Weekly Takes - Monday, February 12 Edition

Weekly Takes - Monday, February 12 Edition

1. My three stars from the Maple Leafs loss to the Islanders on Monday…

1. John Tavares

2. Simon Benoit

3. William Nylander

The Leafs were the better team in the game, but Sheldon Keefe put it perfectly afterwards. The Leafs did enough to win the game, but also did enough to lose. 

A player scoring out of the penalty box is an embarrassing look. Inexcusable. Cannot happen in the NHL.

I also cannot wrap my head around Bo Horvat being given an unsportsmanlike penalty rather than an instigator penalty. He instigated a fight after a clean hit. What am I missing?

2. My three stars from the Leafs win over the Stars on Wednesday…

1. Nylander

2. Auston Matthews

3. Benoit 

Benoit continues to be the best story the Leafs have had on defence in years. A rather uninspiring win though.

3. My three stars from the Leafs dramatic loss to the Senators on Saturday..

1. Matthews

2. Max Domi

3. Matthew Knies

A rare game where the three goal scorers happened to be the three stars, but… that was not the story of the game.

What Morgan Rielly did was a classic case of “win the war, not the battle.” He will rightfully be suspended for what he did (though for too long, given the “Leaf Tax” that has become obvious under George Parros) but it is worth it. He sent a message that has been missing from this entire era of Maple Leafs hockey. If you play stupid games, you’ll win stupid prizes. What Rielly did was unhinged and that is a good thing.

As for the game itself, Keefe is grinding right now. He has no answers. The end feels near, 

4. My thoughts on the Raptors Trade Deadline moves…

• I like the Raptors decision to keep Gary Trent Jr., as long as he is re-signed. He is an above-average three-point shooter who can play above-average on-ball defence. An important bench piece moving forward, who fits the age of the core.

• I like the decision to move off of Dennis Schroder, who was under contract beyond this season. Cap space is a commodity for a rebuilding team.

• Moving off Chris Boucher and Bruce Brown would have been ideal in a perfect world, but both can easily be moved at the draft or at the trade deadline a year from now. It is not a bad thing to have some veterans around during a rebuild.

• I like the decision to trade for Kelly Olynyk. A Canadian who can provide veteran experience and spacing off the bench, as long as he is re-signed, which I expect he will be. 

So, overall, a successful trade deadline for the Raptors, who will have a busy offseason ahead of them as they continue to tear things down. 

5. Patrick Mahomes cemented himself as the second-best quarterback in NFL history on Sunday, and as the greatest team sport athlete of this generation.

Game on the line, twice, and he did the near-impossible both times.

6. It is not just Mahomes that should be celebrated as an all-time great, either.

Andy Reid cemented himself as a top-five coach of all time and Steve Spagnuolo cemented himself as the greatest defensive coordinator of all time.

Greatness all around. We may as well enjoy it.

7. As for the 49ers, they will enter the 2024 season as favourites to come out of the NFC, but the window is getting shorter and shorter for Kyle Shanahan and ‘co as he and they search for the elusive last win of the season.

Just a brutal loss for an incredible team.

8. Brock Purdy, hopefully, answered all of the critics with his performance on the biggest stage.

He went toe-to-toe with the best football player on the planet.

He has answered every question about him.

9. TJ Watt is the best defensive player in the NFL, had the best season of any defender in 2023, and did not win Defensive Player of the Year because a group of writers determined a couple of weeks into the season that a fresh face in Myles Garrett should win it instead.

An embarrassing look for every voter who did not vote for Watt. Voting lists should be public. 

10. The Argos lost a ton in free agency, but still boast the best player in the CFL in Chad Kelly, the best offensive line in the league, a ton of weapons at wide receiver, and a great secondary. 

The front seven needs work and a starting running back is a must, but the Argos are still the team to beat in the East Division in 2024, even if they do not run away with the division this time around.