Post-Game Talk: Leafs lay a next-gen egg in a lackluster loss 4-2 to the Senators.

[Fogelhund]

Gibson isn't a below average goalie he just needs to get off the Ducks, put him on a good team and he becomes John Gibson again.

Columbus is a bottom 5 team, they are in full rebuild mode, I see no reason they wouldn't move Merzlinks given where they are in the standings.

And as for MAF it came out afterward that a deal never got to the point where he was asked to waive but that had he been asked to waive he would have agreed to come, I see no reason that would change now.

Gibson. GSAA has been negative for the last four full seasons. SV% below average.

Many goalies can have decent stats, behind bad teams. He doesn’t.

Columbus isn’t a seller of assets that would help them compete. Excess assets sure… but they aren’t rebuilding, and he’s their only decent goalie… so not likely available.

MAF… who knows. I mean, his best before date is well past, and we still need to fix a bunch of other things before attempting a bandaid.

 

[3blizzard4]

Keefe: I'll just chalk it up the loss to a few days off without playing.

Correction: I'll just chalk it up to the spoilt undeserved multi millionaire core not giving a damn.

Also Keefe: I can't wait til the summer when Willy gets paid!

 

[Al14]

After what happened in the 2nd period, I changed channels and NEVER RETURNED. Based on the final score, I assume that our Leafs NEVER RETURNED for the 3rd period too.

60 some odd years cheering for this franchise and this current team EMBARRASSES me the most.

I'd be happy with NO PLAYOFFS if at least these f***ERS would beat just 3 teams... the Habs, Sens, and Pens.

The Habs because of their smug fans. The Sens because I take nothing but grief from family and friends when our Leafs lose to them. And finally, the Pens, because of you know who !!!

f*** you Leafs, f*** you Shanahan, f*** you MLSE, and for good measure, f*** you NHL and Bettman !!!

 

[supermann_98]

This was supposed to be for the kids/next generation!

Hopefully they're teaching the next generation early that winning a cup in their lifetime won't happen, just like it hasn't happened for our generation

 

[ULF_55]

Keefe: I'll just chalk it up the loss to a few days off without playing.

Correction: I'll just chalk it up to the spoilt undeserved multi millionaire core not giving a damn.

Also Keefe: I can't wait til the summer when Willy gets paid!

Also Keefe: I'm sure once he's being paid like the other elite forwards he'll show their drive and determination and commitment to excellence.

 

[Al14]

Problem wasn't goaltending tonight. The gwg was just a fluke.

They just couldn't jam in a crease scramble. Marner was completely MIA. And PP was the worst I've seen in years.

Trade that little puke Marner for a defenseman and goalie. Give Nylander Marner's money.

Nylander didn't play a great game either, but at least he's underpaid compared to that overpaid Marner !!!

 

[hamzarocks]

We luck into a generational player like Makar and then win the cup.

Don't think we could do that now anyways

Lottery only is for 10 spots right now a days?

If we have a horrible fall off and come 15th or 16th in the league we could only get 5th or 6th OA pick at best

Pizza Man needs to get us better goal tending and fix the defense

 

[supermann_98]

In the very few games this team actually starts on time and put up a lead they love to sit back and relax hoping the goalie will hold the lead for the last 40 minutes, it's just laziness.

This ain't the '95 NJ Devils who can just completely shut down the other team because they don't have anything close to the structure, the D-men, or the goalie necessary to do that.

The structure I blame on Keefe, the mindset I blame on the players, specifically the "leadership" group. This team will be first round fodder for Florida again, only this time I see it going 4 games instead of 5

 

[supermann_98]

Jumping off the glass after scoring an empty net goal on a last place team is so Senators. Brady was the right choice for their Captain.

I'd take him over our captain 10 times outta 10

 

[capfit9]

I wasn't being sarcastic.

my bad

 

[myleafs]

trash oilers team. McDavid is not a top 20 player this season. 12 goals?

settle down

 

[Stephen]

I have never seen a team be more content to make pretty passing plays while on the PP than these Leafs. Shoot the damn puck while creating chaos in front of the net ffs!

I feel like the team must keep “completed passes” as a stat or something. Never seen a collection of players who don’t seem to mind not scoring on the PP like them.

 

[Stephen]

Beru

The third line played quite well today and has been fine for most of the year. The real concern is the team's inability to break out and defend in the DZ. Some of the problem is structure and mentality, but most of it is a defense that is neither heavy nor quick. I'd like to see this team with a top pairing D before I feel comfortable evaluating what they are. That's just me though.


That defense had Pietrangelo, Parayko, Bouwmeester, Dunn, Edmundson and Bortuzzo. I like Berube but he isn't going to magically turn chicken shit into chicken salad.

Berube wouldn’t be able to solve the defensive issues single-handedly but I think he’d be able to up their motivation levels on a consistent basis.

 

[rumman]

This is a cohesive team.

When they suck, they all suck together.

But I don't think this is a happy team.

Perhaps that's why some rentals are in no rush to re-sign?

There’s two tribes on this team, the elite’s and the grunt’s……..

 

[ULF_55]

There’s two tribes on this team, the elite’s and the grunt’s……..

I think there may be more than 2.

Tier 1: Exempt (2)
Tier 2: Blamable (5)
Tier 3: NHLPA members (7) associate members of Tier 2.
Tier 4: Busable (6)

Goaltenders union precludes inclusion in the above tribes.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

In the very few games this team actually starts on time and put up a lead they love to sit back and relax hoping the goalie will hold the lead for the last 40 minutes, it's just laziness.

This ain't the '95 NJ Devils who can just completely shut down the other team because they don't have anything close to the structure, the D-men, or the goalie necessary to do that.

The structure I blame on Keefe, the mindset I blame on the players, specifically the "leadership" group. This team will be first round fodder for Florida again, only this time I see it going 4 games instead of 5

The Leafs are like water with their effort. Always trying to find the path of least resistance. They don't want to give the extra effort...just enough is what they strive for.

 

[myleafs]

There’s two tribes on this team, the elite’s and the grunt’s……..

Tres comment when he showed up about how this team isnt about the core 4 but about the team sure seems like hot air at this point. If anything, with all of marner matthews and nylander playing pp1 pk now, its never been more about the core 4 . Throw in the lack of dog from our top guys and the lack of pushback, stickupforyourteam from the same core and it doesnt feel like a team at all to me.

A lot of the talking points and success have been about personal goals this yr. Nylander streak, Tavares 1000pts, matthews goal scoring. As much as those are all nice feel good stories, what good are any of those personal milestones if the team doesnt show up for each other and when it counts? I mean if 34 scores 70, thats nice and all but if he gets ragdolled and smirks, skates away when his linemate is taking abuse and goes on to lose in the 1st round does it mean as much? Im sure it does for Matthews and his family but It doesnt for me.

The core is above the team and are treated as such. No accountability with our top guys and they know it. Pretty sure the rest of the team notices this.

 

[hoglund]

You know I never like to be overly reactionary but that's the sort of game that makes one go from "how do we fix this team" to ".....you know, maaaaybe we just ride this one out, draft, and re-evaluate in the offseason..."

It doesn't seem too difficult to see what's wrong, it's goaltending. The Leafs outplayed and out shot Ottawa, but 2 soft goals especially the one behind the net and bounced off Jones' back. I don't know how the Leafs will fix this, but that's what's wrong with the team.

You know I never like to be overly reactionary but that's the sort of game that makes one go from "how do we fix this team" to ".....you know, maaaaybe we just ride this one out, draft, and re-evaluate in the offseason..."

It doesn't seem too difficult to see what's wrong, it's goaltending. The Leafs outplayed and out shot Ottawa, but 2 soft goals especially the one behind the net and bounced off Jones' back. I don't know how the Leafs will fix this, but that's what's wrong with the team.

 

[ULF_55]

The Leafs are like water with their effort. Always trying to find the path of least resistance. They don't want to give the extra effort...just enough is what they strive for.

I wondered what some were watching with the comments last night.
Thinking it was going to be a walkover.

They looked good for less than 1/2 a period, but you could see they were playing on the margin and making risky plays, and mindless decisions.

They played without purpose.
They just don't seem to be a team.

A collection of talent, leaderless and rudderless.

 

[stickty111]

Penguins now just 4 points behind the Leafs all though Leafs have a game in hand. Woll, Keefe and Matthews are carrying the Leafs. Dubas was called the worst GM in franchise history, yet our current GM has us very close in the standings with him.

 

[pcruz]

Ottawa had nothing last night until a bad giveaway and Pewee level backcheck on the power play gift-wrapped a short handed goal.

Brodie falls outside his blue line and a bad rebound goes right into the stick for a tap-in.

A terrible bounce off the back of the goalie goes in somehow.

A bad giveaway goes right back for an empty net goal.

Meanwhile, Bertuzzi missed 2 open nets.
Matthews had another one blocked with seconds left.

Does anyone even have memories as far back as before the injury bug infested the back end of the team?

 

[Gary Nylund]

I wondered what some were watching with the comments last night.
Thinking it was going to be a walkover.

They looked good for less than 1/2 a period, but you could see they were playing on the margin and making risky plays, and mindless decisions.

They played without purpose.
They just don't seem to be a team.

A collection of talent, leaderless and rudderless.

Like O'Dog said, this is not a serious team.

 

[Darch]

I don't understand why this team keeps getting one D caught in deep so often. Don't bother! Outside of Rielly, nobody scores from the back end! 2 Goals due to that. Can't blame the goalie for the poor system in place.

 

[leafsfan5]

East is too much of a joke for them not to sleepwalk into the playoffs.

Yeah they will be finishing top 3 in the Atlantic, only competition is Tampa who is nowhere near as good as in years past

Once we get into the playoffs we will be absolutely outclassed, though. Our current matchup is Florida who is actually defensively responsible + plays the physical kind of playoff hockey that will wear us down. Likely a 5 gamer once again

 

[RunItBackAgain]

Too many holes to fill this year. I honestly think we should sell or hold steady. If we spend assets this year idk what they're thinking. As I've been saying for a while, this is our D core if we want to win the cup:

Rielly - X
X - X
McCabe - Lilly

Thats it. Not exaggerating, that's the facts. McCabe can play #4 if the #3 is good and matches his style, but that's about the extent of it. Sure Brodie could be on the bottom pair probably, but for 5M he can just take a hike, I'd rather Benoit/Laggy/Lilly/Whoever there.