Pre-Game Talk: Devils @ Leafs | Thursday @ 7PM

[notDatsyuk]

Willie is as dilutional as Marner if he thinks he is putting in a full game. I can see him saying the same thing in the playoffs. "It’s only been three games. What’s the big deal Bro, really?"

Where did he say he was putting in a full game? He said “I think all good teams need to go through some stretch where everything's not clicking".

 

[notDatsyuk]

Nylander is as big a clown as Marner and Matthews. You are correct about us fans. They seem to forget that fans pay their exorbitant salaries.

He's probably right - whether the fans boo or don't boo likely doesn't affect the outcome of the game. We would like to believe that our booing would inspire the players to be better, but that's probably delusional.

Is he really wrong that teams go through slumps (sometimes longer than three games) and that good teams work their way out of them?

Is he really wrong that the puck isn't going in for him (or the people he sets up) at the moment? If he continues to generate chances for himself and teammates, there's good reason to believe they will return to normal.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Definitely tone deaf of Nylander to pull the "we got this card." It certainly only has been a 3 game losing streak, but also 9 years of boy band hockey.

Wasn't he asked about the current losing streak, and not the 9 years?

If someone asks you if it snowed yesterday, do you assume they're discussing global warming?

 

[notDatsyuk]

I can’t make out the user names in dark mode.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

I usually read the posts before looking at the name, and can often identify the user by style.

 

[ULF_55]

Locked skates. Stretch him out.

Who know, wild guess groin.

Mark Masters: John Tavares limps off the ice after awkward fall at Toronto Maple Leafs practice | TSN

John Tavares got tangled up with Chris Tanev and fell awkwardly late in Wednesday's practice. The 34-year-old centre was slow to his feet and immediately left the ice.

www.tsn.ca

 

[PROUD PAPA]

The Adams Award all but won this year for Keefe, cuz Leafs.. and this game better not help him cement it!!

Sooooo.. big game for that reason, lost 3 in a row - all signs point to a skilled NJ team walking us... guaranteed Leaf win then??

They’ve had their own issues lately and surprisingly putting the puck in the net is the main one. Even their PP has gone cold.
It’s almost guaranteed they’ll go off soon, I just hope it isn’t tomorrow.

 

[Evilhomer]

Side note: @Evilhomer I warned you about the hockey gods lol.. Keefe is cruising those Adams conversations. Team that missed the playoffs to wandering around top 5 in league? Ohh it's a'gettin' votes. The Devils bump is really all goaltending, with a small side of coaching, but he's gonna get sniffs. Hockey Gods salivating.

As it stands right now, Carbery has to be the leader for the Jack Adams award. I completely agree with you that Keefe will get some votes, but I don't think he has much chance to win.

 

[Racer88]

He's probably right - whether the fans boo or don't boo likely doesn't affect the outcome of the game. We would like to believe that our booing would inspire the players to be better, but that's probably delusional.

Is he really wrong that teams go through slumps (sometimes longer than three games) and that good teams work their way out of them?

Is he really wrong that the puck isn't going in for him (or the people he sets up) at the moment? If he continues to generate chances for himself and teammates, there's good reason to believe they will return to normal.

He is probably right about all the points you brought up but he sure gives up the appearance that he simply doesn’t give a crap.
I would prefer players that give a crap.
Maybe this is one of the reasons they are 1-8 in the playoffs they simply don’t care as it really makes no difference to them if they win in the playoffs……they been paid.

 

[leafs in five]

Nylander is as big a clown as Marner and Matthews. You are correct about us fans. They seem to forget that fans pay their exorbitant salaries.

repeal the Leafs tax already

 

[Racer88]

repeal the Leafs tax already

Agree 100%. It’s about time we stopped subsidizing those crappy American team. MAKE CANADA GREAT AGAIN. lol

 

[francis246]

If nothing else at least they’re honest about their sense of urgency.

I rather their honesty than some bullshit cliche and still putting in a bad effort. Said it in the Marner thread, there is clearly an organizational focus on looking ahead and scrapping bad games from their memory. But now they need to go out there and play well. Prove it doesn’t matter and bust the slump.

 

[francis246]

He is probably right about all the points you brought up but he sure gives up the appearance that he simply doesn’t give a crap.
I would prefer players that give a crap.
Maybe this is one of the reasons they are 1-8 in the playoffs they simply don’t care as it really makes no difference to them if they win in the playoffs……they been paid.

Noo you rather players say cliches to make YOU (The Fan) feel like they give a crap* that’s literally it.

Them saying what you want to hear doesn’t mean they care more. The only thing that will demonstrate that is play on the ice and hopefully a deep cup run.

 

[Niagara Bill]

I have watched them play. It's a long season. There are always going to be stretches of inconsistent play. The hilarious part of this is that people are complaining about a first place team as if they were fighting for a playoff spot. They will win a few games in a row and right the ship. Over the long-haul, the needs remain the same: a third line centre and an offensive defenseman.

The third line centre is easy if you want consistency. Anyone but Domi. Minten would be an improvement.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Noo you rather players say cliches to make YOU (The Fan) feel like they give a crap* that’s literally it.

Them saying what you want to hear doesn’t mean they care more. The only thing that will demonstrate that is play on the ice and hopefully a deep cup run.

Do they hate losing? Doesn't seem like it. This is their standard? This is good enough? They don't strive for excellence. No big deal, 3 game losing streak.

 

[Nineteen67]

Nylander - "Doesn't really matter if they boo" is what gets fan upset. As fans, we are heavily invested into the team and the least they can do is actually "care".

He knows they’re a good team and good teams need adversity. Literally with this core they are the exact opposite of a good team and have shown it for past 8 yrs and the fans are reacting because they’ve seen this movie before.

In a tough media market he would be challenged for that comment.

 

[Evilhomer]

The third line centre is easy if you want consistency. Anyone but Domi. Minten would be an improvement.

There is no chance that Domi is the third line centre when the playoffs start.

 

[Nineteen67]

There is no chance that Domi is the third line centre when the playoffs start.

If they can’t find one, he might be the 2nd line center.

 

[Nineteen67]

Do they hate losing? Doesn't seem like it. This is their standard? This is good enough? They don't strive for excellence. No big deal, 3 game losing streak.

I don’t think they like losing it just who on that roster has the skill set to do anything about it? Domi, Knies, McMann?

 

[ToneDog]

Where did he say he was putting in a full game? He said “I think all good teams need to go through some stretch where everything's not clicking".

Nylander on the recent jeers: "Doesn’t really matter if they boo. We know we’re a good team."Marner: "Just try to ignore it. We’re just trying to do our job out there and go out and put together a full 60."

You are right. Marner said it. Apologies to Willie.

 

[Evilhomer]

If they can’t find one, he might be the 2nd line center.

No chance of that either. They will trade for a third line centre. Probably a 90% chance it ends up being Gourde.

 

[DarkKnight]

Blaming dump and chase is just an excuse for a lack of accountability. I don’t even think they’re dumping and chasing on all possession chances all the time anyway but if they can’t initiate a foot race and can’t go win a puck battle and this is their excuse, I think whole core needs to be nuked. Absolutely nuked.

Go look at our playoffs too, suddenly we played way more dump and chase, pucks to the net, traffic, hockey. Because that’s what happens when you don’t have time and space in the neutral zone anymore, in the playoffs. The theory is it will come natural in the playoffs now, rather than forced.

 

[kevsh]

Said it in the Marner thread, there is clearly an organizational focus on looking ahead and scrapping bad games from their memory.

Positivity is a good thing just so long as they don't forget why they had a bad game and make an effort to not repeat it.

What I've seen over 8+ years here is the "scrap the bad games" mentality seems to also apply to bad playoff games and series. Which is perhaps why we see AM, Mitch & JT never evolve their game to adapt to tighter checking in the playoffs (Willie hasn't either but he gets a bit of a pass for at least showing up in games 6 & 7 last year).

Maybe the whole problem with this group all along is that they just brush the loses - all the loses - aside and take nothing away from them? To me, the circumstantial evidence seems to suggest so.