Leafs biggest issue... Fan expectations set by the team

[Goonface2k14]

Trying to make sense of last night and this team in general, with the benefit of hindsight, I can only conclude the following, which I'm sure isn't anything new to most of you:

- Speed and skill on offense can only take you so far, you need to have a physical presence as well in the playoffs, which the Leafs are lacking

- The opposition's game plan seems to be to pressure the Leafs' defensemen when they have to make a quick play in the 0-zone. Last night was a textbook example of that (especially Pasternak on Gardiner), and it's something we've witnessed far too often in recent years

Without a fundamental change on defense, although the Leafs can manage to outscore a lot of other teams, they will always be prone to costly turnovers and the inability to move the puck up the ice smartly and efficiently. They will continue to rely on risky stretch passes and offensive zone pinches. Jake Gardiner leads the way in that regard, with his high risk, high reward style of play. It especially gets exposed in the post season by good teams, when the game tightens up and physical play ramps up. There's only so much Freddie can do.

I would not be surprised if they attempt to make a big trade over the offseason, to try and get a big, reliable top pairing defenseman. Not sure if that's even achievable, unless they are willing to move a big-name foward not named Auston or Mitch.

 

[m1ker]

It's quite clear that the problem is all 3 left defenders play the same and all 3 right defenders play the same. At least if we had a defense pairing that the skill was on the right side or both sides then the other team would have to know who's on the ice and study more than one type of system. Our system works well in the season because teams don't study it as much but in the playoffs it's a different story. If we didn't acquire pleks we wouldn't know this because we would of got blown out bad every game. I'm happy they did enough to allow us to see the teams downfall without giving away too much.

 

[Faltorvo]

The realist wanted to trade our rentals at the deadline but were called losers saying we want to take forever and turn into Edmonton.

All I know is I see our top goal scorer walking at the end of the season and one of the worst defenses in the playoffs. We would have made the playoffs had we traded JVR, Bozak, and Komarov. And even if we still get trounced by Boston like we are now, atleast we could use those pieces from our trades (a 1st and a prospect from JVR minimum) to help shore up the blueline for next season.

I said it before fans are too impatient and just want to get that quick sugar rush from a "playoff run". I didn't think it was a good idea, but I didn't even see this trouncing coming. Still hoping for the best obviously, but I would be lying if I said I liked the direction the team went in at the deadline.

I can't blame the Fans, seeing how management and their moves this season all pointed to a deep play off run.

Marl/Hains,,,,,,,Kept all our own rentals,,,,2nd for Plek

This is almost a Nonis level fail season.

 

[Gabriel426]

I can't blame the Fans, seeing how management and their moves this season all pointed to a deep play off run.

Marl/Hains,,,,,,,Kept all our own rentals,,,,2nd for Plek

This is almost a Nonis level fail season.

So signing Marleau and Hains are bad signings.

True that AJ or Kap and maybe even Leivo can fill in the role of Marleau but the next D in line is Carrick, Borgman or Holl. Honestly, I would take Hains over them any day. Where Hains was playing good earlier the year, I really don't see anyone hating that signing. I did saw a lot of fans saying they are eating crows that Hains is good.

Watching the way Willie is playing now and throughout the season, I think keeping Bozak was a smart idea.
Also the pipeline of Cs is not good or else there won't be a trade for Plek. Goat could not cut it and Brooks is not ready.

Leo just declined a lot since last season, but thats something nobody expected.

JVR is probably the one that should have been traded last summer, still don't understand why that didn't happen. I read somewhere that he has a NTC, maybe he blocked a few trades-something we will never know.

Anyhow, hindsight is always great b/c we get to do over. Maybe we should have traded JVR to the Hawks last summer for their 1st rounder this year-pretty sure that pick would have been unprotected bc nobody would have thought Hawks will miss the playoffs. Leafs could also trade the 2nd(the one for Plek) for William Karlsson in Vegas, pretty sure he didn't worth a 2nd rounder at that time.

What if the Leafs did traded all their pending UFAs at TDL and the team didn't make the playoffs at the end. Another epic fail, 18 wheeler....

Sometime it paid off and most of the time it won't but that should not stop the Leafs from trying. Pens took a huge gamble to trade for Phil and even a few months into the season, they were not in a playoffs spot and struggling, think they even fired their coach. Then something just clicked and they won back to back Cups with a possible three peat. Most of the players are pretty much the same. The players on the Leafs just need to click, I though they all did when their Dads came along but that didn't sustain, hopefully they will all click one day and Leafs will win the Cup.

 

[Faltorvo]

So signing Marleau and Hains are bad signings. Nope never said that, i think the 3 UFAs and Plek was bad., Nonis level moves.

True that AJ or Kap and maybe even Leivo can fill in the role of Marleau but the next D in line is Carrick, Borgman or Holl. Honestly, I would take Hains over them any day. Where Hains was playing good earlier the year, I really don't see anyone hating that signing. I did saw a lot of fans saying they are eating crows that Hains is good.

Watching the way Willie is playing now and throughout the season, I think keeping Bozak was a smart idea. I would have been fine using Aalt
Also the pipeline of Cs is not good or else there won't be a trade for Plek. Goat could not cut it and Brooks is not ready.

Leo just declined a lot since last season, but thats something nobody expected.

JVR is probably the one that should have been traded last summer, still don't understand why that didn't happen. I read somewhere that he has a NTC, maybe he blocked a few trades-something we will never know.

Anyhow, hindsight is always great b/c we get to do over. Maybe we should have traded JVR to the Hawks last summer for their 1st rounder this year-pretty sure that pick would have been unprotected bc nobody would have thought Hawks will miss the playoffs. Leafs could also trade the 2nd(the one for Plek) for William Karlsson in Vegas, pretty sure he didn't worth a 2nd rounder at that time. Take your "hindsight and STUFF IT" i called for the 3 UFAs to be gone in the summer, i called for them to be moved at the TD.

What if the Leafs did traded all their pending UFAs at TDL and the team didn't make the playoffs at the end. Another epic fail, 18 wheeler.... So JVR/Boz/Koma out Kappy/Johnsson/Aalt in and your worried they could miss the POs? WOW, so your saying the difference between those 3 players could be from "miss the POs, to cup contender"

Sometime it paid off and most of the time it won't but that should not stop the Leafs from trying. Pens took a huge gamble to trade for Phil and even a few months into the season, they were not in a playoffs spot and struggling, think they even fired their coach. Then something just clicked and they won back to back Cups with a possible three peat. Most of the players are pretty much the same. The players on the Leafs just need to click, I though they all did when their Dads came along but that didn't sustain, hopefully they will all click one day and Leafs will win the Cup.

Please tell me the last time "it paid off here"???

 

[Legion34]

Please tell me the last time "it paid off here"???

Who was going to trade for them???

 

[Gabriel426]

Please tell me the last time "it paid off here"???

I would say now. This team is 105 pts and even if we lose the series, we made the playoffs 2 years in a row. Hopefully the MGT addresses what needs to be added to the team and continue building till a Cup win.

Can you name a Cup winning team that didn't make a some sort of trade around the deadline, traded away all their UFAs and didn't sign any Vets?

Pens trade for Hains at last year TDL, didn't trade away Kunitz and won the Cup last year.
Hawks signed Brad Richards, traded for Vernette at the TDL and let a few of their UFAs walked for nothing but they won a Cup in 2015.

Thats what winning teams do. I will bet that whichever team win this year, they probably also signed a vet or two in the summer, made a trade around the TDL and is prepare to let their UFA walks for nothing in the summer.

 

[i1]

Hainsey, Polak, Zaitsev

Imo half of the defense being bad is the biggest problem

 

[Faltorvo]

I would say now. This team is 105 pts and even if we lose the series, we made the playoffs 2 years in a row. Hopefully the MGT addresses what needs to be added to the team and continue building till a Cup win.

Can you name a Cup winning team that didn't make a some sort of trade around the deadline, traded away all their UFAs and didn't sign any Vets?

Pens trade for Hains at last year TDL, didn't trade away Kunitz and won the Cup last year.
Hawks signed Brad Richards, traded for Vernette at the TDL and let a few of their UFAs walked for nothing but they won a Cup in 2015.

Thats what winning teams do. I will bet that whichever team win this year, they probably also signed a vet or two in the summer, made a trade around the TDL and is prepare to let their UFA walks for nothing in the summer.

I frankly disagree, it makes no difference to me if this a 95 point PO team or a 105p team.

one would have to believe this was a cup winning roster to agree to those moves

Given we are running 8 sophomores and some rooks , i did not see a cup run this season, too young/NHL exp.

 

[sxvnert]

Expected a loss again in the first round this year but sub par efforts is unacceptable. Half the team has been sleepwalking the entire series (not an issue last year).

 

[Faltorvo]

Expected a loss again in the first round this year but sub par efforts is unacceptable. Half the team has been sleepwalking the entire series (not an issue last year).

You know how babs talks about rooks playing and he basically says, 'lets wait to see what we have after the new car smell is gone, the puppy being let loose in the bardyard for the first time"

Well POs for the first time with what 8 rooks last years? Puppy with a new car smell

now we are into routine, "the career is starting to feel like a job" and POs are not new hat.