Um, when we look at up front, obviously the, the only change is the loss of, uh, Tyler Bertuzzi, the extension.

To Max Dillon, Noah Gregor.

Oh, and Noah Gregor, they didn't tender Noah Gregor. Qo, um, after playing him on the first line several games last year, he signed Winnipeg. I think so.

Gregor.

Yeah, good for him.

Good for him.

Max Domi's extension, it seemed like there, there hasn't seemed like a leaf who was more meant to be a leaf than Max Domi in a long, long time, just because he seems to embrace the moment, uh, whether or not, you know, sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. What do you think of that extension? How much work was that to come together? Like, do you, do you have any insights on that one?

I think it was a slightly tenuous negotiation because of the reasons you're outlying. Both sides knew that they needed to be together.

Yes.

So they kind of both knew they were like, they were never really gonna break up, probably, but like, it made it. But they. Neither was getting exactly what it wanted.

As it went along, which is a good compromise.

Right. And so I'm not saying it was like particularly hostile, but it definitely wasn't smooth and it stretched over a long period of time. It was only after the draft that he signed on the 30 June. So I mean, they went very late. They went right down to kind of the wire where he could dip his toe into the open market, and they got the deal done. I think it's a sensible deal. Probably for that reason. Neither side truly got what it wanted. They didn't keep them in the low threes. He didn't get, you know, five times five or whatever. The first number that was floated out there was, you know, and the truth be told, he got what, a little bit more than Michael Bunting got last year in free agency from Carolina, which feels about right. I mean, Max Domi, he does a lot for the Leafs, right? I think he's a good sort of, call it dressing room fit, culture piece, what have you. He's very popular among his teammates, which counts for something.

It's huge.

Of course, you know, he's liked at.

Work, his personality higher.

I think he's got a, I mean, he's got the ties to his dad. Like, he pretty clearly by that, once he got comfortable, like, he felt like.

He looked great with Matthew.

He felt like a leaf.

He looked great with Matthew.

And he can play with Matthews, but he can also be your third line center in a pinch. Like, I think he gives some flexibility and he's not making. He's not making a silly amount of money in praise.

Lynching was 4.5 by three years and Domi is 3.75 by four.

So is that it's close to the same money. Right. But over one more year.

Over one more year.

Yeah, I know that they were always kind of a comparable.

Yeah.

Like they were one of that. They were one.

I just like that. Domi play center.

Yes.

You can do that.

And so it's like one of these ones. I don't know how anyone could be that upset about it.

I don't think anybody is like, you know, what do you think of how.

He announced the contract?

I loved it. The, the. What is it? The wolf of Wall street thing. I'm gonna leave it. I love that.

I love that. It was his face too.

Yeah, yeah. No, I think what. I loved his playoff montage before game one, too. Like about what? Because he seems to understand in a very public way what this means.

Do you know what's funny? And I don't say this as a criticism, but it's just an observation. He's a little bit reticent to discuss it with reporters.

Weird.

Like he doesn't like going into like, it's not that he won't take a question about his dad, but he doesn't wax poetic about it. Right. Like he doesn't play along with that. But then he drops these videos.

So you know how he really feels.

Right. But like for whatever reason he, like. And that's totally fine. Like, again, it's not a criticism, it's just funny. Like, he doesn't. Because I think especially last summary signs here. He actually was the least do a golf tournament before training camp opens. Like where they. It's a sponsor event and all that, fans. But we get to speak, the media get to speak to a couple of players that they, they hand pick and he was one of the ones that day. And I remember everyone was kind of going there looking for him to be like I always was only ever going to be leaf. And he actually said, I wish I never left the Habs. I loved Montreal and like, like. Which was totally fine, but like, he doesn't always give you what you think that way. But then he shows you what he's thinking.

The real. Yeah.

Social media wise.

So. So the guy that he played with and that looked so good on the first line with him was Tyler Bertuzzi. And obviously the Leafs ran out of money here.

Yeah.

And we're to see why.

We know why I didn't say anything.

We know why?

I did not say.

What did the feeling think?

The feeling thought he felt. Damn, that's crazy. Yeah, damn, that's crazy. How did they run out of money?

Bertuzzi signs for the same amount of money that he was playing for last year in Toronto. What was the most surprising part about Bertuzzi is he was a July 2 signing. He probably had. He had his way going into that, was never going to sign in Toronto. And then plays here and wants to stay.

He wanted to stay. He makes the same amount of money.

Stop.

The cap went up, though.

I know, I know.

Why isn't he still here? The cap went up.

I know, I know.

That's weird.

Thoughts.

Would you be thoughts from thought.

That's right.

Would you be okay with a four year deal if he had signed that in Toronto? Like, same deal?

Yeah, I think so.

Okay.

What, like five and a half gonna do? Like, really if we're talking about Oel.

Five and a half between friends.

Well, especially in $100 million cap, which is what we're headed towards in the next three, four years. Right.

Well, and now I'm looking at the team like K. So, like, who plays left wing? There's nice. That's good. There's a good answer.

Nick Robertson. Who doesn't want to.

We got nyes McMahon.

Good.

Good start. Right? And then, like, Holmberg, is he a former Dewar doer? If he were going to arbitration, do.

Or do not, there is no try.

That's right.

Right.

Well, and I do want to talk about that, but I want to get to Robertson. But I want to talk about Bertuzzi quickly. First, he did like his time here. He did want to stay 100%. Just couldn't make the money work.

Couldn't make the money like, he couldn't. This is where it gets awkward as a player. Yeah, you want to stay, but if they're not offering you that, like, can you really leave money on the table?

No, you can't.

And I think that's just where it got to. Like, there was no, again, there was no bad feelings. There's no, like, you're crazy for asking for that. They just didn't feel like they could give them that.

Well, he left money on the table last year, too.

Well, he might overplayed his hand last year.

Well, exactly.

Well, I think he was looking for a longer term deal on July 1 that didn't materialize. Other teams pivoted in other directions. And then July 2, it's like, okay, what's available? What's the best next decision? I can make.

And we saw this year, if you don't sign by July 1, you're kind of screwed.

Oh, man.

This year was nuts.

Yeah, this year has been crazy.

It's like dog ate your homework time. If you missed that day, like, what do you, like, say, what's up?

There'll be a lot of surprise ptos, right? Like, I guess.

But, like, what's the best player left now?

Daniel Sprung.

Yeah. Ryan Souter, James Van Reamsdike, Tyson, Barry, Tyler Johnson. Like, but it's a lot of guys, and I say this because some of those guys have been really good players in HL, but they're. They're at the wrong end of their careers. We don't know what's left. They're PTO slash 1,000,001 one year deal kind of guys. So. So, yeah, all the money got spent in one day.

The other big headline, I think, Boxing Day blowout. Nick Robertson is not gonna, according to his agent, not gonna sign a deal and has no interest in signing a deal.

It's not his agent. I was the one who reported this.

Oh, you reported. Oh, it wasn't his agent. Okay.

All right.

So he has no interest.

I have a theory there.

Don't go around trying to outsource it.

Sorry. I'm sorry. Oh, no. I don't know if his age. I assumed it was. I actually don't know that.

No, I have a theory.

What?

Nick Robertson has made it known he would not like to resign in Toronto.

Why?

Nick Robertson has made it known that even though I think. I think that there's a feeling the Leafs have not given him the opportunity he deserves, or he thinks he deserves, and that he wants to go somewhere and be a regular NHL player.

And what do the leaf in the real NHL.

In the real NHL chief in the.

Real NHL, New Jersey, be a fit.

But yeah, I don't think it's. Sorry. I don't think it's about like, he hates the city or something like that. I think it's entirely around his career opportunities. The way things have gone the last few years and a fresh start might be preferred.

Do you think that's likely or. Cause to me, he seems like exactly the kind of guy they need. They need 1520 goals lower in the lineup.

I. I don't think they're going to. They certainly aren't going to trade him. To trade him. Like, he's got no rights. His only right is not to come to camp, not to sign his deal.

And you know what? I'm a. I'm a big Nick Robertson booster, but there's a couple of big holes in his game. He's not fast enough, and he makes some boneheaded decisions in his defensive zone. He dekes when he should just chip, and it's little things like that that are going to drive a guy like.

Brubake nuts, and he gets killed twice a game.

And it felt like, okay, Nick Robertson wanted, wants out to go play in a regular role, but, like, you could have earned that regular role here because of how the lack of forward depth on the lead.

Yes, but I think he would argue and I. Dangerous speaking for him, but my understanding is he might argue that he felt he earned more of an opportunity than he got. He scored 13. Five on five goals last year.

No, he was again, really?

And it gets to the playoff games, he's playing eight minutes a night.

Yeah.

And. And with Matthews and Nylander out. But there's a new head coach.

He reminds me of a guy, like, I don't know if you watch it much, but, like, that Victor Olufsen in Buffalo. Like, he's got a cannon of a shot. Like, he can score and he can definitely be a weapon in certain ways, but he's like, you don't trust him in every area of the game. And so you. You almost need to. It's like Tyson Barry, actually, and some, like, obviously Tyson's a defenseman, but you almost like you needed to define a very specific role for him and let him thrive in ithemenous. But you can't just roll him out there on a top line or something. Not. Not at this point, anyway.

Olufsen had that one season where his shot was like a touch of death, and then, I don't know. Just hasn't done a whole.

But he could still even. What do you have? Last year? Like, I know he. Not a lot, but he still scored like 20 goals or close.

Oh, did he?

What's the likely outcome here? Cause the Leafs need 20 goals deep in the lineup. This guy had 15 last year, and, as you said, 13. Five on five. That's huge.

I. I think he's likely back.

Yeah. They can mend that, right?

Yeah. I mean, I would assume if it really is just about opportunity, give them the opportunity. Well, and the opportunity also seems to be there.

Yeah.

For the reasons you're talking about.

Seems like.

I don't think it's outrageous to be like one of Nyes or Robertson. You know, they split each of the top two lines. McMahon can play third because he's better suited for that role than Robertson. So. Is nice.

No, it's not. Like it makes sense.

Yeah. Like, what's. I just feel like if he might.

Not be a brube. A player, though, too.

That's possible. That's true.

I just look at, you know, if we're looking around the league for candidates, like, all right, Nick, you want a job? All right, let's look around the league. The Leafs would probably be a top ten candidate.

Yeah. That's why it feels a little premature at 22 to be demanding. You want a spot when you can look from the outside and say, hey, there's a spot here, and you can just go and earn it in your next. Next season. You're 23.

Yeah.

So, CJ, what's. What's breaking?

It's a breaking news.

What's happening?

Uh oh.

What's happening?

It's all good.

Okay, good. So.

So, like, there's a lot of crap on my phone. What happened? Oh, man.

Me too, actually.

Is there.

Do we miss anything?

It doesn't look like it, no.

Okay.

Not. Not news wise.

I'm glad you're checking. I. I am.

I got twitter open just in case, but. So. So I guess. I guess that kind of brings us to this. What is going to be a success for this team? What do we. How do we. Because, you know, we're going to be watching for 82 games, and then. And then we'll get to the playoffs. We can't do what we did a couple of years ago, which is. None of this matters until the playoffs. There has to be some stakes this year. What do the Leafs, under brube, need to show in the first safe two months before we get to American Thanksgiving with that, you know, that noted playoff cutoff that people always talk about, you know, what is the first two months of this team look like? Where we go? Okay. There's some change in the air here.

Well, old us thanksgiving is now, like, January 10, so the way the schedule has been moved.

Yeah, yeah.

So true.

So true.

So you gotta wait till winter solstice. No. I don't know what they can show us in a regular season. They've been a really good team in the regular season.

They've been one of the most successful regular season teams in the last five years.

I think if you look at it, they're, like, fifth most in wins and points combined over those. Like, they've. They've. They've been an objectively elite team in.

The regular season and never won a division.

Canadian?

Canadian.

They did win one.

They did win one.

Okay. Okay. Fair.

Then what happened?

Exactly. Exactly.

Whoa. Freaky Friday over here.

The feeling in the thought they have.

Aligned for a second time.

Lightning just struck the studio.

This is incredible. This is incredible. I can't believe I'm here.

Yeah. They haven't won a division. They haven't won a presence trophy. But, like, does any of that. I'm not saying it doesn't matter. Like, it would be nice, but do you think anyone in New York who's, like, hitting the table for a trooper trade right now cares that they won the present?

It'd be nice to have guaranteed home ice advantage. I think we're mostly going guaranteed.

Do you know the record? When they've been playing on home ice the least?

It's actually really, really, really shit.

I don't know it off.

I heart I don't either, but I know they won one out of five home games, I think, or one out of six the previous year.

Oh, my God.

Keef had, like, he. It's wild how many losses he had because most coaches get fired before they reach that amount of losses. Like on home ice. I mean, not saying that to diss the guy. It's just the truth.

Well, and you're expecting and home ice that the coach is tilting was making decisions and taking advantage of last change and all that to try to not have that happen.

His record was like. It was like eight and 16 or something.

Right. But then he could probably be like, yeah, but look at our road record.

Oh, yeah.

Also, mid Stevie keep losing in the friggin I did. Only from 2018 onwards. So since the 2019 playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs at home are seven and 16.

Oh, my God.

So that's one year of Babcock. And. Cause Babcock was there 29.

Well, this isn't just the coach. No, it's also the players.

What else might it be? Oh, like. Well, okay, let's think about who's been there the whole time. What? It can't be many guys because that's a long period of time. Right? So I bet it sucks.

So since 2020, if you want to move a year, they're six and 14.

Oh, that's even worse.

Still pretty bad. Yeah.

So. Yeah, it's even worse.

So, yeah, I'm just saying, having home ice advantage through the playoffs might not be what you think it is. Although Florida just won the Stanley cup in game seven on home ice after nearly 40 that series away.

Yeah. Yeah.

So you brought up Craig Brubie and, you know, Robertson might not be a Barubi guy or whatever. I'm thinking back, and you're such a good historian when it comes to this stuff. You.

Not real history, just to whatever asterisk you're going to say.

No, no. Like, you remember playoff runs, especially of the champions. Like you.

You do. Yeah. Cause I usually covered them and so, like, it's more seared in your memory. Yeah.

You do an incredible job of being like, here's the beginning, middle and end.

Like the 72 bruins. I can't remember what happened on their playoff run.

That was a bit, a little while ago, but like, who were, who were the horses that Berube depended on in 2019?

O'Reilly was the big one.

Ryan O'Reilly. Okay.

Petrangelo.

You'd think Braden Shen. Yeah.

So like, this is trying to figure.

Out, like they had, like, Jay Bo, me, sir is playing a big role on that team. Joel Edmondson was the less compromised version of what he is today. But like, he had like Alex Steen at that time as a fourth liner. Like, he was not a horse. But I'm trying to, like, what are you trying to pull out of me here?

Well, like, what I'm trying to figure out 27 as well.

Oh, that's pretty good. What I'm trying to figure out is who on the leafs can, can replicate those roles about somewhat. You know what I mean? Well, who's Tarasenko, for example, and who's like, o'Reilly, I suppose you make Matthews, they're different players.

Yes. I mean, he never had. The thing is that blues team won a cup without anything close to a Matthews, right? Like they, they had very, very good players, but they didn't have like a singular star. Well, I look at someone like Bobby McMahon, I'm like, I could see having pretty big guy, you know, we'll see how he comes back from his injury. But, like, I think he could. He's like, if I was predicting like someone who could outperform what people are expecting, I think he could be one. Okay, I know that's gonna be tough. Last year he had a bunch of goals. Remember one of them came in a hat trick game. He scored in an empty net.

Yeah.

Like, like, I'm not just saying goals. Like, I could just see him playing a more important, like he started last year not really factoring into the team.

He didn't factor into their defensive structure at all. And then he became like a guy.

Right. But I think this year he could be like a legit, like this guy's on the team, he's an important player where if he got injured next year, you'd be like, uh oh. Whereas, like, you know, this year, I didn't hear too many people saying that. I mean, it was like, too bad that he got injured.

I was thinking it were you. I was.

Well.

Cause them.

Once again, the feeling is ahead of the curve.

The leafs with him in the lineup, like, he really tied the room together.

Yeah.

And when they lost him, it felt like they. It felt like the best they could do is be the best regular season version of themselves in the playoffs, where.

They need to score some big goals. Right?

Yes. And no one. Well, nice.

Nice. Scored a big goal. Like, they need a bit of that. Like, it can't all be on, like, the main offensive player shoulders. Like, I'm just saying you have to win the odd game. You know? Like in the. In the final, Sam Reinhardt scored the game winning goal. But wasn't that his first goal of the final?

Good question.

I believe that was his first goal of the final. In game seven, he was a 57 goal regular season player, but. And who had success early in the playoffs. But, like, they. Florida got to the point where they could win. Cause other players had scored, like, remember Evan Rodriguez had three or four goals in the final. Like, it can't all just be the top players all the time.

Reinhardt did not have a mind blowing.

That's not to excuse the top. I'm not saying that, but, like, it's just the fact if you look at it, even Connor McDavid, everyone was losing their minds. He didn't have a point in the last two games. But, like, no. No star player has a point in every game in the playoffs. And no team wins just on the back of goals from Matthew. Like the equivalent of Matthews on their team. Like, you do need someone to chip in. And that's what I thought Bobby McMahon could be for the Leafs. And I think he is again. That's why when you're looking at the lineup now, you're like, who else could be those players?

Well, I think Cali yarn Croke healthy can be. I like him. He scores 20.

Everyone's down on him all of a sudden.

I don't know.

I think it's because he's a player that makes over $2 million. That's the only reason.

2 million is like, nothing. It's just because of though they don't need world.

It's a lot like his. They don't need to get rid of his contract. I was.

He's got a big shot, though. Like, for a surprisingly lethal shot.

I just. I feel like I like that line so much down the stretch. And then the playoffs came and I was like, oh, they just didn't do a hell of a lot.

Yeah, I just. So I look at this and I think you're right, Chris. Which brings us to David golf, David Kampf, two and a half million or 2.4 million. And, you know, is a centerman and was Bradshaw Living's, I think, first contract extension with the lease.

Yeah, just before the draft in Nashville.

So, like, you know, seems like he probably needs to slot into the fourth center. They tried him at three c. It didn't work. Great. Is that a guy that's still here in September, October, probably.

But, like, certainly they would move him. I just think for the reasons you're highlighting, it might be tough right now. And he took a step back last season. I actually think he was pretty strong by the end, but certainly early in the year, he gets scratched for a game. Broke up his own personal iron man streak at three or 400 games. His wife instagrammed about it, saw that none of us realized he had the iron man streak until his wife instagrammed about it. I mean, not. But, you know, wasn't top of mind. I mean, he's a really useful player. The question is, are they devoting too many resources to him on a team that doesn't have a lot of resources? That, to me, is like the beginning and end of the discussion.

Right?

Like, he is without question, a useful defensive center, but some useful defensive centers get paid 1.2 million, not 2.4. And you might say, well, what's the difference in this case? Well, the difference is Leafs are down one $1.2 million player with him there. And so I think that they could move him, but I don't know how many trades we're going to see. Yeah.

What are you going to get?

Well, and it didn't happen, like, if we were doing this in January 25 or June 25. Oh, man, where am I?

You're almost done.

July 8.

No, but if we were doing this before the draft and everything, I might have said, hey, like, that's among the players. Lilligran's among the players. They would move, I think yarn croak. They would have looked at, too. But now it's just, I mean, if. Let's say they trade them for nothing, just for. Just for sure. Who are they signing for? The.

They got to fill that hole, right?

This is the point is like, now. Now you've missed the window to really sign players. So unless you're trading him in a. I mean, that'd be a weird trade. Fourth line center for fourth line center. Maybe. Probably not. I think he's here.

Um. Okay, so. So let me ask you just won.

A gold medal for Czechia world hockey championship.

What's the best deal the Leafs were not able to pull off?

Marner for dangle?

Yeah. Like, is it Matt Roy? Is it. Is it, you know, like, what. What was the. What was the thing that we're like, oh, we think we got this. And then it didn't happen more than.

$10 million if they pulled that trade off.

I think. I think Matt Roy was the. Was a little bit of the one that got away. Like, they were interested in Brady Shay, but I think it was pretty clear early on that that wasn't going to be it. I don't. Like they called on Pesci, but I didn't get the sense that was ever. But I feel like Roy was. Was a big target. And if you look at what he does, like, if you had a bad tan of enroy, like, that's significant for your top four. Like, that's literally two guys that play the right side that really can eat minutes. And not a lot happens defensively when they're on the ice and we're talking about a different blue line. Like the Leafs. Defensively, we haven't really hit on this, but, like, they. It's been a problem.

Yeah. Lack of resources and so, weirdly.

Cause didn't you like how they played. I will say this. Didn't you like how they played games five, six and seven? I'm sure you didn't like the outcome of games seven.

Fabulous little run there.

Very much. Very much like that.

Finally played like a team that could, like, lock out a big game.

Yeah, they played playoff style games.

We based the whole future of the team on those three games. Like we did in 2019 with Babcock.