with an improved D core, he probably bounces back and puts up a reasonably decent season.
-I don't think I'd say that they'll "Walk all over a Canadian division". There's a few teams that have improved this offseason, namely Calgary and Montreal. The Oilers are also still very good. So are the Jets. I think you could put Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton and Winnipeg in any order, and it'd be a safe bet. Habs fans are thinking they'll be a contender too. With a short season, any one of the teams listed could have a bad week or two, and be out of the race in a heartbeat.

Zero faith in this team. There is some promise... just like every Leafs' fan screamed last summer.

I understand that grit and character are unquantifiable stats, but if they're that important, why do Jumbo and Wayne have zero combined cups through 44 combined seasons? 61 if you add Spezza. If I'm the Leafs, I'm playing 1-2 of these guys, but I have zero intention of icing a lineup with all 3.

If Simmons and Vesey play big minutes, I won't be impressed by the bottom six. At least the the Leafs two worse Dmen from last season are gone...Barrie and Ceci.
Some players have to have a play well beyond "their contract" for the Leafs to have a chance to beat Tampa, Boston or Washington in the playoffs.
IMO wasted too much of unnecessarily on signing the Nylander, Matthews and Marner, leaving little cap for upgrades.

Wayne Simmonds will dress every night because unlike most I don't think he's "washed" and he'll add an element that's been sorely missed. Last year was disappointing for him, he was battling with injuries and still put up better points last season than Corey Perry who ended up being huge for Dallas in the playoffs. I think Spezza and Thornton will go in and out of the lineup but I honestly don't care how often they dress, I just want them in the dressing room to rally the troops.

Winning the cup is hard. All three have made it past the first round - on teams that I think most Leafs' fans would say did not have the amount of talent that the Leafs' have. And yet the Leafs, despite all that talent, have sucked. Spezza and Thornton have been to the finals (and Thornton to the conference finals another 3 times) - beating better teams in the process. Their team was in the mix. The Leafs' haven't been close.

I don't think the Leafs have "sucked" per se....they've consistently run into teams that are either slightly better than them (Boston), have run into a hot goalie (Boston/Columbus), or have run into a team whose system is perfect for shutting them down (Columbus), and haven't adjusted their style of play, which to me, falls in the lap of the coach.

It's the same reason why Bruce Boudreau is such an outstanding regular season coach, but couldn't do squat in the playoffs (IMO). A great coach has to be able to adjust, and not be so thick skulled as to think that "Oh hey, my team was excellent all season, and this is what worked, so we'll stick too it!".

The Leafs' are extremely talented team that has done nothing with that talent because so far they've sucked. They've sucked in both the regular season and playoffs. They fall apart when faced with adversity. They have routinely abandoned their goalies. They never stand up for their teammates. They never put in that last little of bit effort that is needed to be great. When Thornton and Spezza each went to the finals they consistently went up against, and dominated, teams that had been better than them. They had the heart and willpower to overcome, the Leafs' haven't had that. It is why some fans continue to think that the Leafs' had the bad luck to usually go up against hot goalies in the playoffs, whereas the reality is that other teams had the heart and willpower to severely limit the good shots the Leafs' got off, and the Leafs' didn't have the heart and willpower to suffer through what was necessary to get better shots off. They've had two different coaches now, but the coach can't teach heart. The coach can't force them to want it more than their opponents...or even to want it close to as much as their opponents.