Post-Game Talk: Leafs win 5-2!

[zeke]

nice win. this team doesn't suck.

but man would it be nice to have them all on the same page playing a strong system.

and of course I still hate how we made it interesting by turtling....I mean "protecting our lead" at the end there.

 

[thewave]

Buffalo has beaten the Sharks 8 straight games. I guess the Sabres are for real eh?

I love how these guys pile ontop of the fans who expect a bit more from this useless franchise because "the negative nancies flock on here after a loss to whine", when the opposite is true. The homers come out in full force because the hometeam actually showed up to play.

That performance vs. Tampa should be the norm for the hometeam. The effort dummies not the win. How dumb is this place?

I appreciate your posts. I know you are angry at this team being a hockey fan, I am as well but I think you are a little overly critical about some of the core pieces we do have here and I will name them. If I am wrong sorry in advance. I am under the impression you wish to blow this team up.

You can indeed build around Kessel, JVR, Rielly, Komarov, Bernier and Kadri(IF HE GETS LEGIT WINGERS) also Potentially Nylander, Bibeau, Percy and Brown. There may be a couple other surprises on D.

What I am saying is the troubles on D are now glaring and we are short legit wingers and for sure a top C. Nylander may be able to walk directly into that role.

If they are smart enough to take advantage of trading guys like Franson who has rocketing value, Bozak, Dion, Jake and perhaps Lupul if he comes back and rips it up, then, we should have enough assets and picks to draft well or use picks to get the 1C and 1D(B) as Rielly I feel will be turning the corner very soon.

They just have to be smart here. They need to make moves now and throw this season to do it. Hell just to add Clarkson may be working towards having value! Out the door ASAP.

It can be done.

Also I think if you can get Komarov Santorelli Panik and Winnik in the system for a combined 10million you have great depth and a good Contender grade 4th line in place. Panik could potentially see spot duty on a valid 3rd line with top 6 in injury situations.

 

[Raging Bull]

JVR went into beast mode last night. Could have had 4 or 5 goals. Best game he's played this season by far.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

JVR went into beast mode last night. Could have had 4 or 5 goals. Best game he's played this season by far.

That's what we expect from him now though for a larger percentage of games. He has such Nieuwendyk type hands,skating and shot that it is really spooky to compare them ad you watch.

Nieuy was better defensively. James needs to make the step into the elite category by simply playing his best possible efforts every game defensively. There is a big pay day in the near future if he does it.

He was boss last night ha.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Bouncing back is one thing but doing it in style against a powerful team like Tampa is definitely a statement. I'm not saying they're out of the woods yet as consistency is needed, but it does show this team has the components to compete when firing on all cylinders...Oh well, one game at a time... and tonight they're winners.

 

[ACC1224]

JVR went into beast mode last night. Could have had 4 or 5 goals. Best game he's played this season by far.

He needs to bring that way more often. For me he's been the biggest disappointment so far this season.

 

[hockeyfanz*]

I appreciate your posts. I know you are angry at this team being a hockey fan, I am as well but I think you are a little overly critical about some of the core pieces we do have here and I will name them. If I am wrong sorry in advance. I am under the impression you wish to blow this team up.

You can indeed build around Kessel, JVR, Rielly, Komarov, Bernier and Kadri(IF HE GETS LEGIT WINGERS) also Potentially Nylander, Bibeau, Percy and Brown. There may be a couple other surprises on D.

What I am saying is the troubles on D are now glaring and we are short legit wingers and for sure a top C. Nylander may be able to walk directly into that role.

If they are smart enough to take advantage of trading guys like Franson who has rocketing value, Bozak, Dion, Jake and perhaps Lupul if he comes back and rips it up, then, we should have enough assets and picks to draft well or use picks to get the 1C and 1D(B) as Rielly I feel will be turning the corner very soon.

They just have to be smart here. They need to make moves now and throw this season to do it. Hell just to add Clarkson may be working towards having value! Out the door ASAP.

It can be done.

Also I think if you can get Komarov Santorelli Panik and Winnik in the system for a combined 10million you have great depth and a good Contender grade 4th line in place. Panik could potentially see spot duty on a valid 3rd line with top 6 in injury situations.

Hey Wave...You're right in saying there are some decent pieces. EVERY team has them. Yes even the Panthers and Sabres and Oilers. Great.

I refuse to get all excited because the Leafs play the occasional game with some effort and beat some good teams. So what? Every team does that. Even the Sabres, Oilers and yes Panthers. Bottom 6 guys? Meh. Dime a dozen. Didnt the Leafs just prove it by going out in the summer and basically loading up on bottom 6 players for 1 year deals? Throw spaghetti at the wall. Some will stick (winnik/sanotorelli) some will fall (Frattin/Kontiola). Next year the bottom 6 can once again be completely different.

Goaltending with Bernier will be ok IMO. Kessel and JVR are good wingers yes...Not a big fan of Gardiner/Franson/Phaneuf. Reilly is still a pup and has the tools to be good for sure.

Not much else IMO. Not even that high on Kadri to be honest. Better hope Nylander is something special. Dont think there is much else to make this team a contender.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Bouncing back is one thing but doing it in style against a powerful team like Tampa is definitely a statement. I'm not saying they're out of the woods yet as consistency is needed, but it does show this team has the components to compete when firing on all cylinders...Oh well, one game at a time... and tonight they're winners.

They dominated last night for most of the game. I liked mostly everything the way they played it. Bernier shut the door nicely too and that was good for his brain. He was probably not feeling that hot about his concentration lately.

 

[Raging Bull]

He needs to bring that way more often. For me he's been the biggest disappointment so far this season.

Definitely. His numbers aren't terrible but he can be bringing so much more than he has been. He's basically unstoppable when he's using his size and skating, too much standing still for JVR so far this year.

 

[GoonieFace]

Bouncing back is one thing but doing it in style against a powerful team like Tampa is definitely a statement. I'm not saying they're out of the woods yet as consistency is needed, but it does show this team has the components to compete when firing on all cylinders...Oh well, one game at a time... and tonight they're winners.

They've made these type of statements for the past 3 years, surely followed by some lackluster performances. When are people going to realize this team does not have it.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I am crying myself to sleep because I wanted McDavid

We don't need to tank to get better. We don't need a full rebuild.
We've got most of the pieces, we just need a few key trades and this team will be making a serious run for the cup.
I call my plan an Accelerated Rebuild.

Can't believe Clarkson is on about a 25 goal pace right now lol

Not bad for a guy that slow

Stammer defending his future team

haha.

 

[showtime8]

Going through this thread, there are only a handful of posts that actually say that Carlyle coached a good game. But when the Leafs lose, he's the first to get blamed.

Stay classy Leaf fans.

 

[Ratboy]

Going through this thread, there are only a handful of posts that actually say that Carlyle coached a good game. But when the Leafs lose, he's the first to get blamed.

Stay classy Leaf fans.

Guy calls out whole board for not loving the coaching, insinuates everyone else lacks tact.

 

[thewave]

Hey Wave...You're right in saying there are some decent pieces. EVERY team has them. Yes even the Panthers and Sabres and Oilers. Great.

I refuse to get all excited because the Leafs play the occasional game with some effort and beat some good teams. So what? Every team does that. Even the Sabres, Oilers and yes Panthers. Bottom 6 guys? Meh. Dime a dozen. Didnt the Leafs just prove it by going out in the summer and basically loading up on bottom 6 players for 1 year deals? Throw spaghetti at the wall. Some will stick (winnik/sanotorelli) some will fall (Frattin/Kontiola). Next year the bottom 6 can once again be completely different.

Goaltending with Bernier will be ok IMO. Kessel and JVR are good wingers yes...Not a big fan of Gardiner/Franson/Phaneuf. Reilly is still a pup and has the tools to be good for sure.

Not much else IMO. Not even that high on Kadri to be honest. Better hope Nylander is something special. Dont think there is much else to make this team a contender.

I don't think I hae been excited about the team since 2005 at the latest probably before that. With the exception of Game 7 Boston going into the third period.

Regardless of that though I appreciate your view on Kadri. I have had lengthy discussions about his lack of a top gear. He draws penalties has some moves and has put up a good ppg pace once but, you're right that doesn't cut it. He almost never steps up from out of nowhere and does something truly amazing. Nobody is ever amazed by Kadri not like with Kessel down the wing or JVR in tight or in a hard drive to the net. That doesn't mean I think that he is a waste, he could be a reasonable 4.2m - 4.5m (Bozak Money) 3C on a contender no problem. This working with a 6x5m(avg) top 6 spread over 3 lines template, bolstered with solid young farm players. Not unlike Chicago.

I think you're right ATM there is nothing else and that's why I promote the trading no matter what of aging players, failed captains and their alternates. With that I think that Nonis or ideally a competent GM could transition is fairly quickly at least into a playoff team but not for this season. We MUST tank while having our players marked for trade doing well enough to fetch a good return.

 

[BorntoLose]

Strong bounce back game by the Leafs. JVR, Kessel, Clarkson came to play in this one.

They really needed this one, to settle things done.

Stamkos seemed off all night, not his usual explosive self.

you can thank Bozak for taking him out in the 1st period

 

[Semantics]

Bouncing back is one thing but doing it in style against a powerful team like Tampa is definitely a statement. I'm not saying they're out of the woods yet as consistency is needed, but it does show this team has the components to compete when firing on all cylinders...Oh well, one game at a time... and tonight they're winners.

LOL, love the overreaction. This is the NHL, *every* team can compete when they're firing on all cylinders. I mean even Buffalo has five wins. The Leafs *still* got out-possessed, even when the game was still close, and if TB hadn't played poorly and gifted us a couple of goals the outcome could easily have been different.

I for one refuse to believe this team is anything but mediocre until they prove otherwise by consistently beating good teams territorially, and don't have to rely on an off night by the goalie (Rask) or gifted goals (Panik) to wink.

 

[BorntoLose]

LOL, love the overreaction. This is the NHL, *every* team can compete when they're firing on all cylinders. I mean even Buffalo has five wins. The Leafs *still* got out-possessed, even when the game was still close, and if TB hadn't played poorly and gifted us a couple of goals the outcome could easily have been different.

I for one refuse to believe this team is anything but mediocre until they prove otherwise by beating a good team territorially, and don't have to rely on an off night by the goalie (Rask) or gifted goals (Panik) to wink.

hey we deserve those gifts, its not like Gardiner doesn't give the opposing team atleast one freebie per game

 

[Semantics]

Going through this thread, there are only a handful of posts that actually say that Carlyle coached a good game. But when the Leafs lose, he's the first to get blamed.

Because he didn't coach a good game. His systems still suck, his team still can't beat good teams unless they have a bad game, and he still misuses his players.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Who's call was it to put Phaneuf and Franson back on the PP together? I don't agree with it. It will get exposed again in short order.

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

Going through this thread, there are only a handful of posts that actually say that Carlyle coached a good game. But when the Leafs lose, he's the first to get blamed.

Stay classy Leaf fans.

It's almost as if some people are consistent in their criticisms and don't change their opinion of the coach every time we win or lose a game

 

[ACC1224]

Who's call was it to put Phaneuf and Franson back on the PP together? I don't agree with it. It will get exposed again in short order.

Seemed to me it was more to get Gardiner off of it after the early goal he cost.

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

Sees post about me loathing negative Nancy's, thinks of himself immediately.

Because it was in response to me? I mean, you quoted my post. No ****ing **** I was going to think it was addressed to me.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

 

[HamiltonNHL]

 

[therealkoho]

It's from @draglikepull on twitter. He does em all the time.

Draglikepull @draglikepull
One thing I've been watching a lot lately: How often Kessel has to cover for Bozak in the neutral zone after TyBo goes puck chasing.

Draglikepull @draglikepull
And it's always Kessel. Never JVR.

Draglikepull @draglikepull
I don't know if anyone else saw what Bozak did with about a minute left in that period, but it's unbelievable. Screencapping now.

Draglikepull @draglikepull
Also, you'll note that "doesn't backcheck" Phil Kessel is in great position in screenshot 3, covering for Bozak as usual.


Draglikepull @draglikepull
Yeah Bozak drops his stick, but if you have GCL, rewind to that shift and watch Bozak's speed as he returns to the play. Not even trying.

Draglikepull @draglikepull
Also, Bozak wouldn't have dropped his stick in the first place if he hadn't stupidly barrelled through the Tampa zone.

how long do you think he had been on the ice for at that point???

end of shift and running out of gas

no danger in the Leafs end as everyone was back and puck was still at the Leaf blueline

so no use going pedal to the metal perhaps saving it for Dzone coverage or a quick trip back up the ice in case of a turnover that would create a 2 on none with he and Kessel, they are after all a team that is built to score off turnovers

some of you should actually lace em up and play the game, you might see the fallacy in what this guy is insinuating not to mention his obvious historical dislike for what tyler brings


there is no other centre in the league that has a higher percentage of wins on the dot with as many draws taken

his 19 take-aways are tied for 4th in the league, his 3 give-aways tie him with Bergeron