Speculation: These young Leafs Get branded for taking Boston 7 games from being down 3-1???????

[Gary Nylund]

Here is how I look at the series:

1. The Bruins were the better team coming into the series
2. Our best forwards were not our best forwards
3. Matthews had 1 g and 1 a in 7 games
4. Willie had 1 g and 2 a and shied away from contact
5. The Bruins took advantage of our weak D
6. Freddy was great in 4 of 7 games and was awful in the 3 loses
7. Kadri missed 3 games thanks to his suspension
8. JVR and TyBo did virtually nothing 5 v 5
9. Our coaches struggled and could have been better
10. Refs were awful

Yet we were one frickin good period away from winning the series. I'd sign up to be in the same situation going into the 3rd period of game 7 next year.

Next year I hope we win the 1st round and do so in less than 7 games.

Nice perspective though. It does seem clear that we're capable of playing much better than we did and we still came really close to winning so maybe it's premature to tear it all down.

I agree with that and I would say their production was that of a 2nd liner. Produced 4 points in 7 games so a 46 point pace. Only Rielly, Marleau and Marner scored more points than Bozak and JVR.

I feel like there are a lot of people to blame but I wouldnt say JVR and Bozak were the problem. If the Leafs first line was producing normally, the production from Bozak's line would seem like the difference maker. I don't think too many teams have their third liners in the top 5 for points on the team. That is scoring depth right there.

I also don't think too many teams have their 3rd liners playing on the #1 PP unit ahead of the teams #1C. On one hand sure, good for them that they were a big part of a very good PP. On the other hand, 3 ES points from them over 7 games is anything but impressive. I'm not going blame them for us losing but it's not like they were excellent and don't deserve their fair share of blame either. JMHO.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

Next year I hope we win the 1st round and do so in less than 7 games.

Nice perspective though. It does seem clear that we're capable of playing much better than we did and we still came really close to winning so maybe it's premature to tear it all down.



I also don't think too many teams have their 3rd liners playing on the #1 PP unit ahead of the teams #1C. On one hand sure, good for them that they were a big part of a very good PP. On the other hand, 3 ES points from them over 7 games is anything but impressive. I'm not going blame them for us losing but it's not like they were excellent and don't deserve their fair share of blame either. JMHO.

For the very limited minutes they get at even strength, I don't think that many even strength is bad. Even more so when you consider Bozak's even strength 53.5% C.F. (+8.5% relative) it shows he did dominant his matchups even if they were 3rd line matchups. His line just couldn't get the puck past Rask. I reember Kap missing grade A chances at even strength n that line.

 

[Gary Nylund]

For the very limited minutes they get at even strength, I don't think that many even strength is bad. Even more so when you consider Bozak's even strength 53.5% C.F. (+8.5% relative) it shows he did dominant his matchups even if they were 3rd line matchups. His line just couldn't get the puck past Rask. I reember Kap missing grade A chances at even strength n that line.

Yeah it's a really small sample size so just one point can make a big difference in the big picture. Still, just 1 ES point from JVR isn't impressive but then again, it fits his profile of a PP specialist who can't be counted on to do much at ES, especially when its playoff time and the going gets tough. Whatever, I assume we've been the last of JVR, probably Bozak too.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

Yeah it's a really small sample size so just one point can make a big difference in the big picture. Still, just 1 ES point from JVR isn't impressive but then again, it fits his profile of a PP specialist who can't be counted on to do much at ES, especially when its playoff time and the going gets tough. Whatever, I assume we've been the last of JVR, probably Bozak too.

It's true 1 ES is bad but Bozak's line produced enough offensive pressure and shots to warrant more than that at even strength. Rask played well and Leafs couldn't get a bounce. JVR I will say didn't meet expectations but I thought Bozak played pretty well.

I think the Leafs may re-sign Bozak if the free agent market is bad and Nylander isn't playing center this summer. Assuming he takes 3C money of course.

 

[Gary Nylund]

It's true 1 ES is bad but Bozak's line produced enough offensive pressure and shots to warrant more than that at even strength. Rask played well and Leafs couldn't get a bounce. JVR I will say didn't meet expectations but I thought Bozak played pretty well.

I think the Leafs may re-sign Bozak if the free agent market is bad and Nylander isn't playing center this summer. Assuming he takes 3C money of course.

That all sounds about right. Let's hope we sign Tavares at a home town discount. If that happens we don't need JVR or Bozak and we should be very good next year.

 

[MikeBabchuk]

Nylander doesn't fit on this team - why is that, is he too good?

If he wants to be a top-six centre, he won't be able to do it here, and if Matthews prefers Marner on his right wing, Nylander just has no role on this team.

As mentioned above, you have to trade something to get something, and Nylander is the most likely asset to centre a package for a D. Keep in mind that he's also an RFA.

He sure looked "too good" for this team in the playoffs—so good, in fact, that he decided not to show up!

 

[Gary Nylund]

If he wants to be a top-six centre, he won't be able to do it here, and if Matthews prefers Marner on his right wing, Nylander just has no role on this team.

As mentioned above, you have to trade something to get something, and Nylander is the most likely asset to centre a package for a D. Keep in mind that he's also an RFA.

He sure looked "too good" for this team in the playoffs—so good, in fact, that he decided not to show up!

Nah, Nylander showed up. He played way better than you think and he is way better than you think.

 

[ShaneFalco]

In one playoff series, no star player has ever been shut down by the opposition

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Here is how I look at the series:

1. The Bruins were the better team coming into the series
2. Our best forwards were not our best forwards
3. Matthews had 1 g and 1 a in 7 games
4. Willie had 1 g and 2 a and shied away from contact
5. The Bruins took advantage of our weak D
6. Freddy was great in 4 of 7 games and was awful in the 3 loses
7. Kadri missed 3 games thanks to his suspension
8. JVR and TyBo did virtually nothing 5 v 5
9. Our coaches struggled and could have been better
10. Refs were awful

Yet we were one frickin good period away from winning the series. I'd sign up to be in the same situation going into the 3rd period of game 7 next year.

I like this point note evaluation and you didn't complain about it at all. Thats just basically the way it went and we move on.

You get style points Son!!!!

 

[kindalaidback]

If he wants to be a top-six centre, he won't be able to do it here, and if Matthews prefers Marner on his right wing, Nylander just has no role on this team.

As mentioned above, you have to trade something to get something, and Nylander is the most likely asset to centre a package for a D. Keep in mind that he's also an RFA.

He sure looked "too good" for this team in the playoffs—so good, in fact, that he decided not to show up!

when did matthews say he prefers having marner on his wing? wait, he didn't. the media asked both guys if they wanna play together more and they said yes. because they are friends. not once did matthews say he prefers playing with player x over player y. stop making things up.

and because some of you like to bring up his bad playoff games over and over again-- last year, he was one of our best guys in the series against washington. he's shown he can play in the playoffs.

Nah, Nylander showed up. He played way better than you think and he is way better than you think.

man, i don't get leafs fans. the first time in many, many years we have a fantastic core of players, and they wanna trade one of them away.

 

[Goonface2k14]

There are so many ways to look at this, pessimistically or optimistically. I just hope rational thinking prevails in the front office and nothing drastic is done, unlike in other recent offseasons.

It's fairly easy to say that they went 7 games against a Cup contender, and battled back from 3-1, because well, that is a fact.

But when you look under the hood and examine the individual parts over a longer stretch than just the playoffs, it's clear that the Leafs have certain weaknesses that need to be addressed. Problem is, most other teams also have similar weaknesses, so it won't be easy to fix all of their issues in one offseason, especially without a high draft position. As always, they could easily lose out to the competition in the free agent market, and a trade might mean parting with someone like Nylander, which could mean they're just shifting their problems from one spot to another.

Layer on top of that trying to manage their cap space with three big contract signings looming, and it's clear that the next GM will have his hands full.

Gardiner is a tire fire in his own zone, and has been for a while now. I feel like he fades as the games go on, he loses stamina and can't think straight. At the very least, his minutes need to be cut down. Who takes Jake's minutes? That's the biggest question in my mind. Right now it's Dermott, but with Hainsey fading, and Zaitsev still so inconsistent, there are clear holes throughout the defense core.

How do they decrease Freddie's workload? I think that's also something that they need to address so he can stay sharp into the spring, should they get there.

How do they replace the offensive production of JVR? Sure, alot was PP production, but his soft hands in-front won't be easy to replace.

They could try internal solutions for all of the above, but there is inherent risk in going with youth. So, prioritizing their problems, they should start with trying to sign a D man who can handle top minutes. Beyond Carlson, I don't know who else is available, let alone who would want to take on that role over a role in another city with less pressure.

Ah, the fun being in the middle of the pack (relative to other playoff teams) in a hockey-mad city. Maple Leaf hockey wouldn't be the same without it.

 

[MikeBabchuk]

when did matthews say he prefers having marner on his wing? wait, he didn't. the media asked both guys if they wanna play together more and they said yes. because they are friends. not once did matthews say he prefers playing with player x over player y. stop making things up.

and because some of you like to bring up his bad playoff games over and over again-- last year, he was one of our best guys in the series against washington. he's shown he can play in the playoffs.


man, i don't get leafs fans. the first time in many, many years we have a fantastic core of players, and they wanna trade one of them away.

We are dealing with a cap system. It is necessary to trade assets to fill holes. We can't spend our way out of our problems.

What I'm saying is, is if there is one player that is a surplus to requirements in terms of forwards, it is Nylander. If there is one area of need for the Leafs, it is at defence. Therefore, Nylander is the likely main trade-piece.

 

[MikeBabchuk]

Nah, Nylander showed up. He played way better than you think and he is way better than you think.

I respectfully disagree. I don't think he played well at all over the course of the series. I can think of moments when many players played well, but I am struggling to think of any for others.

 

[MikeBabchuk]

There are so many ways to look at this, pessimistically or optimistically. I just hope rational thinking prevails in the front office and nothing drastic is done, unlike in other recent offseasons.

It's fairly easy to say that they went 7 games against a Cup contender, and battled back from 3-1, because well, that is a fact.

But when you look under the hood and examine the individual parts over a longer stretch than just the playoffs, it's clear that the Leafs have certain weaknesses that need to be addressed. Problem is, most other teams also have similar weaknesses, so it won't be easy to fix all of their issues in one offseason, especially without a high draft position. As always, they could easily lose out to the competition in the free agent market, and a trade might mean parting with someone like Nylander, which could mean they're just shifting their problems from one spot to another.

Layer on top of that trying to manage their cap space with three big contract signings looming, and it's clear that the next GM will have his hands full.

Gardiner is a tire fire in his own zone, and has been for a while now. I feel like he fades as the games go on, he loses stamina and can't think straight. At the very least, his minutes need to be cut down. Who takes Jake's minutes? That's the biggest question in my mind. Right now it's Dermott, but with Hainsey fading, and Zaitsev still so inconsistent, there are clear holes throughout the defense core.

How do they decrease Freddie's workload? I think that's also something that they need to address so he can stay sharp into the spring, should they get there.

How do they replace the offensive production of JVR? Sure, alot was PP production, but his soft hands in-front won't be easy to replace.

They could try internal solutions for all of the above, but there is inherent risk in going with youth. So, prioritizing their problems, they should start with trying to sign a D man who can handle top minutes. Beyond Carlson, I don't know who else is available, let alone who would want to take on that role over a role in another city with less pressure.

Ah, the fun being in the middle of the pack (relative to other playoff teams) in a hockey-mad city. Maple Leaf hockey wouldn't be the same without it.

Certainly there are many possibilities to consider. I do think that JVR gives the Leafs something that they would be lacking without him, but he isn't a superstar. If he takes a reasonable contract, I'd like to have him back, but I suppose the Marleau signing last summer makes it more difficult to keep JVR if anything.

Nylander doesn't have to go but I think it's likely. If we aren't using him to acquire a D, we should consider swapping him for a power forward that can bring a different element that is lacking among the Leafs' top-six.

On D, Carlson would be a great option. I'm not sure how likely it is that he would reach free agency—I haven't followed his contract negotiation situation too closely—but it's something to keep an eye on. Mike Green could be a decent stop-gap as well for a couple years before Liljegren is ready for perhaps a top-four role.

 

[Gary Nylund]

There are so many ways to look at this, pessimistically or optimistically. I just hope rational thinking prevails in the front office and nothing drastic is done, unlike in other recent offseasons.

It's fairly easy to say that they went 7 games against a Cup contender, and battled back from 3-1, because well, that is a fact.

But when you look under the hood and examine the individual parts over a longer stretch than just the playoffs, it's clear that the Leafs have certain weaknesses that need to be addressed. Problem is, most other teams also have similar weaknesses, so it won't be easy to fix all of their issues in one offseason, especially without a high draft position. As always, they could easily lose out to the competition in the free agent market, and a trade might mean parting with someone like Nylander, which could mean they're just shifting their problems from one spot to another.

Layer on top of that trying to manage their cap space with three big contract signings looming, and it's clear that the next GM will have his hands full.

Gardiner is a tire fire in his own zone, and has been for a while now. I feel like he fades as the games go on, he loses stamina and can't think straight. At the very least, his minutes need to be cut down. Who takes Jake's minutes? That's the biggest question in my mind. Right now it's Dermott, but with Hainsey fading, and Zaitsev still so inconsistent, there are clear holes throughout the defense core.

How do they decrease Freddie's workload? I think that's also something that they need to address so he can stay sharp into the spring, should they get there.

How do they replace the offensive production of JVR? Sure, alot was PP production, but his soft hands in-front won't be easy to replace.

They could try internal solutions for all of the above, but there is inherent risk in going with youth. So, prioritizing their problems, they should start with trying to sign a D man who can handle top minutes. Beyond Carlson, I don't know who else is available, let alone who would want to take on that role over a role in another city with less pressure.

Ah, the fun being in the middle of the pack (relative to other playoff teams) in a hockey-mad city. Maple Leaf hockey wouldn't be the same without it.

Yup. There are many places where we fall short of being an ideal team and there are never any easy fixes. I'm not sure Gardiner has stamina issues, I think with the right partner he could be just fine. Finding that partner though is another question.

I think Andersen's workload can be easily lightened - McBackup was fantastic, just play him more, problem solved. Not sure if that solves the problem though as Andersen has a history of being not so great in the playoffs. Maybe he snaps out of it next year, we'll see.

Or maybe there is an easy fix - I'm still hoping for Tavares and I think adding him to the team solves just about everything. Defence is a team game and putting him in for Bozak is a huge upgrade. It would help us put together two good PP units, gives us possibly the strongest top 3 centres in the NHL and so on. One can always hope ...

I respectfully disagree. I don't think he played well at all over the course of the series. I can think of moments when many players played well, but I am struggling to think of any for others.

Agree to disagree then, not much else to say at this point.

 

[Goonface2k14]

Certainly there are many possibilities to consider. I do think that JVR gives the Leafs something that they would be lacking without him, but he isn't a superstar. If he takes a reasonable contract, I'd like to have him back, but I suppose the Marleau signing last summer makes it more difficult to keep JVR if anything.

Nylander doesn't have to go but I think it's likely. If we aren't using him to acquire a D, we should consider swapping him for a power forward that can bring a different element that is lacking among the Leafs' top-six.

On D, Carlson would be a great option. I'm not sure how likely it is that he would reach free agency—I haven't followed his contract negotiation situation too closely—but it's something to keep an eye on. Mike Green could be a decent stop-gap as well for a couple years before Liljegren is ready for perhaps a top-four role.

It should be an interesting offseason. Regardless of what they do, now is when it gets truly hard, and when management should truly be evaluated. Winning a lottery and/or picking high in the draft to get 34, 16 and 29 wasn't hard. Add to that the depth that was already there (Kadri, JVR, Rielly), all that Shanahan, Lou and co have done so far is stay the course, acquire a top-end goalie and draft a couple of decent prospects on D (Dermott and Liljegren). I guess the top-end goalie acquisition deserves some credit, but that's just one (albeit big) move.

If they deal Willy, they better be sure they're getting a sure-fire top-minutes star player(s) back in return, or else they'll have to live with it forever.

 

[MikeBabchuk]

It should be an interesting offseason. Regardless of what they do, now is when it gets truly hard, and when management should truly be evaluated. Winning a lottery and/or picking high in the draft to get 34, 16 and 29 wasn't hard. Add to that the depth that was already there (Kadri, JVR, Rielly), all that Shanahan, Lou and co have done so far is stay the course, acquire a top-end goalie and draft a couple of decent prospects on D (Dermott and Liljegren). I guess the top-end goalie acquisition deserves some credit, but that's just one (albeit big) move.

If they deal Willy, they better be sure they're getting a sure-fire top-minutes star player(s) back in return, or else they'll have to live with it forever.

Now it really is about asset management.

I hope that the Leafs are a bit more aggressive and decisive this summer. Doing nothing with JVR (ie. extension or trade) last summer was a bad move. If Marleau was signed, in theory, to take his place, then that should have been resolved at the time (not that I would take Marleau over JVR per se).

With a lot of expiring contracts though, management can really take a look at players and figure out if and where they fit. Nylander is the key guy that a call needs to be made on. It's a big decision. You don't want to give him away, but at the same time, there are holes and roles that need to be filled.

This is definitely going to be the biggest summer for the Leafs in recent memory.

 

[Duffman955]

They got branded because half the young guys didnt show up. The only reason it went 7 games is because the vets did most of the heavy lifting.

Outside of Marner/Hyman, all the young players shit the bed.

Matthews: missing (possible injury?)
Nylander: missing
Brown: trash
Kapanen: has a 10% chance of scoring on a 1 on 1 with the keeper
Dermott: too young to judge

 

[81Leafs50]

The media in Toronto have been left to flounder and flip flop on the pavement like a fish out of water. Ever since Shanahan took over the leaks have stopped. The so called rumors and talk about the Leafs and their future and player acquisitions is just pure speculation and conjecture. The media hates it. So when things like game 7 losses happen or on days like today when Shanahan announces that Lou is moving to Senior Advisor and a new GM will be named to start the BIG 3 Era in Toronto, people are flustered. The media is left scrambling. These idiots come on the radio and say things like "Lou doesn't like it","Lou would never agree to this" etc etc and then Shanahan says "We agreed 3 years ago that Lou would be GM for 3 years and would move to a senior advisor position when Lou signed a contract for 7 years" LOL

Further more this management team started a rebuild and the media went from 5 year rebuild to 3 year cup window out of no where. WHAT?? 3 year cup window? what happened to the 5 year rebuild to get us to being able to content on a regular basis?

Then Kypreos pops off and says there is a rift between Babcock and Matthews. Based on what? Media in this town have zero insight into this team. They don't know a single thing about how the team works and who the leaders are. Ask any 3 members of the Toronto media who the leaders on the Leafs are and they will all give you a list of 3 different players. Thats how little they know about the dynamic of this team.

NOW, the thing that bothers me the most. Mitch Marner is on Matthews level contract and money wise? again WHAT??? TSN and Sportsnet called Matthews a generational player, and now Marner is on the same level? does that make Marner a generational player? or is Matthews being downgraded from generational player?

Pastrnak in Boston came off 34 and 35 goal seasons with 70pts in 75 games and 80pts in 82pts in back to back seasons respectively. He got $6.66M for 6 years. thats 6 years and $40M. But the IDIOT media in Toronto have Marner making $10M after 19 and 22 goal seasons. Mitch Marner is great. LOVE the kid. But he is not even on the same level as Pastrnak let alone Matthews......and then we wonder why guys get over paid in Toronto. The media causes too many problems. Mostly because they are left to pull shit out of their asses when things happen and they don't know how to explain it.

Leafs are fine. The future is bright. All these great young players will sign here long term and it will all fit into the cap fine. Leafs will even have enough money to add UFA's. Its all good in Toronto. Don't believe any of the negativity. These are guys are all just fan boys who get their feelings hurt when the Leafs lose.

 

[Goonface2k14]

Yup. There are many places where we fall short of being an ideal team and there are never any easy fixes. I'm not sure Gardiner has stamina issues, I think with the right partner he could be just fine. Finding that partner though is another question.

I think Andersen's workload can be easily lightened - McBackup was fantastic, just play him more, problem solved. Not sure if that solves the problem though as Andersen has a history of being not so great in the playoffs. Maybe he snaps out of it next year, we'll see.

Or maybe there is an easy fix - I'm still hoping for Tavares and I think adding him to the team solves just about everything. Defence is a team game and putting him in for Bozak is a huge upgrade. It would help us put together two good PP units, gives us possibly the strongest top 3 centres in the NHL and so on. One can always hope ....

I agree that Tavares fixes a lot of issues, as a top line star centreman with a lot of gas left in the tank. I just see that as a huge bonus (if it's even affordable), almost akin to winning the draft lottery. Just like with Stamkos, there's a chance, but I'm not wagering on it. Without that happening (most likely scenario), what will they do? Does their centre depth eventually go Matthews-Nylander-Kadri-Lindholm? Not the worst, but then you wonder if Willy is ready to be a centre, and how they replace his scoring on the wing, especially with JVR gone. Maybe that's where they target a free agent, if JT signs elsewhere. It's easy to see Kap take on a bigger role, but then there goes that 3rd/4th line winger depth, if he is able to do it. Lots of moving parts up front, and unless they find a magical way to sign JT, there will be holes.

Gardiner, to me, seems to slow down more and more as games go on. Maybe that's just my biased perspective on him. He runs around in his zone when the pressure comes for long stretches, or as the result of a breakdown/giveaway (that he likely started lol). And I find he resorts more and more to the stretch pass later in games, where he comes to a stand-still in his zone, wingers are flying the zone (which is on them and Babcock's system), 3 minutes go by, and then Gardiner tries to fire one 100 feet up the ice for a miracle pass. It's as though he's too tired to try anything else. If he's more rested, maybe he skates the puck up the ice a few strides instead, and closes the gap and the giveaways decrease. I don't know if that's even a plausible solution at this point. Hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Give him a type-A, reliable, take charge type defenseman, and maybe he becomes more responsible, but I still don't trust him with the heavy minutes. Need to send him down the depth chart asap, IMO.

And also agree that the Freddie issue might just have to be McBackup playing more, and it could go a long way in helping Andersen stay fresh. I still believe in Freddie, especially considering how much pressure the Bruins had on the Leafs almost all series. Take that pressure away with a more structured team in front, and everyone benefits, especially Freddie.

 

[jboknows]

Here is how I look at the series:

1. The Bruins were the better team coming into the series
2. Our best forwards were not our best forwards
3. Matthews had 1 g and 1 a in 7 games --> He didn't get on the stat sheet and I seem to be in the minority here, but I thought that he played pretty decent hockey overall. He was drawing a brutally tough defensive matchup all series and the Bruins just understand the concept of team defence.
4. Willie had 1 g and 2 a and shied away from contact
5. The Bruins took advantage of our weak D
6. Freddy was great in 4 of 7 games and was awful in the 3 loses --> I know that he was first star in a number of games and certainly made some incredible saves along the way, but I was largely unimpressed with him the whole series. He was out of position countless times, gave up horrendous rebounds and simply looked lost in some periods.
7. Kadri missed 3 games thanks to his suspension
8. JVR and TyBo did virtually nothing 5 v 5
9. Our coaches struggled and could have been better --> I was onboard with most of what Babcock was doing (again, seem to be the minority right now), but his decision to keep playing Gardiner in game 7 was one of the most frustrating things to watch as a fan. Gardiner is capable of being the best d on the ice some nights, but he's equally capable of being the worst. And when he's having one of those "worst" kind of games, keep him on the bench.
10. Refs were awful

Yet we were one frickin good period away from winning the series. I'd sign up to be in the same situation going into the 3rd period of game 7 next year.

The better team won the series. We were lucky to have pushed this to 7-games... you just can't have a checklist as long as the above and expect to win.

A couple of other key points I took from watching the series:
1) we failed to get sticks into passing lanes the entire f*cking series, with the exception of the 3rd period of game six. That was literally the only period of the whole series that the Leafs played like a team capable of competing for a cup
2) we could not sustain any pressure in the offensive zone at all. I'd love to know the total cycle-time of the two teams throughout the series
3) sooooooo many stupid, unforced, turnovers​

 

[jboknows]

They got branded because half the young guys didnt show up. The only reason it went 7 games is because the vets did most of the heavy lifting.

Outside of Marner/Hyman, all the young players **** the bed.

Matthews: missing (possible injury?) --> Played against a very good defensive team, that matched it's top-pairing against him. I didn't think he looked bad by any means, but obviously he wasn't able to meet expectations.
Nylander: missing --> Yup. Even when moved away from Chara/Mcavoy pairing, he just didn't seem like himself
Brown: trash --> how so? I mean he was on the 4th line for most of it and when given an opportunity, he certainly wasn't trash.
Kapanen: has a 10% chance of scoring on a 1 on 1 with the keeper --> Rask made a brilliant save, he rang (two?) off the post... Kapanen was not a bad player at all.
Dermott: too young to judge --> other than one specific series where he cost us a goal, I was really impressed with him as a rookie in the playoffs

Don't think all the players shit the bed as you've said.

You're missing Johnsson from the list. He played really well in his limited role and I'm excited to see him on the team full time next year.

 

[Gary Nylund]

They got branded because half the young guys didnt show up. The only reason it went 7 games is because the vets did most of the heavy lifting.

Outside of Marner/Hyman, all the young players **** the bed.

Matthews: missing (possible injury?)
Nylander: missing
Brown: trash
Kapanen: has a 10% chance of scoring on a 1 on 1 with the keeper
Dermott: too young to judge

With the 7th game tied in the 2nd period, Kapanen scored a clutch short handed goal on an incredible solo effort which showcased his blazing speed and made first superstar Brad Marchand and then the Boston goalie look foolish. Considering the pressure situation, that was an absolutely remarkable goal. And Nylander played much, much better than many people seem to want to give him credit for. You're not giving enough credit where credit is due, it's almost like you didn't even watch the games.

 

[Gallagbi]

With the 7th game tied in the 2nd period, Kapanen scored a clutch short handed goal on an incredible solo effort which showcased his blazing speed and made first superstar Brad Marchand and then the Boston goalie look foolish. Considering the pressure situation, that was an absolutely remarkable goal. And Nylander played much, much better than many people seem to want to give him credit for. You're not giving enough credit where credit is due, it's almost like you didn't even watch the games.

I think part of the issue is we see what DeBrusk and Pasta did. None of our young players (save Marner) stepped up like that.


And really we have a hundful of guys who are on a similar or better level to DeBrusk.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I think part of the issue is we see what DeBrusk and Pasta did. None of our young players (save Marner) stepped up like that.

And really we have a hundful of guys who are on a similar or better level to DeBrusk.

That's fair, I totally get that. It was a super close series though so it can't be quite true that Boston is awesome, great blend of youth and experience, best line in hockey, maybe the best team in the NHL, young guys stepped up and so on and so on and the Leafs ... we're trash.