Post-Game Talk: Leafs 2 Canadiens 1

[Confucius]

Good grindy end to the game. I don't have that same fear of collapse anymore in every game we lead. Campbell gives me confidence.

PK looked really good.

Now that you mention it neither do I, I was pretty confident after the two man short kill.

 

[Gabriel426]

One thing I forgot to mention. Simmonds looks better than last year. There were a few times where he just knocked the puck down with his stick. It showed his focus is back.

 

[DraftSchmaft]

im amazed how much shit and effort is given to the leafs 14th forward. ... lol

Why would you want a 4th liner who will be ranked 12th when you combine the two teams bottom 6es? Your amazement is odd.

Saying ranked 12th is even giving too much credit he doesn't belong on a contender. At least Brooks had brains to make up for his average skill set.

 

[JSn0w93]

Kampf is a real solid addition. Going to be an unsung hero for us.

 

[Optimist]

Should have won and we did. The lines came out of a blender but still looked ok. Penalty kill was awesome. I like the look of the power play with Marner in the slot. Despite Dubas' contract signing gaffes, the Nylander signing might turn out to be one of the best in the league. He's just getting started.

 

[GrizzLeaf]

Enjoyed the bulk of the game, except the first 10 mins or so. Leafs were slow to start, had me concerned they were gonna phone that one in.

Once they picked up the intensity, they looked dangerous most shifts.

PK wad solid. Not a fan of the fourth line but once Matthew's comes back it'll look different.

Willy continued where he left off. All in all, a nice, grindy win.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

He had an assist, hit a post and it was him that made that beauty setup to Nylander that went through Allen fivehole and just wide right?

I thought he looked pretty good TBH.

5v5 tonight:

CF%: 70.81
xGF%: 69.83

Like I said, I just don't see the purpose of him in the lineup if all he is going to be is a 2PP specialist. That doesn't mean he did not have a good game overall; it is more questioning his deployment.

We are putting a lot of pressure for him to be a threat offensively, because his defensive game is iffy (and was iffy at times today too) and we are going to have to give him a ton of offensive zone starts.

On top of that, he is eating into ES opportunities that should probably go to Rielly, who is much better with them... And since he is taking a spot of a guy who can PK, we are forced to play Rielly there. It may be a little bit more acceptable if they were willing to use Dermott on the PK, but that is not happening for whatever reason.

So we are left with Rielly playing the same amount of minutes, but less minutes where he excels and more minutes where he is unspectacularly solid (and of course forcing Dermott to RD after he has spent most of his NHL career at LD), to get Sandin an opportunity to play the easiest minutes. Meanwhile we have Liljegren sitting in the press box as a 2nd RHD who would literally resolve all of that: can play 2PP instead of Sandin, can play PK instead of Rielly, and allows Dermott to play LD.

 

[Americanadian]

Pros: Kampf looked great.

Cons: Dermott couldn’t handle the puck on his off side.

 

[Holls Blackmail]

He had an assist, hit a post and it was him that made that beauty setup to Nylander that went through Allen fivehole and just wide right?

I thought he looked pretty good TBH.

5v5 tonight:

CF%: 70.81
xGF%: 69.83

So that's part of the issue - you've listed all offensive qualities for a defenseman. Zero mention of this defensive play or play in his own zone.

I understand what you're saying but I also understand the other poster's opinion which is Sandin is not that good in his own zone and Dermott is likely the worst possible partner for him on the team.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Like I said, I just don't see the purpose of him in the lineup if all he is going to be is a 2PP specialist. That doesn't mean he did not have a good game overall; it is more questioning his deployment.

We are putting a lot of pressure for him to be a threat offensively, because his defensive game is iffy (and was iffy at times today too) and we are going to have to give him a ton of offensive zone starts.

On top of that, he is eating into ES opportunities that should probably go to Rielly, who is much better with them... And since he is taking a spot of a guy who can PK, we are forced to play Rielly there. It may be a little bit more acceptable if they were willing to use Dermott on the PK, but that is not happening for whatever reason.

So we are left with Rielly playing the same amount of minutes, but less minutes where he excels and more minutes where he is unspectacularly solid (and of course forcing Dermott to RD after he has spent most of his NHL career at LD), to get Sandin an opportunity to play the easiest minutes. Meanwhile we have Liljegren sitting in the press box as a 2nd RHD who would literally resolve all of that: can play 2PP instead of Sandin, can play PK instead of Rielly, and allows Dermott to play LD.

at 5v5, he lead Leafs defensemen in cf%, sf%, and xGF%. High danger chances were 8-1 for the Leafs with him on the ice. He also picked up an assist. Yeah it's just one game, but I don't understand why you have it out for him so much that you're questioning his place in the lineup after a performance like that

 

[ryno23]

watching Sandin tonight and he needs more time in the AHL. He is too small and slow right now. He is getting beat badly down low in his zone and Habs always dumped the puck in his corner. I don't see him as anything more than a Marc Andre Bergeron type a PP specialist.

 

[Ashdown2]

Why would you want a 4th liner who will be ranked 12th when you combine the two teams bottom 6es? Your amazement is odd.

Saying ranked 12th is even giving too much credit he doesn't belong on a contender. At least Brooks had brains to make up for his average skill set.

your grasping at straws .. i would have objections saying he was worse than paquette, simmonds, lehtonen and perrault ....

and you people really need to let go of the brooks obsession .... he wouldnt crack the canadiens lineup with a putrid 4th line. and guess the first player the canadiens waive when hoffman or edmunston comes back ... he wouldnt even get claimed

 

[therealkoho]

I said in the preseason that Simmonds skating looked a lot like Jumbos at the end of last season. It wasn't a compliment.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

So that's part of the issue - you've listed all offensive qualities for a defenseman. Zero mention of this defensive play or play in his own zone.

I understand what you're saying but I also understand the other poster's opinion which is Sandin is not that good in his own zone and Dermott is likely the worst possible partner for him on the team.

Well CF% and GF% does account for some defensive ability, but he does play a very sheltered offensive role so if he wasn't putting up good CF%/GF% numbers, it would be a major concern.

I felt like Dermott did a great job beside him. That should not come as a major surprise, but the fact that he did it on RD while sheltering Sandin makes it more impressive. Consistency and getting opportunities that has been the issue for him, but if he continues to play like this, the opportunities will flow in for him.

 

[stickty111]

THIS IS THE POST GAME THREAD. NOT YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SEASON THREAD AND WHY NOTHING MATTERS.

I WILL REMOVE YOU FROM THIS THREAD IF YOU CAN'T ADHERE TO VERY SIMPLE RULES AND TALK ABOUT THE GAME.

YOUR TEAM WON. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE HAPPY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIND A REASON TO BE NEGATIVE.

Thank you. About time a warning like this was made.

 

[DopeyFish]

One thing I forgot to mention. Simmonds looks better than last year. There were a few times where he just knocked the puck down with his stick. It showed his focus is back.

dont forget he started on fire last season and we were thinking he could maybe move up and down the lineup

but then... injury. never got back to the early season highs.

 

[GoLeafsGo96]

The new additions are looking good so far.

Kase looks incredible honestly - he helps keep that 3rd line an offensive threat.

Bunting is a bit of a rat, has a good nose for the net.

Kampf as 3C can get hammered with done faceoff starts (trusted to do it more than Kerfoot was last year) and will let the big boys feast on ozone draws.

Ritchie isn't special - but hes going to absorb pressure in front of the net and bang in a fair share of goals playing with AM/MM.

 

[Jojalu]

watching oilers game seems like a drop off for hyman from playing with matthews-marner to playing with RNH and yamamoto

Agreed. Or Tavares and Marner. Or Matthews and Nylander.

 

[Teeder Keon]

I said in the preseason that Simmonds skating looked a lot like Jumbos at the end of last season. It wasn't a compliment.

Love Wayne and the type of player he “ used “ to be and players of his ilk …..
But , to me it’s the most puzzling deal that we made to keep him
But you can’t make every decision “ Pollack” like
Go Leafs Go

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Where was mr Suzuki tonight? 8 million to ghost

We had a $10.93M & $11M ghost on line 1, what do you think is better?

 

[TheBeastCoast]

We had a $10.93M & $11M ghost on line 1, what do you think is better?

Marner had an assist and Tavares played well. Suzuki did absolutely nothing lol

 

[Torontonian]

First ten mins we were shit, after that we dictated the play and had chances to run away with the game. Glad our PK is off to a strong start, being a bottom 10 team in the league isn't going to cut it.

I would assume with the back to back, Lilly will get into the lineup for Sandin.

 

[Teeder Keon]

We had a $10.93M & $11M ghost on line 1, what do you think is better?

Our blue and white ghosts will always be better than theirs

 

[Lightsol]

Why is the knock on the Leafs that they only dominated for 50/60 minutes? That's a great night for any team

What I laugh at is the same ones don't seem to be bothered by the other team picking up a win showing up for 5 or 10 whole minutes...

 

[Teeder Keon]

We had a $10.93M & $11M ghost on line 1, what do you think is better?