Post-Game Talk: HNIC - Leafs WIN the home opener!!!

[Darcy Tucker]

You watched games 5, 6 and 7 and thought their defense was atrocious? I don't think it's unfair to give Keefe credit for making the team better defensively than his predecessor. Berube will be able to take it to a different level because he won't give the forwards the freedom they were used to having. It will mean less flashiness, but more wins.

Talking all 1-7 playoffs in the last decade. Tampa blew us out of the ocean on mother's Day. Washington and Columbus and Boston has used us like toys. Montreal. Lmao. Weak shit under Keefe. Berube is a godsend but you make some posts that make me scratch my head sometimes ie the team is boring while the stars light it up. Then love losing 2-1 muffin games. Just saying . Nothing personal. Your Atlantic predictions last year had the boards in fits. We gamble too you know that .

Have a good day brother , have a coffee and stop shitting on the stars being boring. I've never been more electrified by a trio since Bobs-Mats-Mogilny and you yawn at them.

Watching Papi pump home a Leaf record at the time #63 against Tampa at Scotiabank is one of my favorite moments ever. Didn't even care they lost I got to see three of the best players in the world in Kucherov , Vasi and Point do their thing and see Greatness.

Los Papi Chulos, vamos.

 

[Mess]

BT & Berube wins & NJ Keefe and Pittsburgh Dubas losses.

Feels good to have competent management in control now.

 

[Gary Nylund]

You watched games 5, 6 and 7 and thought their defense was atrocious? I don't think it's unfair to give Keefe credit for making the team better defensively than his predecessor. Berube will be able to take it to a different level because he won't give the forwards the freedom they were used to having. It will mean less flashiness, but more wins.

The defense was very good in games 5/6/7, no two ways about it. Consistency has always been the problem with this group, that and the annual game 7 choke jobs.

 

[Enga Olly]

I thought the panicking after we lost to MTL was laughably ridiculous but hey, to each his own.

The plus minus stat is close to worthless, and for single games it's 100% worthless, I thought everyone knew that by now.

Agreed about any pan8cing after the montreal game.
I think it's an overstatement about the +/- stat. In 1 game sometimes it is a true reflection of play but just as often not. But over the fullness of time, it is a decent indicator. I would say it is similar to trying to analyize climate change by using today's weather.

 

[kevsh]

So looks like the stars are buying in for now, playing road hockey at home.
I am cautious though. Let's see how they do against the tough teams. Rangers, Bolts, Bruins, Panthers.

And let's see if the stars are still okay with low-event, low-scoring games which will certainly lead to more modest production. I want to believe that Matty will gladly settle for 45 goals, for example, if it means a deep playoff run. But - looking a ways ahead - if the new approach leads to another early exit. One day at a time I guess.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Agreed about any pan8cing after the montreal game.
I think it's an overstatement about the +/- stat. In 1 game sometimes it is a true reflection of play but just as often not. But over the fullness of time, it is a decent indicator. I would say it is similar to trying to analyize climate change by using today's weather.

Haha, not a bad analogy. Over time it's better for sure, still not a great measure IMHO as there are so many variables but then, I'd say that about most hockey stats so don't mind me.

So looks like the stars are buying in for now, playing road hockey at home.
I am cautious though. Let's see how they do against the tough teams. Rangers, Bolts, Bruins, Panthers.

And let's see if the stars are still okay with low-event, low-scoring games which will certainly lead to more modest production. I want to believe that Matty will gladly settle for 45 goals, for example, if it means a deep playoff run. But - looking a ways ahead - if the new approach leads to another early exit. One day at a time I guess.

This. I would even advise caution until the 1st round of the playoffs is in the books. If we look like contenders at that point, then I might start to get excited. Until then, I'll just enjoy the ride but try not to get too carried away. Looks good so far though, can't wait to see how we fare against the top teams.

GLG!!

 

[Nineteen67]

It’s usually good up in my seats where @bax was. Where were you sitting?

In my outdoor kitchen

 

[ACC1224]

ELC is up after this season. Hopefully they get on that extension ASAP.

I imagine he won’t be in any hurry to sign that.

 

[Shooter2x]

Dubas + Keefe: 0

Leafs: 2

 

[Evilhomer]

So looks like the stars are buying in for now, playing road hockey at home.
I am cautious though. Let's see how they do against the tough teams. Rangers, Bolts, Bruins, Panthers.

And let's see if the stars are still okay with low-event, low-scoring games which will certainly lead to more modest production. I want to believe that Matty will gladly settle for 45 goals, for example, if it means a deep playoff run. But - looking a ways ahead - if the new approach leads to another early exit. One day at a time I guess.

I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. I think these guys will all still get similar point totals by the end of the season. Good defensive teams can still score a lot of goals.

 

[Welsh Maple Leaf]

Knies, Domi, Nylander, Marner, Stollarz all good

Matthews continues to show that he's a generational choker under any sort of pressure.

Benoit gotta sit after that shit show.

This fan base is so embarrassing

 

[TheBeastCoast]

This fan base is so embarrassing

That poster has a straight up unhealthy obsession with Matthews at this point.

 

[Roo]

Bottom line, we are 2-1, and have only given up 5g in 3 games. So far, this team is doing what management has set out to accomplish. Still early playing a new system, so we will get better.

 

[thusk]

So Moneypuck scores a high danger shot for/against differently?
I would agree Naturalstattrick's is more accurate of overall play.

I don't know how they score it but clearly something wrong with their stats

 

[Mess]

Fans have been begging the coaching staff to balance the power play units since last season, with most thinking that it would be a more worthwhile endeavor to tinker with the Core 4 on separate units. Is this a step towards doing just that? Well, we'll very much have to wait and see. John Tavares is currently out of the lineup with an unspecified illness, meaning that we can't know for sure whether or not the changes are permanent or temporary.

In a perfect world, the Leafs would have Matthews and Marner running one unit while Nylander and Tavares ran the other. With a number of viable shooting threats and net-front guys at their disposal, they could very well boast two solid PP units if they did things this way. Loading up on the top unit may have worked in the past, but if the goal is to find more consistency, maybe some more permanent changes are the key to accomplishing that.

 

[tmlfan98]

A takeaway from this game for me is, the Robertson-Domi-Nylander line needs more run even when Tavares is back:

Knies-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-Domi-Nylander
Pacioretty-Tavares-McMann
Lorentz-Kampf-Holmberg

 

[PanniniClaus]

If your insecure profession sports isn’t the place to be working my friend………

I think it's easier to accept when is clearly better than you. Connor Timmins. We all watch the games.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Watching Papi pump home a Leaf record at the time #63 against Tampa at Scotiabank

Was the the slap shot from the point on the power play ?

I was there as well. Behind the net. saw the puck go in the entire way. It was like the universe created a path for me alone to see.

Or that’s what it seemed like after 4 $20 beers.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

Was the the slap shot from the point ?

Like it was boring for him. Recess. He skated back with a frown. I was right there over his shoulder it felt like.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Like it was boring for him. Recess. He skated back with a frown. I was right there over his shoulder it felt like.

Scurry away now people.

Post game threads over 10 pages are only allowed after losses.

Don’t wreck the streak like Berube killed the goal streak

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

OEL was solid. I loved watching him: skating, passes, playmaking, PP, etc. I predicted that he might end up being my favorite Leaf.

I love Rielly, but OEL is a welcome addition and a close 2nd.

I really noticed OEL too. I found it very odd to see a D-man in a pressure situation be so calm and moving the puck...the literal Anti-Brodie (of the last couple of years). He seems to be better on the PP as well. Good signing so far.

 

[PromisedLand]

to all the stat nerds that dump on reaves.... how do you cope with this? LMAO

Reaves leads all the Leafs btw

 

[Darcy Tucker]

I was there as well. Behind the net. saw the puck go in the entire way. It was like the universe created a path for me alone to see.

Or that’s what it seemed like after 4 $20 beers.

I was probably staring at you high on marijuana zooted on coffee half the game

 

[DarkKnight]

Realistically, you need one big game from your stars every third game, another game where the supporting cast chips in and goaltending and one where you just lose. Three games, that's a 107 point team. You don't need the stars to dominant every game, which is why I never get the criticism like 82 games is their measuring stick. Just dominate 1/3, if you have other pieces, your tops in the league.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I was probably staring at you high on marijuana zooted on coffee half the game

I wouldn’t have noticed, I was still drunk on the Go train home. Ubered home and got my car in the morning