Post-Game Talk: Thank Hutch

[goleafsgo1990]

What in our blueline proves we rushed the rebuild? Have we missed any significant UFA defenseman? Have we mis-drafted anywhere or skipped over an obvious defenseman in the draft which would have as a Cup contender right now?

Its all wonderful to say we missed some unicorn dman, but you have to prove it.

First of all..Rielly is vastly overrated and he’s our supposed #1. That speaks volumes.

 

[IPS]

Babs would have use Hyman(in front of net)and a Dman instead of AM, JT, WN and MM.
Keefe is willing to gamble while Babs will play it safe.

The guy started Kadri-Komarov in 3 on 3 OT for "matchup" purposes.

Some of his decisions were beyond stupid.

 

[ToneDog]

The same bunch of posters shitting on Tavares while he struggles some offensively but he won at least 3 key face offs late in the game last night. Sure we do not pay him $11M to win face offs but he brings more than just offence to the table on most nights.

 

[goleafsgo1990]

We drafted AM, 1st overall and have Willie, Marner(who won everything he could have won in CHL in his draft +1yr) and to a lesser extend Kap in the pipeline. Then you have guys like Hyman, And Brown ready for a bottom 6 role in the NHL, 4 seasons ago. You add in Kadri, JVR, Bozak and Leo upfront and Reilly, and Jake at the back. Don’t really think Leafs rushed the rebuild. If anything they kids just played better than expected, esp the first two yrs since they broke in.

My issue was grabbing Andersen too early when we could have road Bernier in the basement for a while longer. Oh well, here comes the hate.

 

[ruaware41]

It seems some think that a rebuild means that you acquire every single important piece there is before you start to win games again. I have no idea where that comes from because that never happens, and there are no perfect teams in the league nowadays.

I think people more so mean that Lou went for the big pieces in the infancy stages of the rebuild instead of playing and keep drafting. The trades for Brian Boyle and signing of Patrick Marleau which cost a 1st rounder eventually are both indicative of rushing it. There's a few more I can't recall right now. Both of those acquisitions were completely unnecessary for a rebuilding team. Nothing wrong with them trying to win and gain experience but those moves that early in the rebuild made some of us go oh no not again

 

[Cor]

The same bunch of posters ****ting on Tavares while he struggles some offensively but he won at least 3 key face offs late in the game last night. Sure we do not pay him $11M to win face offs but he brings more than just offence to the table on most nights.

It's funny. He's essentially PPG over the last 20 games or so, and he's still being considered as "struggling" and "washed up"

 

[The Man with a Plan]

First of all..Rielly is vastly overrated and he’s our supposed #1. That speaks volumes.

No that comment speaks volumes about you and your lack of hockey knowledge. Not to mention being a fairweather fan. Only Last season Mo was a Norris candidate. He had an injury that he played with until he broke his foot. But now people like you turn on him and his TEAM FRIENDLY deal. One of the few we have in truth.

The only thing overrated is your opinion

 

[stickty111]

The guy started Kadri-Komarov in 3 on 3 OT for "matchup" purposes.

Some of his decisions were beyond stupid.

Remember this game against the Jackets this season where we lost in OT. Babcock put out Matthews, but then switched to Kerfoot to line match.
Dubas was not a happy man.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Both of those acquisitions were completely unnecessary for a rebuilding team.

We weren't a rebuilding team anymore at that point. Our core was excelling. We were competitive and made the playoffs with half the team as rookies. Expecting this team to bottom out with the type of talent that was on it was not realistic. Best case scenario, we'd be drafting in the teens, and we wouldn't be getting any better prospects than we have been (Liljegren, Sandin, Robertson, etc.) while we developed a culture of losing.

 

[Cor]

Remember this game against the Jackets this season where we lost in OT. Babcock put out Matthews, but then switched to Kerfoot to line match.
Dubas was not a happy man.

This gif, and MA Fleury, should be added to Legend's Row

 

[The Man with a Plan]

My issue was grabbing Andersen too early when we could have road Bernier in the basement for a while longer. Oh well, here comes the hate.

You are one of those potatos who think they could do a better job and would have. Even without a drip of experience beyond bitching and driving an agenda on a hockey forums.

You would be the first ever perfect GM who only gets hometown deals, never overpays,always gets his man while ripping off the other teams and whos players he acquires would never ever make a mistake or get hurt like the human beings they are. Gtfo

 

[ShaneFalco]

Remember this game against the Jackets this season where we lost in OT. Babcock put out Matthews, but then switched to Kerfoot to line match.
Dubas was not a happy man.

It’s amazing how many people defended Babcock with such powerful analysis as “he’s the coach you’re not “

 

[ITM]

My issue was grabbing Andersen too early when we could have road Bernier in the basement for a while longer. Oh well, here comes the hate.

Not selecting Carter Hart after grabbing Andersen was my gripe. But riding Bernier would have been interesting...but also demoralizing?

 

[ruaware41]

We weren't a rebuilding team anymore at that point. Our core was excelling. We were competitive and made the playoffs with half the team as rookies. Expecting this team to bottom out with the type of talent that was on it was not realistic. Best case scenario, we'd be drafting in the teens, and we wouldn't be getting any better prospects than we have been (Liljegren, Sandin, Robertson, etc.) while we developed a culture of losing.

Meh debatable. Certainly could easily argue it fell in under rushing the rebuild. No one was saying they should bottom out, but the team was good enough without those players to make the playoffs. Also I guess if we define competitive as just making the playoffs. I'm saying just that, it was a young team that made the playoffs, let them learn from it but going all in at that point seemed unnecessary given how early it was in the rebuild. Could've had another first if they didn't sign Marleau and a few other picks. Previous rebuilds have been screwed from getting too greedy too early. Overall they did a good job.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Coaches don’t make a difference

 

[Nithoniniel]

I think people more so mean that Lou went for the big pieces in the infancy stages of the rebuild instead of playing and keep drafting. The trades for Brian Boyle and signing of Patrick Marleau which cost a 1st rounder eventually are both indicative of rushing it. There's a few more I can't recall right now. Both of those acquisitions were completely unnecessary for a rebuilding team. Nothing wrong with them trying to win and gain experience but those moves that early in the rebuild made some of us go oh no not again

Oh yeah, we were definitely bleeding assets there for a while for no good reason.

 

[yubbers]

Game was pretty bad. But I was chillin in a box and got to meet Joe Bowen! So no complaints.

 

[Warden of the North]

First of all..Rielly is vastly overrated and he’s our supposed #1. That speaks volumes.

So.....what exactly does that have to do with rushing the rebuild?

You use "firstly" and provide one point which I struggle to even see its relevance.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Ottawa has given the Leafs issues in recent memory regardless of their position in the standings... So I won't complain too much about the win

As much as Hutch needed to be good, Anderson also needed to be good. The Leafs had their chances to score too. That could have been over in regulation with what happened in the last 6-7 minutes.

 

[ULF_55]

Boring but Hutch played great.

We win!

He must have really disliked the previous coach.

 

[Dekes For Days]

No one was saying they should bottom out, but the team was good enough without those players to make the playoffs.

They made the playoffs by one point. Boyle was good for us. That experience was worth it.

all in at that point seemed unnecessary given how early it was in the rebuild. Could've had another first if they didn't sign Marleau and a few other picks.

It wasn't early in the rebuild. We had multiple high picks and multiple franchise talents in the organization and on the team.

I don't think they should have given Marleau 3 years, but the idea behind signing a player like Marleau was not wrong.

Problem is, people view any moves done for a better chance at a cup as useless unless you win a cup, but if you went by that theory and never did the things that moved you towards a cup or gave you that type of experience, you'd never win a cup. Even for the best teams, the chance of winning a cup is low.

 

[BertCorbeau]

So.....what exactly does that have to do with rushing the rebuild?

You use "firstly" and provide one point which I struggle to even see its relevance.

Not to mention the Leafs drafted d-men in the first round in both 2017 and 2018. Those picks have developed so well and are showing that they could be major players on the Leafs blue line, resolving some concerns the back end.

I didn't agree with all the moves (trading our second round picks for rentals) but the rebuild certainly wasn't rushed.

 

[Big Muddy]

What in our blueline proves we rushed the rebuild? Have we missed any significant UFA defenseman? Have we mis-drafted anywhere or skipped over an obvious defenseman in the draft which would have as a Cup contender right now?

Its all wonderful to say we missed some unicorn dman, but you have to prove it.

It seems some think that a rebuild means that you acquire every single important piece there is before you start to win games again. I have no idea where that comes from because that never happens, and there are no perfect teams in the league nowadays.

Understand the sentiment & thought process. A solid, stay at home defender would have been a nice draft addition. Not sure that's a unicorn. I would have liked to see that, but, its hard to have perfection with any rebuild.

It wasn't an easy win against Ottawa last night. Got to give them & their coaches some credit. They play hard and have the team playing a system that suits them (lack some high end talent).

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

It’s amazing how many people defended Babcock with such powerful analysis as “he’s the coach you’re not “

It’s not that black and white either though. Babcock had to go but he was also getting blamed for things he had no control over like scheduling and injuries, and some of the things Keefe has done we’d be roasting Babcock over.

If Babcock had Hyman playing regular minutes on the power play this place would have gone nuts. People were mad that he was even playing in the top 6 to start the season.

It’s like we have no middle ground here sometimes, either you’re the hero or the villain and there’s nothing in between.

 

[Doublerum1975]

I think our defense is slowly coming along having fewer break downs every game but if you watch any othere hockey besides the leafs all teams have similar breakdowns stop listening to the media they are way to hard on the leafs