Post-Game Talk: Ten. In. A. Row. | Leafs lose to Preds 4-3.

[SprDaVE]

The boys had me worried a bit in the 3rd period. Glad they pulled through, and Buffalo lost as well.

You mean Buffalo won.

 

[Clark4Ever]

You mean Buffalo won.

Yes, that's what I meant. My bad.

 

[Rufio65*]

There are no moral victories or positives to take out of losses at this point. 10 straight losses, had a 3rd period lead and blew it in regulation.

10 game losing streak. Nothing else needs to be said.

 

[Kamiccolo]

There are no moral victories or positives to take out of losses at this point. 10 straight losses, had a 3rd period lead and blew it in regulation.

10 game losing streak. Nothing else needs to be said.

There is a victory though. We currently pick 6th OA. Buffalo won, and our next two games are against EDM and NJ. By the TDL we could comfortably be picking top 5, and by end of the season top 3.

That also means we are guaranteed either a #1 C or #1 D which are two huge needs, with a decent chance at a generational #1 C talent.

 

[Purity*]

If not sarcasm, thanks! I feel that fans have an unrealistic view of our players and blaming two players for 10 years of failure isn't logical.

Not sarcasm at all. I agree 100% that blaming two players for this mess is ridiculous. Like I said, these 2 players are definitely the most convenient scapegoats. But it doesn't change the fact that Kessel has never played with a #1D or even another top-liner in his time here. Like you said too, it doesn't mean these players should be exempt from criticism, but the problems on this team go FAR DEEPER than Kessel/Phaneuf. Even Patrick Kane would be getting run out of town if he was in Kessel's spot.

 

[hoglund]

There are no moral victories or positives to take out of losses at this point. 10 straight losses, had a 3rd period lead and blew it in regulation.

10 game losing streak. Nothing else needs to be said.

the only positive spin you could put on this is they haven't really lost 10 in a row because the 8th "loss" was a tie after regulation, but regardless they've played bad for over a month.

 

[Hero]

10 games losing is insane. Like. Wow. 4 shy of Buffalo bad.

 

[Leviathan899]

Reading these comments I feel sad to be a leaf fan. A lot of people spewing nonsense and picking who ever they can to blame everything on.

People seem to think every player needs to be a complete 100% all around player AND have elite talents in certain areas.

Do you guys even watch other teams?

Does Kane kill penalties and out muscle the other teams to score? No, he plays in front of a Norris winner and top pairing shut down D and scores using his skill to make himself open. The difference is that Kane is relied on to be THE guy, there are 4 other guys when one has an off night it doesn't matter. A lot less pressure.

Does Dion score 30-40 points while being a rock defensively and never making a mistake while physically dominating everything by himself? No, or he would be the best dman in NHL history. He can play decent defense with really harsh minutes and give you 30+ points as a top pairing dman.

Kadri isn't datsyuk yet? Bust, trade him for the next shiny name so we can do the same when he gets to the same age.

A lot of posts in here are just complete ignorance. Yes we can admit there is a problem, yes we can admit as is these players can't get the job done, however talking to them like they are worthless human beings and like no one would want them on their hockey team because they can't win the cup themselves are making themselves look ignorant.

Give Kessel a #1 C, and give Phaneuf another top pairing D and then lets give them a look. The issue with that is that by the time we get these assets ready to compete and good enough the level of Phaneuf and Kessel at the time might be in decline, and I can understand people using these terms for a trade.

However some people in here personally attacking players and spreading straight up lies.... Classless.

It's actually mind boggling how you can still feel this way Corporal Komarov. I don't know if it is your blind love for these players or your lack of familiarity with the game of hockey, but what you are saying is our highest paid players and supposedly best players should not be criticized when the team struggles, and I mean really struggles. Who should the blame fall on? I'm sure you sat there and begged for Carlyle to be fired, and when that happened you were looking for other scapegoats to blame instead of really looking at what the issue is on this team. I'm tired of this Kane comparison, Kane is much better than Kessel and it's not close. I don't care about stats, if you watch the two play you can tell. Kessel has one move in his arsenal, and it's a shot off the rush down the right wing.

Phaneuf would not even close to the "best defenseman in NHL history" if all he did was put up 35 points and play mistake free hockey, he would simply be doing what he is supposed to be doing when you're the captain of the Leafs and are getting paid 7 Mil a year.

Kadri I can understand because he is still young but he still needs to clean up his game a bit to be worth what he probably thinks he's worth. But again I probably wouldn't blame him if he asked for more than market value to just crap on the Leafs, either make them pay him or see him traded or walk. Either or I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

I just don't believe that you could put a top center on Kessel's line and boom they're the perfect line. Kessel would bring down whatever line he is on, regardless of his center because he is such a one dimensional player who is not willing to change his game.

 

[Swervin81]

Besides, even if you contend they (Kessel and Phaneuf) aren't a problem, the reality is, how would we be able to add a number 1 D and number 1 C without gutting the team? We have very few assets other teams would want in exchange for those pieces, and we have zero cap room to fit them, so we'd have to develop our own within the next 2-3 years before both guys pass their primes, and then what happens? We are already a cap eam, we can't pay them without literally gutting all our depth and then we become a top heavy team, whcich is a recipe for perennial first round exit, and I want a contender. Let's face it, given the cap situation, the money tied up in our top guys, no moves will allow us to make us a contender with this current core or pieces added to this current core. I mean, just look at how bad we are right now. Hell, we'd have no room to fit #Stamkos2016 in the really slim one in a million "so you're telling me there's a chance?" chance we actually acquire him, and even then, we'd be a perennial first round exit with a second round appearance sprinkled in, at most.

Hell, what if we blew up the team for picks and prospects and then somehow, by some ungodly miracle, actually landed Stamkos in FA? It would be much like Chara signing in Boston. Getting a franchise cornerstone just as the deep prospect pool is getting ready to show the fruits of its labor while bing a ****** team at the NHL level. Now THAT would be a great rebuild strategy. Too bad Stamkos would have even less than the one in a million "so you're telling me there's a chance?" chance that we'd have of signing him if we were in full rebuild mode.

 

[Faltorvo]

I don't get this post? How am I showing ignorance for saying Kessel hasn't played with another elite forward on the team his entire time, and Phaneuf hasn't had a top pairing quality defensemen on the roster other than himself?

The point I am making is when the team has more than one option (two elite forwards, two dman they can rely on) suddenly the pressure is halfed, and it gives these players a lot more flexibility.

We seen how Rielly played when he got benched for mistakes under Carlyle and now that he has free run he looks better? Well Kessel and Phaneuf are under the microscope for everything, having some pressure off and another high end talent to work with makes a huge difference.

I'm not willing to write off these two players who have been asked to do everything themselves.



I don't know, and I addressed that later in my post by saying I could understand the argument of trading them due to the fact they would be in decline by the time those pieces were ready.

However I will say we have Nylander in the system, and looks like we have a legit chance at McDavid, Eichel, Hanifin, or Strome which would immediately solve one of those holes.



Right, if you want to stick on your high horse and cover your ears and believe what you want, then go ahead. You've already been doing that with our players calling them the issue, then moving on to the next guy/*****ing our guys were traded when they play well for another team.



Yup. I am not saying these guys are exempt from critism, however people are literally acting like Kessel and Phaneuf don't have NHL talent, when in reality they are two very talented players who have never had any help, and we're expected to be Doughty/Crosby for us.

Giving Kessel either an elite linemate, or an elite team mate who draws some of the defensive pressure off would do wonders for him, never mind the fact that if he is cold, the other player might be hot and we can get continues scoring.

Give Phaneuf the same treatment and suddenly he either gets to play much easier minutes or gets talented help so he can do his job better.

Succesful teams have 4 or 5 of these types of players. I'm saying the issue may not be Kessel @ 8m and Phaneuf @ 7, but having Clarkson Lupul, Gardiner, and JVR as their support. They need players in their range of talent.



Kessel has lots of fight, we've seen it in him all the time, he loves to win. However the entire team has no morale or fight right now, so it's unfair to single him out. Again, this is something he can be criticized for, just not only him.



If not sarcasm, thanks! I feel that fans have an unrealistic view of our players and blaming two players for 10 years of failure isn't logical.

I also think Coaching is still an issue, as we lost our entire offensive drive under Horachek, and the same thing happened to Florida under him as coach.

complaining about players we traded and how they are doing now?

like who colborne?

 

[Al14]

How does Horachek even consider putting Bernier back into the game? This is totally baffling to me.

It doesn't matter how badly Bernier wanted back on the ice, he still suffered significant body trauma requiring 12 stitches to close the cut! He should not have been allowed back in the net!

Chances are Reimer might have let in the winning goal too, however, we'll never know this for sure!

Dumb move by the training staff, medical staff, and, the head coach IMHO.

Despite what the training staff had to say about the injury, I, as coach, would not have allowed Bernier back into the game! The end!

 

[ACC1224]

Safe to say that was Franson's best game as a Leaf.
Love to see him return as a UFA in the summer if he continues to play like that.

Overall, the most enjoyable game in sometime.

The PP is really bad without Phaneuf.
As pointed out by Ferraro many times, Rielly is terrible at bringing the puck up the ice.

 

[waingr0]

10 losses in a row.

10

 

[Liminality]

How does Horachek even consider putting Bernier back into the game? This is totally baffling to me.

It doesn't matter how badly Bernier wanted back on the ice, he still suffered significant body trauma requiring 12 stitches to close the cut! He should not have been allowed back in the net!

Chances are Reimer might have let in the winning goal too, however, we'll never know this for sure!

Dumb move by the training staff, medical staff, and, the head coach IMHO.

Despite what the training staff had to say about the injury, I, as coach, would not have allowed Bernier back into the game! The end!

What are your thoughts on Polak coming in after his injury?

 

[ACC1224]

What are your thoughts on Polak coming in after his injury?

No reason Bernier shouldn't have gone back in. I'm sure it was discussed during the Intermission, it's hardly unprecedented.

 

[Caesium]

What are your thoughts on Polak coming in after his injury?

Polak doesn't play goalie. He takes shifts, and if him coming back doesn't work out then the coach can juggle the lines and be no worse off than if Polak didn't come back at all.

 

[Al14]

Polak doesn't play goalie. He takes shifts, and if him coming back doesn't work out then the coach can juggle the lines and be no worse off than if Polak didn't come back at all.

Thank You!

 

[080]

I found myself getting visibly annoyed that they might win this game.

Thankfully Hoarchek made a ridiculous decision; Bernier was crap; and our first line continued to suck.

Can we please get rid of these effortless losers.

 

[one77]

Safe to say that was Franson's best game as a Leaf.
Love to see him return as a UFA in the summer if he continues to play like that.

Overall, the most enjoyable game in sometime.

The PP is really bad without Phaneuf.
As pointed out by Ferraro many times, Rielly is terrible at bringing the puck up the ice.

Is this sarcasm? There is no way this is a serious comment lol.

Rielly is probably the ONLY player on this team that is capable of bringing the puck up the ice. It's clearly evident the past few games - he is the only player that is succeeding in entering the zone.

 

[ACC1224]

Is this sarcasm? There is no way this is a serious comment lol.

Rielly is probably the ONLY player on this team that is capable of bringing the puck up the ice. It's clearly evident the past few games - he is the only player that is succeeding in entering the zone.

He said it a few times, seemed spot on.

5 on 5 is a different matter.

 

[theTTC]

10 games losing is insane. Like. Wow. 4 shy of Buffalo bad.

This is quite different for the Leafs, and depressing as heck for us because Buffalo did it right, stockpiling an amazing selection of picks and fielding a purposely crappy team. Leafs management somehow thought our team was fine, so didn't bother stockpiling picks, in fact we have no second rounder. Nonis is Burke Lite - these guys misjudged the squad so badly we simply cannot take advantage of the tank slide.

 

[Mess]

10 games losing is insane. Like. Wow. 4 shy of Buffalo bad.

10 straight losses take the Leafs back to 1967 to find similar.

Should they lose the next one I wonder how much further we will have to look back ?

 

[Caesium]

10 straight losses take the Leafs back to 1967 to find similar.

Should they lose the next one I wonder how much further we will have to look back ?

Next time sets a new franchise record for longest losing streak

If we hit 16 losses we will break the record for longest winless streak, a record set when games could end in a tie.

 

[Hurt]

Can't help but laugh and shake my head.

 

[Muston Atthews]

On the upside, last time the Leafs lost this many games in a row we won the Cup!