Post-Game Talk: Same team, another season. Leafs put in a lacklustre effort lose 4-1

[Jojalu]

For some reason it just dawned on me that the Leafiest thing that could happen this year would be to win the division and then proceed to lose to a WC Pit in the first round.

The board might literally explode.

 

[darrylsittler27]

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result. The Leafs are that insanity. There are expansion teams better than them. I just watched a team that has no back end, has no chance of winning a round of playoff hockey but keeps thinking they are gonna outscore everyone. The Leafs played bad hockey. You wouldnt know they had 4 of the best players in the game. Im not even sure if a new coach can save this garbage.

Only 5 pages? After a loss? Are people really waiting for the playoffs or are they jaded by “same old Leafs”?

They are tuning out early. Only management thinks this is a good team. Same old, same old losing formula that never worked. We lost more in the offseason than we gained.

 

[Aashir Mallik]

For some reason it just dawned on me that the Leafiest thing that could happen this year would be to win the division and then proceed to lose to a WC Pit in the first round.

The board might literally explode.

Idk if I would be able to come back from that

f*** the bruins, f*** the habs, f*** the jackets, f*** the panthers

Honestly, since they got knocked out by the caps, the pens have been pretty mediocre in the playoffs. Swept by islanders, shamed by Montreal, choked to islanders, missed the damn thing

losing to dubas would be my last straw

 

[EbonyRaptor]

So because Chicago was shit last season it should be an automatic win? Chicago is a way better team than last year and they are fast as hell, they might be a wild card team.

I realize a post game thread after a loss is mostly going to be comments by angry and disappointed fans - therefore not much credit being given to the opposing team - so it is nice to read your comment. I doubt the Hawks make the playoffs - more likely closer to a top-5 draft pick than a playoff spot.

This season is really about getting the young players NHL experience - especially 5 players - Bedard and Reichel and the 3 rookie d-men Vlassic, Korchinski and Kaiser. So far through 4 games those 3 d-men have been outstanding. We'll see if they can keep up the high level of play.

 

[Kiwi]

Meh, we weren't going 82-0

We've been exciting to watch but very loose and a tough loss isn't the worst thing to help the boys pull there heads out of there asses

We will be better for this imo, I don't think Keefe will hate this result either

He had to know what we were up to wasn't sustainable

 

[Squiffy]

Thought Woll, pronounced Wool now apparently, looked good. Looked big, positionally sound.

Not quite sure what went wrong there. Not going to win many games only scoring one, and that's not usually going to be a problem, so can't stress too much.

Given up 5, 4 and 3 + an empty net goals now. I don't want that to be on the forwards alone to clean up personally, in the big picture, the O horses gotta run free. D needs to be better, sooner then later I think, if I'm Bundy I try to do it early.

No, I have no idea how that's done capped out or with what trade chips.

 

[ZEBROA]

They should never focus on players personal goals. Mind should always be on the teams best. Tryin to get Matthews a 3rd hattrick messes with the team. Even if its just a wisper back in the mind of the players. All focus must be on the team.

And i hate coach challenge. Oh the skate was 1mm (0.0393700787 inches) offside, who fckin cares! Refs does a hell of lot more wrong calls, should we challenge every call they make too? Let the linesmen and refs do there job, they will miss some but thats part of the game. It only screws with the rythm of the game.

Matthews will probably get a hattrick next game, and i hope they as a team learn from that.

 

[PeE eL DuBoiS]

MiTcH mArNeR

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Watching that game was like what you'd expect to see when you take the cork out of an elephant's ass after three weeks.

Nothing but shit, shit, and more shit.

I told myself not to overreact to this pathetic performance against one of the worst teams in the league. That this was just another franchise embarrassment in the long line of franchise embarrassments. So hard to believe the standard for this team is just to be not horrible.

But here we are.

Stinkerbell and Smellerella playing top four minutes on defense is the biggest problem. I don't see this team contending for a cup until they, at minimum, break that pairing up. At the end of the day the Leafs lost because their defense was sloppy and error prone while sabotaging the rest of the team's best efforts to stay in the game.

No need for the other team to beat you when you can just beat yourself.

 

[francis246]

Watching that game was like what you'd expect to see when you take the cork out of an elephant's ass after three weeks.

Nothing but shit, shit, and more shit.

I told myself not to overreact to this pathetic performance against one of the worst teams in the league. That this was just another franchise embarrassment in the long line of franchise embarrassments. So hard to believe the standard for this team is just to be not horrible.

But here we are.

Stinkerbell and Smellerella playing top four minutes on defense is the biggest problem. I don't see this team contending for a cup until they, at minimum, break that pairing up. At the end of the day the Leafs lost because their defense was sloppy and error prone while sabotaging the rest of the team's best efforts to stay in the game.

No need for the other team to beat you when you can just beat yourself.

I don’t know if the leafs are healthy for you if this is your reaction night in and night out lol. After a win, you’re not happy, after a loss you’re not happy. During pre-season you’re not happy. Why watch a team that has you feeling this way? Makes no sense.

 

[Slyfox]

McCabe was trash in the playoffs too. Im not sure what people are expecting from him. Hes just not that good. Keefe needs to throw all the lines and pairs into a blender. They need more balance. If it means nerfing the first line a little so be it. I would love Tavares into the third line and Knies moved up a bit. This team looks awful whenever the 3rd or 4th line is out or the 2nd pair.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Domi better figure out quick what it is he does here, because right now it’s just cardio. Minten cannot flub two golden chances like he did. Knies cannot lose his man like he did on the PK. Don’t know how these jokers allowed Perry to get behind them all alone like he did on the 2nd goal but it tracks that in his lone visit here this season he scores.

Frustrating game and effort but not undeserved. Team has been shit defensively through all three games only this time Matthews and Nylander couldn’t save them. Hope Keefe bag skates the hell out of them.

McCabe right now is playing like shit. He makes horrible decisions whenever he’s on the ice. Time for a seat in the press box for a game or two. Also, the Leafs inability to score goals at 5 on 5 is another huge concern.

 

[Sypher04]

You all need to step back from the ledge.
First loss of the season. They are going to happen.
We had loads of chances but just didn’t execute.
On to the next one

 

[justashadowof]

McCabe seems like a B grade rugged defensive defenseman. It was a good effort to acquire a bargain version of that type of defender but he has been an exploitable weakness on the Leafs' back end. There is trouble brewing on the Leafs' defense with Giordano nearing the end of the line, Brodie declining and the aforementioned McCabe struggling. McCabe could play better. So could Brodie. The forwards could support better too. BT does need to add a defenseman as the season progresses and I don't suspect that player is with the Marlies.

 

[Squiffy]

They should never focus on players personal goals. Mind should always be on the teams best. Tryin to get Matthews a 3rd hattrick messes with the team. Even if its just a wisper back in the mind of the players. All focus must be on the team.

Had the impression they spent the first two periods trying to force feed AM too..

 

[ACC1224]

I don’t know if the leafs are healthy for you if this is your reaction night in and night out lol. After a win, you’re not happy, after a loss you’re not happy. During pre-season you’re not happy. Why watch a team that has you feeling this way? Makes no sense.

Seems like an act, just ignore it.

 

[Niagara Bill]

I realize a post game thread after a loss is mostly going to be comments by angry and disappointed fans - therefore not much credit being given to the opposing team - so it is nice to read your comment. I doubt the Hawks make the playoffs - more likely closer to a top-5 draft pick than a playoff spot.

This season is really about getting the young players NHL experience - especially 5 players - Bedard and Reichel and the 3 rookie d-men Vlassic, Korchinski and Kaiser. So far through 4 games those 3 d-men have been outstanding. We'll see if they can keep up the high level of play.

And our rookies have not scored or dominated. Not that they haven't played well, but our d over all is terrible.

 

[The Management]

Not too worried.

I haven't been Sheldon Keefe's biggest fan, but he has been pretty effective over the years in getting guys to buy into his defensive system. Domi and Bertuzzi both look out of place, but give it time. It's a long season and there's a lot of hockey to play.

 

[D00bis]

Willy missed the open net on the klingberg pass, JT missed the open net on the one timer, matty missed a couple of opportunities. Shit happens. The chances are still there and they have the ability to score but this D needs some serious work constantly getting out worked and beaten to loose pucks. At least it’s game three and hockey is back!

 

[BrannigansLaw]

That was a pathetic effort last night and the D needs some serious work.

There’s really no excuse for these guys to not win the division this year. Losses like these sting

 

[ULF_55]

Any decent team/coach puts rookies with veterans to help them gain confidence; the jackass we have has Knies-Minten going against NHL caliber players every night. They will lose their confidence this way. Its not the right way to develop young players who are not drafted as stars.

I really feel bad for the both the kids

I don't think it just applies to "drafted as stars."

Almost looks like the lines are based on Cap.

I bet it wouldn't hurt anyone if they tried:

Knies-Matthews-marner
Jarnkrok-Tavares-Nylander
Bertuzzi-Minten-Domi

 

[Leafs98]

Most of those big chances were in the final 5 minutes. Way too late. Same team. This team will not be the Bruins win every night. A Couple of big winning streaks and avoid the long losing streaks is how they'll make the playoffs again. Too inconsistent with many holes again..

 

[Nineteen67]

Decent effort last night but not quite enough.

Bedard showed glimpses of greatness.
Nylander is a stud. Mucked it up a little and was the best player on the ice. If he committed to playing better defence…..wow.
Klingberg is quicker than I thought.

Overall there as advertised and it’ll be a challenge to win a 7 game series.

 

[ACC1224]

Wonder if they were looking past this one a bit to the Florida, Tampa games coming up?

It'll be good for them to get on the road, 5 game trip coming up.

 

[horner]

I don't think it just applies to "drafted as stars."

Almost looks like the lines are based on Cap.

I bet it wouldn't hurt anyone if they tried:

Knies-Matthews-marner
Jarnkrok-Tavares-Nylander
Bertuzzi-Minten-Domi

Bertuzzi Minten Knies were out for a shift and hemmed in Chicago and created scoring chanced.

Jamkrock worked well on the top line last year