Leafs Mailbag: Is the Leafs irksome Stanley Cup drought under-reported?

So up in Gravenhurst, outdoors the Centennial Centre the place the Maple Leafs practised Wednesday and Thursday, one fan famous he had 64 autographs on his Mats Sundin-era white workforce sweater.

Spectacular, positive. However I joked he wanted three extra for the “proper” Leaf quantity.

The gang acquired the 1967 reference and I acquired a well-deserved, thumbs-down, don’t-quit-my-day-job, sort of response.

Then, oblivious to what had simply transpired, a fan in Blue Jays cap – however self-confessed non-Leafs fan — got here by and admonished “the Toronto media” for not making a large enough deal concerning the Maple Leafs now 54-year Stanley Cup drought.

He, apparently, was critical. I initially thought he was joking and recounted my ’67 reference that he’d missed. However that wasn’t sufficient for him, as a result of, he mentioned, “everybody” made an enormous deal when the New York Rangers went 54 years with no Cup.

Think about that? Somebody really pondering the media across the Maple Leafs do not speak sufficient concerning the workforce’s lack of playoff success.

Hmm. Possibly he is on to one thing. Fifty-four years, might quickly be 55. A report inside their grasp. I’d simply write one thing about that.

To the Mailbag. As at all times, when you’ve got a query, electronic mail me at askkevinmcgran@gmail.com and I will reply it within the subsequent mailbag. As for this one, we speak about Kyle Dubas’s future, doable roster make-up, and hype, hype, hype.

QUESTION: Hello Kevin. Hope you’re properly. I used to be completely flabbergasted the opposite day once I heard Chris Johnston say on Overdrive that he felt even when the Leafs lose within the first spherical once more this 12 months that Kyle Dubas shouldn’t be fired! Are you able to ask him if he is aware of what the definition of madness is? I actually hope Sheldon Keefe is simply messing with you guys when he says he’s going to attempt Mitch Marner on defence, that may be a catastrophe. I imagine that Pierre Engvall would be the third Leaf {that a} bunch of individuals mentioned wouldn’t rating 20 targets and he’ll. The opposite two being Zach Hyman and Ilya Mikheyev.

Thanks, Craig M

ANSWER: Thanks Craig. Doing properly right here. Trying ahead to a different season. I am on the fence about Dubas. I get you what you are saying, however on the identical time, it is a terrific workforce, terrific core. We’ve not seen a workforce like this in years. And Dubas (or the following GM) may have wage cap house to play with, lastly, subsequent season. … I do not assume Keefe is messing with us. He is used the formation late in intervals in exhibition video games.

QUESTION: Hello Kevin. Trying ahead to the opening night time roster, and presuming the Leafs use long run injured reserve for cap house and signal Zach Aston-Reese to a contract, how possible is the next roster:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner

Kerfoot-Jarnkrok-Nylander

AstonReese-Kampf-AubeKubel

Robertson-Engvall-Malgin

Reilly-Brodie

Giordano-Holl

Muzzin-Sandin

This might imply waiving some gamers they could lose, however would give time to see how issues work out earlier than Tavares returns.

Thanks,

Tiffany O

ANSWER: You are in all probability not far off. However I might marvel what a Robertson-Nylander-Malgin line would appear like within the common season.

Except they’re in a position to be squeezed in as scratches, the waived in your situation might embody Adam Gaudette, Wayne Simmonds, Kyle Clifford, Joey Anderson and Victor Mete.

QUESTION: Hiya Kevin. Thanks for the work you do to your readers.

On Tuesday’s Breakaway Weblog you wrote how the Leafs hype machine is now roaring down the street. You started the article with these quotes:

“William Nylander appears like he’s going to dominate this season.”

“Nicholas Robertson appears like he’s made the workforce.”

“The Leafs’ large gamble on goaltending appears prefer it’s going to work out.”

Simply questioning the place you hear this hype coming from. On-line feedback? Conversations with Followers? Different sports activities journalists?

Thanks, Vincent V

ANSWER: I’m listening to it from different journalists, however I used to be impressed to jot down once I heard TSN’s consultants go on about it after the Leafs beat Montreal on Monday night time. Come on, it was the final place workforce and there’ll nonetheless minor leaguers and junior-aged gamers on the Canadiens.

QUESTION: Greetings Kevin.

One other season about to get began. Considerably unbelievably the “hype” builds once more similar to it has in most of my residing reminiscence.

Maybe this has been perpetually a fall factor in these components, being the centre of the hockey universe as it’s.

The one query that involves thoughts seemingly as each season begins is as follows, on condition that hockey is a enterprise that the native squad’s administration appears to have a reasonably good deal with on, is there someplace a enterprise projection someplace that establishes whether or not the workforce really profitable a Cup could be good for mentioned enterprise?

I totally admit that the majority would not marvel about this however for a very long time now I’ve really questioned whether or not it could be a superb factor for the “enterprise.” I must assume that with out query those who play, coach and performance inside the recreation’s framework- completely it could be good for them.

Corporately? Possibly not a lot.

As at all times thanks for what you do

Doug from Bford

ANSWER: I actually do not know what you are getting at Doug. Corporately, they’re into getting cash. I feel they may make various bucks off “Stanley Cup Champion” memorabilia. Suppose the identical company did okay when the Raptors gained all of it. And the Leafs will not should “overpay” their champion gamers for the reason that wage cap limits how a lot gamers can earn.

QUESTION: Projecting forward to the playoffs, can we assume that, in every spherical, moreover drawing the great luck card, the Leafs will want a continuing provide of superior goaltending, stifling, team-wide defensive play, an immense will to win and spectacular stamina?

I purposely omitted offensive prowess, since everyone knows that they’ve loads when the situations enable for it however that it may be stifled by blanketing defensive abilities. Thus far, the Leaf offence hasn’t been in a position to tip the playoff scale.

My query is that this: Do you are feeling that Kyle Dubas could have been in a position to enhance the aforementioned, surrounding situations to the purpose the place the Leaf offensive abilities could play a distinguished position when the chips are down?

Keep properly,

Gary A

ANSWER: I am undecided he “improved” over an all-star goalie in Jack Campbell. However he did enhance over backup Petr Mrazek. The story, as you be aware, is similar. The Leafs have ok goaltending for the common season. However they cannot proceed to have the second finest goalie in each playoff collection.

QUESTION: Hello Kevin. If the hearsay is true and he’s pursuing a commerce for Jakob Chychrun I might strongly counsel he swing for the fences by asking for Karel Vejmelka as properly !

The gamble he has taken on Matt Murray & Ilya Samsonov could be mitigated.

If it means the lack of Matt Knies as a part of the package deal together with shifting Murray, Nick Robertson, Alex Kerfoot, Jacob Muzzin and two first rounders. He ought to do it!!

Having Chychrun,Vejmelka, would make the Leafs a workforce that might be laborious to beat! That is the Kawhi Leonard commerce that may lastly give the items essential to win a Stanley Cup in 2023!

Dan W.

London ON

ANSWER: Dan, I am speechless. I do not see why the Leafs would do it. And I do not see what’s in it for Arizona, both.

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