Post-Game Talk: Thats all she wrote.

[theghost1]

Matthews 2 points in 7 games...i thought this guy was supposed to be a star....he is just awful.

 

[fahad203]

Well looks like I won’t be going to the main bird anytime soon

Yeah stay out of it. Oilers fans are rejoicing as if they beat the Leafs. I guess this is their consolation price

Jake has been a good soldier. I remember when we first got him, he brought something we severely lacked. A young D who can move the puck. This is post Kaberle (I miss Kabs).
But unfortunately, it's time we move on from him. This is not to all his fault. He can't rush the puck like he used to because Babs style of play. Babs likes his D to move up the wing, dump it in. safe play

He's simply too inconsistent.

Reilly has peaked. He is who he is. In this series you understood the value for size. Size does matter. We got hemmed in way to easily

lastly, thank you Polak. I know he takes a lot of heat. He is who he is. Even Polak will tell you not to play him that much in those types of situations. But he's been a good sport. Took it for the team when needed, fought when he had to. time to move from him

Hainsey. I have no comment. I can't say anything positive

 

[Blanche Blanche]

Off topic: There's three times more comments in this post game thread then there is in a full game Golden Knights or Predators thread. Yes, comparing apples & oranges. But pretty amazing.

And Bettman still likes to occasionally call reversals on us, or allow boston to bribe the tefs in GM 5...

He should lose half his money, see how he feels missong out on what the leafs bring him

 

[Brown Dog]

Really wish that when Chicago was doing their first purge that Burke had traded for Byfuglien instead of Versteeg.

 

[Brown Dog]

That Hainsey is under contract for another year just means he's under contract for anther year. Definitely is a NHL defender, but not a 1st. pairing defender. That's not on Hainsey, that's on management.

Sure, but the point is he'll be occupying one of six D spots next year. And you necessarily can't make change if you bring back all the same guys.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Yeah stay out of it. Oilers fans are rejoicing as if they beat the Leafs. I guess this is their consolation price

We've had numerous people here talking about the start of a 10-year dynasty. Its not like that we didn't bring some of this on ourselves.

 

[Gallagbi]

One thing I'm struggling with now is where do you go from here?

I look at our 3 main areas and all had major concerns this post season

Goaltending - Andy was simply bad. Wasn't great last year, was worse this year (playoff-wise). We overreacted on Reimer with bringing in Bernier and it bit us. I worry we do the same this offseason, but it's reasonable to want more from your goalie.

Defense - we had a lot of people regress from last year and even from their early start. Hainsey fell off a cliff and Zaitsev struggled. Polak was his usual self. Dermott is a nice add, but this group needs to get better. Tough to see Gardiner lay an egg off 6 solid games to start the series. Ideally we could have a Zaitsev - Hainsey bottom pair next year with Dermott - Rielly in our top 4. Gardiner could be there again, if not, you need 2 more top 4 D and he likely goes out in a move for 1 of them.

Forwards - our best players weren't good enough. We just scored 4 goals in an elimination game with only 1 of our 6 20+ goalscorers finding the back of the net. Matthews is going to get 10+ after an awful post season and Willy wasn't anywhere as good as he can be. Kadri needed to be better. I'm not sure there's the depth to move out a forward for a D now with Bozak and JVR likely leaving. Nice thing is that Kap and Johnsson showed they're ready and will be regulars next year. Overall I'm not worried about this group, it's just a question of how can they be leveraged to address the D and/or G

 

[Tak7]

Matthews 2 points in 7 games...i thought this guy was supposed to be a star....he is just awful.

He's 21.

 

[zeke]

All things being equal, even with our weaknesses on defense and in net being exposed, if Matthews plays like Matthews we win this series.

 

[Tak7]

All things being equal, even with our weaknesses on defense and in net being exposed, if Matthews plays like Matthews we win this series.

If Freddy plays like Freddy

If Nylander plays like Nylander

If Gardiner doesn't play like Gardiner

Ifs, ifs, ifs...

...I think some people have a hard time admitting what was apparent to some all the way back in February; that Boston are a better team than Toronto.

 

[ObscureAlien]

Willing to bet big money that the majority of Bruins/Neutral fans coming in this thread saying "great effort, you'll get 'em next year" will be ripping the team on the mains all summer long so they can all GTFO as far as I'm concerned, not to mention some of them could easily be sarcastic/fishing for those oh so valuable internet points.

 

[Gallagbi]

All things being equal, even with our weaknesses on defense and in net being exposed, if Matthews plays like Matthews we win this series.

There's a bit of a triangle here. If any of those 3 (D, G or Matthews/Nylander) are better we win. Last two hurt the most because they were supposed to be a strength.

 

[zeke]

If Freddy plays like Freddy

If Nylander plays like Nylander

If Gardiner doesn't play like Gardiner

Ifs, ifs, ifs...

...I think some people have a hard time admitting what was apparent to some all the way back in February; that Boston are a better team than Toronto.

Freddy played like Freddy. Gardiner played like Gardiner.

Willy was point per game after being split from Matthews.

 

[zeke]

There's a bit of a triangle here. If any of those 3 (D, G or Matthews/Nylander) are better we win. Last two hurt the most because they were supposed to be a strength.

Freddy was Freddy. The D ws the D.

Willy had 4pts in 5gms after being split from Auston.

 

[Tak7]

Freddy played like Freddy. Gardiner played like Gardiner.

Willy was point per game after being split from Matthews.

Freddy's .894 SV% is not Freddy playing like Freddy.

14 shots on goal for the FINAL HALF of game 7, and all sorts of problems managing the puck - not sure Matthews helps that at all

 

[zeke]

Freddy's .894 SV% is not Freddy playing like Freddy.

eh. average inconsistent goalie is inconsistent.

14 shots on goal for the FINAL HALF of game 7, and all sorts of problems managing the puck - not sure Matthews helps that at all

I mean, aside from being one of the most frequent shot takers in the league.

 

[Tak7]

eh. average inconsistent goalie is inconsistent.



I mean, aside from being one of the most frequent shot takers in the league.

Need to have the puck to shoot the puck.

 

[I Am The Stig]

Matthews 2 points in 7 games...i thought this guy was supposed to be a star....he is just awful.

He was also 4 in 6 last year so...maybe hes not awful?

 

[Liminality]

One thing I'm struggling with now is where do you go from here?

I look at our 3 main areas and all had major concerns this post season

Goaltending - Andy was simply bad. Wasn't great last year, was worse this year (playoff-wise). We overreacted on Reimer with bringing in Bernier and it bit us. I worry we do the same this offseason, but it's reasonable to want more from your goalie.

Defense - we had a lot of people regress from last year and even from their early start. Hainsey fell off a cliff and Zaitsev struggled. Polak was his usual self. Dermott is a nice add, but this group needs to get better. Tough to see Gardiner lay an egg off 6 solid games to start the series. Ideally we could have a Zaitsev - Hainsey bottom pair next year with Dermott - Rielly in our top 4. Gardiner could be there again, if not, you need 2 more top 4 D and he likely goes out in a move for 1 of them.

Forwards - our best players weren't good enough. We just scored 4 goals in an elimination game with only 1 of our 6 20+ goalscorers finding the back of the net. Matthews is going to get 10+ after an awful post season and Willy wasn't anywhere as good as he can be. Kadri needed to be better. I'm not sure there's the depth to move out a forward for a D now with Bozak and JVR likely leaving. Nice thing is that Kap and Johnsson showed they're ready and will be regulars next year. Overall I'm not worried about this group, it's just a question of how can they be leveraged to address the D and/or G

First things first, you don't overreact to this kind of loss. I think getting help with the D goes hand in hand with making Andy look better this series. You stick with Andy cause he can still steal you games, we just need to insulate him better with our d zone coverage. Getting that top RD to push down the ice time for Zaitsev and putting Hainsey in the 3rd pairing role I think would do wonders for this club. He might not be THE answer for us but I think getting someone like a Carlson doesn't happen too often and would help a lot.

The forwards need a time machine, they need to grow and develop. I think the big three are here to stay and are going to be our main offensive threats for the future. Can we surround them with better support is the biggest question I think. Marleau is going to be a nice vet to help with that at least for the next couple of years. Hyman, Brown are good glue guys who you can put with any of the top offensive players. Kadri is in his prime and needs to be a leader on this team. Replacing the slower JVR might help and Bozak, while good at faceoffs still isn't really someone I want to rely on in the future.

So really, I don't think you do too much here as much as it hurts to say. Let the contracts expire, use the cap space in a smart way and mold the team to how you want it with free agents and trades.

 

[Gallagbi]

Need to have the puck to shoot the puck.

Isn't a big first line C part of getting/controlling the puck?

 

[theghost1]

He's 21.

Jake Debrusk is also 21.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

The Andersen criticism is a little harsh.

We don’t get to this game without a .933 and a .970 in the elimination games 5 and 6

Shades of Reimer in 2013. Only Andersen was worse overall

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Need to have the puck to shoot the puck.

He's supposed to be an elite possession player

 

[Nizdizzle]

Jake Debrusk is also 21.

Jake Debrusk didn't have to match up against Bergeron/Marchand/Pastrnak/Chara/McAvoy every shift. Are you being intentionally thick-headed?

 

[Gallagbi]

First things first, you don't overreact to this kind of loss. I think getting help with the D goes hand in hand with making Andy look better this series. You stick with Andy cause he can still steal you games, we just need to insulate him better with our d zone coverage. Getting that top RD to push down the ice time for Zaitsev and putting Hainsey in the 3rd pairing role I think would do wonders for this club. He might not be THE answer for us but I think getting someone like a Carlson doesn't happen too often and would help a lot.

The forwards need a time machine, they need to grow and develop. I think the big three are here to stay and are going to be our main offensive threats for the future. Can we surround them with better support is the biggest question I think. Marleau is going to be a nice vet to help with that at least for the next couple of years. Hyman, Brown are good glue guys who you can put with any of the top offensive players. Kadri is in his prime and needs to be a leader on this team. Replacing the slower JVR might help and Bozak, while good at faceoffs still isn't really someone I want to rely on in the future.

So really, I don't think you do too much here as much as it hurts to say. Let the contracts expire, use the cap space in a smart way and mold the team to how you want it with free agents and trades.

I agree, I guess my question is what is overreacting? I think we all know the D needs to improve, but at what cost? Do you weaken the forwards to do it or rely on UFAs? Pipeline isn't ready. Is moving Freddy for a D an overreaction if we can acquire another middle of the road starter?