Pre-Game Talk: Toronto @ New Jersey

[TML Dynasty]

Getting the new guys some reps makes sense. Especially Gustafsson. He needs to learn the system if he’s gonna jump in at all.
Schenn and McCabe seem solid. Keep them in.
Competition is a great thing. But ffs Liljegrin is not the guy to say this s$&@ to. He’s been excellent. Say this s$&@ to Holl ffs, he actually deserves it. I actually like the guy for what he brings at 2m. It’s Keefes fault he plays him above his ability. But at least a couple times a game Holls mess ups end up as grade a scoring chances.

McCabe. Brodie
Reilly Schenn
Gio Lil.

Or even:

McCabe Lil
Reilly Brodie
Gio Schenn

Holl as Gus for depth depending on which type of dman is out. (Offensive or defensive)

Start letting these guys create some chemistry.

 

[Gary Nylund]

This is one of those games where it wouldn't surprise me if we get blown out or if we have one of our best efforts of the season.

Let's hope it's not both.

Starting to get worried about this Keefe/Liljegren nonsense.

 

[IPS]

If Liljegren is scratched to start the playoffs I swear I'm done.

 

[rocketman588]

Getting the new guys some reps makes sense. Especially Gustafsson. He needs to learn the system if he’s gonna jump in at all.
Schenn and McCabe seem solid. Keep them in.
Competition is a great thing. But ffs Liljegrin is not the guy to say this s$&@ to. He’s been excellent. Say this s$&@ to Holl ffs, he actually deserves it. I actually like the guy for what he brings at 2m. It’s Keefes fault he plays him above his ability. But at least a couple times a game Holls mess ups end up as grade a scoring chances.

McCabe. Brodie
Reilly Schenn
Gio Lil.

Or even:

McCabe Lil
Reilly Brodie
Gio Schenn

Holl as Gus for depth depending on which type of dman is out. (Offensive or defensive)

Start letting these guys create some chemistry.

Even gio

Dude looks gassed right now. Giving him a breather would possibly be a good thing

 

[1specter]

Man, f*** this

This is.... concerning.

 

[TML Dynasty]

Even gio

Dude looks gassed right now. Giving him a breather would possibly be a good thing

For sure, if he wants to sit there’s a spot for a new fella to get reps. But I heard gio needs to stay in to keep his game up. Rests are detrimental to his game. (Not sure how true that is). Maybe just ease back on his ice time

Either way those 6 are our playoff starters. Not Holl. Not Gus. At some point we gotta let those guys play together

 

[VanW27]

He has to learn to play within the rules as interpreted by the refs.

He'll probably want more than we can/will pay him, another team will sign him, and a good coach will turn him into Hyman 2.0.

I disagree with that second part, Hyman had the luxury of playing with great players here but when placed in a 3rd line role he still excelled and turned struggling 3rd lines into elite two-way 3rd lines.

Bunting has been great with great players, and that's certainly a valuable skill that's not necessarily as easy as you'd think. But on the rare occasions he's moved down on the lineup he's been useless.

Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if Bunting is out of the league before he hits 400GP.

For Hyman you knew the Oilers were getting a very good player for the start of his contract, the only question is when is his body going to start to break down.

 

[Niagara Bill]

Centers, ROR, out...JT, out...AM, playing either hurt or with his thumb in his mouth.
Other than MM or WN who can actually step up? Kerfoot 0 for 20...haha.

 

[Leafblooded]

Man, f*** this

Keefe needs to bench himself

 

[Hockey 4 Life]

The Leafs will either come together and win a few rounds atleast or they will lose in 6 or 7 and the team should be scrapped and we should start a rebuild. Matthews, Marner, Reilly, Nylander, and even Tavares with retention would begin a very strong rebuild. I hope they succeed but I'm not optimistic.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

Anyone else find Bunting's demotion to the 4th line off putting? What happened to the chemistry he had with Matthews? I hope he can play his way out of Keefe's dog house.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Literally cannot believe what I am reading that he thinks Liljegren is our 8th best D right now? What the actual flying f***??? He's arguably our BEST Dman.

I love Keefe but I am souring on him with this move.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Centers, ROR, out...JT, out...AM, playing either hurt or with his thumb in his mouth.
Other than MM or WN who can actually step up? Kerfoot 0 for 20...haha.

With Matthews, I don’t get it. If he is hurt again, didn’t he have some kind of surgery on his wrist already? WTF is wrong with him now? If he is hurt, then why is he playing? Unless it’s one of those things that can’t get worse by playing through it? If it’s just a down year, then that’s ok, it happens. The thing is, we don’t know what is going on. Just baffling right now.

 

[ULF_55]

Literally cannot believe what I am reading that he thinks Liljegren is our 8th best D right now? What the actual flying f***??? He's arguably our BEST Dman.

I love Keefe but I am souring on him with this move.

Dubas and Keefe are on the clock.

Gave up futures for this kick-at-the-can.

Hopefully they have someone lined up to take over before the draft and free agency.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Dubas and Keefe are on the clock.

Gave up futures for this kick-at-the-can.

Hopefully they have someone lined up to take over before the draft and free agency.

Just frustrating as a long time fan, you have to wonder if these are ownership moves. This is what we did for years, traded youth who hadn't hit their primes for vets who had no real impact and watch as they go on to be key pieces of teams core for years.

Sandin move I disliked right away. I just dont get it he is arguably better than McCabe and 100% better than Gus. But ok he might have wanted out if he was sitting, got a first to retool the prospect pool a bit.

But this??? Justin Holl and Gus over LIlly? This is giving me old school trash Leafs management vibes.

 

[rocketman588]

Just frustrating as a long time fan, you have to wonder if these are ownership moves. This is what we did for years, traded youth who hadn't hit their primes for vets who had no real impact and watch as they go on to be key pieces of teams core for years.

Sandin move I disliked right away. I just dont get it he is arguably better than McCabe and 100% better than Gus. But ok he might have wanted out if he was sitting, got a first to retool the prospect pool a bit.

But this??? Justin Holl and Gus over LIlly? This is giving me old school trash Leafs management vibes.

Why would you think it's ownership when Keefe has consistently over played Holl?

Mlse doesn't get in the way of stuff, this is just over thinking from a GM and coach that have been over thinking for 3 years

 

[Pi]

Our coach is a dumbass. If Liljegren is not playing a lot of minutes in the playoffs, Tampa will thank us after they destroy us because Holl and Schenn are playing above him.

If that happens, please fire Keefe right at the handshake line.

What a f***ing dolt.

 

[Maple Leaf]

TIme to get a new coach
and gm

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Our coach is a dumbass. If Liljegren is not playing a lot of minutes in the playoffs, Tampa will thank us after they destroy us because Holl and Schenn are playing above him.

If that happens, please fire Keefe right at the handshake line.

What a f***ing dolt.

It would be really unfair to ruin the experience of a respectful handshake line for Keefe by firing him

 

[BertCorbeau]

Some pretty alarming quotes from Keefe…

I hope it was just poor choice of wording than him actually believing Lily needs to prove himself.

I mean if you want to give Lily a breather after falling into the boards in Edmonton, sure. Especially to give some new guys a chance in the line up. I can get behind it.

But don’t imply Liljegren has to do more, especially with Holl’s play.

 

[MarMarSab3]

#fireKeefe

Hear Boudreau is looking for a job.

 

[BTP]

I feel a total annihilation coming tonight.

Its either that or we play the best game of the season. Nothing in between.

 

[Pi]

It would be really unfair to ruin the experience of a respectful handshake line for Keefe by firing him

You're right. Hopefully they leave him at the airport.

It's just our luck that we get a deep roster and then have our top 3 centers deal with injuries. Get depth defenseman and galaxy brain ourselves into playing them over guys that should be playing 25 mins.

I seriously thought Liljegren was just dealing with something and Keefe wanted to try out the new defenseman to understand where to play them in case of injuries.

This man is going to bench Liljegren in the playoffs. I just know it.

 

[TML Dynasty]

Centers, ROR, out...JT, out...AM, playing either hurt or with his thumb in his mouth.
Other than MM or WN who can actually step up? Kerfoot 0 for 20...haha.

Weird to take pleasure in this?

 

[BertCorbeau]

I feel a total annihilation coming tonight.

It’s either that or we play the best game of the season. Nothing in between.

If ROR and JT are out, she’s gonna be a tough one tonight