Post-Game Talk: Hit em with the 4 like AM34. Leafs lose 4th straight game 7 to Boston: 2-1

[TrufleShufle]

In no other arena in the NHL would that puck fly out of that corner like that.

 

[notbias]

Show me the list of available players from last years UFA? Bert got 20 goals, but didn’t do much in the playoffs. Unless they are willing to make some bold trades, it will be more of the same

Off the top of my head, I'd have preferred someone like Tarasenko. At least then you have another one-time threat on the PP.

I am sure there are a bunch of combinations of depth signings though, Rodrigues + Acciari or something, still have some leftover, especially since Reaves is not needed as 4RW.

JVR was a decent add for Boston at $1 million.

I'd rather have spent the 5.5 from Bert on Schenn + a 3 million dollar replacement (Rodrigues).

 

[Superstar]

I have no clue why he didn't go to the backhand.

Of all the things you can say about him, you can't truthfully say he has bad hockey IQ. I don't know what the hell he was thinking.

If he scores, maybe they win. They couldn't hold the lead they actually had, but obviously things wouldn't have played out exactly the same way. At the very least he could have said he scored a game seven goal.

Because Marner is afraid of contact...he was hearing footsteps of a Bruin player behind him, though he had a ton of time to tuck it short side backhand...net was wide open...most players would have stopped and tuck it short side...this is the kind of non-clutch player Marner is for you in the playoffs.

It wasn't almost a gift from Swayman, it was a gift, but Marner skated himself out of a prime scoring opportunity and a sure goal because he didn't want to be hit.

 

[PromisedLand]

Babcock the backstabber, Christ. If he couldn't beat the Bruins with the Leafs he damn sure wasn't gonna let Keefe to it.

say what you want about babcock as a person but everything he said as a coach has come true....

hell him telling marner to make lists while not asking matthews/nylander/others to do just goes on to show how babcock already figured marner is a locker room cancer material

 

[notbias]

I'm not sure who you had in mind that'd realistically be better than Domi and Bertuzzi.

They also had a defence consisting of a #2, a #4, and a bunch of bottom pair/depth guys and only one NHL goalie. $20m doesn't go far with that many holes

Domi was great... I'd rather have a few players over Bert...

They also spent 7.5+ on Klingberg/Sammy

Domi and Bert were not even 50% of the 20 million.

hahahahahaha
Bert and Domi earned first line status due to offensive creativity and output. And the Core Fore are solely supposed to be high octane scoring forwards. And "we ignored scoring depth"?

Bertuzzi sucked... Domi was good.

 

[PromisedLand]

Agreed it wasn't a good goal against.

Sammy just isn't good enough.

Blame Samsonov all you want but when half the cap forwards fail to score more than 2 goals and leafs fans continue to blame leaf goalies its quite somthing....

Where is the OFFENSE?

 

[rumman]

View attachment 865335

last 3 years (plus this year, which brings Rielly's numbers down)

People have a short memory if they don't think Rielly has been good in the playoffs normally.



I am blaming everyone... there were very few consistently good players... why can no one read? I've not once said the core was fine.

Rielly is going to be the next Brodie, better to urge him to waive, move him now while he still has some value……..

 

[notbias]

Kling was a good gamble because our problem is offence in the playoffs, and his puck moving ability could have helped in the playoffs generate more O.

Weirdly, he signed him and then at the deadline decided that our issue was we generated too much offense and needed to defend better, seems contradictory.

I am convinced Treliving looked at the names for free agency and got the biggest ones he could.

Were there any bigger names than Klingberg, Reaves, Bert, and Domi?

I don't think he put much thought into it.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

- Rielly does not play physical
- He is not a defensive juggernaut
- He doesn't have a good point shot/slapper/wrister
- His skating has declined this season IMO

All Rielly had was his skating; and its declining. He doesn't have any other attribute that you need in a D-man to be successful in the playoffs

This was always my biggest worry with Rielly once his speed is gone it will be 2 more years and he will be outta hockey completely and then we are really in a bad bind .. trade him now while we may get a 1st back .. with his speed i like him on my blueline but without it .. well its over sadly

 

[Gallagbi]

This as well. It wasn't a bad bounced, it was planned

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

People whine about having a team that plays the trap, but are perfectly fine watching their offensive power dry up every playoffs, I say lose some of the high priced talent and trap away boys, get some D and a goaltender and forwards who can play all three zones of the ice……..

I realized after watching the last 3 games of tight defensive play why this team doesn't play that way most of the time in the playoffs. It's hard...way harder than doing flyby's and dipsy doodles. They don't like to work too hard and this was the first time in 9yrs that we saw them put together more than 1 or 2 good defensive games in a row. The hard work part is what they are allergic to and there is no way they could do that to make the finals.

 

[hoglund]

The Leafs played well, the game was even in all stats even the score after regulation. This game could've gone either way, but the Leafs don't seem to get the luck needed to win these close game sevens. I'm sure that they'll be many changes in the off season.

 

[rumman]

I realized after watching the last 3 games of tight defensive play why this team doesn't play that way most of the time in the playoffs. It's hard...way harder than doing flyby's and dipsy doodles. They don't like to work too hard and this was the first time in 9yrs that we saw them put together more than 1 or 2 good defensive games in a row. The hard work part is what they are allergic to and there is no way they could do that to make the finals.

This in a nutshell……..

 

[PhiladelphiaKessel]

This was always my biggest worry with Rielly once his speed is gone it will be 2 more years and he will be outta hockey completely and then we are really in a bad bind .. trade him now while we may get a 1st back .. with his speed i like him on my blueline but without it .. well its over sadly

There’s a reason our record is very good without him. He really doesn’t bring much

 

[JT AM da real deal]

The Leafs played well, the game was even in all stats even the score after regulation. This game could've gone either way, but the Leafs don't seem to get the luck needed to win these close game sevens. I'm sure that they'll be many changes in the off season.

Its not luck it is staying on a grind course for as long as it takes .. we failed in OT both Mitch and Rielly .. sad but true

 

[TonsofPuppies]

Good song for the moment.

 

[socko]

So I think a lot of changes are needed for the Leafs to set higher goals than making it to the 2nd round of the playoffs. But realistically, none of them are happening, until Brendan Shanahan gets fired. Getting rid of Keefe, does far less than getting rid of Dubas. Dubas was big, but his enabler and protector of the core is still here.

 

[hockeyes]

Blame Samsonov all you want but when half the cap forwards fail to score more than 2 goals and leafs fans continue to blame leaf goalies its quite somthing....

Where is the OFFENSE?

Scoring is obviously an issue but most goalies win that game 1-0.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Blame Samsonov all you want but when half the cap forwards fail to score more than 2 goals and leafs fans continue to blame leaf goalies its quite somthing....

Where is the OFFENSE?

While you are completely correct in an overall sense, at the same time, that was a tight game. Neither team gave up much.

Bruins offense wasn't popping either.


It came down to a goalie duel. Sammy lost. Woll won. Swayman won.



Big picture though? I'm with you. This team is built to score. It's the biggest difference between the Leafs in regular season form and in postseason form.

 

[GoonieFace]

Off the top of my head, I'd have preferred someone like Tarasenko. At least then you have another one-time threat on the PP.

I am sure there are a bunch of combinations of depth signings though, Rodrigues + Acciari or something, still have some leftover, especially since Reaves is not needed as 4RW.

JVR was a decent add for Boston at $1 million.

I'd rather have spent the 5.5 from Bert on Schenn + a 3 million dollar replacement (Rodrigues).

None of these names add secondary scoring though.

I would move on from Bert, unless it’s significantly less money.

Keep Domi at a decent hit.

Move Marner for a good puck moving dman hopefully

Hope Woll can play without falling apart

Knies and McMann continue to get better

Should be interesting

 

[Gallagbi]

Gallagbi, let me ask you this, why do the leafs lack this depth

Personnel choices, injuries and Marners inability to carry a line offensively.

We were down a top player in Willy/Matthews for most of the series + McMann. Kampf is fine, but at 2.4M + Reavo at 1.3M with Holmberg around the money could be better spent. Marner was never a threat, so that line becomes a non factor offensively for most of the series.

Not a singular answer really.

 

[Sypher04]

It’s honestly kind of remarkable we even got to 7 games with an offense than can’t score more than 2 goals per game, a powerplay that had over 20 opportunities and converted less than 5% and a penalty kill that was barely operating at 50% through 4 games

 

[PromisedLand]

While you are completely correct in an overall sense, at the same time, that was a tight game. Neither team gave up much.

Bruins offense wasn't popping either.


It came down to a goalie duel. Sammy lost. Woll won. Swayman won.



Big picture though? I'm with you. This team is built to score. It's the biggest difference between the Leafs in regular season form and in postseason form.

The cap allocation is heavily tilt towards forwards they gotta score. If cap allocation was heavily tilted towards defense and goalie then I see your point.

Expecting Samsonov to out duel a vezina contender is quite unrealistic IMO. If the offense can't get it done then why are they getting paid so much money? Rather spread out that cap for more balanced roster or get offensive players that can actually produce in the playoffs

Marner has not even "ONCE" taken responsibility for his play in the playoffs while blaming fans and media alike. Thats the kinda attitude we don't need in the locker room

 

[Gallagbi]

It’s honestly kind of remarkable we even got to 7 games with an offense than can’t score more than 2 goals per game, a powerplay that had over 20 opportunities and converted less than 5% and a penalty kill that was barely operating at 50% through 4 games

I'm fine to dump Keefe, but a lot of other coaches would be getting praised missing the players we did and going through our goaltending situation

 

[weems]

Personnel choices, injuries and Marners inability to carry a line offensively.

We were down a top player in Willy/Matthews for most of the series + McMann. Kampf is fine, but at 2.4M + Reavo at 1.3M with Holmberg around the money could be better spent. Marner was never a threat, so that line becomes a non factor offensively for most of the series.

Not a singular answer really.

You should also mention Brodie.

I mean this guy was taking up 5 million in capspace and at the start of the season, most would have agreed he was our second best defencemen.

Him falling off a cliff where he wasn't even playable at the end really hurt us.