Making a mountain out of many molehills?

[Notsince67]

Lol you said they do not hit a lot. Why not admit you were wrong rather then attempting to change the goalposts?

You named some of their tough players (not all) name ours?

Tampa is a tough team we are not. We can not put out players who can play a physical game. Tampa can and does.

I think Tampa is a lot tougher than the leafs. Whether THEY are tough enough for prolonged playoff hockey will be seen in the post season. It is the only question mark in my mind. They do the right thinks but it is the only area of vulnerability because they aren't a particularly big team.

 

[meefer]

I found this quote from Dubas to be quite in line with what I was trying to say. "I think especially with our group being a younger group where the core of the guys is young, it’s just a great opportunity for them to show how they can lead the group out of it and develop their own leadership."

 

[Leafsfan86]

This team is too talented and skilled to be struggling like this. I blame it on the coaching. The coach and the assistants are the ones who get the players ready and motivated for the next game. They are the ones teaching and planning plays on then ice, setting lineups and on the PP for example. I also think not having a captain on this team (who can lead by example) doesn't help. However I'm optimistic they will turn things around. We do need another trade or two if we plan to make a push in the playoffs.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Overall my outlook is very positive. This season though I could easily see a first round loss again which would put Babcock on notice. The Leafs have talent we know that, it's obvious. To excel in the playoffs I think you need to win pretty and win ugly. We can out pretty anyone. Winning ugly isn't our strength. Matter of fact it's a weakness. Players like Polak and Komarov were mocked as " gud pros". you need players like them to win. i'm not saying you need those two to win. But players who play harder on the wall. Knock people down and occasionally throw a body check. When we sprinkle in a few of them our team will be better. You can find these players. i'm not saying goons. I don't want a goon let me make that clear. Players who initiate instead of retaliate. when we achieve that balance. Look out.

 

[Mess]

As much as a lot of fighting is out the game, a good physical play and sometimes a fight can still change momentum in a game. You can give your team energy still from a good physical shift.

The NYIs likely have the best 4th line in hockey and its showing in the standings as NYIs are 2nd in the Eastern Conference and 5th OA NHL standings.

Matt Martin (38 gms 5-5-10 points +6 & 34 pims) --- Casey Cizkas (42 gms 11-9-20 points +15 & 28 pims) -- Cal Clutterbuck (45 gms 6-7-13 points +1 & 38 pims)

Totals 125 games .. 22 goals .. 21 assists .. 43 points +22 & 100 Pims

This line does everything including the things you touched on in spades.

 

[RLF]

The NYIs likely have the best 4th line in hockey and its showing in the standings as NYIs are 2nd in the Eastern Conference and 5th OA NHL standings.

Matt Martin (38 gms 5-5-10 points +6 & 34 pims) --- Casey Cizkas (42 gms 11-9-20 points +15 & 28 pims) -- Cal Clutterbuck (45 gms 6-7-13 points +1 & 38 pims)

Totals 125 games .. 22 goals .. 21 assists .. 43 points +22 & 100 Pims

This line does everything including the things you touched on in spades.

The one game we tried to really push back against Boston, still didn't end well and I don't think the guys we had doing all the physicality were in any way intimidating the Bruins. They seemed very happy to get us into that kind of game. We simply don't have the personel to play a physical game. I think it is either not in most of our players make up OR they are still just too young and haven't matured to the point where they realize the necessity of be able to also play physical.

 

[zeke]

5th best record in the league
5th best offense in the league
10th best defense in the league
9th best cf% in the league
8th best scf% in the league
6th best hdcf% in the league
9th best PP in the league
10th best PK in the league

and this after our worst stretch of the season.

and leafs fans are FREAKING OUT. it's PANAC TIME in leafland.

amazing how quickly we get spoiled here.

 

[zeke]

As a Leafs fan, I prefer to look at it this way:
Leafs fans are collectively incredibly stupid goon loving dinosaurs who hate skillful Europeans and want the skill players traded so the Leafs situation could worsen
And on slow news days, the Fan 590, TSN 1050 along with Sportsent and TSN sports networks are busy catching Leafs farts hoping to stumble upon something to say
And then we have the print media trying to keep the screws in the fans brains from further loosen.

/endthread

 

[diceman934]

5th best record in the league
5th best offense in the league
10th best defense in the league
9th best cf% in the league
8th best scf% in the league
6th best hdcf% in the league
9th best PP in the league
10th best PK in the league

and this after our worst stretch of the season.

and leafs fans are FREAKING OUT. it's PANAC TIME in leafland.

amazing how quickly we get spoiled here.

And yet you want Babcock to be gone!

Priceless.

 

[zeke]

And yet you want Babcock to be gone!

Priceless.

I've never called for babcock to be fired.

I do wish he'd be less stubborn in his lineup decisions, though.

 

[ShaneFalco]

5th best record in the league
5th best offense in the league
10th best defense in the league
9th best cf% in the league
8th best scf% in the league
6th best hdcf% in the league
9th best PP in the league
10th best PK in the league

and this after our worst stretch of the season.

and leafs fans are FREAKING OUT. it's PANAC TIME in leafland.

amazing how quickly we get spoiled here.

Yes there's been some over-reaction but again this year there are some disturbing signs that don't equate to playoff success

 

[zeke]

Yes there's been some over-reaction but again this year there are some disturbing signs that don't equate to playoff success

the only disturbing signs lately are 1) a bad PP and 2) bad goaltending.

if you believe in our skill players and our goalie, though, then neither of those should really be very disturbing at all.

 

[RLF]

I've never called for babcock to be fired.

I do wish he'd be less stubborn in his lineup decisions, though.

In all fairness, Hard to deny it is those line up decisions that produced those stats though that you say is why people shouldn't "freak out". If the stats are so great, why insist on changing the lines? I am sure you feel things could be even better...they could also get worse.

 

[diceman934]

I've never called for babcock to be fired.

I do wish he'd be less stubborn in his lineup decisions, though.

Sorry if I took your displeasure about his line ups and where he plays certain players as you wanted him gone.

I was fully supportive of Babs until this past week. He and Mathews are not getting along and him beaking off about Mathews makes it necessary in my view. One or the other needs to go and I do not see us moving Mathews.

 

[ShaneFalco]

He and Mathews are not getting along and him beaking off about Mathews makes it necessary in my view.

What happened?

 

[zeke]

Sorry if I took your displeasure about his line ups and where he plays certain players as you wanted him gone.

I was fully supportive of Babs until this past week. He and Mathews are not getting along and him beaking off about Mathews makes it necessary in my view. One or the other needs to go and I do not see us moving Mathews.

Babs has some huge strengths as a coach, but also some huge weaknesses, imo.

 

[diceman934]

What happened?

Listen to when he spoke about Marner moving to Mathews line. It is clear that he is not happy about Mathews. I do not think Babs made the decision to place Marner on the wing with Mathews.

Then simply watching games. Mathews yelling at team mates etc. Going off the ice early when his line mates stayed on. As well as other items.

 

[diceman934]

Babs has some huge strengths as a coach, but also some huge weaknesses, imo.

Well It is becoming obvious that him and Mathews do not like each other. He was sent to smooth over the relationship this past summer and it is worse now. It has become a team distraction.

 

[DankinIT]

Listen to when he spoke about Marner moving to Mathews line. It is clear that he is not happy about Mathews. I do not think Babs made the decision to place Marner on the wing with Mathews.

Then simply watching games. Mathews yelling at team mates etc. Going off the ice early when his line mates stayed on. As well as other items.

So nothing.

 

[Bluelines]

5th best record in the league
5th best offense in the league
10th best defense in the league
9th best cf% in the league
8th best scf% in the league
6th best hdcf% in the league
9th best PP in the league
10th best PK in the league

and this after our worst stretch of the season.

and leafs fans are FREAKING OUT. it's PANAC TIME in leafland.

amazing how quickly we get spoiled here.

Folks this is how bad some of the whiney fans are, I'm actually agreeing with Zeke's use of stats.

 

[Bluelines]

Listen to when he spoke about Marner moving to Mathews line. It is clear that he is not happy about Mathews. I do not think Babs made the decision to place Marner on the wing with Mathews.

Then simply watching games. Mathews yelling at team mates etc. Going off the ice early when his line mates stayed on. As well as other items.

Matty has gone from one of the answers to one of the question marks since his 'peg injury. I wish he was a bit older, be it Babcock or be it another coach, Matthews wont be allowed to be a distraction. Its about the name on the front not the name on the the back and it feels like Matty has yet to learn this.

Matty signs a big contract and dog's it like he has been for the last month,the booing/treatment of Jake, Murphy and Kessel will sound like a wind chime 50 miles away in comparison to what Matthews will get.

 

[GoonieFace]

Babs has some huge strengths as a coach, but also some huge weaknesses, imo.

So like every other coach in the league or pro sports for that matter.

 

[zeke]

So like every other coach in the league or pro sports for that matter.

yep. better than most, actually.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Babs has some huge strengths as a coach, but also some huge weaknesses, imo.

I agree
Not every coach is a "fit" for a specific team

 

[HamiltonNHL]

We have players getting run every game and only Kadri who throws a check with any purpose to attempt to hurt them.

who has backed off a lot, for fear of League penalties.