Post-Game Talk: Welp - Leafs Lose to the Wings 4-1

[ULF_55]

The difference in the game to me is quite simple, Leafs were lazy on a 3 goals Detroit scored. True Polak blew a tire, but I blame the coverage in front of the net on that play, then Zetterburg blew by one of our fastest D men. The goal from Nyquist was on another lazy defensive back check from the same Center that blew the coverage on the fist goal.

That's 3 goals that could have been prevented with more attention to detail last night.

The obvious was Kessel was outplayed by Zetterburg. When you best player is outplayed by the other team's best player, you are not going to have a good night.

Without Datsyuk


According to some the Leafs best players are:

Kessel, van Riemsdyk, Phaneuf, Kadri

Compare that list to:

Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall, Nyquist

I have no idea about Corsi, but the eyeball test ... I know which one I'd rate higher. (Today)

Good thing is age is on the Leafs side, the bad thing is the Wings look like they've groomed some kids who can play.

Luckily the Leafs have been a lottery team for a few years and have stockpiled some high end picks, whereas the Wings have been a playoffs team and have had to be more careful in their drafting.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Great
-

Good
Santorelli - Another good performance by Santa, capped by the goal. Love this guy.
Komarov - Borderline great. Reliable and always good.

Average
Gardiner - Borderline good. Won board battles, intercepted pucks, moved the puck. Huge mistake on second goal.
Polak - Borderline bad, gets average because he's a huge part of our great PK.
Kozun - You see flashes of great play, which is good considering the few minutes. Big ouchy.
Winnik - Not as good as previously, gets average because he's a huge part of our great PK.

Bad
Reimer - Took what he should, did nothing on the high quality chances. Looked much less calm this game.
Phaneuf - Borderline average, victimized by partnering with Franson
Rielly - Weak in his own zone, had some jump but didn't get anything right in the offensive zone.
Percy - His worst game so far. Out of position sometimes, first pass was mediocre this game.
JVR - Had some drive sometimes, but otherwise invisible.
Bozak - Best of the first line, some good defensive plays.
Kadri - Puck watching at times, lost his guy on one of the goals. Had some jump and initiative.
Lupul - Started out well, disappeared completely after that.
Clarkson - Not quite the impact of the last few games, but still look good on the third line.
Holland - Had some jump, failed with pretty much everything he tried.

Awful
Franson - Constantly puck watching on defense, otherwise invisible.
Kessel - Completely invisible, lacklustre defensively. Unacceptable performance.
Panik - Not much icetime, passive or weak every second out there.

 

[ULF_55]

Kozun

That was always a concern, same thing with Gaudreau in Calgary.

A tiny player trying to earn/keep a job in the highest paid league is going to do everything to stay, and sometimes will take risks that their body just isn't up to. Yes, larger players can get injured in those situations, but with these tiny guys we, or at I, are/am expecting it at some time, whereas with bigger players you don't hold your breath every time they put themselves in harms way.

Hopefully he's good soon and can get back in the line up. Hasn't really produced points, but has been a positive on the PK, and provides some energy.

This might provide an opportunity for someone else to step up.

 

[Mess]

Without Datsyuk


According to some the Leafs best players are:

Kessel, van Riemsdyk, Phaneuf, Kadri

Compare that list to:

Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall, Nyquist

I have no idea about Corsi, but the eyeball test ... I know which one I'd rate higher. (Today)

Good thing is age is on the Leafs side, the bad thing is the Wings look like they've groomed some kids who can play.

Luckily the Leafs have been a lottery team for a few years and have stockpiled some high end picks, whereas the Wings have been a playoffs team and have had to be more careful in their drafting.

Red Wings are cursed .. Unfortunately they've had 23 consecutive playoff appearances which = 23 consecutive year without a top 15 pick dating back to Marty Lapointe #10 overall in 1991.

During those 23 years Detroit has only picked in the top 20 of any draft 2 X #19 Jakub Kindl (2005), #15 Dylan Larkin (2014).

So why do they have so many self drafted and developed players in their line-up and so many consecutive years of success?.

 

[ULF_55]

Red Wings are cursed .. Unfortunately they've had 23 consecutive playoff appearances which = 23 consecutive year without a top 15 pick dating back to Marty Lapointe #10 overall in 1991.

During those 23 years Detroit has only picked in the top 20 of any draft 2 X #19 Jakub Kindl (2005), #15 Dylan Larkin (2014).

So why do they have so many self drafted and developed players in their line-up and so many consecutive years of success?.

Their draft this year looked a lot like the Leafs draft this year, only rather than go for the college projects they went Euro.

Draft|Number|Round|Player|Postion|League/Team
2014 Entry|15|1|Dylan Larkin|C|U.S. National Under-18 Team [USHL]
2014 Entry| 63 |3 |Dominic Turgeon| C| Portland Winterhawks [WHL]
2014 Entry| 106| 4| Christoffer Ehn| C| Frolunda (Sweden Jrs.)
2014 Entry| 136| 5| Chase Perry| G| Wenatchee Wild [NAHL]
2014 Entry| 166| 6| Julius Vahatalo| F| TPS (Finland Jrs.)
2014 Entry| 196| 7| Axel Holmstrom |F| Skelleftea (Sweden Jrs.)
2014 Entry| 201| 7| Alexander Kadeykin| F| Moscow Oblast Atlant [KHL]

Draft|Number|Round|Player|Postion|League/Team
2014 Entry |8 |1|William Nylander|C|Modo Hockey Ornskoldsvik [SweHL]
2014 Entry |68 |3|Rinat Valiev |D|Kootenay Ice [WHL]
2014 Entry |103|4|J.J. Piccinich |F|Youngstown Phantoms [USHL]
2014 Entry |128|5|Dakota Joshua |F|Sioux Falls Stampede [USHL]
2014 Entry |158|6|Nolan Vesey |F|South Shore Kings [USPHL-Pr]
2014 Entry |188|7|Pierre Engvall |L|Frolunda (Sweden Jrs.)

It will be interesting to see which approach works out better, or if there is no difference.

 

[JoeyBeans]

Told you I was going to chuck my jersey.

 

[ULF_55]

Told you I was going to chuck my jersey.

Perhaps the start of a new service industry.

There are thousands of Leafs fans around the country who can't chuck their jerseys at the ACC.

"When Leafs Suck, We Chuck!"

 

[cupinto]

Did anyone else cut out after the second goal last night? Just frustrating. If they stood a fighting chance at winning, I'd stick around, but no. Typical Leafs. The rest of the team are just like Kessel. Streaky. Win some great games, but the next one they have no heart.

They play like they are part of a country club, well, maybe they are. They get paid like it!

 

[Stephen]

Well I think the huggers are over looking one large aspect to the foundation of this frustration.

Det is supposed to be a bubble PO team, ya.

A team we need to climb over to just get into the POs and they dominated us like the cellar dwellers that we are.

All the while missing their #1c and all world player in Datsyuk.

Take kessel out of the line up and what are we supposed to look like?

Kessel didn't look like he was in the lineup last night.

 

[Trapper]

Red Wings are cursed .. Unfortunately they've had 23 consecutive playoff appearances which = 23 consecutive year without a top 15 pick dating back to Marty Lapointe #10 overall in 1991.

During those 23 years Detroit has only picked in the top 20 of any draft 2 X #19 Jakub Kindl (2005), #15 Dylan Larkin (2014).

So why do they have so many self drafted and developed players in their line-up and so many consecutive years of success?.

Because the Wings draft players who can play a 200 foot game. When you aren't drafting Stamkos or Crosby your scouting staff have to look just beyond 1 dimensional players. Not saying those players are 1 dimensional just no brainer picks. While a team like Edmonton probably have more individual skill, lower teams are looking for character and compete, the ability to play a complete game in a working system. An entire team of Yakupov's might be exciting to watch flying around the ice but Detroit/New Jersey etc. are much more successful franchises.

 

[Stephen]

Did anyone else cut out after the second goal last night? Just frustrating. If they stood a fighting chance at winning, I'd stick around, but no. Typical Leafs. The rest of the team are just like Kessel. Streaky. Win some great games, but the next one they have no heart.

They play like they are part of a country club, well, maybe they are. They get paid like it!

The Leafs as a group are exceptionally pathetic.

They're not streaky, they just thrive when they have an easy opponent on an off night.

 

[Suntouchable13]

There are so many unlikable characters on this team (starting with Nonis and Carlyle), I just don't know. I don't even get that excited for wins or goals anymore. I hope that changes really soon.

 

[cupinto]

Not really. Sometimes they absolutely slaughter the best opponents, like Pittsburgh. Maybe those teams put out their second stringers to give their top players an off day. LOL.

 

[Mess]

Kessel didn't look like he was in the lineup last night.

Kessel registered a shot on goal yesterday in +17 minutes of ice, so we know he was dressed. That was better than Kozun, Panik and Winnik who didn't register any among the forwards.

The good news in regards to the top line in this one is that they were not on the ice for any goals against which is a rarity and so it was a breakeven night for the top trio. Nothing for & Nothing against.

When opposition shuts down Leafs top line victories are hard to come by for Toronto.

 

[ACC1224]

It's interesting how some only post in Post Game Threads after a loss, never after a win.
Almost as if they're pleased by it.

Anyway, worse game I've been to in a while. At least dinner was good, traffic was light heading home.

 

[ULF_55]

It's interesting how some only post in Post Game Threads after a loss, never after a win.
Almost as if they're pleased by it.

Anyway, worse game I've been to in a while. At least dinner was good, traffic was light heading home.

There was light traffic in the GDT as well.

Of course it wasn't an easy game to watch.

 

[Mess]

Of course it wasn't an easy game to watch.

Jonas Siegel reports

Quote of the Night

"It seemed like they had more players on the ice than we did."

- Jake Gardiner following the 4-1 loss to Detroit.

From watching the game it certainly seemed that way.

Luckily for some of us we had a double header hockey night. Kelowna Rockets .. 2014-15 games played 10 record 10-0-0-0 for 20 points. Helps a little when the first game isn't as entertaining on some nights.

 

[pspot]

Perhaps the start of a new service industry.

There are thousands of Leafs fans around the country who can't chuck their jerseys at the ACC.

"When Leafs Suck, We Chuck!"

If this starts happening at away games it's going to be amazing

Doubt it will ever mean anything but shows fans are sick of the same old and publicly embarrassing this franchise more then they have already themselves

Ultimately the only thing. That will create meaningful change imo is another team in Toronto

 

[colchar]

Kessel registered a shot on goal yesterday in +17 minutes of ice, so we know he was dressed. That was better than Kozun, Panik and Winnik who didn't register any among the forwards.

And how many minutes did Kozun play before leaving due to injury?

 

[Mess]

And how many minutes did Kozun play before leaving due to injury?

5:32 TOI/g of which 2:12 came SH.

 

[Hotlanta]

Just for one game I would love to see:

Winnik - Kadri - Kessel
JVR - Bozak - Lupul
Komarov - Santorelli - Clarkson
Frattin - Holland - Lupul/Kessel*

Gardiner - Phaneuf
Rielly - Robidas
Percy - Polak
Franson (PP + PK, and a couple offensive zone starts)

 

[ULF_55]

Just for one game I would love to see:

Winnik - Kadri - Kessel
JVR - Bozak - Lupul
Komarov - Santorelli - Clarkson
Frattin - Holland - Lupul/Kessel*

Gardiner - Phaneuf
Rielly - Robidas
Percy - Polak
Franson (PP + PK, and a couple offensive zone starts)

I'll go with:

van Riemsdyk - Kadri - Lupul
Komarov - Bozak - Kessel
Winnik - Santorelli - Clarkson
Frattin - Holland - Ashton

Gardiner - Phaneuf
Rielly - Robidas
Percy - Polak / Franson

 

[showtime8]

I'll go with:

van Riemsdyk - Kadri - Lupul
Komarov - Bozak - Kessel
Winnik - Santorelli - Clarkson
Frattin - Holland - Ashton

Gardiner - Phaneuf
Rielly - Robidas
Percy - Polak / Franson

I actually like that line-up of forwards a lot.

People that were saying in the off-season that you can't break up the top line... I think they are starting to realize that you need to spread the wealth around and shake it up.

I'm sure teams would still focus on the Bozak/Kessel line, but that gives a huge opportunity for Kadri to put up some points.

 

[Bluelines]

I've liked watching the Wings since they got Scotty to coach them. They've played a smart game for a couple decades now. You have to wonder if it is good drafting or they just chose players who can learn, and are team first?

Datsyuk isn't long for the NHL now, but perhaps they do have some replacements coming up like Tatar, Jurco, Nyquist, ...

Yes, Leafs have some nice kids as well, but they don't have to fill large shoes, and won't be compared to players like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, and the gap in NHL time to Sundin is huge now.

Would results be different if all the players on the Leafs had to conform?[/QUOTE]

I wonder if results would be different if Babcock was coaching the Leafs, sometimes a player is what he is, if Babcock coached the Leafs would Lupul, Kadri and Kessel suddenly become world class 2 wayplayers? Would Franson suddenly turn into Kronwall? I'm no so sure the answer is yes... the problem could just be the one dimensionial players we hahve on the Leafs.

 

[080]

Kessel registered a shot on goal yesterday in +17 minutes of ice, so we know he was dressed. That was better than Kozun, Panik and Winnik who didn't register any among the forwards.

The good news in regards to the top line in this one is that they were not on the ice for any goals against which is a rarity and so it was a breakeven night for the top trio. Nothing for & Nothing against.

When opposition shuts down Leafs top line victories are hard to come by for Toronto.

Kozun was one of our best players.