Post-Game Talk: Game 9: Leafs vs Blackhawks | Kostka's Revenge

[Space Coyote]

You really can't blame your goalies when you've been outshot in the 8 of the 9 games played.

 

[Al14]

Everyone is saying Kessel invisible. Yet, 5 points in last 5 games.
If every one of our players was this invisible, I'd be happy.

I`m really happy for you that you think Kessel`s effort is enough.

 

[Nithoniniel]

I think Daisy Joy said it best. There is something wrong with Leafs right now because we are not doing anything. It's one thing that we lose, that we are useless offensively and even that we lack effort. But last years leafs would have answered with 1-3 fights and tried to bully themselves a win. This years leafs just glides around being completely passive.

 

[ldnk]

Kadri has a better faceoff percentage than Bozak on the season now. He's 2nd on the team overall behind McLement. Let's keep forcing Bozak out there 5-15 minutes more a night though.

 

[bunjay]

8 points in 9 games

oh my god trade him!

jesus christ when they won and he gave up the empty net goal for raymond everyone was saying how hes so unselfish and there were threads about how he plays a 200 foot game etc then they lose and he has a medicore game and he sucks

After that empty net (non) play everybody seemed to forget that night he played poorly all game. He's been ice cold for 3+ games now, and he's floating around a lot. Making his line play essentially shorthanded in their zone like he used to do all the time.

 

[mikebel111*]

Expected this. But there are a bunch of trolls here right now. Dion was excellent today

 

[The Beyonder]

This is typical Toronto Maple Laffs hockey. Mike Kostka scored and it was the GWG. You cannot make this stuff up folks. Tyler Bozak sucks, Kessel needs an oxygen tank after every shift and Carlyle played Colton Orr down 2 with 6:30 left. What a disaster.

Not to mention Bickell score his first of the season. I really had a feeling Kostka was going to score, and as soon as they mentioned Bickell struggling to score I immediately knew he was going to score too. It's always like that, struggling player or goaless rookies seem to score against us a lot.

 

[yakfish]

8 points in 9 games

oh my god trade him!

jesus christ when they won and he gave up the empty net goal for raymond everyone was saying how hes so unselfish and there were threads about how he plays a 200 foot game etc then they lose and he has a medicore game and he sucks

I never suggested he be traded. I'm glad he's on the team but he has just been given a huge contract, I'd like to see some effort on his part. Did you even watch him tonight? He did nothing. He was invisible.

 

[Al14]

I think Daisy Joy said it best. There is something wrong with Leafs right now because we are not doing anything. It's one thing that we lose, that we are useless offensively and even that we lack effort. But last years leafs would have answered with 1-3 fights and tried to bully themselves a win. This years leafs just glides around being completely passive.

Maybe Carlyle has lost the room and the bench?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

They're roleplayers. They're not going to make any difference to us getting half as many shots as the other team. They're not going to drive possession that we're so sorely lacking. They're not going to bring our first line back to life. They're not going to improve our awful transition game.

Okay, that's fair, most of the things you said they won't help with. But I think they can fix some things. Defense from Kulemin and Fraser, toughness also needs to be inserted back into our lineup and Clarkson and Fraser will do that. I also feel that Kulemin's and Clarkson's work along the boards will help with possession. They won't fix everything, but they will help.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Time to Burn this Boat.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Maybe Carlyle has lost the room and the bench?

or...
5 regulars are missing?

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Blanket statements against other fans (such as homers, koolaid drinkers etc) and flaming each other will NOT be allowed.

Been warned. No exceptions.

 

[mikebel111*]

So bench kessel? Wat a lame idea. Its early and now people are questioning his contract so early. Typical leafs nation

 

[Leaf Rocket]

very curious on what carlyle says in the post game.

 

[Eyedea]

Who cares about 5 points in 5 games?

Did he not look terrible against Carolina? Did he not look terrible tonight?

The only points that matter are the points that the Leafs have and they didn't get 2 points against Carolina or Chicago.

Every player goes through a rough stretch. Eric Staal for example is only starting to get into a groove, and Claude Giroux is currently M.I.A for the Flyers. Anze Kopitar? Invisible. Some of these guys take time to heat up and history suggests Phil Kessel is one of those guys.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Mark Masters ‏@markhmasters 60s
JVR says he felt physically fine in return from back injury but "obviously I can play better"

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Mark Masters ‏@markhmasters
Carlyle wants to see Kessel stop circling as much & shoot more for rebounds, not always try & pick corners

Guess I'm not the only one who is angry at kessel.

Mark Masters ‏@markhmasters
Carlyle: We believe we can go in & outwork teams & tonight we didn't outwork the Blackhawks

Mark Masters ‏@markhmasters 3m
Carlyle: 'We have to find something to build on & right now we're not finding enough postives'

 

[Al14]

or...
5 regulars are missing?

Not an excuse for total lack of effort coming from too many remaining regulars.

 

[garce]

Gardiner wasn't great tonight but none of the Leafs D beside Phaneuf or Rielly were good.

I don't think it's the case of Gardiner being bad...it's just that Morgan Rielly is just a much better player than Gardiner and Rielly hasn't even opened his bag of tricks yet.

When he gains the confidence of his coach and cracks the roster full time...I expect to see a Rielly that is even more confident, takes calculative risks and wins us games.

Rielly is going to be our best defenseman by the time his ELC is over. No doubt about it.

I can't believe how bad the Leafs play as a unit.

I can't see the Leafs making the playoffs if they continue to play like this...it's just inconceivable.

We have to work so hard to get a shot on net and a quality chance...it almost feels like a miracle and yet the teams we face continue to get great chances on net almost every other shift. It just sucks watching that.

Not to use as a crutch, but Clarkson and the underrated Kule are exactly what's missing from the top nine right now, straight ahead big bodies to open up some room and create some havoc with the opposition D. The skill guys can't get there now nobody's making the other teams pay, forechecking tends to be infectious and the only guys I see do anything are Lupul and Kadri.

 

[mikebel111*]

People said we would lose this game and now there is complaining that we did.

 

[happyaccident]

very curious on what carlyle says in the post game.

Maybe he should talk about how much the Ducks improved in their first full season with Boudreau after he left. Hint hint.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Mark Masters ‏@markhmasters
Jonathan Bernier: 'We didn't play the way we wanted to play, that's for sure'

 

[Nithoniniel]

Maybe Carlyle has lost the room and the bench?

The signs are there, but they seemed to buy into him during pre-season and early games so I very much doubt it. I think the whole team is just way too conscious about how bad they are playing to just relax and act natural, while at the same time our record makes them not desperate enough to bully through the slump.

I do hope Carlyle makes some changes for the next game though, just to get people out of bad habits.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 31s
The Western Conference has improved to 36-14-6 against the East so far this season. Five of the losses are the Oilers'.

Although it's not any consolation and I don't give a **** about this record, as I don't like this excuse.