2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

[herman]

I mean Cowan should only stay up if he's earned it

Normally, yeah. This situation though, with the CHL-NHL agreement, Cowan is inaccessible to the Leafs once he gets loaned to juniors. I think he and the team are better served this season keeping him on the roster, even if it is 11 min nights in the early goings, so I'd say the threshold for 'making the team' is going to be artificially a touch lower than usual. Even 3 months of skill dev and strength-training and strategy meetings and on-ice practices with the Leafs are more valuable to his playing growth than skating laps around the OHL opposition.

Basically, I want him to get turnstiled or just casually bodied off the puck a little bit so he knows what it takes to progress. Then if he truly isn't ready to fly, he can take those lessons down to the WJC and the stretch drive for the OHL and test his discipline in playing NHL hockey instead of oonga-boonga-ing into 70 pts in 24 games. On the off chance he takes off, then we've got middle-6 depth we don't have to blow picks on at the deadline.

Next year though, we can see if he earns it for realsies.

 

[bustaheims]

I mean Cowan should only stay up if he's earned it

Normally, yeah. This situation though, with the CHL-NHL agreement, Cowan is inaccessible to the Leafs once he gets loaned to juniors. I think he and the team are better served this season keeping him on the roster, even if it is 11 min nights in the early goings, so I'd say the threshold for 'making the team' is going to be artificially a touch lower than usual. Even 3 months of skill dev and strength-training and strategy meetings and on-ice practices with the Leafs are more valuable to his playing growth than skating laps around the OHL opposition.

Basically, I want him to get turnstiled or just casually bodied off the puck a little bit so he knows what it takes to progress. Then if he truly isn't ready to fly, he can take those lessons down to the WJC and the stretch drive for the OHL and test his discipline in playing NHL hockey instead of oonga-boonga-ing into 70 pts in 24 games. On the off chance he takes off, then we've got middle-6 depth we don't have to blow picks on at the deadline.

Next year though, we can see if he earns it for realsies.

Disagree. Give him the tryout, but, if he doesn't show he can hang, at least he gets an understanding of what he needs to work on. The lessons you suggest he learns will be learned in short order - a few games, not a few months. The dev team can still give him things to work on and check in with him while he's in junior. Better to have him playing games than sitting in the pressbox for large stretches. That doesn't help anyone. Have him work on the areas he needs improvement on in game situations. Have him absolutely dominate junior, show last year wasn't a fluke, and make it impossible to not have him on the roster next season.

 

[Bender]

I mean Cowan should only stay up if he's earned it

Normally, yeah. This situation though, with the CHL-NHL agreement, Cowan is inaccessible to the Leafs once he gets loaned to juniors. I think he and the team are better served this season keeping him on the roster, even if it is 11 min nights in the early goings, so I'd say the threshold for 'making the team' is going to be artificially a touch lower than usual. Even 3 months of skill dev and strength-training and strategy meetings and on-ice practices with the Leafs are more valuable to his playing growth than skating laps around the OHL opposition.

Basically, I want him to get turnstiled or just casually bodied off the puck a little bit so he knows what it takes to progress. Then if he truly isn't ready to fly, he can take those lessons down to the WJC and the stretch drive for the OHL and test his discipline in playing NHL hockey instead of oonga-boonga-ing into 70 pts in 24 games. On the off chance he takes off, then we've got middle-6 depth we don't have to blow picks on at the deadline.

Next year though, we can see if he earns it for realsies.

Disagree. Give him the tryout, but, if he doesn't show he can hang, at least he gets an understanding of what he needs to work on. The lessons you suggest he learns will be learned in short order - a few games, not a few months. The dev team can still give him things to work on and check in with him while he's in junior. Better to have him playing games than sitting in the pressbox for large stretches. That doesn't help anyone. Have him work on the areas he needs improvement on in game situations. Have him absolutely dominate junior, show last year wasn't a fluke, and make it impossible to not have him on the roster next season.

Yeah get him as many reps as possible imo, and doesn't it burn a year off his ELC? Is that something we really want to do?

 

[cw]

I would prefer to keep Cowan up instead of signing Pacioretty, and then sending Cowan down when the World Juniors comes around if he is struggling with the game speed. He can finish the season with another likely Mem Cup run while Alex Nylander gets a late SPC.

The goal is Cowan's development: gotta see the game speed to feel how much further you have to push and push again.

The benefit is Cowan will have a year on his first contract where the numbers are meh and we can extend him on his second deal to something that is not crazy, like 6x6 if he consistently hits 40+ pts in his final two ELC seasons.

I mean Cowan should only stay up if he's earned it, which is why the PTO for Max makes a lot of sense.

I'm largely with you on this.
If he's close and they think they can bring him along during the season, then maybe try what herman's suggesting.

 

[bustaheims]

I mean Cowan should only stay up if he's earned it

Normally, yeah. This situation though, with the CHL-NHL agreement, Cowan is inaccessible to the Leafs once he gets loaned to juniors. I think he and the team are better served this season keeping him on the roster, even if it is 11 min nights in the early goings, so I'd say the threshold for 'making the team' is going to be artificially a touch lower than usual. Even 3 months of skill dev and strength-training and strategy meetings and on-ice practices with the Leafs are more valuable to his playing growth than skating laps around the OHL opposition.

Basically, I want him to get turnstiled or just casually bodied off the puck a little bit so he knows what it takes to progress. Then if he truly isn't ready to fly, he can take those lessons down to the WJC and the stretch drive for the OHL and test his discipline in playing NHL hockey instead of oonga-boonga-ing into 70 pts in 24 games. On the off chance he takes off, then we've got middle-6 depth we don't have to blow picks on at the deadline.

Next year though, we can see if he earns it for realsies.

Disagree. Give him the tryout, but, if he doesn't show he can hang, at least he gets an understanding of what he needs to work on. The lessons you suggest he learns will be learned in short order - a few games, not a few months. The dev team can still give him things to work on and check in with him while he's in junior. Better to have him playing games than sitting in the pressbox for large stretches. That doesn't help anyone. Have him work on the areas he needs improvement on in game situations. Have him absolutely dominate junior, show last year wasn't a fluke, and make it impossible to not have him on the roster next season.

Yeah get him as many reps as possible imo, and doesn't it burn a year off his ELC? Is that something we really want to do?

If he gets into 10 games, yeah, there goes year 1 of his ELC

 

[herman]

Teams care more about the first 40 GP (year towards UFA) than the first year of ELC, which has cap hit advantages on their second contract due to the reduced track record.

 

[bustaheims]

Teams care more about the first 40 GP (year towards UFA) than the first year of ELC, which has cap hit advantages on their second contract due to the reduced track record.

Depends on the team and the situation. A lot of teams very much do care about the first year of the ELC, which is why you don?t often see players burn that year then get sent back to junior. It happens occasionally, but if teams really didn?t care, it would be much more commonplace with junior eligible players. You really only see if with NCAA guys, and that?s usually because it gives teams an edge in signing them.

 

[Highlander]

If he doesn?t make the team then why can?t he go to play in Switzerland like Matthews

 

[bustaheims]

If he doesn?t make the team then why can?t he go to play in Switzerland like Matthews

Because he wants to play in the NHL and he?s not an undrafted prospect that?s too good for the junior leagues?

 

[herman]

https://x.com/FirstUp1050/status/1834227375107695003

 

[CarltonTheBear]

This is Treliving's "we can and we will" statement.

 

[cabber24]

https://twitter.com/FirstUp1050/status/1834227375107695003

Yes please, 3 good lines, not two and the rest. If they can continue to load two lines this team will continue to accomplish nothing.

 

[herman]

Hear me out:

Knies-Matthews-Domi
McMann-Nylander-Marner
Cowan-Tavares-Jarnkrok

The middle 6 are all interchangeable

 

[dappleganger]

Hear me out:

Knies-Matthews-Domi
McMann-Nylander-Marner
Cowan-Tavares-Jarnkrok

The middle 6 are all interchangeable

Definitely have Marner with Nylander if they want Nylander at C. Seems like a no-brainer to me. Also, you have so much firepower with a Nylander-Marner pairing, it doesn't really matter who you put on their wing.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Hear me out:

Knies-Matthews-Domi
McMann-Nylander-Marner
Cowan-Tavares-Jarnkrok

The middle 6 are all interchangeable

I suspect that barring an injury or something Pacioretty will almost definitely be getting signed.

 

[herman]

Definitely have Marner with Nylander if they want Nylander at C. Seems like a no-brainer to me. Also, you have so much firepower with a Nylander-Marner pairing, it doesn't really matter who you out on their wing.

I just wanted a heavier body for the forecheck. McMann is our best defensive winger.

I suspect that barring an injury or something Pacioretty will almost definitely be getting signed.

Alan Walsh confirmed as much. He probably slots in with Tavares when chasing a goal, otherwise in a very funny Pacioretty-Dewar-Reaves 4th line of Reaves' teammates from former teams.

 

[cw]

Hear me out:

Knies-Matthews-Domi
McMann-Nylander-Marner
Cowan-Tavares-Jarnkrok

The middle 6 are all interchangeable

I suspect that barring an injury or something Pacioretty will almost definitely be getting signed.

Certainly feels that way.
It won't be for a 4th line role either.

I also don't know how they can keep Cowan for 9 games.
Someone will lose a spot. They don't have waivers exempt forwards they can stash with the Marlies for 9 games.
Either they keep Cowan or send him down.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I also don't know how they can keep Cowan for 9 games.
Someone will lose a spot. They don't have waivers exempt forwards they can stash with the Marlies for 9 games.
Either they keep Cowan or send him down.

As Siegel also mentioned in his radio hit posted today, things always tend to come up during camp that work things like this out. So I don't know if I would really think too hard about how everything will fit until we're actually in October.

 

[cabber24]

I was excited about the prospect of Nylander playing C last year! Please give it an extended look. 3 C's that talented would be amazing. It's about time we have some dialogue about spreading the core 4 over 3 lines.

We seem to have a lot of great winger options and hopefully, we can afford under the cap to have some interchangeable parts as well. If you don't want to be a 4th line winger or scratched you'll have to earn it! We can always go with the hot hand and demote those who are not contributing. Injuries will happen as well.

The blue line looks tough too, do I dare to be optimistic?

 

[Highlander]

Nylander should be a center, we need a new Swede superstar center.  I still miss Matts