Leafs Talk

09 Mar 2026 21:12:35
Not really a Leafs talk post but could be if it happens here Thursday night during our game. So John Carlson needs 4 shots to become the NHL Career Leader in blocked shots. If he doesn't get it tomorrow night against the Jets, he might on Thursday night against the Leafs.



I am hoping one of those teams take the time in a break in the action to acknowledge that record. It is crazy hard record to possess expecially for a player most people just looked at as a Offensive D-man.

09 Mar 2026 20:27:39
I should clarify... that is, if he plays in those games. He is day-to-day but reports are he might play.

07 Mar 2026 23:16:15
What is with all of these posts wanting Dubas and Keefe back? It has not worked out this year clearly, but at the same time it was just as bad with Shanny/Dubas and Keefe.

08 Mar 2026 12:44:41
Let's bring them back so Dubas can give Cowan $9M x 8 when his ELC is up. And we can play Keefe's style of hockey. The style that had the Devils barely make the playoffs last season and has the Devils 1 pt more than the Leafs this season. Makes sense.

08 Mar 2026 12:52:43
I am aware you two did not like Dubas and that’s both understandable and fair.

Now that two years have gone by it is okay to agree that Treliving and unfortunately Berube have done a poor job.

And then we can move on to rebuilding.

08 Mar 2026 12:59:02
RLF, your sarcasm does not become you.

You’re too smart and knowledgeable to make the statement about Cowan and Keefe, like Berube, believe in their coaching styles.

I’d rather you share your good ideas on players and how we get out of this mess.

I think it’s pretty clear that either Tre or Berube will be back so it’s water under the bridge to me.

09 Mar 2026 01:06:38
@Randy It clearly has not worked out this season. I'm not going to argue there. I don't think Tre and Berube can be brought back either, but the suggestion that Dubas and Keefe were much better by some is beyond me.

09 Mar 2026 12:17:21
RSears
I wasn't responding to you, I was responding to LL's post specifically about not getting all the talk about wanting Dubas and Keefe back. I thought my post was relevant, since I cannot understand someone wanting those two back either. If you look at the results, Tre and Berube got the team farther in one year than Keefe and Dubas ever did. One win away from the Conference final. This year aside, it's still a fact.

Do I expect both gone? Yes. I think Berube is a foregone conclusion. Tre is still a possibility of returning, I guess.

There may have been some sarcasm in my post, but it wasn't aimed at anyone on here, it was in agreement with LL, so not sure the issue. Ironically, I thought you too smart and knowledgeable to want Dubas and Keefe back, but I wasn't referring to you directly.

09 Mar 2026 13:36:49
Has nothing to do with Dubas or Keefe. I think they are just better then what we have. I don’t want any of the old or current management or coaching staff, but like I said, I think Brad gets pushed to president.

He’s good at negotiating contracts so that valuable, then bring in someone who’s good at acknowledging talent, but the way MLSE has worked the last little bit I think they promote an AGM so no added money.

09 Mar 2026 21:11:09
Agree with each of you.

Neither tandem is what the Leafs need at the moment.

And RLF, you can deflect my comment back at me because there was some sarcasm in asking for a return of Dubas and Keefe.

But I will say it reflected more my complete frustration with not winning a Cup in the last 8-10 years. I honestly expected a couple.

As to GMs, I think I’d prefer an ex-NHL player with GM experience like Ron Francis. His GM record with the Hurricanes and Kraken was technically not stellar but that’s not always entirely the fault of the GM.



Another choice, dare I say it, is Wes Clark or Gord Pridholm, but Dubas critics would probably not support these choices.

Not sure I like any of the “revolving door” of GMs like Ken Holland or others like that, but he’d do a great job, I believe.

I won’t bother with the coach because the GM will.

In any event, my only hockey time is now on this site only to keep my brain going.

06 Mar 2026 21:49:54
I was out all day and just got back.
Went to Trade Tracker and felt some excitement to read what we’d added only to be utterly shocked.

Really a tough pill to swallow. Glad the MLB will be starting soon; hopefully the Jays will help me forget this pathetic result.

Give us back Dubas and Keefe please!

06 Mar 2026 22:32:25
At least Dubas knows how to sell off players.

07 Mar 2026 14:31:05
Dubas and Keefe? Lol. Geez.

06 Mar 2026 12:13:36
I absolutely love what Buffalo went after this deadline. Exactly what I’ve been asking Toronto to do all year. Get some toughness, character, guys that stick up for teammates. They went out and got 3 of them. Well done to the GM of Buffalo! 👏 They might go far this year.

06 Mar 2026 16:17:24
It’s meh. I think they need to swing bigger up front to make it worth anything. Sure, they added size but they added a few slow guys to a fast team.

06 Mar 2026 20:29:03
Carrick is a guy that will do whatever it takes to win and for his team while playing a defensive role and killing penalties. He will block any shot and will fight anyone in the league if they hit one of his teammates. That goes far in a dressing room and on the ice.

Other two guys are built the same way on defence. Getting these players makes them a fairly complete team with how their offence and special teams are playing. Hopefully goaltending holds up for them like it has been.

04 Mar 2026 22:10:03
So I just realized. That if we miss the playoffs (and only a miracle will stop that from happening). Is this the start of a Mitch Marner type, curse of the Banbino. lol I just realized that since Mitch was a pro the Leafs had never missed the playoffs. HMMMMM

I was talking to a buddy that was at a few Vegas games this year and he said Marner look fresh at the end of both games he was at. He said that Bruce Cassidy uses him sparingly on the penalty kill and he is playing a couple minutes a game less than in Toronto total ice time.

Cassidy probably after coaching against Toronto in Boston saw how year after year No matter who was coaching was burning Marner out in the regular season and especially the playoffs. Running him out for regular Shift, Number one Power Play, and Number one penalty Kill unit. That caught up to him as each series went on.

04 Mar 2026 21:28:39
@1967 I've had a different thought in it.

Yes, Mitchy's TOI is less, but he looks refreshed because he isn't in Toronto. Media and fans aren't for everybody in some places. Willy seems to love having the spotlight on him, while Mitch not so much.

04 Mar 2026 21:45:59
There is that too for sure. In Vegas he is just a regular guy when he is at a gas station or the grocery store. The majority of people there would have no clue who he is.

04 Mar 2026 22:04:42
Do we actually believe Mitch didn't ask for the responsibility and ice time in Toronto? I would wager he would have taken whatever they would have given him. Mitch was a whiner.

He would relish being given that responsibility as he felt he deserved it. Maybe in Vegas they tell him how it is. The pressure in TO is more for sure, but so is the glory when they do well.

04 Mar 2026 23:47:44
How do you know that he felt he deserved it? Kind of a blanket statement without actual evidence to that. Regardless, it is a coach's job to manage his best players ice time to keep them fresh. I know some of the guys that did some work on his Cottage and they said he was a very down to earth guy with no airs at all and kind of a quiet kid. To be honest I don't blame him for leaving at all. First he gets carjacked a few years ago and the Crown drops the case. So no closure there for him on that. Then after last year's playoffs some knob posts his address online. Crazy thing is... he was vilified for lack of production. Last 5 playoffs Nylander was 43 points in 42 games, Marner was 42 points in 45 games and Matthews was 40 points in 43 games.

All 3 were productive at roughly a point a game pace. What truthfully cost the Leafs last year in the playoffs was these stats. McMann, Lorentz, Laughton, Jarnkrok and Holmberg: 0 goals, 9 points, combined -17. The big 3 last year were 11 goals, 39 points, combined -4. Tavares was -6 by himself and no-one called for his head or, for that matter, the majority of the bottom 6 until this year at this year's trade deadline. It just seems though we always try to find a whipping boy to blame in this town, sometimes justly and other times unwarranted. The blame still lies fully on the shoulders of Treliving, who just did not assemble the right supporting cast other than Max Pacioretty. I was happy for Max; he went out on a good note with his head held high.

05 Mar 2026 01:01:46
A lot to unwrap here. So, Mitch a public figure in a social media society is nice to guys building his cottage, making sure he doesn't say or do anything stupid and that makes him a down to earth guy and not entitled? Lol. Ok. Sure.

You really need proof he was a whiner? Ever here him whine to the refs constantly in many games. Ever see him throw little fits at the bench. Remember Willy telling him "this ain't junior" while he threw a temper tantrum on the bench. He yelled at his team mates to wake up while he himself sucked that game. You know who throws fits, guys who have trouble when things aren't going well or perfectly for them. Guys who feel things just should go right for them. ie, entitled.

Entitlement? How about holding out for almost $11M and thinking he was worth what Matthews gets.

How about never saying "he" sucked. He tried to lead and wanted it, not hard to tell that's true. Wouldn't you be upset if he didn't want the responsibility? Why is pointing it out a bad thing?

"We are treated like gods" and then saying he is leaving because it isn't safe in Toronto. Saying he loved it in Toronto, meanwhile asking other players what they thought about Vegas, then only accepting a deal to Vegas. Nixing a deal at last year's TDL, meanwhile knowing he was leaving. Yea, Mitch is a great guy who we can't blame for leaving. Not.

How come you don't point out Mitch's games 5, 6 and 7 stats? He had 9 points in 21 of those games. 0 goals and 5 assists in the last 18. Should we go on?

05 Mar 2026 04:35:49
This whole "But the stars had points" narrative is asinine. All of them have been horrendous in the playoffs on a whole. I remember one and only one series where I thought Mathews looked like he wanted it.

Nothing before or after and I have yet to see that one performance from Willy or Mitch. Before recent years I would have said Mo was the best playoff leader as he always showed up when it counted.

05 Mar 2026 19:11:34
It's the old damned if they do, damned if they don't. If they score the points and lose it's their fault. If they don't have the points and we lose it's even more their fault. Traditionally the teams that win the Cup have a GM and Coach that have a gameplan to be able to throw out 4 more evenly balanced lines that what we have here. That is partly a personnel issue with we know lies right at Treliving's feet, and partly coaching staff that need to find a way to get mismatches.

For instance. Throwing Matthews or Marner when we had him or Nylander on a 3rd line rather than loading the front two lines would have been better against Florida and sticking to the same old. We need a shake up from the top down. I do give props where they are due though. Treliving pulled off a nice trade with Colorado with Roy today.

06 Mar 2026 12:53:58
It's not about points. It's about effort. And if they want to be paid like the guys that need to come through when it counts, then they need to come through when it counts. They don't.
They took Florida to game 7. Games 5 and 7 wouldn't have been helped by spreading out the talent over 3 lines. The only coach and GM to get this group that far, is the current ones.
Call it like it was. Games 5 and 7 lost the series and the players sucked in those games.

They looked as scared in those games as kids out trick or treating on Halloween approaching a haunted house. This is more about character and not being overwhelmed in big moments. It's about a mentality of not being denied over afraid to make a mistake and playing timid.
Why do they look better in International competition? Because they don't have to be "The" guys on the team. They are surrounded by the best with guys that do/will step up, so they can relax and play.

01 Mar 2026 18:53:28
Fire Berube and hire Deboer.

01 Mar 2026 20:20:48
Keep Berube until year's end now. No reason to get a new coach bump this late in the year.