Post-Game Talk: Leafs Eliminated.

[Larcos_Unal]

This series once again proves, that having a top heavy lineup does not work. Having players with letter that cannot play physical and have no pushback does not work. Letting players take liberties and cheap shots with your players and have zero response does not work.

Core has to change, Keefe needs to go, we need a #1 Dman...enough is enough

 

[ChurchOfMatthews]

Justin Holl was fantastic this series.

Ya, for Tampa and Florida.

 

[34]

I don't think that is true. Yes it was 4-1.

Leafs outplayed them in games 1, 2 and 5. too many big mistakes in games 1 and 2. and in the end, the stars didn't get it done in game 5 (yet again).

That series was closer than 4-1... but the Leafs kinda gave it away early and could not recover.

Garbage goaltending from Samsonov and Woll. Just terrible.

 

[Gallagbi]

I get what you're saying, but, at least Yzerman, Ovechkin and Stamkos all went out on their shield in every single playoff round that they lost before they won their cups. Those guys never ever had a series where they didn't score a goal in their early twenties.

Nah, they didnt. Tons of Q's around Yzerman and Ovi.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

it's the coaches job to get the players fired up for game and keefe was simply not capable of doing that.

The players know what's on the line. They're not or better not be reliant on inspiring words.

 

[Smif]

Not saying we should keep him, i just don't think just a new coach will magically fix everything.

We need a coach that makes Matthews score in the playoffs,.is that possible??

 

[wingman75]

I kinda feel no emotion. Last season I was raging after they were eliminated. Am I even still a fan? Sigh.

 

[Remu]

It's going to potentially be a historical offseason so at least we have that to look forward to.

 

[Nineteen67]

Can anyone give me a summary of the no goal call? Looked like a stop live, then the replays in the building looked in. There was no gesture or whistle from the ref, so a call on the ice ruling feels unliiely.

The play was deemed dead before the puck entered the net.

Tavares and Rielly should have kept playing and it would have counted. That’s a microcosm of how this team plays. Boston and a few other teams are always jabbing at the pads.

 

[mjd1001]

I kinda feel no emotion. Last season I was raging after they were eliminated. Am I even still a fan? Sigh.

The team isn't likeable, that is a big reason why.

 

[ruaware41]

This series once again proves, that having a top heavy lineup does not work. Having players with letter that cannot play physical and have no pushback does not work. Letting players take liberties and cheap shots with your players and have zero response does not work.

Core has to change, Keefe needs to go, we need a #1 Dman...enough is enough

Patrick Marleau corrupted the soul of Matthews and Marner. And then to make matters worse we went out and signed another Marleau in Tavares. Both these guys look like they’re out at the bog for a walk than a hockey game. How can the team be motivated when our captain gets bullied every game and doesn’t even bat an eye. We don’t need gritty players. We need our players to be gritty. Other top 6 groups do it just fine.

 

[wingman75]

The team isn't likeable, that is a big reason why.

To say the shine has worn off would be an understatement.

 

[TheShape]

Funny how Marner and Matthews' spent so much time with Marleau and his family when they first broke into the league only to become playoff choke artists like him.

It was puzzling when this organization doubled down on Marleau AND Thornton. Two players who were both stripped of their captaincy in their careers.

Red flags left and right, shoot your shot I guess.

 

[KPower]

Garbage goaltending from Samsonov and Woll. Just terrible.

Leafs only scored 2 goals every game. You’re clueless.

 

[Gary Nylund]

He had no defense for Gudas' can opener

and this year.

The path to the final was easy in 2021, not so easy this time.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

I would try and sign Nylander for $8-9M and trade Matthews and Marner for a the best package of draft picks and big, fast prospects they can get.

It’s drastic but those two have definitively proven themselves to be at best mediocre playoff performers. Nylander has shown more.
Then again though, watch him turn into the worst version of himself if you sign him 8 years big. I think we are stuck with all three once again next year.

 

[ITM]

Here is the complete quote from current Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe:

Wrong.

The opportunity was to beat the Panthers and face Carolina in the Conference Finals. If Game 5 wasn't about the series but simply one game needed to win on top of the other, then likewise, craft responses that similarly reflects the precise opportunity missed.

I repeated myself season after season, that typically, we would have to lose in the second round and learn from it; Possibly take another step and lose in the Conference Finals. And then break through a year or two later.

An opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup comes after 12 hard ass wins and we were 7 short. Far from said opportunity.

AND THAT might be part of the undisciplined psyche running through our club. That there's an absence of humility in approaching every shift and period and game like it demands your complete respect.

That's where structure and discipline come in, by automating approach and removing the possibility of accidental arrogance that is well beyond accidental in our top very talented duo.

 

[BertCorbeau]

The play was deemed dead before the puck entered the net.

Tavares and Rielly should have kept playing and it would have counted. That’s a microcosm of how this team plays. Boston and a few other teams are always jabbing at the pads.

Then again Boston celebrates like that and the refs probably call it a goal and it stands.

Doesn't matter. The Leafs' tied it in the their and had a chance to win.

 

[Gallagbi]

We need a coach that makes Matthews score in the playoffs,.is that possible??

The one gap i see is intent. In these games, we look scared to make a mistake and overly cautious. And honestly, in most losses we dont make many mistakes, but it costs us offensively.

I dont think that's on Keefe, but im hoping the new coach pushes pace and play more. In some cases, we play not to lose rather than trying to win

 

[Phion Keneuf]

Here is the complete quote from current Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe:

don’t even mention the cup buddy.
Trash ass team couldn’t even beat the Panthers or win a game at home.

 

[Amadeus]

Florida was a formidable opponent. They deserved to win the series and the Leafs were good but just not good enough.

 

[Suntouchable13]

The path to the final was easy in 2021, not so easy this time.

Florida didn't make excuses. They beat both 1st and 2nd place Atlantic teams. Their path was tougher than we ever faced. "tough path" is not an excuse. Sick of these less talented teams advancing. Sick of waiting for this "core" to do something.

 

[ruaware41]

let’s just be honest with each other for a second: the no goal call being called a goal doesn’t mean we win 3-2. It means it’s a tie game with several minutes left in the 3rd and we have no idea how they would have played during that time and probably wouldn’t have that much hustle in the last 3 minutes to end it.

 

[34]

Leafs only scored 2 goals every game. You’re clueless.

That is because Bobrovsky made the saves that the losers that the leafs had a net failed to make. That is the difference.

 

[seventieslord]

Fairly easy to accept at this point given the shit we've been through as fans for the last six years.

I loved the Tavares signing at the time. It was the move that was going to give us an elite 1-2 punch at center ice. The plan was to knock off a couple of cups in the first half of the contract and then ride out the rest. Unfortunately it didn't work out that way. Hindsight is a luxury we have six years later. Dubas saw an opportunity and went for it. I don't blame him. He's made plenty of other mistakes but I can't hang the Tavares signing on him.

That's all true but now that we are where we are, it's time to act accordingly.