Happy New Year

If you look around the webbernet you’ll see a lot of articles that are talking about what the Leafs should make as their New Years Resolution.

I have never made a New Years Resolution for myself, but I guess if I were going to offer one up to the Leafs organization it would be to stop making the same mistakes as they did in the past.

When Brendan Shanahan took over it appeared that things would be different and, at first, they were. They drafted high end skill, they tanked for Auston Matthews… you’ve heard all of this “scorched earth” stuff before so I won’t delve deeply into it once again.

When you look back you could argue that everything began to fall apart during the 2016/17 NHL season. Yes, that was Auston Matthews’ first season in the NHL, which would make you believe that things were still going well, which they technically were, but that’s also the season that the organization decided to prematurely turn the page from “rebuild” to “contender.” It was a small trade at the time, but the moment they sent a pick out the door to acquire Brian Boyle, everything changed. They continued that trend, time and again, until they were left with a bare cupboard, no depth and no capspace.

Nothing. Not even a season where they competed for a Cup.

Those trades, combined with allowing assets to walk for free (Tyler Bozak, James VanRiemsdyk, Jake Gardiner etc) and doubling down on size for skill deals (Marchment for Malgin) set the organization back and eventually brought us to where we are today, watching a team switch from “all skill” to “all grit” and I want to yell at whoever’s in charge that this simply isn’t how teams win.

“All in.”

“Heavy on (insert dynamic hockey adjective here).”

“My teams play like this ___”

All wrong, in my opinion.

Teams that win have it all. Heavy players, skilled players, two-way players, penalty killers and powerplay stars. They can defend, score, hit, fight, grind and skate and make you chase their game. The Leafs were never built like that. This iteration of the team was built with tunnel vision, while leaning too far towards one type of player or another, depending on which GM was in charge at the time.

That’s a mistake and it’s one that needs correcting.

Considering this team a contender has been a mistake since they traded for Brian Boyle as well and that needs correcting. They jumped too soon. They still had work to do on the foundation, when they decided to hang the curtains. Their young stars had no mettle, they hadn’t learned to lose in the NHL and now they were expected to win.

It’s a shame really. The future was so damn bright.

When it boils down to it, I guess my resolution for this team would be to sell while the selling is good, recoup assets and start again. Not with this GM, not with this core and later, when things are rolling, not with this coach either. Take your time, don’t rush it like they did this time and then blame the fans and certainly don’t hire somebody that approaches building a team with their ego first, claiming that “their vision” will get it done, as Treliving has. Instead, hire people that ask questions and consider alternatives.

Curious, intelligent and willing to learn from their mistakes, as well as ones made by others.

Those people can lead you to a championship.

Happy New Year, Puckers. I hope it’s one that’s full of positive change for those who need it and full of happiness for those that don’t. Either way, keep your head up and your stick on the ice.