Post-Game Talk: Rielly is Rielly, Rielly Good. But Leafs Still Lose. 2-1 Shootout Loss

[WestCoastLeafs]

That OT shift by Rielly was pretty much what Moosejaw fans saw from Morgan on a regular basis in the WHL.. Hopefully he does a bit more of that at ES now

It's not the first time he has done that in OT. Probably feels more comfortable jumping in once the loser point is secured.

I would also like to see him do that more often in regulation. He would need to play with the right D partner - if Franson is traded, I want to see them try Rielly with Phaneuf, who is pretty much a stay-at-home dman at this point. Given where we are in the standings, it's a pretty low risk experiment at this point.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Not good enough. Think Rielly-Trouba

Kessel for Trouba straight up? I'd do it.

 

[Tak7]

Maybe it's cause I'm old school but you guys all seem to really downplay the letters nowadays.

They're more important than you think. That's how you don't just build a team, you build a family. A legacy. Look at the Wings. Their letters were all dudes that played out most of their careers there. You wonder why nobody wants to come to TO? Cause it's a ship with no captain and every year it of course hits the rocks.

This city hasn't seen a true leader since Sundin. That's sad.

On the contrary, I think you are over-valuing THE HELL out of letters on a player's jersey.

Making sure the right players have the A doesn't make a bad team a good one, all of a sudden.

Also - when a potential free agent is considering a destination, I'm fairly certain that "how team handles alternate captain responsibilities" isn't something that they consider before making a decision.

 

[ponder]

Just 4 points ahead of 5th worst in the league, extremely doable if we keep playing like this, especially since we have a few games in hand over almost everyone below us. 10 points ahead of 3rd worst, which is a much bigger stretch, but still possible.

1-9-1 in January so far, and our schedule hasn't even been that tough. 3-14-1 if you go back a bit further. The only team playing worse than us recently is Buffalo. I just want us to finish as low as possible, so I can hold out hope that we win the lottery and draft McDavid, since a miracle like that is feeling like one of the only things that could turn this franchise around.

 

[NitroXIII]

I just want us to finish as low as possible, so I can hold out hope that we win the lottery and draft McDavid, since a miracle like that is feeling like one of the only things that could turn this franchise around.

Knowing this franchise, if we did happen to draft him, he'd easily turn into Alexandre Daigle.

 

[Durrr]

Loving the tank so far, but you just know with 33 games remaining were going to end up drafting around 12th.

People blaming the players for this mess and trying to say Carlyle wasn't a problem, when it is really the lack of players, specifically that of an elite piece or 2 (we basically are built around 2 solid wingers). Blame management, not players like Kessel, who was acquired to be exactly what he is.

 

[Moncherry]

Can't believe how all of you can continue to look forward to the draft year after year. I'd find it depressing if I cared anymore.

 

[TheLeafsBro]

Can't believe how all of you can continue to look forward to the draft year after year. I'd find it depressing if I cared anymore.

Drafting well is the only hope the organization has. What else are we supposed to look forward to?

 

[Rielly4]

That OT shift by Rielly...

 

[DCHabitant]

I hate the Habs. I'm hoping they get bounced in the first round. Next season if Kessel and Phanuef are traded I'd hope the Leaf humiliate them day in and day out. Just because I hate the Habs doesn't mean i'm going to be irrational. Kessel is better than Pacioretty. But there's a reason why Montreal wouldn't trade Subban or Price for anything on the Leafs. They are just better players. Does a Philly fan say Crosby sucks? Do Montreal Fans say Bergeron sucks defensively?

Don't let hate cloud your judgment friend.

Pacioretty has 6 fewer points than Kessel in 3 fewer games. Pacioretty is a +22 vs Kessel's -14. Pacioretty is a two-way player who kills penalties. Not sure that Kessel is better than Pacioretty.

 

[The Beyonder]

Pacioretty has 6 fewer points than Kessel in 3 fewer games. Pacioretty is a +22 vs Kessel's -14. Pacioretty is a two-way player who kills penalties. Not sure that Kessel is better than Pacioretty.

Pacy is definitely a better two-way guy, but Kessel is the more talented player in the offensive zone and is more of a game breaker than Pacioretty is. Kessel is a better scorer, he's a better passer, and he's better skater. Phil, though, has been in a massive scoring drought. Kessel has been top 10 in scoring for the past 4 years. Phil is more elite offensively. Also, I still hate to this day that people still use plus/minus when comparing players.

 

[DCHabitant]

Pacy is definitely a better two-way guy, but Kessel is the more talented player in the offensive zone and is more of a game breaker than Pacioretty is. Kessel is a better scorer, he's a better passer, and he's better skater. Phil, though, has been in a massive scoring drought. Kessel has been top 10 in scoring for the past 4 years. Phil is more elite offensively. Also, I still hate to this day that people still use plus/minus when comparing players.

You make it sound like plus/minus is some meaningless archaic measure. Plus/minus is a relevant stat. Would you rather have last year's Ovechkin (-38) or this year's more defensively responsible Ovy (+12)? Would you rather have a 60 goal scorer who's a -40 or a 50 goal scorer who's a +30? Plus/minus doesn't tell the whole story, but it tells part of it.

 

[The Beyonder]

You make it sound like plus/minus is some meaningless archaic measure. Plus/minus is a relevant stat. Would you rather have last year's Ovechkin (-38) or this year's more defensively responsible Ovy (+12)? Would you rather have a 60 goal scorer who's a -40 or a 40 goal scorer who's a +30? Plus/minus doesn't tell the whole story, but it tells part of it.

I didn't say it was meaningless. It's an important stat to have, and shows how effective you and your line is. But it's meaningless when comparing it between two players and when attempting to prove one's two way game via plus/minus stats. Just because a player has a plus rating does necessarily mean that he's a defensively responsible player, it just means his line is more effective when he's on the ice 5on5. When you're comparing it between players on different teams, I find it to be misleading. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Nithoniniel]

You make it sound like plus/minus is some meaningless archaic measure. Plus/minus is a relevant stat. Would you rather have last year's Ovechkin (-38) or this year's more defensively responsible Ovy (+12)? Would you rather have a 60 goal scorer who's a -40 or a 50 goal scorer who's a +30? Plus/minus doesn't tell the whole story, but it tells part of it.

Plus/Minus says a little bit about everything, but not anything really well. That's the problem with the stat, it's extremely hard to use well. You can of course see that +20 is good while -20 is bad, especially if those values are relative to team, but that's about the extent of it.

For example with Ovechkin, he's looked about the same up as a two-way player up until this season. Yet he has some of the best +/- seasons and then last year he had -38. The context shifts and and the difference is huge.

Pacioretty being a better two-way player is a factor for why his +/- is better than Kessels, but there are also numerous other factors that play a role.

I'd also like to point out that Max Pac is probably a better scorer than Kessel at this time as well. It's not a crazy idea that he's the better player for sure.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

plus minus is crap and only should be used in certain cases.

If a player is on a very good team, everyone around him has a good +/- and he manages to have a bad one.

If a player is on a bad team, with a good +/-.

Year after year we have a glut of random players in the top 10 of plus minus, simply because they are on a good team. Plus minus should be relative to team average.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Can't believe how all of you can continue to look forward to the draft year after year. I'd find it depressing if I cared anymore.

What else is there to look forward to?

 

[Al14]

Can't believe how all of you can continue to look forward to the draft year after year. I'd find it depressing if I cared anymore.

I agree, the Leafs haven't had a draft that mattered since 1985! 1985 folks!

 

[hoglund]

I agree, the Leafs haven't had a draft that mattered since 1985! 1985 folks!

True, but that's because the Leafs haven't been the worst team in the league since 1985, they need to finish last, but this year it's going to be hard because Edmonton and Buffalo are too far behind unless the Leafs go 10 and 25 for the rest of the season and Buffalo AND Edmonton go 25 and 10, both are unlikely.

 

[Blufreezy]

Just 4 points ahead of 5th worst in the league, extremely doable if we keep playing like this, especially since we have a few games in hand over almost everyone below us. 10 points ahead of 3rd worst, which is a much bigger stretch, but still possible.

1-9-1 in January so far, and our schedule hasn't even been that tough. 3-14-1 if you go back a bit further. The only team playing worse than us recently is Buffalo. I just want us to finish as low as possible, so I can hold out hope that we win the lottery and draft McDavid, since a miracle like that is feeling like one of the only things that could turn this franchise around.

You know even if we get mcdavid, the rest of the team still needs to be fixed... Right?

 

[Al14]

True, but that's because the Leafs haven't been the worst team in the league since 1985, they need to finish last, but this year it's going to be hard because Edmonton and Buffalo are too far behind unless the Leafs go 10 and 25 for the rest of the season and Buffalo AND Edmonton go 25 and 10, both are unlikely.

We were VERY close for the 2010 Entry Draft, but, that BUFFOON Burke, had traded our pick to Boston!

 

[yubbers]

On the contrary, I think you are over-valuing THE HELL out of letters on a player's jersey.

Making sure the right players have the A doesn't make a bad team a good one, all of a sudden.

Also - when a potential free agent is considering a destination, I'm fairly certain that "how team handles alternate captain responsibilities" isn't something that they consider before making a decision.

You're missing the point. This whole organization has no leadership. It's no coincidence we also fail consistently and in spectacular fashion. Good players know strong leadership in an organization is very important. No different from a business.

Nobody wants to go to a place lacking vision and in constant flux. There's no security in that.

 

[Kelly]

Our LOSER Leafs say again: "We'll take it."

Horachek is such a loser, he NEVER wins as a maple leaf. He is the worst coach ever to coach the maple leafs. Doesn't understand this lineup and the way we should be playing with these players. Doesn't have the right game book.

Our team in general is horrible.

after the third coach -- you'd think some people would start to realize it's the players.

oh well.

 

[ShaneFalco]

James Mirtle @mirtle · 11h 11 hours ago
Tim Leiweke after collapse last year: "We’re never going to have to go through this sort of thing again."

Hmmm.

 

[Mess]

after the third coach -- you'd think some people would start to realize it's the players.

oh well.

Perhaps Leafs should fire Horachek who has lost 8 of his 9 games and replace him with Spott and then we can see if any of the Leafs players improve under a 4th coach.

On a positive note I thought the absence of Phaneuf was hardly missed and in fact we saw Rielly take a more prominent role last night and that showed future promise for his development.

 

[BonMorrison]

Looks like I didn't miss much last night. Everyone should try a Room Escape, they're super fun and a lot more fun that I thought.

How did we look without Phaneuf?