Pre-Game Talk: Flyers @ Leafs - must watch TV

[Nineteen67]

Agreed completely. Success is not winning a round this year, success is showing we can compete for a cup which means making the final 4 at minimum.

And it does concern me how they are playing. It is also concerning Keefe. But here is the difference is I know the difference between a BAD team and a team who is playing poorly. We have a .500 record while being a bottom 5 offensive team (we were top 5 last year) and a shit PP (we were #1 last year) along with shit defensive structure and terrible effort. Fixing even 1 of these things is going to win us games. We will fix most of them.

This is easily a playoff team. We have 70+ games to find our legs and structure and address weakspots. I also think a big part of it is our stars simply don't give a shit about the regular season anymore, nevermind in october. As the year goes on they will get better and better.

We are winning some rounds this year!!



They aren't? Then why the freakout on our board?

Are people freaking out? Sounds like discussion, to me.

Winning a round would be a successful year, semi-finals would be a Cinderella story.

 

[Burnie97]

Ughhh ... k then

 

[notDatsyuk]

Robertson MIGHT be the better player but today he is not. Did you ignore my previous criticsm? He can't get the puck for his linemates and he needs them to make space for him and get him the puck. That is simply not going to cut it when we already have Tavares who can score 40 goals and Matthews scoring 60 on the top lines. We would simply rather these players are being made space and given time to shoot.

He lacks the dynamic ability in his game at this point in time. I said in pre-season when I was very harsh on him, I don't see an NHL star here. I see someone who is going to make their career as a PP specialist, likely scoring 30 goals a year and being sheltered 5v5 and going from team to team not really being a factor 5v5 much but helping them score when on the PP. Someone like Palmieri.

Right now he is simply not ready because we do not need PP help, he won't get minutes to make impact on the 2nd unit. And he isn't able to help in other areas of the game. He needs another year. That said, I think him being up with the team so far is a big part of his development as well. He needs the experience to fail and get better. Liljegren had a similar run, as did Sandin. Then they went back and dominated and earned roster spots the following season.

Maybe he is an option later in the season as well. But people are acting as if we are sitting a 40 goal scorer here when he is invisible and ineffective so far.

Tavares scored 40 goals once in his entire career. His average is 30, and he hasn't even hit that number the last three years.

Some people, apparently including management, don't seem to want to admit it, but he's looking more and more like a 3C and PP specialist.

I think Willy is more likely to get 40 this year, especially if they move him to centre and away from JT.

 

[Burnie97]

 

[ToneDog]

I hope the Flyers team that lost 1-0 in OT to a very good Rangers team last night shows up pissed and hungry and finishes every check tonight. How the Leafs react would tell me what this team is made of.

 

[leafsfan5]

Robertson f***ing sucks man that's why he isn't playing. He had like 3 good games in a row including the regular season game he had 2 goals. Since he has been too slow to get to pucks and can't find any open ice at all. He isn't helping his linemates in the slightest, they need to get the puck and set him up for him to be impactful.

We aren't getting our 11M players to be setup men for Robertson. So he got put down the lineup to see if he can spark something there and was even worse. He will be back on the Marlies soon.

What do you think their jobs are? One of the primary things they need to do is setup their teammates and make them better. Mitch is literally paid to do that

The entire team has been awful these last couple games, why is Robertson the one on the hook for it? He's 1 of like 4 players who can shoot the puck on this team and has a good motor on top of it. Keep him playing, he's certainly a better option than NAK or ZAR

 

[francis246]

I hope the Flyers team that lost 1-0 in OT to a very good Rangers team last night shows up pissed and hungry and finishes every check tonight. How the Leafs react would tell me what this team is made of.

This line of thinking / posting always rattles me. No matter how pissed off I am at the Leafs I would never wish them to lose or get dominated. How is that a sign of fandom?

 

[ToneDog]

This line of thinking / posting always rattles me. No matter how pissed off I am at the Leafs I would never wish them to lose or get dominated. How is that a sign of fandom?

Did I say I want them to lose? I want them to win but I don't want Philly to simply rollover. I want to see the Leafs compete, and pushback. What good is a win over a team that rolls over and hands you two points when you have Boston, Carolina and Vegas up next ? Earn and work 60 minutes for a heart fought win?

 

[Gary Nylund]

This line of thinking / posting always rattles me. No matter how pissed off I am at the Leafs I would never wish them to lose or get dominated. How is that a sign of fandom?

He didn't say he wants either of those things. He wants to see PHI provide a tough challenge tonight and I'm pretty sure he wants the Leafs to play their best game of the year and win. I do too.

 

[Nineteen67]

I hope the Flyers team that lost 1-0 in OT to a very good Rangers team last night shows up pissed and hungry and finishes every check tonight. How the Leafs react would tell me what this team is made of.

They were terrible again last night. Hart, like he’s done a lot his season, got them a point

 

[Fogelhund]

Last year the Leaf were #2nd overall in Goals for with a rate of 3.8 GF/g and this year they sit #27th overall with a 2.7 GF/g.

This years teams scores at -1 goals for per game on average.

With each passing year the depth gets weaker and weaker.

Amazing analytical skills there Mess. Do you just go with a narrative, and then throw some numbers out, pretending it means something?

For the purpose of discussion... top six of AM, MM, WN, JT Bunts and Kerf as core... Every other forward counted as "depth"

Last year, Depth scored 85 goals. This year, 10 so far... so pacing on 82 goals.

Core

Matthews Last year 60 pacing for 24.6
Marner Last year 35 pacing for 16.4
Nylander Last year 34 pacing for 32.8
JT Last year 27 pacing for 32.8
Bunting Last year 23 pacing for 16.4
Keft Last year 13, pacing for 8.2

Core, last year 192, pacing for 131.2

Core down a project 61 goals from last year, while the Depth is down a project 3!!! goals...

Really, the main problem can almost completely be attributed to Matthews, Marner and Bunting.

But ya, the depth is the problem here... LOL

 

[ToneDog]

They were terrible again last night. Hart, like he’s done a lot his season, got them a point

Hart was fantastic and the Rangers hit 4 goal posts but I believe the Flyers were missing a couple of players. Rangers are clearly the better team but with any luck, the Flyers could have won it. Shesterkin robbed Hayes at least twice or the Flyers may have stolen 2 points.

 

[ToneDog]

Amazing analytical skills there Mess. Do you just go with a narrative, and then throw some numbers out, pretending it means something?

For the purpose of discussion... top six of AM, MM, WN, JT Bunts and Kerf as core... Every other forward counted as "depth"

Last year, Depth scored 85 goals. This year, 10 so far... so pacing on 82 goals.

Core

Matthews Last year 60 pacing for 24.6
Marner Last year 35 pacing for 16.4
Nylander Last year 34 pacing for 32.8
JT Last year 27 pacing for 32.8
Bunting Last year 23 pacing for 16.4
Keft Last year 13, pacing for 8.2

Core, last year 192, pacing for 131.2

Core down a project 61 goals from last year, while the Depth is down a project 3!!! goals...

Really, the main problem can almost completely be attributed to Matthews, Marner and Bunting.

But ya, the depth is the problem here... LOL

Kampf has 3 goals in 10 games. Can't see him doing that for 82 games and putting up 25 goals. He'll be asking for $3m is he does.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Get a win.

Pick up the pieces.

 

[Fogelhund]

Kampf has 3 goals in 10 games. Can't see him doing that for 82 games and putting up 25 goals. He'll be asking for $3m is he does.

Irrelevant to the point though right? Some will score more than they are pacing for, some will score less.... so far, the depth goals are pacing about the same as last year.

 

[AvroArrow]

Just a win isn't enough, I want to see maximum effort and dominance. This is a bad team on the 2nd of a back to back, absolutely no excuses for not competing. 2+ goals win with maximum effort, anything less isn't acceptable.

 

[Burnie97]

Could you let most of the other guys on the team know about this...

 

[fahad203]

I hope the Flyers team that lost 1-0 in OT to a very good Rangers team last night shows up pissed and hungry and finishes every check tonight. How the Leafs react would tell me what this team is made of.

You act like you don't know.

 

[PeE eL DuBoiS]

I expect the crowd will try to keep the Leafs accountable, which I am grateful for in this instance. We know coaching and management sure aren't.

Boo the hell out of them unless they come out flying like the start of Game 1 vs Tampa. Even then, at least some boo-urns are still appropriate.

 

[SprDaVE]

Amazing analytical skills there Mess. Do you just go with a narrative, and then throw some numbers out, pretending it means something?

For the purpose of discussion... top six of AM, MM, WN, JT Bunts and Kerf as core... Every other forward counted as "depth"

Last year, Depth scored 85 goals. This year, 10 so far... so pacing on 82 goals.

Core

Matthews Last year 60 pacing for 24.6
Marner Last year 35 pacing for 16.4
Nylander Last year 34 pacing for 32.8
JT Last year 27 pacing for 32.8
Bunting Last year 23 pacing for 16.4
Keft Last year 13, pacing for 8.2

Core, last year 192, pacing for 131.2

Core down a project 61 goals from last year, while the Depth is down a project 3!!! goals...

Really, the main problem can almost completely be attributed to Matthews, Marner and Bunting.

But ya, the depth is the problem here... LOL

It's pretty crazy some are really expecting Matthews to be a 25 goal scorer. If he ends up at that at the end of the year, the Leafs are the unluckiest team in the existence of the NHL. That's like McDavid going from a 120 point producer to a 60 point one.

 

[ULF_55]

It's pretty crazy some are really expecting Matthews to be a 25 goal scorer. If he ends up at that at the end of the year, the Leafs are the unluckiest team in the existence of the NHL. That's like McDavid going from a 120 point producer to a 60 point one.

Catch 22

How could he expect Max dollars with that.
He might run away because of that.

 

[Fogelhund]

It's pretty crazy some are really expecting Matthews to be a 25 goal scorer. If he ends up at that at the end of the year, the Leafs are the unluckiest team in the existence of the NHL. That's like McDavid going from a 120 point producer to a 60 point one.

Marner needs to start shooting more, Matthews needs to find his accuracy.

Quit giving away the puck too easily, and JT and Nylander need to tighten up defensively, while getting it going 5v5.

The core four are easily the biggest issue right now.

 

[rocketman588]

We're going to have about 55 mins of possession time today.

Let's see if we've worked out how to use it. The flyers are going to let us pass it outside the perimeter all day long

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Expecting a dominating win tonight and for the Leaf GDT to be completely dead. At least outside of directly after they get scored on.

This site feels like I am on the main boards

Robertson f***ing sucks man that's why he isn't playing. He had like 3 good games in a row including the regular season game he had 2 goals. Since he has been too slow to get to pucks and can't find any open ice at all. He isn't helping his linemates in the slightest, they need to get the puck and set him up for him to be impactful.

We aren't getting our 11M players to be setup men for Robertson. So he got put down the lineup to see if he can spark something there and was even worse. He will be back on the Marlies soon.

Funny to read these back to back. Why do you think you're the only person on this supposedly negative community who has such a weird f***ing problem with Robertson? His two assists have come from winning puck battles in the neutral zone to keep the play alive, so it's silly to say he offers nothing outside of goal scoring. I would have thought you'd tone down your crusade a bit after declaring him a bust from the prospect tournament games but I guess not

 

[Niagara Bill]

That's good to hear! He's usually our fourth best, so we're almost there.

But he is our 2nd best. Better than MM, AM, BUT NOT WN.