Post-Game Talk: Leafs Lose to Bruins 4-1

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Meh. Boston may have won the game and swept the season series, but we beat them in the Joel Edmundson sweepstakes

 

[rumman]

I’ve come to the realization the core 4 don’t have the heart to win in the playoffs. Give Tre credit, the guys he brought in, Domi and Bertuzzi, showed that heart in spades. But it won’t matter if Matthews and Nylander won’t play in the dirty areas. Matthews in particular showed little desire. Compare his effort with Pasternak.s, it was embarrassing.

Two games in a row Pasta looked miles better than any Leaf……..

Meh. Boston may have won the game and swept the season series, but we beat them in the Joel Edmundson sweepstakes

 

[leafs in five]

Give Tre credit

I will not

 

[disgruntleddave]

Our offensive systems suck. We fail completely against a tight and aggressive-D team.

It'll continue in the playoffs, most likely. Oh well.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

It could be worse , we could be Pens fans .

the good news that mindless heartless slug Tavares only has 1 more season after this

He’s neither of those.

He’s legless.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Nylander at the blueline playing with the puck losses it and Boston scores .
This is why we don't win in the playoffs .
They will never learn to make the safe play.

Agreed. I think that is what holds us back quite often.

This forward up high, d stretched out system doesn't work in the playoffs, especially against a team like Boston.

They really need to change their system at even strength, on the PP and on the PK. We play a far too complicated system. And it looks like Sheldon doesn't change it regardless of the personnel.

The players we now have are far more comfortable in a simple north/south system, but because we have Matthews, Marner and Nylander we have to play this wide cycle, puck possession, forward up high system.

It is another situation where the GM and coach are not pulling in the same direction.

 

[Nineteen67]

glad we are going through this DECADE now.

 

[hotpaws]

Losing JT’s cap hit will help, but I’d let Marner walk if he can’t be traded (which he can’t), not because he isn’t a great player, but lose half the core, lose half the team’s problem………

if you look at our team we have the core 3 and ? pretty much nothing else

-up and down goaltending
-Rielly and a bunch of bottom pairing D
-a few forwards that are useful and maybe Knies turns into something but for the most part there's not much there of quality after the core 3

as much as people want to dump on them for continuing to come up short , Mather/Marner/Nylander are actually carrying a truly pathetic team into another top 10 season

also , you don't trade Marner , you sit JT down this summer and tell him he ain't coming back after this season so he can either waive and be traded or play out the final season and walk , the team will improve by him just not being in the lineup

 

[Nineteen67]

if you look at our team we have the core 3 and ? pretty much nothing else

-up and down goaltending
-Rielly and a bunch of bottom pairing D
-a few forwards that are useful and maybe Knies turns into something but for the most part there's not much there of quality after the core 3

as much as people want to dump on them for continuing to come up short , Mather/Marner/Nylander are actually carrying a truly pathetic team into another top 10 season

also , you don't trade Marner , you sit JT down this summer and tell him he ain't coming back after this season so he can either waive and be traded or play out the final season and walk , the team will improve by him just not being in the lineup

When people talk about all the skill on the Leafs (and Jays) they really mean they an have a couple skilled players.
For the Leafs to win a round they’ll need Matthews, Marner and Nylander actually play hockey for once.

Agreed. I think that is what holds us back quite often.

This forward up high, d stretched out system doesn't work in the playoffs, especially against a team like Boston.

They really need to change their system at even strength, on the PP and on the PK. We play a far too complicated system. And it looks like Sheldon doesn't change it regardless of the personnel.

The players we now have are far more comfortable in a simple north/south system, but because we have Matthews, Marner and Nylander we have to play this wide cycle, puck possession, forward up high system.

It is another situation where the GM and coach are not pulling in the same direction.

They started dumping it more against Florida and it was the most entertaining they’ve been in years. They should be practicing the dump and chase starting Saturday.

 

[GoonieFace]

if you look at our team we have the core 3 and ? pretty much nothing else

-up and down goaltending
-Rielly and a bunch of bottom pairing D
-a few forwards that are useful and maybe Knies turns into something but for the most part there's not much there of quality after the core 3

as much as people want to dump on them for continuing to come up short , Mather/Marner/Nylander are actually carrying a truly pathetic team into another top 10 season

also , you don't trade Marner , you sit JT down this summer and tell him he ain't coming back after this season so he can either waive and be traded or play out the final season and walk , the team will improve by him just not being in the lineup

Well the problem is those guys make all the money. It didn’t help that their previous GM had no clue what he was doing either

 

[hotpaws]

When people talk about all the skill on the Leafs (and Jays) they really mean they an have a couple skilled players.
For the Leafs to win a round they’ll need Matthews, Marner and Nylander actually play hockey for once.

your right they do but the other teams know this as well and basically know if they concentrate on just slowing them down the Leafs have no one else who can step up

also they have had good series over the years , it's the 11m bot they slapped a C on who does very little come playoff time

 

[BraveCanadian]

I’ve come to the realization the core 4 don’t have the heart to win in the playoffs. Give Tre credit, the guys he brought in, Domi and Bertuzzi, showed that heart in spades. But it won’t matter if Matthews and Nylander won’t play in the dirty areas. Matthews in particular showed little desire. Compare his effort with Pasternak.s, it was embarrassing.

Yup.. MacKinnon dominated their matchups as well and the way the other teams top players drive play in comparison to Matthews is noteworthy. Matthews doesn't create much on his own most of the time.. luckily for him he usually has Marner.

Nylander has always been ultra soft and inconsistent but luckily we only have him for another 8 years after this one..

 

[leafs in five]

Well the problem is those guys make all the money

over 16m on Bert/Domi/Klingberg/Reaves/Kampf

 

[The Podium]

4 games in 6 nights, back half of a back to back with the team battling a flu…. I don’t like making excuses for these guys but….

I don’t think this game is as reflective of a playoff matchup as people on here are going to make it seem.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Very deflating, I don’t see how Leafs beat Boston in round 1. Very sad because even without Bergeron, Krejci, and even Chara they are still better than the Leafs.

 

[leafs in five]

I thought Bertuzzi was good last night though and often has been since like the ASB

 

[All Mod Cons]

over 16m on Bert/Domi/Klingberg/Reaves/Kampf

And 16 mil on Tavares and Brodie alone.

It's a mess

 

[leafs in five]

And 16 mil on Tavares and Brodie alone.

It's a mess

sounds like it's not true that 3 guys make all the money

 

[GoonieFace]

over 16m on Bert/Domi/Klingberg/Reaves/Kampf

Klingberg is a wash since they have his cap space. Bert and Domi at least show they give a crap and are 1 year deals. Reaves is barely above league minimum and has been ok. Kampf, yeah that one isn’t great.

sounds like it's not true that 3 guys make all the money

Name any other team with the cap space allotted to 4 forwards that the Leafs have?

 

[All Mod Cons]

sounds like it's not true that 3 guys make all the money

Nope. I think it's always been 4 or 5 making half the cap (ish).

 

[ToneDog]

Very deflating, I don’t see how Leafs beat Boston in round 1. Very sad because even without Bergeron, Krejci, and even Chara they are still better than the Leafs.

When your stars who chew up half your cap and constantly mail in big games, and you have an AHL coach, you are never going to beat a team that will take away your will to win. Only guys who showed up to the fight with army knives were Bert, Domi and McCabe. The rest brought butter knives.

 

[Arzak]

I’ve come to the realization the core 4 don’t have the heart to win in the playoffs. Give Tre credit, the guys he brought in, Domi and Bertuzzi, showed that heart in spades. But it won’t matter if Matthews and Nylander won’t play in the dirty areas. Matthews in particular showed little desire. Compare his effort with Pasternak.s, it was embarrassing.

Matthews is a better player than Pastrnak, but for me, just by a smidge, it's very close.

That's what's so frustrating about Matthews, if he had Pastrnaks mindset it wouldn't be close, we'd be like McWhoDavid?

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Da core 4, outside of a few shifts from Mitch, were a complete embarrassment to our crest .. i don't even care if Matty is sick bottom line .. JT can't even skate on a 3rd line against Bruins .. Brodie and Lily are finished as Leafs both can't compete against Bruins .. Willy gave da game away with selfish hockey .. Woll did not get any D support .. and Woll was not up for da challenge either .. it was a cruel joke and real test of where team is at its core

Bottom line Keefer you MUST tighten up da D with your new additions and get them used to playing together NOW .. and we need to change our breakout to simplify it for tighter less risky playoff breakout .. play a 5 man half ice game like Bruins and Cats play .. see if you can flip Brodie/Robertson for a big C who can handle 3C role .. Brodie won't play anyways in playoffs so why not???????????????? .. keep Lily for next year as he may still develop .. still work to be done here Tre .. go make it happen

 

[Zybalto]

4 games in 6 nights, back half of a back to back with the team battling a flu…. I don’t like making excuses for these guys but….

I don’t think this game is as reflective of a playoff matchup as people on here are going to make it seem.

Pretty much said it before the game. Once it came out there were multiple gametime decisions due to illness, it wasnt a good sign with the team already behind the 8-ball with the schedule.

I just hope Knies is just banged up a bit.

 

[Arzak]

“Credit to Boston, they played a good game again here tonight against us, but I liked a lot of things about our game here tonight,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “In particular, the competitiveness of our team in what was by far and away the most physical game that we’ve played this season.”

There you have it, really nice 4-1 loss. Played well, most physical game of the season, plus our competitiveness? Top notch