Leafs Talk

25 Apr 2024 18:14:28
I said it before and I'll say it again, that 4th line isn't getting enough credit.

Dewar is a machine out there. Even when they end up against the Pasta line, they're finishing every check, Reaves is taking runs at everyone (without penalties), it's just been great.

All credit to Ryan Reaves especially. We were talking about buying him out a couple months ago, now he looks like a solid contributor.

25 Apr 2024 18:33:52
That whole line has been very good. Kampf has been doing an awesome job of cycling the puck and has a goal. The D has not been the issue everyone thought it might be either. The whole team seemed a little flat last night, but other than that, the D hasn't been the issue. The difference has mostly been goaltending and Keefe being married to his line combinations and thinking Marner playing at 50% of his capabilities is going to get a win.
Goaltending and coaching, that's the difference. imo
I couldn't ask the team to compete any harder really. For the most part, they are competing and it is mostly the guys Tree brought in. Domi, Bert, Edmundson, Benoit, Reaves, Dewar, Boosh along with McCabe, Matthews, Kampf and I have liked Holmberg for the most part. By no means have I felt Boston has been the clearly better team.
Robertson has been fine, but if he wants to be in the lineup, he has to produce, which he hasn't.

25 Apr 2024 20:49:34
Robertson is like a chicken without a head. He's always doing something, but I'm never sure if it's good or not.

26 Apr 2024 12:38:43
LL. lol. Pretty much Robertson. As I said earlier in the year, he needs to learn to read plays and slow down. He goes full blast all the time even when unnecessary. I admire the energy, but a lot of it is wasted energy.

26 Apr 2024 14:10:52
Yes, Keefe at it again, what a doorknob.
Rolling 4 lines was going well in Boston, but as soon as we get home ice he starts inserting Marner up and down the line up. Just ridiculous.
The 4th line has been playing well, aside from the one Reaves missed assignment. By playing the energetic 4th line to help tire out some of Boston's Dmen helps the top lines play against a more tired & worn down defense, it's not rocket science Keefe.
I guess this is why the Leafs play better on the road, no galaxy brain from Keefe. He really has to go.

25 Apr 2024 10:29:40
Well Folks who starts game 4? Do we ride Sammy out or give Woll a chance? Tough one, I think if you take Sammy out, his confidence is shot and Woll may not be any better. But I personally think Woll has more upside and is our goalie of the future so might as well get him in there to see how he handles it? I’m up in the air in this one.

25 Apr 2024 12:34:35
Keefe doesn’t have the stones to make the switch end of the day stars are not being stars so doesn’t matter who’s in the net goalies can’t score.

25 Apr 2024 12:44:51
Clarky. Last night I don't think the Leafs played overly well, but Sammy was OK. OK isn't good enough. The first goal, just over 2 minutes left in the 2nd period, he gets beat short side from the side boards. Can't go in. The second goal, first two minutes of the 3rd, shot hits him in the glove it drops out right in front of him for an easy rebound goal. That's not good enough. He made some nice saves, but in a 1-0 game, that tying goal was brutal. Sammy has had one poor game, then a great game then an ok game. I still think Woll should have been the goalie to start game 1.

Let's go to Keefe. His decision to up Marner's playing time is a complete head scratcher. Yes, Marner made a nice play on the 1st goal, but was mostly brutal and Keefe insists on giving him ice-time to "get him going. " This is the playoffs, not regular season. You play the guys who are going. He took ice from the 4th line and gave it to the 2nd line. Reaves played 7 mins, Dewar 10 and Kampf 12:45 last night while Marner got a series high of over 23 mins. At this point, if Willy still can't go Saturday, then I would actually rather see Robertson tale Marner's spot on the 2nd line and Marner go to the 3rd line. If Willy can, then Robertson sits, Willy 2nd line and Marner 3rd line.

The whole Dubas style needs to go. Keefe should have been let go and replaced before the season started. I think Tree has built a better playoff style team, but he made a mistake in keeping Keefe. imo.

25 Apr 2024 17:59:32
@RLF that's pretty much exactly what I would have said as well.

Sammy hasn't been bad, but you don't win letting in these mediocre goals. I think Sammy will start unless it's really bad.

Mitchy does this every year. I have no doubt this is just who he is. He cannot play in physical series'. He doesn't match up well with the B's or Cats.

Willy plays the same style of trying to avoid getting hit, but he's a much better skater, and does a better job avoiding contact without looking scared. Not to say Willy is any different, he does make horrible decisions to avoid contact, but less often.

24 Apr 2024 00:58:18
Anyone got a theory on Willy Styles? He never gets injured, looks fine when skating, but he isn't playing and no one is talking. All of this after Keefe's comments about him.

24 Apr 2024 09:13:08
The whole thing is strange can’t remember the last time I heard a player sitting out of playoff games due to discomfort and then practice the next day…. I wish they would just come out and say it.

24 Apr 2024 12:54:44
I did write this below to this question, but will re-post;
I remember him getting hit around the redline last game against the boards and Willy was angry. You could tell he yelled at the guy. I think that is when whatever it is happened.

Let's also remember that Tree wants no information on injuries being made public. Discomfort could be worse than it sounds, but that is what Keefe is told to say.

24 Apr 2024 15:34:33
I question nylanders character a bit here tho the guy is healthy enough to take part in practice and stay out after practice to shoot around be he can’t play? Tbh idk if you want a guy with that mindset coming into this series haven’t heard anything on mcmann at all either.

24 Apr 2024 15:55:55
I don't question Willy's character/ commitment, he's pretry much our 'iron man'.
Personally, I think it's a back issue. He just might be trying to stay loose with the extra skating he's doing after running line drills with Holmberg & Jarnkrok.
If he's tightening up around game time, then sit again till Saturday. But, if he's loose, maybe he'll be a go.

24 Apr 2024 18:07:35
@tagz come on man we are trying to win a cup here tkachuck played with a broken sternum last year guys play with all kinds of thing this year to me if you are hurt enough you can’t play then you shouldn’t be taking line rushes what kind of message does that send to your team mates.

24 Apr 2024 21:28:54
@goat rumours out that his migranes are the issue. Hopefully he plays tonight.

24 Apr 2024 23:09:12
Maybe ribs, who knows.
Go Leafs Go!

25 Apr 2024 10:25:43
Maybe he is missing a twig and berries between his legs.

23 Apr 2024 12:43:16
Like everyone here I want the Leafs to win.

Like most I am more than happy that we have Matthews as our star player. He’s today’s best goal scorer and perhaps will be history’s best goal scorer.

But he did NOT dominate last night. Nor should it be viewed as a legendary night like some hockey writers have said.

He does not dominate a game like McDavid or MacKinnon. He not as consistent driving the play like these two; he more often waits for someone to tee it up for him.

He needs more resolve and commitment to put the team on his shoulders and play every shift like the puck belongs to him, you can’t have it!

I’m waiting for that to happen.

23 Apr 2024 17:30:35
Mathews isn't the skater Mackinnon and Mcdavid are. He plays a very different game. I think he was great, but you'll never see him skating through 3 people.

23 Apr 2024 18:08:03
I believe he does have another level too but hard to complain about Matthews giving 8 out of 10 when there are still some Leafs playing at a 5.

23 Apr 2024 19:32:40
@Clarky the only one that was poor was Marner imo. I actually had no issue with anyone else. Except maybe Lilly, but I always have issue with his game lol.

23 Apr 2024 20:30:31
LL/ Clarky. Agree, Matthews is a different kind of beast than the other two. He could up the physicality a bit to be even more impactful, but other than that, I have no issues with Matthews. Better defensively than McDavid as well.

23 Apr 2024 21:16:44
Agree with all.
He’s not the skater that Mac and Mc are. And they are have different styles. Mac and Mc can grab the puck anywhere on the ice and score. Matthews can do it occasionally but not consistently.
Matthews is better defensively.
And he has another gear we have NOT seen yet in post-season.
That’s what I’m waiting for.

23 Apr 2024 23:35:12
@Rsears this last game was as close to flawless as I've seen him play in the playoffs. He was in on every goal, splid defensively, made everyone on his line better, and wnded with almost double digit hits.
.

I agree he probably could do more, but I'm not sure how much more I can ask.

22 Apr 2024 23:54:23
There is something called “puck luck” and Boston has had it all season against the Leafs.

It’s time for the tables to turn!

Back passes in the perfect place for a one-timer is crazy.

So we take another stupid penalty and the Bruins score! They are 3 for 7 in the series.

This can be extremely frustrating but we have to keep plugging away.

23 Apr 2024 00:52:07
I know it's unpopular, but get Lilly off the ice and put in Brodie. At least he had experience. Give him one game.

23 Apr 2024 12:33:27
Perhaps you’re right. Six of one, half dozen of the other IMO.
Both are not physical, both are slow to take away space and both are frustrating as hell.
Lilly has more upside offensively while Brodie is a little better defensively.
Lilly seems to be tentative and waiting to get hit. He needs to be assertive and be faster to avoid the hit.

23 Apr 2024 17:35:42
@Rsears that's my biggest issue with Lilly. You can't play scared. He makes bad decisions because he looks like a deer in the headlights when someone is on him.

23 Apr 2024 18:08:31
No Brodie, especially on the right side please!

24 Apr 2024 00:01:26
@Clarky is Lilly better? He's been a mess as well. Why not give Brodie a try. He's been great his whole career.

21 Apr 2024 16:14:24
Out coached again. Just like I promoted earlier. We are going to lose because wingers are caught too low in our end (Knies lines goal against) and MF’ing turnovers. Hey Sheldon if your breakout is to make 100 ft passes across the ice and hope it doesn’t get intercepted, this is going to be a quick 4 games. I do not get how you don’t make an in game adjustment realizing they are picking apart your break out. Instead of 100’ passes, wingers come across and support the puck on a break out constant chip off the boards and dump the MF’ing puck in every MF’n time unless you have numbers. Boston has half the skill we have but when everyone is willing to buy in to their game plan on their team and the Leafs don’t really have one. Gonna make for Bruins in 6. Yes a couple of bad penalties, max was over excited but didn’t see any antics from Marchand last game. I just think that we are going against a well oiled machine and we are just a bunch of expensive parts with no mechanic to put the pieces together.

21 Apr 2024 20:51:18
Clarky. I'm not a big fan of Keefe's style of coaching either. If we don't get better goaltending and stay out of the box, it's going to be really tough and this is where coaching could make a big difference, but we know we don't have an advantage there either. How about we trade Keefe for Sullivan. Dubas would likely go for it.

21 Apr 2024 21:17:51
@RLF Sammy was screened for most of them because our coaching style is for D out front of our net to be trying to block the shots? Instead of boxing out the man in front. Why are we not boxing out the front of the net? Why are our D trying to play goalie? The rebounds out front of our net is like a game of hungry, hungry Hippo. If everyone is saying that we played well and we had a good effort, then what’s the reason for the 5-1 loss? We had more hits, shots were even. We didn’t have more than a handful of decent chances on Swayman. Watch how Boston is out front of their net compared to us. Even in their own end, everyone plays their position on Boston where as the Leafs are running around. Hard for me to see the Leafs beating Boston anymore than 2 games just based on defensive play and turnovers. Sorry for my frustration Leaf fans, just feels the same every year. 🤦‍♂️.

21 Apr 2024 23:43:43
Clarky. Same system they have played all year. How did Sammy see the puck prior when he was playing well then? I thought the game was pretty even. As I said below, penalties and goaltending was the difference imo. When you take too many penalties, offensive flow gets disrupted and your best players get cold and hard to get into a flow when you keep having to sit for stretches.
They need to stay out of the box and we need better goaltending. Can't have easy seeing eye shots go in. Yes there was a screen on a couple of goals, but the shots didn't go through 5 guys or anything. Both of those goals were one player screens pretty much. Samsonov has to look around those kind of screens. If he can't, he's letting in 5 every game.

22 Apr 2024 00:59:37
@Clarky I agree that some of those Sammy wasn't to blame. Lilly looked like his controller disconnected on the first goal, Edmonson was brought in to clear net front, but failed, on and on.

The biggest issue coming from me with Sammy, is you need saves sometimes. Yes, he can't stop them all with that in front of him, but he could have gotten one or two just to keep it close.

It's always the scoring that drops off. It's never letting in goals. Say Sammy only let's in two. Great game. Still a loss.

22 Apr 2024 12:53:45
LL. That's it. You need a save. I remember saves from Swayman that I thought should have been goals, but I can't remember any that I thought Sammy saves a goal there. Especially on goals 2 and 4. The second goal by Carlo, Samsonov sees the shot and simply gets beat. They have a great replay of it where there is no real screen, he can see the shot. The 4th one, he overplays the down low pass and slides past his net, so when DeBrusk tips the pass out front he even still hits Sammy's arm and it drops in. Had Sammy not slid past the net, it hits him in the chest. Leafs outshot them like 36-23. 5PP's for Boston to 3 for Toronto and Boston scores on 2 of theirs and both came in the last 30 seconds of the penalties. I think that 4th goal was with like 4 seconds left in the PP.

I also would say what I said about our 3rd line coming into the series. We are not winning with a 3rd line made up of the likes of Holmberg, Robertson and Jarnkrok. Need a big heavy 3rd line.

My opinion. Need goaltending to be better. We need a big stop at a crucial time. Stop taking bad penalties and can't keep that 3rd line together.