Scramble to the playoffs and I feel like a series against Boston might actually help them find their Chi. Nothing like fear and familiarity to help you focus.
- The Law

Okay, that’s an interesting theory. They could also once again collapse and history could repeat itself...

man 2nd game in the row the Leafs crapped the bed.

I'm getting concerned that the playoff may be a pipe dream now.

man 2nd game in the row the Leafs crapped the bed.

I'm getting concerned that the playoff may be a pipe dream now.
- zazzle

Probably decided by the 2 remaining games against Panthers.

man 2nd game in the row the Leafs crapped the bed.

I'm getting concerned that the playoff may be a pipe dream now.
- zazzle

Yeah they aren't making playoffs. Unless they actually start playing with heart, which I honestly can't see happening.

so...how bout those leafs?

are you guys convinced that dubas (frank)ed up yet?
- ghetto puck

Please expand on this.

This is a group that is more likely to stop playing when things don't go their way.

Hopefully they prove they changed. But i doubt it over a short amount of time.
- Tumbleweed

I just feel like they crawled into the playoffs last year with all sorts of valid criticisms. Then the compete level went up against the B's.

Maybe ...

Probably decided by the 2 remaining games against Panthers.
- spatso

with one of them next week.

Matthewa isnt soft. Marner has shown he can not be soft. Tavares hasnt been the same since he injured his wrist hand. You can afford nylander.

I think kapanen is the guy to go. Too many times he takes off looking for that breakaway. His goal scoring went to his head. Hes not his father. He coulr be if he wanted to be though. Perhaps better..
- mykokes

Most of the team is soft.
Overall, not much intensity
Pitts finished every check, leafs simply couldnt respond.
They can only play one way.

A+. Lot of wisdom in this comment.

There is a huge gap between those who think skill and statistical profiles alone can help you assemble a winning team. There are others who place a premium on character and believe the will and desire to win is the essential leadership ingredient for a championship contender.
- spatso

And anybody who thinks Keefe and Dubas don't believe that to be true isn't paying attention.

If Keefe and Dubas fail it's because the system they believe in failed. The concept of highly skilled players outscoring teams isn't mutually exclusive from the concept of a highly competitive team that battles.

Keefe has spoken of the need to improve the compete, maturity, urgency, etc.. over and over again. This narrative that they don't care about it is naive.

Dubas doesn’t have the courage to do either something bold to give the leafs a real chance against Boston or Tampa, or realize his team is currently playoff inferior and sell off assets for the future.

The whole team is soft.
Overall, not much intensity
Pitts finished every check, leafs simply couldnt respond.
They can only play one way.
- Fakepartofme

I know where you're coming from but they aren't all soft.

The blue line needs a lobotomy ..again.

The whole team is soft.
Overall, not much intensity
Pitts finished every check, leafs simply couldnt respond.
They can only play one way.
- Fakepartofme

Pond hockey.

A+. Lot of wisdom in this comment.

There is a huge gap between those who think skill and statistical profiles alone can help you assemble a winning team. There are others who place a premium on character and believe the will and desire to win is the essential leadership ingredient for a championship contender.
- spatso

The fact that you agree with him speaks volumes. Go figure.

Scramble to the playoffs and I feel like a series against Boston might actually help them find their Chi. Nothing like fear and familiarity to help you focus.
- The Law

Anything can happen.
Still time

They arent dead in the water yet.
Win the next two and things will be looking up.

The whole team is soft.
Overall, not much intensity
Pitts finished every check, leafs simply couldnt respond.
They can only play one way.
- Fakepartofme

trade tavares and nylander for defence that is a true top pairing in the league....

then trade some other players for more toughness and grit ...i e kapanen, johnsson, kerfoot , etc..

thats where you start to turn this team around....

build from the defence first, not the offence....

Dubas tried it his way and its a massive failure..

40 million in 4 players all on offence aint workin....

I know where you're coming from but they aren't all soft.

The blue line needs a lobotomy ..again.
- The Law

Overall the team is soft.
Not every single player, true.

Muzz, Clifford arent soft. There has to be someone else as well.

And anybody who thinks Keefe and Dubas don't believe that to be true isn't paying attention.

If Keefe and Dubas fail it's because the system they believe in failed. The concept of highly skilled players outscoring teams isn't mutually exclusive from the concept of a highly competitive team that battles.

Keefe has spoken of the need to improve the compete, maturity, urgency, etc.. over and over again. This narrative that they don't care about it is naive.
- The Law

This is on the players. The coaches, GM, etc. don't need to teach these guys how to compete, they've been playing competitive hockey their entire lives. Many of them are choosing not to show a willingness to fight and work hard.

We have 3 players on this team making ~11 milly/season. It's time for the 3 of them to strap on the big boy boots, man up and lead this team. Walk the walk instead of just talking it.

I give props to Matthews though, it seems he's out there competing every shift, every night. Just need the rest of them to do this too.

Matthewa isnt soft. Marner has shown he can not be soft. Tavares hasnt been the same since he injured his wrist hand. You can afford nylander.

I think kapanen is the guy to go. Too many times he takes off looking for that breakaway. His goal scoring went to his head. Hes not his father. He coulr be if he wanted to be though. Perhaps better..
- mykokes

Disagree. He is the piece to move. They kept him over Kadri, and it has handcuffed this team.

Overall the team is soft.
Not every single player, true.

Muzz, Clifford arent soft. There has to be someone else as well.
- Fakepartofme

Muzzin cannot follow the tempo of the game (like Holl) and Clifford cannot hockey.
Leafs need other type of ' non-soft' players.

trade tavares and nylander for defence that is a true top pairing in the league....

then trade some other players for more toughness and grit ...i e kapanen, johnsson, kerfoot , etc..

thats where you start to turn this team around....

build from the defence first, not the offence....

Dubas tried it his way and its a massive failure..

40 million in 4 players all on offence aint workin....
- CarlitoBrigante

Trading jt is not the answer.
I think the kids just need to mature.

trade tavares and nylander for defence that is a true top pairing in the league....

then trade some other players for more toughness and grit ...i e kapanen, johnsson, kerfoot , etc..

thats where you start to turn this team around....

build from the defence first, not the offence....

Dubas tried it his way and its a massive failure..

40 million in 4 players all on offence aint workin....
- CarlitoBrigante

Sweet. So turn it into a 1 line team and trade away the centre depth that was missed for so long here.

Trade Nylander for a dman - sure. Depending on the dman. You don't go trading the guy you just named captain. The guy who not even 2 years ago was hailed as the greatest free agent signing ever.

Edit: A massive failure that is still in a playoff spot.

A thread on Fred

Yes the team D has not been good, but Fred is not helping at all..compounds the problems

https://twitter.com/Chart...tatus/1230123237092229120

Andersen has now allowed about 15 more goals than expected based on the shots he's faced. Playing like this over the course of a full-season would cost TOR ~4 wins.

A thread on Fred

Yes the team D has not been good, but Fred is not helping at all..compounds the problems

https://twitter.com/Chart...tatus/1230123237092229120
- senstroll

Ya ya we get it, you blame it all on freddy.
He needs to better for sure

Freddy wasnt the issue last night at all though.

man 2nd game in the row the Leafs crapped the bed.

I'm getting concerned that the playoff may be a pipe dream now.
- zazzle

A very alarming thing is their fitness level seems to be a question here. Maybe it's a red herring, but we all know how poor the Leafs have been on back-to-backs, and have placed much of that blame at the feet of Hutchinson. While he was very poor, the team playing in front of him was equally dismal leading to consistently bad results.

But if you look at how the Leafs have fared in 3 games in 4 nights, it's actually worse. They are 1-7-2

Against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct 05 the result was L 6-5 SO
Against the St. Louis Blues on Oct 07 the result was L 3-2
Against the Boston Bruins on Oct 22 the result was L 4-2
Against the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov 10 the result was L 5-4
Against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov 16 the result was L 6-1
Against the Buffalo Sabres on Nov 30 the result was L 6-4
Against the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec 23 the result was W 8-6
Against the Montreal Canadiens on Feb 08 the result was L 2-1 OT
Against the Buffalo Sabres on Feb 16 the result was L 5-2
Against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb 18 the result was L 5-2

Note that in our one win against Carolina, we were up quick and early, then blew it and were down 5-3 before mounting a come-back. It may have been a feel good win, but it was ugly - like all of the other games they've played 3 in 4.

This year they have 3 more to play - against Anaheim on March 6, against Carolina on March 26, and against Ottawa on March 28.

The 3 in 4 doesn't affect other teams that we consider contemporaries. Tampa is 10-3-1; Pittsburgh is 7-3; Washington is 5-2-1; Boston is 4-3. The Red Wings, who are in a league of awful are 3-12; they have a better winning percentage in 3 in 4 than the Leafs - and have had to do it 5 more times.

*looks for new scapegoat...finds THE GOAT*