Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose to MONTREAL. This team is no gangsta. Lyubushkin is needed, hard.

[centipede2233]

hindsight is 2020. For years we cried about not being able to sign Marquee Free Agents and we got one of the best in years. The JT signing was not the demise of the team.

the demise of the team will always be Dubas’ inability to convince the kids to take bridge deals to keep all the other young talent around them and have a balanced team. Ultimately, Marner and Matthews in particular will look back in 20 years and realize that had they just taken a 2-3 year bridge deal, the team would be balanced and they would still get their money and probably have a cup or a few deep playoff runs to go with it.

also I hate to say it but Covid absolutely f***ed the leafs. It completely threw the salary projections off, which is unfortunate. You cannot really blame the organization for not seeing that coming. Not a single person in the world did. But it’s a harsh reality and we have to live with the implications.

ultimately, it’s just a series of unfortunate events that have plagued the leafs.

The taveras, matthews and marner contracts were bad with or without COVID, however the second COVID dropped, that ended the leafs cup chances immediately. Sure the leafs can’t project a pandemic, however they could have bridged matthews and marner like the other 90% of the young rfa’s around the league that did and you wouldn’t be in this flat cap hell that they are in…but here we are

 

[Brad C]

Don’t you notice that whenever Leafs lose, it is pretty much, opposing goalie played amazing, Leafs needs to be more physical and gritty and Leafs top guys need to lead.

Hmm, getting tired with the same stuff.
Anyhow, hope the boys show up tomorrow.

Ya Matthews is to be the best scorer in the league.but when the going gets tuff he is no where to be found..did marner play last night.

Holl has had some bad nights but the give aways last night and being filled in by Suzuki was a new high water mark

 

[All the Answers]

Sub .900 across those games is not good enough when the guy on the other end was .930.

The guy on the other end will also be in the HOF. That's a tough comparison and not really fair.

 

[Racer88]

hindsight is 2020. For years we cried about not being able to sign Marquee Free Agents and we got one of the best in years. The JT signing was not the demise of the team.

the demise of the team will always be Dubas’ inability to convince the kids to take bridge deals to keep all the other young talent around them and have a balanced team. Ultimately, Marner and Matthews in particular will look back in 20 years and realize that had they just taken a 2-3 year bridge deal, the team would be balanced and they would still get their money and probably have a cup or a few deep playoff runs to go with it.

also I hate to say it but Covid absolutely f***ed the leafs. It completely threw the salary projections off, which is unfortunate. You cannot really blame the organization for not seeing that coming. Not a single person in the world did. But it’s a harsh reality and we have to live with the implications.

ultimately, it’s just a series of unfortunate events that have plagued the leafs.

Just a minor correction. If you read some of the crazy conspiracy sites apparently Bill Gates knew COVID was coming……..lmao

 

[Gary Nylund]

$11M dollars. The 6th highest paid forward in the NHL. To earn that you have to be dominant.

JT in his first season with us - arguably dominant. Now? Maybe worth $7-8M? In 2 years? Yeah that'll be a tough pill to swallow in our last year of Matthews.

You don't get a pass on a long term contract because it makes sense in year one.

No, to earn that you have to play great for a number of years and then become a UFA.

Anyhow, at least we got one expected win last night so not a total loss. It was before the game started but it's still worth something, right?

 

[sittler rules!!!]

If I told you that a top NHL team got blown out pathetically by a Montreal team playing on a second game of a back to back, you would immediatey know it was the Leafs. Embarassment is just par for the course for this team.

Nothing to like about that team performance top to bottom. All you have to do is play physical and work hard and you've solved the Leafs, as we buckle under any amount of pressure and have no physical response on the roster.

JT continues to look cooked. Not sure how we recover from that $11M if he can't figure it out. Holl also better not play a single playoff game for us. Our goaltending is a horror show also. Lots to solve before the playoffs.

 

[sittler rules!!!]

yes, there are many warts

 

[sittler rules!!!]

Lol at the Scab fans chanting Ole as if their team isn’t in 32nd place. It’s gonna suck being a Habs fan for the forseable future, they have a garbage team and a weak prospect pool.

yet, they have shown that they can get out of the first round

 

[alliuk12]

And the leafs couldn’t even beat them so what does that say about the leafs. There no better then they were last year probably not as good

 

[ACC1224]

Game was over when Mrazek lost the net and Caufield scored. Really tough to play when you feel anything at the net may go in.
Not sure what they saw in him, he's not a very good goalie, constantly overplaying the shot.

Strange note, the worse skater last night was the only plus player.

 

[Raging Bull]

Justin Holl to the Growlers please.

 

[hoglund]

Ya Matthews is to be the best scorer in the league.but when the going gets tuff he is no where to be found..did marner play last night.

Holl has had some bad nights but the give aways last night and being filled in by Suzuki was a new high water mark

I wonder if Matthew's injury losing teeth affected his play.

 

[WillyC]

The main boards must love reading these threads.

 

[Metroid]

Once it was 3-0, I left the game in the background and started Earthbound... (Surprisingly haven't played it yet) fun so far!

 

[Koolboss]

While this is true - JT was the first high profile FA in a long long time, who actually wanted to join the Leafs and not just because he was declining and wanted to live out his childhood dreams just before retirement.

Would the Leafs be better without his contract - yes. But has he been the problem? No. Most of us would've signed him.

Most of us?
Lol

 

[Sypher04]

Game was over when Mrazek lost the net and Caufield scored. Really tough to play when you feel anything at the net may go in.
Not sure what they saw in him, he's not a very good goalie, constantly overplaying the shot.

Strange note, the worse skater last night was the only plus player.

I cannot really overly fault the logic of signing Mrazek, even if it was maybe a little rich. I’ve seen him play well on several occasions prior to coming here, but it just has not worked.

our goaltending is a mess

 

[Sypher04]

Once it was 3-0, I left the game in the background and started Earthbound... (Surprisingly haven't played it yet) fun so far!

i turned it off after the first period. Just had a feeling, saw the score later and knew I made the right choice switching back to playing Horizon

 

[aingefan]

I can really overly fault the logic of signing Mrazek, even if it was maybe a little rich. I’ve seen him play well on several occasions prior to coming here, but it just has not worked.

our goaltending is a mess

Yeah. They’re both better than they’ve played in ‘22, and Mraz all year.
Tough when both are cold at the same time and at a busy part of the schedule.
They both likely get back to being their better selves. Sooner would be better.

 

[ACC1224]

I can really overly fault the logic of signing Mrazek, even if it was maybe a little rich. I’ve seen him play well on several occasions prior to coming here, but it just has not worked.

our goaltending is a mess

It is and it will most likely remain that way until the off season.

 

[ULF_55]

They've had a good season so far.

Didn't watch the entire game I bailed after they showed they didn't have any real desire to win.

At times they show why they have always failed in the playoffs. They lack something huge in their top players. Might be desire not sure, maybe they're okay with losing.

 

[LeafSteel]

Is it me or some nights can you just feel the complete disinterest of this bunch?

I can accept losing but I can’t stand the complete lack of give a crap and limp wrist response when we get down.

These last 2 games are why I am tempering my enthusiasm until the playoffs. They still get shut down too easily and frequently to believe they can bring the necessary intensity to do anything in the playoffs.

This group would give Pat Burns a stroke…..

 

[Racer88]

It is and it will most likely remain that way until the off season.

Which by the way our goalies are playing will be sooner then we would like

 

[4thline]

Remember when we were going to miss the playoffs and the core needed to be blown up based on a bad weekend in October?
This is totally different, and we should 100% make complete judgments based on 116 point pace team losing focus over a weekend in February.

 

[ACC1224]

I wonder if MLSE gets a receipt for the charity they've handed out this year.
They've given the Jets and Habs both their greatest moments of the season.
You almost feel sorry for those poor losers.

 

[thusk]

Is it me or some nights can you just feel the complete disinterest of this bunch?

I can accept losing but I can’t stand the complete lack of give a crap and limp wrist response when we get down.

These last 2 games are why I am tempering my enthusiasm until the playoffs. They still get shut down too easily and frequently to believe they can bring the necessary intensity to do anything in the playoffs.

This group would give Pat Burns a stroke…..

You cant play with intensity 82 games/season... thats kind of game happen to every team

But tonight they need tonplay with energy and get a strong game