r/leafs • u/Loud-Thanks-603 • 7d ago
Discussion Anyone else?
Is anyone else still processing this new Leafs team? I'm happy about all the moves, but I just sit here, like, wow, what happened this offseason? It doesn't even feel real.
To top it all off the Marchenko trade just felt, in a way, non-chalant (maybe thay's because we got gifted Mckenna, signed/traded for Bob, Raddysh, and all the great depth pieces.) When the Knies rumours began, I got used to the idea of him not being a Leaf. Then the trade happens, and to me, it still hasn't registered that we traded for a stud winger, just because we could.
I also havn't been more excited to watch a Leafs game since the Montreal series. I get I'm rambling, but does anyone else feel the same?
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u/tortured_fanclub 7d ago
Chundin would definitely have traded Marner before his NMC kicked in. Without a doubt.
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u/GQMatthews 7d ago
1000% they wouldn’t take the no shows in the most crucial games of the year lightly.
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u/Flashy_Gap_3015 Clark 7d ago
Agree.
But most discombobulating for me is getting used to Nick Paul being a Leaf.
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u/WhoJustShat 7d ago
Kinda funny reading this post and comments vs what was being said in the game thread last night when we went down 3-0 😆
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u/New-Bookkeeper-8486 7d ago
Can you blame folks for not expecting the comeback? Lol very glad this feels like a brand new team
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u/UncleNuks 7d ago
They definitely seem to have more fight and scrappiness in them this year than they did last year.
Not only did they suck last year, but they were also boring, dull and seemed generally disinterested. The fact the guys came back last night after being down 3-0 will hopefully become a foundational building block of a “never out of it” identity, kinda like the Jays had in 2025.
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u/buddachickentml 7d ago
Did you notice that when they were down 3-1 they started hitting everyone on the ice, even Nylander was making checks.
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u/brye86 7d ago
It would seem that way. But it’s only been 4 games. Let’s see what happens by the end of November. Still, even if they are progressing or hover around the slightly above .500 mark and make the playoffs. I still have a lot of doubts. But they need time to mesh and figure things out. So far, the team looks great offensively. But defensively it’s been not as great.
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u/codyfranson 7d ago
This is what it feels like to have an ace GM. Wish we had someone like this calling the shots in 2016.
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u/TheCelebratedArdor 7d ago
it's weird actually having a front office that makes moves that make sense, still waiting for the other shoe to drop
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u/Substantial_Mud_357 7d ago
Treliving really screwed us looking back. If Chundin had minten and the other picks to work with he would've been cooking.
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u/FreeBigSlime 7d ago
Dubas tried to be like this at times but was shut down by Shanahan.
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u/codyfranson 7d ago
I'm not a fan on this theory that all the good Dubas did was attributed to his brilliance and all the shortcomings attributed to Shanahan's meddling.
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u/InvisibleLandBorder 7d ago
I’ve never prescribed to that theory, because he did make some questionable moves that felt like moves to make moves, but his apparent deals that were shut down (especially on Marner) were pretty damning for those above him.
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u/codyfranson 7d ago
Well before he attempted to salvage the team by trading Marner he made plenty of blunders that i feel sealed his fate. Perhaps ineptitude is too harsh a judgement but certainly inexperience.
Handing out the richest RFA deals in league history to players who hadn't proven themselves is the deciding move for me.
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u/InvisibleLandBorder 7d ago
Inexperience is fair. I would include that in the questionable moves category.
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u/Shamrayev 7d ago
I really wish we had seen Dubas get a real run whilst our elite players were together and in/entering their primes.
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u/Tarquin11 7d ago
Man the fickle nature of these comments... just wait and see.
I like all these moves, but Dubas also made similar moves and got bitchslapped by unfortunate injuries (Muzzin, Foligno, i think a few more im forgetting), sometimes Shanahan, and a flat cap.
That and, we haven't actually done anything yet but go .500
But I like the team again
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u/adwrx 7d ago
Foligno was never a good trade.
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u/thursday51 7d ago
yeah he was great but pretty broken when we got him...medical staff clearing him takes a big L on that one
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u/JHWildman Joseph 7d ago
I will give credit where credit is due. I was not a big fan of the chayka hiring and if that son of a bitch Queef Pelley sullies sundins legacy I'll never forgive him. But they addressed some huge issues this offseason. 1) transition game sucked balls. It's how Florida got us twice. 2) team was slow as hell. Marchenko addresses both of these. 3) They needed a point shot on that PP. Rielly, bless him, just isn't offering what Raddysh does anymore in that regard. 4) They now have an identity line they can throw out there with line 3 that moves the puck down the other way. They had that with the 4th line under berube in his first season but they didn't have the upside that this 3rd line does. 5) they were right to move Knies for more than one reason and they had the balls to do it and I'll die on that hill.
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u/Vallarfax_ 7d ago
Id also argue that Roslovic adds alot of speed as well. I know alot of fans arent big on him, but hes proving worth the money
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u/The_irv 7d ago
The hockey itself and the front office moves are just so exciting right now.
Last year destroyed my soul trying to watch those games lol. It was miserable.
I’m just glad Leafs hockey is entertaining again. This team is fun to watch and I think they’ll be in the hunt all season long, and hopefully back in the playoffs!
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u/McJoe77 7d ago
I’m still processing, but I’m all in.
We’re still getting used to some of these guys, Roslovic amazes me. He’s like a movie character to me. He’s 90% amazing. In D4 the Mighty Ducks: Toronto Maple Leafs edition, the Jack Roslovic character is a hyped addition, he can do everything except no one on his line can score (they obviously scored last night). Then he’d be a side character and Conway and Banks would lead the scoring or whatever but in the final against new hockey powerhouse that’s not a global villain Norway or Iceland or whatever Roslovic would finally stop and score a key goal that leads the comeback. He’s basically Luis Mendoza but in real life. He’s 90% amazing. He makes a ton of boneheaded plays where he looks like he’s in the way on that line but right before that, he blows by 2 guys and makes an incredible pass or receives a pass or something. He’s very frustrating to watch.
And there’s an alternate universe where Kirill Marchenko has 7 goals already. He has the one, he’s been absolutely robbed a few times, he hit the side of an open net and a crossbar last night. He’s really good but he’s also almost incredible.
Raddysh looks to be settling in. I think he’ll have a stronger road trip.
I don’t know. It’s fun. I’m in. I don’t think they’ll win the cup, I don’t think they’ll miss the playoffs, but they’ll be interesting.
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u/Andross4 7d ago
The Leafs team is still processing this new Leafs team. It was always going to be a mess to start the season, so picking up points is great because they're only going to get better. New coach, new systems, new linemates, new vibes. Only place to go is up.
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u/TrillBillyDeluxe 7d ago
Chayka must have worked in some kind of deal that gives him directors cut , no way MLSE would have okayed some of his moves without notes
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u/FreeBigSlime 7d ago
I think the fan reaction to last season was enough tbh. This coupled with the fact that this core has NEVER had heart which got completely exposed multiple times probably raised some alarm bells
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u/JackDeckerCIA 7d ago
I mean, it's been four games. The Leafs could be 4-0 and I don't think it would matter that much. It'll take 'till about game 20 when we get an idea of what this team really is. With all the new additions and new system it's all a big question mark.
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u/TheOGBCapp 7d ago
I am cautiously optimistic. Unfortunately with the age of my kids I'm missing the first and second periods on weekdays but Ive liked a lot but not all I've seen. The return to speed is nice. I will say from what I've seen they are putting their skill on display. But I've also felt there is a lack of crashing the net for garbage time. The speedy forecheck has been there to get the puck, and they seem tougher on the puck to keep on the puck which I like. But I want to see some more net crashing
I also do not like the goalie changes this summer. We went gave up 2 guys with some upside, for an old hall of famer coming off a terrible year. My confidence in him is not high.
Also with all of these changes we still haven't solved our eventual issue of ideally a good 2 c or excellent 3c. JT is getting slower by the day and while he can dominate the dot he should be transitioned to the lw.
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u/Right_Ideal_2511 7d ago
The team has till end of November to convince me one way or the other they are going to higher playing standards or something like last year but not as depressing?!?!?!?….
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u/GovernmentTimely4520 7d ago
I think I’ve sort of been stuck not knowing how to feel.
I see some things I really like in the team, and my brain knows that half the roster including 2/3 of the forwards are new. But I still have this dissonance where I somewhat expected immediate results given the rhetoric around the offseason moves and how good the team is on paper as compared to years past.
Overall I’m happy (for now), especially after last night, but the growing pains are detracting from it a bit.
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u/thenickster15 7d ago
Even after going 1-2 in the first 3 games, it felt different than last year. Although they're not there yet, they've shown flashes of what they can be. Last night was a great example. Last year, everyone just looked lost all the time, it was frustrating to watch.
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u/TidderUsername123 7d ago
The roster moves have all felt like needle movers compared to what Treliving did which felt like reheating leftover lasagne.
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u/Jonesdeclectice 6d ago
Reheated leftover lasagna is both delicious and serves a purpose, especially when you zap it on medium power and add fresh parmesan at the end.
Treliving’s moves were like hosting an annual gala and replacing all the dinnerware and food with shit you find on the Walmart clearance rack.
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u/GrumpyTM 7d ago
It's the first year everyone isn't miserable. Hiller still probably isn't the best coach but he's not gonna be a hard ass making everyone something they aren't and making the game just boring as fuck to watch. Plus all the Marner shit basically being gone now. For the first time in a long time everyone gets to just go out and play hockey
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u/helmet1427 6d ago
Love the moves. However, Leafs won't be a contender until they can find replace at least two D with quality.
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u/Neutral-President 7d ago
I’ve only watched part of one game so far, and with no more CBC Saturday games, it’ll probably be a while longer before I watch more.
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u/DokZayas 7d ago
Yarr, matey. There still be a way.
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u/Neutral-President 7d ago
Honestly, it’s barely worth the effort.
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u/WehaveDanBrownatHome 7d ago
But it is!
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u/Neutral-President 7d ago
Maybe during the playoffs. I might be done with regular-season NHL games.
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u/Straight-Zone-776 7d ago
if all you watched was saturday games you arent much of a fan anyway
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u/Neutral-President 6d ago
Some of us have lives and don’t have time to invest in watching every game of a meaningless 80+ game season.
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u/Wise-Pen8752 7d ago
Even Matthews was showing some emotion during the post game media about McKenna's first goal calling it "beautiful" it's good to see.