Interesting...

MacAvoy on Matthews; "You don't want to wake a sleeping giant"


Ok time for a little Tora!Tora!Tora! here.... print that in giant letters walk in slap it on his stall and ask him if he is ready to FKN PLAY YET?!

Think some have, but a lot havent. The fly by stuff kills me the most. Hit the bugger and take the puck, lets go, get engaged. Size doesn't matter. Moore hit Chara, and St. Louis and Theo Fleury were fearless.... hell even Ennis goes and hits and hits and hits.

I don't know what is up with the guys I really don't.


As far as Avery with Matthews should fight DeBrusk thing... honestly he wants to be the Captain, wouldn't be a bad idea and make a hell of a statement. Should he, probably not, but hell since when have guys done the safe, smart thing? Iginla comes to mind there, would fight and everyone goes NO NO NO. Any of them could step up anytime and do something, the question is will any of them?
- Roadrunner75

Matthews has never captained a team in his career. Not sure if he's captain material.

I just saw that, not looking good for them to save it either
- Upstate_isles

Holy crap! That is terrible.

Can't have it both ways, fighting is always a risk, but can't suck and blow at the same time. Stand up or don't. Pick one
- Roadrunner75

I say don't. My point is this roster is not equipped to play a physical team, whoever that may be. The question was who should fight DeBrusk if Kadri is out. They literally have no one to do this effectively and it's embarassing.

I think the Leafs are too scared to play their own game in the face of above average physicality.
- walshyleafsfan

I think you're right. I think this is the underlying message that Babcock is actually trying to instill in the team about being a 'gud pro'. The underlying part - put in an honest effort - is the key. So far too many players have wilted under physical pressure.

The answer, from empirical evidence, is not to go out and get a tough guy to play on the team, the answer has to come from those players learning what it takes and wanting it.

As Roadrunner said above, it is similar to the Oilers/Islanders. Both of those teams are way better than either of these teams, but it was a similar battle. Until the Leafs learn to stay out of the trenches and play their game, they're going to struggle. Boston is smart. They're going to want to pull is in the trenches with them.

Correct me if I am wrong, but Dubas was the one who brought in Hyman (traded for), Moore and Mason Marchment?

Cant wait for Matthew's to drop the gloves at center and fight debrusk like avery said he should. That guy was a turtle and the biggest piece of garbage to play in the NHL. I think the leafs need to focus on the task at hand and forget what a moron kadri is. Also I thought debrusk finished Marleau clean their momentum carried him into the glass. In other words idt he was driven into that glass. Other stuff may have been borderline but what kadri did was way beyond any other incident and he shouldn't play till round 2 if there is one. This is a good series looking forward to watching tonight's game
- Upstate_isles

It seems we have two choices:

- implore Matthews to drop the gloves and fight; or
- implore Matthews to stop being invisible in the playoffs and actually franking do something.

Matthews has never captained a team in his career. Not sure if he's captain material.
- AdamFrench

Can't say I haven't wondered really there myself on that one too

Didn't it give you 99 lives in Super Mario too? Either way, i'm firing up the old-school Nintendo tonight and playing some Mike Tyson's Punchout!
- Snots33_77

Classic game Tyson hits you once you're done

It seems we have two choices:

- implore Matthews to drop the gloves and fight; or
- implore Matthews to stop being invisible in the playoffs and actually franking do something.
- Atomic Wedgie

Option two all day

I heard that Kadri will just get a stern talking to by DOPS....

Or maybe his face gets broken and he's lost for the series too. You think old man DeBrusk maybe showed Jake a couple moves?
- Deeps27

pre game Marleau needs to have a little chat with little DeBrusk.
if he gets cocky, Marleau will have to destroy him.
Leafs got Marleau for his leadership - this is the time he can prove it and stand up for the team.
surely Chara won't step in because he knows how these things go.

I think you're right. I think this is the underlying message that Babcock is actually trying to instill in the team about being a 'gud pro'. The underlying part - put in an honest effort - is the key. So far too many players have wilted under physical pressure.

The answer, from empirical evidence, is not to go out and get a tough guy to play on the team, the answer has to come from those players learning what it takes and wanting it.

As Roadrunner said above, it is similar to the Oilers/Islanders. Both of those teams are way better than either of these teams, but it was a similar battle. Until the Leafs learn to stay out of the trenches and play their game, they're going to struggle. Boston is smart. They're going to want to pull is in the trenches with them.
- Monkeypunk

Same as that jockey that tried to win the Kentucky Derby on a donkey. That donkey put in an honest effort every day, but ultimately wilted under the fact he was a donkey trying to compete against thoroughbreds.

I say don't. My point is this roster is not equipped to play a physical team, whoever that may be. The question was who should fight DeBrusk if Kadri is out. They literally have no one to do this effectively and it's embarassing.
- Deeps27

Any of them can stand up and fight. Kadri isn't the best fighter either, lets be real here. And having a guy like Martin about sitting in the press box or a knuckle dragger who plays 1-2 min a night MAX who brings nothing to the table is useless too. Not exactly a LOT of guys who are fighters who can also play are out there and don't think Reeves or Wilson the poster children for such are readily available.

There is no such thing as "effective" fighting.

As for being embarassing, no what is embarassing is the utter lack of heart, fight, and try that a lot of our guys have shown. Not willing to grind it out and fight through to get the job done. THAT is what is embarassing.

pre game Marleau needs to have a little chat with little DeBrusk.
if he gets cocky, Marleau will have to destroy him.
Leafs got Marleau for his leadership - this is the time he can prove it and stand up for the team.
surely Chara won't step in because he knows how these things go.
- MaximusAurelius

lol

Patty Marleau is a (frank)ing wussy.

I heard that Kadri will just get a stern talking to by DOPS....


- Archaic

That's fantastic news!

Great to know we will have him until mid-way through the 2nd period, when he's goaded into doing something stupid again.

pre game Marleau needs to have a little chat with little DeBrusk.
if he gets cocky, Marleau will have to destroy him.
Leafs got Marleau for his leadership - this is the time he can prove it and stand up for the team.
surely Chara won't step in because he knows how these things go.
- MaximusAurelius

Or DeBrusk can end Marleau's career, providing us with cap relief in 2019-20.

So either way...

lol

Patty Marleau is a (frank)ing wussy.
- AdamFrench

you seem to really dislike him.
what has he done to your family?

Or DeBrusk can end Marleau's career, providing us with cap relief in 2019-20.

So either way...
- Atomic Wedgie

does that give them cap relief?

Classic game Tyson hits you once you're done
- Upstate_isles

you seem to really dislike him.
what has he done to your family?
- MaximusAurelius

What did Willy do to yours?

- Atomic Wedgie

Then you just bite the other guy's ear off?

does that give them cap relief?
- senstroll

I figure if he dies, the league won't make us pay....

Any of them can stand up and fight. Kadri isn't the best fighter either, lets be real here. And having a guy like Martin about sitting in the press box or a knuckle dragger who plays 1-2 min a night MAX who brings nothing to the table is useless too. Not exactly a LOT of guys who are fighters who can also play are out there and don't think Reeves or Wilson the poster children for such are readily available.

There is no such thing as "effective" fighting.

As for being embarassing, no what is embarassing is the utter lack of heart, fight, and try that a lot of our guys have shown. Not willing to grind it out and fight through to get the job done. THAT is what is embarassing.
- Roadrunner75

Yeah, knuckle-dragging Martin looked terrible playing 14 minutes of shutdown hockey against Sidney Crosby yesterday. 14. Minutes. They are up 3-0.

I've been saying for 2 months here - it's not fighters I want. I played junior against Joe Thornton. There is no way in hell anyone wants to fight that guy - even today. He was a killer who could also pot 6 points a game on you. Grit and intangibles and the ability to push-back is not exclusive to fighting.

And I realize that Joe Thornton's don't grow on trees. Ryan Kesler type. Hell - Brad Marchand. (just examples)

I figure if he dies, the league won't make us pay....
- Atomic Wedgie

"This guy here is dead!"

"Cross him off the list then!"