Post-Game Talk: Leafs shutout by Yotes 2-0

[56 Years No Cup]

Let me ask you this then....Al Arbour, overrated after winning 4 straight Stanley Cups as HC and then not winning another for the rest of his career behind the bench? How about Pat Quinn (never won a Stanley Cup as a HC)?

Even better, what is your opinion on John Cooper? Hasn’t won anything since his days as HC in the AHL in 2012....must be a dinosaur living on past success according to your math, no?

Love John Copper as he adapts to the game as it evolves. Babcock still does the same things that worked once in the early 2000's.

 

[ULF_55]

Agreed, Leafs are in a 2nd tier below the elite teams like TB.

The way to reach them is player personnel changes to address their well documented and known weakness. On talent level of offensive skill we might be close.

It would cost futures to get the pieces to move into the top tier (of 1 Tampa).

Are fans willing to give up real, valuable and desired future pieces to move into that tier?
I don't think most are willing to pay the price, they want to keep their favorite prospects over building the best team for now.

Give me something great for my cast-offs because I deserve it?

 

[JEI]

True but the majority of our goals come from AM and JT. Mitch and Willie are pass first. Marleau is past his due date and Kappy and AJ are not established goal scores just yet.

Leafs - AM (44 games), JT, MM, Kappy - 99 goals
TB - Kutch, Stammer, Point, Johnson -115 goals
Calgary - Monahan Lindhom, Gaudreau Tkachuk - 120
Jets - Schief, Connor, Laine, Ehlers (40 games) - 91 goals
Sharks - Pav Kane Hertl Couture -104 goals + Meier 125 goals
Bruins - Pasta Bergeron Marchand Debrusk - 102 goals
CBJ - Atkinson Panarin PLD Anderson - 98 goals

I don't think they need a sniper so much as they just need to reshuffle the lineup. And the totals aren't far off considering how much Matthews has missed.

 

[notDatsyuk]

IIRC Montreal only lost 8 games all year.

60-8-12. Can you imaging their total with two more games to play, and those 12 ties going into OT/shootout?

 

[Mess]

It would cost futures to get the pieces to move into the top tier (of 1 Tampa).

Are fans willing to give up real, valuable and desired future pieces to move into that tier?
I don't think most are willing to pay the price, they want to keep their favorite prospects over building the best team for now.

Give me something great for my cast-offs because I deserve it?

Its actually now or never.

Next year Leafs will likely have 3 players AM + JT and MM all making more $$ AAV than any of TB top players Kucherov, Stamkos, Hedman and Point.

So if you spend more cap money than better competition how do you compensate?

If you go all-in with high draft picks as we have seen with 1st and 2 former 2nds (Grundstrom and Durzi) for Muzz then you are simultaneously burning up future resources also to Keeping up with the Joneses.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

60-8-12. Can you imaging their total with two more games to play, and those 12 ties going into OT/shootout?

That's a REAL record.

 

[baton elevated]

Not sure if it's a Dubas thing or a Babcock thing but this team does not have anyone who plays like Clark, Roberts, Gilmour, . kadri kinda fits that bill but rarely is a pest anymore. This team does not finish checks or initiate or respond to physical play and this includes the 4th line. Arizona starting finishing their checks in the 2nd period and it caused all sorts of problems for the leafs ie looking over their shoulder knowing a hit was coming.

I do understand we are a skill and speed team but man there is zero jam/mettle/passion to this group either because of personel or coaching/gm direction. There are a lot of teams who have abandoned this aspect of the game these days but it is something that Tampa and the Bruins do have when needed and I fear will be our undoing come playoff time. And, its just more fun to watch. The leafs play a little to clinical for my liking.

The caps also play with Jam as do the Pens. You need it to be successful as these teams all incorporate it.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Ha Ha, you are a tad older than I sir. I stated best I have seen, which is a factual statement. I did not see the '64 Leafs unfortunately. In fact I have never seen the Leafs in a SC game, I only started watching in 1970.

"Sir"? Proper respect - I like that.

My condolences for your being too young.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

"Sir"? Proper respect - I like that.

My condolences for your being too young.

In 1964 during playoff time I WAS 2. And I'm old. You're DAMN old!

 

[baton elevated]

On one hand its good that the Leafs tend to show up against quality teams, but the lack of effort against lower ranked teams is very obvious now and its a major concern.

Leafs must have pissed away 10-15 points due to this, and this is the MAIN thing that separates the Leafs from Tampa, Tampa doesn't lose to bottom feeders. If the Leafs actually showed up against these weak teams we'd have 85+ close to 90 points right now instead of 75.

We all know what's going to happen, we're facing Boston again and chances are we're not going to have home ice advantage against them again because of disgusting efforts like this.

From my eyes it appears this Leafs team doesn't grasp the concept and importance of home ice, if they did they would show respect to poor teams.

Well said. I have stated this same sentiment on many occasions.

 

[ULF_55]

In 1964 during playoff time I WAS 2. And I'm old. You're DAMN old!

I was 9, but my year of birth is in my Username, so no secret.

 

[PromisedLand]

Agreed, you need all sorts of players on a successful team and not just all the same types of speed skaters and non physical types. Speed and Skill is great but you need a strong supporting cast that brings other things to the team as well.

look at what Johnsson has to say; it can be taken as a "hint given to dubas" that you cannot just have skilled guys roll through

 

[PromisedLand]

It would cost futures to get the pieces to move into the top tier (of 1 Tampa).

Are fans willing to give up real, valuable and desired future pieces to move into that tier?
I don't think most are willing to pay the price, they want to keep their favorite prospects over building the best team for now.

Give me something great for my cast-offs because I deserve it?

if leafs can draft a Kucherov in the 2nd round that would solve some of the problems where one can just trade roster player for futures

 

[Havoc]

I don't watch Coyotes games so I don't know if he's like that consistently, but Hjalmarsson looks like the missing piece to our puzzle. This guy basically said "nah" whenever we tried to create offence.

He's a pending UFA. Get it done Dubas. I'm sure he won't use his NTC to cancel a trade to a top 5 team.

 

[Morbo]

Glad to see Leaf fans are level headed and take in the big picture vs panicking over one loss.

7 wins and 3 loses over the last 10 games, not bad eh? 38 GF and 27 GA in those games, not bad eh? Over the last 10 games we've taken 45 min in penalties while our opponents have taken 75 min. Our PP is clicking along at 20% while our PK is clicking along at 82%. On an aggregate level we've out shot our opponents 346 to 342, our Corsi and Fenwick are both above 50%. Our PDO is close to 103, we have won 10% more FO than we have lost.

If there is one thing I can say about Leaf fans is they are a a group that is generally level headed and well educated and don't panic after every loss and plan the parade after every win.

I learned a new word today, sardonic, it means derisively mocking. I wonder if I will have an opportunity to use the word sardonic today?

This year is the worst I've ever seen it.

 

[justafan22]

I would like to see Lindholm scratched when Johnsson's back.

Guy doesn't even play 10 minutes a night on average and has 1 point this calendar year in 19 games. No goals in 51 games.

 

[Marshy]

I would like to see Lindholm scratched when Johnsson's back.

Guy doesn't even play 10 minutes a night on average and has 1 point this calendar year in 19 games. No goals in 51 games.

Not good enough for a passive any 4th liner.

 

[justafan22]

Not good enough for a passive any 4th liner.

He's such an unremarkable player.

Gauthier at least has faceoffs.

Ennis scores.

 

[ULF_55]

He's such an unremarkable player.

Gauthier at least has faceoffs.

Ennis scores.

Babcock must like him. He's still on the team, while some other airlifted players have been banished to the AHL.

 

[Marshy]

Gauaway and Goholm need to be replaced on the roster stat. TDL should be interesting.

Hurry back Mango.

 

[Torontonian]

And just like that Boston is 2nd in the division and Leafs lose home ice

Yes, if only the playoffs started right now and there wasn't 20+ more games left in the season

 

[Nineteen67]

Not sure if it's a Dubas thing or a Babcock thing but this team does not have anyone who plays like Clark, Roberts, Gilmour, . kadri kinda fits that bill but rarely is a pest anymore. This team does not finish checks or initiate or respond to physical play and this includes the 4th line. Arizona starting finishing their checks in the 2nd period and it caused all sorts of problems for the leafs ie looking over their shoulder knowing a hit was coming.

I do understand we are a skill and speed team but man there is zero jam/mettle/passion to this group either because of personel or coaching/gm direction. There are a lot of teams who have abandoned this aspect of the game these days but it is something that Tampa and the Bruins do have when needed and I fear will be our undoing come playoff time. And, its just more fun to watch. The leafs play a little to clinical for my liking.

Too clinical is a great description. And it’s really boring.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Shut out by a terrible team. Not a great showing

How are the Coyotes a terrible team?

They have the top PK in the league and have a huge crop of young talent.

I just don’t understand how people have no idea they’re better than their record shows.

Chayka is a serious top-caliber GM, and he’s really turning the team into a winner.

 

[Rob Brown]

Arizona needs to just **** off, hurry up and go bankrupt, and be moved. What a useless piece of **** excuse for a hockey market, full of asshats who prob know nothing about hockey.

I feel better now lol

a lot of morons around me at the game last night. Totally uneducated comments all around. I was in Vegas too and their fans were much better - totally night and day.

 

[wingman75]

The more I think about this result, the more my feelings on it will be decided after the Blues game. I mean, we are 3-2-0 on this road trip. So if we finish 4-2 I won't be too upset as that is a good trip record. If we lose, and finish 3-3 I'll be much less impressed.

Bottom line, despite the good record, the inconsistent play (read effort level) from this team does not lead me to feel we will be challenging for the cup this season. But we are certainly on the right path, being just 2 seasons removed from a 30th place finish.