Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose the opener 4-3

[Ianturnedbull]

So Matthews was a non-factor but I don't get people calling out Marner. He set up a beauty for the first goal and was buzzing around the net keeping the puck in play all game.
I guess it's just easy to be lazy and make these kinds of comments

I agree, but all TOR has to do is win. At that point the comments diminish.

I agree though. I thought Marner played fine.

 

[ULF_55]

What would splitting them up have done last night?

We'll never know.
What we do know was leaving them together didn't get them a win.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Sad day when we watch Habs outskate and out hustle us for pucks .. that is an AHL level team at best and hard to watch .. it hurts a ton when it is da Habs .. a stinker against anyone else sure but not da Habs

The problem is, that’s what I’ve come to expect from this team. They think they just have to show up and they’ll win. Problem is, it hasn’t worked for them at all, ESPECIALLY when it comes to playoffs.
And I did not know that in 4 short years, we’ve gone from being the youngest (or one of) to being one of the oldest.
Well done, Dubas (and Shanny)!!!

 

[CabanaBoy5]

I keep hearing it’s only game 1 and we shouldn’t put so much emphasis on one game. I don’t doubt they will be better, win tonight, and even possibly win the division. But I think a lot of people are upset at how the Leafs approached this game after being told they’ve learned from previous failings. There is little attention to the details that win you games. Clock and game awareness, making smart plays, utilizing the game plan, playing with urgency etc. All things that will make us elite given the top end talent we have. None of it evident last night.

 

[Blowfish]

Leafs simply can't rely on 4 forwards to carry a team...it's that simple. Trade one or more of the top 4 forwards for a solid goaltender and defender. Otherwise this will be a very challenged team to make the playoffs.

You think Montreal was fast wait until they face Detroit, Ottawa, and Buffalo. Especially Buffalo.

 

[Da Cool Rula]

Oh well just the first game. I believe this years Leafs are not coming close to matching last years point totals.
Better playoffs though.

 

[Warden of the North]

I'll give Murray another shot, obviously, but that went about as wrong as possible.

I never had a good feeling about that game at any time, to be honest. I guess the good part was that the top line wont play worse then that consistently

 

[Dreakmur]

What would splitting them up have done last night?

It would have made the lines different.

 

[ponder]

It's just one game, there will be plenty of both wins and losses this season.

Positives:
- Malgin/JT/Willie line was great. JT was apparently working on speed/quickness this summer, and he did look quicker than normal out there
- Controlled the play fairly well 5v5

Negatives:
- Muzzin/Holl pairing sucked, as it did all of last season. No idea why Keefe keeps going to this, they're clearly both better with other partners. Easily fixed by splitting them up
- The book on Murray is that he's a good goalie other than a weak glove, and the glove definitely was weak tonight. Goal 3 was not on him at all (the deflection that went straight to Monahan), but goal 2 was a super stoppable high glove shot (he was in perfect position, saw it all the way, just beat him clean), and the other 2 were harder but stoppable. IMO that should have been a 2-3 goals against game, not 4, and it is a bit concerning that he got lit up high glove, that could be his fatal flaw. Hopefully it's just one game though, and his glove isn't that weak consistently

 

[Captain Crunch]

I keep hearing it’s only game 1 and we shouldn’t put so much emphasis on one game. I don’t doubt they will be better, win tonight, and even possibly win the division. But I think a lot of people are upset at how the Leafs approached this game after being told they’ve learned from previous failings. There is little attention to the details that win you games. Clock and game awareness, making smart plays, utilizing the game plan, playing with urgency etc. All things that will make us elite given the top end talent we have. None of it evident last night.

Which begs the question, will these players ever learn to “start on time”, and don’t play down to the level of your opponent. I really feel this team is what it is, play lights out some games, and literally lights out other games.
I will be shocked if this team gets out of the first round.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Missed last nights game and am watching it now, but at this point I think I’m going to make the call and not watch anymore games against the Habs until this team beats them convincingly, by like 3+ goals. Every game against them since the ‘21 playoffs sees Montreal play like gangbusters while we play like shit. If we win, it’s by the skin of our teeth and that’s just not satisfying. When we lose it’s on the most embarrassing fashion. Sick of it. Not fun consistently watching this team play like garbage against the team that thoroughly humiliated them.

 

[ULF_55]

I'll give Murray another shot, obviously, but that went about as wrong as possible.

I never had a good feeling about that game at any time, to be honest. I guess the good part was that the top line wont play worse then that consistently

Yeah, it never seemed to be a game they had control of, except glimpses in the 3rd. when they were just inept.

Leafs simply can't rely on 4 forwards to carry a team...it's that simple. Trade one or more of the top 4 forwards for a solid goaltender and defender. Otherwise this will be a very challenged team to make the playoffs.

You think Montreal was fast wait until they face Detroit, Ottawa, and Buffalo. Especially Buffalo.

Which one of marner or Matthew would you be willing to move for those two assets?

 

[Funk21]

Pathetic effort playing a team that is tanking hard for Bedard. I get the season is 82 games long but what a pitiful effort to start a season that is do or die. We had a great preseason and it looks like all that was forgotten.

Personally if this team is floundering at the TDL, sell Muzzin, Holl, Kerfoot and anybody else who is replaceable. If Murray or Samsonov don’t look too rebound then dump one or both. Take the chance with the lottery. We have wasted 5 years with this Team and GM pushing in year after year without any success. Either a quick retool or make a major move. One of the big 4.

 

[ULF_55]

Pathetic effort playing a team that is tanking hard for Bedard. I get the season is 82 games long but what a pitiful effort to start a season that is do or die. We had a great preseason and it looks like all that was forgotten.

Personally if this team is floundering at the TDL, sell Muzzin, Holl, Kerfoot and anybody else who is replaceable. If Murray or Samsonov don’t look too rebound then dump one or both. Take the chance with the lottery. We have wasted 5 years with this Team and GM pushing in year after year without any success. Either a quick retool or make a major move. One of the big 4.

To be fair, it really looked like the Canadiens were having fun.
Skating up and down the ice with ease.

 

[NinjaKick]

on a side note and maybe taboo, I think St. Louis is going to be a very good coach

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Which begs the question, will these players ever learn to “start on time”, and don’t play down to the level of your opponent. I really feel this team is what it is, play lights out some games, and literally lights out other games.
I will be shocked if this team gets out of the first round.

You’re right, unless they correct these flaws, they’re doomed to fail again in the first round.

A) because they’ll be playing a good team that will exploit their weaknesses

B) by not winning the division they’ll be playing Tampa or Florida rather than a wildcard.

 

[keonsbitterness]

on a side note and maybe taboo, I think St. Louis is going to be a very good coach

Not taboo. He's a pretty sharp guy, so that gives him a chance.

 

[The Management]

Looked like they were skating in caramel, but there was nothing sweet about last night.

 

[Gabriel426]

people kept saying it is Game 1….I get that but I think it is the mentality of the team that worry me the most. They were really sloppy and the top guys just didn’t show up. Maybe there were moments in the 1st where our guys dominated but that’s about it. Then you look at McD and Drai, yes they might got lucky with a call or two but they just refused to lose. I have not seen that from our guys.
To me, our guys are great when things are rolling for them but the moment that when the game is tight and needs the guys to be clutch, they just disappear.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

people kept saying it is Game 1….I get that but I think it is the mentality of the team that worry me the most. They were really sloppy and the top guys just didn’t show up. Maybe there were moments in the 1st where our guys dominated but that’s about it. Then you look at McD and Drai, yes they might got lucky with a call or two but they just refused to lose. I have not seen that from our guys.
To me, our guys are great when things are rolling for them but the moment that when the game is tight and needs the guys to be clutch, they just disappear.

To be fair no pro team can win with that crap show on defense .. we had Brad Marsh 4.0 going in our bottom 4 .. i mean slow, slower, slowest and brutally slow ..all we can do is hope Gio and Muzzy are out of pro game condition .. Sandin held out and he was useless .. Holl has always been useless but it is worse with Muzzy for sure .. bottom line it was blow bye after blow bye and like another poster said tenders freak out when they have house league defense like that in front of them .. it may take these guys a month to get back to proper condition to let team compete .. defenders take a lot longer time to get things going again

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Disappointing season opener. Not sure why they were so determined to play their worst game of the year on opening night but mission accomplished.

 

[Antropovsky]

on the ugly side they'll probably sneak into the playoffs and eliminate the leafs in the first round

Let's to be honest with ourselves, this is probably true regardless of who we meet in the first round.

 

[BHD]

I'll give Murray another shot, obviously, but that went about as wrong as possible.

I never had a good feeling about that game at any time, to be honest. I guess the good part was that the top line wont play worse then that consistently

Every goal was a typical 'Murray' goal. Pens here, and we watched him get scored on glove side plenty of times. But on the other hand, he had no chance on some of those goals. So...

 

[mikeyz]

And again, you’re still wrong. The leafs had a poor start to last season too and went on to have their best season on record. If you don’t understand how that translates to deserving the benefit of the doubt then I cannot help you.

The playoffs have nothing to do with the regular season and it’s been one game

Lol. No. This is where you're wrong. Because playoff success and proving that you have what it takes to get over a certain hump, or even have a deep run has everything to do with a team getting the benefit of the doubt when it comes to a slow start to the following season.

 

[Blowfish]

Yeah, it never seemed to be a game they had control of, except glimpses in the 3rd. when they were just inept.


Which one of marner or Matthew would you be willing to move for those two assets?

Whomever you don't see resigning in Toronto.