Hurricanes @ Leafs - Jan. 19th, 7:30pm - TSN, TSN 1050

[bustaheims]

Even though we're less than 10 games into his tenure as head coach, the lack of results has really dealt a serious blow to Horachek's chances of taking over the position full-time in the summer. Certainly hasn't helped that Bernier hasn't been great and that the Leafs are missing half of their middle 6 forwards. The offence isn't going to stay this bad. There's too much talent there. They're still trying to find the right balance - though, they might not get there this season, under Horachek or before a couple players are moved out.

It's important to remember this didn't start with Horachek, though. The offence started struggling before Carlyle was fired.

jonasTSN1050: The Leafs have been outscored 59-29 in this 3-13-0 spell, an ugly minus-30 goal differential.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Just watched the ENG goal again. Pretty obvious Staal was looking to hit Phaneuf instead of the net. Dick move, just because he laid a good clean hit on your lil bro.

 

[TML fan]

All you can do is laugh...

 

[L K]

Just watched the ENG goal again. Pretty obvious Staal was looking to hit Phaneuf instead of the net. Dick move, just because he laid a good clean hit on your lil bro.

It's the second time someone has intentionally shot at Phaneuf in a few games.  It's nuts really.

 

[Tigger]

Eesh, Kadri going for a big block in a game like this. That could have caused some damage. Guy doesn't want to lose.

That can't be right. Doesn't fit with the whole "attitude problems" narrative.

Probably just got lazy and didn't feel like standing up anymore.

He had a bag of Kessel's special fat in his pocket, gravity took over.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Kadri and Phaneuf ragging on the jersey throw-ers. I really don't care what they think about that situation one way or another, but it would be nice to hear a player say something like "we know that if we were playing better it wouldn't happen" for once.

 

[Peter D.]

Just watched the ENG goal again. Pretty obvious Staal was looking to hit Phaneuf instead of the net. Dick move, just because he laid a good clean hit on your lil bro.

To be fair, he did keep it low in the shin pads area than tried something stupid that could have seriously injured Phaneuf.

 

[Tigger]

Even though we're less than 10 games into his tenure as head coach, the lack of results has really dealt a serious blow to Horachek's chances of taking over the position full-time in the summer. Certainly hasn't helped that Bernier hasn't been great and that the Leafs are missing half of their middle 6 forwards. The offence isn't going to stay this bad. There's too much talent there. They're still trying to find the right balance - though, they might not get there this season, under Horachek or before a couple players are moved out.

It's important to remember this didn't start with Horachek, though. The offence started struggling before Carlyle was fired.

jonasTSN1050: The Leafs have been outscored 59-29 in this 3-13-0 spell, an ugly minus-30 goal differential.

It's a confluence of crap here, scoring drying up, having the riot act read after a shock to the system ( Carlyle's firing ) not being capable of playing the way they need to ( and that's not new either, much of what this so called new system is was being described as the way they need to play on an almost a daily basis by Randy ). They're not good enough defensively and aren't '84 oilers enough to win offensively.

To be honest, if this gets the team actually selling parts they need to, when they need to ( ie, ufas sold off and term players maximized ) and a much stronger focus on drafting and developing then yahoo, fire everybody.

I don't think Horachek was ever more than a stopgap, sure it would have helped his case if they'd responded better than they have ( and got a little goaltending from Bernier ) but if this is the way the team responds, eeesh, time to look at the roster.

 

[Tigger]

Just watched the ENG goal again. Pretty obvious Staal was looking to hit Phaneuf instead of the net. Dick move, just because he laid a good clean hit on your lil bro.

To be fair, he did keep it low in the shin pads area than tried something stupid that could have seriously injured Phaneuf.

It was pretty dick if you ask me, you could tell with the way he looked at Dion after. Have to give it up for the Captain there, standing in front of that.

 

[mc]

That EN sure had a statement on it. Leafs just stood there and took it.

 

[Boston Leaf]

I didn't expect a win. As I mentioned earlier everytime any team comes home after road trip first game back is rough... this team though has no life. Every time they showed bench every player sat there with no emotion. Blame Dion all ya want for not being a good C but no one else steps up except maybe Polak.. they all have no clue

 

[bustaheims]

I don't think Horachek was ever more than a stopgap, sure it would have helped his case if they'd responded better than they have ( and got a little goaltending from Bernier ) but if this is the way the team responds, eeesh, time to look at the roster.

It also didn't help that his 3rd game behind the bench was the start of a road trip that was basically death valley for a team that already wasn't playing well. I don't think they've played entirely awful under him (I thought the game against LA was a very good effort against a superior opponent, for instance), but, it certainly hasn't been pretty, either.

 

[ZBBM]

I don't think Horachek was ever more than a stopgap, sure it would have helped his case if they'd responded better than they have ( and got a little goaltending from Bernier ) but if this is the way the team responds, eeesh, time to look at the roster.

It also didn't help that his 3rd game behind the bench was the start of a road trip that was basically death valley for a team that already wasn't playing well. I don't think they've played entirely awful under him (I thought the game against LA was a very good effort against as superior opponent, for instance), but, it certainly hasn't been pretty, either.

All this notwithstanding, I expected and hoped for better under Horachek.

Horachek may yet get them playing better with better results, but honestly if Babcock truly is waiting in the wings then it's just as well if he doesn't.  Also, it would mean the end of Nonis for sure, though why Shanahan would even think about keeping him is hard to imagine.

 

[L K]

I still largely don't understand why they waited to fire Carlyle after the Winnipeg loss.  They played on the Saturday against Winnipeg (Jan 3) and didn't fire him until Tuesday (Jan 6).  So instead of giving Horachek 3 days of practice (Sun-Tues) they waited to fire Carlyle until the day before the Washington game.  That screws with the Tuesday practice because everything is all about setting the tone of a new coach, Shanahan coming in and lecturing the team and the media creating a firestorm.  Fire him on Sunday, give the team a few days with Horachek running the show and be done with it.  Such a weird timing decision.

Don't get me wrong, 3 days of practice doesn't fix this mess right now, but it just put him further behind the 8-ball heading on a tough road trip with a team that was already sputtering.  Now everyone is in a slump and holding their sticks tight.  They are unsure in their play and it shows on the ice.  Eventually they will score a bunch of goals and things will settle down, but it was just weird timing. 

At this point though, we really shouldn't be looking for wins out of the team.  What we should really hope for is that we get good individual performances to boost trade value/show progression from our younger players.  The playoffs are pretty much out of reach.  Right now the 2nd wild-card spot is projecting at 96 points.  For the Leafs to get 96 points they would need to pick up 49 points in their remaining 35 games.  That is a .700 point % or in terms of a worst possible record scenario: 24-10-1 

So the Leafs have to play like the best team in the NHL from here on out just to be the 8th seed in the East.  Not going to happen.

 

[Britishbulldog]

I still largely don't understand why they waited to fire Carlyle after the Winnipeg loss.  They played on the Saturday against Winnipeg (Jan 3) and didn't fire him until Tuesday (Jan 6).  So instead of giving Horachek 3 days of practice (Sun-Tues) they waited to fire Carlyle until the day before the Washington game.  That screws with the Tuesday practice because everything is all about setting the tone of a new coach, Shanahan coming in and lecturing the team and the media creating a firestorm.  Fire him on Sunday, give the team a few days with Horachek running the show and be done with it.  Such a weird timing decision.

I read it was because the World Juniors was in Toronto at the same time and they didn't want to create any distractions.

 

[ZBBM]

Mirtle's postgame column ("a 4-1 loss as listless as they come") finishes by saying they don't absolutely need to do a complete gut job on this team.  But the whole column before then pretty much argues for just that.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Nonis has to go, he built a terrible roster that has handcuffed the organization and all the media wants to do is run the talented guys outta town for not making snowballs out of sh!t.

 

[Tigger]

Nonis has to go, he built a terrible roster that has handcuffed the organization and all the media wants to do is run the talented guys outta town for not making snowballs out of sh!t.

Clarkson is pretty rude, as is casting off MaCarthur-Grabovski-Kulemin for nothing.

Imagine Bolland and Gorges too, 'shiver'.

Then again I have no idea what the pushback for him was at the top level.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Nonis has to go, he built a terrible roster that has handcuffed the organization and all the media wants to do is run the talented guys outta town for not making snowballs out of sh!t.

Clarkson is pretty rude, as is casting off MaCarthur-Grabovski-Kulemin for nothing.

Imagine Bolland and Gorges too, 'shiver'.

Then again I have no idea what the pushback for him was at the top level.

The bolded part is the real proof he is out to lunch, I mean it's a train wreck as it is, but with those two he'd have Chernobyl'd the team.

 

[wnc096]

Clarkson is pretty rude, as is casting off MaCarthur-Grabovski-Kulemin for nothing

Ironically MacArthur was ottawa's consolation prize for missing out on clarkson...that one hurts.  And considering grabbo signed for 5M after a a mediocre season in Washington,  Nonis couldn't trade him to the NYI for ANYTHING

At least Burke had balls....Nonis just hands out long term contracts to everyone on a losing team.  If they were a top team and you're trying to keep it together ala Chicago I get it...but keeping all your core players from a 20 something place team is just idiotic.