Keefes comments regarding Benoit after the game.....

[Racer88]

He was still bad before the flu bug, try another excuse.

Excuse number 37 (flu bug) is very popular right now

 

[fahad203]

Keefe just needs to stop overcoaching

 

[TakeTheBody]

I hope Benoit plays a lot. What confuses me is the entire league wants a young RHD. We have one, and keep treating him like crap. Play the kid. Especially in the playoffs. This team isn't going anywhere this post season. Watch him, if you don't like the production trade him this summer. Then continue to look for a young RHD. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

 

[PromisedLand]

I hope Benoit plays a lot. What confuses me is the entire league wants a young RHD. We have one, and keep treating him like crap. Play the kid. Especially in the playoffs. This team isn't going anywhere this post season. Watch him, if you don't like the production trade him this summer. Then continue to look for a young RHD. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

I wonder if Treliving told Keefe no matter what jsut keep playing Lily b/c he wants to see what we have in Lily.

He is a pending RFA so either Leafs will sign him or trade him in a package in the offseason. But to be able to make calculated decisions we need to see him play in different situations and not get yo-yo'd

 

[DarkKnight]

Keefe post game basically admitted Lil struggled again, but then said he’s sticking with Benoit as depth. He mentioned Lil worrying about the trade deadline, the threat of adds affecting him as in the past. He mentioned he’s take a step forward at times this year and a step back. Basically, his own words suggest a fragile mental player that needs to be coddled here, couldn’t possibly deal with Benoit getting in there, and his game hasn’t been great. I didn’t like what I heard, it’s like all that matters is he’s right handed.

 

[thusk]

Yeah that’s a tough one for me. If Liljegren had Benoit’s compete level and ability to fight for a job he would be an impact defenseman in the NHL. Love the darkhorse complete in Benoit that brought him here. Not that impressed by Lily’s sheltered first round pick upbringing, crisis of confidence stuff.

honestly for me his #1 problem is lack of hockey IQ so he dont see the play both side of the puck. Liljegren all skill to be an elite dman in NHL but he dont see the game in front of him pretty well.

offensively if we take only individual ability, hes maybe as good than rielly but he dont see his teammate or opportinity in front of him.

same in defensive end, he somt see the play coming to him so he get caught out of position resulting of giving too much space, forcing him to take penalty or allowing scoring chance or forcing his teammate to make mistake to repair his own miscue.

If he would have the hockey IQ coming with his skill, he would be amaizing but without this important part of the game, hes only an ordinary dman.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Thought this was interesting.....

Whhaaat.. looking for additional right handed D for literally years and the one they have has to play his way into the lineup after all this time? lol

Keefe has screwed up Liljegren and previously Sandin so bad by making them the only ones held accountable. Meanwhile rover Reilly does whatever and it is fine...

 

[Leafsfan74]

If you play all 3 of Benoit, Edmunson and Lyubushkin you better be ready to see this team get hemmed in on loop when none of the defensemen can move the puck.

Rielly-Boosh
Benoit-McCabe
Brodie-Liljegren
Ed

Here is the problem, you will see the exact same thing if Lilly is back there come playoffs.

Lilly is smooth against weaker teams (ditto for some of our offensive stars actually) but lacks confidence and physical attributes to handle the tough, forechecking playoff teams. Something ALL successful playoff teams do well, especially Boston.

It would be absurd to put him in above Benoit come playoffs IMO.

 

[TimeZone]

Having a bunch of 3rd pairing guys is not going to get wins for this team. Losing out on Tanev is huge. Lilly deserves ice time more than Edmondson or a Brodie

It isn't though, this team won't have a genuine opportunity to compete until JT's contract comes off the books, 35 year old Tanev isn't changing that.

 

[rumman]

Another factor (not sure if it's been brought up already or not) is that if I'm not mistaken, Benoit is a pending UFA. Would have been so easy to just site Brodie and let Benoit play instead of leaving him with the memory of being benched for a game where he really wanted to play, and deserved to play.

Keefe is such a moron. That is all.

how bad must it feel to see a pylon like Brodie dress and you have to sit, f**k Keefe.........

 

[Leafsfan74]

Whhaaat.. looking for additional right handed D for literally years and the one they have has to play his way into the lineup after all this time? lol

Keefe has screwed up Liljegren and previously Sandin so bad by making them the only ones held accountable. Meanwhile rover Reilly does whatever and it is fine...

That;s the problem when you pay a #2 Dman #1 Dman money. At least he showed some jam when he went after the kid who fired the puck in the net. Reilly has to be "less nice" around his own net.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

We haven’t signed Benoit either, this slight last night in front of his family and now being benched for no good reason, hope we don’t lose him as a result. He won’t be signing while he’s in the press box that’s for sure. One of the best stories this year derailed, doesn’t sit well at all.

He is an RFA and Keefe will most likely be gone after the next playoff 1 and done experience. I think Lilly is a goner as well as Keefe next summer. Benny is a solid kid that has played much better than expected...it's a good thing he is an RFA or someone would snap him up next year.

 

[MarMarSab3]

Joel f***ing Edmundson is why Benoit and or Liljegren sit, the guy is a pylon and if last night was any indication of what the rest of the year will look like we are f***ed

 

[rumman]

I don't mind Benoit sitting a few games just so Edmundson at least gets some time to adjust to a new team, as long as Benoit is in the lineup over Edmundson when the playoffs start. That's the plan right?

Edmundson plays both sides, Brodie is the one who should sit...........

 

[Leafsfan74]

I wonder if Treliving told Keefe no matter what jsut keep playing Lily b/c he wants to see what we have in Lily.

He is a pending RFA so either Leafs will sign him or trade him in a package in the offseason. But to be able to make calculated decisions we need to see him play in different situations and not get yo-yo'd

Or they don't want to devalue his offseason worth by sitting him.

You can't run a franchise this way if you want to be a winner. Benoit is an RFA too right? Teams have their scouts, some will surely see a player like Lilly as one with potential and upside. I was one such person just two years ago.

Then I saw a game or two in which TB targetted him as the weak link and he clearly was. I suspected then that he wasn't anything more than a bottom six with a strong D Man partner.

When Gio first arrived we saw Lilly do well with GIos positional awareness and Defense First mantra. Both probably sit in my post-season team with the depth they have. I probably put Gio in before Lilly in a playoff series truth be told.

 

[rumman]

It’s ironic that Rielly’s been a bit of a net negative since his return from suspension.

Rielly makes a lot of scratch for a guy who can't defend..............

 

[Leafsfan74]

Edmundson plays both sides, Brodie is the one who should sit...........

Yes. I would prefer Brodie sit over Benoit if they want to try experiment #8 with Lilly.

 

[rumman]

I think it also coincided with the flu bug ravaging the locker room.

you would of thought one team could get so much mileage out of one flu bug..............

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Keefe post game basically admitted Lil struggled again, but then said he’s sticking with Benoit as depth. He mentioned Lil worrying about the trade deadline, the threat of adds affecting him as in the past. He mentioned he’s take a step forward at times this year and a step back. Basically, his own words suggest a fragile mental player that needs to be coddled here, couldn’t possibly deal with Benoit getting in there, and his game hasn’t been great. I didn’t like what I heard, it’s like all that matters is he’s right handed.

Did Babcock come back in an advisory role or something? Seriously, we have not heard shit about the lefty-righty stuff in 5yrs and all of a sudden it's a thing again?

 

[rumman]

I wonder if Treliving told Keefe no matter what jsut keep playing Lily b/c he wants to see what we have in Lily.

He is a pending RFA so either Leafs will sign him or trade him in a package in the offseason. But to be able to make calculated decisions we need to see him play in different situations and not get yo-yo'd

coach is responsible for the team they ice, if they don't know by now what Lilly is they'll never know............

 

[BraveCanadian]

That;s the problem when you pay a #2 Dman #1 Dman money. At least he showed some jam when he went after the kid who fired the puck in the net. Reilly has to be "less nice" around his own net.

I like Reilly but he’s been pretty bad defensively this year and his minutes are pretty high risk high reward type minutes. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone so consistently bad defending a 2 on 1 as Reilly this year.. there is a reason things were tidier when Reilly was out.

I thought the PP looked better with Liljegren tbh because he actually attempted a shot here and there.

 

[notdoneyet]

Lilly is what he is. Low hockey IQ, can’t stop the cycle, can’t clear front of net and can’t handle strong forwards
On the forecheck.
I don’t think he will be a leaf after this year. I think He will be traded at the draft.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Keefe just needs to stop coaching

 

[56 Years No Cup]

Or they don't want to devalue his offseason worth by sitting him.

You can't run a franchise this way if you want to be a winner. Benoit is an RFA too right? Teams have their scouts, some will surely see a player like Lilly as one with potential and upside. I was one such person just two years ago.

Then I saw a game or two in which TB targetted him as the weak link and he clearly was. I suspected then that he wasn't anything more than a bottom six with a strong D Man partner.

When Gio first arrived we saw Lilly do well with GIos positional awareness and Defense First mantra. Both probably sit in my post-season team with the depth they have. I probably put Gio in before Lilly in a playoff series truth be told.

Man, what terrible options to have.

 

[horner]

I really wasn't sure what was the urgency to play Edmundson really. They had a break coming up anyway; where Edmundson could have gotten some practice before making his Leafs debut.

Benoit-McCabe pairing was a pretty good pairing for us. I wasnt happy it was broken up

Oh well.....

Edmondson can play RD as well