Post-Game Talk: Leafs Shutout 2-0

[Menzinger]

Leivo looked fantastic, battles for pucks and generated chances. Nylander also had a good game, it’s shocking how fast he can be.

Komarov and Marleau has pretty poor games.Have to hope next game Leafs can start generating more shots and chances next game, especially earlier on.

 

[Mr Hockey]

Fair enough, but what's the use of taking a beating if Leo lacks the skill to finish those chances at the goalmouth? Brown has that ability while being willing to go to the dirty areas

I really like Brown and his skill set and I would be ok with him taking that role on the pp.

 

[supermann_98]

Komarov with 19+ minutes and 4 minutes of PP time

He’s a real gud pro though so he gets a pass

 

[cookie]

I'm quite happy about the result.

The result verifies what I saw leading up to these 2 loses.

Of course I'd prefer a win, but that would indicate what I saw progressing was in error, but the results verifies what I've been seeing.

Unfortunately, this looks like a team that just isn't very good right now, and suggests more mirage than substance without 34 in the lineup.

Coach thinks that they were playing well and gripping their sticks for some reason or another.

f***.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

I’m just tired of the coach taking the downfall for just about everything.. from Wilson to Carlyle ... now Babcock is taking so much heat despite the team’s overall success.

It’s elevated to a ridiculous level right now

Definitely not just the coaches fault. I’m just so tired of the same shtick. Why can’t we just rebuild properly? One playoff series and everyone loses sight of the main goal. It’s sickening and maddening. We’re not even two years removed from finishing last in the NHL. Why are we trading picks for expiring contracts? Why are we keeping UFA’s that won’t be signed that are taking other prospects spot? Why are we not developing Nylander to be a center during our rebuild phase? Babcock, Lou, Shanahan they’ve all lost sight of what the plan was suppose to be. If a nice big losing streak is what is needed to remind these guys what the plan was I’m fine with that.

 

[firstemperor]

I'm starting to not enjoy watching the Leafs play...again. I don't like this feeling.

It's ok, we get to watch Liljegren at the WJC soon, let's hope he can provide some optimism in this mini-slump we're having.

 

[cookie]

Was that really Andersen yelling "wheel ... wheel ... wheel ..."

Only to see the puck reversed, then a couple of seconds later in the net?

Just ice it!

Rielly could have skated with the puck behind the net to make an easy stretch pass to Bozak near center ice. When Rielly's doubting his skating, he's useless.

 

[meefer]

Who is the second year player on our d? If you’re referring to Zaitsev he played years in the KHL and was Team Russia’s best d man before coming over. Soshnikov is not a regular in this line up and neither is Leivo.

Zaitsev is a 2nd year NHL player. Not to be rude, but that's the reality. That Sosh and Leivo are not regulars is immaterial, they are a part of a team that is attempting to become a better D team and they are, I'm sure, being treated accordingly.

I know we have different opinions, but is the nitpicking necessary? This being a general comment, not directed towards you, MA, specifically. At times here, a misplaced comma seems to be reason to challenge. If the intent of a post is reasonable, why not go with that. Just my two cents, no offense intended.

 

[supermann_98]

It could be worse guys, we could be the Oilers

 

[Suntouchable13]

How long are we going to tolerate Bozak being trotted out there? Useless.

 

[Kiwi]

I’m just tired of the coach taking the downfall for just about everything.. from Wilson to Carlyle ... now Babcock is taking so much heat despite the team’s overall success.

It’s elevated to a ridiculous level right now

This team isn't playing well Bert and it hasn't looked great for a while

Babcock makes the decisions on how we deploy our personnel and what system were going to use

I don't mind throwing players under the bus but the coaching staff shouldn't be immune from criticism

 

[GardinerTheForward]

i think we will be a better team if we trade boxak and leo. jvr i think makes us better if we have him but like a poster said above...gotta move those expiring contracts for picks etc

 

[i1]

Not going to miss Bozak or Komarov at season's end...take some 2nd rounders at the deadline and run

 

[Mr Hockey]

Last season it was the Leafs trying to figure out how to beat all the other teams, this season its the other teams trying to figure out how to beat us! Babs is doing a good job at keeping us in a good spot nearing the halfway mark.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Hopefully Kapanen gets a looks tomorrow night and I'm not talking about a 4th line spot with Moore and Martin look. Put him in a top 9 spot Babs.

 

[LeafsBoyo]

Definitely not just the coaches fault. I’m just so tired of the same shtick. Why can’t we just rebuild properly? One playoff series and everyone loses sight of the main goal. It’s sickening and maddening. We’re not even two years removed from finishing last in the NHL. Why are we trading picks for expiring contracts? Why are we keeping UFA’s that won’t be signed that are taking other prospects spot? Why are we not developing Nylander to be a center during our rebuild phase? Babcock, Lou, Shanahan they’ve all lost sight of what the plan was suppose to be. If a nice big losing streak is what is needed to remind these guys what the plan was I’m fine with that.

This is what bothers me more than anything.

Even if Polak was better than Carrick (he's not), Polak is on his last legs. The minutes he eats up are valuable development minutes for Carrick or someone else. Even if Carrick doesn't improve from what he is now, you need to let him try.

The same goes for Komorov. He played 19 minutes tonight, why? Is this the year we're going for the cup? If we're serious about thinking long term, Komorov won't be on this roster. Young players need to play to get better. Is Dominic Moore SO good that you just can't slot in time for Aaltonen? The same goes for Martin.

If we don't sell our UFAs like Bozak at the deadline I'll know this team honestly is just paying lip service to building for the future. They've fallen into the same trap of old management.

 

[frizzer1]

Just got home and watched the tape of this game..so....

Many of us have been criticizing their play for a long time now. They were winning because of Andersen and more than their share of puck luck.
Because they were winning we continually heard that the quality of their play didn't matter..
Well, it did and it does.......sooner or later when a team is consistently being outshot and outchanced..they start losing..
Freedman said that a lobotomy has been performed on the offense and boy is that ever true.
Something wrong here..

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Hyman had the 6'th ATOI among the forwads 5-vs-5, sorry to mess with your narrative

Swing and a miss.

 

[ThewThew]

Babcock is good enough. I'd rather have Sullivan though

Or Cooper from Tampa

 

[TMLeafer]

Bozak has been better than he normally is, imo. Probably not saying much but I can't really pin this on him.

1 goal against 2 backups in the last 3 games is pretty awful.

 

[Mr Hockey]

Swing and a miss.

So you were complaining about Hymans season ATOI and not tonight's game for some reason, you guys complain so much its hard to tell.

 

[Mr Hockey]

 

[rynryn]

and of course it's possible to be a great coach and simply not mesh with your roster because your style isn't effective at getting the best results.

Only comparing this and the Yeo/Zucker thing as far as intent goes. Wild of the Yeo years and this Leafs team are vastly different otherwise. Wild had a lot of experience veterans and less skilled two way players while the Leafs have top end offensive talent in raw kids. Obviously Matthews can cover for a lot of hiccups when forcing a defensive focus on offensive players, but the goal is to get those guys to a level where a Matthews injury wont sink the team.

Not saying that even if this is the intent here it'll work, but chances are good coach and GM are on the same page here and this is in line with some of the scenarios they laid out before the season started and not some catastrophic portent of doom. Any time your most important player goes down it's going to wreck your plans and I'm sure that goes double for a team that relies on youth as much as Toronto.

edit: not saying individual losses aren't disappointing. just that over the course of a season you'd be crazy not to expect the occasional losing streak when a guy like Matthews goes down and none of your other forwards are better than serviceable in their own end.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Until the third, this was among the most boring games I've seen. And that's as much on us as it is on Minnesota. We're so slow, and we're so risk minimizing in our decision making.

 

[hamzarocks]

Or Cooper from Tampa

People say this but would be having the same position with those two coaches. Cooper would be among the most gated coaches in leafs history. Did you see his usage of drouin. If Babcock did that constantly to marner/nylander we would all go insane. Coaches are stubborn and love grinding players. Hyman on the top line can work but it need is to have two really skilled players playing with him Matthews and nylander must be a regular duo. We need marner to simplify his game and understand that he's in the NHL. I really enjoy his game when he' one but too many times he' way to weak on the puck and is willing to let players get around him in defensive zone. Bozak/Jvr/komo are done and despite whatever they co tribute this year shouldn' play a single game next season. Right now Babcock is in a situation where he can' give some really viable options playing time in a proper usage. Kapanen, Leivo should be in top 9 roles. They need to be inserted into the lineup to gain valuable nhl experience and become productive members of this team. A guy like johnsson should get a serious look next season. This year I feel the leafs are good enough to make the playoffs despite not playing up to there best level or icing the team that will result in overall long term success. However Babcock needs to be more willing to play young talent over vets who constantly mess up. I wouldn' mind a trade of one of the 3 UFA so we could insert kapanen into the lineup. Will be interesting to see how this season plays along. Guys in a f7nk right now they will break out of it. Marner should either be signed long term for less then 6 million, or not given a deal and make him earn it next season. Him and Gardiner have been the most disappointing leafs this year(besides bozak who I didn' really care much for since I didn' view him as part of the long term plans for the leafs).