Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose to Grand Rapids Griffins; is anyone really surprised?

[cookie]

Franson has been horrible on the PP for a few months now. He's been bobbling pucks, shooting without traffic, not actually doing the thing he does best --- score on point shots. Not to mention he has no footspeed, so if he gets caught, it's a sure breakaway. Just a disastrous year for Cody and his confidence is visibly down the toilet.

He needs to get the **** out of the first PP unit. Gardiner or Rielly should be there, and Franson should be on the 2nd one.

Surprisingly good in the neutral zone transitioning the puck up the ice. You're solid on everything else.

 

[LeafOfBread]

Franson has been horrible on the PP for a few months now. He's been bobbling pucks, shooting without traffic, not actually doing the thing he does best --- score on point shots. Not to mention he has no footspeed, so if he gets caught, it's a sure breakaway. Just a disastrous year for Cody and his confidence is visibly down the toilet.

He needs to get the **** out of the first PP unit. Gardiner or Rielly should be there, and Franson should be on the 2nd one.

Agreed, Rielly with Phaneuf worked in the Kings game, yet Carlyle went back to Franson-Phaneuf. Why?

That combination hasn't worked in months. Lately all the PP goals have been coming from our second unit. The second unit is MUCH better and I feel way more confident with them out there.

Not to mention when Phaneuf-Franson are out together there's more of a risk of a short-handed goal since neither are strong skaters and will get burned quite easily. It makes so much more sense too to have one of Gardiner or Rielly with Franson or Phaneuf. Franson and Phaneuf have strong shots while Rielly and Gardiner are good puck movers and passers. Put 2 and 2 together please.

The power play has also hurt Phaneuf's production, usually he has more PP points by now and this year he has less because Franson shoots just as much, if not more, on the PP and forces garbage shots often.

 

[cookie]

They had a couple players stand up and lead.

Detroit did what the Leafs have been doing under Carlyle. The odd man rushes and the break aways were the epitome of the kind of play the leafs have where they sit back and insulate the goalie and then strike back with a lethal counter attack.

 

[Al14]

Let's hope they have the passion and desperation we do though. Certainly doesn't look like it.

Yup, the current group of players have a serious lack of any passion and desperation! The last two games against the Caps and Wings are proof enough for me!

 

[WilliamNylander]

This leafs team is so good on paper but they never bring it for an entire game.

They always think they can get by playing one period and either stealing the game or taking it to OT like theyve been doing all year...

Im not mad but they need to bring consistency come playoff time

 

[thewave]

Agreed, Rielly with Phaneuf worked in the Kings game, yet Carlyle went back to Franson-Phaneuf. Why?

That combination hasn't worked in months. Lately all the PP goals have been coming from our second unit. The second unit is MUCH better and I feel way more confident with them out there.

Not to mention when Phaneuf-Franson are out together there's more of a risk of a short-handed goal since neither are strong skaters and will get burned quite easily. It makes so much more sense too to have one of Gardiner or Rielly with Franson or Phaneuf. Franson and Phaneuf have strong shots while Rielly and Gardiner are good puck movers and passers. Put 2 and 2 together please.

The power play has also hurt Phaneuf's production, usually he has more PP points by now and this year he has less because Franson shoots just as much, if not more, on the PP and forces garbage shots often.

A lot of hockey people wonder the same things. Understanding Carlyle is not easy.

 

[Mess]

Their run to the Calder WIN was based on the play of their prospects.

Hopefully our own feeder system is following this same path, because if you can develop winners in the AHL it transfers to your parent team's success, and you don't need to go make costly UFA signing mistakes.

Detroit missing 10 regulars and still in a playoff hunt due to their AHL team is quite an accomplishment.

Our Leafs could have put them away yesterday, but Detroit's farm system prevented it.


.

 

[thewave]

Hopefully our own feeder system is following this same path, because if you can develop winners in the AHL it transfers to your parent team's success, and you don't need to go make costly UFA signing mistakes.


.

Gospel praise Mess

 

[The Podium]

Called it before the game. You really have to question the leadership when they continuously struggle to beat AHL calibre teams. I can't recall the last game they won against a team decimated with injuries.

 

[Patty Lee]

I'm feeling full inside cause I just had lunch.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Called it before the game. You really have to question the leadership when they continuously struggle to beat AHL calibre teams. I can't recall the last game they won against a team decimated with injuries.

Indeed
And RC's love affair with MCClement has gone a bit far. Putting him on in the dying minutes .......

Meanwhile Holland plays 7 minutes last night

 

[ForSpareParts*]

Whoa. What else do you feel?

 

[Clark4Ever]

No surprise whatsoever. Our record against inferior teams in the standings is absolutely atrocious this season, and that is the primary reason why we are a wildcard team instead of comfortably holding down a playoff position.

 

[Beleafer19]

Carlyle and the coaching staff have this thing about not critiquing a win. Well maybe its about time they did. I for one have never been happy with their wins. This team has never played a full a 60 mins. They also don't beat teams they should beat, this is so frustrating.

 

[Mess]

Too bad you can't pick your wins.

As far as Leafs playoff situation it would have been more beneficial to have lost to Anaheim and LA but beaten Washington and Detroit instead.

They would still have the same amount of points and the teams chasing them for their playoff spot would have less points and Leafs playoff position more secure.

 

[Schennanigans]

The Leafs are not playing a defensively responsible game like they did in Anaheim. I felt that was one of their best games of the season in terms of handling the puck in their own end and how well they were doing with board play. They were much more responsible defensively. Yesterday wasn't a good defensive effort. We gave up breakaways, quite a few 2 on 1's. We could of easily lost this one by 2 or 3 goals.

 

[Bad Goalie]

What a difference a few months make. Last season I kept getting bashed any time I tried to point out that Reimer had some real obvious flaws. I was repeatedly told how great he was and especially as he led them into the playoffs and they melted down on him, wait until next year. Our beast of a goalie will lead us back again.

Now much of the Leaf base is throwing him under the bus. He stinks!

I'm not ready to buy into the new negativism. He seems to be the new scapegoat for an under productive team. His numbers are not exactly horrible when compared to the savior Bernier. Their save %s are very close and he gives up a 1/2 goal per game more in GAA. He has done this in a backup role without a chance to get in a groove.

I'd now place the blame on a team that just doesn't seem to have the desire to get it done and a coach who will not budge from even one of his deadfast theories of how the game should be played. Reimer may have had his moments, but he is the least of the problems when compared with the whole.

 

[The Podium]

Indeed
And RC's love affair with MCClement has gone a bit far. Putting him on in the dying minutes .......

Meanwhile Holland plays 7 minutes last night

I honestly think Carlyle is this teams biggest enemy....

The love affair for Orr, McClement and Franson.
Refusing to break things up that aren't working.
Oblivious to the most obvious fixes to small issues.

One other thing that irks me is why have Phaneuf-Franson, Gardiner-Rielly as the PP D-units? Phaneuf and Franson lack any creativity what so ever and are both a strong shot from the point. Conversely Gardiner and Rielly are the exact opposite. Why not pair a creative D with Phaneuf and another with Franson and have a more balanced pairing on each unit..

 

[Gary Nylund]

Here's the math, we are dangerously close to slipping out of a wild card position. Our top 6 has scored 3 goals this entire road trip, guess who. This is not only a fair critique but a factual one. This is not ice dancing where you get points for looking good. Kadri and Lupul, the untouchables need to step it up, as does the regular scapegoat here Clarkson does.

There you go again. Sample size of 5 is better than one, but still useless. You should stop posting stats until you understand this.

Clarkson sucks, that is all. You've been defending him all year, today you even called him elite. BWahahahaaaa. How can anyone take anything you say seriously after that?

Why is almost every post you make in almost every thread about Bozak and Kadri no matter what the subject?

 

[BiggestLeafsFanEVER*]

I honestly think Carlyle is this teams biggest enemy....

The love affair for Orr, McClement and Franson.
Refusing to break things up that aren't working.
Oblivious to the most obvious fixes to small issues.

One other thing that irks me is why have Phaneuf-Franson, Gardiner-Rielly as the PP D-units? Phaneuf and Franson lack any creativity what so ever and are both a strong shot from the point. Conversely Gardiner and Rielly are the exact opposite. Why not pair a creative D with Phaneuf and another with Franson and have a more balanced pairing on each unit..

I completely agree with this and have thought it all year.

 

[newfy]

Wings fan here, I follow the Toronto board closely and know theres a big split on Reimer love/hate.

But I will say this, last night what did he do that was horrible? Nyquist is a really good young player who scored on a breakaway. Yes it trickled in awkwardly but how can you blame a goalie for a breakaway goal where the D get blown by like that? His second shot was a snipe post and in, tough to save regardless but maybe could have had it. The last goal was a 2 on 1, those arent on the goalie.

I get there is Reimer hate and everything but none of those were bad goals.

Also curious what leaf fans thought of Nyquist last night/his potential in the future?

 

[Al14]

Indeed
And RC's love affair with MCClement has gone a bit far. Putting him on in the dying minutes .......

Meanwhile Holland plays 7 minutes last night

and

 

[The Winter Soldier]

There you go again. Sample size of 5 is better than one, but still useless. You should stop posting stats until you understand this.

Clarkson sucks, that is all. You've been defending him all year, today you even called him elite. BWahahahaaaa. How can anyone take anything you say seriously after that?

Why is almost every post you make in almost every thread about Bozak and Kadri no matter what the subject?

It is not hard to understand our top 6 have scored 3 goals in a 5 game road trip. I don't care about sample sizes at this point, we are not talking about Hall of fame induction where then sample size is relevant. This is a recent problem with this club, and it is worth noting.

 

[BonMorrison]

Also curious what leaf fans thought of Nyquist last night/his potential in the future?

Nyquist is absolutely unreal. I've been following him since he was a prospect. I'm not a Wings fans but I was one of those people that were cursing the organization for not calling him up sooner and whatnot. He's gonna be a top line winger in his prime putting up 70+ point seasons, IMO.

 

[Al14]

I honestly think Carlyle is this teams biggest enemy....

The love affair for Orr, McClement and Franson.
Refusing to break things up that aren't working.
Oblivious to the most obvious fixes to small issues.

One other thing that irks me is why have Phaneuf-Franson, Gardiner-Rielly as the PP D-units? Phaneuf and Franson lack any creativity what so ever and are both a strong shot from the point. Conversely Gardiner and Rielly are the exact opposite. Why not pair a creative D with Phaneuf and another with Franson and have a more balanced pairing on each unit..

I'm starting to think that the players are thinking this way too!