I said this back in early dec. said I heard reports about players being unhappy with pp setup. I was laughed at.

Boston said after last night they can't beleive the leafs kept doing the same thing that continually didn't work and didn't play their big guns on the pp more.

But it's not a problem.
- burn

Many issues were completely coachable on this team...

PP, PK, defensive structure, ‘Strech Pass’ system that leads to massive turnovers... lots more!

To EDM: Buston Glassews, Willy Mehlander

To TOR: McDavid and Kassian


Which team says no?
- .OHOH.

Edmonton says no.

Some Leafs fans say no.

Who saw Keon raise the cup btw.
Most here only heard about that 😂😂
- Nighthawk

I saw the Leafs win Lord Stanley 4 times in 62, 63, 64, and 67 .

Thanks for being a smart ass and asking

Sorry, I don’t agree. The first goal, yes. It was soft. But the third goal was because of Rielly’s stick. The goal on teh brain-dead Gardiners giveaway was the killer. As soon as that happened it was over. Confidence shot. You cant do stuff like that in a game 7... Andersen was not the problem.
- Hockey_Reverend

The second goal was an embarrassing crapfest. Even if he had put enough mustard on that to ring it around harder . . .who was it going to? There were three opposing players behind him and the next Leaf. It was awful.

But that goal didn't break the game. Boston was guilty of a bunch of terrible turnovers as well.

I argue this with my friend all the time as well - an NHL goalie is paid to make 10-bell saves. If you aren't making a few of them, you're not doing your job. NHL coaches will bail out the goalies afterwards saying, "we can't be expecting him to make those saves", but yes, they do. And so do we as fans.

Was the third goal stoppable by Freddy at his best this year? Yes. It totally was. Did that opportunity arise because we were pressing to come back because he had allowed an atrocious first goal? Also, yes.

I think Freddy has been stellar. But in my opinion last night he wasn't. I felt that he did his job adequately, but we needed more than adequate.

I said this back in early dec. said I heard reports about players being unhappy with pp setup. I was laughed at.

Boston said after last night they can't beleive the leafs kept doing the same thing that continually didn't work and didn't play their big guns on the pp more.

But it's not a problem.
- burn

To be fair, you specifically said, the Leafs players were told "Not to be creative" while on the PP. That's a strong statement

Who would we have played instead of Hyman?
- walshyleafsfan

Marchment?

I don’t know, but I would give a Marlie a shot. I love Zach, but something was really off with him...

Honestly, and it's not a case of being an a-hole about losing, I hope so. Their PP was inexcusably bad for the talent it rolled out. It was stationary and predictable. I could have drawn up a defense for it, and I'm drunk 64% of the time. Their PK was abysmal. It couldn't decide if it was a pressure kill or a passive kill. And usually ended up being an ugly hybrid of both leaving exploitable gaps.
- Monkeypunk

Yup special teams was big. And Babcock said it last night but Kadri's suspension really took options away from them. Nylander was stuck in that 3rd line role. Would have been a nice option to move Kapanen and Nylander around in the lineup. Plus Kadri himself gives you a better shot of winning the bottom 6 battle.

Two years in a row ...selfish plays.

What's infuriating is babcock said no one was better at 100% than Gardiner at less than 100% (Far less). Yet he never plays young players anyways.
- RogerRoeper

Why not give Rosen a chance? Rather a 100 per cent Rosen then a 80 per cent Gardiner any day...

Nope. They were derided for thinking the Leafs weren't contenders. Doubting the Leafs could actually beat Boston.

There were a lot of and and MOAR GRIT.

Those people know who they are (I assume you do), and now that the inevitable has occurred, they're trying to cover tracks by simply blaming the coach for all issues.

It sucks people were ridiculed, but it is what it is. The same thing happened with talk about Zaitsev and Gardiner. Again, it's unfortunate, but we can't change the past.

Leafs are a cracking regular season team, so that's half the battle. They just need to figure the other half out.
- walshyleafsfan

I never once said anything to anyone about leafs winning or losing in the playoffs.the only comments I saw on this situation were those who commented on posts who said leafs had no shot at beating Bruins. They most certainly did have a shot. this sounds like a revision of history.

Many issues were completely coachable on this team...

PP, PK, defensive structure, ‘Strech Pass’ system that leads to massive turnovers... lots more!
- Hockey_Reverend

I'd be interested to find out where the 'Stretch Pass' came from. I don't remember the Red Wings using it like this. I could be wrong though.

Did the analytics department see that it works 55% of the time for example? Was it Babcock's idea? I remember Babcock's first year when PAP was the leading scorer. I don't recall it being used as much then. But again, i could be wrong.

Sandin and bracco are making this team next year. Frees them up to trade wilma and resign Johnson and kapanen.
- mykokes

Any trade for Wilma right now would be a cap dump. IF you can even find a taker, you are getting next to nothing for him.

I never once said anything to anyone about leafs winning or losing in the playoffs.the only comments I saw on this situation were those who commented on posts who said leafs had no shot at beating Bruins. They most certainly did have a shot. this sounds like a revision of history.
- burn

The Leafs had a shot in beating the Bruins as far as they played each other. But they were never in danger of actually eliminating the Bruins. That much was obvious way back. This team hasn't got the mentality to eliminate the team. As was proved yet again in Game 6 and 7.

Any team with your man Gardiner on it is going to struggle eliminating the team. He wasn't the sole issue (there are multiple), but you just can't play a guy who's -10 or -11 in elimination games.

I'd be interested to find out where the 'Stretch Pass' came from. I don't remember the Red Wings using it like this. I could be wrong though.

Did the analytics department see that it works 55% of the time for example? Was it Babcock's idea? I remember Babcock's first year when PAP was the leading scorer. I don't recall it being used as much then. But again, i could be wrong.
- walshyleafsfan

Every time they went for teh stretch pass. And we wonder why they keep giving up turnovers and have defensive breakdowns. That is common sense issue. Defence wins. Strech passes do not. Boston had 3 guys forchek and caused problems for teh D because they had to make 150 foot passes...

Why not give Rosen a chance? Rather a 100 per cent Rosen then a 80 per cent Gardiner any day...
- Hockey_Reverend

He would never give Rosen a chance so he's full of poop.

What's infuriating is babcock said no one was better at 100% than Gardiner at less than 100% (Far less). Yet he never plays young players anyways.
- RogerRoeper

Babcock doesn't think rookies belong in the league. He thinks that broken down vets who contribute nothing are more valuable because they earned it.

Marchment?

I don’t know, but I would give a Marlie a shot. I love Zach, but something was really off with him...
- Hockey_Reverend

Yeah he was definitely injured. I think 75% of players are probably playing injured in the playoffs. I think Bergeron is as well. Mason Marchment, as much as i love him, is a very, very borderline NHL player.

He would never give Rosen a chance so he's full of poop.
- RogerRoeper

But what do we know? I guess the guy making 5 million per season must be right all teh time. Clearly Gardiner was our best player and not a liability all series.

He would never give Rosen a chance so he's full of poop.
- RogerRoeper

if you hate Gardiner in the defensive zone, wait until you see Rosen in NHL playoff distributing pucks to the opposing team

To be fair, you specifically said, the Leafs players were told "Not to be creative" while on the PP. That's a strong statement
- walshyleafsfan

I didn't say it, I said it was reported. It's not my words, I'm just reporting it.

Based on the last 4months seems accurate. Based on the words from Boston regarding it seems accurate.

Babcock doesn't think rookies belong in the league. He thinks that broken down vets who contribute nothing are more valuable because they earned it.
- burn

Wut?

I think that's a bit strong.

Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Dermott, Holl, Kapanen, Johnson, Moore, Zaitsev, Ozhiganov, Rosen, Borgman and a few other i'm missing were all rookies.

Yeah he was definitely injured. I think 75% of players are probably playing injured in the playoffs. I think Bergeron is as well. Mason Marchment, as much as i love him, is a very, very borderline NHL player.
- walshyleafsfan

Yes, but its one thing to have a nagging injury you can play through and another to be like Gardiner or Hyman were. If you can’t skate properly you probably shouldn’t be playing...

But what do we know? I guess the guy making 5 million per season must be right all teh time. Clearly Gardiner was our best player and not a liability all series.



- Hockey_Reverend

several posters here mention Nylander had a better playoff series than Marner.
so yes, I would go with the 5million coach here.

if you hate Gardiner in the defensive zone, wait until you see Rosen in NHL playoff distributing pucks to the opposing team
- MaximusAurelius

I thought he was good the few games he played. Seemed smart with the puck and mobile. Think Gardiner without the history and brain farts...

Every time they went for teh stretch pass. And we wonder why they keep giving up turnovers and have defensive breakdowns. That is common sense issue. Defence wins. Strech passes do not. Boston had 3 guys forchek and caused problems for teh D because they had to make 150 foot passes...
- Hockey_Reverend

Boston did a good job getting in the lanes after games 1/2. Although Dermott's stretch pass was on the tape (of the Bruin). It was terrible and he (frank)ed up on the coverage after that. He never looked fully mobile this series.

several posters here mention Nylander had a better playoff series than Marner.
so yes, I would go with the 5million coach here.
- MaximusAurelius

Nylander was bad.

Babs is always right... especially playing Matthews 18 minutes. What a smart descision by the coach...