Toronto has scored 11PPGs since Marner injury

[zeke]

PP has been a joy to watch lately. They keep moving and switching like this and they should remain unstoppable.

 

[egd27]

PP has been a joy to watch lately. They keep moving and switching like this and they should remain unstoppable.

Indeed. Begs the question why the coach didn't have them moving and switching during that horrendous stretch last season.

 

[zeke]

Indeed. Begs the question why the coach didn't have them moving and switching during that horrendous stretch last season.

well, they replaced the PP coach for a reason.

 

[egd27]

well, they replaced the PP coach for a reason.

Oh I get that......I was more wondering why the head coach didn't intervene last season when it was obvious that the previous PP coach's strategy was failing miserably.

 

[ACC1224]

Oh I get that......I was more wondering why the head coach didn't intervene last season when it was obvious that the previous PP coach's strategy was failing miserably.

It does make you wonder.

 

[AvroArrow]

We'll just keep trying things for Mitch. Great plan. Nylander would have been taken off 60 games ag0

Say sorry to Mitch

 

[ACC1224]

I'm looking at the MLSE private auction.
Jake Muzzins laundry bag, steal at $50

*** think I put this in the wrong spot.

 

[zeke]

NHL’s top power plays driving scoring to new heights - TSN.ca

 

[HamiltonNHL]

aged well

 

[zeke]

 

[ShaneFalco]

Awww look at zeke all puffy. It's great the PP is doing so well but it doesn't change the fact 16 didn't score for 100 games and that it was sub-par and non-existent in the playoffs

 

[therealkoho]

It’s really a “more about the messenger than the message” here. It’s also so transparently obvious.

You know what else is just as important in the playoffs? It’s call a penalty kill and he’s our best forward there as well. It’s funny we spend zero time discussing an equally important special team, one that he happens to excel at.

That steal at the blueline was a thing of beauty, and pure animal cunning.

He clearly could have gone 5 hole when he got the goaltender to open up and just kept the goal all to himself, but instead he helps his team mate out who has gone cold. Great team guy, and it shows how totally unselfish Marner is. LeaFland sooner or later has to wake up to the fact of how important he is to the team and the cohesion he provides.

 

[therealkoho]

I like the stacked PP he just needs to play the right spot in it. Half wall is not his ideal spot. Behind the net is. If they can utilize his vision to make quick high low plays that crate slot opportunities for JT and AM that’s a great spot for him to excel, not necessarily score goals from tho, but that’s not what they pay him for. He makes the big bucks to create opportunities for others which he did really well last night and was a welcomed addition to the line up.

Behind the net really limits his choices in my opinion as there are only a couple of choices to be had, working the point as the "rover" is where Mitch's gifts really shine and where he can practice his own special slight of hand and mis- direction where he freezes defenders to their spots.

 

[therealkoho]

I'm looking at the MLSE private auction.
Jake Muzzins laundry bag, steal at $50

View attachment 502805

*** think I put this in the wrong spot.

I'm wondering if it can play D?

 

[Gary Nylund]

That steal at the blueline was a thing of beauty, and pure animal cunning.

He clearly could have gone 5 hole when he got the goaltender to open up and just kept the goal all to himself, but instead he helps his team mate out who has gone cold. Great team guy, and it shows how totally unselfish Marner is. LeaFland sooner or later has to wake up to the fact of how important he is to the team and the cohesion he provides.

This team has to sooner or later win a playoff series or all this bragging about how good our players are will look pretty dumb. Oh wait, it already does.

 

[AvroArrow]

This team has to sooner or later win a playoff series or all this bragging about how good our players are will look pretty dumb. Oh wait, it already does.

Yeah. What sucks is we have to play a legitimate cup favorite in round 1 and then if we advance, again in round 2. Other teams face the easiest competition in rounds 1/2 and it gets harder as it goes on. I've said it before, I'll say it again, losing in 7 against Tampa or Florida is significantly more difficult/impressive than beating up on a trash team from the Pacific.

We're stuck in the toughest division in hockey. For us to win a playoff round, we can't just be a good playoff team, we have to be the best team in the league. Because the 2 teams we will face are the absolute best. Sucks, but it is what it is. In a regular 1-8 seeding, no doubt in my mind this team would have at least made the ECF by now but we have to play through the Atlantic. First the prime Boston Bruins, now it's Florida/Tampa. Hoping for Tampa, or if we can somehow pull off 1st in the division, a WC match up would be best case scenario.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Yeah. What sucks is we have to play a legitimate cup favorite in round 1 and then if we advance, again in round 2. Other teams face the easiest competition in rounds 1/2 and it gets harder as it goes on. I've said it before, I'll say it again, losing in 7 against Tampa or Florida is significantly more difficult/impressive than beating up on a trash team from the Pacific.

We're stuck in the toughest division in hockey. For us to win a playoff round, we can't just be a good playoff team, we have to be the best team in the league. Because the 2 teams we will face are the absolute best. Sucks, but it is what it is. In a regular 1-8 seeding, no doubt in my mind this team would have at least made the ECF by now but we have to play through the Atlantic. First the prime Boston Bruins, now it's Florida/Tampa. Hoping for Tampa, or if we can somehow pull off 1st in the division, a WC match up would be best case scenario.

I agree, it sucks. It's hard for me to complain too much though because we didn't have this issue for the last two playoffs, especially last season when we had a golden opportunity handed to us, a historically easy path to the conference finals (guaranteed not to have to play a top 10 team in the first two rounds) and we blew it.

I would only add re. the bolded that I'm OK with losing as long as we go down playing as hard as we can like NYI for example, I watched game 7 last year, they fought hard in a 1-0 loss to TB, no shame in that. If however we keep playing some of our worst hockey of the playoffs in game 7 and meekly fade away the way we've been doing the last few years, I will be very far from impressed.

 

[Zybalto]

Most goals and most points of any player in the league the last month alongside his insane play on the PK.

Has Marner been the best player in the world over that time?...or has it been Matthews?

Good questions to be asking heading into late Feb.

 

[AvroArrow]

I agree, it sucks. It's hard for me to complain too much though because we didn't have this issue for the last two playoffs, especially last season when we had a golden opportunity handed to us, a historically easy path to the conference finals (guaranteed not to have to play a top 10 team in the first two rounds) and we blew it.

I would only add re. the bolded that I'm OK with losing as long as we go down playing as hard as we can like NYI for example, I watched game 7 last year, they fought hard in a 1-0 loss to TB, no shame in that. If however we keep playing some of our worst hockey of the playoffs in game 7 and meekly fade away the way we've been doing the last few years, I will be very far from impressed.

Yup agreed

 

[zeke]

Awww look at zeke all puffy. It's great the PP is doing so well but it doesn't change the fact 16 didn't score for 100 games and that it was sub-par and non-existent in the playoffs

What a weird post.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Most goals and most points of any player in the league the last month alongside his insane play on the PK.

Has Marner been the best player in the world over that time?...or has it been Matthews?

Good questions to be asking heading into late Feb.

Nobody else in the mix at all?

 

[Judas Tavares]

Awww look at zeke all puffy. It's great the PP is doing so well but it doesn't change the fact 16 didn't score for 100 games and that it was sub-par and non-existent in the playoffs

I get that Zeke's glasses are overly rosey and that Mitch had a horrible playoffs and went an eternity without scoring on the pp. But I also don't see the issue about posting when he does well as well. We are asking for him to be better, and he is showing steps. We want the steps in the playoffs, but we aren't there yet. We have no time machine. I don't see an issue about discussing the present, whether positive or negative. Right now Mitch's present is positive. We can discuss it. If he blows it in the playoffs again, we can discuss that again too at that time.

Just a weird overall vibe of "Not supposed to say anything positive until they earn it from me". Well then should we lock the boards til Game 1? Not to pick on your post, as this is way more than this post. It's just been very weird here. Two vibes. One vibe of "This team can do no wrong" which it has shown it clearly can. And a vibe of "I don't feel like being on the wrong side of an emotional letdown when it happens, so I'd rather be the one to say I told you so, rather than the guy who had hope and then was letdown and is for some reason stupid because of it."

Just a bit ass backwards. It's ok to have hope even when you've been let down a trillion times. Who cares if people laugh at you for taking the same ride every year, that is part of fandom. It's also ok to say there are parts of things that are wrong with this team.

/rant lol

 

[ShaneFalco]

I get that Zeke's glasses are overly rosey and that Mitch had a horrible playoffs and went an eternity without scoring on the pp. But I also don't see the issue about posting when he does well as well. We are asking for him to be better, and he is showing steps. We want the steps in the playoffs, but we aren't there yet. We have no time machine. I don't see an issue about discussing the present, whether positive or negative. Right now Mitch's present is positive. We can discuss it. If he blows it in the playoffs again, we can discuss that again too at that time.

Just a weird overall vibe of "Not supposed to say anything positive until they earn it from me". Well then should we lock the boards til Game 1? Not to pick on your post, as this is way more than this post. It's just been very weird here. Two vibes. One vibe of "This team can do no wrong" which it has shown it clearly can. And a vibe of "I don't feel like being on the wrong side of an emotional letdown when it happens, so I'd rather be the one to say I told you so, rather than the guy who had hope and then was letdown and is for some reason stupid because of it."

Just a bit ass backwards. It's ok to have hope even when you've been let down a trillion times. Who cares if people laugh at you for taking the same ride every year, that is part of fandom. It's also ok to say there are parts of things that are wrong with this team.

/rant lol

Totally fair. I just wish more could actually admit when things aren't going well rather than trying to come up with stats or excuses to say otherwise (ie he's not paid to be a goal scorer). I'm happy to admit when I'm wrong. I thought 16 should have been yanked off the PP1 and the way is playing now, I'm eating crow. But some posters just are always right, we're elite no matter what and invade every thread with this "I see things you don't" attitude.
But like me, I don't blame anyone for being pessimistic about this team in the playoffs. And until we have some success, this whole we're the best team in the league stuff is tiring

 

[Zybalto]

Nobody else in the mix at all?

Considering Marner literally lead all players in goals and points while being a PK god the last month, I'll give the nod to him and Matthews isnt too far behind in the points totals and playing together, a 7 goals/60 5v5 rating which is getting close to a middle of the pack PP scoring rate......and speaking of PP, they are also the lynchpins to a near historic PP as well.

Other guys in the mix would be Crosby having a wonderful month and Tkachuk and Gaudreau over in Calgary I guess and some others but I'd rather push for and celebrate our guys.

 

[authentic]

PP has been a joy to watch lately. They keep moving and switching like this and they should remain unstoppable.

This is the one thing I could never figure out how/why they didn't do sooner. For almost a few years there it seemed like they stood in the same spot and moved the puck slowly and predictably.