Pre-Game Talk: Leafs vs Lightning

[Gabriel426]

Kadri is great because he can fit into the top 6, but he just wasn't very impressive in a 3rd line role

I agree. I think with the structure of the Leafs, the 3C needs to be strong defensively. The third line needs to be a momentum killer line. How often did the Leafs lose the game within a minute bc the opposing team scored two or more in a hurry?
JT, Marner and Hyman did that last year. And to some extend, the third line did that when Soup was playing.
I know some of us like it point to honeymoon period, injuries...but I think, at least the eye test, Soup played a huge role in containing or even shutting down the opposing team momentum when he was on the ice.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

They will shut everyone up when they make the playoffs and win a round.

I'm with you. I'm just amazed at how the expectations have dropped so far in here. At the beginning of the season wasn't the general consensus essentially "first round win or bust"?

Now some are just happy to squeak into the playoffs as an 8 seed? WTF?

 

[TML Dynasty]

Why tf is this a Kadri debate?

 

[Leafs at Knight]

How much are you guys getting paid to watch this?

 

[56 Years No Cup]

This season has just been one big rolling ball of shit going downhill that keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Marner's contract
Matthews butt
Scratch Spezza in Leaf debut
Ugly November
Babs gets fired
Team has a month where things are good
Fred crashes back to October form
Rielly get injured for most of the season
Same record from jan onward as the record that got Babs fired
Lose to a Zamboni driver.

Thanks. Where's the nearest bridge?

 

[Lil Tuzzi Bert]

Kappy has been a beast lately love to see him keep this energy up

 

[Third Degree Burns]

optimistically tonight is 5-2 TB. I think it gets ugly.

 

[Gabriel426]

Kadri has only played 72 minutes at 5v5 with MacKinnon and 60 minutes with Rantanen.

Kerfoot has played 170 min at 5v5 with Nylander+Tavares combined, as well as an additional 62 minutes with Nylander, and 77 minutes with John Tavares. He's also played around another 75 minutes with Mitch Marner.

So no it hasn't been the same.

It's funny seeing the narratives around this trade morph...the trade was centered around Barrie, but he's been disappointing and is going to walk for nothing in the summer, so now people are desperately clinging to "Kerfoot>Kadri" to justify the trade.

Honestly, it is like prospects, we like to judge who win right away....
Kadri is the best player in the trade even before the season started. However, the fact that Barrie had a great playoff, Avs retained 50% and Kerfoot being a capable 3C, along with Kadri getting suspended again, made the trade a solid trade at that time.

By next few weeks, if Kerfoot does well and solidify the 3rd line while Barrie plays to his potential, Rosen becomes Top 4 and Kadri struggles after his injury, the narrative will change again.

 

[xxOCZMSxx]

This season has just been one big rolling ball of shit going downhill that keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Marner's contract
Matthews butt
Scratch Spezza in Leaf debut
Ugly November
Babs gets fired
Team has a month where things are good
Fred crashes back to October form
Rielly get injured for most of the season
Same record from jan onward as the record that got Babs fired
Lose to a Zamboni driver.

I think you should make this list a thread and each person is required to add three “predictions” to the bottom of the list.

it’ll be entertaining at the very least.

 

[Dave92]

Such an exciting game tonight, our management is excited to see how this group handles adversity. Apparently they just woke up from a 3 year coma, it would explain a lot.

 

[xxOCZMSxx]

I think you should make this list a thread and each person is required to add three “predictions” to the bottom of the list.

it’ll be entertaining at the very least.

my entries...
- Whole Foods frozen waffles thrown after tonight’s ugly loss in TB
- Mike Babcock claims to be Mike Litorus
- a Carolina rematch results in the first NHL game ever where a team chose to play six attackers for the whole 60 minutes. You know how it ends...

 

[TheBigFour]

dreger said couple days ago that the leafs plan to ramp up sandin and lily's minutes down the final stretch. i wonder if it starts tonight against the best team (IMO) in the league.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Honestly, it is like prospects, we like to judge who win right away....
Kadri is the best player in the trade even before the season started. However, the fact that Barrie had a great playoff, Avs retained 50% and Kerfoot being a capable 3C, along with Kadri getting suspended again, made the trade a solid trade at that time.

By next few weeks, if Kerfoot does well and solidify the 3rd line while Barrie plays to his potential, Rosen becomes Top 4 and Kadri struggles after his injury, the narrative will change again.

Well that is only good for us right now. I would love if Rosen became a top 4 defenseman right now

Now if Hutchinson becomes anything, that's another story...

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I agree. I think with the structure of the Leafs, the 3C needs to be strong defensively. The third line needs to be a momentum killer line. How often did the Leafs lose the game within a minute bc the opposing team scored two or more in a hurry?
JT, Marner and Hyman did that last year. And to some extend, the third line did that when Soup was playing.
I know some of us like it point to honeymoon period, injuries...but I think, at least the eye test, Soup played a huge role in containing or even shutting down the opposing team momentum when he was on the ice.

I agree. I think Kerfoot can be that glue center, as he's a good skater and has good defensive instincts. Mikheyev/Engvall and Kapanen are good wingers for him to help with that

 

[Smif]

Humiliation is a powerful motivator.

 

[ECanuck]

Humiliation is a powerful motivator.

When I look at it, it was a no win situation for us. This is the problem of being a Leaf. Leafs are going to leaf.
Say we shell the guy for 10 goals - Leafs can only beat up on zamboni driver.
We don't shell the guy - Leafs can't beat zamboni driver.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

No GDT yet?

 

[Smif]

When I look at it, it was a no win situation for us. This is the problem of being a Leaf. Leafs are going to leaf.
Say we shell the guy for 10 goals - Leafs can only beat up on zamboni driver.
We don't shell the guy - Leafs can't beat zamboni driver.

The second I saw Ayres on the ice my first words were "uh oh". I didn't know why I felt uncomfortable at the time but I certainly do now.

 

[killer1980]

When I look at it, it was a no win situation for us. This is the problem of being a Leaf. Leafs are going to leaf.
Say we shell the guy for 10 goals - Leafs can only beat up on zamboni driver.
We don't shell the guy - Leafs can't beat zamboni driver.

I think most of us would have been very happy with the former.

 

[ACC1224]

The second I saw Ayres on the ice my first words were "uh oh". I didn't know why I felt uncomfortable at the time but I certainly do now.

The good news is as the first team to lose to a Zamboni Driver there is no where to go but up. They really can't sink any lower.

 

[DarkKnight]

I’m expecting “insert words here” effort tonight.

 

[Paradoc]

Such an exciting game tonight, our management is excited to see how this group handles adversity. Apparently they just woke up from a 3 year coma, it would explain a lot.

Well, the last time we were humiliated the next game we shut out the Pens 4-0. So maybe the same thing happens today?

 

[lovemyleafs]

nice ninja edit

i decided to forgive you after i saw the raptors comment

 

[lovemyleafs]

last year Kadri had 29 points at 5v5 in 73 games, Kerfoot has 24 in 58. Plus he's stronger defensively and is younger and cheaper. I do miss Kadri because I like him a lot, but I don't think the team's hurt too much by replacing him with Kerfoot

so you're basically saying kerfoot is better than kadri...

 

[CelticDruid]

The Leafs could get in, and then face Tampa Bay.

Preview#1 tonight.