Is clutch something that is a skill set and if it is do our players have enough of it?

[MSZ]

Exactly! The only time I want to see tears is when you are lifting the cup. Tears of joy. Anything else should make you mad and pissed off.

The core was soft and is coddled into further cream puff softness by this management. Get Tough! Mental toughness does not come from being coddled

The boys are the hockey version of Joel Embiid. When things don't go their way in do or die games, they cry.

 

[PromisedLand]

The boys are the hockey version of Joel Embiid. When things don't go their way in do or die games, they cry.

Embiid pisses the F outta me man. Jeez what a cry baby

 

[Havoc]

I meaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan Zibanejad had a xGF of like 40 something and 39% to end his last 2 games but also had 7 points (in those 2 games) and rangers are in round 2. Take that how you will.

 

[keonsbitterness]

I meaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan Zibanejad had a xGF of like 40 something and 39% to end his last 2 games but also had 7 points and rangers are in round 2. Take that how you will.

It means I'd be happy with my team losing three 10-0 games in a series as long as my team also won four one-goal games.

 

[leafsfan5]

Leafs simply have zero luck. Gaudreau’s goal is a prime example. A terrible angle for a shot that miraculously goes in. Meanwhile Leafs have to execute at a high level for every bloody goal they score in the playoffs. Their tendency to look off prime shooting opportunities also pisses me off though, and a goal like the one that won Calgary the series is what makes it so frustrating to see our players skate themselves out of shooting positions looking for a pass. f*** off, just shoot the f***ing thing.

How often do the Leafs shoot those shots, though? We always try the fancy play and its why the strategy of collapsing to the net is so effective against us. Just let the boys play their perimeter game all day

This team needs to learn to play ugly hockey. It's something Tampa learned and does very well now

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Leafs just ran out of gas by the ECF that year. 2 grueling 7 game series (one of which was a pure bloodbath) will do that to a team.

Yeah and in the end it was either the Leafs or Carolina that earned the right to get curb-stomped by one of the best NHL teams anyone had seen since the 1980's Oilers. No one in the East was beating Detroit that year.

 

[Buds17]

Justin Williams was known as Mr. Game 7; Claude Lemieux is one of the better goal scorers come playoff time in NHL history; Glenn Anderson was arguably vaulted into HOF status by virtue of his playoff performances. Some players definitely possess the ability to come up "clutch".

Not winning a round tells me that the players don't have "it" yet. Some can very well adopt it sometime soon, but it hasn't been there as of yet.

 

[hoglund]

Clutch is a combination of confidence, skill and luck. The Leafs have the skill, but are lacking in confidence and luck.

 

[authentic]

Gotta be a fool not to be impressed by that.

Yeah honestly that might be close to the best 1st round playoff series of all time.

 

[Mess]

Gotta be a fool not to be impressed by that.

I was so impressed I wanted to award him the Hart Trophy as that is what an MVP looks like in action when he takes a team on his shoulders and carries them.

 

[Folignos Helmet]

Luke Wilson was on Overdrive last week (ex NFLer, Leaf fan, he’s awesome). Anyway he said he thought they would lose because he didn’t see a guy on the team that would lead and push people to victory. He told a good story about when he was on the Seahawks when they went on their super bowl run.

Hayes tried to suggest maybe that is Muzzin, but that’s the point none of those 4 forwards is that guy. None would do what Kreisler did there. None would say what Spezza did and back it up on the ice with what McDavid did.

Sad.

 

[Mess]

In a world where "Defense wins Championships" & "Good teams are built from the goalie out" ..

The #1 clutch player is the team's goalie to come up big under pressure, shut the door as the last line of defense and propel his team onward.

Just ask the Leafs why they are 0-4 in the last 4 playoff series under Dubas as GM and the answer would be Rask game #7 (1GA), Korpisalo game #5 (shutout), Price Game #7 (1 GA), and now Vasilevskiy game #7 (1 GA).

You can't control how many saves the opposition goalie will make on how many shots directed at him. The more clutch the performance the less he surrenders.

The Maple Leaf skaters in those series scored a total of 3 GF and never more than 1 in any series clinching game #5 or #7. Leafs litteraly would've needed their own goalie to pitch a SO for Leafs to advance and always having the 2nd best goalie in a series.

 

[ECanuck]

Most of the time the clutch guy is around the net. There might be a few with a great shot.

Hi everyone,

I decided to wait a couple of days to respectfully allow you some time to grieve & vent after that painful loss. Figured this Thread might catch many of you as the PGT is winding down.

I just wanted to say thank you for being so welcoming and I look forward to visiting you next Season. I still believe this core can win & think it’s like a Capitals situation - some complementary changes but nothing drastic. Your Boys have some battle scars from playing a Champion & giving them all they could handle, that will benefit them next year. I believe they come back more focused than ever and on a mission.

View attachment 547963

Cash over cups. We are doing okay.

 

[deprw]

Stats for leaf winner take all matches:

Matthews: 5 games, 0 goals, 2 assists
Marner: 5 games, 0 goals, 2 assists
Nylander: 5 games, 1 goal, 2 assists
Tavares: 3 games, 1 goal, 0 assists.

There is a very VERY real clutch problem from our core players.

Tampa has this same problem with their core players and they won back to back Stanley Cups.

Stamkos, Kucherov, Point and Hedman have worse stats on 21 game seven they have played combined.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Some people perform better in tense situations, but at the NHL level it's probably only ~1% of the population. Almost every guy was a star on their team growing up and scored clutch goals. But I don't see any Patrick Kane's on this roster.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Tampa has this same problem with their core players and they won back to back Stanley Cups.

Stamkos, Kucherov, Point and Hedman have worse stats on 21 game seven they have played combined.

Their supporting cast steps up
Ours do virtually nothing

 

[deprw]

Their supporting cast steps up
Ours do virtually nothing

That is and was bummer. Though it's easier to replace Engvall than Stamkos.

 

[lebdafor norris]

Tampa has this same problem with their core players and they won back to back Stanley Cups.

Stamkos, Kucherov, Point and Hedman have worse stats on 21 game seven they have played combined.

I mean the Leafs series is like Tampa's 2nd 7 game series during the past 3 playoffs including this one, their star players would usually close the series in games 5 or 6 so there wouldn't even need to be a game 7. I suppose you could give the Leafs "respect" for taking Tampa to game 7 but after 5 straight 1st round exits, including the last 2 against clear inferior teams, the Leafs is no longer in business for moral victories

 

[deprw]

I mean the Leafs series is like Tampa's 2nd 7 game series during the past 3 playoffs including this one, their star players would usually close the series in games 5 or 6 so there wouldn't even need to be a game 7. I suppose you could give the Leafs "respect" for taking Tampa to game 7 but after 5 straight 1st round exits, including the last 2 against clear inferior teams, the Leafs is no longer in business for moral victories

Like said 21 games combined. 21 games. 0+1 actually they didn't score against us so it's 25 games now and 0+1. That's a fact, not joke. They haven't played that many game 7's but still their score is nonexistent there.

Does it make my day better? Nope, but that's a fact that is good to aknowledge when talking about our stars. Context.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Tampa has this same problem with their core players and they won back to back Stanley Cups.

Stamkos, Kucherov, Point and Hedman have worse stats on 21 game seven they have played combined.

To get around that, Tampa simply wins the vast majority of their playoff series without having to GO to game 7. Seems like the smart solution. Only 2 of their rounds have ever gone to 7. And on both of those rounds, they STIFLE the opposition and have 1 total goal against.

If the leafs were winning game 7's by stifling the opposing team, then nobody would be complaining. But we LOSE THEM. And it's US that gets stifled. It's the other team that takes complete control of the game. Leafs had 11 freaking shots after 40 minutes.

Also, those 4 players you pointed out make EIGHT million less in cap space than our 4. Easier to get a supporting cast with that extra money...

 

[lebdafor norris]

Like said 21 games combined. 21 games. 0+1 actually they didn't score against us so it's 25 games now and 0+1. That's a fact, not joke. They haven't played that many game 7's but still their score is nonexistent there.

Does it make my day better? Nope, but that's a fact that is good to aknowledge when talking about our stars. Context.

For better context you should post their stats during close out/elimination games, I would also avoid using stats before16/17 season as NHL scoring was a lot lower during the 1st half of the 2010s prior to some rule changes like smaller goalie equipment. For example Patty Kane was considered a playoff monster during 2010-2016 when he really only avg around PPG, back then that was amazing, today you expect your stars to produce a lot more.

 

[deprw]

To get around that, Tampa simply wins the vast majority of their playoff series without having to GO to game 7. Seems like the smart solution. Only 2 of their rounds have ever gone to 7. And on both of those rounds, they STIFLE the opposition and have 1 total goal against.

If the leafs were winning game 7's by stifling the opposing team, then nobody would be complaining. But we LOSE THEM. And it's US that gets stifled. It's the other team that takes complete control of the game. Leafs had 11 freaking shots after 40 minutes.

Also, those 4 players you pointed out make EIGHT million less in cap space than our 4. Easier to get a supporting cast with that extra money...

Still their stars are choky in game 7's than ours. No matter how few they play. It doesn't make this any easier or better, but it's context that it's good to keep in mind when we complain about our core. That cap number is fair point. We still kept them in bay outside of Hedman. We could defuse their top players, but still couldn't win.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Still their stars are choky in game 7's than ours. No matter how few they play. It doesn't make this any easier or better, but it's context that it's good to keep in mind when we complain about our core. That cap number is fair point. We still kept them in bay outside of Hedman. We could defuse their top players, but still couldn't win.

This still isn't really accurate. Tampa plays "protect the lead" in their game 7's. The leafs 3 years in a row never HAD a lead at any point. If Matthews and co. were adeptly protecting leads in game 7, nobody would complain at the lack of production. It's the m.o. against the leafs on games that matter most. Wait for a mistake, get the lead, box them out. Whether it's Tampa or a team with no talent whatsoever (Jackets, Habs), it's EASY to do to the leafs.

 

[nsleaf]

Need more Clutch.

 

[deprw]

This still isn't really accurate. Tampa plays "protect the lead" in their game 7's. The leafs 3 years in a row never HAD a lead at any point. If Matthews and co. were adeptly protecting leads in game 7, nobody would complain at the lack of production. It's the m.o. against the leafs on games that matter most. Wait for a mistake, get the lead, box them out. Whether it's Tampa or a team with no talent whatsoever (Jackets, Habs), it's EASY to do to the leafs.

If you want to talk about hockey, that is something that cannot hide from anymore. We have to find that gear, to really protect the lead. Tampa gave us a chance in game 6. That is on Keefe and same with PP. We cannot stagnate, we have to find variations. Even on cost of single game in regular season. We have all the pieces, even more than we really need. Have to two to three setups that you can play. That should be our strenght anytime and anywhere.

Though opponents can also box out Tampa's stars it isn't only on Leafs. We like to shit on our stars and say that we find excuses. It isn't any different with Tampa's core. Yes they can close out series early, but if it goes till the end. It's same with them. I think the key for us is to find way to push trough without LTIR and other stuff to get depth.

What we did in the end was too cute, that is something we have to work on. We don't have the opportunity to fail in the second our or conference finals, we have to find those answers from these experiences we've had in the first round.

And about clutch, it is something you can learn. Some always has it, they're born with it. Others has to learn it, but it isn't something that is or isn't. It's a skill, mindset and something that you can build.