Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose 4-1

[All Mod Cons]

Tavares at LEAGUE MINIMUM, or see ya later. Sure, he can score when given time and space, however he fumbles the puck when pressured and looses too many puck battles. It also doesn't help that he's now too slow.

Our PP is basically 4 on 4 with a guy stood somewhat near the goalie. Said player cannot help you enter the zone either.

 

[Leafs98]

Tavares at LEAGUE MINIMUM, or see ya later. Sure, he can score when given time and space, however he fumbles the puck when pressured and looses too many puck battles. It also doesn't help that he's now too slow.

If he's off the power play and his points per game drops exponentially there wont be much out there for him. There is no need to fool anyone anymore. Need to move on next season and use the 4-5 mil somewhere else. Its only going to get worse.

 

[Stephen]

Keeping Tavares around beyond this contract would be for sentimental reasons. But I also don’t think we have a strong sentimental attachment to him as a Leaf either. So as I’ve speculated and wanted over the past 2 years walking away from JT and spending his full cap might be the most obvious thing to do.

 

[Evilhomer]

Keeping Tavares around beyond this contract would be for sentimental reasons. But I also don’t think we have a strong sentimental attachment to him as a Leaf either. So as I’ve speculated and wanted over the past 2 years walking away from JT and spending his full cap might be the most obvious thing to do.

I agree with you, but I just don't see the team letting him go.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

1st game back at Scotia last night for me .. team looks much better this year .. much more balanced team .. we are better than Rangers .. their tender flat out goalied us otherwise that was an easy win .. Rielly lost his man in front of our end for da decisive goal against .. he just can't be trusted defensively .. and looks to me like he has been yanked from PP1 too .. i think his time is up here after he cost us da series to bruins with his mindless defensive play in OT .. Berube has figured him out quickly .. he did have a glorious chance point blank in slot to tie game and a top end 1D finishes that one but he didn't .. oh well .. i really like OEL he was an amazing pickup and our D core is much much improved .. and so is our tending .. nice job Tree .. well done .. to echo others on here JT has really dropped off again his speed

 

[notbias]

Our PP is basically 4 on 4 with a guy stood somewhat near the goalie. Said player cannot help you enter the zone either.

Said player had the best PP chance last night...

Also, didn't we just need OEL and a point shot? What happened to that talk?

 

[All Mod Cons]

1st game back at Scotia last night for me .. team looks much better this year .. much more balanced team .. we are better than Rangers .. their tender flat out goalied us otherwise that was an easy win .. Rielly lost his man in front of our end for da decisive goal against .. he just can't be trusted defensively .. and looks to me like he has been yanked from PP1 too .. i think his time is up here after he cost us da series to bruins with his mindless defensive play in OT .. Berube has figured him out quickly .. he did have a glorious chance point blank in slot to tie game and a top end 1D finishes that one but he didn't .. oh well .. i really like OEL he was an amazing pickup and our D core is much much improved .. and so is our tending .. nice job Tree .. well done .. to echo others on here JT has really dropped off again his speed

It's as if Mrs. Tavares had 3 or 4 babies in the offseason.

 

[SprDaVE]

When you're stacking Matty, Mitch, Willy, and JT looking for a goal, the only line still intact is the fourth. They weren't bad, and you could argue they were more effective than the Tavares line.

The coach can't get creative with his line juggling? Reaves has to be on the ice? We're trying to score a goal, not punch someone.

 

[IPS]

Keeping Tavares around beyond this contract would be for sentimental reasons. But I also don’t think we have a strong sentimental attachment to him as a Leaf either. So as I’ve speculated and wanted over the past 2 years walking away from JT and spending his full cap might be the most obvious thing to do.

The bigger problem is is that this organization coddles him. He can play so unbelievably terrible yet still gets reps on PP1, and always has Marner or Nylander as his linemate to keep his offensive numbers afloat.

He can't skate. He can't pass. He bobbles every puck. He's a turnover machine. Eventually he gets demoted because it gets so bad it can't be ignored yet the demotion barely even lasts a game, next thing you know he's already back in his spot and back getting reps on PP1.

It's utterly baffling he gets as much rope as he does.

 

[Nineteen67]

3-2 after 5 games is on schedule.

 

[notbias]

3-2 after 5 games is on schedule.

It'd be our worst season in a long time...

The coach can't get creative with his line juggling? Reaves has to be on the ice? We're trying to score a goal, not punch someone.

4th line hasn't looked good in a couple of games, Reaves hasn't done anything, so it might be time to sit him.

Give Pacioretty a longer look in the top 9 and push Holmberg to the 4th line for now.

All of a sudden you have a more responsible 4th line with slightly more offense.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Hard to be critical after last night's game. They played a really good game and some players really shone. Knies is going to be a beast for years to come. Matthews was terrific all night, and even Marner was creating. Nylander had great chances. Even Timmins looked serviceable. Goaltending and defence were solid again.

But, there are some things that need to be addressed. Tavares should not be on the first power play. Rielly's defensive work is shoddy at best. We need more from a guy like Robertson. On a night where goals are hard to come by, he needs to produce. I thought that's one of the reasons we signed an aging Pacioretty, to get goals when we're struggling to produce them. Holmberg again is really useles. Even his strength, defensively responsible, has been lacking. That third line can be replaced by the best line of the Marlies and it would probably be an improvement. The fourth line is not going to score much, if the third doesn't either we're in trouble on nights like last night.

I'm sure Berube and Treliving are going to address these things soon. They've done a great job thus far. We've only lost two, and both we dominated but were goalied. Should be 5-0 based on our play.

 

[notbias]

I'm sure Berube and Treliving are going to address these things soon. They've done a great job thus far. We've only lost two, and both we dominated but were goalied. Should be 5-0 based on our play.

They didn't dominate... they slightly outplayed the opposition.

They should not be 5-0 based on their play, there are some very close games play-wise.

3-2 or 4-1 seems like an expected start based on how they've played.

 

[Nineteen67]

It'd be our worst season in a long time...



4th line hasn't looked good in a couple of games, Reaves hasn't done anything, so it might be time to sit him.

Give Pacioretty a longer look in the top 9 and push Holmberg to the 4th line for now.

All of a sudden you have a more responsible 4th line with slightly more offense.

I feel like they’ll win a few more along the way. But based on their schedule coming out 3-2 was about what I expected. A 6-5 October would set them up nice.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Switch goalies and we run them out of the building. Better team lost. Bring on Tampa.

We need to win this division. But man, it’s clearly the toughest in the league

First in the East usually means a quick exit and I doubt we can win it.

 

[notbias]

I feel like they’ll win a few more along the way. But based on their schedule coming out 3-2 was about what I expected. A 6-5 October would set them up nice.

I don't doubt they will break 100, and 5 games is too small to get a grasp on too much, but I have mixed feelings about the start... it looks like the same team to me, I'm not seeing this big boost in play, and 3-2 5 game splits would lead to a 98 point season which I'd also not feel good about.

Like I said, 5 games, not really concerned, they've at least been competitive in every game and dominate in some.

 

[Gary Nylund]

They didn't dominate... they slightly outplayed the opposition.

They should not be 5-0 based on their play, there are some very close games play-wise.

3-2 or 4-1 seems like an expected start based on how they've played.

This seems accurate.

So far so good this season. I like the style of play and the focus on playing good D, good job Berube so far.

 

[therealkoho]

Well this is different, LeaFlands ire is now turned on to the former captain full bore.

Enjoy the respite Mitch, sadly someone will soon remember you're still here.

Other than that what a great hockey game. There were a few Leafs who had exceptional nights without the results their efforts should have wrought. There were also a couple of Bud's who had games below their abilities, ok ok much below, happy!

I still have no idea how that pass snuck through all those players and onto Kreiders stick. That was either a major league play by the Rags or just sweet luck, the kind the Leafs weren't getting.

Put it in the rear view boys, there's no amount of hand wringing that will change the result. Nothing you can say that that the coach and management will listen too.

Just be ready for the Lightning, the most important thing on your schedule right now!

 

[stickty111]

Good game overall but a bad PP, great goalie and questionable coaching failed us in the end. Putting your 4th line out twice in last 5 mins when you need a goal is not a smart decision.

 

[Trapper]

This seems accurate.

So far so good this season. I like the style of play and the focus on playing good D, good job Berube so far.

It’s early so I’m not going to judge Berube until American Thanksgiving. However, this was the 1st Cup contending team we’ve faced this year.

We didn’t play bad but we still have the same results as Ray Ferraro said last year. If there are 8 ways to win the Leafs will find the 2 that lose. It could be a goalie duel, 1 penalty or 1 anemic power play that is the difference between contenders and the game.

We need to prove that we don’t always come out on the wrong end of it.

 

[hoglund]

I didn't see the game, only saw the score and thought to myself "the Leafs get killed by a good team". After seeing the highlights I realize that the score is very misleading and it was really a 2-1 game and the Leafs for the most part played well.

 

[stickty111]

The coach can't get creative with his line juggling? Reaves has to be on the ice? We're trying to score a goal, not punch someone.

Hey at least it's different than Keefe. This time it's a bad different.

 

[kevsh]

I'm very much a Leafs cynic but I liked what I saw last night overall.

The PP still needs work and they didn't get to the front of the net enough, but they had loads of prime scoring chances - Shesterkin is a beast - and they matched up well against a very big, talented and strong team at both ends of the rink.

 

[Machinae]

Tavares has 2 pts in 5 games, but he should have 0. He has been horrific. Easily the worst player in the top 9

Rielly has been crap offensively and defensively. Consistently icing the puck when not pressured, horrible board play defending, looking flat footed often. He is playing like hes ready to fall off a cliff and become a bottom pairing guy the nest 15 months

Nylander, Marner and Matthews are playing Just OK. Chances need to be converted, marner needs to stop being an overpasser and far distance shooter, nylander needs to slow down and look to create for his line mates, matthews needs to observe the ice better and try to utilize his wingers more often

The defense + goaltending has been great, the core 5 guys are failing very early into the year offensively.

Need to turn it around as the season goes on

Tavares is being anchored by two waiver fodder players. Jarncrok will help him out big time when he returns. Even Dewar would be an improvement on his wing.

 

[Gary Nylund]

It’s early so I’m not going to judge Berube until American Thanksgiving. However, this was the 1st Cup contending team we’ve faced this year.

We didn’t play bad but we still have the same results as Ray Ferraro said last year. If there are 8 ways to win the Leafs will find the 2 that lose. It could be a goalie duel, 1 penalty or 1 anemic power play that is the difference between contenders and the game.

We need to prove that we don’t always come out on the wrong end of it.

I'm not going to judge anyone until the playoffs are over.

For us the regular season is basically an 82 game warmup to get ready for the games that really matter. What we've done in previous years is basically f*** around playing pond hockey, and when the playoffs start we're not ready to play playoff hockey. We're playing playoff style hockey now which to me, is a very good sign.

Keep playing the way we're playing and we'll come out on the right side of it often enough. And if we get out-goalied again in the spring, that will suck of course but I can live with it if we fight hard until the end, instead of rolling over and giving it away in game 7 as we've done all too often in the past.