Post-Game Talk: DJ Smith leads Leafs to another defensive blunder leafs lose 4-3

[DarkKnight]

We played awful, that was hard to watch. Coverage and giveaways, was painful. Hutchinson wasn't much of an improvement over Sparks, held us in first period, then shaky afterwards.

A we deserved loss. TB is waving goodbye.

 

[ToMaLe]

An entire new set of coaches!

I agree, we have looked brutal even when we win with this system. Freddie got us where we are today.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Matthews is costing himself Millions right now.

 

[JerseyMike34]

The PP is broken. When it's supposed to be what strikes fear in you opponent, and it goes 0-4 consistently. Plus you have zero players that will push back and strike fear in your opponent. Then your opponent has nothing to fear.

Also, shoot more. We still play too fancy.

Eric Fehr outplayed Matthews today.

 

[The Man with a Plan]

Odds on that this thread will become another bitch fest. Especially with the OP using the title to further his anti Babcock/coaching staff agenda.

 

[DueDiligence]

3 goals on the last 15 shots on Hutch.

If he was good he would be an NHL regular. He is not good.

 

[Bigmarycombo]

Tavares and marner can’t do it all

Matthews struggling
Kadri line ineffective. No offence at all
4th line doing what you expect for 7 mins a night

Reilly no shot from the point on the power play.

Toronto defense no hard shooter on the point. No sandpaper to clear the crease.

Babcock demoting kappanen for some reason.

 

[PromisedLand]

If Dubas isn't going to get a D-man then at least change the D-pairs

Gardiner-Rielly
Dermott-Zaitsev
Hainsey-Oz

 

[member 262271]

Hard to win when you play well for 2 minutes in the first and 15 in the third

This. Full effort please, it's an endlessly tiring narrative.

 

[ShaneFalco]

The Leafs PP desperately needs a one-timer presence when teams collapse on Marner/Matthews.

Both Kapanen and Nylander have wicked one-timers but for whatever reason Kapanen isn't allowed PP time while Ennis/Moore/Marleau/Brown/etc. see minutes.

Yeah that bugs me

 

[Mikeyg]

Lmao pp cant score better keep kap off of it.

 

[MattySnipes]

So yeah. I love Matthews. I think he can be the 2nd best player in the NHL rather easily. When he is on, he is so amazing to watch and completely tilts the game.

However the play he has been having lately, despite his points, has been terrible. That's fine for a 8M player or even a 9M player, but if there is any truth to this McDavid money stuff, or even the 13M, then he needs to be much much better.

Have you seen McDavid play hockey? Seen his NHL trophy case up to date? That's why he gets what he's earning. Only media putting out those numbers.

 

[Al14]

Matthews is costing himself Millions right now.

Dubas will be so kind to cough up a lot of dough anyways. Just look at what he gave to Nylander, a 20 goal/ 60 point player!

 

[mulefarm]

Might want to go back to balanced power plays? We seem to put all our eggs in one basket

 

[Lenovs]

an awful game and a well deserved loss. we're not playing like a serious cup contender lately.

 

[Cor]

TOR actually finished ahead of 5v5 xGF by the end of the game, which isn't surprising. Toronto's PP was a massive let down in this one.

This team needs to ditch the massive drop pass zone entry on the powerplay. It's predictable, and it leaves 4 guys standing still at the opposing blue-line. I'd also consider having Rielly and Marner on separate units. I'd plug Zaitsev beside Marner on one, and Rielly and Kapanen on the other. Zaitsev in his rookie year on the PP shot hard, and shot low, and it generates rebounds, deflections, or goes in.

It might not be a permanent thing, but I'd say it could give some life back to the PP.

 

[Erdinger]

Marleau needs time off. I know it isn’t possible but it still needs to happen

 

[nsleaf]

Two losses in a row! Cue the winning streak.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Dubas will be so kind to cough up a lot of dough anyways. Just look at what he gave to Nylander, a 20 goal/ 60 point player!

Matthews has never hit 70, and may not this year as well.

 

[Sniper99]

I've said this before and I'll say it again: Egocock's Ego needs to be tamed.

We know we've heard it countless times.

 

[PromisedLand]

If Boston wins tonight they’ll only be 4pts back. It’s gonna be a fight for home ice.

With Freddy being done for a while Boston might take the home ice easily....

Leafs brass just do stretch passes and nothing else; rely on offense and cannot play a 5 man unit team defense.

leafs lose the the puck in netural zone opposition attacks with speed

This is a recording!

 

[Mr Hockey]

Odds on that this thread will become another ***** fest. Especially with the OP using the title to further his anti Babcock/coaching staff agenda.

I was going to say they shouldn't let him make threads, it's always anti babcock

 

[Mikeyg]

I agree, we have looked brutal even when we win with this system. Freddie got us where we are today.

Best coach in hockey my ass, I want to file an A - Z return.

 

[mulefarm]

TOR actually finished ahead of 5v5 xGF by the end of the game, which isn't surprising. Toronto's PP was a massive let down in this one.

This team needs to ditch the massive drop pass zone entry on the powerplay. It's predictable, and it leaves 4 guys standing still at the opposing blue-line. I'd also consider having Rielly and Marner on separate units. I'd plug Zaitsev beside Marner on one, and Rielly and Kapanen on the other. Zaitsev in his rookie year on the PP shot hard, and shot low, and it generates rebounds, deflections, or goes in.

It might not be a permanent thing, but I'd say it could give some life back to the PP.

[/QUOT

Not sure what Z would bring to the PP

 

[Atomos2]

I for the life of me can’t comprehend how Zaitsev could’ve ever thought to have been good.

 

[Cor]

Have you seen McDavid play hockey? Seen his NHL trophy case up to date? That's why he gets what he's earning. Only media putting out those numbers.

I tend to agree.

Unless Matthews or Marner can show me a Hart Trophy, an Art Ross trophy, or a Ted Lindsey trophy, or win all 3 in one season like McDavid did before his contract, they aren't getting close to the 12.5M that McDavid makes.

Marner should get around 9-9.5M, and Matthews likely gets 10-11M