Pre-Game Talk: Game 7: last chance for the core

[ORRFForever]

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It's funny...

I remember the old days when everyone said Spezza had no heart and no compete level.

 

[Mr Knies Guy]

Hang that quote in the room...ducharme is getting cocky I like it

good reason to be, his team has dominated at least 4 of the last 6 regulation periods.

I remember the old days when people said Spezza had no heart and no compete level.

One of 4 on this team that do have heart and compete

 

[myleafs]

I didn't like it at the time, when he challenged. The Habs just scored and your going to risk going back on the PK in a game where you've been skating uphill all night, Price was knocking away pucks like they were beach balls. If the game was tilted in Toronto's favor all game, yeah , I might have challenged but Montreal had its legs and were for the most part the better team all game.

Not because we lost but the reffing has been piss poor the last two games, I guess if you bitch an moan for 4 games, eventually the refs put away their whistles and let you jump on a guys back, drag him to the ice then create a 3 on 1 on your favor. I always say if the fans are bitching about the reffing their team is in trouble... well..

Do we know that decision to challenge was all Keefe? Lots of eyes watching for the leafs and nobody stopped him.

 

[ORRFForever]

good reason to be, his team has dominated at least 4 of the last 6 regulation periods.



One of 4 on this team that do have heart and compete

I'm just saying, for the first decade of his career, people said Spezza had no heart, no second gear and could not compete when things got tough.

 

[Brown Dog]

It does feel like we've already played that familiar card a couple of times and yet we're still alive this time. Who knows.

I'm expecting the worst so I won't be disappointed.

The funny thing with this team, though, is they always seem to find new and unexpected ways to rip your heart out of your chest. Whatever you expect the script to be, it won't be that. It will be worse.

 

[JayfromNB1219]

Meh.

It's a Game 7. If Toronto needs that, they're in trouble.

It’s game 7 I’ll take any extra motivation I can get my hands on after gm 5 and 6

 

[Clark4Ever]

The funny thing with this team, though, is they always seem to find new and unexpected ways to rip your heart out of your chest. Whatever you expect the script to be, it won't be that. It will be worse.

Yup. I won't be surprised if we take a lead into the 3rd period tomorrow and find another excruciatingly painful way to blow it.

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

Yup. I won't be surprised if we take a lead into the 3rd period tomorrow and find another excruciatingly painful way to blow it.

Epic Leafs moment

 

[CanadasTeam]

Do we know that decision to challenge was all Keefe? Lots of eyes watching for the leafs and nobody stopped him.

 

[egd27]

Do we know that decision to challenge was all Keefe? Lots of eyes watching for the leafs and nobody stopped him.

I tried.

I was screaming at him not to challenge it.....it was moronic.

 

[HolyCrap]

Win or lose. As long as the team has fun it really shouldn’t matter. We will still be happy right?

I’ll go outside and get lost now. Lol.

 

[egd27]

Yup. I won't be surprised if we take a lead into the 3rd period tomorrow and find another excruciatingly painful way to blow it.

Try this one on.

Up 3-1 to start the 3rd
Go down 4-3 with 3 mins to go
Tie it up with 30 secs left
Go to OT..........you know the rest

 

[ORRFForever]

The funny thing with this team, though, is they always seem to find new and unexpected ways to rip your heart out of your chest. Whatever you expect the script to be, it won't be that. It will be worse.

The sun will come up Tuesday morning - win or lose.

 

[BTP]

Remember when Chicago owned Vancouver every year at the start of the decade?

Then finally Vancouver built up a 3-0 lead... Chicago stormed all the way back and tied the series 3-3.

Game 7.

Vancouver finally won. Made it all the way to the finals.

Please let that be us.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Remember when Chicago owned Vancouver every year at the start of the decade?

Then finally Vancouver built up a 3-0 lead... Chicago stormed all the way back and tied the series 3-3.

Game 7.

Vancouver finally won. Made it all the way to the finals.

Please let that be us.

100%.

I know we've been shitting on this team all day but a win will do them good. It's going to be a monumental pressure release especially with the chance of Tavares coming back against Winnipeg.

A win may act like a slingshot taking them deep into the playoffs.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

I firmly believe that management has built a team that has both the talent, grit, and veteran leadership to be winners. This is a good team. We have great depth, decent defense and goaltending. In the regular season, our high end players were amongst the best in the league. Nylander, Spezza, Galchenyuk and Kerfoot have been exceptional these playoffs. It's unfortunate the injury to Tavares, but we shouldn't have needed him here anyway. This team is good enough, and talented enough to put away Montreal without him.

I've said it from the beginning of the offseason, and repeated it multiple times. For us to win, our best players, have to be our best players, and do what it takes to win in the playoffs. Now Matthews and Marner have played decent hockey, before last game hadn't had a goal scored against them, when they were on the ice, but the offense hasn't been there, and these are supposed to be our elite offensive players. A singular goal between these two, over the past two games, and this series is over. Great players, but for whatever reason, they haven't been great when we've needed them the most. If we are to move on, they need to be our best players in game 7.

Matthews had a shooting percentage of 18.5% in the regular season, but just 3.1% in the playoffs. You would expect a reversion to a mean at some point.

@stephen_burtch
In 2017-18 Marner posted his most productive playoffs. His most frequent opp at 5v5 on D in that series were Torey Krug and Kevan Millar. Hardly a shut down duo. Since then? 18-19 McAvoy-Chara 1 pt at 5v5. 19-20 Jones-Werenski 0 pts at 5v5. So far in 20-21 Weber-Chiariot. He has produced 2 5v5 pts vs Weber and none vs Chiariot. I don't see why anyone would see these results and think Marner rises to the occasion vs tougher D in the playoffs. In 3 combined playoff years against his main defensive opposition at 5v5 he has produced like 3 pts. Total. Across 18 gp. That isn't a good sign.

Can you describe this grit to me? I have yet to see it in these playoffs. Easily my biggest complaint. Why did we bring in these heavy bodies if they're not going to use them? There's 5 guys on the Marlies that can play better than Simmonds, Foligno and Thornton in a finesse role.

 

[Cpt Maple Leaf]

Depends how close they are to the cap.

Robertson is cheap (and some people feel he's a strong prospect) so Florida would get Marner and Robertson in exchange for Huberdeau and taking the cap hit.

I don't think they would take on two water bugs in one trade tbh.

 

[MeSorry]

Either tomorrow will be a redemption day for the young core. Or the day after tomorrow will be a call to restructure. The individuals that would likely have to go will be Rielly, Marner and Nylander. I would add JT but his clause. But let's be honest Toronto will hold on to their assets, fail and looking at the contracts every single on of them will walk. Leaving Toronto with nothing once again. But let us believe now, they have to much talent to fail.

 

[pcruz]

Kessel had a starring role in Pittsburgh...is that why he was shuffled between the second and third lines on those teams

When everyone is surprised and disappointed when you don't win the Conn Smythe, I believe that is considered having a starring role.

 

[mrJT]

Majority of fans will never forgive the players or the management if we lose.
They better bring their fukin A game.

 

[Leaftors]

Here to expect the worst but hope for the best. If we lose, f*** loving this cursed franchise

 

[tom leafers]

Hang that quote in the room...ducharme is getting cocky I like it

was coming to post this.

if this doesn’t get the boys jacked to the tits, nothing will

 

[fahad203]

Majority of fans will never forgive the players or the management if we lose.
They better bring their fukin A game.

There's a good chance some players and coaches may be driven out of town
Dubas and Keefe will be gonners for sure

Marner would be adn should be traded first thing. I won't give a ratts asss

 

[fahad203]

Here to expect the worse but hope for the best. If we lose, f*** loving this cursed franchise

If we lose tomorrow, all options should be on the table. Including trading Matthews
There are players you win with, there are players you don't. At some point, you have to make that call

But lets be honest, losing tomorrow will be the most Leafs thing to do

 

[Pi]

If we lose tomorrow, all options should be on the table. Including trading Matthews
There are players you win with, there are players you don't. At some point, you have to make that call

But lets be honest, losing tomorrow will be the most Leafs thing to do

Leafs have to trade Marner++ for Eichel if they lose Game 7. There is no way you continue to keep him when he's scored a total of 0 goals in his last 17 playoff games. You won't get another chance at getting a player like Eichel who is similarly talent but at least isn't afraid of his own shadow.

That also goes if we win Game 7. Marner's pathetic playoff performance has to have a consequence. If you just chalk it up to injuries to Tavares, Muzzin, Foligno etc. then we're going nowhere.

They have to admit that this team isn't good enough to get it done and that starts with the stars and that they will look at making changes.