Considering my lack of writing this season, I should have come up with the idea of having an easy post with links to what everybody else is writing long ago. They tell me it’s better late than never though, so here you go:
I believe that the value in their assessment of Domi is a little high, but would happily bring back the versatile forward. He has done well at centre and wing this year, while producing 8 goals and 41pts through 72 games so far. He has dropped the gloves on 5 separate occasions and has played well throughout the top 9 forward group. If they re-signed him to a contract that ranged from 3-3.75M that spanned up to, but not over 4 years, I would be very happy with the deal.
While I still don’t like the Leafs’ blueline as a unit, I do enjoy the fact that they’ve brought in more size and grit there. Joel Edmundson, Simon Benoit, Jake McCabe and Ilya Lyubushkin are the type of players you want in the playoffs.
I missed this exchange between Nylander and McMann, but it further cements my opinion that Nylander isn’t the type of player you win with. I get being upset if you think the play should have unfolded differently, but over the years there have been multiple signs like this that Nylander is selective over which teammates he decides to respect on the ice. It’s my opinion that he isn’t the type of personality that promotes a united team and may actually be the type that ensures they stay divided in the dressing room.
When the puck drops on the post season you need players that can withstand the physical and mental pressures that come with playoff hockey and I’m not entirely sure that Robertson is capable of that. With that said, he’s 22 years old and has 21pts in 48 games, while possessing a heavy shot. If he were on a team with less publicity, such as the Coyotes or the Stars, I believe that he would be seen as a better prospect than he is in Toronto. He definitely has to clean up his defensive game, but they also need scoring outside of the top 6. I also think Keefe will sit him when the time comes but there’s a case to be made for him being in the starting lineup. It will likely all come down to who is healthy enough to play.
I have to be honest, I’m pulling for Matt Murray to make a return to the NHL. This season is not in the cards, in my opinion, but next season definitely is. Murray will be 30 years old when the puck drops on the 2024/25 season and my hope right now is that he starts that season as a member of the Toronto Marlies. My assumption is that he isn’t going to get much in the way of big offers in free agency this year, which could mean a contract that is structured like Martin Jones’ was this season could be a good direction. Jones received a signing bonus after training camp that may have been enough to persuade other team to allow him to pass through waivers. If you offer Murray a 1-way deal with a caphit of 900K, with 300K of that being paid in way of a signing bonus at the beginning of the season, it may allow you to get him to the Marlies to begin the year, which would then provide him with the ability to get back up to speed before playing NHL games again. Considering he has only suited up for 26 games since joining the Leafs for the 2022/23 season, this may be the best direction for him.
If it was, in fact, this lingering injury that was holding him back the past few years, it would be prudent to keep him in the organization to see if he can claw his way back to his former self.
I’ve begun to wonder if one of the best things they can do over the last 10 games is fall back to a wild card position. If the playoffs started today they would play the Florida Panthers. After the absolute beat down at the hands of Florida last season I have zero confidence in their ability to get through that series. If Florida pulls ahead of Boston then, obviously, the Leafs get Boston, which has historically been a terrible matchup for them. The Bruins appear to get the green light to run rampant on the Leafs in the playoffs, while the Leafs have to play like a group of Lady Bing candidates or else it’s a parade to the penalty box and an early summer.
The Lightning have turned their season around at the right time. They’re playing great hockey right now and are doing it consistently. They’re better in the East than most give them credit for, due mostly to a slow start to the season. If/when they manage to pass the Leafs in the standings it would open up the possibility of the Leafs playing one of the Metro teams. The two possibilities there are the Rangers and Hurricanes, who are no easier than any of the teams in the Atlantic, but at least losing in the 1st round would be different.