Post-Game Talk: Full game effort. Good guys win

[stickty111]

Noodles didn't say a single complement to the Leafs in the 1st segment. Was all Devils were bad, Devils were this and that.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

As much as I appreciate MJ and enjoy CJ being on TSN so with generally better broadcasters I really miss Ray’s segments on OD

Everyone should be a fan of MJ after he fired back at Noodles for defending Josh Anderson and that contract

 

[Amadeus]

Everyone should be a fan of MJ after he fired back at Noodles for defending Josh Anderson and that contract

Mike Johnston is the best right now.

 

[Jojalu]

Have to admit I was done after they went up 4-0 and was considering watching something else.
Love the easy, dominating win but it doesn't make for compelling viewing, for me anyways.

I would sure as hell be interested in a Game 7 that went this way

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Everyone should be a fan of MJ after he fired back at Noodles for defending Josh Anderson and that contract

Josh Anderson is pretty good. Just one point back of Engvall

 

[Its not your fault]

In sure some kids wouldn't go the college route if they ended up to old to qualify.

 

[Gallagbi]

Kind of gets swallowed up in the big picture view of the Eastern playoff race.

ie. Last 10 games ..

Florida 7-3-0
Tampa 7-2-1
Toronto 7-2-1
Boston 6-3-1

Carolina 7-2-1
NYR 7-3-0

Leafs 5 game winning streak was almost required because of QofC and the results of the teams around them in the East race, as most of the playoff teams are playing at the same 10 game pace so If the Leafs wouldn't be doing this they would be losing ground.

If everyone is winning 7 of each 10 games then its not seen as some special achievement, and simply the expected norm of teams with Cup aspirations.

They still in danger of missing the playoffs @Mess ?

 

[Once]

I was one of Marner’s biggest detractors from playoffs to the early season. I’ll happily eat crow. But he has looked phenomenal in every aspect of the game. He looks hungry and I bet he’s about to hit another gear soon.

 

[egd27]

Beat them pretty good too.

Beat Florida 7-3
Beat the Canes 7-4
Beat Tampa 5-3

So we should be able to annihilate those teams if we can beat Jersey 7-1.

 

[123offtheglass]

Nice to see Holl finally with his game back even without Muzzin, shows just how important he still is to the team.

 

[AcerComputer]

I didn't say I liked or disliked the rule.

Even some rookies the same age are not 'made equal'.

What would your solution be? Keep in mind that narrowing the criteria can make for a very small field of rookies and yield an inferior selection.

I would lower the age limit to 23.

 

[mcleex]

Do we seriously not play again till Monday?
Why? Why would we have 6 days off? We already have a bunch of less games played than everyone else

 

[ToneDog]

Do we seriously not play again till Monday?
Why? Why would we have 6 days off? We already have a bunch of less games played than everyone else

All star break starts tonight.

 

[Confucius]

I would sure as hell be interested in a Game 7 that went this way

Only because it was game 7.... LOL!

 

[Confucius]

I would lower the age limit to 23.

The under 23 Calder, cool. Do the losers get participation ribbons? There should be awards for guys over 30, it's only fair.

 

[VanW27]

I would lower the age limit to 23.

The under 23 Calder, cool. Do the losers get participation ribbons? There should be awards for guys over 30, it's only fair.

Why care at all? Bunting isn't going to win, he won't even be a finalist.

Seider is the clear front runner as a Dman

Then there are 3 forwards ahead of him
Raymond - Top scoring rookie
Lundell - #2 scorer (tied), while playing centre and being a good two way player on a top team
Zegras - #2 scorer (tied), also a centre, highlight factory

Those 4 are pretty clearly ahead of him at the break.

 

[aingefan]

Over the past two weeks, we’ve seen some chippy pushback from the less likely. hope it continues in moderation, without losing puck movement and possession.
Mitch, Willy, Pierre and Lili all stood up a time or two.

 

[zeke]

Why care at all? Bunting isn't going to win, he won't even be a finalist.

Seider is the clear front runner as a Dman

Then there are 3 forwards ahead of him
Raymond - Top scoring rookie
Lundell - #2 scorer (tied), while playing centre and being a good two way player on a top team
Zegras - #2 scorer (tied), also a centre, highlight factory

Those 4 are pretty clearly ahead of him at the break.

What's interesting though is that the Matthews line has actually been unlucky/undeproductive at even strength this year despite super elite underlying numbers.....so this recent explosion in offense from that line was kind of expected, and has a good chance of continuing.

 

[VanW27]

What's interesting though is that the Matthews line has actually been unlucky/undeproductive at even strength this year despite super elite underlying numbers.....so this recent explosion in offense from that line was kind of expected, and has a good chance of continuing.

Projecting a players output right after a hot streak is a questionable gambit.

I remember 10 years ago today actually, Sam Gagner had his 8 point night. Oilers fans were shouting how he arrived as a star and was on pace for a 60+ point season. Of course ignoring the fact he came into the game with only 5 goals and 22 pts over the first half of the season, but 4 more goals and 30pts at the end of the game and suddenly those projections start looking pretty good for him. He'd only score 17 more points the rest of the year and finish with 47pts in 75 games, right in line with his previous 2 season

2009-10	Edmonton Oilers	NHL	68	15	26	41	33	-8
2010-11	Edmonton Oilers	NHL	68	15	27	42	37	-17
2011-12	Edmonton Oilers	NHL	75	18	29	47	36	5

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Mess]

Now if only we could keep playing these bottom 5 worst defensive non playoff teams like Detroit (28th in GA) and NJ (29th in GA), particularly if they play their 4th and 5th string goalies, whom the Leafs just potted 20 goals for in last 3 games.

That is great for stats padding for Leaf players, but this is not a good test nor an accurate evaluation of Leafs strength as Cup competitiveness that seems to be giving some a false sense of strength while completely ignoring QofC in the process to achieve them.

These will not be level of teams Leafs will be facing come playoff time, only the teams Leafs were expected to light up and trample over on their way to a playoff birth, which was mission accomplished.

The recent 6 game road trip through COL, VEGAS, STL, NYR etc was a much better test and measuring stick for the Leafs to judge themselves against playoff teams, and evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses and highlight needs and improvements required.

If Matthews and Marner combined for 1 goal in the next playoff series than these recent games against DET and NJ stats feasting opportunities should not be used to set expected goals expectations when the QofC switches from the weakest to the strongest competition and expected outcomes.

 

[AvroArrow]

Now if only we could keep playing these bottom 5 worst defensive non playoff teams like Detroit (28th in GA) and NJ (29th in GA), particularly if they play their 4th and 5th string goalies, whom the Leafs just potted 20 goals for in last 3 games.

That is great for stats padding for Leaf players, but this is not a good test nor an accurate evaluation of Leafs strength as Cup competitiveness that seems to be giving some a false sense of strength while completely ignoring QofC in the process to achieve them.

These will not be level of teams Leafs will be facing come playoff time, only the teams Leafs were expected to light up and trample over on their way to a playoff birth, which was mission accomplished.

The recent 6 game road trip through COL, VEGAS, STL, NYR etc was a much better test and measuring stick for the Leafs to judge themselves against playoff teams, and evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses and highlight needs and improvements required.

If Matthews and Marner combined for 1 goal in the next playoff series than these recent games against DET and NJ stats feasting opportunities should not be used to set expected goals expectations when the QofC switches from the weakest to the strongest competition and expected outcomes.

Good post with a lot of good points. Agreed, it's nice to see them light up the weaker teams but by no means should this be the measuring stick for success. Full points to the boys for playing a complete game, but they did what was expected out of them against a bad team. Not discrediting, but you are correct, playing against stronger teams and seeing how those games go are going to paint a more accurate picture of what we have in this group.

 

[Gary Nylund]

The recent 6 game road trip through COL, VEGAS, STL, NYR etc was a much better test and measuring stick for the Leafs to judge themselves against playoff teams, and evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses and highlight needs and improvements required.

If Matthews and Marner combined for 1 goal in the next playoff series than these recent games against DET and NJ stats feasting opportunities should not be used to set expected goals expectations when the QofC switches from the weakest to the strongest competition and expected outcomes.

This is very true. And nobody should be all that excited about this stat padding, the last game was fun but we could easily have lost the two games before that against weak teams, not good. But anyhow, I'm very happy we did win a laugher, good to into the break on a positive note. And maybe after the break we'll get back to playing like a contender like we were in November, not like the team that doesn't know how to play defence like we were in January.

 

[AcerComputer]

Why care at all? Bunting isn't going to win, he won't even be a finalist.

Seider is the clear front runner as a Dman

Then there are 3 forwards ahead of him
Raymond - Top scoring rookie
Lundell - #2 scorer (tied), while playing centre and being a good two way player on a top team
Zegras - #2 scorer (tied), also a centre, highlight factory

Those 4 are pretty clearly ahead of him at the break.

I already stated there are 4 ahead of him, and that he won't win, but that is silly he is even eligible.

 

[supermann_98]

Why care at all? Bunting isn't going to win, he won't even be a finalist.

Seider is the clear front runner as a Dman

Then there are 3 forwards ahead of him
Raymond - Top scoring rookie
Lundell - #2 scorer (tied), while playing centre and being a good two way player on a top team
Zegras - #2 scorer (tied), also a centre, highlight factory

Those 4 are pretty clearly ahead of him at the break.

While I agree with overall sentiment, if Bunting continues to feast (10 pre in his last 10 games) playing with Matthews and Marner when does he enter the conversation?

 

[ACC1224]

I see no reason why this team can't win the division.
Surprised no one has made a review thread of the first half of the season and the expectations for the second half.