Who do you blame for the series loss to the Habs?

[supermann_98]

There are many potential scapegoats if you look back at the series as a whole.

While Carey Price was great if you look at the regular season records this should not have been as evenly played series as it was.

The options are listed in no particular order after the GM and coach options. I'm not saying who should stay, who should go, at least not in this thread. Also some context given to why they are listed, as opposed to a guy like Holl or Kerfoot or Nylander who actually played pretty well.

What I want are some opinions on who they think is most to blame for this 7 games series loss.

Dubas: overpaid is a pretty generic term but Dubas paid more for (Matthews, Marner, and Nylander) and for less years of control than any other their comparable contemporaries (McDavid, Aho/Point, Ehlers/Pasta). He paid for future production and gambled on players who have simply not got it done, handcuffing the rest of the roster decisions and dumping 1st rounds picks just to clear cap room.

Keefe: made the curious decision to make wholesale changes to the lineup after a 4-0 shutout put us up 3-1. One of the changes, Sandin, shat the bed and the rest is history. His respect/admiration/fear of Thornton made him a staple on the PP which was atrocious all series long. Not breaking up Matthews-Marner is another interesting decision; does he fear his "leaders" will revolt?

Marner - zero goals in 18 playoffs games, spoke thru his father in the media during contract negotiations and threatened to sign an offer sheet, the list of criticisms go on and on.

Matthews - after 40 goals in 49 games in the regular season he scored just 1 in 7 this series. This statistic alone without further context could have you lay the blame at his feet.

Thornton - can't keep up, plays like a practice game, does not use his size to physically establish his presence. Had a nice career but is washed up now

Defense - did not play particularly bad and lost Muzzin as well, but compared to the Habs D they were soft and easy to play against

Goaltending - just putting this as an option, but Campbell played well if you look at his stats and how he played compared to Freddie that past few playoff disasters

Bad luck - losing Tavares in the first period of game 1 completely demoralized this team and is the reason they ultimately lost, due to lack of real scoring depth

Other - explain

Click to read more...

 

[koyvoo]

Dubas and his two pretender superstars.

There was a guy here yesterday saying they’d still take Matthews or Marner for game 7 over 1993 era Doug Gilmour. Lol.

Seriously, regardless of the result, for those that remember clearly, could you ever imagine Doug Gilmour putting in an effort like these two fakers did last night?

Spineless cowards.​

 

[Ashdown2]

2 people to blame ...

keefe ... not switching up that top line when after 6 games they accomplished nothing . everyone blaming marner but hyman and matthews were garbage aswell.

dubas ... the trade dealdline uber fail. ........... ive said it a million times foligno pickup was garbage , you needed offense and not more defense on this team ("hes the perfect player for this teeam was total bullshit") ... hall would have been insane on this team. And its not hindsight, ive been saying it from the start. also paying 3 picks for a non impact player was AWFUL ........ ive been a huge fan of dubas but hole moley this might have been the worst trade deadline ever. every single move he made was a litteral DUMPSTER FIRE ... huge gigantic waste of picks

thornton and simmonds did not belong on this team ... there were anchors on each of there lines all f'en year. screw your feel good stories. The hard headed brass not to realize these guys should not be playing a regular shift is beyond me.

 

[TheGreatOne11]

I could check them all minus goaltending, but I'd have to go with Keefe, no balls to scratch Thornton when he CLEARLY was not contributing being scared of a legend, to make it worst constantly playing him on the powerplay, not breaking up Mitch and Matthews when they were clearly being shut down, not playing Nylander more earlier when it was obvious he was our best player from the jump.

At some point you need to pit on your big boy pants and fix the powerplay, if this stuff about Mitch not wanting to play the line is true, you do whats best for the team and you make him.

 

[Mats13]

Marner lol

Try putting blame on whoever else you want. If Marner scored 1 goal. JUST 1 GOAL. We would’ve won this series.

Blame Dubas or Keefe (he was dumb but whatever) or Thornton all you want. But stars are supposed to win the series.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Matthews and Marner. Both were utterly pathetic and should be shipped out pronto along with JT but he has an NMC.

 

[TMLegend]

I don't blame any one person. Matthews, Marner, Keefe, Sandin, Dermott, Hyman, Galchenyuk, Thornton, all had their part to play off the top of my head.

No excuses for losing though.

 

[dubey]

Marner lol

Try putting blame on whoever else you want. If Marner scored 1 goal. JUST 1 GOAL. We would’ve won this series.

Blame Dubas or Keefe (he was dumb but whatever) or Thornton all you want. But stars are supposed to win the series.

Was Marner really the problem or is Dubas's commitment to Marner the problem

 

[Mats13]

Matthews and Marner. Both were utterly pathetic and should be shipped out pronto along with JT but he has an NMC.

Oh ya that’s smart trade all our best players

We’ll definitely be better after that

smh

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Completely dominated again in a game that matters .. sure Price was good but so was Holtby, Rask and Korpisalo it is a repeating pattern where we get outgoalied .. injuries hurt sure but that is what occurs in playoff hockey no different than last year.. coaching was inflexible yes that is another repeating pattern .. Mitch is trying his best but lacks required 10% extra speed and strength required of playoff hockey yes but also a known issue .. Matty gets coverage against/doubled all night yes again a known issue .. and we lose to inferior teams because our best players play down to competition yes again repeating issue .. that we play perimeter possession hockey yes we do and again it is a known systematic issue for turnovers which are exemplified in playoffs which requires a much more simple game which we don't have .. that Rielly is fast but lacks brains/hands to make precise plays that a top offensive dman should make yes again a repeating pattern .. bringing in an over da hill HOF playoff underachiever like Jumbo (see Paddy) never works .. so many issues folks here but all repeating patterns over 5 years of 1st round exits

Again if nothing changes at top and with core it is very obvious da same sh*t will occur next year too .. but not sure we will even make playoffs next year folks .. Florida, Tampa and Boston are significantly better teams .. Montreal and Ottawa are improving squads . . it will be a huge battle to get a wildcard i think

If we remove Shanny/Dubie which I suspect is likely in coming days then it will take a couple years to REJIG this team by trading Mitch and Rielly to start to create CAP room and build a regular NHL squad which can compete in playoffs

Tough choices ahead for Larry but he knows da above facts .. such a bad state for our Leafs to be in really .. like I stated never send a boy to do a man's job .. and never rely on anything you hear from legal beagle Bettman as he only views us here in TO as his piggy bank

 

[Gallagbi]

It's not singular in my opinion.

The top end didn't produce and the bottom end hurt us.

I don't blame the GM or coach personally, I think the team had the ability to produce, but not the mental makeup. You needed to give them a chance and this was the last one.

 

[Scott r]

Matthews led league in scoring...he isnt going anywhere.

 

[AvroArrow]

Marner, Dubas, Keefe, Matthews

Dubas for making shit trades, shit contracts and a shit team as a result of being in cap hell

Keefe for making 0 adjustments. Kept 34/16 together all series after they did f*** all, make a change. That PP LOL.

16/34, self-explanatory. Both of their efforts were disgracefull. 22M combined and they get 1 goal in 7 games, what a joke. Don't talk to me about Price or tight checking. Nylander played against the same team/goalie and looked significantly better.

 

[Mats13]

Was Marner really the problem or is Dubas's commitment to Marner the problem

Literally that still comes back to Marner

All I’m saying is change Marner to a young Kane and ask yourself, do you we win this series?

For me it’s an emphatic yes.

Marner wanted to be paid more than any winger in the game. He thought he was more valuable than Kane.

Once you do that, I have no sympathy or leniency for you. He cost us this series.

 

[killer1980]

Marner lol

Try putting blame on whoever else you want. If Marner scored 1 goal. JUST 1 GOAL. We would’ve won this series.

Blame Dubas or Keefe (he was dumb but whatever) or Thornton all you want. But stars are supposed to win the series.

Blame the players all you want but they got what they wanted a ridiculous contract that assured them of making millions and never having to get their noses dirty. My wise old Pappy once told me, "Don't blame the worker that doesn't care, blame the jerk that put him there in the first place."

 

[81Leafs50]

100% Marner and Campbell. One cant score or make a play to save his life. The other lets in the SOFTEST of goals.

 

[Scott r]

Matthews and Marner. Both were utterly pathetic and should be shipped out pronto along with JT but he has an NMC.

One of the dumbest posts ever is by u

 

[robertmac43]

This on the players

 

[Makaveli]

AM, MM and SK. Keefe could not adjust when he needed to most. But at the end of the day it falls on your superstars. 1 goal in 7 games for 20+ million dollars, that is absolutely pathetic.

 

[Mats13]

Blame the players all you want but they got what they wanted a ridiculous contract that assured them of making millions and never having to get their noses dirty. My wise old Pappy once told me, "Don't blame the worker that doesn't care, blame the jerk that put him there in the first place."

I just can’t blame a GM for Marner not scoring a single goal and sucking every game. None of us expected that after his season. He let us all down (including Dubas).

 

[ryno23]

in order

Marner - no show every playoff series and scared to play playoff hockey
Keefe - outcoached both series and failure to make adjustments
Matthews - only way he is off this list is if his injury-hampered him

 

[Strangle]

I put ‘other’ because I blame all the players

the fact is, they are all losers. It’s as simple as that

 

[HarryLime]

Us for being loyal to a team that has done nothing for us. Meanwhile kids in Florida, get a perennial juggernaught and the Lightning are their 9th fav pro sports team.


real answer is Mitch the *****

 

[KMNRB]

If multiple checkboxes are allowed, then all of Matthews & Marner & Keefe & Bad luck.

If only one choice is allowed, then Keefe. Ducharme adapted after game 4, and Keefe failed to adapt to the simplest of simplest game plan in response.

 

[the squared circle]

Dubas and his two pretender superstars.

There was a guy here yesterday saying they’d still take Matthews or Marner for game 7 over 1993 era Doug Gilmour. Lol.

Seriously, regardless of the result, for those that remember clearly, could you ever imagine Doug Gilmour putting in an effort like these two fakers did last night?

Spineless cowards.​

HAHHAHA WHAT???? Thats probably the most laughable thing I have ever read on this site.