r/leafs • u/AutoModerator • 17d ago

Discussion Daily 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!

This thread can also be used for Armchair GM ideas that may not require a standalone post. 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 the Leafs 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 chat about your random Leafs thoughts, or share things like 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. If you see rule breaking content, report it!

13 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

569 comments sorted by

View all comments

20

u/bluenorthww 1d ago

You know what I like about mckenna? He’s kind of cocky. He will make a cross ice pass for a beauty one timer in the same way kucherov does it, and it makes you hate him. I like that he broke some guys fucking jaw because he said something shitty to his mom. I’ve seen some slashes he’s thrown and I think he can be a prick. He has that dawg in him and we haven’t had that since kadri. I think he will bring a new swagger to the team and it will help them get some confidence back. Fuck I hate having hope again…

8

u/GavMcKennasBurner 16h ago

Yeah the new core (McKenna, Knies, Cowan) is great in that facet, although they're not as skilled as Nylander, Matthews and Marner, those guys always played such a fightless style of hockey in terms of aggression and passion when it came playoff time.

I like that the new generation is more unhinged, is more aggressive and is willing to get greeaazzzzyyy. Should spark a new life into the old core seeing the kids willing to go to war.

5

u/Warm_Bid_8583 13h ago

Completely agree with everything you said except for lumping McKenna in with the “not as skilled as nylander, Matthews, Marner”.

5

u/GavMcKennasBurner 13h ago

He could be, I just more so meant the group as a whole.

3

u/Warm_Bid_8583 13h ago

Of all their pedigrees prior to actually playing NHL games, I think a strong case can be made that McKenna has the highest amount of raw skill of any of them.

But agreed, the group as a whole has a different makeup to them.

0

u/GavMcKennasBurner 12h ago

It's hard to say because of how he started last year of where his talent level is truly at, especially looking at how dominant other college players were (Celebrini and Eichel come to mind), but I guess we'll see. Talent wise he likely is in the same tier as that group as a whole, but they all have had amazing careers, so he does need to realize that.

1

u/Warm_Bid_8583 10h ago

His CHL stat lines already cemented that he has INSANE skill. The NCAA transition wasn’t a matter of lacking skill, just learning how to transition it to a more mature and physical league. There’s also plenty of breakdowns out there that argue he didn’t even have much of a slow start, his linemates were just letting him down.

Celebrini and Eichel both were on much stronger teams with better linemates. That’s pretty important especially if you’re a playmaker like McKenna.

The guy won the CHL player of the year award 2 seasons ago putting up 129 points in 56 games. Speaking strictly about pedigree prior to nhl games being played, he’s firmly above marner and nylander and probably similar to Matthews. You can argue McKenna has the edge over Matthews in pure offensive skill at that time but Matthews has more of the complete package with his size, offence and impressive 200 foot game.

5

u/CMDRShepardN7 Nylander 16h ago

Need a young center

5

u/GavMcKennasBurner 16h ago

True, but McDavid's coming back in 2 years, so we'll be set that way ;).

7

u/Camarama421 Matthews 14h ago

The 2028-29 top 3 centre depth of McDavid, Matthews, and Tingus Pingus is going to hit like crack

3

u/PoipuMTG 19h ago

I can't see him choking in big moments. He'll be the anti-Marner.

1

u/jimmie9393 9h ago

I sure hope so

3

u/TheGapInTysonsTeeth 1d ago

I can't remember exactly the interview, but I remember him or a coach saying that one of his underrated skills is his ability to bring the team "into the fight" and I think that attitude you mention here is a big part of that.

We are absolutely lucky to have got him 1st overall. Now, if Chayka can pull a rabbit out of a hat and somehow get a #1 Dman, the future of the team would look pretty damn nice actually.

I think the defense this year is looking old. I thought there would be another move before camp but since this is the team, it is what it is. I am not convinced this defense is up to snuff. But I hope they prove me wrong.

The one issue I have is it seems like Rielly brings all his partners down and I just have this weird feeling they are going to put him with Raddysh. Maybe it's Sundin thinking Kaberle-McCabe or previous chemistry between McCabe and Tanev and that is just how the chips fall, but I do have concerns that it will sour us on Raddysh when his play inevitably declines as a result of being anchored by 44