Post-Game Talk: At least we got a point

[SeaOfBlue]

Yeah I think Tavares is an O’Reilly level center. More hype and pedigree than ROR but ROR has the Conn Smythe run. The problem there is we pay him the salary to bring that Matthews level superstar sizzle and clearly he doesn’t have that gear. He can still get white hot and score a whole bunch of goals like down the stretch so you know he’s not on permanent decline, but it’s more like in the category of garbage goals in tight or those ridiculous wristers he rips top corner like it’s ball hockey.

Tavares is a fair bit better offensively, but O'Reilly is a Selke-level center.

The thing to note is that if O'Reilly was a UFA right now, he'd be getting significantly more than 7.5 mill. If a team really wanted him, he probably makes more than Tavares... Although he is in his early 30's so I can't imagine a ton of teams giving him that.

 

[djdev]

Would suck if Ritchie is made the scapegoat. Marner and Tavares brought nothing to the first 3 games and this was Matthews first game back after surgery. I'm not sure what they want Ritchie to do.

Make some plays, get the puck on net, produce rebounds, just play good hockey....and Ritchie will have a chance to clean up.

We know Ritchie's skillset. He has specific jobs on that line. He can't complete his job unless the actual line drivers are doing something.

Put him with Nylander and you'll see. Nylander always has the puck buzzing down low Ritchie would have banged one home by now.

i just dont think hes 1st line material personally. 3rd line and pp net front player is how the bruins utilized him last year. i think thats about what level of player he is. and probably settles into that same role for us when all is said and done.

kerfoot back to the second line and bunting(the most hyman like player we have now) up to the 1st line is what i would try.

 

[Gabriel426]

Would suck if Ritchie is made the scapegoat. Marner and Tavares brought nothing to the first 3 games and this was Matthews first game back after surgery. I'm not sure what they want Ritchie to do.

Make some plays, get the puck on net, produce rebounds, just play good hockey....and Ritchie will have a chance to clean up.

We know Ritchie's skillset. He has specific jobs on that line. He can't complete his job unless the actual line drivers are doing something.

Put him with Nylander and you'll see. Nylander always has the puck buzzing down low Ritchie would have banged one home by now.

Most likely Keefe will put Bunting on the first line by Sat, then Ritchie will start playing well with Willie and JT. After another week, people here will be saying Ritchie should be with AM and MM.
I think Keefe needs to find the right fit for his lines. Personally, I would put Spezza with AM and Marner as it provides another shooter option for Marner to pass to.
Have Ritchie-JT-Kase as a line and let them cycle.
Put Bunting-AF-Willie and let Willie drive that line.
Then you have Kampf centring the shutdown line with Engvall/Soup/Simmonds.

 

[Jojalu]

You know what guys I AM HAPPY

Matthews always scores in the 1st game and then lays an egg in the playoffs.

This year he didn't. That means he is gonna be super saiyan in the playoffs

I like the cut of your jib

 

[Leafs1991]

We’ve had awful teams this decade, and they still won games. It’s weird how people seem to forget that.

Awful teams that would get dominated but squeak out wins...people here literally think teams should be playing perfect hockey every night and go 82-0...

 

[Sniper99]

Can't you literally go into their thread and ask the same thing?

Look where i live, I hear enough Oilers shit from radio friends and family. Its meaningless to me to go in their boards

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Would suck if Ritchie is made the scapegoat. Marner and Tavares brought nothing to the first 3 games and this was Matthews first game back after surgery. I'm not sure what they want Ritchie to do.

Make some plays, get the puck on net, produce rebounds, just play good hockey....and Ritchie will have a chance to clean up.

We know Ritchie's skillset. He has specific jobs on that line. He can't complete his job unless the actual line drivers are doing something.

Put him with Nylander and you'll see. Nylander always has the puck buzzing down low Ritchie would have banged one home by now.

Marner looks like he did in the playoffs, with fewer crippling mental errors. Generating a ton of chances but just not sharp.

Generally, it would be fine. The problem is that Marner is a guy who has the puck on his stick so often, and it is already difficult enough when he doesn't have a shot. At least Nylander has his shot to fall back on if he is not playmaking.

 

[Cleetus]

You know what guys I AM HAPPY

Matthews always scores in the 1st game and then lays an egg in the playoffs.

This year he didn't. That means he is gonna be super saiyan in the playoffs

This poster gets it!

 

[BrannigansLaw]

I haven't been a big Tavares fan for a while now. I mean, the guy makes 11 million, and what he brings to the ice, I think he's 5 million overpaid.

Is he a solid player? Absolutely. Love that he's winning draws and playing well defensively, but I need way more from a guy who makes 11 million.

He’s pretty much a third liner the way he’s played. Completely invisible so far. Spezza has made better plays than he has this year. Just absolutely brutal.

I’d love to dump that contract but no one would be stupid enough to take him.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Fox is the arguably the second best defenseman in the league with only McAvoy, Hamilton, and Hedman really in the same conversation (and Hedman had a horrible year last year). Makar is pretty clearly #1 (and probably would have won the Norris if healthy), but his teammates are also so (so) much better.

He didn't have a great game, but he is straight up dominant most nights with a bad partner and a bunch of guys that can score, but can't drive play (besides Panarin). He basically runs the offense and defense by himself when he's on the ice.

How do you put Hamilton in the same tier as Hedman?

 

[hockeynorth]

Just throwing this out there, is it maybe time to shift JT to the wing? We always knew he’d need to be eventually anyways.

 

[MattySnipes]

Just finished watching. Boy the Leafs really played a really good game. Matthews was just, wow. Once his timing is back watch out.

I liked the way the team looked in it's proper lines. I would've kept Liljegren in tonight but hey whatever.

Shesterkin was somethin else. He reminds me of Campbell a bit (positioning and battle). Great goalie battle. Definitely will take the 1 point, considering Leafs should've won this game 6-1.

A fun, fast game. If this was the 4th game with full roster I'd be upset, but it was the 1st.

Hopefully by Friday the goaaaals come in bunches.

I watched Rangers broadcast. All game they were talking about Leafs talent and skill. It was a great experience because Sportsnet is so shit.

 

[Jojalu]

Good players get the job done and overrated players make excuses

Hmmm..

I can't remember any player ever winning every single game. Or scoring every game. Or winning the Cup every year.

What I do see across every sport, every year is that you will lose games you deserve to win, win somevyou deserve to lose, go through periods where nothing goes in, and times where everything does.

I thought all that mattered was the playoffs anyways?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Campbell was great but you could argue he should have had both goals especially the 1st goal, because the 1st goal doesn't happen if he doesn't touch the puck, stay in the net and that doesn't happen.

The 2nd goal is dissapointing given the save he made immediately prior to the 2nd goal.

That being while you could argue he should have had both the, PP and offense in general needs to get it shit together, this team should legitimately be 4-o as they have given up 6 goals but they have only scored 8

 

[Apex Predator]

Just throwing this out there, is it maybe time to shift JT to the wing? We always knew he’d need to be eventually anyways.

I think he would be better at the wing but the problem is the leafs have no center depth to do that.

 

[killer1980]

It's a team sport and the only line that played like a team was the 4th one. A bunch of overpaid pretty boys all thinking they are the greatest thing on ice since Sonja Henie. They have no plays and just fire the puck with little chance of scoring. Their powerplay is atrocious they pass the puck like I pass gas. It makes a lot of noise but basically stinks. Don't know who their PP coach is but they have no one in front of the net blocking the goalie and clearly miss a triigerman like JVR. If they don't get their act together, frustration will set in and then come the infighting. We need a coach who can handle these overpaid kids and get them to understand what it means to play on a team.

 

[Morgs]

How do you put Hamilton in the same tier as Hedman?

Because

a) Dougie is probably the most underrated player in the entire league. I'm not sure I've ever seen a player as good as he is that so many doubt. He's a top-5 defenseman in the league and by default he's in the same tier as most of the other guys around him.
b) He's been better than Hedman for at least the last year. Hedman was injured last year and played with Rutta (who dragged him down), but he's also going to be 31 in December. I fully expect him to go back to where he was, but he's not getting any younger.
c) Dougie is really, really good, and has proven that with every single one of his partners being significantly better when he plays beside them compared to with anyone else, where as Dougie's numbers pretty much stay identical (and are elite elite) regardless of who he plays with.

 

[stuart5035]

We sure do make the other team’s goalie look good….

it’s like a broken record for the past few years-opponent goalie has game of a lifetime only against us!

Or do we lack finish possibly somehow? Is it something to do with the system we play? Or is it because opponents fear our offence and just collapse into a protective bubble around their net; we dominate but don’t get much for results?

so frustrating

 

[Bomber0104]

Was at the game tonight...

Leafs lead possession and chances to a degree but also made the most severe blunders defensively, Campbell made the best saves of the night, Shesterkin didn't do much of anything....

Could have gone either way but the Leafs need to start capitalizing on their chances...

Or start crashing the net more like Bunting does and make your own luck instead of literally trying to skate the puck into the net.

The Leafs are all-in on the style-points / flashy goals where the meat and potatoes type offence would all of a sudden turn those "expected" goals into real-life goals, and wins.

 

[hockeynorth]

I think he would be better at the wing but the problem is the leafs have no center depth to do that.

Kerfoot/Nylander should both be taking reps at C IMO

 

[thinkblue]

I think he would be better at the wing but the problem is the leafs have no center depth to do that.

I would almost try Nylander at C. Guy can drive his own line.

 

[killer1980]

post game
keefe: "marner and matthews were great"
reporter: "what about ritchie?"
keefe: "i will have to look at the tape"

effectively.

That's the problem with our coach. He thinks he knows how his idols did but not the rest of the team. I'm in the school of liking guys that actually score and win the game, not those who go 0fer. I think he needs some chapstick.He's kissing too many of his players butts not being their coach. Remember, this is the same guy that thought they played great in last year's playoff. Pathetic!

 

[Apex Predator]

Kerfoot/Nylander should both be taking reps at C IMO

I would almost try Nylander at C. Guy can drive his own line.

Just for fun what would the lines be if they were fully healthy with Tavares on wing?

Bunting Matthews Marner
Tavares Nylander Kase
Ritchie Nylander Speeza
Mikehyev Kampf engvall/Simmonds

 

[djdev]

That's the problem with our coach. He thinks he knows how his idols did but not the rest of the team. I'm in the school of liking guys that actually score and win the game, not those who go 0fer. I think he needs some chapstick.He's kissing too many of his players butts not being their coach. Remember, this is the same guy that thought they played great in last year's playoff. Pathetic!

or, the more sane answer of he didnt wanna call out a player in the media before speaking with him personally, either/or lol

no need to respond, im fairly certain neither of us are going to enjoy this interaction.

 

[killer1980]

My main point was him thinking that Matthews and Marner played great. Trying and playing great are two different things. Marner has not played great all year and Matthews was trying to win the game all by himself and we all saw how well that worked. By praising them, it does a disservice to them, their linemates and the fans.. No need to respond.