Post-Game Talk: Leafs Lose in Game 7. Again.

[Kurtz]

They could very easily end up facing Tampa again next year.

This time with Point and Kucherov likely firing on all cylinders. I don't see how any reasonable GM could think of running it back with the same guys.

And no, this doesn't mean changing a few fringe pieces and promoting prospects.

They have to be realistic and make bigger changes or this will be an even bigger loss next season.

Tampa is an older team, and we didn't get outplayed this year. Keep in mind that they traded like 4-5 first rounders in a row; they don't have any reinforcements coming.

And health wise, this is the healthiest they've been in the playoffs in a while. When they lost to CBJ, Hedman was injured. The next year, Stamkos. Last year Kucherov came back but played through an injury.

What I'm saying is don't live in fear of the Lightning. The Lightning won 2 cups building around the same core that was dropped by CBJ.

 

[Wendel17]

Some random thoughts...

Dubas loves speed and skill, but it seems you can have to too much of a good thing. One thing we don't really have are the unsung hero type of players like the Blake Coleman's of the world (and dare I also say, Nick Paul). In game 7 against the islanders last year it was Coleman that scored the only goal, not Stamkos or Kucherov. We won't ever win until we get those kinds of players.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but the Tavares contract was a bad signing. Let this be a lesson to Leafs management (and all of us that like to complain) that nothing good ever comes out of big free agent signings (or trades). Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to Minnesota and Peter Forsberg to Philadelphia all say hello. And Brad Richards to the Rangers. I could go on all day with more examples. Let's hope Dubas doesn't make the same mistake again. That signing destroyed our cap. Ya, I know, the pandemic, but still. Even without, we'd still be up against it.

Nylander is extremely talented, but at what point does it become a problem when he isn't able to mesh with your #1 or #2 center? And is it worth keeping him for this alone?

Both of Tampa goals were flukey. First one deflected off Reilly's stick and he wasn't even trying to touch it. And if Paul comes down the ice in the exact same manner another 1000 times the second goal doesn't go in. Every bounce went perfectly on that play.

Matthews and Marner were much better in this series. Marner was dancing tonight. Shame he couldn't break through.

Game 6 was ours but was stolen. Reminds me of game 6 against LA in 93. Once it was gone game 7 was a foregone conclusion.

Keefe's post game comment about getting more respect fr Tampa was so bizarre. For that alone I'd fire him. Some things you just don't say publicly.

And lastly, this team has no fire or will to win. There's no big/strong/emotional personality (Gilmour, Gary Roberts, Tucker, etc). Hard to find, but they need this desperately.

 

[PromisedLand]

Holl is not the type of player you win playoffs with....he doesn't even look like he wants to play playoff hockey. At least Liljegren has an edge.... but it's just one more year of Liljegren not getting critical experience because Keefe is scared to coach inexperienced players.

Yup. Pissed me the F OFF!

Lily could have gained experience playing in the playoffs. WTF did playing Holl achieve? Him f***ing being a pylon in game 6 OT goal? or being a moron tonight?

 

[Stephen]

Tampa is an older team, and we didn't get outplayed this year. Keep in mind that they traded like 4-5 first rounders in a row; they don't have any reinforcements coming.

And health wise, this is the healthiest they've been in the playoffs in a while. When they lost to CBJ, Hedman was injured. The next year, Stamkos. Last year Kucherov came back but played through an injury.

What I'm saying is don't live in fear of the Lightning. The Lightning won 2 cups building around the same core that was dropped by CBJ.

Leafs need to be the monster in the division. They can't be worried about what Boston, Tampa, Florida and soon Buffalo, Detroit and Ottawa are doing.

 

[MSZ]

Yup. Pissed me the F OFF!

Lily could have gained experience playing in the playoffs. WTF did playing Holl achieve? Him f***ing being a pylon in game 6 OT goal? or being a moron tonight?

Holl kills penalties. Although Tampa still ended up scoring a shitload of PP goals.

 

[killer1980]

"Ya, but we were so close." So, let's keep these losers together for another year,

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Holl kills penalties. Although Tampa still ended up scoring a shitload of PP goals.

How exactly is that Holl's fault? He was on the ice for one PP goal against in 5 games. I would say that is a win.

 

[McDrailers]

Holl kills penalties. Although Tampa still ended up scoring a shitload of PP goals.

From an outside perspective (I’ve only watched the leafs playoffs games this year), you let Holl go and don’t think twice about it. He was reallly bad this series

 

[MSZ]

How exactly is that Holl's fault? He was on the ice for one PP goal against in 5 games. I would say that is a win.

So you are here to defend Holl? How about Keefe? You like him as a coach?

 

[killer1980]

This was their best chance. Next year AM will be looking forward to getting out this place.

 

[Stamkos4life]

We were facing Tampa f***ing Bay.. They got LA. Theres levels.

This version of the Leafs would have absolutely destroyed that team.

We also should've destroyed the Habs and the jackets yet that did not happen.

You can't give these Leafs the benefit of the doubt. They do not deserve it.

 

[killer1980]

The fact they haven't s***canned Keefe. Dubas and Shanahan already is amazing to me.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

So you are here to defend Holl? How about Keefe? You like him as a coach?

I don't need to defend Holl or Keefe. It would be like needing to defend against a team of guys who constantly shoot the puck 6 feet wide without any pressure.

I can just stand back and watch while people make comments that are consistently off the mark.

 

[MSZ]

The fact they haven't s***canned Keefe. Dubas and Shanahan already is amazing to me.

Should have been gone after they lost to their own zamboni driver.

 

[Gabriel426]

I am really on the lets keep Keefe for another season until the quote he gave where ' We earned TB respect or something' What the F does that mean? Was he saying about himself or the team? Or did he really believed what Cooper been saying all along that TB gave games to the Leafs?

 

[capfit9]

Are you really expecting him or any player to say "I'm a failure"?

not expecting anyone to say anything, but with eyes wide open you can see it

I am really on the lets keep Keefe for another season until the quote he gave where ' We earned TB respect or something' What the F does that mean? Was he saying about himself or the team? Or did he really believed what Cooper been saying all along that TB gave games to the Leafs?

grasping at anything he can, just desperate

 

[killer1980]

Should have been gone after they lost to their own zamboni driver.

Sorry I've had the like button taken away. Like

 

[PromisedLand]

Who gives a shit

Cry all you want you still lost and have done so for 5 years….nothing has changed from day one of the Matthews era to now

We still can’t close series out
We can’t hold leafs
We can’t completely come back

So spare me the sappy tears

This is what is wrong with this core.

Less tears and more anger and rage. f***ing hate to lose and you will never lose. these guys accept losses and pat themselves as "oh we did a pretty good job"

They need to hit MacKinnon and get his sports psychologists' number. That dude gets angry, he doesn't shed a tear for a loss. He might shed a tear for victory and it will be well deserved

 

[capfit9]

I have to say it again, the one thing that really disappoints me is that with Point going down I really thought this was going to be a huge opportunity for them, that to me does tell me these guys have mental blocks preventing them. They should have been able to skate these guys to the ground the way they did in game 5 and most of game 6.

that excuse can only be made for themselves when Tavares went down last year

 

[MSZ]

I don't need to defend Holl or Keefe. It would be like needing to defend against a team of guys who constantly shoot the puck 6 feet wide without any pressure.

I can just stand back and watch while people make comments that are consistently off the mark.

I don't know who's off the mark. Holl was the reason why Point scored the OT winner in game 6.

 

[PromisedLand]

Matthews is the next Ovi. It took Ovi awhile but he got it done. So will Papi.

Did yuo even watch the caps run for the cup? did you even see how that team played?

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Dubas loves speed and skill, but it seems you can have to too much of a good thing. One thing we don't really have are the unsung hero type of players like the Blake Coleman's of the world (and dare I also say, Nick Paul). In game 7 against the islanders last year it was Coleman that scored the only goal, not Stamkos or Kucherov. We won't ever win until we get those kinds of players.

Just a small correction. Gourde scored the only goal (shorthanded; beautiful play by Cirelli) in game 7, not Coleman

 

[Aashir]

Matthews is the next Ovi. It took Ovi awhile but he got it done. So will Papi.

ovi showed up year in and year out. His PPG was near 110

We are lucky if Matthews shows up to the post season next year

 

[PromisedLand]

Presented to you by Kyle Dubas.

 

[MSZ]

ovi showed up year in and year out. His PPG was near 110

We are lucky if Matthews shows up to the post season next year

Those Caps teams constantly reached the 2nd round pre-2018.