Former Leaf gives his thoughts on how the team is constructed ahead of home opener

"They're coming back with the same coach and all the same top guys. I love that they brought in Bertuzzi and Domi and Reaves. So those are good pickups but the pressure is still going on the same guys it was last year and the same coach and it'll be interesting. I think they'll be a playoff team no matter what but it's the exact same questions and the exact same issues are going to be there. Its on those top guys. It's not like, 'we brought it Max Domi and we're good to go.'"<\q>



Like many, Lupul was expecting a drastic change to the roster over the off-season, which likely would have happened had Kyle Dubas remained GM of the Leafs. Once he was fired, however, and Brad Treliving was brought in, it was apparent that things would essentially remain the same, as Lupul touched on.

Lupul said what everyone else has been thinking, in that while the personnel around the "Core 4" has changed, the pressure and results will still fall solely on their shoulders and those of Sheldon Keefe via the decisions he makes come playoff time. With the Leafs set to open the season tonight against the Habs, it will be another long 82 games that don't matter for the Leafs until we see if the changes Treliving has made pay off.