Post-Game Talk: Leafs Blow Another Lead, Lose to Avs

[Scion]

You can make moves that look like losses on "paper" but can also balance out your team and possibly add pieces in certain spots where you're currently weak and spots that are extremely important to winning 16 intense playoff games.

How much longer do you think we should continue to run with this same coach and same 4 forward taking up all the cap space? There has to be a breaking point and to be honest this organization has stuck with this build longer than any other professsional sports team I can remember and I watch ALOT of different sports.

Sure, but don't fool yourself into thinking that path is without risk. It is very difficult to trade elite players and improve your team. There is a far greater likelihood that such a move sets the team back.

To answer your second question, I would probably fire Keefe at the end of this season because I think his message has gotten stale, and I've never felt that he held the teams best players accountable. However, for any meaningful improvement to be made the front office must improve the defense via UFA.

 

[francis246]

The thing that really grinds my gears seeing this dumb team blow 3-1 and 3-0 leads is they don't seem to have a game plan how to behave afterwards.

They seem to be stuck in some non game plan where they're neither hunting for a back breaking goal and pushing offense, or going into clock management mode where you do the pucks in deep, smash them up for a few shifts and kill the will to come back. They don't seem to be aware of how to hold a lead, management momentum or do anything.

One of the greatest feelings in hockey is watching your team suffocate the opposition and close out a decent lead, burn up the clock and go home happy. Keefe does not seem to have a game plan how to achieve this. He is a fool.

That’s on coaching. We’ve seen it in the playoffs too. Keefe has got to go. Followed by probably one of Marner or JT

 

[arso40]

Lily sure as heck isnt a #2 or 3D

Hes a 4/5D if this team was built properly

We are missing a two-way RHD to pair with Rielly who has size and physicality

And a Offensive LHD who plays with lilijgren bringin puck transitioning and in zone offensive creativity to assist lilijgrens calmer style of play

Brodie/Gio/Benoit should be 5/6/7

Like I said he’s been carrying gio he’s a 4 minimum not even debating with you but I agree with everything else lily is in a seperate tier r from the other three names

 

[stats1]

Keefe is such a terrible coach, never adjusts, we got players like Marner who just absolutely refuse to change their style of play for the betterment of the team. Marner needs Matthews, Matthews doesn’t need Marner. I’d trade Marner in a heart beat. And I’d let Tavares walk. It’s so obvious Nylander and Matthews drive this team. Marner loves to show off his 10k veneers when he smiles. All I see from Matthews is goals with smiles

 

[Stephen]

That’s on coaching. We’ve seen it in the playoffs too. Keefe has got to go. Followed by probably one of Marner or JT

Ideally, they charter a flight for JT and Marner out.

 

[PromisedLand]

Tavares has 1 even strength goal in his last 15 games (with 2 PP goals) .. and only 2 assists in his last 13, no points in his last 3 games.

I knew these last couple years of his deals could be rough. Had a great start to the season but we need more right now.

Also his leadership sucks.

Not only is he not even producing dude can't skate and his defensive awareness is a JOKE

adding to this shit is his blind backhand passes to the middle to no one in particular that leads to easy unforced turnovers and offensive rush with speed for opposition

Tavares is negative value right now

 

[arso40]

Like I said he’s been carrying gio he’s a 4 minimum not even debating with you but I agree with everything else lily is in a seperate tier r from the other three names

We’re missing riellys partner and a peeke for the bottom pair move out gio Brodie

 

[PromisedLand]

Marriage apparently has ruined Marner's on ice play ... no idea what's going on with him, but his underlying numbers are far from his career norms it seems. Just lots of poor decisions out there.

if he didn't sign a prenup he is going to get effed bad if things take a bad turn

 

[ToneDog]

I think Winnipeg should be a great example to look at for Toronto. Got rid of the majority of the stars but became a better team. Sometime addition is by subtraction. Would you rather 2 players at 5.5 then 1 guy that isn’t doing much.

They also have a goalie and their stars do not ask for overpayments even though they play in Winterpeg.

 

[bax]

The Canucks are a new team with a new coach.

Same with Edmonton. I’ve wanted keefe gone since the Montreal series. Enough is enough.

 

[TheShape]

I mentioned in the game thread that this unit was absolutely bodying us every shift. They did not tire out one bit, it was men against boys.

 

[francis246]

Ideally, they charter a flight for JT and Marner out.

I want to believe it but idk my gut says they run it back. They should have just traded him before the draft when his value was high coming off a 99 point season. We fumbled that

 

[PromisedLand]

It was a toss up game TBH. Refrain from the hate. That's a good team over there. We're not bad either.

Blowing a 3-0 lead two games in a row, this time when 3-0 lead was in the 1st period itself is not something to feel better about

 

[centipede2233]

And Winnipeg is doing it without k.conner to

 

[JL17]

They also have a goalie and their stars do not ask for overpayments even though they play in Winterpeg.

If you eliminate 22 mil you can go find some good pieces

 

[LeafSteel]

So many said Manson isn’t good enough for this team when he could have been had.

I’d sure like me some Manson on this team.

He’s good enough for me, and I’m pretty sure Matthews would prefer it if he was on our team too.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Thankfully Keefe decided to roll out Giordano on 2PP for our only power play of the game. Up 3-0 with 40 mins to go, so that means turtle into a defensive mindset immediately.

Keefe always coaches terrified. Part of the reason why it takes him half a calendar year to even contemplate breaking up AM/Marner and why young players completely stagnate under him.

Yep, and it goes back to scratching Lily in that first series vs Tampa. He wanted "safe", low upside vets in the lineup instead of talent.

 

[ToneDog]

I want to believe it but idk my gut says they run it back. They should have just traded him before the draft when his value was high coming off a 99 point season. We fumbled that

He could not trade Nylander. He'd have to give marner away and nobody is giving you much for Tavares.

 

[stats1]

Marner has some massive gum issues. Because like his underlying numbers in the league. He’s got veneers underlying his swollen gums. Dude needs to o dunno… get a check up on them from Tim to time or is he too lazy for that too?

 

[leafers]

Gregor doesn’t really do anything for us, Robertson should be in instead of him.

 

[Captain14]

Why was the 4th line out in the last few seconds? WTF.

Bertuzzi has not been good enough and I was one of the bigger supporters of signing him.

He isn't the greatest defensively and is very slow so alot of his value comes in being able to score goals and he simply hasn't done that this season.

To me he is David Clarkson 2.0 as much time as he spends falling all over the ice.
4th liner at this point.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I mentioned in the game thread that this unit was absolutely bodying us every shift. They did not tire out one bit, it was men against boys.

It's because they can skate.

 

[francis246]

Keefe is such a terrible coach, never adjusts, we got players like Marner who just absolutely refuse to change their style of play for the betterment of the team. Marner needs Matthews, Matthews doesn’t need Marner. I’d trade Marner in a heart beat. And I’d let Tavares walk. It’s so obvious Nylander and Matthews drive this team. Marner loves to show off his 10k veneers when he smiles. All I see from Matthews is goals with smiles

Agreed except Matthews is the only one with Veeners. Marner does not have veneers anyone with eyes can see that LOL

 

[1specter]

This is honestly embarrassing as f*** when we pay our players more than Colorado does...

 

[Stephen]

Not only is he not even producing dude can't skate and his defensive awareness is a JOKE

adding to this shit is his blind backhand passes to the middle to no one in particular that leads to easy unforced turnovers and offensive rush with speed for opposition

Tavares is negative value right now

That suicide feather pass to Bertuzzi after getting cycled to death. What a low brain cell decision. He's also regressing into late season Tavares, which is basically can't skate in a 5 on 5 shift, makes those tunnel vision ball hockey shots 20 feet wide, 10 feet high of the net, and can't handle a puck.