Pre-Game Talk: Look ahead to our next los- errrr game

[Cap'n Flavour]

Shake it.
Rielly-Phaneuf
Gardiner-Franson
Liles-Gunnarsson

No, Gardiner-Franson does not work.

Gardiner-Phaneuf
Rielly-Gunnarsson
Ranger/Fraser/whoever-Franson

Let Franson have easy minutes and pile up points, because he's not looking too interested in skating hard or playing defense so far this season.

 

[Mess]

But what has changed from November 30th to December 1st? Nothing. To shake off the slump, something different has to happen and from what I see, nothing different has happened. Something needs to budge or change because otherwise, this team is in for a rough couple of weeks.

For the record, I hope we beat the Sharks too, obviously.

In order to win consistently your best players have to be your best players. We've heard this a million times in the past.

Star players carry their team to success, so I suppose its time for Kessel and Phaneuf to step up, put the team on their shoulders and carry them to victory. After all that is why they're paid to perform at high levels, as the Leafs are built and revolve around them.

 

[Hurt]

In order to win consistently your best players have to be your best players. We've heard this a million times in the past.

Star players carry their team to success, so I suppose its time for Kessel and Phaneuf to step up, put the team on their shoulders and carry them to victory. After all that is why their paid to perform at high levels.

I can agree with that, Mess but hockey is one of the most team-dependent sports. It's great if Kessel can score a couple of goals or Dion can play solid D but there's 60 minutes in a game and for the 30-40 minutes that Dion or Phil aren't on, the whole team has to click and right now, no one is clicking except JVR.

 

[Khobahi]

I can agree with that, Mess but hockey is one of the most team-dependent sports. It's great if Kessel can score a couple of goals or Dion can play solid D but there's 60 minutes in a game and for the 30-40 minutes that Dion or Phil aren't on, the whole team has to click and right now, no one is clicking except JVR.

And the problem with that is JVR is usually on for the same minutes that Kessel is..

I still believe this team can get things done we just need to see more of a compete level, we have been coming out flat and not gaining much if any momentum.

 

[Trapper]

In order to win consistently your best players have to be your best players. We've heard this a million times in the past.

Star players carry their team to success, so I suppose its time for Kessel and Phaneuf to step up, put the team on their shoulders and carry them to victory. After all that is why they're paid to perform at high levels, as the Leafs are built and revolve around them.

JVR-Bozak-Kessel have been very good in the last 2 games. Gunnar and Phaneuf as well.
Thats it. We are currently a 1 line, 1 D-pair team.
Yes your best players need to step up for the 20 minutes/night they play. The other 40 minutes have not been good. You also need the secondary players. Kadri/Clarkson/Franson/Gardiner are supposed to be more than specialists.

 

[mcleex]

I'm actually really scared for this game. The way our defense has been playing lately San Jose is absolutely going to light us up. Expecting 6 GA lol

 

[Peasy]

Got an exam on Wednesday, I'll probably have the game on mute which will be good.

 

[Trapper]

I'm actually really scared for this game. The way our defense has been playing lately San Jose is absolutely going to light us up. Expecting 6 GA lol

If this team knows how to play the trap, now might be a good time.
Load up one unit for full out attack. Then the other 3 lines trap/hold/slow whatever.

JVR/Bozak/Kessel/Gardiner/Rielly attack
then
Trap
Trap
Trap
then
JVR/Bozak/Kessel/Gardiner/Rielly attack
Repeat all night.
I'm sure Carlyle is open to all suggestions.

 

[Pitt the Elder]

Let's play "what young, skilled defenseman is scratched for a terrible Mark Fraser"!

My guess is Rielly again.

 

[ACC1224]

In order to win consistently your best players have to be your best players. We've heard this a million times in the past.

Star players carry their team to success, so I suppose its time for Kessel and Phaneuf to step up, put the team on their shoulders and carry them to victory. After all that is why they're paid to perform at high levels, as the Leafs are built and revolve around them.

Didn't you use to preach that "you're only as strong as your weakest link"?

 

[ACC1224]

Got an exam on Wednesday, I'll probably have the game on mute which will be good.

Game is on Tuesday.

 

[KuleminFan41]

What if we win the Stanley Cup?

Ifs and buts don't equal wins.

And saying we'll lose every game doesn't mean we will

 

[Pi]

Game is on Tuesday.

I think he'll be studying on Tuesday night while watching the game on mute.

 

[SprDaVE]

The perfect test for the Leafs. Hopefully we see them fight themselves out of the hole they created.

We all expected the Leafs to lose badly in the playoffs last year. We fought our way back from a 3-1 deficit to almost winning the round.

Whether you don't think this team will win another game or not is up to you, but I think the Leafs can surprise and perhaps facing tough tough competition could be what starts that. I didn't think we were outplayed badly against Montreal or even Buffalo. Either game could have gone either way, especially with some calls going our way.

I guess I'm optimistic?

 

[Hurt]

And saying we'll lose every game doesn't mean we will

Of course we won't lose EVERY game but this is the 10th time in TWENTY YEARS and the first time in a year and a half that a Leafs team has lost 4 games in one week. These last few times that we lost 4 games in one week was in the so-called decade of doom (I just made that term up). With a high-flying aggressive Sharks team against a beaten up, given up Leafs team, the odds don't look too great for us.

 

[HockeyGuy82]

In order to win consistently your best players have to be your best players. We've heard this a million times in the past.

Star players carry their team to success, so I suppose its time for Kessel and Phaneuf to step up, put the team on their shoulders and carry them to victory. After all that is why they're paid to perform at high levels, as the Leafs are built and revolve around them.

That's true. Like Kypreos said on saturday. Phaneuf is playing good, but he also has to show a better leadership. Show the boys not to get pushed around and too hit more. Phaneuf can do that, but he's not doing it much.

 

[HockeyGuy82]

Jon Abbott ‏@HockeyAbbs

No Franson on the ice and Kulemin switches with Clarkson, he's now with Ashton-Smith/Kulemin joins Raymond-Kadri #TMLtalk

 

[p.l.f.]

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 9m
Cody Franson and Jay McClement are not practicing this morning.

 

[zeke]

this is gonna be tough.

San Jose's offense is on a ridiculous tear right now, with no less than 5 guys scoring at around a PPG pace, spread over three scoring lines, and they are just demolishing teams in the first period so far this year.

We're gonna need some good goaltending in this one.

 

[Hurt]

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050 9m
Cody Franson and Jay McClement are not practicing this morning.

Big trade coming? Not Jay! Anyone but Jay!

Most likely just a maintenance day.

 

[zeke]

Didn't you use to preach that "you're only as strong as your weakest link"?

he's got a cliche for every opinion, as needed.

and even does us the favour of putting his cliches in quotes when he uses them.

 

[Peasy]

Game is on Tuesday.

Gotta study Tuesday night breh.

The way this team is playing though i may not have it on for long, hopefully something changes though...

 

[Mess]

Didn't you use to preach that "you're only as strong as your weakest link"?

Leafs aren't losing games by being outplayed, outshot and not scoring regularly, because of depth players playing < 10 minutes a night.

Mark Fraser and Jared Smithson or Colton Orr are not losing the Leafs games and the reason for the team struggles and getting dominated regularly by opponents, despite being the weakest links on the team.

When a team is struggling offensively and breaking down defensively its not a depth player issue in play here but rather your star players not carrying the load that they're required to.

Kessel had 2 ES points and only 1 assist in 13 games in November with Leafs losing 9 of them. Not sure how that is the weakest links on the team fault? Leafs have the lowest scoring Defense core in the NHL, so again it doesn't appear Mark Fraser is the reason whey Phaneuf, Gardiner, Rielly and Franson are not contributing offensively.

 

[BonMorrison]

Kulie and Clarkson switch spots at practice. I like that - Raymond and Kulemin have chemistry, it's really the only move we can do with Bozak producing on the top line. I would like to see Leivo called up though.

JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Raymond - Kadri - Kulemin
Leivo - Smith - Clarkson
Ashton - McClement - Orr

 

[p.l.f.]

Big trade coming? Not Jay! Anyone but Jay!

Most likely just a maintenance day.

He didnt look right going to the bench on saturday