Post-Game Talk: Leafs Lose to Sharks

[WickedPegJets]

Keefe outsmarted himself. If Campbell played, we would have most likely won tonight.

Discuss.

Sheldon Keefe unlike most head coaches played his backup goalie in the first game of a back to back. It blew up in his face.

 

[Pi]

I think the biggest problem for me is actually the flat NHL cap and how Gary Bettman has turned the sport of hockey into a game of accounting before anything else even in a pandemic. So the entire framework is broken because the league is inherently knee capping a lot of championship climbs. Like why did the Lightning have to take apart their super team, or why are teams like Colorado and Toronto dismantling year after year before they even get there?

That said, the whole Leafs product feels stale because they’ve put themselves in a straight jacket and the core consistently fails to deliver on what their brand is, which is a highly skilled high octane offense that’s fun to watch. Aside from the frustration of half assed efforts, it’s just kinda… boring.

Yeah, this league should honestly be contracting if they have issues not expanding when the cap is expected to rise a measly $1M.

It's embarrassing that there are so many guys in the NBA, NFL, MLB that make 5x as much as any hockey player makes in a single year. The product is good but the constraints on teams (even wealthy teams) inability to spend money makes us hate the players we have because they didn't take a pay cut.

 

[PromisedLand]

Hyman 5 goals in 5 games (2 tonight)

 

[Nineteen67]

absolutely. Like I said. At the end of the year. See where he is at. If he wants out. You facilitate a move.

if not. You keep him and see. If they go on a run. He will want to stay. If he doesn’t.

simple. Try to negotiate. If nothing is coming then you let his agent negotiate with a few teams.
Like CBJ did with Jones. Or trouba.

you can offer sign and trade for the 8th year. Agree and trade on July 2 to save a team the bonus etc.

you cannot. Let Matthews walk. He would never want that. Look at the RFA marner debacle. The biggest star in on the biggest team playing out the last year? That would be insane. He would never do it. That would be Nuts. He watched Tavares like that.

I thought pre espn that he was a no brainer to stay. He has a whole marketing team. Has some injuries. Pandemic. We can offer 8 years and bonuses. The bieber connection and being the all time best leaf is massive.

but if hockey takes off in the us due to espn. He may want to go south. If he does. Then he won’t stay the last year. It would be madness. It’s already silly now. 3 years away

Hockey will not take off in the US.

 

[WickedPegJets]

The absolute worst performance from the top line all year

I know it’s only two games in, but how many games before Auston gets into the groove of things?

 

[Gabriel426]

Wouldn't you love to see Torts ripping into Tavares/Marner on the bench for dogging their shifts

I want to see Torts presser after they played like today.
Reporter, ‘Can the Leafs improve?’
Torts, ‘ I hope so as they were complete ****’

 

[myleafs]

I was feeling pretty confident that Matthews would sign a new contract with Toronto. But Dubas has screwed up the team so much and killed the future, that I wouldn't be surprised if he bails now. If Matthews walks, it's back to the lottery and ping pong balls.

IF the 3 big contracts would be doing their jobs so far this season we would not have a problem as the leafs would be winning. How is the big 3 not producing in the playoffs and so far this year Dubas's fault?

 

[Nineteen67]

Lets be real. Leafs will be fighting hard for a wild card spot or at best maybe 3rd in the atlantic.

Expectations should be low. Current form leafs (management, coach, core roster) will not be true contenders

Ok, Brandon.

 

[WickedPegJets]

Ba


Babcock is available.

Since the Leafs are still paying Iron Mike, let him work for his severance pay!

 

[Stephen]

Hyman 5 goals in 5 games (2 tonight)

He has more goals than the entire Big 4 combined.

 

[MattySnipes]

I miss the 2016-17 Leafs.

Through 5 games (10 points), they've collected 5 points (50%).

Opponents: Montreal, Ottawa x 2, NYR, San Jose.

How do you come out only 5 points against those terrible teams. How many years have we seen the Leafs play down to weaker opposition? Its infuriating.

Hutchinson definitely didn't do us any favours, however a "SC contending team" definitely would find a way to win.

It's early, yes. Kampf looked good, Rielly had some nice moments, Simmonds a good shift or two, Bunting, Kase are good pieces. Stupid Wes Macauley almost decapitated Kase just so he can make it on camera for a goal signal. Chill out Wes. Spezza keeping me sane

 

[Apex Predator]

I want to see Torts presser after they played like today.
Reporter, ‘Can the Leafs improve?’
Torts, ‘ I hope so as they were complete ****’

Reporter: How do you think Marner did tonight?
Torts: couldn’t tell you didn’t notice him at all tonight

 

[WickedPegJets]

I'll be really upset if they fire Dubas but not Shanahan. Shanahan needs to go.

Shanny and Dubas are joined at the hip so when is made to walk the plank, the other joins him being fed to the sharks.

 

[Nineteen67]

For the first time in history the Leafs are better than Vegas.

 

[socko]

Hyman 5 goals in 5 games (2 tonight)

Damn. That's good. Watched the highlight of the first one. Yep, that's a Hyman goal, think it went off his skate. Would be fun to do a side by side comparison of stats throughout the season for Hyman vs Marner. Who you think finishes with more goals? More points? McDavid can do some amazing things to your stats.

 

[PromisedLand]

He has more goals than the entire Big 4 combined.

I feel like we should start defining what we mean by "big" in the big 4. Is it the players or their contracts

 

[Legion34]

Hockey will not take off in the US.

it might not long term. But the point is. Matthews will go wherever he decides he can be marketed best.

he wanted to go to Toronto at the draft.because he knew it was the biggest market. I’m sure he has his ups and downs with the media. But Toronto is a massive franchise. He isn’t stupid. He wasn’t getting back to back ish game covers.

but IF right or wrong. His team decides he can be marketed better in the states. ESPN wants to make him their poster boy. They may decide it makes sense for him to go to the states. It’s possible. We haven’t seen how this plays out yet.

 

[Philadelphia Ducks]

Have a feeling they will also lose the next two and we might say goodbye to Keefe by Tuesday, if the top guys don’t show up for the next three days.

They aren't gonna fire someone 2 weeks into the season after extending him 4 weeks ago.

 

[PromisedLand]

Damn. That's good. Watched the highlight of the first one. Yep, that's a Hyman goal, think it went off his skate. Would be fun to do a side by side comparison of stats throughout the season for Hyman vs Marner. Who you think finishes with more goals? More points? McDavid can do some amazing things to your stats.

that 1st goal Hyman was in the blue paint dirty area looking for the puck -> fortune favors the brave

Hyman's 2nd goal was a one timer from McJesus pass. I've never seen Hyman take a one timer on the Leafs EVER!

 

[MattySnipes]

Hyman 5 goals in 5 games (2 tonight)

Good for him but I mean Leafs fans have said he'll be good for another few years. Let's see how he's doing in year 3.

Obviously wish him the best, he's an easy guy to cheer for.

 

[WickedPegJets]

Either that or his one trick pony style was figured out.

So, Dominique Ducharme got a 3-year contract while Sheldon Keefe got a 2-year deal and both have coached underwhelmingly.

 

[socko]

that 1st goal Hyman was in the blue paint dirty area looking for the puck -> fortune favors the brave

Hyman's 2nd goal was a one timer from McJesus pass. I've never seen Hyman take a one timer on the Leafs EVER!

I can't wait to see the replay. Ritchie makes me appreciate Hyman more.

 

[hockeyes]

I think this teams early success is coming to bite them back currently.

Would anyone hate this team's core if they missed the playoffs the first 2-3 years in their ELCs as the team got better and then made the playoffs the last 2 years but failed to make it further?

This team cannot carry the burden of the failures that preceded them, they can only be held accountable for their current failures and as much as it is a result oriented game, you have to be process oriented if you want to eventually win the Cup.

The Leafs can't win or lose the cup in a few games but little improvements go a long way and sadly I just don't see that from them.

When I watch the Bruins play, they play the same way win or lose any particular game. The same goes for Tampa, Pittsburgh, Colorado, Vegas, Washington etc. With the Leafs, I just don't know if they have decided what kind of way they want to play. They do a bit of everything.

Regular season Leafs hockey just isn't very exciting right now and truth be told, I've yet to watch a single game from start to finish this year. It's background noise for me right now while I do other things.

I just can't get myself to invest in the team until I can see a different result when it matters most.

The early success didn't do them in, at least not directly, it was signing Tavares. He is a fine player but it made no sense to pay 11m for a UFA vet at that time for a position they didn't even need to fill.

 

[ponder]

Hyman 5 goals in 5 games (2 tonight)

As much as ppl talk about Hyman being overpaid, his AAV is close to $1 mil lower than Ritchie + Mrazek. I’d rather have Hyman.

 

[binop7]

What's worse the leafs or the hfb servers