Me: No Panic from this Leaf Fan

[blue82]

i heard Joe Bowens comment about the leafs needing to tighten the lugs before the wheels start to fall off, i love Joe but that really wasnt necessary..we need to stay positive to get through this little hiccup because laugh if you will but the players need all the support they can get, its a wonder how some of the other teams make the playoffs year in and year out? i remember most of us were expecting ottawa to crash and burn last year..then they went through a stretch were they lost a few games in a row.. but then they dug deep and fought through it..a part of me believes that had that been the toronto fan & media base then they would not have been able to overcome the negativity...i know alot of you reading this are probably just as positive as me but i need others to keep this in mind, i have no doubt in my mind that the leafs will play one of their best games of the year on thursday (im not predicting a win just a great played game) and same for saturdays rematch against winnipeg..we are not the same team as in the past, we have a very thick skin, all the naysayers will soon realize this..but it all starts right here GO LEAFS GO!! sorry for the run on paragraph

 

[SprDaVE]

It's not up to us to stay away from panic. It's up to the players.

Leaf fans have every right to be frustrated and start having a panic attack. Just last year we saw the whole thing crumble in super slow motion.

Games like yesterday is a prime game Leafs should have been competitive, but the pressure or whatever was evidently too much for them to handle it seems.

The only way they can stop this crumbling AGAIN, is to actually not play like they will crumble, if that makes sense.

The similarities to last year are getting closer.

 

[Cor]

Pretty much every time loses 3 in a row at least once in a season.

The world isn't ending. Everyone take a deep breath, and go for a walk.

 

[mikebel111*]

this is one of those bad streaks which happen in a shortened season

carlyle was upset yesterday, i say get the team for a bag skate

 

[SteveV*]

Im not in a panic, but we have to be pro-active and recognize our deficiencies, which were actually apparent when we were winning.

 

[G51 K81*]

I'm more worried about the Hawks losing 2 in a row. Time for a rebuild for them.

 

[EDDIE20*]

this is one of those bad streaks which happen in a shortened season

carlyle was upset yesterday, i say get the team for a bag skate

My guess is they'll get an earful from the coach and righfully so. I expect a much stronger effort next game.

 

[slozo]

No panic from me as a fan either.

The goals against have been 4 or higher the last 4 games . . . but that will happen from time to time. It'll be a tough task to keep it below 4 goals tomorrow against the Pens, who are tops in the Eastern Conference (and league) for goals scored, and are 12 goals ahead of the second best team. They are a goal machine right now, and it'll be an accomplishment to keep them at 3 goals or less IMHO. If the Leafs lose tomorrow night against Pittsburgh, there'll still be no panic. If they crap the bed against Winnipeg, then yes - I will start to worry a bit. Not panic, but worry.

Carlyle will keep us steady, and he doesn't throw people under the bus. In streaks like this, the most important thing is that what DOESN'T happen is what a guy like Wilson did . . . increase pressure on the players, throw them under the bus and give them zero confidence, etc. Especially with the goalies.

 

[Pilky01]

The Leafs were never supposed to be any better than a 7-8 seed team. This is just a bit of reality.

 

[Fogelhund]

No panic from me as a fan either.

The goals against have been 4 or higher the last SEVEN games . . .

Corrected for you.

The problem isn't about THREE games, it has been going on for SEVEN. Whether fans panic, or not, or simply discuss calmly what the problem is... isn't going to change how the team performs. No amount of koolaid, or pessimism changes the reality that this team has played poorly on the defensive side of the pond lately. It needs to be fixed. No panic, just reality.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I'll be concerned if they lose to Pitts and the Jets again and make it 5. And I'd be surprised if they don't come out strong against Pitts

 

[slozo]

Corrected for you.

The problem isn't about THREE games, it has been going on for SEVEN. Whether fans panic, or not, or simply discuss calmly what the problem is... isn't going to change how the team performs. No amount of koolaid, or pessimism changes the reality that this team has played poorly on the defensive side of the pond lately. It needs to be fixed. No panic, just reality.

On March 4th, we beat New Jersey 4-2. By my calculations . . . 2 goals is . . . 2 goals below 4, give or take a decimal point.

 

[Fogelhund]

On March 4th, we beat New Jersey 4-2. By my calculations . . . 2 goals is . . . 2 goals below 4, give or take a decimal point.

Is math that challenging?

Over the past SEVEN games, they've allowed 29 goals. This includes the March 4th game. You are aware of what 29 divided by seven equals approximately aren't you?

 

[Ari91]

I'm not panicking either but it's not about whether we're panicking, it's whether the players are panicking or not. The slump sucks. It sucks that we let the 9th place team move a bit closer to us in the standings. But the Leafs are still in the position to control their own destiny.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

Im not in a panic, but we have to be pro-active and recognize our deficiencies, which were actually apparent when we were winning.

We were always getting outshot but what made us succesful was a team defensive unit which boxed opponents to the outside and forced teams to shoot from the perimeter or point, the goalies usually stopped the first shot with very little rebounds. The problem now is and I know i'll get flamed for it but ever since the 6-0 Montreal routing we have gotten cocky and not taking teams very seriously! If you notice since that 6-0 win we have either a) been dominated for the 1st half to 2/3 of the game before turning on the jets and expecting a win OR b) we play solid for 40-45 mins and then blow the lead. The problem is a mental issue with the players, it is up to them (all 23 of them) to learn how to a) be professionals and take other teams seriously b) work as a 23 man unit team again.

 

[Clark4Ever]

The most frustrating aspect of the decline in our defensive play as of late is that there are viable options on the sidelines and within the organization. Gardiner, Liles, and Komisarek are top 6 defencemen on any team in the NHL.

Regardless though, unless Reimer and Scrivens pick it up a notch or two down the stretch, it will be a challenge to maintain our place in the standings.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

If I'm the coach I do several things

1. I run a rigid drill that involves players learning how to get the puck out of there own end quickly and efficiencty, they stay ON the ice until they get it through their heads.

2. I take Holzer and Kosta OUT of the lineup and I bring in Liles and Komiserak. Ideally I would like to bring up Gardiner but that would be the GM's call, and not mine.

3. The 4th line gets limited minutes

4. I run a split goalie system, because Reimer has crapped the bed I would start Scrivens the next game.

 

[Dreakmur]

If I'm the coach I do several things

1. I run a rigid drill that involves players learning how to get the puck out of there own end quickly and efficiencty, they stay ON the ice until they get it through their heads.

After that, can you run a drill that will turn Colton Orr into a 20 goal man?

 

[Stephen]

Pretty much every time loses 3 in a row at least once in a season.

The world isn't ending. Everyone take a deep breath, and go for a walk.

The problem is there's systematic flaws that suggest the team has holes in it and the losing streaks will be longer and more frequent than before.

I don't understand why there's so much complacency and this "business as usual" in Leaf Land, as if we were the Red Wings in the late 90s.

 

[MakeTheIronSing]

The problem is there's systematic flaws that suggest the team has holes in it and the losing streaks will be longer and more frequent than before.

I don't understand why there's so much complacency and this "business as usual" in Leaf Land, as if we were the Red Wings in the late 90s.

Dude, its a hockey team, sometimes they lose games despite having good players, it happens for everyone.

Chill the F out.

Being a fan is the definition of complacency.

 

[Stephen]

Dude, its a hockey team, sometimes they lose games despite having good players, it happens for everyone.

Chill the F out.

Being a fan is the definition of complacency.

This is a hockey discussion forum. If you don't want to talk about the team, cancel your account and go walk around with your foam fingers on.

 

[Kurisu]

Am I only the one confused why the defencemen try keep trying to chip the puck off the boards most of the time? We lost so much puck possesion time giving the puck away, and the other team has the puck with the chance to counterattack. What happend to puck support, and with short passes quickly out of the zone?

 

[MakeTheIronSing]

This is a hockey discussion forum. If you don't want to talk about the team, cancel your account and go walk around with your foam fingers on.

I love talking hockey, but you make it seem like beginning a complaint line is somehow going to force the hand of players to be better and the GM to carefully make a note of all woeful cries.

 

[Stephen]

Am I only the one confused why the defencemen try keep trying to chip the puck off the boards most of the time? We lost so much puck possesion time giving the puck away, and the other team has the puck with the chance to counterattack. What happend to puck support, and with short passes quickly out of the zone?

I wonder if it's simply an issue of skill? To me, when I see Fraser, I see a +/- mirage who can't skate or do anything with the puck other than rifle it up the ice for a hail mary pass or chip it into a part of the ice where there's less pressure and traffic, hoping a teammate recovers it in time.

 

[FlareKnight]

I don't see any reason to be taking it easy. The Leafs have been looking shaky for weeks now. It's just at this point they stopped getting the bounces that let them win despite not playing well.

And really if anyone needs a bag skate it's Carlyle. His bad decisions are starting to come and cost us. Overplaying guys above what they are capable of and stubbornly refusing to make use of the guys he has available to him.

I'll sacrifice the cool standing of saying "no panic here" and say the team better step the hell up and prove there isn't anything to panic about.