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

[All Mod Cons]

hopefully we can keep it up once we get out from under the rest of the bad stuff (Knies, Marner, McCabe, Greb/Minten)

Nope, we can keep them. Like any GM, there are a few good things that happen.

Just an unbelievable amount of damage done with thinking he could re-invent the sport.
Anyone who thinks Malgin above Marchment or Holl above McCann is the way to go, wants taking around the back.

 

[NinjaKick]

To be honest, I hated Scott Stevens and spent considerable time back in the day looking at his biggest hits for evidence of how dirty they were and I came mostly empty. I think he was mostly clean even by today's standards. The most obvious exception is the Kariya hit, that was dirty af.

ot:

how feared was stevens though? people would play completely different when he was on the ice. friggin niedermayer, or whoever was partnered with stevens, would drive players over to stevens side of the ice, and boooooom, your done.

imo, stevens is one of the most effective players of all time, 3 cups, conn smythe in 2000 as a physical shutdown dman... but never won a norris. a canadian legend.

 

[kevsh]

They finally represent a team that I can like. I was not saying that a month ago.

I like what I'm seeing but we've all been fooled before.

Just last season when Reilly got his 5 game suspension the team looked great, playing a simple game and toughing out some difficult wins. "Looks like they've turned the corner!" Then Reilly came back and pretty quickly they regressed back into their old ways and we all know how last year turned out.

So I'm holding off any real enthusiasm until we see how they play when Matthews comes back, for starters. Then it's literally game-by-game.

After 8 years of watching this team fail when it counts means they get zero benefit of the doubt until they deliver playoff series wins come spring time.

 

[Racer88]

how do you rank them? differently than 3 weeks ago?
View attachment 934049

Please remind me again what they have won…….

In a nutshell, quite a lot, though unfortunately like 24 other teams in that time, not the ultimate prize yet.

Please define “quite a lot”

 

[leafs in five]

Please remind me again what they have won…….

6 of 7 I think?

 

[Racer88]

6 of 7 I think?

6 of 7 games? Do you think that makes them successful? In reality it makes for a nice run but as of yet that’s it.
As much as I’m enjoying this new look I think I will wait until they have have some playoff success before I consider This mix of the core 4 plus Reilly as having a chance.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

It's kind of scary how good this team looks without Matthews.

At what point does Tre seriously start considering trading him for more playoff pieces?

Pontus Holmberg is our 2C right now. The answer is never.

 

[therealkoho]

We have never had 2 great starting goaltender.
We are doing this without 7 regulars
Our defense is great.
Berube
Mathews has been out for awhile .
This feels different

Maybe long before your time but

Bower and Simmons won 3 SC together

Bower and Sawchuk were pretty effective although you should include Gambles 30 games

Parent and Plante had 1 good year on a bad team

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

ot:

how feared was stevens though? people would play completely different when he was on the ice. friggin niedermayer, or whoever was partnered with stevens, would drive players over to stevens side of the ice, and boooooom, your done.

imo, stevens is one of the most effective players of all time, 3 cups, conn smythe in 2000 as a physical shutdown dman... but never won a norris. a canadian legend.

I couldn't agree more. He changed games every night. I've learned to respect him over the years. It was just tough back then when the Devs were kicking our ass in he playoffs. My overall point is just that I think for the most part, he was a clean player.

 

[notDatsyuk]

We have never had 2 great starting goaltender.
We are doing this without 7 regulars
Our defense is great.
Berube
Mathews has been out for awhile .
This feels different

We have, but you have to go back to Bower/Sawchuk.

What year was that?

 

[keonsbitterness]

Parent and Plante had 1 good year on a bad team

Average team. Made the playoffs twice for the 1.5 years they were together.

 

[Evilhomer]

ot:

how feared was stevens though? people would play completely different when he was on the ice. friggin niedermayer, or whoever was partnered with stevens, would drive players over to stevens side of the ice, and boooooom, your done.

imo, stevens is one of the most effective players of all time, 3 cups, conn smythe in 2000 as a physical shutdown dman... but never won a norris. a canadian legend.

For my money, Pronger was an even better version of Stevens. I loved the way he played. Offensively gifted, and easily one of the toughest and dirtiest guys in the entire league. Instantly made whatever team he was on a contender.

 

[horner]

Maybe long before your time but

Bower and Simmons won 3 SC together

Bower and Sawchuk were pretty effective although you should include Gambles 30 games

Parent and Plante had 1 good year on a bad team

In the last 10 years or in the core 4 era

 

[notDatsyuk]

In the last 10 years or in the core 4 era

Why limit it to 10? We're pointing out that it's close to 60!

 

[therealkoho]

Maybe long before your time but

Bower and Simmons won 3 SC together 61-62 through 64-65

Bower and Sawchuk were pretty effective although you should include Gambles 30 games the 67 cup

Parent and Plante had 1 good year on a bad team

We have, but you have to go back to Bower/Sawchuk.

What year was that?

Your welcome

 

[therealkoho]

In the last 10 years or in the core 4 era

Gulp sorry

There was no specificity requested, I would have gone back farther but prior to 60 it was mainly just "the guy" and the practice goalie.

A goaltender by the name of Glenn Hall made 502 straight starts from 55-56 to 62-63

 

[Antropovsky]

Both Grebenkin and Minten are full size.

We might see them add some man muscle.

Leafs don't need surfs in the Berube era.

Tree era... he wanted size and snot before he hired Berube.

 

[Antropovsky]

yeah one thing is for sure, if Dubas was still the GM, none of the guys drafted while Dubas was GM who were in the lineup last night would have been in the lineup last night

.... If Dubas is such a great drafter he should be a director of amateur scouting and not a GM. Leafs underachieved during his entire time here. His work is shinning through in Pittsburgh. Up there with the worst rosters ever assembled.

Nedeljkovic 2.5, Jarry for 5.3, Hayes for 3.5, Karlsson for 10, Glass for 2.5, Acciari for 2, Graves for 4.5, Bunting for 4.5.

 

[Hoglund4MvP]

Injuries giving chance to display huge impact Nylander Marner and Tavares have on the game. Surrounded by AHL team, these 3 would still cruise to playoff together. Tavares can still step in as a 1C when needed and people only cried about having him

 

[Captain Crunch]

We've always had that stuff, though I think a different voice in the room is good. You can watch how you want, but I'm not sure why you think nobody cares about anything other than playoff series outcomes. For the record, you're in a regular season post-game thread. And the playoff picture is not the picture that many here want to paint.

That may be true, but there are also many of us who are just waiting until real hockey starts, which is the playoffs. The past 8 years have shown us what they can do during the regular season, which unfortunately did not carry over into the playoffs.

However, this season does seem to be painting a different picture thus far. The excitement comes from having a new voice behind the bench, one who understands what it takes to build a team capable of winning the Cup by having a truly legitimate top 4 defense core, along with two solid goaltenders. And it is clearly evident that the players are buying into this. So yes, it is exciting to watch them play during the regular season. But we also know that, while winning in the regular season is great, that will mean diddley-squat if this team doesn't start winning some rounds come playoff time!

 

[Captain Crunch]

Me too but the Leaf fan in me says this is just our typical November rush, where we play great then come playoffs we are the same old same old team. With that said this teams Mojo does feel different than previous years.

They finally represent a team that I can like. I was not saying that a month ago.

Not to mention having some players come up from the Marlies who can capably fill in for the injured players. I know it's only been one game, but Grebenkin looks legit, and Minten isn't far behind!

 

[Captain Crunch]

Making the playoffs was an accomplishment in the Dubas era. They had no chance of winning anything significant.

I can see that being the case in the first few years, but I would think that winning a few rounds would be their next goal to accomplish.

 

[Dekes For Days]

However, this season does seem to be painting a different picture thus far. The excitement comes from having a new voice behind the bench, one who understands what it takes to build a team capable of winning the Cup by having a truly legitimate top 4 defense core, along with two solid goaltenders.

This year hasn't really been different. If anything, it's just getting back to what we were doing prior to last year. We've had a coach who understands what it takes to win. We've had a legitimate top 4 defense core, and defensive results like this before. We've had solid goaltending before. We've had teams of this quality before, and even better. It's good to be excited. We didn't make the same stupid mistakes as last year, we have a good chance to win again, and hopefully this is the year it comes together. But some out there are trying really really hard to pretend things are a lot more different than they are, to force a narrative.

 

[GoonieFace]

This year hasn't really been different. If anything, it's just getting back to what we were doing prior to last year. We've had a coach who understands what it takes to win. We've had a legitimate top 4 defense core, and defensive results like this before. We've had solid goaltending before. We've had teams of this quality before, and even better. It's good to be excited. We didn't make the same stupid mistakes as last year, we have a good chance to win again, and hopefully this is the year it comes together. But some out there are trying really really hard to pretend things are a lot more different than they are.

I actually agree with this. The same things have been said the last two years or more.

Last year it was Domi and Bertuzzi bringing everyone into the fight, look how different they are playing etc etc.

Hopefully things play out differently in the end, but playoff hockey is a different animal altogether. Time and space is limited, can the big boys handle it? I am confident Willy can, not sure about the other 3

 

[DarkKnight]

This team does look different.