GDT: Sens @ Leafs pre-season - 7PM EST

[Kiwi]

Jesus, its our first pre-season game against a bunch of youngsters with something to prove

This game means absolutely nothing

I honestly couldn't care less how our guys play right now, just so long as they stay fit for the start of the season

I'm not taking anything seriously until we start playing games with points on the line

 

[1specter]

Jesus, its our first pre-season game against a bunch of youngsters with something to prove

This game means absolutely nothing

I honestly couldn't care less how our guys play right now, just so long as they stay fit for the start of the season

I'm not taking anything seriously until we start playing games with points on the line

The people who always freak out over preseason year after year give me a serious laugh.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

New year, new coach, new captain... same old Leafs.

I didn't see a whole lot of difference under Berube. It looks like they went back to standard zone defense instead of that weird man on man defense they tried last year. And if by North-South they mean skating up and down the ice as fast as possible good job.

But other than that I didn't see a whole lot of changes.

I know it's just pre-season. But the same old habits are still there. Every year it's the same damn thing with this team.

They still play down to inferior opponents.

They're still not starting on time and are still checking out early. They're still defensively inept. They're still blowing third period leads.

Lol... they're still the same old Leafs.

 

[LeafParade]

With Grebenkin, Patches, and Cowan battling, that probably puts Robertson in the minors again….

Robertson was always going to have his work cut out for him this year. There is just a lot of competition in the pipeline right now.

Grebs looks to be NHL ready which is what I already suspected.

Even if Cowan does not make the team, he will be back next year competing for spots.

It is a numbers game and unless Robertson starts producing, he will be on the outside looking in. This is why I was open to trading him last year if there was an interesting deal.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

"It didn't last one game"? It was a 6-on-5 with our goalie pulled and Nylander the extra.

I agree Nylander and Domi didn't look good together, but Willy played a decent centre, particularly for a first game.

He was put back on wing before they pulled the goalie

 

[Macman]

The game showed how much work Berube has ahead of him to make this group to play “heavier” and stouter defensively. Not a great start in those areas for sure.

 

[Racer88]

I think the fact it was their first pre season game had something to do with it. Maybe.

That’s a poor excuse. It was Ottawa’s first game and they looked faster and ready to play

 

[rumman]

I know it’s one game, but OEL looks like he needs to be planted on the third pair and PP unit. Nothing higher.

OEL - Hakanpaa third pair.

Didn’t have a good game that’s for sure……..

 

[JL17]

Patrick Kane makes cute plays, won three stanley cups doing it. Datsyuk won two cups making all kinds of cute plays.

We need to allow our best players to make plays only the best players can make - but they need to be smart about where and when to do it.

Kane also wasn’t as a high risk taker that Marner is. Kanes were calculated. Denis Savard said I’ll never limit Kanes offensive abilities he just needs to know when to do it and he’ll know when it was the wrong time. Plus Kane went out and won his team Cups. Marner is still working on winning games in the playoffs.

Marner had a turnover at the offensive blueline on his first PK shift between the leafs drop pass to a Sens. Watching Marner play last night was no different to any point of last season. Sadly it’ll be difficult to change considering he’s played and got his own way since he was drafted by London.

 

[rumman]

I'd like to see the following D-pairings

Rielly Tanev
Benoit McCabe
OEL Liljegren

OEL still has a cup hangover. He should be eased in a bit and keep him rested a bit with limited minutes IMO

With Liljegren running the 2nd PP so he feels involved or hell even on the 1st PP because he can wire the puck

OEL needs sheltering, Lilly isn’t the guy to shelter anyone imo…….

 

[rumman]

Tanev's value will be more apparent when the stakes are higher and you're in those nail biting defensive moments and close out situations. Right now, he's fine. I didn't Rielly looked at good either.

I thought he looked okay, although his partner was his typical defensive gaff self tonight. Some warts just can’t be hidden…….

 

[rumman]

What's this fascination by our GM for players that either arrived banged up, on their last legs, have chronic ailments or soon to be LTIR candidates? Can't be scouting players in your head sitting on a deck at the cottage over a few beer, reminiscing how effective players were 5-10 years ago before picking up the phone. Where's that pic of Brad anyway when you need it?

They come cheap, or should I say cheapish. These are the players you get when there’s no cap to fix the D and G………

Same old Leafs !!!

The Sens have set the tone for the regular season.

Even coach Green said he was happy that his team won the game.

Berube fared NO BETTER with this Leafs team, especially with our core in the lineup. Terribly out-shot and out-hustled in the 1st period as per usual. The entire team of nearly ALL REGULARS, including our over-paid core, got beat by a second rate Sens lineup.

Pre-season or not, a team needs to always try to win the game when the score is being counted. The Sens knew this and played right, our Leafs played like usual, with no passion, no energy, and zero interest in beating a very beatable team.

Muskoka cottage country is missing their clowns !!!

I wonder if anyone informed Chief that these guys rarely start a game on time……..

 

[rumman]

You're right! Part of being a happy Leaf fan is keeping expectations low. Don't expect much the first game of preseason, don't expect much at end of preseason, don't expect much during regular season and expect more of the same playoff success. Should be a sticky on how to keep a Leaf fan happy.

And don’t stop drinking the Kool-Ade. Low expectations are a Leaf Nation mantra……..

 

[Sypher04]

He was put back on wing before they pulled the goalie

It was the dying few minutes, odds are they just had shortened the bench. Nobody ever claimed Nylander playing center would mean he plays no wing at all. It’s almost surely in no way a reflection of what Berube thought of Nylander’s job at C

Anyone trying to draw any conclusions from one preseason game are getting way ahead of themselves

 

[rumman]

Berube post game presser is a little refreshing to hear he's not a fan of the cute stuff in the o-zone, too much forcing the cute play and passing up on shots. Would rather they just give it to the open man at the point and take a simple shot.

Leaf Nation might be happy with the team’s play, but thankfully the coach isn’t, already calling out the “cute” stuff that infuriates me……..

 

[Sypher04]

Leaf Nation might be happy with the team’s play, but thankfully the coach isn’t, already calling out the “cute” stuff that infuriates me……..

Who said anyone was happy with it?
We just understand it’s a meaningless game.

 

[crump]

Better to lose to Ottawa in preseason in a meaningless game than in game 80 that would determine standings for example.

Pacioretty looked good, maybe a bit slow, but smart. Kept up for the most part but made Tavares look like McDavid in terms of speed. Both players were having good games.

Willy’s tying goal was classic Nylander. Pretty good game from him at centre. Actually threw/took some hits early.

Marner gave the puck away a lot. Cowan had a low key game. Matthews looked like a typical Matthews game. Tanev looks good, simple but smart plays. OEL looks like he needs another week/month to get ready/recover from the Cup win. Goalies were not great, but probably just getting game condition looks at pucks at this time. Webber was doing well, skates well for a big man, made one bad gaff that let go a goal. Grebenkin was hilarious after the fight. Knows how to play to a crowd. Seems like a fun player. Will earn a lot of fans. Made some smart plays.

Berube and the other new coaches don’t really look like they have cemented their system yet (obviously) Savard has a lot of passion, even in a preseason game, liked it.

 

[rumman]

The result wasn't good, the effort wasn't good, the execution wasn't good.

Defensively, they looked uninterested, or just plain slow.

Maybe Tanev looked a little quick at times, but the other defenders, including Rielly, looked like they had weighted skates. I suppose you can still be both a smooth skater and slow.

Defensemen were not good. Not one of them.

And no result isn't everything, but everything else matters.

Spot on assessment, nowhere to go but up if your a optimist……..

With Grebenkin, Patches, and Cowan battling, that probably puts Robertson in the minors again….

He won’t make it thru waivers imo……..

 

[DitchMarner]

Nylander was drafted ten years ago. I don't know how many times he's been tried at centre over the years. He's a goal scoring winger who can skate, shoot, carry the puck and make some plays. If he was going to be an effective centre at the NHL level, wouldn't he have become one by now?

 

[BertCorbeau]

New year, new coach, new captain... same old Leafs.

I didn't see a whole lot of difference under Berube. It looks like they went back to standard zone defense instead of that weird man on man defense they tried last year. And if by North-South they mean skating up and down the ice as fast as possible good job.

But other than that I didn't see a whole lot of changes.

I know it's just pre-season. But the same old habits are still there. Every year it's the same damn thing with this team.

They still play down to inferior opponents.

They're still not starting on time and are still checking out early. They're still defensively inept. They're still blowing third period leads.

Lol... they're still the same old Leafs.

Bérubé has been with the team for like 2 days

 

[Kazparov]

How was Willy at Center?

 

[notbias]

The people who always freak out over preseason year after year give me a serious laugh.

There seems to be a lot of overlap with the "only playoffs matter" crew too.

 

[notbias]

How was Willy at Center?

Bad, but it's a single game

 

[JL17]

With a veteran team and new coach shouldn’t you be going out there and giving it a honest effort? There was no effort. 2 days of practice you should be able to understand what your coach wants. Some stuff will take time but limiting “cute” plays is easy to do. Work on making smart plays all things they can put forward to start.

 

[Stringer Bell]

The people who always freak out over preseason year after year give me a serious laugh.

If they’re freaking out that they foresee us out of the first round every year, well then they’re almost always right, no?