The Mother-fucking goddamn Off-season Thread

[Habsy]

Feels like it would tarnish his legacy for a cheap thrill.

Same way Sundin made the terrible decision to go to Vancouver. Though in his case you could chalk it up to cup chasing, which Crosby doesn't need to do.

Some guys are more sentimental than others. I wouldn't do it, I don't think he will either but we also don't know what's really going to happen in Pittsburgh do we? Everyone assumes that it's status quo but if the apple cart gets overturned? Sometimes people want out. Now in that case he goes for top dollar somewhere.

 

[MindzEye]

More grist for the mill

She seems to want to applaud Shanahan while accusing him of colluding with the board to make hockey decisions instead of letting Dubas make them.

She also applauds the culture of MLSE under Peddie....which shouldn't play well with any Leaf fan over the age of 35...like at fucking all.

Lieweke was good for the organization (he was the turning point between the era of corporate management and professional sports management imo) but even he has some all time bad hires and quotes (after Burke failed horribly here, went on record saying he would hire Burke again) so holding up his time in Toronto as some golden age is a misread of history imo.

The whole piece is her name dropping some former execs, treating "the board" as some insidious catch all term for a group of suits that are clearly meddling in sports decisions without providing any proof (or even rumours), not knowing how she feels about Shanahan (is he hockey ops, is he the board? He's all of it and none of it depending on which she needs him to be in any particular paragraph) and calling Kyle Dubas a nice guy.

 

[mbow30]

The part I found interesting is that since Lieweke left the decision making process has become more convoluted as Bell and Rogers bigwigs flail around without a strong Lieweke character keeping them in check.

She might be just loyal to her old boss tho….

Well we know there’s one guy who gets in the way but we also know it’s not the board, or a majority of the board.

 

[Habsy]

What was the Leafs last contract offer to Dubas before he went Machiavellian?

 

[mbow30]

Think it was definitely worth watching the presser again through the eyes of someone about to hand that man a 20+ million dollar contract and seeing him not be able to answer "yes, I want to be here and yes, I have it in me to do this job".

Exactly. If I’m hiring somebody, it’s down to the wire and they’re like “akshually not sure I want this let’s talk in a few days Kay?” Then ask me for more money, I’m saying see ya.

 

[hockeylover]

What was the Leafs last contract offer to Dubas before he went Machiavellian?

We only have a rumour and it's very far from verified but we'd heard 4m per was the framework originally agreed on/put forth by Dubas' agent and 6-7m with full autonomy was the post-presser number. Shanny makes 6m.

 

[Habsy]

Exactly. If I’m hiring somebody, it’s down to the wire and they’re like “akshually not sure I want this let’s talk in a few days Kay?” Then ask me for more money, I’m saying see ya.

The stalling though, another suspect fact of collusion. Just answer me this, what calculating man walks away from that kind of coin without some assurances?

That's why I'm curious what the Leafs last offer was and should he sign with Pittsburgh I want to know for how much. If it's significantly higher? That's collusion. He walked because he knew.

 

[CH1]

She seems to want to applaud Shanahan while accusing him of colluding with the board to make hockey decisions instead of letting Dubas make them.

She also applauds the culture of MLSE under Peddie....which shouldn't play well with any Leaf fan over the age of 35...like at fucking all.

Lieweke was good for the organization (he was the turning point between the era of corporate management and professional sports management imo) but even he has some all time bad hires and quotes (after Burke failed horribly here, went on record saying he would hire Burke again) so holding up his time in Toronto as some golden age is a misread of history imo.

The whole piece is her name dropping some former execs, treating "the board" as some insidious catch all term for a group of suits that are clearly meddling in sports decisions without providing any proof (or even rumours), not knowing how she feels about Shanahan (is he hockey ops, is he the board? He's all of it and none of it depending on which she needs him to be in any particular paragraph) and calling Kyle Dubas a nice guy.

Yep..every scribe in the field feels obligated to send a half reasoned piece out ASAP.

We’ll probably never learn the truth.

I am riveted by this drama as much as anyone but it really is a sideshow because the most important thing now is not why Dubas is gone, but who’s taking his place

 

[mbow30]

The stalling though, another suspect fact of collusion. Just answer me this, what calculating man walks away from that kind of coin without some assurances?

That's why I'm curious what the Leafs last offer was and should he sign with Pittsburgh I want to know for how much. If it's significantly higher? That's collusion. He walked because he knew.

He was basically in tears.
Maybe wifey wears the pants.

 

[zeke]

Lewicke hired Masai and Shanny before he left.

From the article
>>>>I worked at MLSE under Leiweke and remain very close with a few people who remain at MLSE. Leiweke leaving set off a chain of events that likely led to Friday’s debacle. MLSE had a culture under Peddie and Leiweke, and many have felt that Michael Friisdahl’s appointment as the CEO was the decision of the telecoms. Regardless of successful teams and profits, sources said the turnover rate and unhappiness have reportedly increased. They also said many company programs were cut, learning opportunities and culture builders that were key under Peddie and Leiweke reportedly disappeared. The board became far more involved in team-level decision-making with the Leafs, Raptors and Toronto FC. One wonders if that was the reason Tanenbaum intervened to save the company from losing Ujiri a few years ago.

Its a wonder Ujiri and Shanahan are willing to work under that when they'd have their pick of jobs.

And dear lord did she just harken back to the glories of the Peddie era? Christ.

 

[Habsy]

He was basically in tears.
Maybe wifey wears the pants.

I've no doubt she threatened to leave. None.

 

[zeke]

She seems to want to applaud Shanahan while accusing him of colluding with the board to make hockey decisions instead of letting Dubas make them.

She also applauds the culture of MLSE under Peddie....which shouldn't play well with any Leaf fan over the age of 35...like at fucking all.

Lieweke was good for the organization (he was the turning point between the era of corporate management and professional sports management imo) but even he has some all time bad hires and quotes (after Burke failed horribly here, went on record saying he would hire Burke again) so holding up his time in Toronto as some golden age is a misread of history imo.

The whole piece is her name dropping some former execs, treating "the board" as some insidious catch all term for a group of suits that are clearly meddling in sports decisions without providing any proof (or even rumours), not knowing how she feels about Shanahan (is he hockey ops, is he the board? He's all of it and none of it depending on which she needs him to be in any particular paragraph) and calling Kyle Dubas a nice guy.

Yeah Lewicke was important but the actual turnarounds in the organizations came the instants Masai and Shanny were hired. Like immediately.

 

[Red Line]

I've no doubt she threatened to leave. None.

So she'd leave him if he'd agreed to work for 4m but at 6/7m she'd stay?

 

[hockeylover]

So she'd leave him if he'd agreed to work for 4m but at 6/7m she'd stay?

I think his contention would be that the 6/7 ask would ensure the Leafs would balk.

Still not sure I really get agreeing to the 4m framework in the first place.

 

[MindzEye]

Fwiw...and what it's really worth is making Zeke punch air....

The Penguins are now owned by Fenway Group, John Henry's group that owns the Boston Red Sox.

Could definitely see them knowing dick about hockey but seeing Dubas as the hockey version of Theo Epstein.

 

[Preston]

I think we'll get our answers depending on who the leafs hire and what dubas does if he gets a job with more autonomy. Who needs a cup? This is way more fun!

 

[axlsalinger]

A 25 yr old Matthews locked in long term for 13 million dollars would be one of the top 5 building blocks to start a team with in the league.

Bedard might be better, but that's a significant might. Remember, the nerd numbers have had one guy in the world better than Connor at any extended period of time in the last 4-5 years. If you're offered up one of the top 5 players in the world, in his early-mid prime, locked up long term for a kid who hasn't seen a single game in the league, you have to consider it and probably pull the trigger on it.

Imagine Ottawa being offered a 25 yr old Sergei Federov for Daigle and turning it down? I'm not saying Bedard is Daigle, but you have to plug the possibility of him not being a generational NHL'er into that math.

I also don't think his contract status (ELC, etc) really means much in the discussion. If he pans out, in 3 years he'll be making as much as Auston anway.

With all of that said, I think the Auston Matthews stuff is Toronto media hand wringing. Matthews will extend this summer.

this is great comedy, but there is a 0% chance Chicago would say yes to this trade. Nor should they.

 

[Blueman]

to be fair, Babcock signed for 6.25M/year in 2015 to be leafs GM..

 

[MindzEye]

this is great comedy, but there is a 0% chance Chicago would say yes to this trade. Nor should they.

Mystery box might be a boat, I agree.

 

[zeke]

I sure hope the core is kept together. Will be fascinating to learn whether Dubas was more bad plan or more bad execution. I'm guessing the latter.