Pre-Game Talk: Toronto @ Boston -- game 5.

[SprDaVE]

Broken record. These were problems two months ago, they tried nothing and they're all out of ideas.

Zone entry, pass the puck to JT at the half wall, loses puck, out of the zone. Zone entry, dump puck in corner to gain the zone, don't retrieve it properly, out of the zone. Zone entry, gain the zone, make 6 passes, weak shot easily blocked or misses the net, out of the zone. Rinse repeat.

Uh oh PK time. Lose faceoff, watch the opponent pass the puck 2 or 3 times with a one timer, just miss (or score) but they retrieve it. Make a couple more passes, back door is wide open -- score.

I've seen this play out at least 10 times for both special teams in 4 games.

 

[egd27]

What? You couldn't get a tee time next week?

""

Awe, so glad they made up and are all happy again.

 

[Stephen]

He's been saying some ridiculous things but that statement is true.

Samsonov does the opposite of what a goalie should do and it's giving Boston easy goals on the PP. He anticipates who he thinks is going to shoot and then steps 4-5 feet out of the net to take away the angle. Boston then passes it to the the other side of the ice and Samsonov is too out of position to cover. It makes it impossible to kill a penalty when Samsonov does that.

Goalies are supposed to let the play come to them. Samsonov tries too hard to guess what's going to happen and gets himself out of position for what actually happens.

The whole Leafs formula to winning is overwhelming offense spearheading the way with mediocre, unpredictable budget goaltending supplying just good enough netminding. Similar to Colorado with Georgiev. So putting the blame on Samsonov for this and that going wrong is technically correct but also misses the point that other, more key parts didn’t deliver.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Won't be watching. I don't even think they're playing that bad, Boston's just better. It is what it is. No need to punish myself.

 

[PromisedLand]

hey hockey gods let "Murphy's Law" apply to bruins for the rest of the series. You owe us!

 

[notbias]

No kidding, or a core of players who fail at that rate.
I can't think of a team with that dismal of a record that's been kept together for this long.

Was trying to find a team worse in the last 8 years and LA is worse than Toronto in that time.

Philly is close and so is St Louis.

But ya, the record is bad.

 

[The Masters]

Should've been gone after last year. Shocking that Treliving extended him.

he used MLSE's big $$ to assess the year and extend him
but I dont know why he extended him for 2. Shoulda just gave him 1

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Colorado had a pretty terrible record with their core before Makar saved them... even finished last in the league at one point... I'd say that is worse, but who knows.

They moved on from Duchene and ROR in the 6 years prior to Makar coming on board. Even Barrie was a big piece for them in Macks first few seasons. Plus they won 4 series in his first 8 years and then the cup in the 9th year.

 

[PromisedLand]

At this point they might as well just go out there and have fun. Abandon the system and keep Boston guessing and play pond hockey. Can't be worse lol

ummm... what "system"?

 

[1specter]

Colorado had a pretty terrible record with their core before Makar saved them... even finished last in the league at one point... I'd say that is worse, but who knows.

There was a lot more done than just 'Makar saved them'. Sakic also made bold, sometimes cutthroat moves to make the team better and wasn't afraid to move key pieces. He got rid of Duchene in his masterpiece deal which netted him Girard plus the pick that was used on Byram, both instrumental to the 2022 Cup, and then turned Byram into Mittelstadt who is locked in as the 2C going forward. Justus Annunen was also drafted using one of the picks from that deal. He also fleeced Dubas for Nazem Kadri who was a stud for them in the playoffs, and acquired Devon Toews for a bargain price.

Sakic also knows when to move on from guys and doesn't get attached. He let Grubauer and Kuemper both walk, and while Georgiev has been a mixed bag he is currently stepping up. He didn't re-sign Kadri, knowing that the deal would probably cripple the team and prioritized money for MacK and Makar. Also the aforementioned Byram deal.

It's crazy going back to 2018 and seeing the Leafs and Colorado in the same spot, most people favoured the Leafs trajectory at that point and probably thought we had a better future ahead, now the Avs are lapping us.

 

[notbias]

There was a lot more done than just 'Makar saved them'. Sakic also made bold, sometimes cutthroat moves to make the team better and wasn't afraid to move key pieces. He got rid of Duchene in his masterpiece deal which netted him Girard plus the pick that was used on Byram, both instrumental to the 2022 Cup, and then turned Byram into Mittelstadt who is locked in as the 2C going forward. Justus Annunen was also drafted using one of the picks from that deal. He also fleeced Dubas for Nazem Kadri who was a stud for them in the playoffs, and acquired Devon Toews for a bargain price.

Sakic also knows when to move on from guys and doesn't get attached. He let Grubauer and Kuemper both walk, and while Georgiev has been a mixed bag he is currently stepping up. He didn't re-sign Kadri, knowing that the deal would probably cripple the team and prioritized money for MacK and Makar. Also the aforementioned Byram deal.

It's crazy going back to 2018 and seeing the Leafs and Colorado in the same spot, most people favoured the Leafs trajectory at that point and probably thought we had a better future ahead, now the Avs are lapping us.

Girard was injured for the majority of their cup run.

Their goaltending is still a mess and Sakic is not GM.

They surrounded the core with support players and got Makar who was the Conn Smythe winner.

Their being terrible for a few years was their best move.

 

[egd27]

WTF so there's a possibility Matthews will be out?

I believe the word is "likelihood"

 

[HolyCrap]

He's playing up his user name/gimmick half the time I feel he's a fan of another team just trolling us. I'm pretty optimistic with stuff, but this is just on a whole over level.

I’ve said that since he got here. Had to use the ignore function as it was getting annoying. It’s been much better now. Lol.

 

[PromisedLand]

Hi Guys....Bruins fan here just wanting to talk hockey. If the Leafs do happen to lose this series where do you place the most blame? Keefe? Management? The players? Do you think heads roll if they do lose? I've never really been impressed with Keefe and feel you deserve better, but have they given him a complete team? I did like their pickups at the deadline and thought it might stabilize the defense, but maybe the real need is a #1 D and shift the others down A notch? Tweak the D and get a better goalie and have to think the Leafs can compete with anyone right? Just wondering your thoughts.

As a long suffering Red Sox fan and Bruins fan before both teams won I feel your frustrations....

Its all of the above. The issue IMO started when the previous MORON of a GM locked in the unsustainable future by handing out ridiculous contracts, signing a UFA who is aging really bad and never really addressing the defense and goalie situation; meanwhile Leafs continued to not be able to score more than 2 goals in post season while the team was apparently built to generate offense including Keefe supposedly running "possession based system"

its not just one issue that can be "easily" fixed. There are a lot of glaring issues IMO and it will take time to undo the absolute sabotage by the previous GM (Dubas) and it will start by getting rid of the president (ShanaCON). But as is the case in unprecedented legendary tales of yore... To be seen..... Weird things happen in hockey so....

 

[Evilhomer]

Girard was injured for the majority of their cup run.

Their goaltending is still a mess and Sakic is not GM.

They surrounded the core with support players and got Makar who was the Conn Smythe winner.

Their being terrible for a few years was their best move.

For all of Sakic's moves, the reality is that Colorado won its Cup because a lot of Sakic's moves didn't work and they finished near dead last and fell backwards into Makar. Somewhat similar to what happened with Tampa.

 

[1specter]

Girard was injured for the majority of their cup run.

Their goaltending is still a mess and Sakic is not GM.

They surrounded the core with support players and got Makar who was the Conn Smythe winner.

Their being terrible for a few years was their best move.

This is some deluded stuff lol. Sakic was GM for many years and is President now, you think he doesn't have tons of input on how the roster is constructed? If anything it's a Masai Ujiri / Bobby Webster situation.

And yes obviously you need to hit on some picks, no different than Leafs sucking ass and rebuilding with multiple top 10 picks between 2008-2016.

 

[Arzak]

Its all of the above. The issue IMO started when the previous MORON of a GM locked in the unsustainable future by handing out ridiculous contracts, signing a UFA who is aging really bad and never really addressing the defense and goalie situation; meanwhile Leafs continued to not be able to score more than 2 goals in post season while the team was apparently built to generate offense including Keefe supposedly running "possession based system"

its not just one issue that can be "easily" fixed. There are a lot of glaring issues IMO and it will take time to undo the absolute sabotage by the previous GM (Dubas) and it will start by getting rid of the president (ShanaCON). But as is the case in unprecedented legendary tales of yore... To be seen..... Weird things happen in hockey so....

At least he helped us get rid of dead weight like Hyman, Kadri, AJ,Kapanen... the fat is gone, and now only muscle Mitch remains!


edit: Can we trade Mitch for Hyman?

 

[Stephen]

Colorado had a pretty terrible record with their core before Makar saved them... even finished last in the league at one point... I'd say that is worse, but who knows.

If you don’t know how someone else achieved their championship goals that well, don’t feel the burden to have to tell their story.

 

[notbias]

If you don’t know how someone else achieved their championship goals that well, don’t feel the burden to have to tell their story.

If you don't have anything to add to the conversation, don't feel the burden to post.

They finished last, got their Conn Smythe winner and the rest is history.

Their best move was finishing last unless you are suggesting that someone like Lekonen was more valuable than Makar.

 

[crump]

I believe the word is "likelihood"

Ded without Matthews. Ded with him it seems. Sammy can’t win a game on his own. Ded ded ded.

 

[RomanianLeafs]

I love this club and usually i am optimistic but at this moment i do no see us getting back for game 6 at home..at least changes will happen after tomorrow i am sure this is the end for Keefe and at least one core player

 

[Stephen]

If you don't have anything to add to the conversation, don't feel the burden to post.

They finished last, got their Conn Smythe winner and the rest is history.

Their best move was finishing last unless you are suggesting that someone like Lekonen was more valuable than Makar.

No, I’m going to suggest they fleeced the Leafs for Kadri, fleeced the Islanders for Toews, developed Mikko Rantanen into a superstar out of the Marner draft, and went through a goalie carousel of Grubauer, Francouz and Kuemper to find the right mix, got Nichushkin cheap and completely built out their D depth by adding guys like Josh Mason whom many Leafs fans said was unworthy for our blueline.

But yeah, Makar showed up and they “finished last.”

 

[The Masters]

 

[Evilhomer]

Seems fishy (maybe that's what he ate). If the illness was so bad that they don't think he can play, it seems odd that he would travel with the team since presumably he feels not great. But if he was injured and they didn't want to let on, travelling with the team would make more sense.

 

[HockeyVirus]

I am beyond beating a dead horse, I am grinding it into a fine mush, but I wish I could see an alternate reality of what happened if the Leafs traded Marner after the Habs series. For most teams having a guy wearing a letter crying in the penalty box from the pressure is where you cannot have them dress again.