Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose 4-2; but line matching must endure

[Ratboy]

I stopped after the first period. Gardiner was horrendous, goal aside. This guy just doesnt have the brains to keep up with the speed of the game.

I'm back! got banned for trolling pens fans after that game, yeah I'm rehabilitated now. Never again.

 

[therealkoho]

I watched a pittsburgh game last week.....they were down late in the third and who was out there?
Crosby,Malkin and Kessel........all together...
Is their coach a dunce?
Would he have played Marner and Nylander together late in this game?

why? was the Bozak line not doing their job or were you watching a different game?

Nylander had a great rush and set up Jake with a beauty, but other then that too many soft plays too many turn aways and some lazy board work to go along with it, it's every shift in the NHL not just some of them

 

[therealkoho]

You have a coach that does not play nor understand a physical game of hockey..he never has nor will, he plucked arguably the NHL's best hitter and physical influence and coaching thinks you send him out 4 shifts after an incident(dumb)..The Leafs are small, face facts and worst they not physical nor can they be under a Babcock system. Torts has more Grit in his coaching than Babcock will ever have.
Anyone thinking overplaying Brown/Hyman/Komarov upsets an opponent is incorrect for sure..the three combined don't have enough mean in them to send any form of discomfort to any opponent........Weak coach weak favourites = inability to win when you must...Euro/Babcock hockey

While the wings didn't put up crazy PIM's, they were one of the best defending teams in the league and were always amongst the top scoring teams, and they won. What is it you don't get

 

[stickty111]

While the wings didn't put up crazy PIM's, they were one of the best defending teams in the league and were always amongst the top scoring teams, and they won. What is it you don't get

He is just upset we dont have Matt Martin on all our lines.

 

[MJ65]

This team is going through a transition period and it might take some time to adjust the way Babcock wants them to play. It's not an easy task for any coach to turn around the team, the players we have are usually offense minded whether it's your forwards or defense man

I think we need to be patient for another year or so and I do believe that we are going to see some roster changes before the next year and I don't think we are go deep in the plays, we might win a series

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

The good game, bad game, good game, bad game, good game, bad game routine from Mctrash continues, hopefully now we can stop the lies about him being good because he's not, he shows zero consistency.

Consistency is why people turned on Reimer, but at least when Reimer was good he was good for the entire season, it wasn't game to game

 

[Kiwi]

The good game, bad game, good game, bad game, good game, bad game routine from Mctrash continues, hopefully now we can stop the lies about him being good because he's not, he shows zero consistency.

Consistency is why people turned on Reimer, but at least when Reimer was good he was good for the entire season, it wasn't game to game

He was fine, the team had a chance to win that game and couldn't pull it out so there's no reason to get on McBackup's back for the loss

 

[cupcrazyman]

Can we just send Carrick to an island somewhere far away ?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

He was fine, the team had a chance to win that game and couldn't pull it out so there's no reason to get on McBackup's back for the loss

He wasn't fine one of the first 2 goals has to be stopped, Freddie would have stopped one of them, there was one other softie in that game.

he is now 3-4 how many games does he have to lose before people realize he sucks

3-5? 3-6? will 3-7 do it?

 

[Albi34]

And one of the worst also. Yet it’s always his linemates who have kept pace. Marner 5 points last two games Bozak 5 points last two games yet who gets the press?

Wait you're just upset that he gets more press? Probably because he's accomplished more in his rookie season than Bozak has in his career? Next question

 

[Kiwi]

He wasn't fine one of the first 2 goals has to be stopped, Freddie would have stopped one of them, there was one other softie in that game.

he is now 3-4 how many games does he have to lose before people realize he sucks

3-5? 3-6? will 3-7 do it?

The Jacket's scored on 2 2 on 1 and the first goal the guy was left alone in front of the net

It's not his fault the team didn't want to do a decent job in front of him and if we continue to defend like that nobody behind this team is going to do any good

 

[MJ65]

Unfortunately we are pretty inconsistent this year and I don't see this team going deep this season, we are still trying to find the identity. The coaches are trying to turn this team in to a good 2 way team but in the process this team has suffered on the offensive side and not playing a good defensive game either. We are in transition phase and it's going to take some time for the team to adjust accordingly

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

The Jacket's scored on 2 2 on 1 and the first goal the guy was left alone in front of the net

It's not his fault the team didn't want to do a decent job in front of him and if we continue to defend like that nobody behind this team is going to do any good

this is the exact same team Andersen plays behind and he does fine so saying nobody behind this team could do good is just not true, and he does it evry night so I don't think that asking Mcbackup to play well as a backup is to much since he only has to do it once in a while

 

[Mr Hockey]

Historically, Gardiner has his absolutely best performances against physical teams, so I don't buy that theory.

What makes you think that? if he sees a hit coming he hands the puck over on a silver plate, imo. Are you thinking physical teams are slow and his skating/skill set helps him?

 

[Kiwi]

this is the exact same team Andersen plays behind and he does fine so saying nobody behind this team could do good is just not true, and he does it evry night so I don't think that asking Mcbackup to play well as a backup is to much since he only has to do it once in a while

Andersen is a top 10 starter in the league

The team wasn't good and maybe someone as good as Andersen could have stolen some points out of that game but there's no way anyone else in this organisation was capable of stealing that game for us

 

[Nithoniniel]

What makes you think that? if he sees a hit coming he hands the puck over on a silver plate, imo. Are you thinking physical teams are slow and his skating/skill set helps him?

I'm not thinking anything in particular. I'm just saying that he's had terrific performances against some of the most physical teams in the league, he's played well LA and there was probably not a team in the league he did better against than the last iteration of the Bruins.

As for a reason, I think it's more that players that hunt hits tend to skate with stick up, which opens up passing lanes. That means options. Gardiner seem to struggle against teams that take away his options.

 

[Raging Bull]

Gardiner frustrates because you know how well he can play, and he just hasn't even been close to that level this year. Watch Rielly skate with the puck from his own zone and gain entry in the oppositions zone, that is what Gardiner can and should be doing. His best quality is his skating. Last year he looked like a million bucks, I don't know if it was because he was used in a sheltered role compared to this year, I don't follow those kind of stats. But if that is the case, maybe he should be put back in that role.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Gardiner frustrates because you know how well he can play, and he just hasn't even been close to that level this year. Watch Rielly skate with the puck from his own zone and gain entry in the oppositions zone, that is what Gardiner can and should be doing. His best quality is his skating. Last year he looked like a million bucks, I don't know if it was because he was used in a sheltered role compared to this year, I don't follow those kind of stats. But if that is the case, maybe he should be put back in that role.

He kept up his performances when he switched to playing really tough minutes though, so I don't know if it's that. This year has been frustrating and disappointing, for sure.

 

[Tak7]

Historically, Gardiner has his absolutely best performances against physical teams, so I don't buy that theory.

I agree with this.

I'd go one step further and say that Gardiner's best performances in a Leaf jersey have been in the playoffs, and after that it's the physical team games where he excels. And I think there's a reason for that:

When the games are quicker, and Gardiner has less time to think, he seems to rely more on his instinct and natural decision making.

When he has more time, especially on the puck, he seems to over-think, and that's where he gets himself into a ton of trouble.

 

[DarkKnight]

I agree with this.

I'd go one step further and say that Gardiner's best performances in a Leaf jersey have been in the playoffs, and after that it's the physical team games where he excels. And I think there's a reason for that:

When the games are quicker, and Gardiner has less time to think, he seems to rely more on his instinct and natural decision making.

When he has more time, especially on the puck, he seems to over-think, and that's where he gets himself into a ton of trouble.

I still remember that series against Boston, Gardiner was a revelation.

 

[CelticDruid]

Leafs better pick it up as the pack is closing in.

 

[DarkKnight]

Can we just send Carrick to an island somewhere far away ?

He can make a decent rush, sometimes a good first pass, trouble is you have to win the puck first. People crap all over Polak, but Carrick is just as flawed in different ways. Polak can't pass, but he can play the wall, front of the net well. Carrick can pass but is completely overmatched down low and loses battles constantly on the boards. Pick your poison, neither is great, we need another D IMHO. Carrick is a 7.