(frank)!

(frank)!
- senstroll

poop!

I was going to suggest Honest Hockey.
- mykokes

If they hire a new coach and we notice a small HH embroidered on his clothing we'll all have heart attacks.

When your top players show no interest in fighting for loose pucks or winning any one on one battles, what hope do you have?

You play certain guys to death, who are simply NOT competing or getting the job done in any way. What does that tell the younger players? WHy would they bother? Any mistake they make, they are benched or put in the pressbox while the captain, the top forward and others do none of the little things that help you win a hockey game but are put right back out there to repeat their lack of success.

This team has no intensity, no heart and they say it after every game, "we are lacking passion, we're not tenacious enough"....then do something about it for Gods sake?! nothing is more frusterating then watching Phaneuf let the opposing team get the puck in the corner, walk out and bury it unhindered and then watch a minute later only to see it happen again to Phaneuf. Franson is the softest 6'5 player in the league, there is no fight in these guys.

What happened to last years team? the team that made you fight for every inch, it's just too damn easy to play the leafs now. Looks like the Ron Wilson era all over again. It is downright sad to see.

i'm surprised Nonis is so bulletproof in all of this. he was very aggressive over the summer.
- DoubleDown

TBH the team is stronger on paper than last year. I think they have some talent. The systems on the ice are terrible (or non-existant). There is no crisis with Kessel or Nonis. Don't try to start a poopstorm. It's big enough already.

It's players not giving a (frank) because they want the coach gone. I don't think professional sport players should do it, but it happens quite often.

Change of coach, a few players shipped out, and a couple of decent trades (along with a weak East) and we should be sitting 4th or 5th in the conference for a while.

Four games in Carolina he's +7 lol
- mykokes

They've won 5 in a row - that's good for +/- and did I mention they've won 5 in a row.

We lost last year to Boston because we stopped pushing offensively. We suddenly thought, "Okay, trap it up!" like we were the 2002 Devils. Doesn't work these days.

I see virtually none of that counter-punch hockey lately, despite finding success with it even this year. Carlyle wants to impose a style on this team that they aren't equipped for.

You can play Devils hockey if you have Scott Stevens and clutch-and-grab. Not Jake Gardiner and new rules on interference.
- Leeman4Gilmour

I think you've hit it here. It's a new game. This is a cool bit on why LA is such a dominant possession team, and thus, why they win:

http://www.sbnation.com/n...-differential-really-good

"But the largest chunk of their possession advantage comes from simply winning the neutral zone, and if someone wants to break down their system, that's where I'd start."

i'm surprised Nonis is so bulletproof in all of this. he was very aggressive over the summer.
- DoubleDown

I wonder if he is...I have to think they are all getting a little nervous.

didnt watch, how bad was it

Morning fellas. Tonight is another chance to turn this poop around!

And Nonis isn't going anywhere guys they extended him like 5 years or something. The leafs don't have soccer monies to be blowing on the leafs lol

TBH the team is stronger on paper than last year. I think they have some talent. The systems on the ice are terrible (or non-existant). There is no crisis with Kessel or Nonis. Don't try to start a poopstorm. It's big enough already.

It's players not giving a (frank) because they want the coach gone. I don't think professional sport players should do it, but it happens quite often.

Change of coach, a few players shipped out, and a couple of decent trades (along with a weak East) and we should be sitting 4th or 5th in the conference for a while.
- walshyleafsfan

who said crisis? i said that it's not surprising that a team's work ethic would stink when its best player sets such a lousy example. and as for "on paper", i don't even know what that means.

They've won 5 in a row - that's good for +/- and did I mention they've won 5 in a row.
- Woderwick

In fairness hes was one of our best D when he played IMO.

In fairness part 2 our defense is a joke.

I think you've hit it here. It's a new game. This is a cool bit on why LA is such a dominant possession team, and thus, why they win:

http://www.sbnation.com/n...-differential-really-good

"But the largest chunk of their possession advantage comes from simply winning the neutral zone, and if someone wants to break down their system, that's where I'd start."
- Stringer74

This team seems to be built to attack - at least that would fit their natural skill set much more than whatever this other mess of a system Carlyle is failing to administer.

I wonder if he is...I have to think they are all getting a little nervous.
- Woderwick

would be shocked if he's still coaching after the break if the Leafs don't get this thing turned around.

In fairness hes was one of our best D when he played IMO.

In fairness part 2 our defense is a joke.
- Bigzby

Best D this year and last? I don't think so, before his injury I'd agree, but last year he was awful and we didn't see enough of him this year.

Everyone deserves blame at this point. I understand the be patient and try and turn this around but this is starting to look pathetic.

So tired of this team getting out worked. And full of brain cramps!

I would love to see no system at this point, how much worse could it get. We're getting crushed with absolutely no offense.

Atleast it would be more entertaining than this. It's boring hockey too

Best D this year and last? I don't think so, before his injury I'd agree, but last year he was awful and we didn't see enough of him this year.
- Woderwick

Nah his like 5 games this year, he moved the puck with greater creativity than a clapper around the boards.

Best D this year and last? I don't think so, before his injury I'd agree, but last year he was awful and we didn't see enough of him this year.
- Woderwick

To me that was part of the problem. He was better than Fraser and Ranger, and even Franson. The west teams have mobile defenseman. Good NHL teams have 4 or 5 guys who can skate and move the puck out of our zone. Yes you need physical d-men, but what good are they if you spend the game hemmed in because you can't make a simple breakout play. The end result is slow d-men become even slower as they become more tired.

I like the Gleason acquisition though because he can skate, and he is physical.

the cookie cutter "we have to be better" post game comments are lame.. I understand you cant go off on everyone..but that would be nice to see

I think Carlyle has a 3 saying rotation .. sometimes he reverses the order he says them....but I am not fooled..I am on to him

Fire Carlyle and trade Lupul, Franson, Maybe Gardiner and Maybe Kadri, and Reimer in a package!

I would Rather not trade Gardiner, Kadri, or Reimer. For sure not in a package!
- BoTtLePoLiCe

Fire Coach, trade 75% of good players on team.

Genius.

Couple of minor suggestions for this team.

Play Gards and MR on the PP unit 1.

Move Clarkson to the second line.

Play Bodie and Carter on the 4th line.

Reduce Phaneuf's minutes by 4-5 - see 1st suggestion.

Fire Coach, trade 75% of good players on team.

Genius.
- TommyDeVito

I think he was saying the same thing.

the cookie cutter "we have to be better" post game comments are lame.. I understand you cant go off on everyone..but that would be nice to see

I think Carlyle has a 3 saying rotation .. sometimes he reverses the order he says them....but I am not fooled..I am on to him
- senstroll

The players actually sounded a little pissed at themselves last night, as they should. This is where the leadership within the dressing room needs to step up to try to change the culture in that room and on the ice.

Couple of minor suggestions for this team.

Play Gards and MR on the PP unit 1.

Move Clarkson to the press box.

Play Bodie and Carter on the 4th line

Reduce Phaneuf's minutes by 4-5 - see 1st suggestion.
- Bigzby

fixed

morning fellas

I now envy Buffalo they suck, but not any worse than the leafs, and have lots of picks and should get more.

The leafs will deal nobody for picks and probably trade some for players in desperation.

one 48 game season of limited success since 2004... which is almost zero improvement in 10 years