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R-E-L-A-X - Read Desc

Created by: BobrovTree
Team: 2022-23 Toronto Maple Leafs
Initial Creation Date: Jul. 15, 2022
Published: Jul. 15, 2022
Salary Cap Mode: Basic
Description
I see a lot of leafs fans panicking 2 days into F/A. I'm honestly not sure why we're all freaking out.

1. The core pieces are here, in tact, and literally improving still - coming off career years.

2. We lost Depth? So what. Our depth has done nothing for us in the playoffs. Why do we feel so inclined to keep them??? Mikheyev wasn't the answer to our 2nd line LW hole and would've been an overpaid 3rd liner on the leafs team. Quality player and a good PK'er but can be replaced with cheaper guys. Furthermore - it's time to see what our young players producing on the Marlies can do. Robertson hasn't been given an extended look anywhere on this team, when he comes up he's always playing with Spezza, Clifford, Simmonds, etc. Guys who don't match his play and with limited TOI. I say see what he can do in a third line role and see if he can work his way up the line up. Alex Steeves and Abruzzese are guys who can fill in fourth line minutes. Also I fully expect Knies to be given a look after his College year and he's a big body kid who has a wicked shot - He'll be on the team.

3. Goaltending - It's funny how the narrative changes so fast huh? Campbell who for a decade was injury prone and a backup (spending longer in the minors than Murray btw) was seen as a must sign guy. Signing him at 5 years is a huge risk given his history. Murray and Samsonov are obviously not steady guys ATM. But that's how the market has gone. Murray has played great when he's been healthy. If he and Samsonov can provide 40 games each at average to above average goaltending It'll be fine. We've seen goalies turn it on in the playoffs and Murray has a history of that. Samsonov is a young kid who could break out with proper coaching and some patience. He has a high ceiling and I think Dubas is looking to try and unlock it. Also Kallgren / Woll as our third goalie is fine, Leafs have won with them in the net and they're not bad.

4. MATTHEWS/NYLANDER CONTRACTS UP IN 2 YEARS! I think the main reason Dubas hasn't signed/traded for guys with long term contracts (Murray/Samsonov) is because the Leafs fully know they need as much cap as possible to sign Auston Matthews & Nylander in 2 years. Having a 5 million goalie who may or may not live up to that contract on the cap with those 2 guys up is playing with fire. Look at how many good players Vegas has to offload due to their cap situation.

Anyways i fully expect the leafs to be fine. Leaf fans have seen this team WIN the offseason and produce nothing in the reg season or playoffs. This team will be quality again next year and will hopefully see progress in young guys / goalies that we desperately need! YES SIR
DraftRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Round 6Round 7
2023
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Logo of the OTT
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2024
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Logo of the TOR
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Logo of the TOR
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Logo of the OTT
2025
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ROSTER SIZESALARY CAPCAP HITOVERAGES TooltipBONUSESCAP SPACE
24$82,500,000$82,873,950$212,500$0-$373,950
Left WingCentreRight Wing
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$950,000$950,000
LW
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$11,640,250$11,640,250
C
UFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$10,903,000$10,903,000
RW
UFA - 3
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$3,500,000$3,500,000
LW, C, RW
M-NTC
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$11,000,000$11,000,000
C, LW
NMC
UFA - 3
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$6,962,366$6,962,366
RW
UFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$796,667$796,667
LW, RW
RFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$1,500,000$1,500,000
C
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$1,000,000$1,000,000
RW
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$750,000$750,000
C, RW
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$850,000$850,000
LW, C
RFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$900,000$900,000
RW, LW
M-NTC
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$762,500$762,500
LW
UFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$834,167$834,167
LW, RW
RFA - 2
Left DefenseRight DefenseGoaltender
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$7,500,000$7,500,000
LD
NMC
UFA - 8
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$5,000,000$5,000,000
LD/RD
NTC
UFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$4,687,500$4,687,500
G
M-NTC
UFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$5,625,000$5,625,000
LD
NTC
UFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$2,000,000$2,000,000
RD
M-NTC
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$1,800,000$1,800,000
G
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$1,400,000$1,400,000
RD
RFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$750,000$750,000
G
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$800,000$800,000
LD
UFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$750,000$750,000
LD/RD
UFA - 1
ScratchesInjured Reserve (IR)Long Term IR (LTIR)
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
$925,000$925,000
LW
UFA - 2

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Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:02 p.m.
#1
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I will not relax and that description is a novel so no not reading it
Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:04 p.m.
#2
Lenny7
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I feel like there's a forum for this...
Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:04 p.m.
#3
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BobrovTree
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Quoting: Boomer125
I will not relax and that description is a novel so no not reading it


That's because you're a lummox my good sir
Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:05 p.m.
#4
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BobrovTree
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Quoting: Lenny7
I feel like there's a forum for this...


you're a forum
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Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:08 p.m.
#5
LongtimeLeafsufferer
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So Mikheyev and Kase are gone. Campbell is gone. By your post you didn't sign Sandin or Engvall....they are gone. The roster you have is much worse than last season.
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Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:10 p.m.
#6
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BobrovTree
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Quoting: palhal
So Mikheyev and Kase are gone. Campbell is gone. By your post you didn't sign Sandin or Engvall....they are gone. The roster you have is much worse than last season.


Well Kase sadly should retire - both those guys did nothing in the playoffs tbh. They can hopefully be replaced by either younger guys taking their spots or trades. Yeah I just put the roster as it was atm. Sandin will probably get the boqvist deal or close and Engvall idk about. It's worse on paper but we'll see how they actually play
Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:16 p.m.
#7
Ovchinnikov 137
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We are all entitled to our own opinions, so if this roster gives you confidence, good on you. The reality is:

Out:
Campbell
Mrazek
Kase
Blackwell
Mikheyev
Spezza
Lybuschkin
2022 1st
51 goals Out

In:
Murray
Samsonov
NA-K
Gaudette
Malgin
Mete
Benn
2022 2nd (CHI)
2023 3rd (OTT)
2024 7th (OTT)
17 goals In

The issue right now is thinking a bottom 6 comprised of Engvall, Kampf, Kubel, Robertson, Gaudette, Simmonds, Malgin etc can make up the 47 goals left from Mikheyev, Kase, and Spezza. That’s major fukcin issue right now.

Both Kerfoot (who rode a massive PDO bender last year) and Engvall are due for regressions. IF Robertson starts the year you can probably pencil him in for 8 to 12 goals. Should anyone of Matthews, Marner, Nylander, or Tavares misses any significant time this team will be in major trouble.

It's possible that with the recent additions of Mete and Benn we could see a trade (Muzzin hopefully) to create some cap flexibility to add to this roster.
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Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:22 p.m.
#8
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Edited Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:44 p.m.
Couldn't agree more with you. People need to calm down. Was thinking about making a post like this myself.

Everybody is freaking out about goaltending, last season our save % as a team was .900 flat. We added Murray .906 & Samsonov .896. We are pretty much in the exact same spot there.

We still have to figure out what we are going to do on D. We can afford to move one player and get some assets back or trade for a different defenseman or forward. We have flexibility there.

NAK is a very good add to the bottom 6. Think he plays on a line with 47 & 64. Gaudette & Malgin are depth adds. They likely compete for one spot on the 4th line. Joey Anderson is right there too. Simmonds maybe takes a step back and becomes 13th forward. We still have room for a couple of extra adds from FA to increase the competition. Abruzzese & Steeves could surprise and take a spot, wouldn't count them out, but not factor them in as guaranteed 4th liners.

Leaves us with Robertson. Do you give him a look with 91 & 88? Don't think he is suited to the shutdown role 47 & 64 play, so it would have to be 4th line minutes otherwise. Maybe trade bait with Kerfoot + Holl for upgrade at 2LW. Would look at guys like J.T. Miller, Yanni Gourde, Mangiapane & Necas. A few of them might be too expensive, but that is my thought process.
Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:26 p.m.
#9
Amirov Forever
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Excellently put. The headlines change depending on the situation to stir up hate clicks and engagements. All season, Campbell was "not a starter", injured, and terrible aside from one month. Now that he's not a Leaf, we are missing a "key piece" who is being talked about like a must-see, Vezina candidate. Mikheyev is good, but he wanted way too much and got WAY too much. Kase was stellar, but there were too many question marks. The Marlies graduates are going to fill in just nicely in this lineup. Robertson is top 6 ready, Anderson has NHL experience and has been great in our system. Sandin and Liljegren have taken the next step. Engvall was better than Mikheyev during some stretches this season. Murray has experience and is a guy who wants to prove something, and Samsonov is young and being taught by the same man who created the monster we know as Thatcher Demko. This is my least favourite time of year because everyone simultaneously dunks on the Leafs for what they do and what they dont do. Realistically, we have done exactly what we have to, but because we havent loaded up on high end talent (Ie. Detroit, Ottawa) we are worse off now. We already have high end talent that is top 2 in the division. Its also only been 2 whole days of FA, and you dont build a team through FA anyways.
Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:26 p.m.
#10
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The real panic should be that if the leafs don’t win in the next 2 years matthews is gone. I don’t care how much $ they offer, because at that point he will never win in Toronto. That’s where the real concern should be.
Jul. 15, 2022 at 12:38 p.m.
#11
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If I was a leafs fan, I’d be worried too. That bottom 6 looks bad, the defense looks below average, and the goalies are bad. Looks like a team that will be carried by its top 6 to a first round exit again, can’t really see anything better happening.
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Jul. 15, 2022 at 2:36 p.m.
#12
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BobrovTree
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Quoting: tsyls
The real panic should be that if the leafs don’t win in the next 2 years matthews is gone. I don’t care how much $ they offer, because at that point he will never win in Toronto. That’s where the real concern should be.


That narrative would work if he was constantly putting up numbers and willing his way to leaf playoff victories but he hasn;t. He's been average to good in the playoffs and not elite as of yet. He's stated he loves playing in Toronto and he loves the attention / perks with being a leaf. I doubt he goes any where
Jul. 15, 2022 at 2:38 p.m.
#13
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BobrovTree
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Quoting: sabresparaavida
If I was a leafs fan, I’d be worried too. That bottom 6 looks bad, the defense looks below average, and the goalies are bad. Looks like a team that will be carried by its top 6 to a first round exit again, can’t really see anything better happening.


D is the exact same if not an upgrade over last years highly good defensively rated team...? Liljegren is improving and if Sandin is back he'll be good as well. They're just missing a top pair RHD or a number 1 guy (I think Rielly is a solid #2) But unfortunately those guys are hard to find and you'd have to give up a lot to get one
Jul. 15, 2022 at 2:43 p.m.
#14
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BobrovTree
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Quoting: Nathaniel
Excellently put. The headlines change depending on the situation to stir up hate clicks and engagements. All season, Campbell was "not a starter", injured, and terrible aside from one month. Now that he's not a Leaf, we are missing a "key piece" who is being talked about like a must-see, Vezina candidate. Mikheyev is good, but he wanted way too much and got WAY too much. Kase was stellar, but there were too many question marks. The Marlies graduates are going to fill in just nicely in this lineup. Robertson is top 6 ready, Anderson has NHL experience and has been great in our system. Sandin and Liljegren have taken the next step. Engvall was better than Mikheyev during some stretches this season. Murray has experience and is a guy who wants to prove something, and Samsonov is young and being taught by the same man who created the monster we know as Thatcher Demko. This is my least favourite time of year because everyone simultaneously dunks on the Leafs for what they do and what they dont do. Realistically, we have done exactly what we have to, but because we havent loaded up on high end talent (Ie. Detroit, Ottawa) we are worse off now. We already have high end talent that is top 2 in the division. Its also only been 2 whole days of FA, and you dont build a team through FA anyways.


Exactly, everyone knew when the core got their contracts, depth pieces were constantly going to be coming in and out. Now that it's happening everyone is freaking out. I like Mikheyev, but i also remember the 10 breakaways he had in the playoffs and didn't score 1... Why not give the young guys a look? You can add depth pieces whenever.

And yeah, Ottawa/Det/ and even BUF all got better, but they were at such lows their improvement looks amazing. We'll see how they actually play. Funny how nobody is questioning Husso, Anton Forsbeg/Talbot, Or whoever Buffalo has in the net. But god forbid the leafs have a 2x cup winner and a young goalie who could still become quality. Dubas isn't done at all yeah. Leafs will be fine and im going to laugh at these tweets/ posts on here in a few months
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Jul. 15, 2022 at 2:45 p.m.
#15
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BobrovTree
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Quoting: BallPuckFellow10
Couldn't agree more with you. People need to calm down. Was thinking about making a post like this myself.

Everybody is freaking out about goaltending, last season our save % as a team was .900 flat. We added Murray .906 & Samsonov .896. We are pretty much in the exact same spot there.

We still have to figure out what we are going to do on D. We can afford to move one player and get some assets back or trade for a different defenseman or forward. We have flexibility there.

NAK is a very good add to the bottom 6. Think he plays on a line with 47 & 64. Gaudette & Malgin are depth adds. They likely compete for one spot on the 4th line. Joey Anderson is right there too. Simmonds maybe takes a step back and becomes 13th forward. We still have room for a couple of extra adds from FA to increase the competition. Abruzzese & Steeves could surprise and take a spot, wouldn't count them out, but not factor them in as guaranteed 4th liners.

Leaves us with Robertson. Do you give him a look with 91 & 88? Don't think he is suited to the shutdown role 47 & 64 play, so it would have to be 4th line minutes otherwise. Maybe trade bait with Kerfoot + Holl for upgrade at 2LW. Would look at guys like J.T. Miller, Yanni Gourde, Mangiapane & Necas. A few of them might be too expensive, but that is my thought process.


Robertson is a small highly skill guy so IMO he has to play with JT / Willy. If he flops then you could move him for another player or depth elsewhere. Those guys would be great additions but not sure if possible with the cap
Jul. 15, 2022 at 2:50 p.m.
#16
Amirov Forever
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Quoting: BobrovTree
Exactly, everyone knew when the core got their contracts, depth pieces were constantly going to be coming in and out. Now that it's happening everyone is freaking out. I like Mikheyev, but i also remember the 10 breakaways he had in the playoffs and didn't score 1... Why not give the young guys a look? You can add depth pieces whenever.

And yeah, Ottawa/Det/ and even BUF all got better, but they were at such lows their improvement looks amazing. We'll see how they actually play. Funny how nobody is questioning Husso, Anton Forsbeg/Talbot, Or whoever Buffalo has in the net. But god forbid the leafs have a 2x cup winner and a young goalie who could still become quality. Dubas isn't done at all yeah. Leafs will be fine and im going to laugh at these tweets/ posts on here in a few months


Yeah no kidding, there are people trying to stir up attention by saying the Leafs will miss the playoffs due to how much "worse" our goaltending is. Husso had a good stretch but has no prior results to backup that performance. The amount of money Detroit committed to Husso and Chiarot was very puzzling imo. Forsberg was good for OTT, but he's not a long term starter and Talbot is only getting older. Buffalo has Craig Anderson and Eric Comrie so they're just straight up out of the question. At this time of the year I just ignore all the noise because its the same thing year in and year out
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Jul. 15, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.
#17
LongtimeLeafsufferer
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Quoting: tsyls
The real panic should be that if the leafs don’t win in the next 2 years matthews is gone. I don’t care how much $ they offer, because at that point he will never win in Toronto. That’s where the real concern should be.


I don't think it's an issue at when Matthews leaves in two years. UFAs come and go all the time. Leafs will have cap, and just sign other UFAs. One year after Matthews leaves, McDavid will be a UFA...good chance the Leafs sign him.
Jul. 15, 2022 at 8:26 p.m.
#18
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BobrovTree
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Quoting: palhal
I don't think it's an issue at when Matthews leaves in two years. UFAs come and go all the time. Leafs will have cap, and just sign other UFAs. One year after Matthews leaves, McDavid will be a UFA...good chance the Leafs sign him.


Or Matthews re-signs and Tavares's contract is up right as McDavid's is... >wink
 
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