Guilt Trip
Well-known member
Going to guess his jaw is messed up and after the adrenaline wore off, it wasn't good.
2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
I find it bizarre the amount of people who want ROR back. He's fine, but he's old and slow and didn't want to come back, and supposedly the Preds will treat him as if he has an NTC. I really don't see a world in which he comes back.
L K
Well-known member
Not that I'm saying I want ROR back but one big difference is Berube being the coach now. At the same time, after talking to some people who are close to ROR but not personally speaking to him, his issue with Toronto wasn't really about the team itself but everything else around the team. Even with the coaching change and more playoff style of hockey that doesn't change the circus around the team that he hated. I think there would be a better chance of him wanting to come back if he was a pending UFA, not if he has 2 years left on his deal after this. I also don't think that ROR is really someone I would want to tie up 2 years of salary into to be the 3C when we probably should be looking to upgrade 2C if Tavares is going to stick around for the next few years. Tavares in easier matchup 3C role with some winger work if he's still productive up the lineup and Minten as 3C/4C makes more sense than having Matthews/Tavares/O'Reilly for 25 million.
........although again, with the cap going up, O'Reilly at 4.5M isn't really all that bad.
........although again, with the cap going up, O'Reilly at 4.5M isn't really all that bad.
L K
Well-known member
The PP looks notably different when Marner is roaming. He's so good at starting high at the blue line and shifting to find a way to pull toward the centre of the ice and his passing threat has defenders back off him, letting him get closer to the high slot than if Rielly was playing in that spot. Matthews has also been leaving the low corner more to be a pass option a bit higher up in the zone and I think that has helped get him the puck more because it stretches the PK unit instead of being able to collapse down around the crease. while the high defender presses the puck carrier.
herman
Well-known member
PP1 is the worst when they just stand still and hope something opens up with their perimeter passing (i.e. all their previous playoff PPs).
It's been most effective when using both Marner and Nylander as the rovers (they hand off and sub each other very easily).
I like the in and out play they've scored on twice recently when the PK sells out on covering Matthews: top of the circle to bumper and up to 'D' for a rebound generating shot. It can easily modify if the PK presses out to smother the D shot for a quick bump pass to Matthews or teeing up a one timer from the opposite circle with a righty up there.
Arn
Well-known member
Auston Matthews wanted ‘a little more energy’ from crowd after Ryan Reaves-Mathieu Olivier fight
Reaves dropped the gloves with Olivier less than two minutes into the first period of the Leafs' loss Wednesday.
www.nytimes.com
Or maybe staged meaningless pointless fights that don’t have anything to do with anything that’s happened in the game don’t excite anyone any more?
And it’s not like the ACC doesn’t have a reputation for being on the quieter side either.
bustaheims
Well-known member
Especially less than 2 minutes into the game. Like, nothing had even developed to make the fight have any meaning. It was basically them getting out of the way.Auston Matthews wanted ‘a little more energy’ from crowd after Ryan Reaves-Mathieu Olivier fight
Reaves dropped the gloves with Olivier less than two minutes into the first period of the Leafs' loss Wednesday.
Or maybe staged meaningless pointless fights that don’t have anything to do with anything that’s happened in the game don’t excite anyone any more?
And it’s not like the ACC doesn’t have a reputation for being on the quieter side either.
I was there and the crowd was fired up for the fight. He's in the lineup, has zero fights and everyone knows it, so when he dropped the gloves everyone was excited that it was actually happening probably more for him than the entertainment value. He's a plug and sucks but Berube sees a role for him so you might as well try to route for the guy.
The game script dictated how much the fans got into it. The Leafs would have all this pressure and the crowd would be cheering and then they would score an awful goal on their first shot in 5 minutes and the crowd would go silent. It felt like all of CLB's goal would come when you were expecting the Leafs to score so, yes, it was quiet.
Highlander
Well-known member
Beast looks like he needs a whole year with the Marlies
Should have happened 2 days ago, but still good. Murray's waiver situation meant that he couldn't cover the entirety of Stolarz' absence, but he can cover the last 2-3 weeks without blowing his waiver exemption.
Guru Tugginmypuddah
Well-known member
They could potentially keep Murray up and waive someone else, like Reaves. If it really came down to it.
bustaheims
Well-known member
Typically, teams don't like to keep 3 goalies around. Wouldn't shock me if, over the course of the next few weeks, there are some paper transactions flipping him and Hildeby on off days to extend Murray's window as much as possible.
bustaheims
Well-known member
I still like Hildeby's potential, but it's pretty clear he's not ready yet. He's basically giving up an extra goal per start (-6.4 GSAX in 6 starts). Earlier in the season, it made sense to go with him over Murray - especially as Murray's appearances this season haven't exactly gone well, either - but it doesn't anymore.
Even if Hildeby wasn't playing quite this poorly only having 14 games played between the two leagues over halfway through the season isn't great for his development. Assuming this move sticks like I suspect he'll be in a position to take a big workload with the Marlies for the time being especially with Akhtyamov hurt. Looking at their schedule he'll probably have 3 starts in the next week-ish alone.
bustaheims
Well-known member
Sure, but the timing of the fight and everything also meant that any excitement from the crowd wouldn't be sustained. It didn't feel like it could lead to a momentum swing - there wasn't really any momentum yet. It wasn't the resolution to anything. It was just a contained moment that may have been entertaining, but didn't actually do anything to create a real buzz that could push the team. A fight that early isn't going to built energy in the crowd. It's going to fizzle out basically right away.
Ozzie
Active member
Reaves' career on the line so he might have called Olivier the day of the game and said "I need to have a tussle tonight, bud. Everyone riding me."
And Olivier gave it to him. Score is 0 to 0..... they drop their gloves with 50 feet separating them. Bombs thrown. Then at the end of the fight a nice pat from Reavo on Olivier's thigh to say "Thanks, bud".
Nothing organic about it.
Not easy to do that for 16 years. And every experienced heavyweight has to support their own Bros.
It's called "Kayfabe". Google it.
And Olivier gave it to him. Score is 0 to 0..... they drop their gloves with 50 feet separating them. Bombs thrown. Then at the end of the fight a nice pat from Reavo on Olivier's thigh to say "Thanks, bud".
Nothing organic about it.
Not easy to do that for 16 years. And every experienced heavyweight has to support their own Bros.
It's called "Kayfabe". Google it.
It's fun to be at a game and to see something you don't see all the time makes for a good time. For sure it created a buzz in the crowd seeing a fight like that fight. The team was flying too after the fight (because of the fight? I would guess partially) but after not scoring on the two PP's and giving up that weak shorty, the game had already peaked for the fans. If you want the fans to stay hyped, score, and don't give up crappy short-handed goals.
Before the short-handed goal, the crowd was buzzing, and everything was fun including the Matthews goalie stick incident.
Before the short-handed goal, the crowd was buzzing, and everything was fun including the Matthews goalie stick incident.
Stolarz took part in his first practice with the team today since his injury. Dreger said best case his return could be in a week. That feels maybe a bit optimistic but looks like the goal is for him to return before the break.