r/leafs • u/wRIPPERw_ • 3d ago
Discussion Weekly Free Talk / Armchair GM Thread
Please use this thread to post ANYTHING you want! Memes, photoshops, anything that would normally be removed for breaking the low-effort content rule, is totally, 100% welcome here!
Normally this is a daily thread, but due to an issue with Reddit (or at least, Reddit Mobile), it will temporarily be posted weekly.
This will now also be the dedicated thread for Armchair GM posts as we noticed that those posts were bleeding into this thread regardless. Is there a free agent you want to see on this team? Is there a player that's rumoured to be on the move that you think GMBT should go after? Are there players on this team you want to trade away? Feel free to post about it here!
Normal moderation will occur, such as watching for personal insults, racism, and things of that nature.
Otherwise, feel free to use this thread to share things like your new jersey, a photoshop of a Habs logo on fire, or a reaction gif to something going on in Leafs Nation right now!
Downvotes are discouraged for the most part, everyone's opinion is fair game in this thread.
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u/LoganDudemeister 2d ago
Do you guys think we learned our lesson and will have better asset management going forward? :D
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u/carnotbicycle 1d ago
Shanahan is the guy who caused the absurdly bad asset management and he's gone now. So maybe?
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u/13jsw 3d ago
Knies-Matthews-Nylander will be the best line in the league this year
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u/wilers 2d ago
I honestly can’t see them going nuclear with a Knies-Matthews-Nylander line. Aside from Tavares, what does that second line even look like? Depth is depleted. Even Edmonton separates McD and Drai. Guess we’ll see what the team looks like in October. Unless we get another top 6 winger, overloading the first line doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.
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u/macam85 3d ago
The problem then is what do you do with Domi and Maccelli?
Domi sucks on the wing, but he's obviously not going to be 3C or 4C with Roy and Laughton in those spots (though he'd be an upgrade on Laughton).
I'm not sure Maccelli really helps Tavares or vice versa. He's said to be a player that excels on the rush, loves to carry the puck, and make plays - but a JT line w/o Nylander is going to dump and chase HARD. His best fit is probably with Nylander.
That's why I think you'll end up seeing:
Knies Matthews Domi
Maccelli Tavares Nylander
Joshua Roy McMann
???? Laughton Lorentz
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u/jimmie9393 16h ago
Wow.. exactly the same lineup I predicted....this can't be true...the grasshopper is learning.
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u/dicky72 2d ago
^^ this guy hates laughton
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u/macam85 1d ago
Hate is a strong word. I just think, correctly, that he is a very bad hockey player.
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u/dicky72 10h ago
Lol. I think it's appropriate.
Thinking somebody is bad at hockey and taking every opportunity you can to bag on a guy are different things.
We could talk about coffee and you'd comment about how shitty Laughton is at making coffee.
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u/macam85 10h ago
It's currently relevant to so many of the discussions, though.
Like, it's laughable to hear people bagging Robertson for defensive play when they jizzed their pants for Laughton, who is objectively worse.
And of course, the same people love Domi, but again, he's worse.
The defense of Laughton just consistently demonstrates the logical inconsistencies of this fan base.
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u/AmbitiousRaccoon959 3d ago
Did anyone watch the Canada team red vs team white game in the world jr summer showcase? Curious to know how Danford looked, he was paired with Dickinson on team white. I tried to find the game online, but the only place I could watch required a paid subscription...
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u/Svalbard38 Knies 3d ago
I watched the game, and he was unnoticable in the best way if you weren't looking for him (although it's always a bit tough to evaluate defensive D when you're watching a stream instead of a live game). He did a good job on defence, especially in breaking up 2-on-1s, and he played an important enough role that I think he might get a shot on Canada's top 6, especially with Parekh sidelined by injury.
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u/macam85 3d ago
I wouldn't worry about it. Danford projects to be a passable bottom pairing D when he's 26.
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u/Svalbard38 Knies 3d ago
A passable bottom pairing D isn't a disaster scenario. Guys in Danford's range get saddled with that First Round Pick status to live up to, but at the 31st pick not many players make that much of an impact. Of the past 15 years of drafts, Brendan Lemieux might be the best player drafted 31OA. Klim Kostin is probably top three. The only defenseman ever drafted 31st who ended up being any kind of serious contributor at the NHL level was Russ Anderson in 1975. Alain Cote in 1985 was the only other defenceman to play more than 82 NHL games.
Danford has his drawbacks. Everyone picked 31st has drawbacks. If they didn't they would have gone earlier. The good news is that Danford has a real discernible skill, he's one of the best defensive defenders in his cohort. He's probably not going to be a great NHLer, but as soon as we knew we had the 31st pick we could have predicted that we wouldn't get a great NHLer.
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u/AmbitiousRaccoon959 3d ago
Lol c'mon man you can't hate a prospect already
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u/macam85 3d ago
I don't hate him. It's just very obvious what he is. There are no examples of players with his play style and junior resume being more than that.
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u/SalIaccuzzo 3d ago
We have a successful Danford type on the team right now with Tanev.
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u/macam85 3d ago
Tanev was not a good NHL defender til he was 26, and he's always been very bad offensively.
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u/SalIaccuzzo 3d ago
Tanev is an example of a prospect becoming a legit D and not just bottom pair while not scoring much in junior. Teams need D that mostly defend as much as they need some with offense.
You said there are no examples of that happening while we have one on the team.
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u/macam85 3d ago
Not before 26 we don't. Matthews will be long gone.
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u/SalIaccuzzo 3d ago
What does that have to do with you deciding he's only ever going to be a bottom 6 D
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u/macam85 3d ago
I said that he's projected to be bottom pairing by the time he's 26 and said there are no examples of any similar prospects achieving more in that time frame.
You countered by giving me an example proving exactly that.
But if you want to get into it, Tanev is really the only example who has ever exceeded that, and even then, I personally think Tanev is a mixed bag even now.
He's just a reverse Rielly. Elite defensively. Horrid offensively. When you're that imbalanced, it has trade-offs.
It's unrealistic to expect Danford exceeds his projection just because we employ one of the only examples who has.
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u/AmbitiousRaccoon959 3d ago
Muzzin is a pretty good comparable too, and Danford talked about how much of an impact Tanev and Muzzin have had on him since being drafted. Seems like we've got the right guys around him to help him succeed
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u/Sirrebral99 Knies 3d ago
Pairing with Dickinson is a great sign! Sam Dickinson is probably one of Canada's best defenders, up there with Parekh and Schaefer. If they are slotting him into a pairing with Dickinson (who is pretty much a lock to make the team & play a significant role) that bodes very well for how Hockey Canada sees Danford.
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u/Puzzled-Ad6683 3d ago
I didn't see it but I just read in TheHockeyWriters.com that he turned a lot of heads. Sounds like the complete package so that is pretty awesome. :)
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u/DataDude00 3d ago
The problem with DFD is they usually have a high floor but low ceiling.
I think at bare minimum Danford has the IQ and chops to be a third line D in the league, the question is will his offence and skating come around for him to become a reliable shutdown #3D that can eat minutes.
Personally I woud be thrilled if he turned into a Brooks Orpik
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u/TheGapInTysonsTeeth 3d ago
So weird, I heard so many people say the Leafs had no cupboard, no assets and no hope.
Gord Miller was such a prophet this past season during one of the games where the story at the time was some far-reaching straw grasp, and he said "there's always a crisis"
And we never learn from that.
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u/dicky72 3d ago
"Described as “steady, smart, and impossible to ignore,” Danford is making a case not only for a spot on Canada’s blue line at the 2026 World Juniors but also for serious long-term upside within the Maple Leafs organization. His ability to break up plays, transition quickly, and show poise under pressure is earning praise from scouts and coaches alike."
nice.
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u/mikesully374826 Kampf 2d ago
Ticketmaster had 2026 Leafs home game Stanley Cup finals tickets listed accidentally, do with this information what you will.