Post-Game Talk: Leafs Lose 4-2 to Pittsburgh.

[ACC1224]

Basically they seem awfully quiet in practice like something is wrong with the team lately. That's as Colesy as I can make it

Thanks.
Quiet as in sulking or focused?

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Thanks.
Quiet as in sulking or focused?

Sounded more like disgruntled. The guys talking didn't know if it was because they got skated or something deeper. Some reporter from another city asked "Are they always this quiet". Basically, something feels wrong in practice according to Luke whoever.

 

[PromisedLand]

lol Keefe holding players accountable is all of a sudden an issue?

ok ok gotta correct myself.

keefe trying to hold everyone accountable except matthews and marner is an issue? should be I guess.

P.s. are they still playing stupid music at practice? I meean speak about "professionalism"

 

[ACC1224]

Sounded more like disgruntled. The guys talking didn't know if it was because they got skated or something deeper. Some reporter from another city asked "Are they always this quiet". Basically, something feels wrong in practice according to Luke whoever.

Thanks. They certainly don't look like a happy team. Be nice if they could take their frustration out on an opponent once in a while.
Really tough team to like I find, from the top on down.

 

[Puckstuff]

The top 6 can be better, but the fact is their human. We can't have a team that is based on 4 guys because when they don't score we have no chance as seen in the playoffs. We need way more depth scoring for when Matthews and Marner aren't lighting it up.

This offseason

Marchment to Dallas
Kirby Dach to Montreal
Kubaliak to Detroit
Perron to Detroit


So many good buy-low trade and free agent opportunities missed last offseason. We need much more help. 4th line is good. Top 6 will figure it out. We need a proper 3rd with guys who can score and actually add value.

 

[PromisedLand]

This might be a year to take a big step back, draft higher than typical and carve out a massive amount of cap space to rebuild the middle class. No more short term bets, dumpster dives. Just get back to honest franchise building and not just core player worship.

said that last year and then in the summer and was flamed here especially by dubas fans

only condition I have for this is that a new GM and management team does it. Dubas should not be allowed to impact Leafs future anymore. Period!

 

[ACC1224]

The top 6 can be better, but the fact is their human. We can't have a team that is based on 4 guys because when they don't score we have no chance as seen in the playoffs. We need way more depth scoring for when Matthews and Marner aren't lighting it up.

This offseason

Marchment to Dallas
Kirby Dach to Montreal
Kubaliak to Detroit
Perron to Detroit


So many good buy-low trade and free agent opportunities missed last offseason. We need much more help. 4th line is good. Top 6 will figure it out. We need a proper 3rd with guys who can score and actually add value.

None of those guys names are hyphenated enough.

 

[PromisedLand]

My concern would be the level headed Nylander gets shipped out so they can keep the coddled.

I hope bell/rogers vetos any Nylander trade unless willy is asking ridiculous money for his next contract. regardless dubas should not be the one making those moves.

 

[ACC1224]

I hope bell/rogers vetos any Nylander trade unless willy is asking ridiculous money for his next contract. regardless dubas should not be the one making those moves.

Yeah that's what they need, these guys getting involved in roster moves.

 

[PromisedLand]

You can lose but I've yet to see a team that can play this badly against bad to average teams but beat good teams consistently (playoffs not included)

The teams more bipolar than the fan base

Accountability is an issue.

marner keeps making dumbheaded plays hardly ever gets disciplined. Nylander doesn't even make bad plays and he is send on the 3rd line just not to upset the matthews-marner duo.

marner was benched for one shift against the pos game that he had against the ducks giving away pucks with fancy bullshit and marner threw a hissy fit.

We need a coach with balls who does what is "right" for the team. Enough coddling the entitled players.

 

[MSZ]

lol Keefe holding players accountable is all of a sudden an issue?

ok ok gotta correct myself.

keefe trying to hold everyone accountable except matthews and marner is an issue? should be I guess.

P.s. are they still playing stupid music at practice? I meean speak about "professionalism"

Keefe will be gone in a couple of weeks.

 

[PromisedLand]

Yeah that's what they need, these guys getting involved in roster moves.

actually what they need is competent management group and this is where bell/rogers can make decisive action and clean out the garbage accumulated by shanahan

We were never going to win a lot in a row with a third string. Hopefully we can tread water for a bit and stay in the hunt

Luckily for us Vancouver is absolute shit defensively so it will hopefully turn our mojo

Does marner lead the league in secondary assists? Dude seems to be elite at them this year

people or i should say Leafs fans aren't upsent or angy because they are losing; they are angry because of the way the players are playing on ice. There is no effort, there is no emotion, there is no purpose to their play. Its almost like there are guys who dawn the skates as a hobby for 3 hours every 2nd day or so and then go back to their own lives.

 

[ACC1224]

actually what they need is competent management group and this is where bell/rogers can make decisive action and clean out the garbage accumulated by shanahan

That's Shanahan's job not theirs.

 

[PromisedLand]

That's Shanahan's job not theirs.

i am including shanahan as someone who needs to be cleaned out. he ruined it

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Rewatched the Salming clip on news, the emotion from Sittler had me welling up again. What a moment.

Powerful.

 

[ACC1224]

i am including shanahan as someone who needs to be cleaned out. he ruined it

Yes, Shanahan is their responsibility. If they decide his performance is lacking then they replace him. His replacement then decides on everyone else's fate.

These are business people, they have no knowledge of sport and aren't qualified to make those decisions.

 

[PromisedLand]

Fairly even game until the 3rd goal against went in on a nothing play. At some point your 4th in-line guy is going to let something in that you won't like. Thought Kallgren was very good otherwise. Unfortunate, but that is the risk running without your top 2 tenders.

First line cannot establish any kind of consistent pressure... little blips here and there is not enough. And after a fast start to the season, the 2nd line doesn't look very threatening either.

Seems to me, teams have the book on this team now. Clog up the middle and let them shoot away from outside. Would love to know the dangerous shot count.

And people are saying its b/c of the 3rd string goalie (even strength stats below - especially HDCF)

 

[PromisedLand]

Marner out would be a big shift in the team personality. Aside from that, I don't love Rielly in the number one role on defense, and I don't know if the answer is to put someone in front of him on the depth chart or to ship him out. I think Tavares is having a good comeback year so far and can gently manage the second half of his contract. Would keep Nylander. Would keep Matthews. If Samsonov continues on his path he could be our goalie of the future.

Matthews
Tavares
Nylander
Samsonov

in 2 to 3 years Tavares off the contract and Marner somewhere else gives Leafs +22M to bolster the roster. JT might re-sign cheap as a 35+ contract to help out as 3C then we would need a 2C and another winger, #1D man would also help.

Gotta plan for the future. Leafs should not die on the "marner" hill

Matthews and Marner should not be together. The sample size is too big now

hey buddy is Dubas still passing the tests?

 

[Nineteen67]

Thanks.
Quiet as in sulking or focused?

Fox also mentioned that other teams took notice of their lack of enthusiasm during practice.

Since I’ve never been around NHL practices, I don’t know if it means anything, but I’ve seen a lacklustre team lose more games than it’s won this year

 

[andora]

They play music at practice?

 

[Mickey Marner]

Fox also mentioned that other teams took notice of their lack of enthusiasm during practice.

Since I’ve never been around NHL practices, I don’t know if it means anything, but I’ve seen a lacklustre team lose more games than it’s won this year

There's been reports in the past of their bench being silent during the games as well. I think it's something that's always been an issue with this core.

 

[PromisedLand]

Agree with the last few comments.

Holy f*** are they pedestrian this year. You could tell right from training camp - Matty and Mitch were uncoordinated, their timing was off. They just look like the "ask" of them is too much for them to handle? Apparently the 1st line spent some time together in Arizona this summer and you can tell that Bunting joined them, cuz he thinks he's a superstar too now.
There's a bunch of psychology going on as to why they look like this, and I'm sure all the years of losing in the first round and having to own and explain that hasn't helped, but their weak constitution is 100% to blame. No crunch time success, meaning - no playoff success, no OT success, no empty net success either way, no grit and grind success, no board battle success, no proven chops where the will to win is concerned. If you cant see it, I dont know what else to tell you. Regardless what you make of it, it's clear whatever they did this summer should never be repeated.

Look at JT. After last year, you can tell he was pissed off and he looks like a man possessed. He's leading by example. But.. you almost wish that he was the type of leader that would take these kids by the ear and show them the way to channel it. But he isn't, and even he knows - this is their team. It's a shame really. So much talent - but your best players need to be Bergerons and Stamkos', and McKinnons and Hedmans, not fancy mistake prone playmakers and temperamental superstar frauds who think everything's toooo harrrrdd. Malgin, Kampf and Willy are the heart and soul of this team..?!?? Like wtf, yall.

Tavares, Nylander, Liljegren, Kampf, Gio and to a certain extent Brodie are the only players exempt IMO from any blame. They are not playing stupid hockey and if it wasn't for them Leafs would be the bottom feeder in the league by right about now

 

[Anthrax442]

We need Torotorella to whip em into shape

 

[PromisedLand]

Very professional from a guy making 11 mil a year

just before anyone sees the pic below it is meant as a joke not as a "trigger"

or is it?

Arizona Diaries

 

[AllHeartNoSkill]

Thanks. They certainly don't look like a happy team. Be nice if they could take their frustration out on an opponent once in a while.
Really tough team to like I find, from the top on down.

This makes me wonder if the players know/believe that the team just isn’t constructed properly to win.