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

[Nineteen67]

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.

You sound like some of the guys in the Jays threads….you know what the team is and expect something different. Just accept them as who they are and hope for the best.

 

[ULF_55]

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

I didn't think the Minten line was bad.

It seemed the team was off in the first period, they had an opportunity to do something, but just no cohesion.

Perry goal was inattention, they got dummied on that and that really was game, and I suspect Woll just too deep as it wasn't a great shot it was just a good shot.

 

[Nineteen67]

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.

I’ll be at the 5th game.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

For sure. Willy has been the best player on this team by a mile..and i mean in all zones as that guy is literally working the corners and trying to win battles...Really wants that next contract....But hey whatever motivates him...The others are nowhere near him in terms of overall effort and just make these lazy plays(i gave up the last 5 minutes or so as it was awful to watch).

The 2 new guys(Bertuzzi and Domi) have looked very meh this whole preseason and the first 3 games. Maybe lack of chemistry with linemates but i don't know... I just don't like how they generally don't look impressive in anything they do(passing, decision making, winning battles, etc). Tonight Matthews line especially looked like they couldn't do anything and Chicago wasn't really doing anything special to them(i mean this will be one of the worst teams in the league this year...seen all their games so far and not really impressed with them except Bedard of course).

Chicago's goalies, Soderblom especially, have been real good. Jones and Murphy have been solid on D and Korchinsky looked better than against Boston. Yeah they won't make the PO but early on they are competitive. Can't ask much more for a bottom feeder.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

I actually thought we were the better team by a fair margin last night. Some bad puck luck and a hot goalie, what can ya do. Hoping we see some contributions from Domi/Bert/Knies and the D in the coming few games.

 

[Suntouchable13]

The thing is, with this team you can’t overanalyze one regular season in mid-October. It’s about the long haul for this team. It’s one bad game, move on to the next one. It’s the body of work that matters over many games. We don’t know what this team is yet. For me, just get in the playoffs. I don’t care about the division or the president’s trophy. They have to keep working and building that chemistry. A lot of runway left

 

[ACC1224]

I’ll be at the 5th game.

Hope it's a good one. Last game of a road trip can be tough.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Should have lost against Mtl, now loses against Chicago... Bottom 5 teams in the league.

Without Matthews extraordinary performances they would probably be 0-3. Goalies have 4+ GAA and .873/.843 sv%.

Gotta learn to play defense at some point.

That can be par for the course first 3-4 games in the season.

I'm a Boston fan and last years RS Generational Bruins gave up 15 goals the first
4 games against 3 teams that DNQ.

Incidentally Soderblom looked great against Boston also. That maybe a guy
you give up some assets for.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

why do we always play down to weaker opponents?
Should have been an easy W but they couldn't make or take pass for crap last night.
Disappointing effort!

 

[Al14]

The first 10 games of the season don't give you much to evaluate. Just flush it down the toilet like pre-season.

Nonsense !!! This team, with this core 4, has continually lost games to teams they should easily beat on a regular basis THROUGHOUT the entire season for 7 or 8 years.

They lost to the Panthers in the 2nd round of the playoffs last season. Was that because it was too close to being their first 10 games of the playoffs too ??? As well, the Panthers just barely made the playoffs, unlike our Leafs that easily qualified.

The core 4 take games off too much, and it sure doesn't help them go farther in the playoffs either.

Unfortunately, lesser skilled teams come to Toronto and play above their capabilities purely because they are in Toronto to play our Leafs. This means our Leafs, especially the core 4, have to work harder every game at home.

HARD WORK beats skill when skill doesn't WORK HARD !!! IMHO, we need MORE consistent hard work from our core 4.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Nonsense !!! This team, with this core 4, has continually lost games to teams they should easily beat on a regular basis THROUGHOUT the entire season for 7 or 8 years.

They lost to the Panthers in the 2nd round of the playoffs last season. Was that because it was too close to being their first 10 games of the playoffs too ??? As well, the Panthers just barely made the playoffs, unlike our Leafs that easily qualified.

The core 4 take games off too much, and it sure doesn't help them go farther in the playoffs either.

Unfortunately, lesser skilled teams come to Toronto and play above their capabilities purely because they are in Toronto to play our Leafs. This means our Leafs, especially the core 4, have to work harder every game at home.

HARD WORK beats skill when skill doesn't WORK HARD !!! IMHO, we need MORE consistent hard work from our core 4.

Yea, I know, I know. But we can’t get pissed about it. Let’s see if things will turn out differently this season. let’s try to stay positive and calm. Long season ahead.

 

[mapleleafs34]

IMO we are wasting Knies on that 3rd line. I get it, we paid Domi & Bert but look at what Knies did in the playoffs last year playing with Auston or JT. Plus both those guys don't look like good fits on their current lines.

Knies-Auston-Marner
Bertuzzi-JT-Nylander
Domi-Minten-Jarnkrok

 

[Gary Nylund]

Fans hurt his feelings after game 3 v FL

That's fair. The only question left is this - what's his excuse for playing like a dog in that game before the fans turned on him?

Yea, I know, I know. But we can’t get pissed about it. Let’s see if things will turn out differently this season. let’s try to stay positive and calm. Long season ahead.

Yup. I never cared much when we had record setting Novembers and I can't get too concerned about a few crappy games in October. I care more about the playoffs about anything else and I am worried. Not because of how we're playing now, but because of how we always seem to choke in the playoffs. Some people act as if it's a new team but it's the same core and the same coach so how different could it possibly be? The defence is a year older and probably not better for it, the goaltending is still a big question mark so not sure why so many people were talking about winning the Presidents trophy as recently as a week ago. People here thought Domi sucked in previous years, then after we signed him people were saying he's going help usher in a new era here, now after 3 games he sucks again and so it goes. Same goes for Bertuzzi to a lesser extent and as usual, this fan base is blowing in the wind.

My only hope was that maybe Reaves can light a fire under these guys, we'll see. We won't know either way until April though so best to just you know, roll with the changes. And on that note, here's some upbeat music to pick y'all up after last nights debacle

 

[Oilers in NS]

Hi Mitch...

unrelated but I have to know.
What show is this from? Is the fella on the right is Paul Krapence? Man he was funny in Cheers

 

[Dekes For Days]

unrelated but I have to know. What show is this from?

The movie Office Space.

 

[TheOne]

unrelated but I have to know.
What show is this from? Is the fella on the right is Paul Krapence? Man he was funny in Cheers

View attachment 753832

It's from a movie called "Office Space". Highly recommend it, very quotable.

 

[Nineteen67]

Hope it's a good one. Last game of a road trip can be tough.

Spending the day and Saturday night in Nashville will be alright.

 

[Zack47]

Woll solid

Marner horrible
Domi invisible
Defense terrible as a whole

Thank you 6ix. To elaborate -- how many times did Marner give up the puck? I am guessing 8. Domi is nearly useless with the puck. Defense is what it is --- in big trouble...

 

[hullsy47]

The Leafs looked completely lifeless. Outworked and outplayed all night.

Deserved, ugly, loss. Except Willy, he looked great.

On to the next one.

It's not a new team .they replaced Bunting Kerfoot and holl with similar players

Thank you 6ix. To elaborate -- how many times did Marner give up the puck? I am guessing 8. Domi is nearly useless with the puck. Defense is what it is --- in big trouble...

Nothing will change unless u fire Shanahan

 

[hullsy47]

The Leafs looked completely lifeless. Outworked and outplayed all night.

Deserved, ugly, loss. Except Willy, he looked great.

On to the next one.

No way u can pay marner more than willy

 

[Apex Predator]

The bright side from this game is Woll looked good. If Samsonov has another stinker they should give Woll a string of games to run with.

 

[67leafs]

Domi bad, play like your dad!
marner bad, instead of calling out the press call YOURSELF OUT!
klingberg bad
knies slooooow

 

[horner]

They couldn't receive a pass or pass the puck until the second period.
Ljiligren handle the puck like a grenade.
Fumble a pass from minten and numerous other times. He was really good for a stretch last yr but the wheels have fallen off.

 

[Oilers in NS]

It's from a movie called "Office Space". Highly recommend it, very quotable.

WILL DO
Ill have to watch it. Need a good list of movies to watch. Hip replacement next week so I'll be laid up for a few months..

Your fan base is identical to ours. Oilerville is on Meltdown now. Our defence is not looking to good to say the least

 

[puckie]

Domi does not look like himself. He is great at carrying the puck in and last night had a lane but just dumped it in. Not sure whether nerves or trying to fit in a coaching system that is not fit to him.