Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose 4-2

[daveleaf]

This team will accomplish nothing this year. I'm sorry, for whatever their record is now, the record against bottom feeders is horrible. They give up points and at the end of the season this will cost them. This team is flawed.

 

[Leaftors]

I think you are missing the point. Every team losses to every team
For the leafs though, it's the same way of losing to scrubs

A goalie outshines ours. Why, because we dont' make his life tough enough
We dont' get second chances. We don't crash the net

They out wait us, like they did today until we made a mistake. This was the exact recipe from last year's playoffs when we went to two OT
Habs simply out waited us and out goalied us

That's been like that for how long now? 3 years running minimum starting with Columbus

Montreal was allowed full capacity and have had some key players come off injury recently. Our effort level was there for stretches, and in the end a few mistakes cost us the game. It’s the NHL. The Habs if they had Allen all year + st.Louis behind the bench would certainly not be in this position. The sky is not falling, it’s not all sunshine either.

Let’s see how they fare today

 

[Peasy]

Depends on where you are drafting.

The top 10 isn't bad, but it is not nearly as good as it was hyped up earlier on. Wright is still the best 1st overall option since Matthews though.

11-25 is about average. Although there could be some amazing boom-bust prospects there this year (i.e. Lambert, Mirosnichenko, Geekie, etc.).

25-40 is pretty good this year. Lots to like and not a major drop off from what you can get in the tier before.

Mid-2nd round is a little bit meh, or even lacking a little bit, but once you get into the late-2nd and later, there are some really good prospects. Better than average for the most part; may even rival some of the deeper drafts.

The main thing is that there are not too many (or really any) great goalie prospects. That where this draft is lacking most. Maybe a few less high end upside guys available in the late 2nd and 3rd, but there are more good, high floor complimentary guys instead so it really depends on what you want/need. Great draft for filling out the 2nd tier of your pool with solid prospects; not a great draft if you are hoping for a blue chipper outside of the 1st/early 2nd.

Yeah I doubt wright becomes better than Hughes. Man Canadian media loves hyping Canadian prospects to the moon

 

[Legion34]

I mean he had 10 years to get it together. Is one season really who he is?

What? That is his career average over his career.

 

[Racer88]

Thinking out loud:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Nylander-Kase
Engvall-Tavares-Mikheyev
Blackwell-Kampf-Spezza

Basically create 2 strong checking lines and help shelter the Nylander line. I think Willy would benefit moving to the middle of the ice right now.

Sorry but no amount of tinkering with the lineup will make any difference until this group decides that they want to play like a contender all the time and put in the effort on a continuous basis and the GM who ever that might be goes out and gets proper contender quality goalies. Sadly that won’t happen until next year at the soonest.

 

[Leaftors]

No we didn't, who came back for the playoffs?

We had used LTIR space of players who were not even playing hockey to spend above the cap. Also, if the leafs did the same thing and we won EVEN a playoff series then you wouldn’t be complaining.

 

[ToneDog]

Same old, same old. Build up credit early in the season and then slowly slide to their playoff position. Still on pace for 108 point but only a few care. Time for this team to shit or get off the pot.

 

[Dreakmur]

It's still a trip. If Matthews was goign forward and the Hab did that it would still be called a trip. It may have been incidental but an incidental or intentional trip is normally a PIM.

It really isn’t.

 

[Racer88]

I never thought it would ever get to this but I might have to watch a Raptor game and see if I could someday like basketball and for once cheer for a well run winning team.
sigh

 

[notDatsyuk]

Missed the game, saw the score. How'd we play?

A 5' 9", 158 lb player ran over our 6' 3", 205 lb player, took the puck, and scored the winning goal on a 3-on-1, with 2½ minutes left.

That, and the fact that we had three times as many shots, is all you need to know.

 

[Legion34]

Ok I just watched the game. People are nuts. Toronto played very well their goaltender outplayed ours. Who actually played ok. Ridiculous non call led directly to winner.

This happens to every team multiple times a year. Carolina just got beat last week the exact same way.

The team plays well. Is the better team the most every game. When that happens you get goalied more. Teams that get out shot constantly can’t get goalied by definition.

It’s a really good team. Goaltending is a concern but all you need is a 20 game run to win the cup. Good 2 weeks to win a round. Both goalies believe it or not have that in them.


Simmonds is probably done. We probably waive him next year. I hope spezza gets to 1000 this year. Then we can let him ride to the sunset.

Goalies are a concern. If Campbell can’t get it together. We will need to trade probably or bet on husso.

Bunting. Matthews. Marner
Kerfoot. Tavares Nylander
Engvall. Kampf. Soup
Blackwell. Spezza. Kase

Gio. Brodie
Rielly. Lub.
Muzz. Holl.
Sandin. Lilly

Is an excellent competitive team that could be undone by goaltending.

But both goalies have shown top potential for limited runs. Just need the right time.

People are nuts. Who cares where we finish. We will play one of

Tampa. Cup champs
Boston. Demons
Carolina. Freddie
Nyr. Goalied potential
Florida. The loser gets the longest streak.



None of these options are good. Just relax and see where the chips fall in may

 

[garce]

A 5' 9", 158 lb player ran over our 6' 3", 205 lb player, took the puck, and scored the winning goal on a 3-on-1, with 2½ minutes left.

That, and the fact that we had three times as many shots, is all you need to know.

Ran over? Byron ran over Matthews? Thats really how you saw that sequence? Guy on the Habs board says Armia “ran over” 34 . Interesting interpretation of the events.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

guys like dubas may be good to ahve in the organization but should not be GM. His overpayments and shortsightedness and absolutely no foresight has set this franchise years behind IMO and has wasted prime opportunities. Both nylnader and matthews are UFAs before Tavares' contract is even off the books.

If that was the plan then he should not have overpaid on a 5 year and 6 year deals to both Matthews and Marner and should have tried to win in the short window with having massive cap flexibility.

He ruined the cap, no guarantees that mattews and nylander even re-sign.

What an absolute colossal failure of a GM he has been is an understatement.

Well said.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Sad for me as a traditional hockey guy and Leaf fan for us to lose like that against Habs .. now I know it was anyone's game watching it but Leafs v Habs on Saturday night has a special place for me .. but I can tell with my son who has now retired from hockey and his girlfriend it was just another game for them .. likely this Leafs v Habs thing is an over 50 thing today .. sad reality for me last night was game did not hold much value to my son

Still really ticked me off that Matty can get slewfooted like that with 2 minutes left in a game and no call .. that game was decided on an illegal play .. now it was brutal defense play from our defensemen who think they are offensive Orrs but that is another issue

Even more of a piss off to me was Holl who again showed why he should not be dressing as we had down stretch and in playoffs .. Holl has puck with no one on him and passes it perfectly to Habs showing zero brains and zero hand eye skill ..

 

[Eye Test]

We played well but our style of play is just not that entertaining.

Just waiting for playoff hockey, hopefully see some real hockey played.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Sad for me as a traditional hockey guy and Leaf fan for us to lose like that against Habs .. now I know it was anyone's game watching it but Leafs v Habs on Saturday night has a special place for me .. but I can tell with my son who has now retired from hockey and his girlfriend it was just another game for them .. likely this Leafs v Habs thing is an over 50 thing today .. sad reality for me last night was game did not hold much value to my son

Still really ticked me off that Matty can get slewfooted like that with 2 minutes left in a game and no call .. that game was decided on an illegal play .. now it was brutal defense play from our defensemen who think they are offensive Orrs but that is another issue

Even more of a piss off to me was Holl who again showed why he should not be dressing as we had down stretch and in playoffs .. Holl has puck with no one on him and passes it perfectly to Habs showing zero brains and zero hand eye skill ..

then he backs up in his own end and does not recognize da attack, puts himself in wrong defensive position and then gets forced to take a brutal penalty .. this costs team 2nd goal .. completely from a guy who lacks NHL skill and is weak defensively .. this is gonna cost team over and over .. he gets to thinking he is Orr like when he has nothing .. his only chance is to play big and physical and hurt people on ice but he doesn't .. if I was Keefer he would not play in playoffs Id rather have either Sandin/Lily on 3rd pair with Muzzy

 

[thusk]

Where those panic come from?

How many great A chance leafs get vs allowed. Ok they wasnt able to convert those scoring chance, high danger shot 18 to 5. Expecting goal 5.26 vs 2.06\... okay they lost but what can you asking more from a team preparing himself to be ready for playoff?

And contrairly than against match #5-6-7 last playoff, toronto started strong from the beggining. Personally its exactly how i want this team playing until the end of the season.

 

[DueDiligence]

Leafs would SWEEP the Panthers in four games. They are the cubic zirconia of hockey

Your takes on all sports are just ridiculous. Give it up.

 

[Legion34]

This team will accomplish nothing this year. I'm sorry, for whatever their record is now, the record against bottom feeders is horrible. They give up points and at the end of the season this will cost them. This team is flawed.

How will it cost them though?

They could end up 1st and play tampa…. Or 2 and play tampa. Or 4th and play one of Carolina. Rangers or Pitt.

 

[ToneDog]

How will it cost them though?

They could end up 1st and play tampa…. Or 2 and play tampa. Or 4th and play one of Carolina. Rangers or Pitt.

Finishing 1st or 2nd gives you home ice advantage if that is worth anything. As it stands they probably finish 3rd or 4th.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

then he backs up in his own end and does not recognize da attack, puts himself in wrong defensive position and then gets forced to take a brutal penalty .. this costs team 2nd goal .. completely from a guy who lacks NHL skill and is weak defensively .. this is gonna cost team over and over .. he gets to thinking he is Orr like when he has nothing .. his only chance is to play big and physical and hurt people on ice but he doesn't .. if I was Keefer he would not play in playoffs Id rather have either Sandin/Lily on 3rd pair with Muzzy

also forgot to say how disappointing it has been to see Willy drop off in his play past month .. he has so much to bring to table and he again looks like he could care less .. that 1st goal was all on Willy .. brutal effort .. too many guys like him and Rielly thinking offense all da time .. hockey this time of year and playoffs is WON by thinking defense 1st .. sure take some calculated risk on attack but 1st priority is defence .. it is why I am not surprised at all .. in fact I predicted all of this .. in hockey patterns tend to repeat themselves when personnel is kept largely da same at core level .. there is a fundamental error in analytics which has not even been understood yet as it is in its primate levels of understanding

 

[bbgobie]

We played ok, MTL was crap for the 1st half. We thought it was gonna be an easy game after 10 mind and stopped playing. It's the mental side that kills this team.

 

[Mess]

Leafs are the 3rd highest scoring team in the league and yet Nylander is -13+/- and Tavares -9 are a liability defensively. Both were a -2 last night in another loss to a bottom team.

Wonder why the coach can't and won't separate them to minimize the impact of their goal differential problem while on the ice together.

For a few shifts in the game, we finally saw them apart, after another defensive breakdown and goal against. Wonder if we will see change in line-up construction going forward.

 

[Brad C]

Is anyone else sick of Nylander coasting around? The last couple weeks he has been subpar and skating like he doesn't give a shit because he racked up a few points. He scores a few points then takes a couple games off. Sick of him. A little effort from him and he'd be a top player in the NHL but nope, he choses to coast and shy away from corners.

I was not a real fan of his but last year in playoff he was one of the only players to score and seem to care.

I am trying to make it to playoffs to make judgment but it's getting harder.

 

[Mess]

We need stability as an organization more than crazy upheavals. So while punishing Dubas would be satisfying short term if things go wrong, the best thing would be to just keep getting cracks at it as a work in progress, however frustrating it feels. Another GM doesn't have a clean slate walking in, and we are not rebuilding.

Not if the problem as many hockey people see it is TOOO much Cap in TOOO few players, and a salary cap issue, creating a team building flaw.

If finding success is proven difficult once again this year in the playoffs, that having 3 x $11 mil players ( 3 of the top 7 highest paid) doesn't allow you to build a competitive team around that core, then the architect of that needs to go and somebody that understands and recognizes the problem comes in to fix it.

Do we expect Dubas to admit that signing Tavares was a big mistake now in hindsight for that amount of money, that then escalated other players internally to that amount as well causing this problem and then fixing it himself?

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results while tinkering around the edges is insanity not stability. IMHO