Post-Game Talk: John Tavares is a Leaf, Leafs win 4-1.

[zeke]

How was Kadri very, very poor and Hyman useless?

kadri was the 3rd wheel on his line in this one. Leivo and Brown were creating all sorts of turnovers, possession, and chances, while kadri was kind of out of it and missed the chances they gave him. He also had the brutal play to start the game.

Hyman iced the puck a number of times with poor passes, killed a number of rushes because of his inability to do anything with the puck other than dump and chase, provided some mostly useless forechecking that never turned into quality chances, and missed a number of golden chances he was given.

 

[SprDaVE]

I'm evaluating his body of work. I like the flashes of tenacity and sniping ability but I generally don't like his decision making. With his skill set, he needs to be a top six and I think this team has better options.

Well there is no top6/bottom6 philosophy anymore. Burke and Wilson aren't here anymore. This is a team built on depth and for the most part balanced lines.

We don't have that many options. Who are you thinking off? Johnsson is already on the team barring a major setback in his game. Ennis? Jooris? Grundstrom? Moore? Hardly anything better there right now, while the latter 2 will probably push for jobs next season. Who else am I missing here?

Leivo not only adds skill, but he adds size. He's strong on the puck and generates offence. He's also always played very well with Kadri when he was inserted in the lineup. He's not a great 2-way player nor is he an all-star, but he's a very good option and one that has paid his dues to earn a shot to play regularly.

Whether you hate the praise he gets, it doesn't matter. Nothing suggests he was bad or even average last night and to be honest, to suggest otherwise shows a clear bias.

 

[zeke]

Seems yours work differently than others.
Not a chance he touched the puck more than Tavares and Marner for one.

tavares and Marner were pretty much invisible for the first half of the game.

Leivo had the puck, in a positive way, in pretty much every single shift he had all game.

 

[Sypher04]

tavares and Marner were pretty much invisible for the first half of the game.

Leivo had the puck, in a positive way, in pretty much every single shift he had all game.

Simply false.

 

[diceman934]

Dermott not on ice at Practice so he is banged up?

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Gotta think Hainsey is going to move down at some point in the year. He can't PK like he does and also effectively play top pairing minutes.
Personally, I'd prefer if they gave him 3rd pairing minutes and as much PK time as he can handle.

I agree 100% I’d have him on the 3rd pair and PK like u said, problem is we have a stubborn coach

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

I would rather:

Rielly-Zaitsev
Gardiner-Ozzy (Holl)
Dermott (Borgman)- Hainsey

Keep Hainsey fresh for the PK and limit ES minutes

Id hate to say it but, don’t think Holl is an NHL dman

Wouldn’t mind trying:

Rielly - - Gardiner
Borgman - Zaitsev
Dermott - Hainsey

 

[Sypher04]

As much as we all want Hainsey to play less it's also interesting to hear Rielly's comments before camp opened that he expects to and hopes to play with Hainsey again this year.

 

[Notsince67]

He has to be open to signing an Offer Sheet, from what I know he wouldn't be.

That is what I think too but there are more than one stupid GM out there who might feel that a $5MM bridge is a tempting target for a $9MM offer on a player who just put away 90+ points (hypothetically). I think MM is loyal but that is a boatload of cash to turn down. Leafs match that and it could just be a rope a dope for a Matthews offer.
This will haunt me for a year

 

[Valk the line]

Well there is no top6/bottom6 philosophy anymore. Burke and Wilson aren't here anymore. This is a team built on depth and for the most part balanced lines.

We don't have that many options. Who are you thinking off? Johnsson is already on the team barring a major setback in his game. Ennis? Jooris? Grundstrom? Moore? Hardly anything better there right now, while the latter 2 will probably push for jobs next season. Who else am I missing here?

Leivo not only adds skill, but he adds size. He's strong on the puck and generates offence. He's also always played very well with Kadri when he was inserted in the lineup. He's not a great 2-way player nor is he an all-star, but he's a very good option and one that has paid his dues to earn a shot to play regularly.

Whether you hate the praise he gets, it doesn't matter. Nothing suggests he was bad or even average last night and to be honest, to suggest otherwise shows a clear bias.

There certainly is top lines and bottom lines. It's expressed through ice time allocation and whether they're offensively or defensively biased. Leivo is pure offensive player and not a great one. Whether we think he's 'paid dues' or not is irrelevant. It's how he fits on the make up of the team. My opinion, but I don't think he does. (I guess we'll see.) I don't "hate" the praise he gets, I just think it's unfounded.

 

[Randy Randerson]

I think people overrate him. He's a decent player. Not good enough to make this team. Also some of you need to stop being so sensitive. Everyone will have differing opinions it's a forum. Stop ****ing crying. Just because I don't believe Leivo is good enough to make this team doesn't make me right or a bad guy. It's my opinion. Just because you love leivo's game and think he will doesn't make you a bad guy or right either.

That's the purpose and why we are on here. To discuss, I've simply stated my opinion. Leivo can be useful, but I don't see a fit on our team. There is nothing wrong with that.

stand by your opinion is what I'm saying, you don't "like" him or you would see that the ice clearly tilts towards the other team's net when he's on the ice in about as big of a way as any player causes it to, so don't soften your opinion with the "listen, I like Leivo, he's a good player" nonsense because you're one of his biggest detractors on here.

if you don't think he's earned at least a 4th line spot on any team in the league you're nuts, but at least own it

 

[member 157595]

Please take Roman Polak back. Please. Save us Stars fans from his awfulness. He singlehandedly gave up 3 goals to the Blues (basically AHL) team today. You guys really weren't lying about him wow. Every other dman played just fine but he was constantly out of position and it's so hard to watch him try to get involved offensively

If you guys have Roman Polak playing even remotely serious ES minutes, you're going to give up a LOT of scoring chances.

 

[Mr Hockey]

As much as we all want Hainsey to play less it's also interesting to hear Rielly's comments before camp opened that he expects to and hopes to play with Hainsey again this year.

I would like him to play less regular minutes and hopefully forced down to the 3rd pairing, i'm ok with him playing a sh*t load of PK minutes and defensive role minutes.

 

[razkaz]

kadri was the 3rd wheel on his line in this one. Leivo and Brown were creating all sorts of turnovers, possession, and chances, while kadri was kind of out of it and missed the chances they gave him. He also had the brutal play to start the game.

Hyman iced the puck a number of times with poor passes, killed a number of rushes because of his inability to do anything with the puck other than dump and chase, provided some mostly useless forechecking that never turned into quality chances, and missed a number of golden chances he was given.

LOL Kadri had a little hiccup 20 seconds into a preseason game and in no way should that be held against him. It's a huge exaggeration to call his game "very,very bad"

Hyman missed as many if not less chances to convert goals as Leivo yet you praise Leivo's game last night. I think Leivo played great and Hyman was ok.

tavares and Marner were pretty much invisible for the first half of the game.

Leivo had the puck, in a positive way, in pretty much every single shift he had all game.

Tavares and Marner had a pretty nice little play in the PP in the first to set up JT for his first goal. Tavares even said after the game that he is still trying to build chemistry with Marner but none of those 2 were "invisible"

Id hate to say it but, don’t think Holl is an NHL dman

Wouldn’t mind trying:

Rielly - - Gardiner
Borgman - Zaitsev
Dermott - Hainsey

I don't think he is either but he's making a strong case for himself to be tried out, along with Borgman and Ozzy.

Don't think Gardiner has played RD, but maybe I'm wrong

 

[diceman934]

kadri was the 3rd wheel on his line in this one. Leivo and Brown were creating all sorts of turnovers, possession, and chances, while kadri was kind of out of it and missed the chances they gave him. He also had the brutal play to start the game.

Hyman iced the puck a number of times with poor passes, killed a number of rushes because of his inability to do anything with the puck other than dump and chase, provided some mostly useless forechecking that never turned into quality chances, and missed a number of golden chances he was given.

Brown was not better than Kadri either. Kadri carried that line last night and for you to claim he was the 3rd wheel is laughable. He won face offs, made 3 big hits and was his usual pain in the ass causing Ottawa to chase hits on him. Who past the puck to Levio? Or did he pass the puck to him self all night long for those 4 shots.

Hyman iced the puck once when Marner had not turned to face the puck which was within a blade length from him but he turned the wrong way. Huge mistake lol.

When does Hyman ever dump and chase? Serious question because he seldom does. He chips and chases which is not the same as a dump and chase. He chips pucks behind d man and makes him turn and go back for the puck and not his D partner. Which creates a puck battle with him often getting to the puck first and getting possession which is what you want as a team.

 

[WillyC]

tavares and Marner were pretty much invisible for the first half of the game.

Leivo had the puck, in a positive way, in pretty much every single shift he had all game.

Invisible? ... Tavares tied the game 5 minutes in.

 

[Havoc]

kadri was the 3rd wheel on his line in this one. Leivo and Brown were creating all sorts of turnovers, possession, and chances, while kadri was kind of out of it and missed the chances they gave him. He also had the brutal play to start the game.

Hyman iced the puck a number of times with poor passes, killed a number of rushes because of his inability to do anything with the puck other than dump and chase, provided some mostly useless forechecking that never turned into quality chances, and missed a number of golden chances he was given.

You watch the game?

Your last sentence says you didn't watch the game. Remember the shifty backhand pass from Marner to Tavares in the second period?

That was Hyman who beasted for the puck to get it to Marner in the first place. You must be selectively watching and zone out when something doesn't conform to your bias.

 

[diceman934]

LOL Kadri had a little hiccup 20 seconds into a preseason game and in no way should that be held against him. It's a huge exaggeration to call his game "very,very bad"

Hyman missed as many if not less chances to convert goals as Leivo yet you praise Leivo's game last night. I think Leivo played great and Hyman was ok.


Tavares and Marner had a pretty nice little play in the PP in the first to set up JT for his first goal. Tavares even said after the game that he is still trying to build chemistry with Marner but none of those 2 were "invisible"


I don't think he is either but he's making a strong case for himself to be tried out, along with Borgman and Ozzy.

Don't think Gardiner has played RD, but maybe I'm wrong

Gardiner has clearly communicated he hates playing his off side and Rielly is our best R D man right now by a mile and I see no reason why he should not be on the right side with Gardiner on the left.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Invisible? ... Tavares tied the game 5 minutes in.

Hahaha he's got you there Zeke.

 

[authentic]

kadri was the 3rd wheel on his line in this one. Leivo and Brown were creating all sorts of turnovers, possession, and chances, while kadri was kind of out of it and missed the chances they gave him. He also had the brutal play to start the game.

Hyman iced the puck a number of times with poor passes, killed a number of rushes because of his inability to do anything with the puck other than dump and chase, provided some mostly useless forechecking that never turned into quality chances, and missed a number of golden chances he was given.

I've never in my life seen a guy able to hold the puck so much in the offensive zone and do so little with it. There are certainly worse players but I would personally play him on the 3rd line and try Kapanen with Marner and Tavares. They will score a lot regardless, especially on the powerplay, but why not have them score even more with another skilled player on their line?

 

[Boutette]

I've never in my life seen a guy able to hold the puck so much in the offensive zone and do so little with it. There are certainly worse players but I would personally play him on the 3rd line and try Kapanen with Marner and Tavares. They will score a lot regardless, especially on the powerplay, but why not have them score even more with another skilled player on their line?

Or Leivo. He is more capable of holding the puck and in doing something with it.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Borgman and Oz both looked good, they both add much needed size and physicality to the back end. Oz seems to have a one timer and as we know Borgman can go end to end on occasion

 

[Muston Atthews]

John Tavares is gonna score a lot of f***ing goals this year

 

[zeke]

Brown was not better than Kadri either. Kadri carried that line last night and for you to claim he was the 3rd wheel is laughable. He won face offs, made 3 big hits and was his usual pain in the ass causing Ottawa to chase hits on him. Who past the puck to Levio? Or did he pass the puck to him self all night long for those 4 shots.

this is crazy talk. watch closer.

 

[authentic]

Or Leivo. He is more capable of holding the puck and in doing something with it.

Him too, actually he could be a better fit.