Post-Game Talk: Leafs Book Their Tickets for Game 7 [MOD WARNING in OP]

[Stephen]

Another excuse for the bottom half of the forwards group. They're getting off the hook far to easily year in and year out... Not expecting them to carry the team, but they need to be supporting the core in some way.

Robertson had 15g this year (poor play away from puck has cost him being in the lineup)
McMann had 20g this year
Laughton had 13g this year.

^ These players should be able to contribute offensively in some way come playoff time, they did it in the regular season.


Domi makes 3.8m (He's been ass this entire year & playoffs)
Jarnkork 2.2m (1g in 22games as a Leaf come playoffs)
Kampf 2.4m (Fairly expensive scratch).

^ These players aren't making chump change on the lower end of the lineup, they should provide something come playoffs.. Telling me it's too much to ask of all the players listed above to get 1 goal per series?

If every player in our bottom 6 scored 1g or even .5 of a goal, thats either 6 goals in the series or an extra 3.. You don't think that's a difference in the series? That's a win in game 4 or 5. But again with this iteration with the Leafs team, they are expected to score almost every goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Not disagreeing they need to carry come close out games, but god dam, give me a goal from our bottom 6 at somepoint)..

Matthews, Marner and Nylander each have as many goals as Simon Benoit. They have no basis to complain about secondary or tertiary scoring.

 

[Divine]

True that, but goaltending isn’t the problem……

It hasn't been the solution either though. You got to try something. We can't change our entire team from Game 5 to 6, but we can change our goaltender.

The last two games, through 60 minutes, we've held the Senators to 14 and 15 shots respectively. We've lost both.

I get the argument that last game we'd lose anyway because we scored 0 goals, sure, but it's not necessarily true we'd be chasing the game after the 5th shot and that could have changed the outcome. Stolarz was beat on the first shot of the game also but luckily Rielly pulled it off the goal line, otherwise we would have been chasing the game from the first shot.

We had better chances than the Senators. We had a Matthews 2 on 1, a Tavares breakaway, Marner alone with the goalie, a 2 on 0, etc. Their goalie made more, and tougher, saves than ours.

The forwards are a part of the team and rightly blamed. The goaltenders are also a part of the team and should also face blame when they have poor stats. Yes, the Senators only scored 2 goals - but people keep forgetting the part where the Senators only got 15 shots on Stolarz. 2 goals on 15 shots is not good goaltending.

Ullmark, in comparison, allowed 0 goals on 29 shots. 29 shots is how many shots Stolarz faced through 60 minutes in Game 4 & 5 combined... and he allowed 5 goals on them.

 

[Evilhomer]

You're one to talk LOL. All you do is predict that we win this, win that, It started more than a year ago when you said we'd take over first place in December and stay there which obviously turned out to be a complete joke and your predictions have become a running joke around here. IIRC you said this series was over even before game 2 started and we're going to the finals, Florida is the only team that has a chance against us and a bunch of other nonsense.

All of that is still the case. Toronto will win this series, and Florida remains the biggest obstacle. But, yes, the rest of this place is losing its collective minds because the Leafs lost 2 games. I get it. This is what Leafs fans do, and they are absolutely entitled to do so given the team's recent history.

Pouding my chest after beating Ottawa? Not me. I'm the one saying that beating Ottawa is meaningless for the Leafs and will prove nothing.

 

[Torontonian]

Matthews, Marner and Nylander each have as many goals as Simon Benoit. They have no basis to complain about secondary or tertiary scoring.

They also have 5+ more points then him, resulting in goals no?

 

[Evilhomer]

The reason they are the odds-on favourite is pretty obvious - they are the only team to be a sure thing to play in the second round.

At the same time, who the heck is betting on Carolina winning the Cup? They have strong special teams, but that goaltending isn't getting them anywhere, and their offense will be a problem in the later rounds as it always is. No question they are an incredible first round team, but I think that's mostly because they almost always have the easiest opponent in the first round because of how mediocre the Metro division is.

 

[Gabriel426]

McMann is probably the most disappointing forward for me... His game with speed and physicality seemed ripe for a strong playoff performer, but he's been such a non-factor.

A shame because he was a valuable depth offense player in the season.

It is also his first playoffs

 

[Stephen]

They also have 5+ more points then him, resulting in goals no?

Doesn’t work like that my man. Blaming the rotating cast of support players when the core guys need to be producing.

Trevor Moore has double the goals as Auston Matthews. Corey Perry at 40 looks more ready to contribute than Matthews. There’s zero basis to blame everyone else.

 

[HolyCrap]

This is realistically AMs last chance. If he can't take over 1 of 4 games in this series to close it out....I'm f***in down with him.

Move him...let Marner walk and time to start over.

Agreed. Mathews should be moved for the best package possible if he doesn’t step up this playoffs.

 

[Stephen]

It is also his first playoffs

We shouldn’t be making excuses for Bobby freaking McMann. You don’t see a number of Senators playoff newbies shitting his pants in his first playoffs. Win or lose they’re still doing a job. For McMann, you either do a job or you don’t. Guys at his level don’t always get the benefit of the second playoffs run.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Another excuse for the bottom half of the forwards group. They're getting off the hook far to easily year in and year out... Not expecting them to carry the team, but they need to be supporting the core in some way.

Robertson had 15g this year (poor play away from puck has cost him being in the lineup)
McMann had 20g this year
Laughton had 13g this year.

^ These players should be able to contribute offensively in some way come playoff time, they did it in the regular season.


Domi makes 3.8m (He's been ass this entire year & playoffs)
Jarnkork 2.2m (1g in 22games as a Leaf come playoffs)
Kampf 2.4m (Fairly expensive scratch).

^ These players aren't making chump change on the lower end of the lineup, they should provide something come playoffs.. Telling me it's too much to ask of all the players listed above to get 1 goal per series?

If every player in our bottom 6 scored 1g or even .5 of a goal, thats either 6 goals in the series or an extra 3.. You don't think that's a difference in the series? That's a win in game 4 or 5. But again with this iteration with the Leafs team, they are expected to score almost every goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Not disagreeing they need to carry come close out

The bottom half is trash 100%. It's because outside of Domi you have NO ONE making over $3M. That is INSANE. Sure it'd be nice if some of our plugs put up more points, but at the end of the day they are plugs are paid either accordingly or are overpaid.

Let me show you somethings.

Door 1: 5 Games, 1 Goal, $13.25MM
Door 2. 5 Games, 1 Goal, $13.55MM

What's behind door 1? The Captain Auston Matthews!

What's Behind Door 2? Domi, Roberson, Holmberg, Mcmann, Lorentz, Laughton, Jarnkrok, and Kampf

Matthews gets to play every single shift with Marner and Knies. He can't outscore a bunch of plugs who play exclusively with fellow plugs. Why are you getting mad at the plugs who collectively make just as much and are collectively giving you the same impact as the Captain?

Begging for more scoring from our collective group of plugs is just silly. Time for an eight figure player to say "If our plugs won't help us win a close out game, I'll win it BY MYSELF" .

 

[HolyCrap]

For a lawyer Evil makes no sense, most lawyers I know are a cynical bunch, and base their opinions on tempered outcomes……..

Pretty sure that poster is just trolling us. He’s not a Leafs fan.

 

[Stephen]

Agreed. Mathews should be moved for the best package possible if he doesn’t step up this playoffs.

I think we are at the point where trading Auston Matthews is just a valid line of thought. As bad it was for Boston when they traded Joe Thornton, you can kind of see how a franchise can get sick of an elite player with big character issues and they just choose to go in a different direction. Think there’s been enough bad times where the Leafs could be at that level. His 2024 playoffs and 2024-25 season has just been a massive turn off.

 

[Pete2000]

My Toronto Maple Leafs:

A spear with a shaft strong, straight, and true, crafted from the finest forest timber. Unbending and resilient, it surges with unrelenting resolve. Yet, its head is dull, brittle, and unsharpened, powerless to pierce the foe, no matter the force behind it.

Conclusion: The core four, the spear’s head, can’t even pop a balloon, despite the might driving it. My illusion that this team was different has, ironically, left my own balloon burst.

 

[Torontonian]

Doesn’t work like that my man. Blaming the rotating cast of support players when the core guys need to be producing.

Trevor Moore has double the goals as Auston Matthews. Corey Perry at 40 looks more ready to contribute than Matthews. There’s zero basis to blame everyone else.

Of course it works like that.. Assists and Goals both lead to the same thing, a goal scored.... If Matthews or anyone else goes 0G and 25A during the playoffs or vice versa, 25G and 0A are you going to nit pick he got zero goals? He was apart of 25 goals scored regardless..

If you don't have goals or an assist, you're not contributing to the offence, that's my issue. There are alot of passengers on the team right now contributing to nothing, but no blame on em.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

Maybe, just maybe these guys aren't capable of elevating their game. If I was a GM and these came to me and asked for McDavid or Drai money I would laugh in their face. These guys can only win a maximum of three games per series, that is it.

 

[HolyCrap]

I think we are at the point where trading Auston Matthews is just a valid line of thought. As bad it was for Boston when they traded Joe Thornton, you can kind of see how a franchise can get sick of an elite player with big character issues and they just choose to go in a different direction. Think there’s been enough bad times where the Leafs could be at that level. His 2024 playoffs and 2024-25 season has just been a massive turn off.

I say that being a huge Mathews fan too. It may be time to move on from him if he doesn’t step up soon. Same could be said about Marner and the other core players. Although Tavares has been solid.

 

[wingman75]

Theyve probably tuned the Chief out, seems to be there go to move when the going gets tough……

Coach had some interesting comments.

The one the stood out to me was related to the PP, the game ender, the one with the soft turnover and SHG, where he said it wasn't direct enough and there were not enough pucks towards the net.

To me that says these guys went off script, and fell back into their safe-pass-it-around-the-perimeter style of play.

Imagine having to convince guys, professionals, that what they natively do is wrong. On top of that, the proof is in the pudding, yet they still fall back to what they feel most comfortable doing.

That part is amazing to me mainly becasue we all know these are some of the most talented and best players in the world, and you would think they have made adjustments throughout their career to become as good as they are, but collectively they cannot cmmit to doing what is necessary when it most matters.

Perhaps I am over analyzing.

 

[wingman75]

I say that being a huge Mathews fan too. It may be time to move on from him if he doesn’t step up soon. Same could be said about Marner and the other core players. Although Tavares has been solid.

Crazy that Tavares is the one most people are okay with... he was supposed to be a lump of shit by now. Good on'em!

 

[Stephen]

I say that being a huge Mathews fan too. It may be time to move on from him if he doesn’t step up soon. Same could be said about Marner and the other core players. Although Tavares has been solid.

I was a big Matthews fan but just seems like he missed every character upgrade over the years, failed to keep step with every other franchise player, can’t win a meaningful game to save his life and the worst was the injury debacle in last years playoffs. Fight on the bench. No show for the 3rd period, misses two elimination games. No explanation ever given. Really off putting.

 

[ACC1224]

Of course it works like that.. Assists and Goals both lead to the same thing, a goal scored.... It Matthews or anyone else goes 0G and 25A during the playoffs or vice versa, 25G and 0A are you going to nit pick he got zero goals? He was apart of 25 goals scored regardless..

If you don't have goals or an assist, you're not contributing to the offence

Matthews and Nylander are paid to score goals. They need to bring that.

 

[seventieslord]

This is where you can put a few bucks on Ottawa to ease the pain if we somehow lose the series




View attachment 1026303

I really wish I did it 4 days ago back when the payoff would have been like 50 to 1.

 

[Stephen]

Coach had some interesting comments.

The one the stood out to me was related to the PP, the game ender, the one with the soft turnover and SHG, where he said it wasn't direct enough and there were not enough pucks towards the net.

To me that says these guys went off script, and fell back into their safe-pass-it-around-the-perimeter style of play.

Imagine having to convince guys, professionals, that what they natively do is wrong. On top of that, the proof is in the pudding, yet they still fall back to what they feel most comfortable doing.

That part is amazing to me mainly becasue we all know these are some of the most talented and best players in the world, and you would think they have made adjustments throughout their career to become as good as they are, but collectively they cannot cmmit to doing what is necessary when it most matters.

Perhaps I am over analyzing.

The captain no look sauced the puck with no pressure to Gaudette allowing the PK back breaker. Marner wasn’t even within 25 feet of where the puck was going. If there’s an anti Mark Messier no leadership award, with would be the Matthews Trophy.

 

[Torontonian]

Matthews and Nylander are paid to score goals. They need to bring that.

Again, please tell me the difference between scoring a goal, and making a pass to someone else that scores a goal. They registered a point on a goal scored no? They were apart of the goal scored.. or am I incorrect?

We are taking as if the top guys are going 0G and 0A apart from the 1 game this series..

 

[Stephen]

Of course it works like that.. Assists and Goals both lead to the same thing, a goal scored.... If Matthews or anyone else goes 0G and 25A during the playoffs or vice versa, 25G and 0A are you going to nit pick he got zero goals? He was apart of 25 goals scored regardless..

If you don't have goals or an assist, you're not contributing to the offence, that's my issue. There are alot of passengers on the team right now contributing to nothing, but no blame on em.

Matthews has 2 playoff goals going back to the 2023 Tampa series winning game. OEL has more playoff goals this week. Let it sink in how utter awful Matthews is as a playoff performer before talking about assists.

 

[seventieslord]

I understand how people love to crap on this team, but the reality is that the odds of a team coming back from 3-0 to win a series are so low that common sense says the leafs will ultimately win. God know they won't be tired after this series because it has all the intensity of watching paint dry.

but it's not 3-0 anymore. it's 3-2. Teams come back from 3-2 all the time.

I'm not even sure the odds are any worse for Ottawa right now than they would be had the series reached the 3-2 mark "naturally".