Post-Game Talk: Leafs win 3-0 with a huge effort

[Da Mash]

Not while he suspended obviously. He is a good player though.

Doing what? We criticize others for less. The guy has a circle radius of a semi. He can skate in a straight line but has no agility. He can’t shoot or receive a pass.

He is old and slow and a defensive liability and has to be sheltered.

I’m still trying to find something he is good at? Fighting? ok sure…pay a guy millions to fight five times a year?
He would be better off asking Jake Paul for a match

 

[tmlms13]

Robertson had a couple great chances and couldn't finish. It's clear to me it's a him problem not an opportunity problem.

If we trade him and he turns into his brother, good for him. It's clear it's not happening here

 

[Aashir Mallik]

just rewatched the joe bowen highlights and man am I more impressed with grebyenkin after that

every scrum he was dropping dudes, every battle he was engaged and making life hell for the other team.

Idk if he is or isn't ready, but once he is he is going to be sooooo good. Already one of my favourite players in this organization

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Yeah, Jesus Christ, don't play Reavo in the playoffs. I don't think I've ever seen anyone recommend that.

But over an 82 games season, does it matter if we're losing about 5 goals from our 4RW.

It matters if we're playing a guy in the place of someone else that can contribute those 5 goals from a 4RW and perhaps could offer something in the playoffs. The only way it wouldn't matter is if he was a deterrent and actually did the job he was originally signed for. But it's already been established he doesn't contribute anything to the team, including preventing opponents taking cheap shots at our players. He's too old and slow to be of any use.

The team played one of the grittiest, toughest games we've seen from these guys in a long time, if ever in the Matthews era. The reason for that is that the toughness didn't come from one or two guys, it came from everyone. Heck, even Tavares tackled a player to the ice during a scrum. It's nice to see that they have each other's backs. Benoit jumped in to show that you're not going to get away with that kind of it without some form of retribution. What more would Reaves have done?

Not while he suspended obviously. He is a good player though.

Reaves is NOT a good player anymore.

 

[Hellcat]

just rewatched the joe bowen highlights and man am I more impressed with grebyenkin after that

every scrum he was dropping dudes, every battle he was engaged and making life hell for the other team.

Idk if he is or isn't ready, but once he is he is going to be sooooo good. Already one of my favourite players in this organization

I wonder if that energy , is who he is, or if he is turning it on to impress the boss? Thought he played better than an AHLer type skill level too.

 

[Hellcat]

Robertson had a couple great chances and couldn't finish. It's clear to me it's a him problem not an opportunity problem.

If we trade him and he turns into his brother, good for him. It's clear it's not happening here

Yeah I just don't see him a fit on this team, he's just a passenger taking up a roster spot TBH. He noticeably f-ed up a couple of times in his own end, not making the simple play (what is best for the team) vs a selfish play (trying to look like a star). If he goes else where and lights it up good for him, it is time turn the page on this player.

 

[Hellcat]

This video is a pretty good summary regarding the hit,

tl;dr Whitecloud causes the head to be targetted through his actions

Difference is it was goon on star and he drew blood and the other was not a goon and not a star. The NHL reacted to who it was (as they tend to do) and not what it was. Tom Wilson does the exact same hit on Matthews and Wilson is gone for 10 games. Different rules for different fools.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Can't believe his hit happened the second Reavo isn't playing.

This happened after Grebenkin hit a guy from behind. Because contrary to what some want to be true, playing on the edge doesn't prevent moments like this. It encourages it. The only thing Reaves would have potentially changed is the win.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Last night was the fist time I watched an entire Leafs game this year. I can say with confidence that this is the best forechecking Leafs team I've seen in the last two decades. The defense core is also the best they have had in many years. The goaltending duo is the best in years too. Craig Berube deserves all the credit for this version of the Leafs because I haven't seen them play this tough and defensively responsible for years. And they were missing their best player.

Well Tre gets some credit. The personnel are better and so is the depth. Look at all the injuries. At this rate Cowan will get called up soon.

 

[Da Mash]

Nobody says Reaves needs to be in the playoff lineup. During the regular season however it might be helpful to have an enforcer in the lineup if he deters (not eliminates, as that's impossible, but deters) these kind of cheapshots to our stars.

We have no proof that he does deters cheapshots. But we do have is proof that when he is in the lineup the opposing team do take liberties on our players and he yaps from the bench and then 5 times a year does his bear hug dance with someone wearing plastic armour and a shield.

Just because Don Cherry has brainwashed into thinking this is true doesn’t make it true.

I’m all for adding a tough big winger that has NHL hockey ability that can scrap and is defensively responsible. Reaves isn’t it …not now

 

[Suntouchable13]

Need to aim for 1st seed in the conference, don’t you think? The 2nd division winner might have to face one of NJ, NYR, WASH, CAR. Yikes. Yea, i know it's too early.

 

[Da Mash]

Need to aim for 1st seed in the conference, don’t you think? The 2nd division winner might have to face one of NJ, NYR, WASH, CAR. Yikes. Yea, i know it's too early.

I was told here that regular seasons wins mean nothing. Go figure

 

[horner]

Iam really liking this team .
I think the best thing that happened to this team was Mathews missing some games.
Odviously I wish he had never got injured but when your best goal scoring is missing you have to change the way you play tight checking hockey playoff style.
They have learnt

 

[Racer88]

I don’t disagree. Rule states to the head and avoidable. Reeves was avoidable and so was that one. I loved the response from them after. Where has that been for the last eight years?

However knowing he is bent over a bit and not looking, knowing you are going to hit is head and blow him up is a predatory chicken shit move.
This is not the intent of body contact.
I love a good hit as well as the next guy but that POS on Vegas absolutely knew he was going to injure a player

 

[Kurtz]

Just because Don Cherry has brainwashed into thinking this is true doesn’t make it true.

Don came up in an era where every team would dress multiple enforcers on a nightly basis, and he never really adjusted to the fact that the game has evolved away from that.

Still, if you look across the league, most GMs/Coaches do still seem to find value in having an enforcer on the roster; it's certainly not exclusive to Don.

If the Bruins are sellers at the deadline, it'd be nice to add a guy like Frederic and check multiple boxes all at once.

 

[fahad203]

Iam really liking this team .
I think the best thing that happened to this team was Mathews missing some games.
Odviously I wish he had never got injured but when your best goal scoring is missing you have to change the way you play tight checking hockey playoff style.
They have learnt

There are some players that are truly likeable. OEL for example
He has so much bite to him.

 

[DutchHockeyGuy]

Could not watch the game this morning, but just did. That was a gutsy hard fought win. Loved the team’s reaction to the hit on Knies. (HE LEFT HIS SKATES). Hope our guy is ok.

‘It was a 20 second phone call’ should get whomever that is on the panel in the intermission sent to the frontline in Ukraine. But the ‘War room’ will ever disagree publicly with the refs on the ice and rights holders apparently feel the need fall in line.

Young guys worked their asses off and had very good moments. Woll played excellent, Nylander was simply amazing.

All in all…good gamy by the good guys.

Grebenkin, McCabe, Tavares, Benoit, Timmins, Ekman-Larsson were the highlights. Team roughness!

Lorentz

 

[hockeywiz542]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1859647400664760498

 

[conFABulator]

Racer said that like 3 weeks ago, was just asking him whether he thinks it's still true

I gathered that you might have been circling back on someone else's comment, so I asked without challenging you as the poster.

 

[kevsh]

Dare I say they have heart?

Most of the roster has always had heart, it's really just been the core stepping up when they need to - in the playoffs obviously - that has been in question.

Heart = finding a way, even when it seems near impossible.
Repeatedly, when this core has faced the toughest checking and the most unbeatable goalies in the post-season they have not punched a way through it.

But yeah, last night was a very gutsy performance across the board. Now they just need to capture it and apply it in April, May & June.

 

[Puckstuff]

Can't see Grebs stickign around. He'll probably go back to the A
Steeves I can see staying up for that 4th line role

If it was a top 6 or top 9 role, I could see the case for Steeves over Grebenkin if you think there's a little more offensive upside with Steeves.

If we are look at a strictly 4th line role player, I think I'd prefer the extra bit of jam Grebenkin brings over Steeves for that type of role.

 

[Nineteen67]

And yet our guy gets 5+game plus a 5 game suspension and the other guy gets a powerplay, and you feel that's fine?

No. If hitting the head is an automatic penalty he should’ve recieved a minor penalty.

The biggest difference between the two hits is Reaves missed his and Whitecloud’s was a textbook body check.

 

[Da Mash]

Don came up in an era where every team would dress multiple enforcers on a nightly basis, and he never really adjusted to the fact that the game has evolved away from that.

Still, if you look across the league, most GMs/Coaches do still seem to find value in having an enforcer on the roster; it's certainly not exclusive to Don.

If the Bruins are sellers at the deadline, it'd be nice to add a guy like Frederic and check multiple boxes all at once.

I’m all for adding someone that has grit and can actually play the NHL game. We have all witnessed that Reaves isn’t that guy. It was a bad signing from the start IMHO. We need our bottom six to be better.
Reaves offfers ONE skill and in todays games it more of a joke then a must have on a team IMHO

 

[fahad203]

If it was a top 6 or top 9 role, I could see the case for Steeves over Grebenkin if you think there's a little more offensive upside with Steeves.

If we are look at a strictly 4th line role player, I think I'd prefer the extra bit of jam Grebenkin brings over Steeves for that type of role.

To me Steeves is just more seasoned and ready to go. He also deserves a long look. He has paid his dues
With Grebenkin, he can fit top 9 role next year. A lot to like there

 

[daveleaf]

When Roy threw Tanev into the boards I was missing Reaves there. Doesn't happen often but he would have been of use last night, IMO.

I agree.

So he can yap from the bench?

What has Reaves done since coming here ? Warn a player before the game? No one is scared of Reaves. Especially playing 5-7 mins a game.
We had players get hurt and Reaves did nothing because he cant. Is he going to chase Marchand around the ice? hahaha

First of all Reeves can’t go after Marchand. He’s a light weight but a guy like Domi can. All you need is to have the big dog on the bench. I know a lot of young guys don’t like it and you may not need him come playoff time unless it’s garbage time but you need him.