Post-Game Talk: Leafs Lift Us Up to Let Us Down - TOR 1, FLA 3

[RLF]

Would you rather the turn over at the opposing teams blue line or inside the leafs blue line. The Leafs wingers have an uncanny inability to to chip it past the defender.

Chipping it in is useless if you have no speed going to get it back. There is no need to turn it over at our blueline if they are hanging back in the neutral zone and only really forechecking with one forward. A quick short pass to a speeding forward is how you break through that kind of neutral zone defence. Having all 3 forwards between the redline and their blueline basically standing there waiting for an 80' pass is a turnover waiting to happen with them hitting our flatfooted D with speed. Our D have to give up the blueline or they will be beat by the oppositions speed. It's why we spent all night in our end. We looked better in the third, because we were coming back for the puck and hitting the neutral zone with our speed.

 

[GoldenGOOSE]

Reminds me of the Big M. Won the calder, scored 48 goals to set the Leaf record and then Imlach destroyed him mentally. Ended up getting traded and winning two more cups with the Habs. Anyone old enough here to know who I’m talkng about?

I taught him tennis. I was a kid basically but knew my stuff, it was at the most expensive club in Canada.

He was retired but still athletic. He had incredible talent. But on day A, he would play like an actual tennis professional, day B, he would barely hit a ball over the net.

Strangest guy I have ever coached. In terms of day to day effort. Sure hope Matthews isn't like this.

But its starting to seem like it.

I can spot a Big M faster than just about anyone now, after my experience.

Heck, Dubas just gave 7 million to the little N.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Key is to make the playoffs. Have a good last 15-20 games going into the post season. We hope

hockey gods just toying with us; leafs gonna heat up and peak at the right time all the way to win the cup

I think this extreme optimism is all we have left.

 

[Nineteen67]

Good strategy by him.

People jumped on Craig Button this week when he put some of the blame of this bad stretch on Babcock.

It’s apparent Babcock doesn’t like the team, but it’s what he has and it should be good enough to make the playoffs. With Carolina and Buffalo scuffling along it be only a matter of positioning now

 

[jimmycarter]

Tank it and let’s get a top 10 draft pic.

Get rid of Nylander, Gardiner, Zaitsev.

 

[Gallagbi]

babcock's solution is always, always MOAR HYMAN.

no matter what happens, the worst offensive forward on the team never loses his prime role. it's pretty amazing.


and hey, Isles are killing it and the Leafs are treading water. $11m for Johnny T.

If there's 1 non issue on this team right now it's Tavares.

 

[Nineteen67]

Chipping it in is useless if you have no speed going to get it back. There is no need to turn it over at our blueline if they are hanging back in the neutral zone and only really forechecking with one forward. A quick short pass to a speeding forward is how you break through that kind of neutral zone defence. Having all 3 forwards between the redline and their blueline basically standing there waiting for an 80' pass is a turnover waiting to happen with them hitting our flatfooted D with speed. Our D have to give up the blueline or they will be beat by the oppositions speed. It's why we spent all night in our end. We looked better in the third, because we were coming back for the puck and hitting the neutral zone with our speed.

I hear you.
But....If the Leaf wingers were inside their blue line the defence would defend them there. That is probably too dangerous with most Leaf wingers. I’d rather see icings than turnovers inside the blue line. They at least have a 50/50 chance to get the puck back.

Having the D try to chip of the glass or flip it to centre if they are pressured, like most good teams do (Washington were artist last year in the playoffs) would be flat out disastrous.

 

[Nithoniniel]

If there's 1 non issue on this team right now it's Tavares.

Yeah. Tavares and Marner has been a constant positive for us this season.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

3:1 in powerplays with the only PP being an off-setting minor while the Panthers were on the man advantage. 31st in the league two straight years in PPs for. 24 months of sample size to clearly assume the refs are officiating Leaf games different from other games. How can one of the fastest teams in the league draw next to no penalties?

Ya it is getting a little obvious at this point.....

 

[Ziggdiezan]

I really hope Babcock is fired or his assistant coaches fired if the leafs have a poor playoff this year.

The system is just not working most nights

 

[CabanaBoy5]

babcock's solution is always, always MOAR HYMAN.

no matter what happens, the worst offensive forward on the team never loses his prime role. it's pretty amazing.


and hey, Isles are killing it and the Leafs are treading water. $11m for Johnny T.

Agree totally. The past few nights there have been blatant giveaways and less than full effort to go along with his zero offensive skills. Why is he never put on the 4th line, even once? Bab logic at its best.

 

[Nineteen67]

Ya it is getting a little obvious at this point.....

If the PP is their enforcer, then they need to change and draw more penalties.
Will management, coaching and the players do anything to change this.

 

[RLF]

I hear you.
But....If the Leaf wingers were inside their blue line the defence would defend them there. That is probably too dangerous with most Leaf wingers. I’d rather see icings than turnovers inside the blue line. They at least have a 50/50 chance to get the puck back.

Having the D try to chip of the glass or flip it to centre if they are pressured, like most good teams do (Washington were artist last year in the playoffs) would be flat out disastrous.

I don't think you exactly get where I am going with it. I am not saying have everyone come back, nor am I talking about when the puck has been established in our zone. I am fine with 1 guy flying the zone to look for the stretch pass and drive back their D. Our issue is when our D pick up, have a clear path with the puck and come for a breakout - all our forwards are gone. There is no one to pass to unless you throw a stretch pass. It is easy to defend.

These aren't great examples, but check out the 1:59 and 2:29 marks of the Leafs highlights last night. No one for the D to pass to really. Compare to the 4:18 mark. That is what I am talking about. The 4:18 mark is really the kind of play I mean. Normally, there would be all 3 forwards between the redline and blueline and our only play would be a hopeful chip in.

 

[ACC1224]

Agree totally. The past few nights there have been blatant giveaways and less than full effort to go along with his zero offensive skills. Why is he never put on the 4th line, even once? Bab logic at its best.

Nylander was moved to the 4th line last night.

 

[Jozay]

Babcock lacks creativity.

Man really moved Brown up the lineup to help get a goal lol. Dont know how anyone could defend that decision.

And Hyman keeps his top 6 role the whole time despite his inability to do anything offensively.

 

[Leaf4Life]

So why not just come out and work? Instead of talking about it after the game all the time, it is in their control to come out and work. I mean how many times do you come out and face the media with the same excuse? Either we have a dumb group or players, or a lazy group. Work ethic at this point is pretty damn sad.

Agree! I'm so tired of him saying the same thing over and over. If he knows it, why does he keep coming out flat?? Makes no sense. Show some desire and desperation for once. He's not even worth $10Mil with the way he's been playing lately.

 

[Leaf4Life]

Matthews is not worth anywhere near McDavid money.

He's not even in the same league right now. It's scary how much separation there is between the two of them actually. McDavid comes to play every night.

 

[supermann_98]

Matthews is not worth anywhere near McDavid money.

Not even close, I've watched enough of McDavid to know that any argument that he deserved as much or more was just to get a rise out of Leafs fans.

McDavid works his ass off every shift and makes something happen when he's out there.

 

[Drytoast]

The stretch pass needs to go. Seriously. Let me say this again.

The stretch pass. Needs. To. Go. I'd rather be playing strong defensively score fewer goals and feel like more of a cohesive unit then to have this separation between forwards and defense as we attempt these stupid stretch passes that the league has adapted too.

And for the love of god babcokc...STOP JUGGLING THE LINES. How is anyone suppose to get into a groove when you change the lines mid game, every game while at the same time you are focusing heavy on line matching so players are on the ice, rush off the ice rush on the ice switch off the ice...STOP.

You have a deeply talented team. It doesn't matter if the 4th line somehow gets paired against the top line in a own zone face off. Trust that they will work and get the puck out to create a natural line change.

Stop worrying that Matthews is up against Chara. He is talented, he will figure it out.

Let the gd kids play with some consistency.

AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, POINT SHOTS ON THE POWER PLAY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. STOP THE GOD DAMN SEAM PASSES. WE ALL KNOW YOU ARE TRYING TO DO IT. I COULD DEFEND IT AT THIS POINT.

HEY! Puck is going to Willie/Marner. Guess I'll just skate over to Matthews/Tavares then and block the pass! herp derp! Oh the puck is at the point to Rielly. Let me just skate over to Marner/Willie...

 

[supermann_98]

We have to pull out of this slump soon, we're 2 points up on the last wild card spot.

If we miss the post season I'll be incredibly disappointed in this team

Me too but the silver lining would be Babs would be gone

 

[NewEraGM]

I taught him tennis. I was a kid basically but knew my stuff, it was at the most expensive club in Canada.

He was retired but still athletic. He had incredible talent. But on day A, he would play like an actual tennis professional, day B, he would barely hit a ball over the net.

Strangest guy I have ever coached. In terms of day to day effort. Sure hope Matthews isn't like this.

But its starting to seem like it.

I can spot a Big M faster than just about anyone now, after my experience.

Heck, Dubas just gave 7 million to the little N.

Yea, so the nickname “little N”.....I’d leave that one at the door

 

[NewEraGM]

Ya it is getting a little obvious at this point.....

You guys also have the second to least pp Time so they are not calling anything against you either...also, you’re not a cycle team which is where many penalties are drawn. You are more An off the rush team and you end up scoring a lot on these rushes so....

 

[RLF]

The stretch pass needs to go. Seriously. Let me say this again.

The stretch pass. Needs. To. Go. I'd rather be playing strong defensively score fewer goals and feel like more of a cohesive unit then to have this separation between forwards and defense as we attempt these stupid stretch passes that the league has adapted too.

And for the love of god babcokc...STOP JUGGLING THE LINES. How is anyone suppose to get into a groove when you change the lines mid game, every game while at the same time you are focusing heavy on line matching so players are on the ice, rush off the ice rush on the ice switch off the ice...STOP.

You have a deeply talented team. It doesn't matter if the 4th line somehow gets paired against the top line in a own zone face off. Trust that they will work and get the puck out to create a natural line change.

Stop worrying that Matthews is up against Chara. He is talented, he will figure it out.

Let the gd kids play with some consistency.

AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, POINT SHOTS ON THE POWER PLAY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. STOP THE GOD DAMN SEAM PASSES. WE ALL KNOW YOU ARE TRYING TO DO IT. I COULD DEFEND IT AT THIS POINT.

HEY! Puck is going to Willie/Marner. Guess I'll just skate over to Matthews/Tavares then and block the pass! herp derp! Oh the puck is at the point to Rielly. Let me just skate over to Marner/Willie...

I agree with alot of this. We do not adjust well in game to the other teams defensive style. That is the biggest issue to me.

 

[notDatsyuk]

As far as the penalties goes, it's the style of play. If you get rid of the puck before the opposing player gets close, you won't draw a penalty. It you don't play hard along the boards, you won't draw a penalty. If you don't bump your opponent, you won't draw a retaliation penalty.

What stood out the most last night was the difference in going after a free puck - the Leaf went in with his stick, and the Panther went in with his body, and the Panther won about 90% of the time.

When trying to exit the zone, when the wingers stay inside the blue line, none of them seem to be able to get the puck past the point man. Other teams see this, and pinch all the time. (As an aside, I also watched the Caps' game, and Komarov is still one of the best at making sure the puck gets out, without icing.)

 

[Nineteen67]

I don't think you exactly get where I am going with it. I am not saying have everyone come back, nor am I talking about when the puck has been established in our zone. I am fine with 1 guy flying the zone to look for the stretch pass and drive back their D. Our issue is when our D pick up, have a clear path with the puck and come for a breakout - all our forwards are gone. There is no one to pass to unless you throw a stretch pass. It is easy to defend.

These aren't great examples, but check out the 1:59 and 2:29 marks of the Leafs highlights last night. No one for the D to pass to really. Compare to the 4:18 mark. That is what I am talking about. The 4:18 mark is really the kind of play I mean. Normally, there would be all 3 forwards between the redline and blueline and our only play would be a hopeful chip in.

I get exactly what your saying.

There are too many Leafs forwards that can handle the puck so D let’s them be. It’s not a coincidence that some guys seem to get a lot stretch passes and the skilled guys don’t. I’d rather those wingers be as far away from the Leafs net as possible anytime they touch the puck.