Post-Game Talk: Utterly Rittich-ulous Leafs Lose 6-3

[Racer88]

They didn't have the availability to go bigger. Dubas accumulated a bunch of goalies with the hope one would work out, because goalies are voodoo. I'd say Campbell has been a moderate success.

Agreed that he didn’t have the ability to go bigger and that is 100% on him.
The minute he invested 50% of the cap on 4 forwards he made it very very hard to build a winning team around them.

 

[Racer88]

The answer is clearly...neither. He's in between.

He's at a .917 for his career. I think (and hope) he can keep doing that going forward.

I wonder why he hasn’t landed a started job at this age and has bounced around?

 

[qqaz]

Good to finally know that the Leafs will be totally fine with Campbell and any other random guy splitting time, rather than that disaster Andersen starting games.

 

[Racer88]

Good to finally know that the Leafs will be totally fine with Campbell and any other random guy splitting time, rather than that disaster Andersen starting games.

Ya that really came to bite us in the ass. Lol

 

[bossram]

Agreed that he didn’t have the ability to go bigger and that is 100% on him.
The minute he invested 50% of the cap on 4 forwards he made it very very hard to build a winning team around them.

This is the way they had to go. Look at Carolina, they're going with a "whatever we have" platoon too. Edmonton is the same. Minnesota is the same.

It's not really like there were any elite starters available, either via trade or free agency. What do the Leafs do? Offer Marner for Hellebuyk? Vasilievskiy? Darcy Kuemper? Are these realistic options for anyone?

I wonder why he hasn’t landed a started job at this age and has bounced around?

I know you hate Dubas, but at least make some cogent arguments. Campbell didn't even become a full-time backup until 2018-19. And you're asking why he isn't a starter?

 

[Shanwhatplan]

Disagree. You don't lose games because of a lack of fighting. I'll admit it has its moments (IE when Hyman got his knee blown up 2 games ago). Which is what I thought was the reason they signed Simmonds. He's done nothing. Waste of a roster spot, and we lost a guy like Travis Boyd to keep him in the lineup.

Now we traded a 1st round pick for Foligno, who provides barely offense whatsoever.
Toughness, heart, "a guy you win with"...ironic that he's never been out of the second round. Let's see how that plays out.

With good goaltending, and a lineup that plays players who can skate and make plays, this team wins most games.
While I agree there's a need for players playing hard, and being hard to play against, goals win games. Scoring, and not having a goalie giving up a goal 1 out of every 5 shots will help.

I guess I wasn't very clear when I was talking about the fight. I don't mean that we should see a player fighting every game or even every other game. What I meant was, you can notice with some teams how the players know they have each other's back. With our team I don't see or notice that. Maybe it's just me.
As for knowing how to skate and so on, I think we both know how games are played in the playoffs. Often there is not much room to skate, so a team has to be able to work around that. I'm not sure we have learned how to do that consistently yet. Now it comes back to our team playing like Jekyll and Hyde. This team needs to know how to play at a consistent level. They need to know that they can't just turn it on when they feel the need to. That hasn't worked for the last three or four years and it's certainly not a recipe for success. And as for the goaltending, I am hoping that Andersen will soon be back and have Campbell as the back up.

 

[Racer88]

This is the way they had to go. Look at Carolina, they're going with a "whatever we have" platoon too. Edmonton is the same. Minnesota is the same.

It's not really like there were any elite starters available, either via trade or free agency. What do the Leafs do? Offer Marner for Hellebuyk? Vasilievskiy? Darcy Kuemper? Are these realistic options for anyone?



I know you hate Dubas, but at least make some cogent arguments. Campbell didn't even become a full-time backup until 2018-19. And you're asking why he isn't a starter?

I have made the argument that Dubas has built a very unbalance team. He spent way to much money on 4 forwards. He should never have went after Tavares, he was the last thing we needed. He should have improved the defence and goaltending with that 11 million dollars.
I have said this many times so I’m not sure why you think I should “make some cogent arguments”?
As far as Campbell not even becoming a back up until 2018/19 it was probably because he wasn’t good enough. This is his 3rd team in that time

 

[Zack47]

I have made the argument that Dubas has built a very unbalance team. He spent way to much money on 4 forwards. He should never have went after Tavares, he was the last thing we needed. He should have improved the defence and goaltending with that 11 million dollars.

Racer 88 is correct. If you go far enough upstream, you see the real cause --- unbalanced salaries in the extreme. It's not just defense and goaltending. Its our third line, now decimated after Kadri, Johnsson, and Kapanen left. There simply isn't enough money to support the bottom 6 forwards; the defense is better than people think, but secondary goaltending -- well, primary goaltending -- has been a problem for over a year.

 

[Zack47]

Problems are broader than specific personnel and it is just coming to the surface. Such as:

• The power play. Too MUCH structure, so too repetitive and predictable. PLEASE stop that drop pass entry stuff. IT's NOT WORKING!
• Should we really have brought in experience if they all end up on the 4th line?
• Keefe makes TOO MANY changes. It is disruptive. He keeps moving people around and no one can settle in. Too many roster changes, too many position changes, too many line changes. Of course, they are out of sync.
• Stop over-relying on "structure", meaning the suppression of creativity. There are creative players out there, as DC used to say "let them go". He was right.
• Freddie was and is a problem. Replacements are scarce and hard to find, but having more money to find with would help.
• Dubas has constructed a mish-mash of a team -- the haves and the have nots. I am sure that hurts. There have been bad trades.
• Can Rittich find some blue Maple Leaf socks to wear instead of the red ones? he might play better.

 

[Gallagbi]

This is the way they had to go. Look at Carolina, they're going with a "whatever we have" platoon too. Edmonton is the same. Minnesota is the same.

It's not really like there were any elite starters available, either via trade or free agency. What do the Leafs do? Offer Marner for Hellebuyk? Vasilievskiy? Darcy Kuemper? Are these realistic options for anyone?

I wonder if a MAF trade this past summer was the play

 

[Rubyblue]

Goaltending has been bad but this team still lacks any physical engagement. Leafs are to easy to play against. When things aren't working as happens to all teams, you get mad, simplify, bang & play a north, south game. Not gonna happen with this leaf team. Very disappointing. Maybe next year.

 

[Gallagbi]

Goaltending has been bad but this team still lacks any physical engagement. Leafs are to easy to play against. When things aren't working as happens to all teams, you get mad, simplify, bang & play a north, south game. Not gonna happen with this leaf team. Very disappointing. Maybe next year.

Why would you switch up a style of play that was generating quality chances and limiting what you give up.

 

[CapspaceKiller]

Keefe needs to be called out for this.

 

[Thissiteisgarbage]

Lmao really? The amount of stupid hot takes on here and dangle is your issue lmao
I watch him for what he is...entertainment

I'd reckon he's about as entertaining (and knowledgeable) as nails on a chalkboard, but go for it if you can stand him.

 

[JayfromNB1219]

I'd reckon he's about as entertaining (and knowledgeable) as nails on a chalkboard, but go for it if you can stand him.

All good I can understand him not being everyone’s cup of tea lol

 

[egd27]

Why would you switch up a style of play that was generating quality chances and limiting what you give up.

Because you are not effective with that style ALL the time.
The book is out on the Leafs, so they must learn to adapt or die.
One size does not fit all.

 

[Gallagbi]

Because you are not effective with that style ALL the time.
The book is out on the Leafs, so they must learn to adapt or die.
One size does not fit all.

You switch when the style isn't working. It worked fine the last two games. We generated chances, limited theirs and carried the play

 

[fahad203]

Keefe needs to be called out for this.

His system is flawed. Rielly was a decent D all these years. All of sudden this guy gives up 2 to 3 two on one's?

Keefe loves his D to move up and circulate the puck. Leaving other teams to catch them up high

Keefe has been given everything and he can't the best out of his players

People will remind me of 106 point pace. Well how do you know any other coaches on the market doesn't get u that and proper structure

There is just no intensity in our game. No back to back push from 2nd or 3rd lines

We can't use momentum to our advantage or create momentum

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

His system is flawed. Rielly was a decent D all these years. All of sudden this guy gives up 2 to 3 two on one's?

Keefe loves his D to move up and circulate the puck. Leaving other teams to catch them up high

Keefe has been given everything and he can't the best out of his players

People will remind me of 106 point pace. Well how do you know any other coaches on the market doesn't get u that and proper structure

There is just no intensity in our game. No back to back push from 2nd or 3rd lines

We can't use momentum to our advantage or create momentum

If Rielly's poor decision making is your evidence that Keefe can't get the most out of his players, you don't have a very strong case. He's always been brutal defensively and is a low IQ player

 

[Sniper99]

It’s so absurd. He acknowledges that goaltending is the issue, but recommends a full rebuild

I'm assuming that was hollywood north?

 

[Menzinger]

This is more a criticism of Dubas' roster construction philosophy vs. his actual goaltending acquisitions. There just wasn't the cap space/assets available to acquire a top-end goaltender. There was no way to add a Hellebuyck. Dubas went the only route he left himself with: Stockpile a bunch of goalies and just hope one pans out because goaltending is voodoo (I'd say Campbell was a moderate success).

That is probably the plan next year, as they'll look to add someone like Ullmark, Driedger, Bernier, or Reimer to platoon with Campbell and hope one of them is good.

There also really wasn't an expensive top end goaltender available - certainly not one people would want to spend money on here

 

[Stephen]

There also really wasn't an expensive top end goaltender available - certainly not one people would want to spend money on here

I thought Markstrom would be a worthwhile pursuit (and Holtby too, so what do I know). While he hasn't worked out in Calgary so far, he does have the Andersen frame and elite athleticism. Unlike Andersen he was a late bloomer and doesn't have quite the starter mileage on him. If Toronto had been able to pivot to him and get a return on Andersen that could have been a good move. I think we talked about Fleury as well but I don't think people were confident he was going to be this good. If Vegas had retained, maybe that would have worked. Matt Murray seemed like a terrible RFA option and has been a flame out in Ottawa for most of the year.

This summer could have some options come up surrounding expansion. Rask, Mrazek, Grubauer are UFA's. Could be interesting depending on how seriously the Leafs look at making changes, depending on what happens in the playoffs.

 

[bossram]

I wonder if a MAF trade this past summer was the play

I was immediately thinking that, but IIRC it was pretty much PIT or bust. I don't think he would accept a move to Toronto.

 

[Gallagbi]

I was immediately thinking that, but IIRC it was pretty much PIT or bust. I don't think he would accept a move to Toronto.

Pretty sure it's a modified NTC, so he would have needed to give more than just Pitts. Not sure if we'd be on the list (I expect we would from what I know if MAF) and we'd need VGK to retain - which I don't think was unreasonable for $7M sub .900 backup with 2 years left at that point given his age.

 

[egd27]

You switch when the style isn't working. It worked fine the last two games. We generated chances, limited theirs and carried the play

Yup it's working fine