Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose 5-3

[Faltorvo]

What is this teams identity?

Shut your eyes and answer - I’ll hang up and listen.

well, you tell me

we have been out hit 67 to 26 in these 2 games

against 2 teams that are not considered to be "tough/heavy" teams

we are the biggest wussies on the block

 

[Bomber0104]

Anyone else for moving Marner and Freddie for a top pairing D asset, new goalie and 20/20 winger - picks to balance? I think Auston can carry any good passer he got familiar with.

People wanna know what's missing. Kadri. That's what. Perfect player for this team - warts and all. Now the team is misshapen, malformed, whatever. We will see some really good nights, to be sure, but anyone who's confident that this team wins as-is, particularly with this goalie, is not being impartial.

Why would you want Dubas to be the one to make that trade?

Not only has he damaged the team enough, but he was also the one who traded Kadri away for peanuts!

 

[stealth1]

Barrie was brutal with the Leafs...

Brodie played terribly tonight...

And I don't recall Hainey costing $5 million a year...

But thank you for that extremely horrible Twitter take.

Learned a lot.

It's not hot takes when it's been going on for awhile now. Nothing has changed its still the same core that doesn't play defense well

 

[Critical13]

I used to think this but the more closely I watch this team, the more I feel that our forwards just give opposing players way too much space and time to make decisions. Our D haven’t been great, but I’ve been more disappointed with the overal unit defence.

 

[shaner8989]

Did Marner play tonight

guys been f***ing garbage

 

[binop7]

Ottawa isn't as bad as many of you make them out to be.

As far as the Leafs go they are still the same team they have always been. The top guys don't have the will to win and look disinterested in playing defense. It's amazing the amount of people who keep defending them.

Ovechkin told us straight up what this team was. It hasn't changed.

 

[jaric1862]

Bring Robertson into the lineup and put him on the third line. The 4th line should be Thornton-Spezza-Simmonds and it should be playing under 10 minutes a night (like it did last year) with all of them on the PP.

 

[Bomber0104]

It's not hot takes when it's been going on for awhile now. Nothing has changed its still the same core that doesn't play defense well

Agreed.

And the last coach that identified that weakness and wanted to make the steps to correct it ended up getting fired because the team stopped playing for him.

Good luck Keefe.

You're gonna need it.

 

[All Mod Cons]

When you don't irrationally overreact from game to game like a stereotypical fan, then yes it is alright.

Game to game? I thought I'd accidentally watched a game from 2019 I'd recorded.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Kerfoot's line was one of the few bright spots... I like what he's doing on the third line. I'm not sure what to do.. .but Thornton's play, and TOI isn't the real big issue here.. .It's just Matthews and Marner's play first, and that Brodie and Rielly look like a bad match.

I agree. Too many people focus on the wrong players. Thornton isnt the problem right now. He hasn't played great by any means but you can't lay the crappy play on him alone. Marner and Matthews are making $20+ million between the two of them, they need to show up. That being said, what's the issue with putting Hyman-Matthews-Marner back together. That line works.

 

[notbias]

well, you tell me

we have been out hit 67 to 26 in these 2 games

against 2 teams that are not considered to be "tough/heavy" teams

we are the biggest wussies on the block

They are literally considered two of the toughest and heaviest teams lol

 

[Fogelhund]

Because that 1D is one of the best at what he's very good at. I've been known to defend Dubas, but I can't fathom how he hasn't found Rielly the right partner yet. It's always been clear he needed a D first guy. This forum obsessed about Tanev four years ago, Pesce three years ago, Manson two years ago, Weegar this off season... I mean, it's not exactly a secret this one.

 

[MattySnipes]

Is Rielly bad defensively?

Honestly I love Rielly as much as dice. Was so excited since we drafted him.

Now...he has really only had 1 super duper season (70 points, 20 goals, S% of 9.)

Now, Kyle and Shanahan will really have to evaluate and decide what the decision is on Rielly's future in Toronto. Hes a heart and soul guy, surefire leader in room, loved by everyone, Leaf fan growing up.

You would hate to lose him but honestly if he's always gonna need someone to cover him and be useless in D zone maybe we need to let him go, get some assets and switch it up. Why pay Mo over 6+ million if you have to insulate him.

It sucks because there is no one to slide right in. We would have to really bank on Sandin as the new Rielly.

I hate to even think about it. Its only 1 bad game, but it definitely goes back for some time now. This isn't a new issue.

 

[stickty111]

Andersen's rope just got way shorter.

 

[Faltorvo]

At one time it was youth and tenacity, but these days it seems to be Chaos.

it looks like overpaid apathy

2 games in and we have 7 guys with 0 hits,,,,,,,,,,0,,,matthews,,nylander,,,marner,,,rielly,,,kerfoot,,,dermott

 

[ottomaddox]

I think that Ottawa looked good. They didn't fold when Toronto was pressing at the beginning of the game. They didn't let up and didn't let TOR in the game. Murray looked solid too.

Dubas must have had a **** as two ex-leafs (Brown & Zaitsev) made his team look foolish.

 

[Nineteen67]

Remember last March when the Leafs were in a fight for a playoff spot. Played decent at times and then had some horrendous spurts . It looks like they’re the exact same team again this season.

 

[Faltorvo]

They are literally considered two of the toughest and heaviest teams lol

LOLZZZZZZ riiiiightttttttttt

 

[ottomaddox]

Andersen's rope just got way shorter.

Whoa. Keefe just threw him under the bus.

 

[Bomber0104]

Remember last March when the Leafs were in a fight for a playoff spot. Played decent at times and then had some horrendous spurts . It looks like they’re the exact same team again this season.

A few minimum wage players in and out.

A few middle-earning dmen out and one in.

And we were expecting something totally different from this team?

 

[Community]

Whoa. Keefe just threw him under the bus.

Just honest IMO and I'm a big Andersen fan.

He needs to be better and so do the defense (both from the defensemen and forwards).

 

[stickty111]

.839sv% to start the year off right for Big Fred

Keefe isn't thrilled with him either.

 

[Nineteen67]

I agree. Too many people focus on the wrong players. Thornton isnt the problem right now. He hasn't played great by any means but you can't lay the crappy play on him alone. Marner and Matthews are making $20+ million between the two of them, they need to show up. That being said, what's the issue with putting Hyman-Matthews-Marner back together. That line works.

They’ve made lots of peripheral changes but they’re still the same 500ish team they’ve been for 3 years.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Whoa. Keefe just threw him under the bus.

Yet he keeps playing him. Bizarre situation

 

[Critical13]

it looks like overpaid apathy

2 games in and we have 7 guys with 0 hits,,,,,,,,,,0,,,matthews,,nylander,,,marner,,,rielly,,,kerfoot,,,dermott

I don’t really judge a players will to win on hits. Also I definitely saw Matthews get a hit tonight.

What’s lacking is that small gap, tight pressure on the puck.