Post-Game Talk: Leafs no shows in game 1. Trail series 1-0

[saffronleaf]

What I couldn't understand was how bad the ice has been. A fast team in their own arena, you'd think they'd be on top of this. Maybe it's all the concerts or concerns for the fan's comfort?

It was never meant to be a hockey arena. Designed for bball until last minute due to ownership / investment they shoehorned in hockey facilities.

Would be nice if the Leafs had a dedicated hockey arena with the latest technology for ice-making.

But other teams would probably complain wahh wahh we can't afford this or that blah blah

 

[Faltorvo]

No it didn't. Did they age six years when they signed the deals?

Elite young players don't take cheap deals and end up underpaid anymore. Those days are over. They look at the MacKinnon's, the Scheifele's, the Pastrnak's (I don't care what he says there's no way he's happy being stuck at $6M after winning a Rocket) and say ''screw that, those guys left money on the table and it won't be me''. Pastrnak can say what he wants in the media but there's no way he's not looking at Auston Matthews one goal back of him for the Rocket and not wishing he had the same contract. If the timing worked out a little differently he would have it too, but of course it didn't work out that way so the contract police get to still point at him and say ''look how cheap that guy is''.

It's not just going to be a Leaf problem either. Just wait until Pettersson's ELC is up. Or the next wave studs like Lafreniere.

funny things is , none of those teams that paid their kids the big bucks early are winning anything either.

 

[Go4soda]

If they do move one of the big 4, I hope it’s Marner. Matthews stays cause he’s the best. Tavares stays because signing a big UFA, making him captain, and then just teasing him I think is bad optics, Nylander stays because his contract is the best in terms of value, and he can play C if there’s an injury.

The thing is because of all this Marner might also be the hardest one to trade.

I can’t disagree. And I’ve been a huge marner supporter since London. Our team needs to get heavier.
As for moving marner, there will be suitors, even with that contract. There are blue collar teams out there that have the workman team concept, but can use a shot of creativity, and elite skill.
Perhaps dubas has a way to address our weaknesses that allows us to keep the big 4 intact. But I can’t see it.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Disappointing, but I don't think it was the worst game ever played in the history of the world, as you might imply from a lot of the posts here.

You have to give the Jackets credit, especially Korpisalo, who robbed both Matthews and Mikheyev. What is it with Finnish goalies beating us in the playoffs?

Matthews, Mikheyev, and Andersen were our best players. The third line was pretty good. Marner and Tavares seemed to be the only no-shows.

Better luck tomorrow.

 

[Gabriel426]

Yes he won some battles. Early on he was like a little mongoose closing faster than they expected and using great body position to neutralize their legs. But has the game wore on he lost effectiveness, especially if it wasn't a situation where he was the one initiating planned contact.

I agree with what you said but I think that also had to do with getting used to the rhythm of the game. Don’t think Robertson is used to playing 30 seconds and sitting for 4 mins before his next shift. At least that what I noticed. Both Robertson and to some extend Soup didn’t have a good 2nd period but both were quite good during the first and the third period. I think that had to do with the fact special teams, PP and PK in the second period.

 

[PromisedLand]

I'll be disappointed if they don't survive this round, but it is the following 2 seasons (if any real hockey takes place) that I will use to determine if one of them has to be moved.

In exhibition games teams can look a lot better / worse than regular season.

These are exhibition games that count.

80 cents on the dollar?

This is what has me worried for the future of the franchise

 

[Ziggdiezan]

I think teams that play more physical / grinding style are more likely to win this year then teams with high skill because of the long layoff. It takes a while to get going and play at that high level and there just isn't any time to get warmed up.

Ya I was thinking this too. I expect a lot of upsets but ya Toronto needs to make it to the next round to see their style of play flourish

 

[ULF_55]

This is what has me worried for the future of the franchise

Yeah, I don't see them winning any trade where they move out marner or Matthews.

 

[BrainyBomber]

FA had a .971 save % in that game,,,he did his part

the 76 million tied up in guys meant to put the puck in the net did not,,,,triple thumbs down to the 4 guys eating 40 million of it.

But Korpisalo had a 1.000 save % he was better. Made the biggest save of the night and didn't let in a dreadful goal.

As good as Freddie can be at times he's error prone especially in the playoffs and is yet to match an opposing netminder in a series.

His howler was the biggest difference in the game despite the subpar play of some of the others.

Frankly he's having the worst season of his career and unless he steps it up we're toast.

 

[Faltorvo]

Nylander makes $4 million less than Tavares and finished the regular season with 1 less point and a PPG of 0.87 to Tavares' 0.95, so you tell me who the bigger waste of money is.

last season hands down Melander,,this season he is earning his phat deal
last season JT earned every penny,,this season a little short but not a waste of money

 

[Nylander88]

We definitely need to get more "meat and potatoes" than flash and dash like we have throughout. Columbus is a great example of will vs skill here. Come the off-season I'd be pumped to grab Josh Anderson (currently not in the CBJ lineup thankfully) and Chris Tanev. I don't think we're miles away, but minor tweaks are definitely needed. I'd resign Clifford too.

 

[saffronleaf]

Highlights... I feel like a number of people should genuinely rewatch them.

feel bad for the guy who had to put together a highlight package for this very boring game with nothing happening except a routine shot that you make to get a whistle beat Freddy

 

[Faltorvo]

But Korpisalo had a 1.000 save % he was better. Made the biggest save of the night and didn't let in a dreadful goal.

As good as Freddie can be at times he's error prone especially in the playoffs and is yet to match an opposing netminder in a series.

His howler was the biggest difference in the game despite the subpar play of some of the others.

Frankly he's having the worst season of his career and unless he steps it up we're toast.

i don't care what the other tender does,,,thats for the skaters to solve

i'll take a .971 sv% every day and call it a outstanding outing

 

[ItsFineImFine]

As an aside, what is with HNIC's obsession with Arkell's? I don't really care if they have a new album out and nothing against the band but this isn't a new thing, they repeatedly promo that one band non-stop for years lol.

 

[Gabriel426]

I can’t disagree. And I’ve been a huge marner supporter since London. Our team needs to get heavier.
As for moving marner, there will be suitors, even with that contract. There are blue collar teams out there that have the workman team concept, but can use a shot of creativity, and elite skill.
Perhaps dubas has a way to address our weaknesses that allows us to keep the big 4 intact. But I can’t see it.

Cap wise it makes sense. You take Marner Cap at 10.9 and someone like Marcinin at 950k, that’s pretty much 11.8mil and spend on Toffelli and Tanev(just an example of the level of Dman Leafs can sign or trade at around 5 mil). That’s about a 40pts drop off in offence production. Can the Leafs over come that is the question.
Say Toffelli due to being on the PP with JT, AM and Willie can increase his points total by 10pts. While having someone like Tanev will have the goal diff by +20, that’s pretty much 0.25 goal less per game. Thus the final drop off is like 10pts diff between Marner and Marincin vs Toffelli and Tanev.

 

[Auston Richard]

I agree. Most playoff teams present a bad matchup for us at the moment.

In all honesty, what team would be considered a "good" match up for the leafs?

 

[Ziggdiezan]

i don't care what the other tender does,,,thats for the skaters to solve

i'll take a .971 sv% every day and call it a outstanding outing

Ya agreed. Leafs are supposed to be a high octane offensive team. If Andy let's in 1 goal and the team lose, that falls onto the skaters or the gameplan.

 

[saffronleaf]

I would make the argument that CBJ has similar characteristics in hockey that the Raptors do in basketball.

probably, but I'm just sick of hearing the Raptors used as a beating stick against the Leafs, like the Leafs are the wayward sibling and the Raptors the straight and narrow. Different sports. Different development stages.

Lol I guess in my social life I'm surrounded almost exclusively by Raptors fans who hate the Leafs. Although I think that's probably the most common type of sports fan you'll find in the 20-35 range in Toronto now. At least there's HF.

 

[saffronleaf]

In all honesty, what team would be considered a "good" match up for the leafs?

Maybe Detroit.

 

[MSZ]

In all honesty, what team would be considered a "good" match up for the leafs?

People love to bring up the Penguins/Hawks as offensive teams which were successful in the past. But they forgot that those teams also had some very gritty players who did all the dirty jobs to open things up for their star players. The Leafs don't have any of those guys, there is no good match up until Dubas makes some major changes.

 

[Woodman19]

I guess people forget the raptors were playoff chokers for half a decade before winning.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

probably, but I'm just sick of hearing the Raptors used as a beating stick against the Leafs, like the Leafs are the wayward sibling and the Raptors the straight and narrow. Different sports. Different development stages.

Lol I guess in my social life I'm surrounded almost exclusively by Raptors fans who hate the Leafs. Although I think that's probably the most common type of sports fan you'll find in the 20-35 range in Toronto now. At least there's HF.

That’s what happens when a franchise does literally nothing of note for 15 years.

 

[saffronleaf]

That’s what happens when a franchise does literally nothing of note for 15 years.

yup, they have nobody to blame but themselves for becoming irrelevant and even despised in their own city.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

We definitely need to get more "meat and potatoes" than flash and dash like we have throughout. Columbus is a great example of will vs skill here. Come the off-season I'd be pumped to grab Josh Anderson (currently not in the CBJ lineup thankfully) and Chris Tanev. I don't think we're miles away, but minor tweaks are definitely needed. I'd resign Clifford too.

I really don't get the obsession with Clifford... I don't think he has had a single "good" game with the Leafs thus far. He's been mediocre at best and he's only going to get worse.

If we need more of any kind of player, it is Hyman. Works hard, brings defensive value, and can compliment offensive players. Clifford was supposed to bring the first two things at the very least, but he has not really had any output for his hard work.

 

[Woodman19]

yup, they have nobody to blame but themselves for becoming irrelevant and even despised in their own city.

But it's not Dubas, Shanahan or anyone on the teams fault for what was done 15 years ago.