Eklund: Next Great Leafs Writer Audition #5_ JAY. “A Team Divided.”

A very good effort, bravo!

I agree with much of what is said in this blog, and it’s well written, a good read.

That said. I don’t think the Leafs can deal Marners contract without him approving it, hence the NTC. They could give him and another team permission to chat and then do the sign and trade thing so that he gets the 8th year on his next contract, if that’s what he wants!? We’ll see. Agree 100% on Reilly….ask him to move, nobody wants the player/contracr, and he’s back. Unfortunately, because he’s not earning his contract right now! Bang on blog!

Matthews is the cancer in the room. No cup until they move on thom this guy. Move on.

A very good effort, bravo!
- Bernard_Gui

Thanks for the input,

I agree with much of what is said in this blog, and it’s well written, a good read.

That said. I don’t think the Leafs can deal Marners contract without him approving it, hence the NTC. They could give him and another team permission to chat and then do the sign and trade thing so that he gets the 8th year on his next contract, if that’s what he wants!? We’ll see. Agree 100% on Reilly….ask him to move, nobody wants the player/contracr, and he’s back. Unfortunately, because he’s not earning his contract right now! Bang on blog!
- Bullot

I appreciate your feedback.

Eklund: Next Great Leafs Writer Audition #5_ JAY. “A Team Divided.”
- Eklund

I actually read the whole thing. First time in a long time. Good read, well done Jay. Cheers mate hard to impress the lot of us grumpy old men.

The team is divided. The fans are divided. It's not a good place right now but there are positives.. everyone has their own opinions on matthews to marner to tavares to nylander to rielly and i feel no need to throw my 2 cents into the pot. I hope most everyone can just respect everyone else's views. There is no right or wrong. There is no certainty. Everyone here is on the same boat, we cheer for the logo in front. We cheer the players who bring the passion of the fans onto the ice when the going gets tough. There is justified reason to be upset with players who have failed to do that year after year. Listen to both sides and in the accept to agree or disagree with no harsh feelings. Change is a gamble, remember that and respect that. The grass isn't always greener, and making no changes is insanity. How big of a gamble they take remains to be seen and remains out of our control.

Very good blog, definitely the best so far.

The team is divided. The fans are divided. It's not a good place right now but there are positives.. everyone has their own opinions on matthews to marner to tavares to nylander to rielly and i feel no need to throw my 2 cents into the pot. I hope most everyone can just respect everyone else's views. There is no right or wrong. There is no certainty. Everyone here is on the same boat, we cheer for the logo in front. We cheer the players who bring the passion of the fans onto the ice when the going gets tough. There is justified reason to be upset with players who have failed to do that year after year. Listen to both sides and in the accept to agree or disagree with no harsh feelings. Change is a gamble, remember that and respect that. The grass isn't always greener, and making no changes is insanity.
- systemtool

Florida is a little better than the Leafs right now and we’re so unlucky when it comes to the health of our goaltending. I’ll take making the playoffs every year over the alternative any day.

This was the best blog of the ones we've seen so far.

I don't necessarily agree with the predictions, but none are completely unreasonable.

This summer all the decent FA's, including Marner, will command ridiculous money. It may be fortunate that the Leafs will not be able to afford more than 1 of them.

Eklund: Next Great Leafs Writer Audition #5_ JAY. “A Team Divided.”
- Eklund

A word of caution to Leaf fans that want to " blow it up "

Brad Treliving is no Sam Pollock and " Tree" might turn a team that struggles to succeed in the playoffs to a team that has trouble making them.


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This was the best blog of the ones we've seen so far.

I don't necessarily agree with the predictions, but none are completely unreasonable.

This summer all the decent FA's, including Marner, will command ridiculous money. It may be fortunate that the Leafs will not be able to afford more than 1 of them.
- Aetherial

Leafs have up to $27M coming off the books. Restraint won’t be because they can’t afford to spend.

Leafs have up to $27M coming off the books. Restraint won’t be because they can’t afford to spend.
- Chunga’s Revenge

Potentially. They could easily sign guys until then.

So apparently Berube tried spreading the core across 3 lines against OTT, but they weren't having any of it, so he went with the original lineup.

It's clear we need to make some changes if the inmates are running the asylum.

Also, we need to play dirtier, Berube needs to be more vocal about penalties/calls in the presser, take the fine, live with it.

Maurice wouldn't stop talking about the Rodriguez embellishment call for days after and lo and behold, the Panthers all of sudden had a 2:1 advantage in powerplays.

More elbows, more running goalies, (frank) the league, (frank) you.

Florida is a little better than the Leafs right now and we’re so unlucky when it comes to the health of our goaltending. I’ll take making the playoffs every year over the alternative any day.
- shack67

Well hey, why keep score then…..just go out and have fun. Sports is about winning, not, doing ok.

what would a realistic return for Matthews be?

Florida is a little better than the Leafs right now and we’re so unlucky when it comes to the health of our goaltending. I’ll take making the playoffs every year over the alternative any day.
- shack67

"Unlucky".

That's one way to put it. It really was unfortunate that, yet again, one of our players was injured and put out of a series by a blatant infraction that was not called.

Just, unlucky I guess.

what would a realistic return for Matthews be?
- LItransplant44

Right now?

Probably not as high as his talent dictates.

A word of caution to Leaf fans that want to " blow it up "

Brad Treliving is no Sam Pollock and " Tree" might turn a team that struggles to succeed in the playoffs to a team that has trouble making them.


"





'
- Fan the Flame

I don’t have a problem with the leafs missing the playoffs in 2026 if they can spend 2025 off season and trade deadline acquiring players who would be key during a playoff push. During his Calgary days Sam Bennet was know to be semi invisible for 82 games and then morph into a demon during the playoffs. Leafs may not be able to pry SB out of FLA but those are the type of guys that they need to find between July 1st 2025 and Mar 10, 2026. Then use the 2026 off season to draft well (have their own 1st pick too) and acquire the high end skill on Jul 1 2026.

Leafs could have used some guys with playoff experience as depth guys to help support the core 4. Guys like Hyman, Marchment, Verhaeghe, Connor Brown, Kapanen, etc.

Well hey, why keep score then…..just go out and have fun. Sports is about winning, not, doing ok.
- Bullot

Making the playoffs is kind of important for winning

Leafs could have used some guys with playoff experience as depth guys to help support the core 4. Guys like Hyman, Marchment, Verhaeghe, Connor Brown, Kapanen, etc.
- lemieux_66

Every team in the league has a list of players like that. You can’t keep them all.

Well hey, why keep score then…..just go out and have fun. Sports is about winning, not, doing ok.
- Bullot

You’re one of those guys who goes silent when we win but you wait in the weeds until something goes wrong and then you revel in it.

"Unlucky".

That's one way to put it. It really was unfortunate that, yet again, one of our players was injured and put out of a series by a blatant infraction that was not called.

Just, unlucky I guess.
- Aetherial

It’s also super annoying when Friedman says if Bennett played for the leafs he would be suspended a lot. In Florida he gets nothing.