GDT: Game 31: Toronto @ St Louis | 7pm

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Unfortunately

It'll be the reality for a while too with our best players being majorly overpaid.

The onus falls on our top players to elevate their linemates rather than the other way around. Matthews and Nylander got a lot out of Johnsson and the line did well, even though Johnsson didn't exactly elevate those two

 

[Teeder Keon]

He was clearly the worst player on the line, but he wasn't useless. I also don't see any better options

3rd liner all day long
Said ...
His skill set

 

[Vaive50]

I am still very positive with our Leafs, this is only the second game with all of our 4 stars playing. Our record with Keefe is 4-3-0 but when you look at those 3 losses, 2 of them were against 2 of the hottest teams, the Leafs were in all 3 games right til the end.

The Sabres won because of Hutch and Matthews, otherwise it still went all the way to the final minute when the Sabres put it in the empty net.

The Flyers game was still a 2-1 game until less than 4 minutes left and then the empty netter finished that game.

We held the offensive powerhouse Avs down to one goal most of the game (even with Rantanen playing), they could not score an even strength goal (against a goalie) but only one PP and a fluky SH goal to win the game.

Look at how Tampa is doing, they are still under us no matter how many games in hand they have, they just can't get their act together yet.

 

[Teeder Keon]

Man o man I wish we could see Korshakov on a line with AM and WN

 

[DitchMarner]

Aberg on the top line against the defending Champions. How can this team possibly fail tonight?

 

[leafsfan5]

Let's win this one for Tavares tonight

 

[Kiwi]

It would be a surprise to win this one, St Louis is a bloody good team and winning in their barn will take some doing

I'm not expecting a win but is a strong effort and performance to much to ask?

I think not, I'm forever living in hope that the team will flick a switch and start working out what it's going to take to be successful so why not start tonight?

 

[Suntouchable13]

I am still very positive with our Leafs, this is only the second game with all of our 4 stars playing. Our record with Keefe is 4-3-0 but when you look at those 3 losses, 2 of them were against 2 of the hottest teams, the Leafs were in all 3 games right til the end.

The Sabres won because of Hutch and Matthews, otherwise it still went all the way to the final minute when the Sabres put it in the empty net.

The Flyers game was still a 2-1 game until less than 4 minutes left and then the empty netter finished that game.

We held the offensive powerhouse Avs down to one goal most of the game (even with Rantanen playing), they could not score an even strength goal (against a goalie) but only one PP and a fluky SH goal to win the game.

Look at how Tampa is doing, they are still under us no matter how many games in hand they have, they just can't get their act together yet.

I am not as positive as you when I watch our so called 4 stars get absolutely shut down so easily. And our best out of the 4 has been Willy. Simply not good enough. They need to start to get hot asap. This is not the time to look for moral victories. I am sorry.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Aberg on the top line against the defending Champions. How can this team possibly fail tonight?

If he does any defending at all he's already an improvement there in that regard.

 

[DarkKnight]

Glad Gauthier is out, can’t really think of one thing he does that is NHL caliber, literally meh at everything. He has a good few games even now and again, then falls back into black hole territory.

 

[kk87]

Please for the love of god, show up tonight Auston

 

[fahad203]

We need a tough guy in our team. Yes, yes, the game has changed
I get that

We still need an enforcer to seat in the benches and do nothing unless something needs to be done

A lot of teams don't have tough guys, like the Blues, who won the championship. But the Blues do have tougher players. Schenn, O'Reilly, Maroon(last year), Pietriangelo are no pushover either. They'll stand their ground. Even Tarasenko is a tough cookie when he's playing

Last game against Colorado, we got pushed around home pretty much by everyone, including Kadri. I know people here love Kadri but he's no longer part of this team.

We have essentially become the Oilers of 2013. Long contracts, cute players who are interested in roller hockey, no defense and no structure to our game

 

[MapleLeafs9]

We need a tough guy in our team. Yes, yes, the game has changed
I get that

We still need an enforcer to seat in the benches and do nothing unless something needs to be done

A lot of teams don't have tough guys, like the Blues, who won the championship. But the Blues do have tougher players. Schenn, O'Reilly, Maroon(last year), Pietriangelo are no pushover either. They'll stand their ground. Even Tarasenko is a tough cookie when he's playing

Last game against Colorado, we got pushed around home pretty much by everyone, including Kadri. I know people here love Kadri but he's no longer part of this team.

We have essentially become the Oilers of 2013. Long contracts, cute players who are interested in roller hockey, no defense and no structure to our game

We don't need enforcers lol. We just need guys that can play tough along with their skill. Guys like Nick Foligno, Josh Anderson, J.T. Miller, etc

 

[TK 421]

Wow, the Blues are missing Tarasenko & Steen to injury, and yet they still keep on winning. I wish I knew how that felt. Now that we've finally got our top 4 all playing, let's start putting together some wins and starting against the Blues (in their barn) is a great statement game.

The Blues are actually missing Tarasenko (rest of regular season), Blais (7 more weeks, 10+ total), along with Steen and Sundqvist. The last 2 are skating and close to returning according to Berube. But yeah, we're missing half of our wingers from our starting lineup and it's been that way for a while.

 

[Advanced stats]

We need a tough guy in our team. Yes, yes, the game has changed
I get that

We actually have that player on the marlies, who a lot of us are desperate to call up.
His name is Kenny Agistino, and he's actually over ppg down there.

 

[Polaris1010]

We actually have that player on the marlies, who a lot of us are desperate to call up.
His name is Kenny Agistino, and he's actually over ppg down there.

Last guy from the Marlies who had great stats and got promoted solely based on being good in the minors was that goalie Sparks.

If Dubas and Keefe want to bet their careers on another minor league player, go right ahead.

 

[Torontonian]

Just get a W tonight, I don't care how ugly it is or if they get out played, they need to start collecting some points.

 

[Marshy]

Man o man I wish we could see Korshakov on a line with AM and WN

#freekorshakov

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Last guy from the Marlies who had great stats and got promoted solely based on being good in the minors was that goalie Sparks.

If Dubas and Keefe want to bet their careers on another minor league player, go right ahead.

You should probably look at some other graduates from the Marlies. Or maybe look at how Agostino did in the NHL last year. Just a horrendous post all around

 

[ICBM]

Dermott-Ceci most likely will become Leafs first pair. Muzzin-Holl second. Or vice versa. May be not this game, but we are getting close.

 

[Critical13]

I taste a win here.

You should probably look at some other graduates from the Marlies. Or maybe look at how Agostino did in the NHL last year. Just a horrendous post all around

Can you imagine thinking this was somehow Dubas and Keefe betting their careers by calling up Aberg? lol

 

[Polaris1010]

You should probably look at some other graduates from the Marlies. Or maybe look at how Agostino did in the NHL last year. Just a horrendous post all around

Yeah? Like who? Who's going to do that?

Use your critical thinking skills.

Everyone starts out in the minors after the draft. After some seasoning, every NHL team expects their 1st round draft choice to step into the lineup at the NHL level.

In a general sense, after the draft and some brief time in the minors, players can be thought as blue chip prospects, a prospect that might develop into an NHL level, a guy who probably belongs in the minors. Very few players jump into the NHL lineup from the draft.

Who is the player in the minors we are talking about again?

There, that is all we need to know.

 

[Vaive50]

I am not as positive as you when I watch our so called 4 stars get absolutely shut down so easily. And our best out of the 4 has been Willy. Simply not good enough. They need to start to get hot asap. This is not the time to look for moral victories. I am sorry.

I agree that those 4 have to start scoring ASAP to justify their contracts, none of those 4 had one point in the last two games. It's nice to see the JT/Marner/Hyman line back together. Matthews is the worst disappointment these days, he's having no offense for us but is costing us goals.

 

[Critical13]

Man o man I wish we could see Korshakov on a line with AM and WN

#freekorshakov

#There'sNoAInKorshkov

I agree that those 4 have to start scoring ASAP to justify their contracts, none of those 4 had one point in the last two games. It's nice to see the JT/Marner/Hyman line back together. Matthews is the worst disappointment these days, he's having no offense for us but is costing us goals.

They've been cold lately, but hockey is more than individual will when it comes to scoring.

Their scoring would be a lot higher if we had anything close to an adequate defence, specifically the right side.

 

[likecheese]

I agree that those 4 have to start scoring ASAP to justify their contracts, none of those 4 had one point in the last two games. It's nice to see the JT/Marner/Hyman line back together. Matthews is the worst disappointment these days, he's having no offense for us but is costing us goals.

If you're going to talk about worst disappointments, let's not forget having a #1 defenseman that shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a power play, a penalty kill, or an opponent's top line.