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.
- walshyleafsfan

Ummmm underutalized Matthews (who is elite) and marner who is as well.

Holl played? Moore only on the team at the end.

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...
- Hockey_Reverend

I'll be honest with you, i can't tell whether Gardiner is injured or not. I see no difference in his game.

Hyman was a big loss, especially when the majority of the team refuses to put in the effort that he does.

Snakes and Marner not showing up on the scoresheet for a lot of the 1st round didn't help this team. They need more from their big guns (Matthews aside).

I think the 4th line probably played the best compared to what is expected of said line.

Ummmm underutalized Matthews (who is elite) and marner who is as well.

Holl played? Moore only on the team at the end.
- burn

Well to say he doesn't think they belong in the league and then give 10 ish players their opportunity, is a bit silly.

Ummmm underutalized Matthews (who is elite) and marner who is as well.

Holl played? Moore only on the team at the end.
- burn

Well to say he doesn't think they belong in the league and then give 10 ish players their opportunity, is a bit silly.
- walshyleafsfan

He wants to play marleau who is a vet who earned it (but is totally ineffective right now) because he's a vet and doesn't want to play a younger player in the stop because he wants the vet there instead. 100% fact. That's my point.

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

How do you know this? He was great on the Marlies this year.

Both stubborn dinosaurs!

I have no evidence to suggest otherwise at this moment.
- walshyleafsfan

I believe Leafs would have won series with Kadri in line up. Surprised that more people are not discussing the lack of grit in Leaf line up as soon as Kadri went out. Am I wrong? It seems to me that Boston's 3rd and 4th line were given way too much time and space. Kadri would have balanced that out.

Premature to discuss who goes. More important is to make a list of who you want to stay. And, then make a list of what you want to add. More than $40m CAP hit next year for Matthews, Tavares, Marner and Nylander. Probably, one of them will be gone by next year. Keep Kadri and add a power forward who plays a 200' physical game.

Last nights results were predictable.
Leafs just dont seem to have that fight or heart yet. Not like what san Jose showed, wow. Good for them. Fack you vegas.

Better coaching could have changed this series and could have provided a little of that fight/will as well (and no not fist "fighting", fools).

All asst coaches need to fired immediately. They cannot come back.

A real non emotional assessment needs to be done on the core of this team. Can the leafs win with it? Changes may need to made.

Pretty much a wasted year.

How do you know this? He was great on the Marlies this year.
- RogerRoeper

Preseason last year he played a few games with Leafs.
Was quite obvious that he had big flaws in his game.
He's basically Gardiner light - less offensive upside, and even more defensive error proneness. He just doesn't know how to position himself in the d-zone.

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.
- The Law

He had options. Line 3 was an offensive blackhole; Nylander was lone ranger from Game 3 onwards down there.

But he had options: Moore up to play with Matthews would've been a Hyman Lite, a heat seeker on puck retrievals; that kid played well enough to move up in the line-up.

Or move Nylander up to play with Matthews, put Marleau in the 3C hole; he wasn't do anything offensively and was taking a fair amount of draws anyways, and then roll 2 lines while we're down.

This may have made a difference when we needed some goals:

Hyman Tavares Marner ~22 minutes
Moore Matthews Nylander ~21 minutes
Johnsson Marleau Kapanen ~12 minutes
Ennis Goat Brown ~5 minutes

Preseason last year he played a few games with Leafs.
Was quite obvious that he had big flaws in his game.
He's basically Gardiner light - less offensive upside, and even more defensive error proneness. He just doesn't know how to position himself in the d-zone.
- MaximusAurelius

Based on preseason? We are giving-up on him based on preseason?

Last nights results were predictable.
Leafs just dont seem to have that fight or heart yet. Not like what san Jose showed, wow. Good for them. Fack you vegas.

Better coaching could have changed this series and could have provided a little of that fight/will as well (and no not fist "fighting", fools).

All asst coaches need to fired immediately. They cannot come back.

A real non emotional assessment needs to be done on the core of this team. Can the leafs win with it? Changes may need to made.

Pretty much a wasted year.
- Fakepartofme

In fairness, SJ was given a gift last night.

Max and his equal going toe to toe, who comes out no one knows.

Go Bruins Go

Both stubborn dinosaurs!


- 21peter

That's why I hate the "Hire older, recycled coach" argument. The game has changed drastically the past 3 years.

He wants to play marleau who is a vet who earned it (but is totally ineffective right now) because he's a vet and doesn't want to play a younger player in the stop because he wants the vet there instead. 100% fact. That's my point.
- burn

For sure. He definitely favors vets. For all of his faults, i think he believes rookies should also be in the league though.

That's why I hate the "Hire older, recycled coach" argument. The game has changed drastically the past 3 years.
- RogerRoeper

Trotz would've been a good recycled hire.

That's why I hate the "Hire older, recycled coach" argument. The game has changed drastically the past 3 years.
- RogerRoeper

Except it has not, Kyle..

I'll be honest with you, i can't tell whether Gardiner is injured or not. I see no difference in his game.

Hyman was a big loss, especially when the majority of the team refuses to put in the effort that he does.

Snakes and Marner not showing up on the scoresheet for a lot of the 1st round didn't help this team. They need more from their big guns (Matthews aside).

I think the 4th line probably played the best compared to what is expected of said line.
- walshyleafsfan

Tavares and Marner were tasked with stopping the best line in hockey.

I believe Leafs would have won series with Kadri in line up. Surprised that more people are not discussing the lack of grit in Leaf line up as soon as Kadri went out. Am I wrong? It seems to me that Boston's 3rd and 4th line were given way too much time and space. Kadri would have balanced that out.

Premature to discuss who goes. More important is to make a list of who you want to stay. And, then make a list of what you want to add. More than $40m CAP hit next year for Matthews, Tavares, Marner and Nylander. Probably, one of them will be gone by next year. Keep Kadri and add a power forward who plays a 200' physical game.
- spatso

You'll get the answer MOAR GRIT

Trotz would've been a good recycled hire.
- walshyleafsfan

he went with the experienced GM who knows how things are done in the real NHL.

Last nights results were predictable.
Leafs just dont seem to have that fight or heart yet. Not like what san Jose showed, wow. Good for them. Fack you vegas.

Better coaching could have changed this series and could have provided a little of that fight/will as well (and no not fist "fighting", fools).

All asst coaches need to fired immediately. They cannot come back.

A real non emotional assessment needs to be done on the core of this team. Can the leafs win with it? Changes may need to made.

Pretty much a wasted year.
- Fakepartofme

Being realistic: San Jose was gifted a 5 minute power play with 10 minutes to play. Yes, they capitalized in a way I've never seen before, but if that's a 2 minute PP or nothing as it should have been, they lose that game, and there's no talk about their heart.

Being realistic: San Jose was gifted a 5 minute power play with 10 minutes to play. Yes, they capitalized in a way I've never seen before, but if that's a 2 minute PP or nothing as it should have been, they lose that game, and there's no talk about their heart.
- Monkeypunk

Yeah and that crosscheck was soft as (frank). Chara's cold cock to JT after a whistle should've been 5 and a game misconduct. "Playoff hockey". Except when it's the VGK, then it's "no place in the modern game.".

Basically the officiating is a tragic joke in this league. I couldn't imagine being a new fan trying to understand what the (frank) is going on.

Trotz would've been a good recycled hire.
- walshyleafsfan

Eh, Trotz just won the cup and Washington had him technically under contract. He left for big $.

Except it has not, Kyle..
- MaximusAurelius

It clearly has.

Lou built this team more than Dubas, you are aware, right?