Post-Game Talk: Leafs beat the Sabres 2-1 .. By God we won in Buffalo!

[Throw More Waffles]

I don't think you realize how quickly bad teams can turn things around and become contenders provided they do they right things.

We've had three good drafts in a row. Experience for Matthews, Marner, Nylander. One good defenseman (Rielly, Zaitsev, Gardiner, ________) and tinkering (get rid of Marincin, Polak, Smith, Hyman etc for better depth) and average to slightly above average goaltending.

It's okay if you don't realize this yet.

Not to mention the millions of dollars in cap space we will have. I never said they are contenders right now, only said how close they are to putting the pieces together.

The core is 75% set. We need to upgrade our depth, use cap space wisely and hope Andersen can play more like yesterday than like he did against Tampa.

Yeah, I guess I clung too heavily to your "one defenseman away" comment.

I actually agree that this is a very promising team down the road. I just think that road is a little longer than you do.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Probably what they meant by tinkering?

Anyway, no one thinks they are one piece away.

There are actually quite a few posters here that think this team is a contender as is. That we're not even a piece away. That we will make the playoffs and contend for the cup this year, even without any changes.

Are we reading the same forum? You've clearly seen those posters as well. I have no idea why you're denying it.

This "Pi" guy I responded to before clearly isn't one of those posters. I admit I overreacted to his post. But there are many people who make the claim.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Marincin's fine for this season (He has had a lot of bad games so far though). If we overreacted for Marincin's few giveaways then we should be complaining about Rielly's few giveaways too no? For the long-term he's definitely not in the plan but for now I don't see an issue.

Rielly - Zaistev
Gardiner - Corrado
Marincin - Carrick

That's what I want to see for the rest of the season tbh.

 

[Pi]

Marincin's fine for this season (He has had a lot of bad games so far though). If we overreacted for Marincin's few giveaways then we should be complaining about Rielly's few giveaways too no?

Rielly - Zaistev
Gardiner - Corrado
Marincin - Carrick

That's what I want to see for the rest of the season tbh.

I've made peace with the fact that Corrado will never play for the Leafs. There is a better chance Peter Holland dresses as a D..

 

[LeafingTheWay]

I've made peace with the fact that Corrado will never play for the Leafs. There is a better chance Peter Holland dresses as a D..

I don't understand why he's not been given a chance yet

He's likely nothing more than a 3rd pairing guy but still a better option than Polak.

 

[FreeBird]

Marincin's fine for this season (He has had a lot of bad games so far though). If we overreacted for Marincin's few giveaways then we should be complaining about Rielly's few giveaways too no? For the long-term he's definitely not in the plan but for now I don't see an issue.

Rielly - Zaistev
Gardiner - Corrado
Marincin - Carrick

That's what I want to see for the rest of the season tbh.

Reilly and Zaistev are the only D's that can play on a Stanley Cup contender, Gardiner has the lowest Hockey IQ of all NHL Defencemen and the others could make the Marlies a Calder Cup contender every year. They also have to rid themselves of the Floaters who take half the Schedule off, and compete about 35 games a year and have for years. JVR, Gardiner, Kadri, and Bozak are examples of these Misdeeds.

 

[WillTheThrill]

Have any reporters even asked babs about corrado?

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Reilly and Zaistev are the only D's that can play on a Stanley Cup contender, Gardiner has the lowest Hockey IQ of all NHL Defencemen and the others could make the Marlies a Calder Cup contender every year. They also have to rid themselves of the Floaters who take half the Schedule off, and compete about 35 games a year and have for years. JVR, Gardiner, Kadri, and Bozak are examples of these Misdeeds.

Gardiner is a good #3 on a Stanley Cup team. He's probably our bets offensive defenseman and he is alright in his own zone. He brings a hard accurate shot form the back end that hopefully Zaitsev and Carrick can bring eventually.

 

[barilko05]

Reilly and Zaistev are the only D's that can play on a Stanley Cup contender, Gardiner has the lowest Hockey IQ of all NHL Defencemen and the others could make the Marlies a Calder Cup contender every year. They also have to rid themselves of the Floaters who take half the Schedule off, and compete about 35 games a year and have for years. JVR, Gardiner, Kadri, and Bozak are examples of these Misdeeds.

Really? Kadri may be a reckless player prone to cold streaks, and a bit of an asshat off the ice sometimes, but one thing he is not is a floater.

How long before Matthews gets the "I don't care how many points he scores! He's soft and doesn't compete for pucks like (insert 4th line flavour of the month here)."

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Reilly and Zaistev are the only D's that can play on a Stanley Cup contender, Gardiner has the lowest Hockey IQ of all NHL Defencemen and the others could make the Marlies a Calder Cup contender every year. They also have to rid themselves of the Floaters who take half the Schedule off, and compete about 35 games a year and have for years. JVR, Gardiner, Kadri, and Bozak are examples of these Misdeeds.

If Gardiner has the lowest hockey IQ of all NHL D, then Rielly must be near the bottom too then

Kadri's played great in all but two games this season, so I don't know what you're trying to get at ...

JVR and Bozak I agree with.

 

[Walshy7]

Really? Kadri may be a reckless player prone to cold streaks, and a bit of an asshat off the ice sometimes, but one thing he is not is a floater.

How long before Matthews gets the "I don't care how many points he scores! He's soft and doesn't compete for pucks like (insert 4th line flavour of the month here)."

not long, it is always the way some blue collar grinder with a bit of skill gets fawned over while the real skill guys are soft "I wish ________ was harder to play against like <4th liner>"

someone was complaining Matthews doesn't hit the other day. If that is not his game why would you want him to do it? he strips pucks and battles hard he does not need to hit

 

[Paradoc]

He's solid defensively and on the PK.

He does have some problems handling the puck under pressure though, which is why he can't play a lot of minutes or he gets exposed.

I think he's been fine.

Exactly this, which is why I peg him as our #5 Dman right now and in the future. Not to mention, he has trouble getting shots on net. But he is good defensively and has a really long reach which is an advantage to him on loose pucks. If he could improve his puck skills even a bit, he could be with the leafs moving forward.