Post-Game Talk: Well that was embarrassing... Leafs scrape by 5-4 in OT

[leaffaninvancouver]

Should Spezza be playing higher in the lineup if Nylander is still sick? He seems almost wasted on the fourth line some nights.

 

[saltming]

This post wins the thread.

 

[Koolboss]

Great post.

Hire this man.

Please do he sounds smarter than Dubas

 

[PaulD]

Should Spezza be playing higher in the lineup if Nylander is still sick? He seems almost wasted on the fourth line some nights.

I would not do that just yet. But come play off time I would definitely try moving him up.

 

[mrbagina]

Playing too many minutes.

Should be 3rd. pairing at best.

Holl looked quite good to start the season and since he signed his new contract, he has been getting progressively worse. He was brutal last night.

 

[Tairy Greene]

Inside their own blue line they’re one of the worst teams in the league....and that was before the injuries on D.

They desperately need a right shot D who can actually play D instead of being a fourth forward. A right shooting Jake Muzzin.

I think the injuries forcing their young guys into minutes they aren't ready to handle is starting to show. Sometimes a guy can be a really good 2nd or 3rd pair defenseman, but when you bump him up a spot he looks terrible. As bad as Ceci was sometimes it hurt to lose him. I don't want a rental but I'm sure Dubas is kicking tires at some defensemen with term. I don't think we can wait until the offseason if we want to make the playoffs

 

[mrbagina]

Ever Soup got injured, Leafs defense has been taking a dive.
Also, need more productions from the 3rd line-AJ-Engvall-Kap. They got all the speed in the World but they can’t seem to find the back of the net.

Engvall played on the fourth line last night which I do not understand. I was hoping is was to showcase Johnsson for a trade because otherwise I don't get it as he brings way more to the table than Andreas.

 

[RoadWarrior]

I think the injuries forcing their young guys into minutes they aren't ready to handle is starting to show. As bad as Ceci was sometimes it hurt to lose him. I don't want a rental but I'm sure Dubas is kicking tires at some defensemen with term. I don't think we can wait until the offseason if we want to make the playoffs

Barrie and Ceci are both gone after this season and with the injuries they have the cap room to add a significant player with term.

 

[Menzinger]

Should Spezza be playing higher in the lineup if Nylander is still sick? He seems almost wasted on the fourth line some nights.

Given his age, Leafs could be thinking less is more with him. Ie allows him to be more impactful with more limited usage.

 

[PaulD]

Never got to watch. Can someone summarize how the new players looked?

Clifford looked good. He is what he is. A 4th line guy that is big and physical. Also is the toughest guy the leafs have had in years.

Campbell was so so.

 

[Menzinger]

On Johnsson I agree, Kapanen has been good. Kappy is on pace to set a new career high in points with 47 despite playing a lesser role than last year. He's scoring less but he's been fine imo. That is great prodcution from a 3rd line player actually.

Ive liked Kapanen this season (his production is great) though i think over his last few games he does seem to make more mental mistakes than usual

 

[NastyKnies]

No it’s not.

A bottom 5 team on the latter half of a back to back absolutely schooled us IN THE 3RD PERIOD of a game we should have won easily.

This team is in BIG trouble.

Yes it is.

 

[mrbagina]

Inside their own blue line they’re one of the worst teams in the league....and that was before the injuries on D.

They desperately need a right shot D who can actually play D instead of being a fourth forward. A right shooting Jake Muzzin.

They play so passive in their own end unless they are on the pk and then they are aggressive. It drives me nuts watching them sit back and let the other team control the play and eventually get some good shots on net. Throw in some terrible decision making at getting the puck out and yikes...

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Just what does Gauthier offer this team. He's big, but soft as butter and not very good in his own end. Johnsson has been dreadful defensively and gives the puck away like candy. Kapanen has little to no hockey IQ and sucks defensively. Timashov looked like a pylon at times, he has no clue how to tie an opponent up. Am i missing anyone?

Yeah unfortunately lol. I’m calmed down now. To many puck watchers for a big game run coming. Keefe will likely bag skate them defensively today lol. He won’t but should. Its deflating to watch bad work ethic defensively. The star players pull their weight. The rest don’t is the long and short

 

[ULF_55]

Holl looked quite good to start the season and since he signed his new contract, he has been getting progressively worse. He was brutal last night.

Perhaps he is trying to stretch his game?

It isn't really working, he should reign it in a little and let it happen organically.

 

[Antropovsky]

Kappy's points are fine but I'm talking about his compete level and IQ. Both seemed to have regressed.

Kapanen has progressed offensively each year... suddenly he can stickhandle with the puck and not lose it. Hes a hard player to part with because his speed is gamebreaking. It immediately adds another layer to the team that other team have to be always aware of and prepare for.

 

[Hockey Crazy]

When we stop possession and our attack we have nothing to fall back on. That is all we have. So we need to go full out on attack for 60 minutes. There is no defense to stop the other team when we aren't attacking. We need 2 big fast monster defenders. We have to be able to eat pucks once in a while. We have to be able to crunch the cycle once in a while. We have to be able to box out attackers late in games.

Last night we let Ducks setup an attack of our net. No one boxed out from goalie. Loads of guys back for a rebound but we let Ducks get 2 guys behind us. and one Duck just overpowered our goalie. That can't happen.

I'm not so sure about that... to me it looks like half the guys continue to attack and the other half play with hesitation. As with any system, it doesn't work unless everyone is pulling in the same direction. It's more about confidence than anything.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I agree, the forwards do owe the team a greater commitment to defensive play. If they do it will lessen the burden that this D group has to absorb. However, as I said above, this D group is very green. I accept they will make mistakes because of it. I don't like it, but I'm pretty darned sure more mistakes will happen because of inexperience than due to talent - how you measure that, I don't know. But, like you, I'd like to see our F take greater care in our zone.

Absolutely sounds like a reasonable expectation.

 

[ULF_55]

They play so passive in their own end unless they are on the pk and then they are aggressive. It drives me nuts watching them sit back and let the other team control the play and eventually get some good shots on net. Throw in some terrible decision making at getting the puck out and yikes...

I'd like to see them hit the point men rather than continuously just try and block the passing lanes.

Make someone pay for their trespass.

 

[Antropovsky]

Holl looked quite good to start the season and since he signed his new contract, he has been getting progressively worse. He was brutal last night.

Well he did play 25 mins last night.... im sure his mistakes are more noticeable now because he is playing significantly more and more against top end talent.

Hes getting paid like a bottom pairing defenseman and playing top pairing minutes.

If he looks at all serviceable in this role during injuries, then we should be happy.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

I really feel Justin Holl is underrated among our fans.

He had a bad game yesterday, but I think he's been amazing this season. Similar to a Slavin-lite basically.

 

[therealkoho]

I know what my eyes tell me, but for you fancy stats guys is Dermott slipping, like a lot?

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Clifford looked good. He is what he is. A 4th line guy that is big and physical. Also is the toughest guy the leafs have had in years.

Campbell was so so.

Thanks! Liljegren?

 

[FireBabcock]

Getzlaf Del Zotto Henrique Silferberg off the top of my head all vets and warriors.
I never used the words game breaker

But Anaheim is not good. If we, say, beat Was, Stl, or Bos, Tbl, 5-4 in overtime I would say we should rejoice.

But anaheim isn’t the force you insinuated they were. I don’t see how a Leaf fan should be proud of their recent performance

 

[CelticDruid]

They play so passive in their own end unless they are on the pk and then they are aggressive. It drives me nuts watching them sit back and let the other team control the play and eventually get some good shots on net. Throw in some terrible decision making at getting the puck out and yikes...

Kind of like the time Randy Carlyle coached this team.