Post-Game Talk: Another week, another embarrassing loss

[CDN24]

Serious question what more do you want Dubas to do that would be considered 'enough'? Even if he somehow got Chychrun, Meier and Kane on the team at the deadline and we were still playing the same way as we are now, you'd STILL probably say he 'didn't do enough'. On the otherhand if post deadline the Leafs were dominating and winning every game, most people would probably be saying Dubas was a genius with all his moves.

I think Dubas has done a pretty good job of trying to address all the real or perceived weaknesses of the team and now its up to the players to perform and the coach to get the best out of them every game.

He may have done too much, added changed too many bodies that upset the team dynamic. Maybe should have kept it at ROR and Mccabe. That is a lot of players in and out iT will take time to find that new dynamic- they may run out of time

 

[ACC1224]

As always it’s not the fact that they lost, all teams lose at times. It’s how they lost that people don’t like.

 

[Canadian Finn]

I think the team got better on paper, but the product they're putting out there on the ice got worse.

when you plant ice you are going to harvest wind.

 

[Ciao]

Meh, I still think this team makes some noise in the playoffs, and I’m a pessimist

I'm the opposite. I dont think the Leafs will do much of anything in the playoffs this year, and I'm an optimist.

I do like Dubas and the long-term trajectory of the Leafs. I just think there's been too much turnover all at once without enough positive gain in talent.

I'm a believer in team-building, and I don't think a newly assembled collection of guys that is only slightly more or less better than the team they had before the TDL will cut it.

I think they over-steered the car this time.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

That Jeannot trade suddenly doesn't look so bad.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I do like Dubas and the long-term trajectory of the Leafs

I don't get this. If they don't go anywhere in the playoffs again, that's what 5 straight years? And you like that trajectory?

 

[shaner8989]

Side question though

Does Bunting still get that 5 ×7 year deal as some of you were proposing?

No chance. He’s done nothing for about a month

He’s only good when he’s with Matthews and Marner and that’s where he should be really

 

[Carltons Cup]

Here's how I felt after watching the 2nd and 3rd periods

 

[Suntouchable13]

Serious question what more do you want Dubas to do that would be considered 'enough'? Even if he somehow got Chychrun, Meier and Kane on the team at the deadline and we were still playing the same way as we are now, you'd STILL probably say he 'didn't do enough'. On the otherhand if post deadline the Leafs were dominating and winning every game, most people would probably be saying Dubas was a genius with all his moves.

I think Dubas has done a pretty good job of trying to address all the real or perceived weaknesses of the team and now its up to the players to perform and the coach to get the best out of them every game.

And if they don’t perform? Will he still stay married to his core 4? The core 4 is the problem, and has been all along. Let’s see if they can break through for him next month.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Here's how I felt after watching the 2nd and 3rd periods

Funny how?

 

[TML Dynasty]

Liljegren mistake was really costly and cost 3 goal vs none for holl, thats the difference. He was responsible of first 2 goal and the 5th one...


1st goal: you can blame mccabe at 1st look but when you watch the replay carefully... you seing liljegren covering parise, mccabe saw it and try to move on the other side to pressure mayfield...at this moment liljegren left his covering and pressure mayfield... Mccabe saw it and tried to comeback to cover parise but was already too late...

2nd goal just a awful play

5th : cant clear the net and lost his 1v1 battle

I dont know whats happened with lilly, but since mccabe trade... his game is not there and personally the way lilly playing, i keep both of holl and gus over liljegren..

He need to came back at his first half level and if not, hes too risky to keep him in the regular line up

Nice analysis. Thanks man.

I saw Holl constantly give the puck away all game…thankfully those didn’t end in the back of the net.
I agree Lilys game had changed. I just hope some consistency and playing time snaps him back asap. If not I really don’t know who is the better play. I’d have a hard time believing Gus Timmins or Benn. I’d stick with Lily for now and really try to boost his confidence.

 

[Nineteen67]

Meh, I still think this team makes some noise in the playoffs, and I’m a pessimist

I've been in and out the past few weeks and haven’t been able to watch every minute of every game, but from what I’ve seen, I’m not as convinced as I was before the TDL.

 

[TML Dynasty]

I'm the opposite. I dont think the Leafs will do much of anything in the playoffs this year, and I'm an optimist.

I do like Dubas and the long-term trajectory of the Leafs. I just think there's been too much turnover all at once without enough positive gain in talent.

I'm a believer in team-building, and I don't think a newly assembled collection of guys that is only slightly more or less better than the team they had before the TDL will cut it.

I think they over-steered the car this time.

Possibly. Team building definitely needs to be the focus now. Commit to lines and pairings.

Bottom 6 wasn’t our strength. So Im more ok with that turnover. Reilly being hurt is devastating but we should have 6 games with him before game 1.
Reilly Liljegrin and Matthews need to find their games.

 

[shaner8989]

Our best game lately has been the one when Holl was a healthy scratch.

Guys a joke. Don’t care if he’s big and can PK. He can’t skate, can’t pass, handles puck like a grenade and he’s a pylon.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

Not having ROR to mesh with a potential playoff line...stinks

I said after the deadline.... don't care about wins or losses, it's getting the team ready for gm1. I like the pieces on this team, but I'm having a hard time being happy with the whole lot...we haven't found a full-time gel.

If we stumble into the playoffs with questions about who plays where, who's starting, who's sitting...because of uncertainties, we're screwed.

Injuries happen and so does line jumbling. My only hope is Keefe finds what works ..and sticks with it.

 

[shaner8989]

I haven’t been impressed with Lilegren lately either. He was garbage tonight.

 

[notbias]

That Jeannot trade suddenly doesn't look so bad.

huh? It is terrible and they lost to Montreal last night...

In his last 5 games he is 0-0-0 -2 with 5 SOG

 

[thusk]

Nice analysis. Thanks man.

I saw Holl constantly give the puck away all game…thankfully those didn’t end in the back of the net.
I agree Lilys game had changed. I just hope some consistency and playing time snaps him back asap. If not I really don’t know who is the better play. I’d have a hard time believing Gus Timmins or Benn. I’d stick with Lily for now and really try to boost his confidence.

Yes holl made mistake, and give away a lot of puck but most of the time, he was just keep thing simple and dump away puck out of defensive zone and gave away the puck in neutral zone... so pretty easy to repair

Liljegren didn't give away the puck as much or anything but whrn he made mistake, most of the time its a positionning mistake or a risky play in his own zone who become costly really fast.

I know a lot of leafs fan will dislike but the way liljegren playing right now remembered me Dermott game...

 

[pdson]

That Jeannot trade suddenly doesn't look so bad.

Bwahahaha you're joking right . It is one of the worst trades in the history of hockey.

 

[AvroArrow]

Get the lead, clog the neutral zone and watch the Leafs implode because Keefe's coach doesn't know how to play against clogged neutral zone or dump/chaser/recover the puck and play hockey.

Freakin JOKE

Absolutely ZERO confidence in Keefe in the playoffs. Cooper is gonna eat him up.

Keefe needs to stop f***ing around, he tries to be too smart and changes things that don't need to be changed. It's the same shit he pulled in the CBJ/Tampa series, starting Nylander as the 2nd line C in game 5 costing us the game. Then the Tampa series, scratching Lily, playing Simmonds/Holl.

Don't fix it if it's not broken, the team was playing phenomenal team hockey, there was consistency and guys were comfortable. Just settle it down and go back to the basics and what was working. If this team fails again, it will be because of Keefe overthinking.

That Jeannot trade suddenly doesn't look so bad.

He has 0 goals and 3 assists in 12 games.

 

[dubplatepressure]

Keefe needs to stop f***ing around, he tries to be too smart and changes things that don't need to be changed. It's the same shit he pulled in the CBJ/Tampa series, starting Nylander as the 2nd line C in game 5 costing us the game. Then the Tampa series, scratching Lily, playing Simmonds/Holl.

Don't fix it if it's not broken, the team was playing phenomenal team hockey, there was consistency and guys were comfortable. Just settle it down and go back to the basics and what was working. If this team fails again, it will be because of Keefe overthinking.



He has 0 goals and 3 assists in 12 games.

Even the Horvat trade, 9 pts in 20 games compared to Beavillier who has 16 pts in 21 games... yikes.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Time to wrap-up training camp, and settle on a roster.

Lol.

 

[weems]

To be fair, the Leafs usually bounce back the next game or later in the week, as evidenced by the real lack of extended losing streaks the past couple of years.

But you're right that their in-game fight can be atrocious once things go sideways. They're not really a prideful group like a traditional hockey team. No bruised egos, no fight, no battle. They just pack it up and concede the ground like no big deal...

How the heck does a game like last night happen this close to the playoffs and this far into this core's timeline? The sad part is you can almost predict it if you lay out the parameters of physical/intense/playoff style game that more often than not we will fold when the game gets ramped up.

We will only go as far as our core 5 players take us and far too often they just don't look built for that type of atmosphere we saw last night.

If you were to rate all our top players on hands, speed, skill, creativity, finishing ability etc, They would rank in the upper 1% but if you also rated them in terms of things like heart, sacrifice, physicality, intensity etc they would rank right at the bottom. You can bring in grit/physicality on the fringes of the roster but if the core still doesn't bring much of it, it could be a real issue.

I still like the teams chances in round 1 against Tampa but that was very discouraging seeing us get run over by a hungry playoff style team that's actually had playoff success in the past 2-3 years. Makes me really question this teams ability to win 4 potentially tough playoff series.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Good to see Acciari stand in there with Martin. Poor showing in the fight, but he stepped out of his weight class to go out with some push back.

Lots of bad plays and bounces tonight. The one that stung the most was the Liljegren whiff. After that one went in things kind of got out of hand. Liljegren did good to bump the Islander player off the puck before giving it back to him. A deflating play.

I liked the bump and steal, and then the puck goes off the heel of the stick. Just a bit of bad luck, but it really changed momentum.

 

[Mess]

If the Leafs had Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari there would have been more push back against hard working tighter checking teams, because otherwise its like Kryptonite against skilled Leafs players.

Hopefully there is enough time to re-integrate them and settle on lines and systems and playoff strategy.