Weekly Takes - Monday, October 2nd Edition

Weekly Takes - Monday, October 2nd Edition

1. The likely result is Easton Cowan being sent back to London (due to his age, the Leafs depth at LW, etc, but I have no issue with him starting the season with the Maple Leafs if he continues to show that he deserves to be in the NHL.

This is not a “oh here goes the Toronto hype train” thing, either. It happened in Dallas last season with Wyatt Johnston and it could happen here as well.

If you are good enough to make a contending team, then you should be on the team.

2. It is not just Cowan either.

Between Cowan, Matthew Knies, Nick Roberston, and Fraser Minten, the Leafs have an explosion of youth coming in the next season or two at forward, which they have never had in the Auston Matthews era.

This is going to allow the Leafs to have a cheap, yet quite effective, bottom-six, middle-nine forward group moving forward.

A game-changer for this core, between that and the cap going up.

3. Noah Gregor has shown enough to earn a contract from the Leafs.

He is fast, does a lot defensively that I like, and has shown at times that he can be more than a blackhole offensively.

He could be the perfect 4LW for a team that lacked speed in their bottom-six last season.

4. My MLB Playoff Predictions…

AL…

Wild Card Round…

• Blue Jays beat Twins in 3 Games

• Rays beat Rangers in 2 Games

ALDS…

• Blue Jays beat Astros in 6 Games

• Orioles beat Rays in 7 Games

ALCS…

• Blue Jays beat Orioles in 7 Games

NL…

Wild Card Round…

• Brewers beat Diamondbacks in 2 Games

• Phillies beat Marlins in 2 Games

NLDS…

• Dodgers beat Brewers in 6 Games

• Braves beat Phillies in 7 Games

NLCS…

• Braves beat Dodgers in 6 Games

World Series…

• Braves beat Blue Jays in 7 Games

The Braves might be the best baseball team of the modern era, while I will continue to ride with the Blue Jays pitching.

With that being said, it is amazing how open the American League is this year. Outside of the Rangers, who do not have the pitching, and outside of the Twins, who likely do not have the bats, anyone else could come out of the AL.

5. My 2023 MLB Awards Picks…

MVPs: Shoehi Ohtani (AL) and Ronald Acuna Jr. (NL)

Cy Youngs: Gerritt Cole (AL) and Blake Snell (NL)

ROYs: Gunnar Henderson (AL) and Corbin Carroll (NL)

Relievers of the Year: Felix Bautista (AL) and Tanner Scott (NL)

Managers of the Year: Brandon Hyde (BAL) and Torey Louvullo (NL)

6. Here is the reality of the Damian Lillard trade, from the Bucks, Heat, and Trail Blazers perspective.

The Bucks knew Giannis Antetokounmpo was going to leave at some point – whether it be through free agency or a trade request – if management continued to show that they could not build a true contender around him.

So they went out and traded for the one superstar on the market who could lead them back into title-favourites.

Full marks to the Bucks for that.

As for the Heat, it is an utter failure. They thought they could wait out the Trail Blazers due to Lillard’s “demands,” but that is not how the NBA works. It is the most unpredictable league in the world for a reason. This is a total botch job by the Heat.

And from a Trail Blazers perspective, it is the going-rate for an aging superstar who wants out. They can move on and build around Scoot Henderson.

7. As for the Raptors, they continue to be in the worst possible spot a professional sports team can be in: No man’s land.

They are not competing for a championship and they are not bad enough to win a lottery pick.

A F- offseason from Masai Ujiri and ‘co, who, a year from now, may add Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby to a list of players who have left this team post-championship for nothing.

The true best case remains trading for a superstar to salvage Siakam’s prime, but that seems quite unlikely at this point.

The realistic best case at this point seems to be trading Siakam and Anunoby at the trade deadline for whatever you can get for them, because re-signing them, simply to be average, would be a poor long-term investment.

This was a make-or-break offseason for Ujiri and ‘co and they failed. Critics should no longer be dismissed. Running it back last season was a reasonable thought, even if I disagreed with it. Running it back this season, simply with a new head coach, is unacceptable.

8. It is frustrating if you are a Raptors fan, because they truly are a superstar away from being in title contention again.

That is an easy thing to say, clearly, but it is true. They have a true number two option in Siakam, a budding star in Scottie Barnes, and a great, young supporting cast in Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., Gradey Dick, and Precious Achiuwa, among others.

But they are all playing/going to play one spot too high in the lineup because they lack a number one option.

That is on Ujiri and ‘co.

9. Given the criticism of Ujiri, it would be a reasonable thought to assume that I would want him fired, but that is not the case quite yet.

What I would consider though is firing Bobby Webster to inject a fresh perspective into the management room.

Their loyalty to the players they drafted and developed is crushing them right now. A new general manager may be exactly what is needed here.

If I were another team, I would hire Webster instantly, but it may be time to move on in Toronto.

10. The Celtics needed to make a move to stay with the Bucks in the East and I think adding Jure Holiday, an elite defensive point guard, is not a bad move to make in September.

Full credit for the Trail Blazers too, who have completely restocked their system with young players and picks in the last week.

11. My Week 5 NFL Picks, after going 10-5 in Week 4.

• Commanders (-4)

• Jaguars (+4.5)

• Dolphins (-9.5)

• Saints (+3)

• Ravens (-2)

• Lions (-5.5)

• Texans (+3.5)

• Titans (+1.5)

• Cardinals (+7)

• Rams (+6)

• Kansas City (+4)

• Broncos (-3)

• Cowboys (+3)

• Packers (-1)

On the season, I am now 32-27, with MNF still pending.