News Article: Bernier Comments after the Montreal Game [to French Reporters]

[Daisy Jane]

I was listening to the Leafs Report Podcast, and Mirtle commented on this today about what Bernier said to French reporters. (he didn't mention the article, or the paper so I can't find the exact paper - but I quoted this from the podcast:

"If you look at our games, we've been given up a lot of shots and at a certain point you can't have luck on your side all season. There will be highs and lows, and right now we have to find that little spark that we had at the beginning of the season, and be excited to come play hockey and find a way to score. If we give up four and let in five, that's what we had in the beginning of the season

That's the red flag on the play for me.

I get in a slump (and if it was a month long suck fest) you aren't going to be excited to play hockey all the time - but they aren't excited at all? I've been defending Carlyle a lot - but if this is from Bernier who has only been on the team for 9 weeks? Oi. There be trouble.

{also - nice little callout to the defense, Bernier}.

A big part of me wishes he had said this to English speaking papers though because that may be the spark that gets Nonis going (or at least Carlyle to try to right the ship)

Click to read more...

 

[cookie]

Bernier is justified in saying that. It's up to the players to show up to the games and rely on their comrades and themselves instead of their goalies to bail them out yet again.

 

[Diatomic]

That Spark should be their inflated paychecks they deposit every week. If their less greedy, its the excitement of playing in front of thousands of fans and millions of people watching. I'd be thrilled to play hockey for a living and retire at the age of 35, these athletes need to suck it up.

 

[PeterIng]

Is Raycroft a FA?

 

[McGuiresMonsters]

I think you're reading into this too much. You should take anything a player says in a post-game interview with a grain of salt. They are replying on the spot and don't always choose the best words to explain how they feel.

 

[StringsAttached]

Burn's is frustrated...him and Reims have bailed out the D how many times now? He's not God as good as he is there will be GA when you give up 40 shots a night...

 

[iArts]

24/7 is being filmed right now. If that is not a good enough reason for them to show up, then we are in big trouble.

 

[Sergei Berezin]

Tread lightly when translating languages.

Direct translations are troubling because different words have different connotations in different cultures.

Thus, don't read too deeply into what Bernier said.

 

[Duke Silver]

One of the major issues with this team has been preparation. We've been flat almost every first period this season. Part of the blame rests on the coaching staff, but the players have to get themselves amped as well.

 

[Joey Hoser]

It's a pretty generic slump-comment IMO. I wouldn't read much of anything into that.

 

[Swervin81]

Bernier's just frustrated. He and Reimer are the only reason we've been in a playoff spot up to this point.

 

[jakapono24]

That Spark should be their inflated paychecks they deposit every week. If their less greedy, its the excitement of playing in front of thousands of fans and millions of people watching. I'd be thrilled to play hockey for a living and retire at the age of 35, these athletes need to suck it up.

It's all relative.

 

[TootooTrain]

Nothing raises a flag for me. Just sounds like someone who's frustrated. As they/he should be.

 

[HockeyGuy82]

Nothing raises a flag for me. Just sounds like someone who's frustrated. As they/he should be.

this.

 

[TribalPhoenix]

Tread lightly when translating languages.

Direct translations are troubling because different words have different connotations in different cultures.

Thus, don't read too deeply into what Bernier said.

Unless you actually speak French.

Which I do. And his comments were spot on with what was said. If you are fluent in a language, you are capable of translating the emotion and context. Google Translate doesn't give that.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

6 out of 8 d-man sucks no wonder we give up so many shots

 

[Ari91]

Unless you actually speak French.

Which I do. And his comments were spot on with what was said. If you are fluent in a language, you are capable of translating the emotion and context. Google Translate doesn't give that.

Where did you find the video?

The guys should be frustrated or showing some sort of emotion regarding the team's situation. This isn't something they should be content with. There isn't a formula that can be used that can make all the problems just disappear but I'm sure any formula will require constant work ethic and that is what this team has been lacking. I understand the concept of limiting scoring chances. I understand that it's as important to them to generate a lot of shots as it is to generate quality shots. However, when this team looks their best they're forechecking hard, they're protecting the slot, they're using their speed....why can't they play more like they did in the first period against the Pens? They play great hockey for a 1 period or 2 but sometimes they dig holes so deep that that's not enough.

If they have to wait to go down 4-0 in a game and see the opposition twirl his stick in celebration in order to get revved up and emotionally involved in the game, well then that's a problem. More often than not, you're going to end up saying 'too little too late'.

 

[tamle]

Not too concerned with what Bernier's said since it's nothing we don't already know. Game in and game out we can see the Leafs are not putting their 100% effort. You have to wonder what's going on in the locker room in all those intermissions. Hopefully 24/7 will cover that aspect fully, cuz I'm pretty sure we won't see much leadership presence or accountability in there.

No hate on Dion as a captain or whatnot, but I don't see him as the guy that would rally the guys after a bad period. Lupul on the other hand, you can imagine that guy saying "EFf it, guys. We're better than this." And we have seen him take controls over games on ice before (more so last year), by flying out there with the puck and throwing his body around.

With Lupul injured, I can also see Clarkson as being the other guy, but it's his first year with the team. Guys from last year really need to step up. We really need more leadership presences on our team.

 

[JackJ]

"If you look at our games, we've been given up a lot of shots and at a certain point you can't have luck on your side all season. There will be highs and lows, and right now we have to find that little spark that we had at the beginning of the season, and be excited to come play hockey and find a way to score. If we give up four and let in five, that's what we had in the beginning of the season

Exactly what I said a few weeks back. Besides D, we need a few speedy forwards with grit to get our forecheck going again.

 

[indigobuffalo]

That Spark should be their inflated paychecks they deposit every week. If their less greedy, its the excitement of playing in front of thousands of fans and millions of people watching. I'd be thrilled to play hockey for a living and retire at the age of 35, these athletes need to suck it up.

There are plenty of psychological studies that would prove quite the opposite.

But I doubt you can read this front way atop your ivory tower.

 

[indigobuffalo]

6 out of 8 d-man sucks no wonder we give up so many shots

Phaneuf and...Franson?

From most to least terrible (so far this season) I'd go:
Gunnarsson
Fraser
Gardiner
Ranger
Rielly
Franson
Phaneuf

Actually Ranger probably hasn't been that bad, paired with the rookie shows the coach has confidence in him and of course you'd look bad when you get hung out to dry by a rookie making a bad play here and there... Still Rielly has been very exciting and there's a lot of skill there, for sure.


The list can sorta flip flop but IMHO Gunnarsson has just been terrible since 2011-12... And I can't understand the bromance going on here. Christ I mean Kostka was way better than Gunnarsson. Gunnarsson has been getting the Phaneuf star treatment. It'd be like putting Conan O'Brien on the ice with Ryan Suter. He'd shock everyone with how good he seemed....

 

[Baba Ganoush]

I think you're reading into this too much. You should take anything a player says in a post-game interview with a grain of salt. They are replying on the spot and don't always choose the best words to explain how they feel.

And in the same token, sometimes they use words to describe exactly how they feel, which I think is the case here.

 

[KuleminFan41]

Unless you actually speak French.

Which I do. And his comments were spot on with what was said. If you are fluent in a language, you are capable of translating the emotion and context. Google Translate doesn't give that.

Like when people thought Kessel wanted a trade?

 

[Eb]

Daisy should work for the Toronto media. Making a mountain out of a mole hole

 

[Pierre Gotye]

This entire team is playing without much mojo.

They did the same thing under Wilson before he left.

Seems like a broader-based team mentality to get Carlyle out.

MacArthur and Grabovski's words, as well as Komarov's exit have pretty much convinced me, that the team doesn't like playing for Carlyle.