Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose 4-2 to the caps

[Torontonian]

Get Bozo the clown off this team already, guy is so useless. We didn't play that bad, even for most of the 1st and 2nd.. were down 3-0 after 3 goals on 15 shots.. and dominated in the 3rd.

 

[Mr Hockey]

I wish the media would press Babcock more about Hyman, they've never really grilled him at all since Babcock signed here. Babs gets a free pass far too often. Hyman getting the minutes he does is a joke. Having Connor Brown on the fourth line is a joke. The media needs to start making a stink because what we say here is meaningless.

Hey bud, we are not a "all in" team yet, you can cry about the lines in 2 years. We are still building this season.

 

[Superstar]

See that's what you're missing. Just because we're winning and getting points does not mean that things are obviously working. Oftentimes, when you win despite being badly outplayed, it's due to puck luck. And that's not sustainable. We've seen how that plays out before.

Others are saying our possession numbers are better, so that's good maybe it won't be a repeat. But I'm still deeply concerned by how we're being outplayed badly on most nights. Keep that up and it'll be yet another historic late season collapse.

Your argument is incoherent and nonsensical. You know what is obviously not working? Here are some examples: Buffalo, Arizona and Edmonton to name a few...by your reasoning, you might say it is obviously working in those cities, but those teams are just not getting "puckluck" to get them wins and points. Ridiculous. Puckluck doesn't get you a 15-9-1 record in a professional league like the NHL.

And "No", we haven't seen this before...this is a different team...a young team that earned a playoff spot over 82 games last season, not like that other team which just squeaked in during a shortened season after a bunch of years of futility...this a team with a generational #1 C that we drafted, and is still developing, supported by plenty of young talent. But hey, continue to be weary if it suits you.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

So qouting our coach is acting like a child ?

The context and vernacular are a little more than obvious in telling how you were using the quotes...

Either way, you're free to feel the way you do. Understand that everyone who opposes that isn't necessarily wrong.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Hey bud, we are not a "all in" team yet, you can cry about the lines in 2 years. We are still building this season.

You can cry when you realise this team IS all in this year and next and we watch UFA's walk, all the kids get contracts and we're in bad shape with the cap. Still building? Are you kidding me? And what does "still building" have to do with gifting playing time to Hyman? This team is probably the deepest forward group in the league and Zach f***ing Hyman is near the top in TOI. Marner and Martin need to loan the smelling salts to some people in this fanbase.

 

[hotpaws]

The context and vernacular are a little more than obvious in telling how you were using the quotes...

Either way, you're free to feel the way you do. Understand that everyone who opposes that isn't necessarily wrong.

And yet I'm left to wonder why I never read Kessel needed a Hyman type player on his line for the 6 years he was here ?

Surely if thats how people believed you build a top scoring line someone would have mentioned it .

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

And yet I'm left to wonder why I never read Kessel needed a Hyman type player on his line for the 6 years he was here ?

Surely if thats how people believed you build a top scoring line someone would have mentioned it .

People wanted a Hyman like player on that line for years, it was constantly criticized for not having anyone willing to go into the corners or play defensively.

 

[Paradoc]

Judging a non-offensive player but his offensive finesse is the real issue.

He’s a guy who plays his role on the line, is a staple on the PK, and is on pace to have a 40 point season with no powerplay time.

I’d say he’s had a damn fine start.

Not too mention, roughly 32 of the 40 points he’s on pace for, would be primary points. Which is better than what Nylander has last season.

But of course every player needs to be perfect in everything.

I give him props for producing points, but he actually doesn't produce much with Matthews on the ice which is the problem I have with him. I get that Matthews succeeds very well with players who can retrieve and give the puck to him. Hyman can retrieve the puck but struggles heavily with getting him the puck. It's why you see Matthews getting majority of the points from players who can give Matthews the puck (Gardiner, Nylander, Marner). Now, Hyman has actually produced a lot of points this year from Brown and Marleau, and the line Hyman-Marleau-Brown played well in limited time. My solution would be to put Hyman on a line with a bunch of grinders to make that line more efficient and give Matthews a better LW. You are right with he plays his role well, but his skill-set is not really up to par. If he's not retrieving the puck well, then he has no impact next to Matthews and that has happened a couple of times this year.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

I could be convinced that a defensive line of

Hyman - Komarov - Brown

Would be excellent when the game is on the line

 

[hotpaws]

People wanted a Hyman like player on that line for years, it was constantly criticized for not having anyone willing to go into the corners or play defensively.

No they didn't , they wanted a number 1 center but not one freaking person that wanted an unskilled energy player like Hyman on his line .

Many also wanted a Shanahan player but he was an all around stud .

Also I never read anyone say we should glue a Hyman type player to Mathews before Babs did .

 

[MJ65]

I must admit I am not enjoying this team - there are so many flaws and I don't see the motivation

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

No they didn't , they wanted a number 1 center but not one freaking person that wanted an unskilled energy player like Hyman on his line .

Many also wanted a Shanahan player but he was an all around stud .

Also I never read anyone say we should glue a Hyman type player to Mathews before Babs did .

You got me there, no one ever said that line needs unskilled energy player. I mean sure people talked about getting a defensive aware center or winger but they never did specify unskilled..

 

[Martin Skoula]

People wanted a Hyman like player on that line for years, it was constantly criticized for not having anyone willing to go into the corners or play defensively.

I mean we already had the great Joey Crabb, what more can you ask for?

 

[hotpaws]

You got me there, no one ever said that line needs unskilled energy player. I mean sure people talked about getting a defensive aware center or winger but they never did specify unskilled..

It's so sweet you think Hyman is skilled.

 

[MJ65]

Babcock Post game - Leafs TV

 

[MJ65]

Game in six minutes - Courtesy Leafs TV

 

[Antropovsky]

I must admit I am not enjoying this team - there are so many flaws and I don't see the motivation

Leafs need to inject more youth/speed/energy

The vets on this team have no energy or urgency to their games. Poor role models. Need vets like zuccarello or miller from nyr. Energy like hyman, but actually have top 6 level skills. Great on ice leaders.

Jvr and bozak have Rick Nash level interest in hockey on a day to day basis.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Matthews is back to being dominant. He owned Florida and Washington. The points are going to come in bunches soon. Hope he gets Willy going too

 

[htpwn]

I'm a bit puzzled at the criticism towards McElhinney. You must have known going in that a Holtby vs. McElhinney goalie match-up was not in our favour? I thought he played fine. No goal was overly weak, except maybe the first one which was nonetheless off the stick of Alexander Ovechkin. He more or less held the fort in the 3rd. Same with Hyman. Why the criticism? Because he missed a scoring chance or two? I get and agree with the frustration of him being forever stapled to Matthews hip but that doesn't mean every time we lose a game, he's at fault.

The person most at fault for the result today was not on our side at all, in fact. It was Alex Ovechkin, doing what Matthews has done for us a few times this year. He put the Capitals on his back, and dragged them to victory (of note, he was one of only 2 Capitals to be above water in Corsi). The other factors were the aforementioned Brayden Holtby and a group of officials who decided to call 4 penalties against the Leafs in the first 40 and then put their whistles away in the Leafs-dominated final 20.

As for what's dogging this team... it is the offense, as remarkable that is to say (are we still 1st in goals for?). Yeah, we scored 5 last night in Carolina and yeah, we scored 6 against Montréal, but one was a product of a bad goalie (Ward) and the other a bad team. A few flashes aside, the Leafs have been totally ineffective at generating offensive chances/pressure for what feels like the entire month of November. It is a team-wide thing, which leaves me wondering if Babcock's drive to get them playing better defense has sapped the team of its biggest strength. The slow starts (digging themselves in holes) are not helping either: The team that scores first in this league usually wins. Fortunately they've been treading water despite their lacklustre play but that's not sustainable forever. They got to figure it out and soon.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

I'm a bit puzzled at the criticism towards McElhinney. You must have known going in that a Holtby vs. McElhinney goalie match-up was not in our favour? I thought he played fine. No goal was overly weak, except maybe the first one which was nonetheless off the stick of Alexander Ovechkin. He more or less held the fort in the 3rd. Same with Hyman. Why the criticism? Because he missed a scoring chance or two? I get and agree with the frustration of him being forever stapled to Matthews hip but that doesn't mean every time we lose a game, he's at fault.

The person most at fault for the result today was not on our side at all, in fact. It was Alex Ovechkin, doing what Matthews has done for us a few times this year. He put the Capitals on his back, and dragged them to victory (of note, he was one of only 2 Capitals to be above water in Corsi). The other factors were the aforementioned Brayden Holtby and a group of officials who decided to call 4 penalties against the Leafs in the first 40 and then put their whistles away in the Leafs-dominated final 20.

As for what's dogging this team... it is the offense, as remarkable that is to say (are we still 1st in goals for?). Yeah, we scored 5 last night in Carolina and yeah, we scored 6 against Montréal, but one was a product of a bad goalie (Ward) and the other a bad team. A few flashes aside, the Leafs have been totally ineffective at generating offensive chances/pressure for what feels like the entire month of November. It is a team-wide thing, which leaves me wondering if Babcock's drive to get them playing better defense has sapped the team of its biggest strength. The slow starts (digging themselves in holes) are not helping either: The team that scores first in this league usually wins. Fortunately they've been treading water despite their lacklustre play but that's not sustainable forever. They got to figure it out and soon.

Every loss and the sky is falling, if people watching the games at a bar acted this way the bartender would cut them off after the first period.

 

[Joedoggy]

Time will tell, but losing is as simple as coaching. If your lied to there is a lack of trust, if the trust is gone so is the will to succeed. Just watching camera shots of the bench a lot of players look sideways when the ranting and raving starts behind them.

 

[bobermay]

Name the players who have less skill ? Maybe Martin , after him who ?

I'll bite:

1) Martin
2) Komarov
3) Soshnikov
4) Moore

Not less skilled, but a less effective NHL player:
5) Leivo
6) Kapanen* (Marlies)

Not less skilled, but an overall similar callibre player:
7) Brown
8) Bozak <- Starting to fall into Hyman category.. not the same Bozak we've seen last couple of seasons...

 

[Ratboy]

Is it me or is Orlov the master of cross checking just enough as to not get penalized?

Its his special move.

 

[Gallagbi]

I must admit I am not enjoying this team - there are so many flaws and I don't see the motivation

They look like a team fighting their own instincts in a lot of situations.

Makes sense since Babs is trying to change the way they play.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Put any forward on a line with Matthews and Marner or Nylander, and they'll put up points. Martin could do it, too. Just look at how many dangerous chances Hyman ****s up over and over ad nauseum.

Even good players playing on great lines don't always put up 40 point paces without PP time. No reason to think that Martin would.