It's never fun to watch them lose, especially to Boston... yet again.

but does anyone else kind of think it might not be bad to have a poopty season against Boston. Maybe it means that things even out if they meet in the playoffs?
- Aetherial

All those years the Sens owned the Leafs in reg season, but lost like 4 first round match ups to the Leafs (too lazy to qualify this claim of mine).

Edit - 4 first round wins and 1 second round win against the Sens.
During this 6 year stretch, Leafs reg season record vs Sens was 9W 19L 6OTL

So, we're hanging our hat on...lose reg season head to head but win playoff series.

Is Rasmus Dahlin the best 18 year old defender to enter the league since Ponger?
- AdamFrench

Ping Ponger?

It's never fun to watch them lose, especially to Boston... yet again.

but does anyone else kind of think it might not be bad to have a poopty season against Boston. Maybe it means that things even out if they meet in the playoffs?
- Aetherial

They won the season series against Boston last year. They lost in the playoffs.


They lost the season series against Boston this year. I like where this is going.

What? I specifically said "It's definitely debatable."
As in.. I can understand why someone would choose sparks over Hutch.
I just wouldn't. But I'll repeat it for clarity: It's definitely debatable.
- UsernameUnknown

“I'll take Hutch every day from what I've seen from him as a Leaf.”


You gotta be way more clear then man. Or just own what you say. It’s up to you.

Is Rasmus Dahlin the best 18 year old defender to enter the league since Ponger?
- AdamFrench

He’s better than Pronger. Maybe. Probably. Or not. But...

He’s better than Pronger. Maybe. Probably. Or not. But...
- Steven_Seagull

Definitive.

They won the season series against Boston last year. They lost in the playoffs.


They lost the season series against Boston this year. I like where this is going.
- Steven_Seagull

It would be a fun series.

I prefer a different team just to see something different...but there isn’t a team that could catch the leafs or bruins imo.(in the Atlantic)

Some thoughts after letting last night's loss to the B's percolate.

It was an interesting coaching move by Babs to line Tavares up against Bergeron. Tavares impresses me more every game, and I thought the Tavares line more than held their own, and did not let the Bruin 1st line dictate the game's pace and tone the way they have when Babs put the Matthews line against them.

Which leads to my next point. If Babs sticks with this game plan, to beat the Bruins, the Leafs are simply going to need more from Matthews in these games, and to a lesser extent the Kadri line. Matthews is rightly regarded as an elite player. He needs to prove it by making some hay against the Krejci line, and Boston in general. Similarly, there is opportunity there for Kadri's line.

The Leafs D is often simply too soft on the puck in their own end, and lately it has ended up in the back of the net because of it. The Bruins D, on the other hand, do not look like a fun group to play against.

Sparks, when healthy, should be sent to the minors.

Lastly, we did not play bad. But the consistent theme has been that in these close games against the Bruins, we lose them.

Discuss.

“I'll take Hutch every day from what I've seen from him as a Leaf.”


You gotta be way more clear then man. Or just own what you say. It’s up to you.
- Santo_44

"It's definitely debatable." Is murky to you?
"I'll take Hutch," implies opinion.
"Sparks. Without question." Implies certainty.

Are we done here?

The Leafs D is often simply too soft on the puck in their own end, and lately it has ended up in the back of the net because of it. The Bruins D, on the other hand, do not look like a fun group to play.
- fifty__missions

I have to say I think last night we showed that Boston D is not as tough and shutdown as it is portrayed. We generated a LOT of turnovers and battled through them. Kardi’s line especially was able to really outwork them. If we skate and are willing to battle they can be beaten.

With all the page movement...I'm guessing - without looking that the healthy pool playing girl is missing.

Some thoughts after letting last night's loss to the B's percolate.

It was an interesting coaching move by Babs to line Tavares up against Bergeron. Tavares impresses me more every game, and I thought the Tavares line more than held their own, and did not let the Bruin 1st line dictate the game's pace and tone the way they have when Babs put the Matthews line against them.

Which leads to my next point. If Babs sticks with this game plan, to beat the Bruins, the Leafs are simply going to need more from Matthews in these games, and to a lesser extent the Kadri line. Matthews is rightly regarded as an elite player. He needs to prove it by making some hay against the Krejci line, and Boston in general. Similarly, there is opportunity there for Kadri's line.

The Leafs D is often simply too soft on the puck in their own end, and lately it has ended up in the back of the net because of it. The Bruins D, on the other hand, do not look like a fun group to play against.

Sparks, when healthy, should be sent to the minors.

Lastly, we did not play bad. But the consistent theme has been that in these close games against the Bruins, we lose them.

Discuss.
- fifty__missions

Agree Leafs defense is soft

Sparks cannot be sent to the Marlies without clearing waivers. If Hutchinson plays 1 more NHL game (would be 10th this year) he will also have to clear waivers to be sent to the marlies. I believe Sparks could be sent to the Marlies for a conditioning stint only. The Leafs will likely lose one of these goalies soon.

I thought the game was one for the taking. Rask let in a softie for the first goal. That ugly cheezy goal should have triggered the notion that maybe, just maybe we should put more pucks to the net. In the final 35 seconds of the game the Leafs had the puck in the Bruin zone, I counted 18 passes, and they waited until the clock was down to 0.8 seconds before they let a shot go. Shoot the MOFO already.

"It's definitely debatable." Is murky to you?
"I'll take Hutch," implies opinion.
"Sparks. Without question." Implies certainty.

Are we done here?
- UsernameUnknown

Ok man. Just accept when you make a mistake and move on next time.

Agree Leafs defense is soft

Sparks cannot be sent to the Marlies without clearing waivers. If Hutchinson plays 1 more NHL game (would be 10th this year) he will also have to clear waivers to be sent to the marlies. I believe Sparks could be sent to the Marlies for a conditioning stint only. The Leafs will likely lose one of these goalies soon.

I thought the game was one for the taking. Rask let in a softie for the first goal. That ugly cheezy goal should have triggered the notion that maybe, just maybe we should put more pucks to the net. In the final 35 seconds of the game the Leafs had the puck in the Bruin zone, I counted 18 passes, and they waited until the clock was down to 0.8 seconds before they let a shot go. Shoot the MOFO already.
- winsix

They didn’t have much of a lane to shoot through at the end of the game, disappointing result but I thought they played quite good yesterday.

All those years the Sens owned the Leafs in reg season, but lost like 4 first round match ups to the Leafs (too lazy to qualify this claim of mine).

Edit - 4 first round wins and 1 second round win against the Sens.
During this 6 year stretch, Leafs reg season record vs Sens was 9W 19L 6OTL

So, we're hanging our hat on...lose reg season head to head but win playoff series.
- Woderwick

The Leafs owned the Sens just like the Bruins own the Leafs in the playoffs.........I don't know what game your watching.

The comeback loss in 2013 was bad enough but last year also showed that the Bruins have their # in the playoffs. I don't see the Leafs winning against the Bruins unless it's in game 7; it's a psychological thing - just like with the Canucks had against the CHI

Zaitsev is a shadow of himself. I wouldn't waste time:

Nikita Zaitsev, Timothy Liljegren, Kasperi Kapanen, pick

FOR Colton Parayko, Robby Fabbri

Zaitsev is a shadow of himself. I wouldn't waste time:

Nikita Zaitsev, Timothy Liljegren, Kasperi Kapanen, pick

FOR Colton Parayko, Robby Fabbri
- AlfieisKing

Z is okay. He is good at what he does in his own end but needs an elite puck mover with him to be effective...Like Gardiner but he may be gone next year.

His contract is fine for a few years...lots of time to move him and it will be easier when he has 3/4 years left instead of 5

edit: but if a Petro or Parayko deal is there then I would absolutely try and deal Z in it. More will be known in the next month.

Z is okay. He is good at what he does in his own end but needs an elite puck mover with him to be effective...Like Gardiner but he may be gone next year.

His contract is fine for a few years...lots of time to move him and it will be easier when he has 3/4 years left instead of 5

edit: but if a Petro or Parayko deal is there then I would absolutely try and deal Z in it. More will be known in the next month.
- Santo_44

fair enough, but no one is going to hand Toronto a right shot D-man; their strong and every fan base knows about them now. Pietrangelo would be the perfect fit (8m could be *)

I did watch... apart from a couple of poops in the latter portion of the 1st period... Nylander was tentative (my opinion).

Matthews is showing his maturity ... packs it in (watch his body language) when things don't go his way.

again, just my opinion...

time for Dubas to clear the air, make a couple of trades and and address the elephant in the room... contracts.
- BorjeFan4Ever

I agree. But some on here think the Leafs were good last night ... and yet we lose again. The whole team looked 'meh' last night imo. Kadri had some jump, but outside of him?

Why do some on here continually defend this team when they lose? Do we expect every game to be a win? No, but they keep looking 'meh' in supposed big games!(the Tampa loss was an exception)

The Leafs owned the Sens just like the Bruins own the Leafs in the playoffs.........I don't know what game your watching.

The comeback loss in 2013 was bad enough but last year also showed that the Bruins have their # in the playoffs. I don't see the Leafs winning against the Bruins unless it's in game 7; it's a psychological thing - just like with the Canucks had against the CHI
- AlfieisKing

Leafs owned Sens when the Leafs were underdogs and it was a few more times.

Leafs have lost to a much more experienced Bruins team when the Bruins were favoured.

it is not the same thing, sorry.

I agree. But some on here think the Leafs were good last night ... and yet we lose again. The whole team looked 'meh' last night imo. Kadri had some jump, but outside of him?

Why do some on here continually defend this team when they lose? Do we expect every game to be a win? No, but they keep looking 'meh' in supposed big games!(the Tampa loss was an exception)
- Hockey_Reverend

It is because the Leafs did play well last night. Just like sometimes they have won and we have said Andersen was the difference and that the Leafs got away with playing meh.

The stats show it. The Leafs produced far more scoring chances, high dangers chances and overall more shots. The controlled the play more than the Bruins. The goaltending was the difference in this game. Move on.

fair enough, but no one is going to hand Toronto a right shot D-man; their strong and every fan base knows about them now. Pietrangelo would be the perfect fit (8m could be *)
- AlfieisKing

I am not convinced the Blues are willing to trade Petro or Parayko yet....It could of been just the media a few months ago. They probably want to be good next year and trading Petro for picks and prospects makes them worse.

LA will sell. Carolina has too many D men and zero scoring.

I see the Leafs zeroing on those two teams for a D.

It is because the Leafs did play well last night. Just like sometimes they have won and we have said Andersen was the difference and that the Leafs got away with playing meh.

The stats show it. The Leafs produced far more scoring chances, high dangers chances and overall more shots. The controlled the play more than the Bruins. The goaltending was the difference in this game. Move on.
- Santo_44

Other then 2 shorthanded breakaways within 20 seconds of each other they did not outplay Boston. When Boston started forechecking our guys looked lost. I have moved on, sky is not falling, but why do we defend then with 'underlying numbers'. They lost and looked meh. Disappointing again. Next game...

Other then 2 shorthanded breakaways within 20 seconds of each other they did not outplay Boston. When Boston started forechecking our guys looked lost. I have moved on, sky is not falling, but why do we defend then with 'underlying numbers'. They lost and looked meh. Disappointing again. Next game...
- Hockey_Reverend

Sigh. I get you are mad the Leafs lost but don't let it get in the way.

They out chanced them. Out shot them. Possesed the puck and forchecked well.

I completely disagree with you. They played well and lost...that is all there is to it.

Sigh. I get you are mad the Leafs lost but don't let it get in the way.

They out chanced them. Out shot them. Possesed the puck and forchecked well.

I completely disagree with you. They played well and lost...that is all there is to it.
- Santo_44

I'm not mad. And I am not saying they played horrible. They seemed meh to me. Lots of play around the outside imo. I guess if Matthews had scored on that chance we might be talking different ...