Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose to Minnesota and end January with a whimper

[LaPlante94]

So do we bother claiming Brandon Saad when the Blues put him on waivers tomorrow. He has size and averages over 20 goals/45 points a year. Can we even fit him under the cap?

Won't have to claim him. Both sides agreed to mutually terminate his contract so he'll be a FA. He's walking away from 5 million just because he doesn't want to play in the AHL. He'll probably sign somewhat cheap somewhere just to play in the NHL.

 

[Stephen]

Feels like we should probably believe in what has actually happened. They say the proof is in the pudding; and I am full.

I am just not seeing much to say things will be different. This whole season has looked like a playoff series.

I guess when Stolarz comes back we'll have a better idea. And then again at the trade deadline if they choose to do something.

But based on the team we saw tonight, granted we are missing two good pieces in JT and MK, they are not good enough.

If Matthews and Marner were going full Kariya and Selanne and shooting out the lights, running out there with 2G 1A and 3A apiece on a run and everything else was falling apart night after night, I’d say sure, the answer is lack of depth, defense, goaltending, etc.

But the rest of the team is plodding along giving them a blue collar foundation and Matthews and Marner are just running around like fools getting shut down by mediocre teams.

Matthews level of mediocrity is astounding. Random effort levels period to period, can’t control the play, can’t get to his scoring marks against zone defense, look like hot garbage on special teams. Marner. Brain dead Quinn Hughes finger painting play. Can’t decide if he’s a winger or a point guard defenseman, always shrinking to the point or the perimeter. Had so much success scoring earlier in the year by simplifying and he’s unlearned all those lessons. They flat out stink.

 

[Torontonian]

Not a very good month for the Leafs, goals are hard to come by now. The goaltending and defending hasn't been terrible during this poor stretch.

Their worst case scenario is coming true for Toronto, most of the talk was about being able to score enough goals, and majority of the time they made up for it, but this season it's been real hard for them.

 

[Stephen]

So do we bother claiming Brandon Saad when the Blues put him on waivers tomorrow. He has size and averages over 20 goals/45 points a year. Can we even fit him under the cap?

You’d have to get 50% retention and get a draft pick back for a project so terrible.

 

[GQS]

Hard to do, they all have no movement clauses.

I know, but maybe you can convince Marner to take one for the team and accept a trade and then see if maybe you can re-sign him in the offseason. Or else just bite the bullet and don't re-sign him after this season as much as it would stink to lose a great player for nothing. I just don't want to see him back with a 8 year contract with a huge pay increase. Given the choice I'd rather let him walk than give him that kind of contract.

 

[Fogelhund]

So do we bother claiming Brandon Saad when the Blues put him on waivers tomorrow. He has size and averages over 20 goals/45 points a year. Can we even fit him under the cap?

You do realize he's being bought out right? So you could get him for just signing him, if he wants to come here.

 

[Nineteen67]

I thought this one would go to OT, but on to the next. I think the injuries are probably getting to them at this point. They don't have guys who can replace Tavares and Knies in the lineup, but I'm not sure any team does.

The Leafs and Wild are about the same team and that game could have gone either way on Wednesday in January.

They do need at least 4 points before the break.

 

[wingman75]

People realize that when Berube won the cup, he coached half a season and had players who could play north south.

And a hot goalie!

 

[Stephen]

You do realize he's being bought out right? So you could get him for just signing him, if he wants to come here.

I don’t get how St. Louis can just decide to buy out a guy in season.

 

[Racer88]

That’s what it’s all about with this defective core

but didn't you hear, most of that is because of empty net situations and SHG against

He's been an elite defencemen yet again who's just had awful goaltending when on the ice and no one ever finishes when he is out there

thats a Deke's special right there

Ya I heard that load of crap

 

[centipede2233]

And a hot goalie!

A hot goalie in a contract year

 

[wingman75]

I don’t get how St. Louis can just decide to buy out a guy in season.

They aren't. Both parties mutually agreed to terminate the contract.

A hot goalie in a contract year

Touché

 

[therealkoho]

I bet the refs call something in the last seconds, to make it a bigger joke

It's gotten to the point where it has lost any charm it may have once had.

This phenomenon can be compared to most any utterance blurted out by Jack Begeley whose still wandering a particular small island off the coast of Nova Scotia.

 

[Racer88]

When your offence struggles, you can’t start slowly nor can you allow two weak goals or be muscled off the puck so easily like Rielly did.

But make no mistake, this team is really struggling to score, especially depth scoring. At least I don’t have to hear people say “we’ll we’re still in first”. Berube has to hold people accountable. Sit Rielly down. Stop playing Reaves. Bring up Steeves who deserves a call up.

Berube has turned out to be as bad as Keefe. Gutless

 

[wingman75]

A hot goalie in a contract year

His leaders probably had some emotion as well... something this core is devoid of it seems.

 

[therealkoho]

This team isn't very good from the captain on down, I wouldn't trade any futures at the deadline to support this mess.

It might finally be the time to pull off a Charles 1st and remove the head.

 

[SprDaVE]

Chief has got them churning at the perfect time. The playoffs are all that matter.

 

[therealkoho]

Foligno with the empty netter and staring at the crowd was...odd

Yeah weird, it's like he has a beef with them. It wasn't like he was mistreated here, the fans treated him fairly considering he cost them a 1st for zero return.

 

[likecheese]

Berube has turned out to be as bad as Keefe. Gutless

I just listened to a guy's yt channel that said Minn's def. center, JEE, was able to play every shift except one against Matthews, when we have last change, and he hit the bar on that one shift. Starting to think Berube is a phony.

 

[Divine]

A hot goalie in a contract year

We had a goalie in a contract year too. He was an expiring RFA too and not straight to UFA. Glad we rushed to give him 10M before he could prove himself.

 

[wingman75]

Chief has got them churning at the perfect time. The playoffs are all that matter.

Maybe, but we can hate what we are seeing.

If they win come playoff time, great!

 

[Racer88]

I just listened to a guy's yt channel that said Minn's def. center, JEE, was able to play every shift except one against Matthews, when we have last change, and he hit the bar on that one shift. Starting to think Berube is a phony.

Berube is a phoney, Shanny is a phoney and the new boss of Shanny is a phoney and clown

Maybe, but we can hate what we are seeing.

If they win come playoff time, great!

Agreed but we see no evidence that they have what it takes to win in the playoffs

 

[Stephen]

Yeah weird, it's like he has a beef with them. It wasn't like he was mistreated here, the fans treated him fairly considering he cost them a 1st for zero return.

That was his brother. Nobody cares about Marcus.

 

[LaPlante94]

I just listened to a guy's yt channel that said Minn's def. center, JEE, was able to play every shift except one against Matthews, when we have last change, and he hit the bar on that one shift. Starting to think Berube is a phony.

Do we really have to shelter our top 2 forwards from 1 guy? It just takes 1 guy to shut our top 2 forwards down?

 

[Racer88]

Do we really have to shelter our top 2 forwards from 1 guy? It just takes 1 guy to shut our top 2 forwards down?

Yes and yes