Post-Game Talk: No Cup for Winnipeg this Year | 4-1 Leafs Win

[ACC1224]

Knowing they have someone in the lineup puts an few extra pounds of courage in their step. It doesn’t completely deter the opposition, but it gives them something to think about.
Teams like having a Ryan Reaves on their bench.

It’s not so much about deterring the other team it’s more about injecting that gang mentality into the team. Clifford/Simmonds would have started chirping in warm up and continued it all game long from the bench. You’d have to have lived through this stuff to understand how it makes you feel bigger, it’s infectious.

 

[Enniskillen]

What’s with all the Leaf fans in Winterpeg? Are they originally from ON or just locals supporting the good guys?

 

[ACC1224]

Mentioned in the GDT that there are a number fans that just are unable to make that connection.

Likely never will. You don’t have to have played the game to be a fan but you do to understand the team dynamic and what these kind of guys bring. Not needed every night but certainly needed last night.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Good on Wayne! Probably not an every day player but still has value and a role

 

[The Podium]

I think people are giving Simmonds and Clifford a bit too much credit here…. They were invisible physically. Clifford was just invisible period, at least Simmonds had a great game.

I never understand the “feel protected” angle when these guys are playing less than 10 minutes and never against the guys who are “punishing” our players. I understand when you have a Tom Wilson or Tkachuk brother, but a 4th line enforcer will never convince a top 9 player to engage in a fight, and may get burned trying a retaliatory hit. The enforcer role is going extinct for a reason.

Maybe there is some merit to the “prepare them mentally for a physical game” angle, but the Leafs/Jets games always get out of hand so they were likely expecting a physical game regardless.

Happy Simmonds got back in the lineup, especially when NAK has had a rough start to the season, but I don’t think his presence is the reason Reilly fought in defense of Robertson.

 

[ACC1224]

Good on Wayne! Probably not an every day player but still has value and a role

He had a little extra step trying to showcase himself for an everyday role somewhere else.
He knows his time here is over. Good soldier, he’ll land somewhere

 

[All Mod Cons]

Typical Leafs fans. We win and there are still some comparing about Simmonds and Clifford. These guys are never happy unless Malgin and Petan are in the lineup.

 

[KingsHockey24]

Simply better than the rest.

 

[Dekes For Days]

It’s not so much about deterring the other team it’s more about injecting that gang mentality into the team. Clifford/Simmonds would have started chirping in warm up and continued it all game long from the bench. You’d have to have lived through this stuff to understand how it makes you feel bigger, it’s infectious.

You're projecting your own personal feelings, fears, and needs in beer league hockey onto professional hockey players. That's not how this works. The players can handle themselves, and they showed that yet again. They don't and didn't need Simmonds and Clifford.

Luckily, Simmonds had good energy and made a nice assist, so he ended up bringing some actual value, instead of just imaginary value - even if he did also take a bad penalty.
Clifford didn't bring a whole lot of anything.

 

[Knies iT]

It’s not needed every night but anyone that understands the game at more than a spreadsheet level knows having those types on the bench fires everyone up. Just knowing that afternoon that they would be in the lineup preps the players mentally for what is coming that night. It’s not just a coincidence that they played bigger last night.

That is locker room 101, not even just hockey. Still, it’s a concept that would be debated here. #unquantifiable #narrative

 

[ACC1224]

That is locker room 101, not even just hockey. Still, it’s a concept that would be debated here. #unquantifiable #narrative

That’s the key right there, you have to have been in a locker room.

 

[All Mod Cons]

It’s not so much about deterring the other team it’s more about injecting that gang mentality into the team. Clifford/Simmonds would have started chirping in warm up and continued it all game long from the bench. You’d have to have lived through this stuff to understand how it makes you feel bigger, it’s infectious.

100%. You can guarantee the guys feel much better when they're in the lineup for a regular season game.

That is locker room 101, not even just hockey. Still, it’s a concept that would be debated here. #unquantifiable #narrative

Yep. #agenda

 

[The Podium]

That’s the key right there, you have to have been in a locker room.

As someone who has played high level hockey and has been in many locker rooms, physicality from your best players fire up the boys to follow suit, not Joe Bruiser who costed our team more often then not.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

I think people are giving Simmonds and Clifford a bit too much credit here…. They were invisible physically. Clifford was just invisible period, at least Simmonds had a great game.

I never understand the “feel protected” angle when these guys are playing less than 10 minutes and never against the guys who are “punishing” our players. I understand when you have a Tom Wilson or Tkachuk brother, but a 4th line enforcer will never convince a top 9 player to engage in a fight, and may get burned trying a retaliatory hit. The enforcer role is going extinct for a reason.

Maybe there is some merit to the “prepare them mentally for a physical game” angle, but the Leafs/Jets games always get out of hand so they were likely expecting a physical game regardless.

Happy Simmonds got back in the lineup, especially when NAK has had a rough start to the season, but I don’t think his presence is the reason Reilly fought in defense of Robertson.

Delete

 

[saltming]

I think people are giving Simmonds and Clifford a bit too much credit here…. They were invisible physically. Clifford was just invisible period, at least Simmonds had a great game.

I never understand the “feel protected” angle when these guys are playing less than 10 minutes and never against the guys who are “punishing” our players. I understand when you have a Tom Wilson or Tkachuk brother, but a 4th line enforcer will never convince a top 9 player to engage in a fight, and may get burned trying a retaliatory hit. The enforcer role is going extinct for a reason.

Maybe there is some merit to the “prepare them mentally for a physical game” angle, but the Leafs/Jets games always get out of hand so they were likely expecting a physical game regardless.

Happy Simmonds got back in the lineup, especially when NAK has had a rough start to the season, but I don’t think his presence is the reason Reilly fought in defense of Robertson.

Is not like the old days when they could come off the bench to enforce something but I feel it is a comfort to know they can be put on the ice to give some pay back.
Rielly dropping the mitts was 100% heart and leadership and nothing to do with the lineup. Love that guy

 

[The Podium]

It’ll be interesting to see the reactions around here, when Knies breaks into the lineup as a positive value enforcer.

 

[DarkKnight]

Likely never will. You don’t have to have played the game to be a fan but you do to understand the team dynamic and what these kind of guys bring. Not needed every night but certainly needed last night.

There’s a reason you won’t find a former player analyst that agrees with the excel sheet, never played the game, exclusivity you read here, they all get the “intangibles” and understand there is a still a place for physicality. It’s not some outdated old man philosophy , nobody is taking about Colton Orr’s, that stuff is gone, but team toughness and board battles and sticking up for each other, energy created by elements beyond simple skill, that’s hockey and it will never change.

 

[Mess]

As someone who has played high level hockey and has been in many locker rooms, physicality from your best players fire up the boys to follow suit, not Joe Bruiser who costed our team more often then not.

Lets ask Leafs best player.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Simmonds and Clifford clearly had an agenda to change the narrative last night. They were on a crusade. They were honest with the team and didn't lie to each other. The refs were unlucky last night with their expected goals.

Lets ask Leafs best player.

What's is Matthews' agenda here? Why is he lying? It's like he's on a crusade to keep the narrative alive. Unlucky.

I don't like it one bit.

 

[3headeddragon]

Can we stop this stuff? He's RFA. He's going nowhere.
Bunting is the guy you say goodbye to given Robertson Knies are LW.

Depending on the cap hit i wouldn't want to part with Bunting either. That would be decent LW depth.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

I think people are giving Simmonds and Clifford a bit too much credit here…. They were invisible physically. Clifford was just invisible period, at least Simmonds had a great game.

I never understand the “feel protected” angle when these guys are playing less than 10 minutes and never against the guys who are “punishing” our players. I understand when you have a Tom Wilson or Tkachuk brother, but a 4th line enforcer will never convince a top 9 player to engage in a fight, and may get burned trying a retaliatory hit. The enforcer role is going extinct for a reason.

Maybe there is some merit to the “prepare them mentally for a physical game” angle, but the Leafs/Jets games always get out of hand so they were likely expecting a physical game regardless.

Happy Simmonds got back in the lineup, especially when NAK has had a rough start to the season, but I don’t think his presence is the reason Reilly fought in defense of Robertson.

Ok I deleted that last comment.

It was too strong.

 

[The Podium]

Lets ask Leafs best player.

What do you want him to say? He knows their role, so he ran with it.

There is some truth to someone “having their back” but Matthews isn’t going to come out and say “these guys are pretty useless”

 

[All Mod Cons]

I think people are giving Simmonds and Clifford a bit too much credit here…. They were invisible physically. Clifford was just invisible period, at least Simmonds had a great game.

I never understand the “feel protected” angle when these guys are playing less than 10 minutes and never against the guys who are “punishing” our players. I understand when you have a Tom Wilson or Tkachuk brother, but a 4th line enforcer will never convince a top 9 player to engage in a fight, and may get burned trying a retaliatory hit. The enforcer role is going extinct for a reason.

Maybe there is some merit to the “prepare them mentally for a physical game” angle, but the Leafs/Jets games always get out of hand so they were likely expecting a physical game regardless.

Happy Simmonds got back in the lineup, especially when NAK has had a rough start to the season, but I don’t think his presence is the reason Reilly fought in defense of Robertson.

Exactly. That's what we're saying.

Some people get it, Auston Matthews gets it. And if we're being honest and agenda free, he's the most important guy.

 

[The Podium]

People around here really forgot what it was like to have a Wendel, Roberts or Tucker. Players who can actually play while being physical specimens or shit disturbers.

I get wanting physicality in the lineup, I just think the bar is set so low that people will settle on anyone, even if they are a net negative to the team.

Exactly. That's what we're saying.

Some people get it, Auston Matthews gets it. And if we're being honest and agenda free, he's the most important guy.

Maybe if you played hockey at any point in your life, you’d really get it.

Matthews couldn’t care less about having Clifford on the 4th line.

You and I have the same belief, you’re just willing to settle for anything.

 

[All Mod Cons]

What do you want him to say? He knows their role, so he ran with it.

There is some truth to someone “having their back” but Matthews isn’t going to come out and say “these guys are pretty useless”

So because you don't "understand the angle", you think Matthews is lying?

People around here really forgot what it was like to have a Wendel, Roberts or Tucker. Players who can actually play while being physical specimens or shit disturbers.

I get wanting physicality in the lineup, I just think the bar is set so low that people will settle on anyone, even if they are a net negative to the team.



Maybe if you played hockey at any point in your life, you’d really get it.

Matthews couldn’t care less about having Clifford on the 4th line.

Source?