Post-Game Talk: Mike Smith beats Hutch. Oilers win 3-2

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

Leon's words came true. Affirmations work. "We know we can beat them"

 

[The90]

NO goalie, no fun. No tickie, no laundry.

The Leafs played hard tonight, real hard. It was like a playoff game.

But a guy we essentially ran out of town, was our goalie tonight.

Billion dollar franchise? And this goalie is all we can procur?

Gotta say, its almost funny. Till you look at the win and loss column.

Dubas, I want your job.

Maybe you have been given a mandate, just make the Leafs adorable, and competitive

If so, you are doing a really good job. Great job.

If you have been told give us a champ, you are a chimp.

.... hutch is a third string goalie. And by all things considered has been a solid one for us this year. In no way is this game his fault lol.

 

[Cor]

Getting a point with our third string goalie in net.

Meh. Managed to get 3/4 from the Oilers, after taking 6/6 from them in the previous series.

Im totally fine with being done with them for the year now lol

 

[Confucius]

Magic number to make the playoffs is 14

 

[Leaftors]

WHO GIVES A FLYING ****!! what the other team boards think? Jesus, some people are pathetic. We have idiots in here that act like we won the stanley cup by beating them middle of the ****in season everytime we beat them. Its pathetic that people focus on what the opposition fans think all the time. I can promise you everytime we beat them, I dont go through their boards wondering what they think of us/ or the Leafs after they lose.

I pour myself a nice glass of whiskey trash talk my friends and family and call it a day with a nice W. Some should do the same.

amen my guy

 

[Leaftors]

I’ve been a huge engvall fan, and tonight I could see why there is frustration. There was an instance in particular where he came off the bench, and I think Darnell nurse was skating up the ice. It looked like Pierre didn’t have a hold of his stick properly, so he had no choice but to use his body to separate nurse from the puck. Pierre instead did nothing and kind of got out of nurses way??? It looked awful. There were a couple more instances as well along the boards where I think he lacked any physicality.

 

[The90]

We was out goaltended. Not that Hutch played poorly, but Smith was other worldly. Poinr blank shots, cross ice dives (poor Soupy again) anf if Matthews sinks just one of the 3 or 4 point blanks he missed, it is over. Should have been 5-1. I do like the work ethic and Gally on the JT line. Those first two lines were all over them. Need a big physical grinding center for the 3rd line. A Jordan Stall type.

I agree with this. I would also move hyman to the third line again. Marner and Matthews drive their own line anyways. Even with jumbo on it, which I don’t love but for depth purposes it gives 3 solid lines. Find a gritty / solid defensively 3c and I’m happy with our lineup.

I feel Dubas has something lined up but is waiting for something be it cap space etc. Before he pulls the trigger.

 

[johnnyonthspot]

Because Winnipeg is chasing Edmonton and Toronto and both hands were 3 pointers.

I see and fair point. The sleeper team is the Habs who will be the most rested team heading into the playoffs. I do not think it matters where teams finish this year.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I believe it was a big enough gap to be the difference in the game. No anger or triggering needed

Or small enough gap that the game went to OT where the results aren't that meaningful anyway due to the massive variance.

I'm torn, we seem to be playing well enough to win with just average goaltending. I don't mind addressing goaltending if that's the issue, but some of that would depend on injuries. Was Fred's injury a bigger issue than we think which could excuse his poor play? How hurt is Campbell?

I'm not opposed to adding players (or goalies), but I wouldn't move a key piece personally. I don't see the need to justify that cost. Second rounder+ should grab us a second line guy this deadline or a 1B

I think our goaltending has been below average lately and if it stays that way, we're not gonna go far in the playoffs. I agree that our goal tending is a big question mark at this point and you've asked the key questions there that we don't know the answer to. Nothing to do but assume Dubas knows the answers and will make good decisions, nothing else to do at this point. I'm just hoping against hope that we make a deal soon where we ship out something like Robertson and a 1st for a goalie and I can feel optimistic about our cup chances again and until that happens, I just can't get excited about adding a depth player.

I agree with you, I don't think the Leafs should be viewed as heavy favourites against the Oilers, or Winnipeg either for that matter.

I was just trying to point out that valid reasons were given as why some might find the standings misleading in this case, which you appeared to dismiss and just repeat that the standings were close. But when I pointed at the standings for why the Leafs shouldn't have been viewed as favourites over the Blue Jackets you dimissed that too. I am happy to move on though.

If a series against the Oilers started tomorrow though, I would like the Leafs chances better against them then I did going into the Columbus series last year.

Per Bodog:

Cup:

Leafs: +650, Tied with Colorado for 2nd best behind Tampa at +550, Vegas close behind the Leafs and Avs at +700.
Oilers: +1700

I think that's generous to the Leafs.

I'm not sure I was given valid reasons about the standings, if I was then I guess it got lost somewhere in all the LOL Oilers suck posts. I agree we're the better team but with our goaltending the way it is, I don't think we should get too cocky about how the Oilers can't compete with us. I'd also the last two games supports the view that the teams as of right now are close. Two games into OT, it doesn't get any closer than that.

I'm not sure I "dismissed" us being favourites against CLB despite the standings, I can't remember what exactly I said but let me explain (hopefully better than I did before). In almost all cases, the team with the better record is favoured in the playoffs (which to me shows that the standings are indeed an excellent way of measuring teams, not perfect, but excellent all the same). You know the saying "the exception proves the rule"? The fact that we were equal in the standings with CLB but were favoured against them was that exception and there are IMO good reasons for us being favoured. It's hard to evaluate teams with as many injuries as both teams had, that's the main thing that tells us we can't rely as much on the standings as we normally do. I think the biggest factor is that the man games lost due to injury hurt us more than them because the players we lost were much better than theirs. so it was logical to think that when fully healthy, we should be the better team. That said, the more games that are played, the bigger the sample size and the more meaningful the standings become so sure, it's possible that the gap between us and the Oilers is bigger than the standings show. Then again, our goalie situation is so unstable, I just don't know how much better we are at this point in time.

I looked up the cup odds after your post and am somewhat shocked that our odds are that good and I think they're just wrong. I can guess the reason goes something like this: cup futures odds aren't as accurate as they are for say single games for the simple reason that futures betting isn't a big part of their business so they don't need to spend a ton of time getting it right. They also don't to spend the time constantly adjusting them like they should to keep them somewhat accurate. Not many big time bettors drop a bundle on some bet with long odds that ties up their money for months. Also, there's a ton of vig built into those lines so those futures bets are a ripoff in almost all cases. If the odds on a team are listed as 7-1 when they should be more like 15-1, that doesn't hurt them anyway so who cares. I believe there were 5 teams at less than 10-1 before the season started, the ones you mentioned already plus Boston. Now Boston has dropped out of there, in my mind there's no question at all that the Leafs should have dropped with them. Goaltending is crucial in the playoffs and we just don't have it right now and until that is fixed, the chances of us winning the cup is closer to zero then Leafs fans want to admit. It's Andersen and Campbell at this point, that doesn't exactly inspire confidence. JMHO.

asking for a friend... is Simmonds worthy of being in the top 12?

Give him time, we was excellent before getting injured. I'm hoping he gets back to where he was before, we'll see.

WHO GIVES A FLYING ****!! what the other team boards think? Jesus, some people are pathetic. We have idiots in here that act like we won the stanley cup by beating them middle of the ****in season everytime we beat them. Its pathetic that people focus on what the opposition fans think all the time. I can promise you everytime we beat them, I dont go through their boards wondering what they think of us/ or the Leafs after they lose.

I pour myself a nice glass of whiskey trash talk my friends and family and call it a day with a nice W. Some should do the same.

So true. The amount of posts in our game threads about Oiler fans boggles the mind.

 

[ACC1224]

Do you really think GMs believe what other GMs say in public?

GMs aren’t listening to what other GMs say in the media. Once he calls and asks about players it’s probably a pretty good sign he’s looking for someone

 

[Bluelines]

Leon's words came true. Affirmations work. "We know we can beat them"

Shooting a puck off a teammates ass to score is not a repeatable game plan

 

[Advanced stats]

The sleeper team is the Habs who will be the most rested team heading into the playoffs.

Uhhh no...their schedule is ridiculous to end the season. They have 5 games to make up at this point on every other team in the division.
They have multiple periods of 5 games in 7 nights and have to average over 4 games a week for the rest of the season.
It's actually borderline unsafe, the amount of hockey they have to play. They're going to be tired and beat up.

 

[ottomaddox]

Leon's words came true. Affirmations work. "We know we can beat them"

 

[The90]

I see and fair point. The sleeper team is the Habs who will be the most rested team heading into the playoffs. I do not think it matters where teams finish this year.

Montreal has a ton of games to makeup before the playoffs. It’ll be the exact opposite once they finish up their games at hand.

 

[Bluelines]

Cross check on Yamamoto on Marner in front of the ref ...no call
Holding on McDavid on Muzzin in front of the ref to end the 2nd ... no call
Interference on Pulujarrvi on Hyman (Flicked the stick out of his hand) with less than 1 minute to go .. in front of the ref..no call....

.... and game management is not a thing? Riiiight......

 

[egd27]

WHO GIVES A FLYING ****!! what the other team boards think? Jesus, some people are pathetic. We have idiots in here that act like we won the stanley cup by beating them middle of the ****in season everytime we beat them. Its pathetic that people focus on what the opposition fans think all the time. I can promise you everytime we beat them, I dont go through their boards wondering what they think of us/ or the Leafs after they lose.

I pour myself a nice glass of whiskey trash talk my friends and family and call it a day with a nice W. Some should do the same.

This needs to be read again.

Perhaps we could make a thread for opposition fan reaction for those interested in what Betty said about Veronica ?

 

[Gallagbi]

Magic number to make the playoffs is 14

Jesus, really?

 

[BrannigansLaw]

OK we get it. You like the meme.

Can you stop spamming this garbage on every single Leafs thread on these boards now please?

 

[Gallagbi]

I think our goaltending has been below average lately and if it stays that way, we're not gonna go far in the playoffs. I agree that our goal tending is a big question mark at this point and you've asked the key questions there that we don't know the answer to. Nothing to do but assume Dubas knows the answers and will make good decisions, nothing else to do at this point. I'm just hoping against hope that we make a deal soon where we ship out something like Robertson and a 1st for a goalie and I can feel optimistic about our cup chances again and until that happens, I just can't get excited about adding a depth player.

Who would you want for that type of a package? I can't think of anyone that even hints at being available (or would work cap-wise) for that package

 

[Brown Dog]

My hope was that Campbell could be the answer--and maybe he still can be. From what he's shown in a Leaf uniform I certainly think he is good enough to be a #1 goalie on a Cup contender.

But if he's not going to be 100% (or close to it) very soon or can't be relied on to handle a starter's workload, Dubas has to make a move for a goalie.

We know we can't trust Freddy and it would be a real shame if we get in a position where either he or Hutch are asked to play in any kind of meaningful game down the stretch or in the playoffs.

To me, goalie help is by far the #1 priority at TDL.

 

[TakeTheBody]

I don't expect our number 3 goalie to out play the other teams goalie. I do expect our number 1 and 2's to outplay the other teams goalie in at least half the games we play. That is not happening this season for whatever reasons. Hopefully those reasons are injuries. Physical not mental. If and hopefully WHEN our number 1 and 2 goalies out play the teams goalie the sky is the limit. This team is ready to take the next step. But the Leaf goalies have to stop the puck occasionally. Dubas needs a goalie at the deadline.

 

[ottomaddox]

OK we get it. You like the meme.

Can you stop spamming this garbage on every single Leafs thread on these boards now please?

No. No I will not. Every time I post it I get 30-40 likes. Your last several posts got no likes.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Who would you want for that type of a package? I can't think of anyone that even hints at being available (or would work cap-wise) for that package

I have no idea. I'm not familiar with who might be available or who might suit our needs. I'm just thinking that we need a goalie anyway so why wait until the off-season if we can get one now. The 1st plus Robertson is just to make the point that I understand we're going to have to pay to get someone good, I'm not even sure that would be enough TBH. It would seem that we're in a crappy situation right now. We have a team that seems to very strong, well balanced, the divisions are aligned in a way that makes this year a better opportunity then we usually have and there's just one huge question mark. Answer that question and we have a shot at the cup, leave it unanswered and we're all but certain to watch this opportunity pass us by.

I'm just gonna sit here, eat my popcorn and pray that either Dubas finds our guy or that Campbell or Andersen is the answer, nothing else I can do.

Edit - maybe there's a team with two good goalies that's worried about losing one to the draft that wouldn't mind solving that issue today if the price was right.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

No. No I will not. Every time I post it I get 30-40 likes. Your last several posts got no likes.

How sad lmao. Btw might wanna check your most recent post. I think you’re confusing the quantity 0 with “30-40”.

 

[Gary Nylund]

No. No I will not. Every time I post it I get 30-40 likes. Your last several posts got no likes.

Hard to argue with that logic.

I don't mind it at all myself. I love that .gif and considering how many garbage posts there are in every thread anyway, how can I complain about something that makes me smile.

If you're still posting it in August, I'll join the lynch mob, consider yourself warned.