Post-Game Talk: Leafs defeat Sabres 5-3

[Judas Tavares]

I think what we need to realize is that perfect game everyone hopes for, a nice solid 3-0 win where they control the play for 60 minutes, just ain't happening. Or it will once in a blue moon. Whether that f***s us in the playoffs or not, we will see.

But I think the "We won but the w, x, y, z aspects of the game were all bad and we are going nowhere" is going to have to become a mindset of "we won, yay, on to the next one" or honestly you are not going to enjoy the ride. The grind em out perfection probably isn't coming, get ready for inconsistent run and gun and hope for the best and enjoy and have fun when it works out, which happens to be far more often than not with this group.

 

[sxvnert]

Its an embarrassment that this team almost lost to a one line hockey team this late in the season. Babcock still hasn't been able to establish a strong D system four years into the job.
If the leafs bow out in round one its time Dubas sacks up and considers replacing him. Forget the ridiculous right-lefty D arguments and realize that all top teams deal with it and adjust.

 

[KE19]

But he's never scored 70 points. Overpaid.

You know Matthews can be great and overpaid at the same time right?

Just let it go. There is no case to be made that Matthews' deal is fair. The only people arguing so is a sect of always optimistic Leafs fans that aim to justify absolutely everything and anything about this team.

Enjoy Matthews for the franchise talent he is and don't go around making a fool out of yourself making snarky, sarcastic remarks about his contract being fair.

 

[Gabriel426]

But he's never scored 70 points. Overpaid.

I guess if he scored 70pts this year, then he is underpaid?

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Wow... that is quite the stat. Not since the 40s. Holy ****.

So 33 games out of 62 we've had fewer then 2.

So basically at that pace it'll be around 40 games. Setting a new record... not just in the modern era... but ever in the NHL.

The most frustrating thing about it is all the other fanbases don't know about it. They still constantly say things like "Typical. Refs giving the leafs free powerplays."

 

[The Beyonder]

I guess if he scored 70pts this year, then he is underpaid?

You know Matthews can be great and overpaid at the same time right?

Just let it go. There is no case to be made that Matthews' deal is fair. The only people arguing so is a sect of always optimistic Leafs fans that aim to justify absolutely everything and anything about this team.

Enjoy Matthews for the franchise talent he is and don't go around making a fool out of yourself making snarky, sarcastic remarks about his contract being fair.

I was being sarcastic.

 

[Gabriel426]

I was being sarcastic.

Put an emoji next time,

 

[sxvnert]

You know Matthews can be great and overpaid at the same time right?

Just let it go. There is no case to be made that Matthews' deal is fair. The only people arguing so is a sect of always optimistic Leafs fans that aim to justify absolutely everything and anything about this team.

Enjoy Matthews for the franchise talent he is and don't go around making a fool out of yourself making snarky, sarcastic remarks about his contract being fair.

Truth is hes getting paid exactly whats hes worth. McDavid is the one who really took a discount.

Since 16/17:

 

[Gabriel426]

The most frustrating thing about it is all the other fanbases don't know about it. They still constantly say things like "Typical. Refs giving the leafs free powerplays."

Can’t really expect other fan bases to know about this. But I do expect the commentators and panelists to discuss this. Maybe someone should call in the radio and start this discussion and see how that goes

 

[NoName]

Can someone please make a gif of Dahlin flopping and flailing on the ice as he loses the puck on the powerplay and Kapenen charges away to score the short-handed goal?



I need to post it every time a Buffalo fan refers to him as "Generational".

 

[Mr Hockey]

This is one of the guys that get all the millennials fired up with hot takes lol

 

[Whaleafs]

English MF'er do you type it?

Don't mind him, everything he posts is incoherent psycho-babble.

 

[KE19]

Truth is hes getting paid exactly whats hes worth. McDavid is the one who really took a discount.

Since 16/17:

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View attachment 192123

I've always said he's a top 3 goalscorer and top 5-10 centre in the league. A franchise player without question but far from a generational one.

He still isn't a point per game player, hasn't been nominated for any major trophies outside the Calder, has had injury and consistency issues and has mediocre playoff numbers (albeit a limited sample size).

He got a generational contract, he's not a generational player. We made him the second highest paid player in the league for 1 UFA year.

Pretty bad especially when you compare it to the Eichel, McDavid and even Tavares contracts.

If he can become a playoff beast, perennial 100 point/50 goal centre, put his injury issues behind him and is regularly in contention for the big individual awards then we can say the deal isn't too bad.

I'm not going to loose too much sleep over it either way. Paying your big guns more isn't what cripples your team. Marleau/Zaitsev type contracts do.

 

[rojac]

Schedule screwed this year. The leafs should be playing every Saturday night. I can't remember a year where they missed so many

What are you going on about? The Leafs play on all but 3 Saturday nights this season. And one of those Saturdays was the All-Star break. That’s been pretty standard for the past several years.

In fact, just last season, there were 4 Saturdays (inlcluding the All-Star break) where the Leafs did not play.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

This is one of the guys that get all the millennials fired up with hot takes lol

As long as you accept it’s comedy, it’s not that bad. I’ve listened to far worse walking my dog.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Stop me if you've heard this before.

"Leafs badly outplayed and outshot in the first period, and lucky to be down only x goals. Score three in about two minutes."

I was in a bar, not really watching the game. Glanced at the TV, Leafs down 1-0. Glanced again a minute later (ok, maybe three minutes later) and Leafs are up 3-1.

Wow! Kapanen can fly!

 

[Thread The Needle]

for people that missed it

Man the timing of that was so perfect you would think it was edited.

 

[FlareKnight]

I'm happy with how the majority of the game went. Obviously not a lot you can say about that first period that is positive. But they stepped up in the second and closed it out. Kind of found the TSN post-game amusing with all the complaining about their killer instinct. I'm pretty sure a team that has closed out every single game where they had a lead going into the third has things figured out. Opening it up to try and blow out the other team in the third to win by 5 isn't the plan.

They have room to improve, but I'll give them props for getting the job done. No matter the lack of firepower Buffalo has, they are a desperate team trying not to completely fall out of the race (though they've basically hit that point). Good enough. Now back to neck and neck with Boston. At least a chance to catch up and overtake them.

 

[Notsince67]

What are you going on about? The Leafs play on all but 3 Saturday nights this season. And one of those Saturdays was the All-Star break. That’s been pretty standard for the past several years.

In fact, just last season, there were 4 Saturdays (inlcluding the All-Star break) where the Leafs did not play.

Didn't recall. Bugged me in particular or they were close together

 

[Thread The Needle]

Moore Petan Ennis

The Moore P. Ennis line everyone.

I'll see myself out..

If they don't score does that mean they're impotent?

I'll be on my way...

 

[rojac]

Didn't recall. Bugged me in particular or they were close together

It would have only taken about 30 seconds to check to see how many Saturdays the Leafs didn’t play this year.
And the 2-3 Saturdays off (plus the All-Star game) goes back to several years before the Rogers deal. I believe it was a request of the other Canadian teams to allow them to have a chance at having the main game on HNIC.

 

[Blanche Blanche]

How can a team get any momentum when they are continuously called for penalties. 5 to 1. Come on.

Bettman needs to fire the head of officiating - Who must be working for someone that has interests in expanding into southern USA markets who barely know hockey at the expense of HOT hockey markets

Oh wait...

 

[Slyfox]

Hot take but Gauthier has better wingers than Nylander. Sucks for Willy.

 

[TorontoTrades]

Hopefully Babcock will notice Matthews and Tavares were dominant together and think about loading lines late in games or situationally.

Matthews - Tavares - Marner
Johnsson - Nylander - Kapanen
Hyman - Kadri - Ennis
Marleau - Gauthier - Brown
Moore

 

[7even]

This is one of the guys that get all the millennials fired up with hot takes lol

For a guy who yells at a computer for a living his takes really aren't hot at all. This is his...12th? year doing videos for every game. I've seen close to as many games and you have to watch and talk through way too many garbage teams and idiot decisions over the years to not learn some patience. I think Dangle probably feels like a lot of the fanbase -- emotionally traumatized and waiting for the wheels to come off because it's all we've known for the past decade and a half but cautiously optimistic for the future because we just can't help ourselves. I'm in tho, we're gonna be #ActuallyGood one of these years. Probably. Possibly. Hopefully.