Post-Game Talk: Lazy effort. Full 60 minutes required

[Amadeus]

Buffalo played really well defensively. Gotta give it to them. We generated nothing.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

All the Willie defenders, let's hear it for your boy. Lazy, disinterested, they cannot find a line for him to show up on. It's unreal.

 

[CelticDruid]

Because he's not actually that big.

6'3" great wingspan but only 194lbs. Doesn't seem to be all that physically strong.

But his head weighs 60 lbs

 

[All Mod Cons]

I'd prefer the forward lines to be:

Bunting Matthews Marner
Engvall Kerfoot Nylander
Tavares Kampf Mikheyev
Clifford Blackwell Simmonds


JT is too SLOW to play center

Swap Blackwell and Tavares and we may be onto something

 

[makbeer]

u tell me who was a surefire goalie that was available at the deadline? u prob cant. its not that simple and u know it.

Mrazek was a terrible and obvious mistake. Said so when he signed him. Bring in an injury plagued goalie with an erratic style to backup your injury plagued goalie with an erratic style. It’s madness.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

its a nothing game if you dont care about home ice in the 1st round...its not like their is nothing to play for, so ye, i dont buy that reasoning

Don't know if home ice will matter that much. Leafs are still in the driver's seat + Boston lost

And they were 7-0-1 coming into tonight, so who cares

 

[Stephen]

Yeah if only he had access to world class training facilities and nutrition. He should be at 210-215.

The tools to be an above average defensive 4-5D, the type of guy who gets paid 4.5 mil and not 2 mil, are there with Holl.

But unfortunately so is his Bobby Orritis, and it seems to be getting worse.

Holl's an average NHL defender but I think the Leafs have always been a little bit too liberal in terms of giving their Dmen the green light to play the rover game. Some guys shouldn't have the green light or long leash.

 

[fahad203]

On the bright side
Matthews and Marner cannot be anymore worse then they were this game

Then it's a good thing. I mean you are bound to have a bad game and a hot goalie. I mean we forget what good goaltending looks like
On to playoffs. I could careless about Buffalo beating us

 

[Suntouchable13]

its a nothing game if you dont care about home ice in the 1st round...its not like there is nothing to play for, so ye, i dont buy that reasoning

Home ice means nothing. This team has pissed away home ice every single time. Last year (albeit no fans), win game 5 in Boston in 2019 to gain home ice advantage only to piss it away next game, 2018 1-1 with Boston heading home, they piss that away too. Just be ready game 1, and avoid injuries, that's all I care about. 9 preseason games left.

 

[PromisedLand]

Any news on when is Kase back?

 

[Stephen]

Meh. Garbage team going all out while the Leafs were not fully engaged. A nothing game in the end

Yes and no. The Leafs had everything locked up and laid two eggs against Winnipeg and Ottawa to finish last season. No big deal they said. And maybe it wasn't, but if you think the team has an 'on switch,' then that implies there's an 'off switch.'

The other thing is, any playoff team could run Buffalo Sabres tape and use this game plan on Toronto...

 

[PromisedLand]

But his head weighs 60 lbs

not due to the size of his brain btw...

 

[All Mod Cons]

willy and JT have actually played better apart, together they are pretty useless 5v5

Absolutely. But it has a knock on affect with other lines. Sacrifice the 2nd line and run with a very good 1st, 3rd and 4th line.

 

[djdev]

Don't know if home ice will matter that much. Leafs are still in the driver's seat + Boston lost

And they were 7-0-1 coming into tonight, so who cares

in the grand scheme of things i agree its not a super big deal. but a few things. they didnt know boston lost while they were playing, and i dont care if they lose games..its gonna happen, but they need to learn that when their syle isnt working to change it up and simplify, not double down on the fancy stuff. thats playoff hockey..you arent going to have space to fly around and thrown backhanded sauce passes, simplify and put pucks to the net and crash the crease. its funny, they have so much trouble against bad teams because bad teams are forced to play a higher effort style to compete in games, the leafs for the most part in these games choose not to.

 

[djdev]

Absolutely. But it has a knock on affect with other lines. Sacrifice the 2nd line and run with a very good 1st, 3rd and 4th line.

at that point u might as well make them the 3rd line or 4th line then lol. maybe then they wont get consistently caved 5v5

 

[All Mod Cons]

Any news on when is Kase back?

He's due to play 2 periods in a week or so before being shut down until game 7 of the 1st round where we'll insert him back into the lineup way too early.

Just kidding people.

 

[Teeder Keon]

What pisses me off and is most concerning at the same time about these absolutely dog SH…t games against these truly bottom feeding teams , are not only the losses here and there against any team , but at this time of the year and you look at the scoreboard around the league , where some of the teams ahead of you are losing and you once again are going to miss out on the possibilities of really having a historic season and getting home ice …
That’s the aspect that is most concerning, great teams , great players , winners , perennial contenders , all have this one thing in common , win or loose , your always giving it all right to the end , a burning desire to overcome , to push to higher limits .
But with the Leafs , sure they are a very very good team , and obviously great players .. but the experienced eye test and results show that once this team has it in their heads and legs and heart that it’s “ one of those games “ they literally look and play with that burden .
But in the playoffs , you can’t have bad games , bad periods , plays , battles etc Sure it happens , but when you see incredible teams like Tampa , they have this pride and honor and warrior feel to them and this unwillingness to just say “ we will see you next period , next game , it’s a losing mentality , it’s aloof and not a look or play that shows , winner !
You can see it in games where we want to play “ the beautiful game “ “ the Brazilian football way “
Where the beauty of the goal is more important than the outcome of the play or period or game or series …
Sure when it goes in , and we are scoring at will , it’s beautiful …but when the other team is out working you , you need to take advantage of possible goals always and without fail !
Or they may never come , then your lose 1 game or 2 because of that botched play or skate by or stick check or overpassing for the “ beautiful goal “ and you start going into individual mode …, then we all know how that story ends ..
I’ve been a fan of the Brazilians forever , and sure they play such an artistically beautiful style and it’s awe inspiring, and they have won their fair share of WCs , but they’ve also left a hell of a lot of championships on the table because of their aloof , style over content and hard work and pride and play .
I feel we are similar without the playoff success ,
We try for the beautiful play , the easy way , the no attention to detail , the zen like new age mentality instead of just busting your ass every effing shift and play , and then letting your incredible talent emerge organically.
You look at any great teams snd dynasties over the years like Habs , islanders , Bruins , Bolts now , Penguins and more , the one thing they all have in common ..
You never out worked them and they never gave up and they played you hard from best to last player on the team ..
I don’t think we have that extra in us , in our make up , in our message and play , that little extra that is the cornerstone to being Winners and Warriors .
Every team loses on any given night ..
But this “ Leafy Thing” May be true ???? There’s just wayyyy to many ways that we lose in leafy ways or flat out just play like shhhhhhht!
Way to many !
The top 5 teams with us don’t !

 

[djdev]

Any news on when is Kase back?

not anytime soon, i imagine hes gone for the year tbh, just my feeling.

 

[All Mod Cons]

at that point u might as well make them the 3rd line or 4th line then lol. maybe then they wont get consistently caved 5v5

That's actually a good point.

 

[Tak7]

All the Willie defenders, let's hear it for your boy. Lazy, disinterested, they cannot find a line for him to show up on. It's unreal.

View attachment 530201

An elite winger who has the potential to be one of the best player on the ice when he wants to be, has the propensity to take days off.

This is what most people regard William as.

This isn't the "gotchya" moment that you thought it was.

 

[Tak7]

Yes and no. The Leafs had everything locked up and laid two eggs against Winnipeg and Ottawa to finish last season. No big deal they said. And maybe it wasn't, but if you think the team has an 'on switch,' then that implies there's an 'off switch.'

The other thing is, any playoff team could run Buffalo Sabres tape and use this game plan on Toronto...

That actually works in the Leafs benefit - if playoff teams think tonight is the version of the Leafs they are getting, they're in for a tough reality check next month.

 

[Maple Leaf]

All the Willie defenders, let's hear it for your boy. Lazy, disinterested, they cannot find a line for him to show up on. It's unreal.

View attachment 530201

when he scores he is big willy and when not thrown in the trash hunter

 

[djdev]

What pisses me off and is most concerning at the same time about these absolutely dog SH…t games against these truly bottom feeding teams , are not only the losses here and there against any team , but at this time of the year and you look at the scoreboard around the league , where some of the teams ahead of you are loosing and you once again are going to miss out on the possibilities of really having a historic season and getting home ice …
That’s the aspect that is most concerning, great teams , great players , winners , perennial contenders , all have this one thing in common , win or loose , your always giving it all right to the end , a burning desire to overcome , to push to higher limits .
But with the Leafs , sure they are a very very good team , and obviously great players .. but the experienced eye test and results show that once this team has it in their heads and legs and heart that it’s “ one of those games “ they literally look and play with that burden .
But in the playoffs , you can’t have bad games , bad periods , plays , battles etc Sure it happens , but when you see incredible teams like Tampa , they have this pride and honor and warrior feel to them and this unwillingness to just say “ we will see you next period , next game , it’s a loosing mentality , it’s aloof and not a look or play that shows , winner !
You can see it in games where we want to play “ the beautiful game “ “ the Brazilian football way “
Where the beauty of the goal is more important than the outcome of the play or period or game or series …
Sure when it goes in , and we are scoring at will , it’s beautiful …but when the other team is out working you , you need to take advantage of possible goals always and without fail !
Or they may never come , then your lose 1 game or 2 because of that botched play or skate by or stick check or overpassing for the “ beautiful goal “ and you start going into individual mode …, then we all know how that story ends ..
I’ve been a fan of the Brazilians for ever , and sure they play such an artistically beautiful style and it’s awe inspiring, and they have won their fair share of WCs , but they’ve also left a hell of a lot on the table because of their aloof , style over content play .
I feel we are similar without the playoff success ,
We try for the beautiful play , the easy way , the no attention to detail , the zen like new age mentality instead of just busting your ass every effing shift and play , and then letting your incredible talent emerge organically.
You look at any great teams snd dynasties over the years like Habs , islanders , Bruins , Bolts now , Penguins and more , the one thing they all have in common ..
You never out worked them and they never gave up and they played you hard from best to last player on the team ..
I don’t think we have that extra in us , in our make up , in our message and play , that little extra that is the cornerstone to being Winners and Warriors .
Every team loses on any given night ..
But this “ Leafy Thing” May be true ???? There’s just wayyyy to many ways that we lose in leafy ways or flat out just play like shhhhhhht!
Way to many !
The top 5 teams with us don’t !

i think the 1st line has done a very good job overall upping their physicality this year in general, and they VERY rarely dont produce, the second line on the other hand has been trash for a lonnnnnng time, whether its JT or willys "fault" who knows. but you cannot have a 20mil second line that cant produce 5v5 especially if they arent gonna do other stuff that leads to wins.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Buffalo played really well defensively. Gotta give it to them. We generated nothing.

Agreed. I loved Buffalo's game plan and execution tonight. They skate really well. They clogged up the middle of the ice in their end. They got their sticks on a lot of passes that would have been dangerous.

I think Toronto has played down to them in 3 straight games, but I also credit Buffalo. They play the exact type of game they need to in order to beat the Leafs and they've executed it well this year.

 

[Aashir]

All the Willie defenders, let's hear it for your boy. Lazy, disinterested, they cannot find a line for him to show up on. It's unreal.

View attachment 530201

He’s a PPG winger who had an off night, like everyone else and still had an assist….
If theirs anyone who can’t find a line it’s Tavares