Your thoughts on Berube & coaching staff

[Stephen]

The Florida Panther's won the 2021-22 President's trophy with 122 points while Jonathan Huberdeau tied fro 2nd in NHL scoring.

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But they were and easy out getting swept by TB in round #2.

Then they made that BIG Matt Tkachuk for Huberdeau deal and have gone on to be consistent Cup contenders and even Stanley Cup winners.

The fear is this could parallel Leafs fate as pretenders but not contenders until Leafs core 4 is also addressed and perhaps a big change required to fuel future serious Cup success..

This years playoffs will help define if serious change to the core is needed as cruising through the regular season has resulted in constant playoff failure annually.

I don’t think we are like those Panthers. That team was really high octane from what I recall, scoring nearly 4 goals a game on average with big years from their big stars. At the top of our roster Matthews is clearly not having a great year, injuries and all baked in.

 

[thewave]

And when, exactly, has Berube done this?

He is running a zero accountability game around the muskoka 5 2.0. That much is obvious, plays favorites, hardly adjusts.

Is riding 2 very hot tenders with a team that doesn't execute his game well.

Essentially. With this roster be very shocked this works out in the PO.

 

[danny90]

Still have the same issue of scoring in tight defensive games, but hopefully goaltending and Mitch can keep it going in the playoffs.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

This team is being carried by goaltending, high end talent, and guts. Special teams being so middling is a real concern. PP is 12th in the league which is awful considering the talent at our disposal. Our PK which, was a strong point, is now 16th. And since January 1st it’s 22nd, operating at a dismal 74.1%. To be fair, since January 1st the powerplay is 7th at 29.2%, so while one half of special teams is sinking, another is rising. Need both to be in harmony.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Spectacular job, how can anyone say otherwise? given the amount of injury issues this team has had, and they are STILL tied for 4th overall in the league and they are STILL #1 in the Atlantic.

And yes every team has injury issues but not like the Leafs have had, at one point there were 7 forwards out of the lineup, it was the Marlies up front.

They Kept winning.

Stolarz missed about 9 weeks.

They kept winning.

I have No doubt the injury issues have cost them 5-8 wins, I can point to 2 games against Columbus that Hildeby played, if that's Woll or Stolarz they probably win those games you don't think there are 3-6 more of those games that go the other way with anywhere close to full lineup?

I do, They'd be #1 in the East if they were healthy and possibly the league.

As it stands they are tied for 4th overall in the league and are currently #1 in the Atlantic.

Given the amount of injury issues this team has had that is spectacular.

 

[thewave]

This team is being carried by goaltending, high end talent, and guts. Special teams being so middling is a real concern. PP is 12th in the league which is awful considering the talent at our disposal. Our PK which, was a strong point, is now 16th. And since January 1st it’s 22nd, operating at a dismal 74.1%. To be fair, since January 1st the powerplay is 7th at 29.2%, so while one half of special teams is sinking, another is rising. Need both to be in harmony.

Exactly. Some of us here and its shockingly not many are on top of it, but the blue and white mirage is upon our fanbase again.

 

[IPS]

Exactly. Some of us here and its shockingly not many are on top of it, but the blue and white mirage is upon our fanbase again.

Yeah kind of this, let alone any dramatic improvement from last year. I wasn't a Keefe guy at all, but I don't think he was as big of a problem after all. You can only do so much with the flawed/incomplete teams Dubas gave him every year. Last year he did actually have the team playing a great hard defensive game in the later half of the Boston series and with Woll unfortunately getting injured for game 7.

 

[thewave]

Yeah kind of this, let alone any dramatic improvement from last year. I wasn't a Keefe guy at all, but I don't think he was as big of a problem after all. You can only do so much with the flawed/incomplete teams Dubas gave him every year. Last year he did actually have the team playing a great hard defensive game in the later half of the Boston series and with Woll unfortunately getting injured for game 7.

They don't seem very convincing as a team that will be going all the way. Not with special teams this bad and depth the way it is. Trading for the Schenn Bros. Does what? Berube isn't really adapting as a coach and tbh he doesn't look the part of a cerebral problem solver to begin with. He is a motivator, play hard, play right, keep to the program kinda guy.

Maybe I am missing something.

 

[Mess]

It does feel encouraging at least, that we now have a REAL and Cup Proven winning NHL coach.

Our goaltending has been the best its been this decade.

 

[notbias]

It does feel encouraging at least, that we now have a REAL and Cup Proven winning NHL coach.

Our goaltending has been the best its been this decade.

They had a more winning coach before, didn't work out great.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

This team is being carried by goaltending, high end talent, and guts. Special teams being so middling is a real concern. PP is 12th in the league which is awful considering the talent at our disposal. Our PK which, was a strong point, is now 16th. And since January 1st it’s 22nd, operating at a dismal 74.1%. To be fair, since January 1st the powerplay is 7th at 29.2%, so while one half of special teams is sinking, another is rising. Need both to be in harmony.

High end talent and guts are good things.

You know who else had that? Florida, Tampa, Vegas, Washington, basically every championship team, in every sport that ever has or will exist.

If you don't have guts you become the Buffalo Sabres.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

High end talent and guts are good things.

You know who else had that? Florida, Tampa, Vegas, Washington, basically every championship team, in every sport that ever has or will exist.

If you don't have guts you become the Buffalo Sabres.

I should’ve been clearer, all the things I listed above are great attributes and will help us win in the playoffs just as they’ve done in the regular season. I just wish that our possession and defensive metrics were stronger to go along with it.

A team can go deep in the playoffs on elite goaltending, game-breaking talent, and guts. God knows that’s how some of the most beloved Leafs teams of the past got it done. I just hope we can clean more details up and get our special teams going at a high level.