Sportsnet: Luke Fox on the Jeff Marek Show on the Toronto Maple Leafs needing to win at least one round, maybe two, or else some changes may have to happen.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Marek: “When you look at the Toronto Maple Leafs for the longest time, it was always first-round success, first-round success, first-round success. Have to get out of the first round. Last year they did. They knocked off the Tampa Bay Lightning and then bowed out against the eventual Stanley Cup Finalists Florida Panthers.
What do you consider to be success this year for the Toronto Maple Leafs? Like what has to happen in Brad Treliving’s first year as the manager of this team?”
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Fox: “I think you gotta win two rounds. Or, or if you go out in the second round, there’s no excuse going out in first round. Which is maybe too high of a bar because they’re going to be underdogs in that first round, but what they achieved last season I think they absolutely have to win a round and if you’re going to lose in the second round, you got to push it to seven, you got to go down fighting. You got to leave the fan base saying, ‘Ah they should have won that or they could have won that.’ You can’t go out the way you went out against Florida last year.
And you know, maybe that’s unfair, because they’re the third seed. They’re going to be underdogs whether they get Boston or Florida, but I just think with the fact that you have all your, your top guys that you’re paying gobs of money to, they’re all having good years. (Mitch) Marner is a little banged up right now, but they’re all having strong years. They’re all in their prime. They’ve had many, many a playoff disappointments. It’s time to see some actual results and no more moral victories. They got to win a couple rounds.”
Marek: “I don’t disagree, but I always come back to, what’s the next step of that sentence, and that is ‘or else blank.'”
Fox: “I think Sheldon’s gone.”
Marek: “I understand. Like you think, you think it’s a coaching decision?”
Fox: “I think it’s a coaching decision?”
Marek: “This is two rounds or it’s a coaching decision?”
Fox: “Well, they’ve already, they’ve already given (Auston) Matthews and (William) Nylander they’re their monster raises. Marner has full no move. I, I don’t you know, that’s a very complicated trade to make. What else are you gonna do?
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I think you know, I think Brad Treliving saved this bullet for a reason. And I think if they don’t perform strongly in the playoffs, and I’m not, who knows how it goes down, it might not be Keefe’s fault. I just feel like something has to change and that’s the easiest change to make.”
