Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose to Buffalo

[aingefan]

He's infinitely better than Sandin defensively right now, so I have no clue why he has been sitting. And if he ever rediscovers his draft year level of offensive prowess, his ceiling would still be insane. They reigned him in to focus on defense and it worked. There is no reason for him to be sitting anymore.

I’m okay with rotating in and out, really, there’s 7 nhl D around.
I’m sure it’s some showcasing going on with TD.

 

[Stephen]

I'm usually pretty indifferent to the line compositions and defence pairings, but the Rielly-Sañdin pairing really stood out for me tonight.

Two left-handed offensive-oriented defencemen, both prone to glaring defensive lapses.

It's like they brought out the worst in each other tonight.

I also don't understand the logic of moving Brodie to the left side when there's no real need for that. Are they thinking of some combo of Liljegren, Holl and Lyubushkin on the right side, with Rielly, Brodie, Muzzin and Sandin on the left?

I would have preferred any one of Brodie, Dermott, Holl, Liljegren or Lyubushkin on the right side with Rielly tonight.

I sincerely hope that this experiment is over!

Keefe as just getting cute on that one. Rielly-Brodie is their ride or die only solid D pair, so that shouldn't be experimented on with two LHD's who have the same strengths and weaknesses. The other 4-5 defensemen? Mix and match all you want. They also put the kid with the lack of footspeed in the RD spot to make it extra challenging. Not sure the point of that little thought experiment other than never try it again, it doesn't even work against a lottery team.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

I still wish we spent the Tavares money on a good like Pietrangelo. Could you imagine the D corps with Brodie, Rielly and him? And would still have money to spare considering how absolutely f***ing massive the Tavares contract costs.

Ya I get the allure of adding a big time UFA like JT but when you have a bunch of forwards who are going to be expensive too it is a big risk.

 

[Teeder Keon]

Yup. I will begin next game just like I do every game….cheering for the Leafs to win

Way to go , I’ve been doing that for soooooooooo long
GLG
Leaf hope is like being in the belly of the phoenix after every re birth daily

 

[ACC1224]

Keefe as just getting cute on that one. Rielly-Brodie is their ride or die only solid D pair, so that shouldn't be experimented on with two LHD's who have the same strengths and weaknesses. The other 4-5 defensemen? Mix and match all you want. They also put the kid with the lack of footspeed in the RD spot to make it extra challenging. Not sure the point of that little thought experiment other than never try it again, it doesn't even work against a lottery team.

Keefe put Sandin in a position to fail tonight and it worked. I’m sure we won’t see that again.

 

[6ix]

Gutless yet not shocking performance

 

[Teeder Keon]

Taking the opponent lightly ?

They should have been fired up ready to move into first in front of a full house. Very disappointing night. So glad I wasn’t there.

Ya man this one smarts in a bad way

 

[Antropovsky]

This team has been bad for some time....

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

Why are they letting Tavares play nif hes injured ffs!!!!?!?!?!

 

[6ix]

I wonder what goalies Dubas is glancing through on his excel spreadsheet

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

last in gaa since dec 1

 

[killer1980]

Only 1 line, offensive defense (no D) and no goalie. The league has figured out how to nullify (or at least) slow down the top line, No fear of any of the other lines, then shoot, shoot, shoot. Leafs out in 5, Dubas out in 5.01.

 

[Mr_Fun]

Is there a good decision to be had for Keefe in regards to who starts in goal on Saturday?

 

[BertCorbeau]

I still wish we spent the Tavares money on a good like Pietrangelo. Could you imagine the D corps with Brodie, Rielly and him? And would still have money to spare considering how absolutely f***ing massive the Tavares contract costs.

A bit of flaw in logic since Pietro was a UFA 2 years after JT

The Leafs best window with JT was wasted, let's face facts. That was obvious from day 1 of the signing - to get them to contend in the next 3 years. The team flopped.

Now the challenge is having to adapt with an aging Tavares while keeping the roster competitive.

I said at the time of the signing that it's great today, but puts the team in a zero-error cap situation with limited flexibility in the future.

The Leafs roster itself is actually well constructed right now for it. A cost effective bottom 6 that is solid defensively and can forecheck with speed. And a solid built blue line. If they had an above average starter in net, there would be a lot more optimism.

 

[Teeder Keon]

I wonder what goalies Dubas is glancing through on his excel spreadsheet

Hopefully a “excel” - lent one
Grandpa joke

 

[PromisedLand]

Terrible game. This team has issues with intensity and defensive play. Looked helpless against a bottom feeder, what a dud.

CBJ and then Montreal

Playbook against the Leafs:

- score first
- clog netural zone
- clog middle of the ice in the defensive zone
- hard forecheck

and Leafs crumble.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

who they gonna get? Lnao. Team needs a goalie, forward or 2 and 2 dmen. Intold you guys like 3 years ago. This core will not win one darn round. How does dubas shany Keefe and goalie coach have jobs still!??

 

[saffronleaf]

at the end of the day, the better team won tonight

 

[MSZ]

 

[Stephen]

I still wish we spent the Tavares money on a good like Pietrangelo. Could you imagine the D corps with Brodie, Rielly and him? And would still have money to spare considering how absolutely f***ing massive the Tavares contract costs.

Tavares still has plenty of hockey left but he's very close to a point of diminishing returns relative to his cap hit. It's not that you think he's no good but holds us back from too much. I kind of liken him to being where Vinny Lecavalier was in his last year in Tampa in 2012-13. In Lecavalier's case he was coming off some injuries, limited to half a season and hovering a little under PPG but otherwise still a good player, the captain, franchise everything, and Yzerman bought him out because he was going to block Tampa from doing big things. In 12 months time, I think the Leafs will internally really want to be rid of the JT handcuffs.

 

[Sammy Kat]

I wonder what goalies Dubas is glancing through on his excel spreadsheet

Just look at whoever was in net for the Soo over the last 10 years and if he is in the NHL or AHL Doobie is working on it.

 

[Antropovsky]

I could only watch 8-10 mins of the 2nd before I turned the game off. The style of play was dreadful, skating fast but getting nowhere and no heart or tenacity. The minutes I watched, the leafs were stuck on the perimeter and just kept throwing the puck aimlessly to the front of the ice where no blue shirts were. Buffalo was playing more tenacious and scored a goal from a broken play on the crease.

 

[ponder]

Well that was an atrocious effort. Easily one of the worst games we’ve played all season, maybe THE worst.

We’ve had plenty of games where the goalie was to blame, but we lose this game badly with literally any goalie. Allowed the Sabres way too many ultra prime scoring chances, while generating so few ourselves. We got smoked.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

Be so happy if dubas Shanahan are gone in summer. Keefe and goalie coach too.

 

[DarkKnight]

All this d man and forward trade talk, our goaltending might be the anchor that means none of it matters. Not based on tonight, but the starter is a head case and this guy in the net here has echl level rebound control and shows more mesh than a crab pot.