Post-Game Talk: Keefe Throws Game, Leafs Lose 4-1

[57 Years No Cup]

Ya pretty pathetic. I used to bring it every night playing beer league hockey. These guys making big bucks and great at disappearing. Accountability my ass.

I don't get it either. I was the same. Even if I didn't feel like playing on a particular night once I got into it I was all out. Frankly it's a lot more fun that way.

 

[67leafs]

Willy a 100% no show after he got railed early on with the open ice hit.

 

[GrizzLeaf]

So, based on that, and the fact they left the 4th line out in an odd situation, we could surmise that the Leafs were using the two games this week to expose some of their players to specific situations to see how they would fare.

I have no problem with it. I think people are going to far with the 'causing them to lose their confidence' and such. Same with Matthews. The team was clearly not going, why waste him. Now with two days off he gets a chance to recover from a lighter than normal workload.

Feels like the team is damned if you do, damned if you don't with regard to trial and error, managing minutes, situational management etc.

I have to say I am fine with them tinkering these past two games. I'd like to see the real deal for the games vs Pit, at the Devils and vs Wings (or any three games they choose down the stretch).

The fourth line thing only makes sense when you have a big lead. Early in a tied game is a terrible time to do it.

It sends the message that the coaching staff isn't focused on winning the game, which should always be the goal. Keefe outsmarted himself again.

Do it when you're comfortably ahead, not when your tied. That kills any momentum your team is building and confuses the players as to what the coaches want.... win or f*** around?

 

[57 Years No Cup]

They've actually done worse. We're on pace for 778 shots from in front of the net. Last year, we had 900 shots from the front of the net, and we had 883 the year before.

Define "front of the net".

 

[Hellcat]

Jen Boetril is having a conniption fit about all the hits and fights

Fire Keefe

 

[ULF_55]

Willy a 100% no show after he got railed early on with the open ice hit.

He drew a penalty shortly after the hit.

But he's been watching for a few games now.

They need him hungry and energized, without him they aren't going anywhere.

 

[wingman75]

The fourth line thing only makes sense when you have a big lead. Early in a tied game is a terrible time to do it.

It sends the message that the coaching staff isn't focused on winning the game, which should always be the goal. Keefe outsmarted himself again.

Do it when you're comfortably ahead, not when your tied. That kills any momentum your team is building and confuses the players as to what the coaches want.... win or f*** around?

Disagree. The only way to get a good read and a true evaluation is to do it when the game is in the balance. Doing it with a big lead is inconsequential.

This is a truer evaluation. Now you really know. There will be icing situations where that line does get stuck out... all you can hope is that they learn from it, all of them, the players and coaches.

I would think the coaching staff probably mentioned to the players how they were going to manage the game. And even if they didn't, these guys are not dumb, so if you leave that line out when you have a chance to change, it is pretty clear to all what is going on.

 

[GrizzLeaf]

He drew a penalty shortly after the hit.

But he's been watching for a few games now.

They need him hungry and energized, without him they aren't going anywhere.

View attachment 845894

He usually dials it up in the playoffs. He's been one of the Leafs most consistent in that regard.

It is worrisome when he plays disinterested but I'm expecting playoff Willie in a few weeks. That's at least one bright spot

Disagree. The only way to get a good read and a true evaluation is to do it when the game is in the balance. Doing it with a big lead is inconsequential.

This is a truer evaluation. Now you really know. There will be icing situations where that line does get stuck out... all you can hope is that they learn from it, all of them, the players and coaches.

I would think the coaching staff probably mentioned to the players how they were going to manage the game. And even if they didn't, these guys are not dumb, so if you leave that line out when you have a chance to change, it is pretty clear to all what is going on.

I guess we don't agree on this point.

When any game is on the line, you try and win it. Primary job of the coaches and players. Everything else is secondary.

 

[wingman75]

He usually dials it up in the playoffs. He's been one of the Leafs most consistent in that regard.

It is worrisome when he plays disinterested but I'm expecting playoff Willie in a few weeks. That's at least one bright spot

He has been dragged down with Tavares' less than stellar play over the past few games as well. Willie can only do so much, and McMann is bound to have games where he can't find a way to be productive. My only hope, is that in games like that they continue to be defensively aware and strong.

I guess we don't agree on this point.

When any game is on the line, you try and win it. Primary job of the coaches and players. Everything else is secondary.

There are much bigger things at play than a Wednesday night game in early April vs Tampa. Keefe knows he is toast if he can't find a way to get his team to at least round two... so sure, you want to win, but win what? Playoff series are font of mind this time of year for him I would think.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Define "front of the net".

You can look on NHL edge if you want to know exactly, but it's essentially inside the crease and the inner slot surrounding it.

 

[GrizzLeaf]

He has been dragged down with Tavares' less than stellar play over the past few games as well. Willie can only do so much, and McMann is bound to have games where he can't find a way to be productive. My only hope, is that in games like that they continue to be defensively aware and strong.


There are much bigger things at play than a Wednesday night game in early April vs Tampa. Keefe knows he is toast if he can't find a way to get his team to at least round two... so sure, you want to win, but win what? Playoff series are font of mind this time of year for him I would think.

Yeah that line is very hot and cold with little actual consistency.

I imagine once Marner is back, we'll see some lines change.

 

[Duffman955]

Way too much pitching about a game that doesn't really matter, and we got out goalied like crazy.

Woll constantly letting in the 1st shot on goal has to be super deflating.

 

[Lightsol]

Just so bizarre. Even got the benefit of a potentially momentum swinging fight thanks to Jeannot challenging Reaves and Reaves dummying him. Went absolutely nowhere and we were outshot in the third. Whatever. We just saw Florida have one of these kinds of games against us but still, they managed to scare us in the third which is a far sight better than what we gave Tampa tonight.

Keefe threw the towel in in the 2nd period, and the team basically followed him... Hence the lack of pushback.

 

[Lightsol]

Nylander took alot of hits yea, but you can't just give up because of that. Nylander is dangerous for his speed, something that he didn't use at all this game, If he's gonna be dangerous he has to skate.

Nylander wrecked quite a few offensive situations in this game by just seemingly not giving a shit. The one I remember is a sequence where Tavares and McMann were battling in the left corner with three Tampa guys, and McMann managed to dig the puck out and throw it out in front... And Nylander was going for a short stake in the neutral zone for some reason. On a sequence where the puck had been in the offensive zone for a while. I had NO idea what he was doing...

 

[34]

Woll needs to be sent to the press box. He is not it…not even close. He is an AHL goaltender.

 

[AvroArrow]

Starting that 4th line against Kuch's line with the game tied and the momentum in their favour was an all timer for Keefe, even for his standards. Fire this sack of shit into the sun already.

He did the same thing when Florida had the goalie pulled when it was 5-3, I have no clue wtf he's thinking. Maybe he's trying to get the 4th line some tough reps before playoffs start ? Like there will be situations where those guys are forced to defend against the oppositions top line, so maybe it's a teaching moment and to give the guys some experience ? But like even if that's the case, when home ice is still up for grabs you can't be doing shit like that.

Overall I'm disappointed with the loss but not with the effort, I thought we were the far better team that game. On to the next one.

Play Woll every game until the playoffs

If he doesn't get his game on track by the playoffs - this team is toast. Samsonov cannot be our playoff starter.

You may have missed the last 15 ish Samsonov games, he's been great since he was recalled. The net is his.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

You can look on NHL edge if you want to know exactly, but it's essentially inside the crease and the inner slot surrounding it.

Is NHL edge free?

 

[Dekes For Days]

Is NHL edge free?

Yeah it's part of NHL.com. It's their more advanced tracking that they introduced a little bit ago.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Woll needs to be sent to the press box. He is not it…not even close. He is an AHL goaltender.

Neither is Sammy, as we will find out in a couple of weeks. All these high salary forwards are useless in the playoffs if you can not afford better goaltending.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Yeah it's part of NHL.com. It's their more advanced tracking that they introduced a little bit ago.

Cool.

 

[notDatsyuk]

I don't really know what iCF and iFF really mean, so I'm gonna have to go off eyetest and counting stats

Nylander took alot of hits yea, but you can't just give up because of that. Nylander is dangerous for his speed, something that he didn't use at all this game, If he's gonna be dangerous he has to skate.

As for how well he played away from JT, we can't really run another line with how keefe does things. I'm all for moving JT to 3C, but then you don't have a 2C, especially with how domi fits with matthews. I really want to try marner and nylander together, but we don't have a center or even a winger who can keep up. Holmberg/Kampf won't work, maybe Jarnkrok when he comes back, you also would have 2 solid defensive players on that line, but there's no point since Keefe isn't interested in running 16-88 together without 91/34 being there.

Moreover, JT being bad can only give Nylander so much leeway, he has 12 in his last 15. That's not good enough at 7 million, let alone 11.5 million. Pastrnak out here with coyle and marchand putting up 115 points so that excuse only goes so far.

The pp is also awful because nylander and matthews are making terrible plays too. Matthews isn't getting the puck from nylander in dangerous areas as much, and matthews isn't able to dictate his style on the pp due to his lack of passing. Marner coming back should help with that, but alot of the pp woes is because those two are not playing up to their abilites, not just JT.

Individual Corsi for and individual Fenwick for. Stats that some people are obsessed with, although I prefer the eye test myself. I just happened to notice them while looking at the hits. Individually he was productive, but with nobody to work with it's hard to get results.

If he had given up after that first hit, that's one thing, but he kept on going into the danger areas, as evinced by him getting hit so much.

Yes, I really like Domi with Mattty, but who knows what stupidity Keefe will try when Marner gets back? If Mitch is immediately reunited with Matty, then Domi as 2C and JT as 3C works. If Domi stays with Matty then what? JT centering Mitch and Willy? A waste of both. Mitch or Willy on the third line and the other with JT? Not good either. Which is why I'd like to see WIlly at 2C (I'm pretty sure it won't happen as long as Keefe is coaching, so maybe next year).

Willy is only 9 points behind Pastrnak. Even ignoring the first line/second line difference, Marchand is better than any winger Willy has played with, and it could easily be argued that Coyle is better than JT this year.

I think the biggest problem with the PP is the lack of net-front presence. JT and Domi are both in the neighbourhood, but neither one effectively screens the goalie as well as Bert did, and neither seems to get open in the high slot. That means that all that happens is Matty and Willy and the D pass it around and around the outside. That and entries are too predictable - several drop passes until either Matty or Willy (or Rielly) carry it across the line. If it's Mo or Matty they usually pass to Willy on the boards, and if it's Willy he usually passes to Matty (or JT, who promptly loses it). Too easy to defend.

Where do you put Tavares where he won’t kill the line

He was actually doing pretty well as 3C. Mitch getting hurt and Domi playing so well with Matty messed that up.

 

[ACC1224]

He drew a penalty shortly after the hit.

But he's been watching for a few games now.

They need him hungry and energized, without him they aren't going anywhere.

View attachment 845894

He's taken the last two games off, just brutal. Really poor effort, maybe he has the flu?

 

[wingman75]

Overall I'm disappointed with the loss but not with the effort, I thought we were the far better team that game. On to the next one.

I agree that overall the game was tilted in our favour. I did feel though that they owned us along the boards in all three zones (not that there are many neutral zone board battles). That is concerning to me, and a trend with this version of the Leafs. I felt Tampa was able to generate chances off these battles, sometimes clean looks. So, if you are not going to win the battle, you cannot let them win it clean, and the guys not in the battle have to be covering someone or some dangerous area consistently. We do struggle with that consistently. That is a personnel thing, not a scheme thing imo.

 

[34]

Neither is Sammy, as we will find out in a couple of weeks. All these high salary forwards are useless in the playoffs if you can not afford better goaltending.

Fully agree. Goaltending is a big issue. I think it is amung the very worst in the NHL. I have NO trust in Samsonov as well.

The Leafs will be up against Swayman/Ulmark or Bob in first round. They are going to get out-goaltended horribly.

 

[ZEBROA]

D o n t p l a y t a v a r e s a n d n y l a n d e r t o g e t h e r!