Post-Game Talk: Leafs Lose 3-0

[SeaOfBlue]

Even deep teams pick up depth for this exact issue.

Few teams can win, when 2 top 4 dmen get injured, especially when they are already mediocre defensively

And what, someone like McQuaid is going to help us replace two top 4 defensemen?

We'd still be screwed, and our depth would be marginally better (at best).

 

[ACC1224]

Back to back, with Sparks in goal, I have ZERO faith in their ability to win this game. ZERO!

I think they win tonight but it won't be a low scoring game.

 

[Nineteen67]

If you don't like Matthews... you don't like hockey. He's been our best player night in and out for the most part.

I’m starting to believe Matthews is not going to be the superstar we hoped he’d become. Maybe he’s just not ready yet and will grow and mature but I don’t think he’ll get to the level of becoming the Leafs “Crosby”.

 

[justafan22]

Even deep teams pick up depth for this exact issue.

Few teams can win, when 2 top 4 dmen get injured, especially when they are already mediocre defensively

yes, adam mcquaid would've helped
/s

 

[Nineteen67]

I think they win tonight but it won't be a low scoring game.

Sparks is playing....

 

[yubbers]

I’m starting to believe Matthews is not going to be the superstar we hoped he’d become. Maybe he’s just not ready yet and will grow and mature but I don’t think he’ll get to the level of becoming the Leafs “Crosby”.

I had my concerns after his injury. I think he started focusing more on preserving himself than playing his game. And it's made him look a lot more human. That's for sure.

 

[Clark4Ever]

I thought we deserved better last night. If they keep that up they should be in much better form going into the playoffs.

 

[TakeTheBody]

It probably makes more sense for Shanahan to have that talk with Babcock and it seems like that talk would be very much appropriate right about now. It's time for Babcock to start driving the bus again instead of tossing his team under it. How about setting an example of what it means to be part of a team FFS.

I said yesterday that if I had Babcock on a leash, I would have given it a good yank the other day. Well today I think I'd yank that sucker so hard that it would break and that dog could run away.

We agree the chain needs to be yanked. And it most cases I would say Shanahan yanking it would be fine. In this case I think Dubas needs to wear his big boy pants and stand up to Babcock. I don't believe deep down Babcock respects him. He seems him as a golden boy. It's time the boy matures into a man and puts Babcock in his place.

You are spot on about Babcock driving the bus and not throwing people under it. He's a bully. Even more reason the message needs to come from Dubas.

 

[ACC1224]

Sparks is playing....

Exactly

 

[Gary Nylund]

Babcock has taken veiled shots at management twice this week alone so he's either so confident in keeping his job he doesn't care, or he's as oblivious to his job security as he is to his system's failings.

Both of these possibilities speak to an ego that's grown out of control.

We agree the chain needs to be yanked. And it most cases I would say Shanahan yanking it would be fine. In this case I think Dubas needs to wear his big boy pants and stand up to Babcock. I don't believe deep down Babcock respects him. He seems him as a golden boy. It's time the boy matures into a man and puts Babcock in his place.

You are spot on about Babcock driving the bus and not throwing people under it. He's a bully. Even more reason the message needs to come from Dubas.

Maybe, it's hard to say anything for sure with the action taking place behind the curtains so to speak. If Dubas isn't standing up to Babcock then sure, he needs to do it. If however he has stood up to him and Babcock is ignoring him, that's when it would be time for Shanahan to step in and tell Babcock to play ball if he wants to stay on the team.

It's hard to achieve anything when the key players aren't on the same page. I'm also starting to think there might not be enough room in this big city of ours for Babcock's ego, I've pretty much had it with him and his superior attitude.

 

[Nineteen67]

Exactly

I said earlier I’d play the heck out of Holl, Marincin and Oz to give them the work and allow the other three to rest a bit. Don’t care he faced 100 shots.....

 

[ACC1224]

I said earlier I’d play the heck out of Holl, Marincin and Oz to give them the work and allow the other three to rest a bit. Don’t care he faced 100 shots.....

They need to win though.

 

[Durrr]

> Losing to teams below you in the standings proves how good you are.

Delusional indeed.

You're going to lose games. Please try and understand how slim the margins are in the cap era NHL on a game to game basis.

 

[ACC1224]

Both of these possibilities speak to an ego that's grown out of control.



Maybe, it's hard to say anything for sure with the action taking place behind the curtains so to speak. If Dubas isn't standing up to Babcock then sure, he needs to do it. If however he has stood up to him and Babcock is ignoring him, that's when it would be time for Shanahan to step in and tell Babcock to play ball if he wants to stay on the team.

It's hard to achieve anything when the key players aren't on the same page. I'm also starting to think there might not be enough room in this big city of ours for Babcock's ego, I've pretty much had it with him and his superior attitude.

I don't listen to press scrums but is it possible that things are being interpreted incorrectly by some fans and there really isn't any issue in management?

 

[Loosie]

Babcock was the coach for the first 20 games. We did add someone right about December 1st though, right when the team started to sharply decline.

Our 'sharp decline' was a patch from December 29th to January 20th we went 3-7-0 in that 10 game stretch when Andersen and Sparks were both out for some of it. Hutch played 5 of those games going 2-3, Andersen was 1-2 and Sparks was 0-2. After that we went 13-4-3 until last week where we've been 1-4 since.

This has nothing to do with Nylander.

 

[Nineteen67]

They need to win though.

Do they? I think resting Hainsey and Rielly forthe next 6 or 7 games wouldnt hurt. Maybe the others gain some confidence.

 

[Loosie]

I don't listen to press scrums but is it possible that things are being interpreted incorrectly by some fans and there really isn't any issue in management?

Yes.

 

[Whaleafs]

You're going to lose games. Please try and understand how slim the margins are in the cap era NHL on a game to game basis.

Yes I'm well aware, which is why it's necessary to beat teams at the bottom of the league like Ottawa so splitting season series' with teams close to us in the standings like Nashville doesn't hurt so much.

 

[ACC1224]

Do they? I think resting Hainsey and Rielly forthe next 6 or 7 games wouldnt hurt. Maybe the others gain some confidence.

A bit of a roll heading into the playoffs is necessary if they have any hope of advancing.
If the depth is required to play big roles in the playoffs, confidence or not, Leafs are in trouble.

 

[Thissiteisgarbage]

I am I'm just not familiar with this aura that fragile fans in here have put around the team becuase of one season that was not this core.

Dude, you have to be the most humorless poster on this board.

 

[Duffman955]

Assemble a butter soft team

Blame the coach when they fail when the going gets tough.

 

[rumman]

Do they? I think resting Hainsey and Rielly forthe next 6 or 7 games wouldnt hurt. Maybe the others gain some confidence.

I'd love to see them rest Hainsey, he might have lost a step, but he's still by far the best RHD the leafs have, want to see a train wreck? Take him out of the line up for a couple of games.

 

[Nineteen67]

A bit of a roll heading into the playoffs is necessary if they have any hope of advancing.
If the depth is required to play big roles in the playoffs, confidence or not, Leafs are in trouble.

Depth will play a minor role, but they can’t even do that now. Dermott might be back and Gardiner is likely done for the season. It would be negligent not to at least try and get those guys ready

 

[Durrr]

Yes I'm well aware, which is why it's necessary to beat teams at the bottom of the league like Ottawa so splitting season series' with teams close to us in the standings like Nashville doesn't hurt so much.

No one is disagreeing with that statement, and yet Ottawa still has 25 wins. Which teams below them did they beat?

 

[Gary Nylund]

I don't listen to press scrums but is it possible that things are being interpreted incorrectly by some fans and there really isn't any issue in management?

Anything's possible I suppose. From what I see though it's more than one isolated quote and it may be debatable whether he's taking shots at the GM or the players but either way, I don't like it one bit.