Post-Game Talk: Another well deserved loss

RoadWarrior

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Mar 4, 2002
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Back to back games against a 7-1 team, but regardless. A 2-1 loss in OT isn't the end of the world.

Leafs management/ownership missed their opportunity to trade, at a minimum Marner before his NMC kicked in. Maybe they wanted to appease Matthews so they could get him re-signed so they kept his winger friend, I don't know. The Clubhouse was kept intact.

Domi played great with Matthews last year so Matthews may find that he will do better with a different winger at a lower price but the lineup will be stronger up and down which would benefit him in matchups. Any good passer in the league will do, you don't need an $11M man for that.

The signing of Reilly made no sense when for a mill or two more they could have had Petrioangelo without losing any assets. You do get UFA opportunities like that very often. Not that Reilly has been the problem this year, I'm just speaking of Cap management to build a Cup winner.

There is some irony in this in that if Berube might have them playing playoff hockey all season round which can't hurt when the big games arrive (if they do). The problem is this core of Leafs is not very good at playoff hockey. Maybe this will change...

As I've said for many years, this is a management/ownership issue. It won't be cleared up until at least this offseason, but we all know they will offer Marner a contract. When they do, the Cup drought will continue for how ever many years. The longest Finals drought in major sports history, let alone a championship.
If things don’t change there is no playoffs this year.
 

Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
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Our D and goaltending are pretty darn good, it’s just too much of a Leafs classic that this is when the wheels fall of our big guns core. They’re playing like they see the writing on the wall: the experiment is over and they’re just waiting for the hammer to fall. Matthews’ tenure as captain thus far is the wet fart that the rest of this core’s moments of possible glory have led to. What a dud, I hope he watches the Miracle movie 20 times and gives his balls a tug.

The Matthews captaincy is a disaster from all angles. His game has fallen off physically and he's a black hole of emotional leadership. It's like he grew old before he even managed to grow up.
 

TheBeastCoast

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Mar 23, 2011
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We got a point on a back to back, against a rested team that had won 6 of 7 heading into tonights game.

Stolarz again with a very strong performance.

We now have a four game homestand against three teams in DET, MON, OTT that most likely wont make the playoffs, so we need to win these games.
We will beat Detroit and then lose to Montreal and Ottawa. This team is predictable.
 

Jimmy Firecracker

They Fired Sheldon!
Mar 30, 2010
37,366
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We just aren't very good. Is what it is. We pretty obviously missed our contention window at this point.

This team should’ve been contending and going deep in the playoffs between 2019-2023, but they flopped hard with bad trades, free agent signings, and the core just constantly coming up un-clutch. Tying the fate of this core to a rookie GM and then rookie coach was a really big mistake.
 

darrylsittler27

Registered User
Oct 21, 2002
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Leaf fans told management to blow it up. Leaf management said run it back. These guys would miss the playoffs without Stolarz. They will now lose untold millions. This isn't a good team is post prime and in decline. They looked better under Babcock.
 

Stephen

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Feb 28, 2002
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Definitely a slower start for Matthews this season.

After 13 games last season he had 13 goals an 19 points.

Entering tonight, Matthews is 78th in league scoring and trails luminaries like Logan Stankoven, Nino Niederreiter and Nick Schmaltz. It's not a slow start, it's a meltdown. Highest paid player in the game, tell me you're not going to live up to expectations.
 

JL17

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Mar 12, 2009
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London
Imagine if Stolarz is just good not great over his starts this season this team would be battling the Habs for the basement in the Atlantic.
 
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TheBeastCoast

Registered User
Mar 23, 2011
32,376
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This team should’ve been contending and going deep in the playoffs between 2019-2023, but they flopped hard with bad trades, free agent signings, and the core just constantly coming up un-clutch. Tying the fate of this core to a rookie GM and then rookie coach was a really big mistake.
and deciding to bring in the last generations biggest losers in Marleau and Jumbo to mentor our core. They have picked up right where they left off. Money over cups.
 

GoonieFace

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Jun 24, 2013
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Entering tonight, Matthews is 78th in league scoring and trails luminaries like Logan Stankoven, Nino Niederreiter and Nick Schmaltz. It's not a slow start, it's a meltdown. Highest paid player in the game, tell me you're not going to live up to expectations.
Yeah but just wait till they play Anaheim and San Jose, he will rack up some points
 
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Al14

Registered User
Jul 13, 2007
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Very stupid line change by OEL in OT. Just abandon your goalie and leave the ice.

Domi could have took a little off his tap up the ice too.

This Leafs team may end up being only a .500 team if this keeps up.

The playoffs might be just a pipe dream real soon.

They are in for some tough games this coming week.
 

likecheese

Registered User
Oct 21, 2019
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This core has gone stale and I believe that even they know it. Rielly, Tavares will pick it up for a few games and then come crashing back. Marner looked disinterested last season, Matthews looks disinterested this season. Even they believe it's gone past the expiry date.
 
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DitchMarner

TheGlitchintheSwitch
Jul 21, 2017
11,096
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Brampton, ON
I figured this would be a loss. Second game of a back-to-back against a good team.

Just beat BOS on Tuesday. Seriously... do not lose that game. I am f***ing sick of losses to the Bruins.
 

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