Yes and thanks. It just goes to show you what a nasty person Babs is and how over-rated he is. Its one thing it to be an *******, but you better have the tools to over-compensate for it, which he doesn't. Bowman was the hugest *****ebag in the NHL, yet players wanted to go to war for him, not because they liked him, but they believed in him.
Just looking at the way the Leafs are playing as a unit, it looks like part of the problem was demotivational coaching from Babcock and part of it was just everybody playing too anxiously in the Babcock system. So wouldn't surprise me if that's why Hutchinson was playing below his backup standards. Still, they have to monitor the situation and decide if they want to make an investment in a back up.
Yes it’s good, but I think the team we need to see tank is the Quenneville led Panthers (with their offensive talent and the addition of Bobrovsky).Yup. Pens win. Good.
Took 1 point away at least
Yes it’s good, but I think the team we need to see tank is the Quenneville led Panthers (with their offensive talent and the addition of Bobrovsky).
if they are for real then it becomes a four team race to the wire, meaning we also need to keep our eyes on teams like the Flyers, Hurricanes, Penguins etc because one of the four will need a wild card.
I think Montreal and Buffalo are now fading (to their true talent level) and its a Florida to watch imo
I really believe that Shanny and/or Dubas wanted to replace Babcock with Keefe so they had the boys lose just enough to have a good reason to fire Babcock and bring in Keefe. I'm pretty sure that after 2 straight first round exits to the Bruins (second time we were up 3-2 in games) with Babcocks stubbornness costing the series so Shanny made up his mind.
I really believe that Shanny and/or Dubas wanted to replace Babcock with Keefe so they had the boys lose just enough to have a good reason to fire Babcock and bring in Keefe. I'm pretty sure that after 2 straight first round exits to the Bruins (second time we were up 3-2 in games) with Babcocks stubbornness costing the series so Shanny made up his mind.
It was great, TO beat the Islanders by playing their game so now many are thinking TO can win no matter how they play. We know TO wasn't destined to do well playing Babsian hockey and we all know that Babs would've been pleased by the way TO played to win this game. He wouldn't have loved being out shot but visually it was the type of game he wanted/expected.
The win was important but I think TO needs to figure out how to win playing Leaf hockey, Keefe hockey, how to outplay, out talent a simple systems based team. If the Islanders can dictate how a game is to be played against the Leafs then the Leafs still have a far way to go because I felt TO only won that game because it's hot. I didn't feel TO pressed them enough, possessed enough, got enough quality shots on net to justify the win.
The win was important but I think TO needs to figure out how to win playing Leaf hockey, Keefe hockey, how to outplay, out talent a simple systems based team. If the Islanders can dictate how a game is to be played against the Leafs then the Leafs still have a far way to go because I felt TO only won that game because it's hot. I didn't feel TO pressed them enough, possessed enough, got enough quality shots on net to justify the win.
Leafa have won 15 of 20 games under Keefe in every way possible.
Washington, Boston, St Louis, Pittsburgh (twice), Las Vegas, Toronto, Tampa Bay (twice), and Arizona, among others. Basically all the top teams (50+ points) except for Colorado, who they haven't played, and Dallas.How do the Islanders have such a good record? Srsly, who are they beating?
We went thru 3 decent to good years with Babs at the helm but TO to me never looked playoff ready, never looked like they could dictate the play, own the game like we would see from Wash., Boston, Pitts. and others. I'm over the decent to good teams we saw under Babs, I think we all are, out shot and out played against Winterpeg, out shot and outplayed against the Islanders is Babsian hockey. Hot goaltenders are still far too instrumental in TO's success.
Out shooting and outplaying the opposition, deserving to win in every way is what I'm looking for now, not necessarily against superior teams but definitely against lower rung teams, TO can win any night but a lot of those wins seems talent based rather than effort based.
The Komarov hit probably should have been a penalty, but why do you call the Isles the dirtiest team? Only six teams have taken fewer penalties so far this year. Maybe you're thinking of the Rangers, who have taken the most.that Kapanen/Engvall attack was so pretty ive watched it like 5times
Kapanen is the perfect 3rd line winger and Engvall is a player for sure
the Tavares line was good
Marner was dancing: a late hit from Komarov it ignited Marner so ...
its so nice to see that the dirtiest teams like the isles bruins blues turn into angels when playin against the Leafs
id say its surprising but it happens every ****ing time
Rielly had a good game imho
Hutch was amazing
great call by Keefe as Fred needs some rest and we need to be more comfortable with our backup
great win
im really happy with the team
so so happy
We beat the Islanders at their own game essentially.Absolutely correct.
It's as if this team is able to adapt it's tool and skillset as needed to win games.
Beautiful to see.