Leafs @ Sabres - Mar. 13th, 4:00pm - SN, Fan 590

[dekedastardly]

They have defensive problems for sure ? they have taken a step back this year for whatever reason ?

Bogosian

 

[rdowdall]

Bring up Curtis Douglas for the next game against Buffalo.  First shift of the game, he is to run Thompson.  Then he skates past the Buffalo bench, and lets it be known that if anyone takes liberties with the his teammates, he will break Dahlin's legs. 

 

[Guilt Trip]

They have defensive problems for sure ? they have taken a step back this year for whatever reason ?

Bogosian

Lyubushkin has replaced that aspect. They miss Muzz big time right now. Rielly is missing Brodie. I think it's time to put Bushkin with Rielly. Like Liljegren but he's not ready  for a top pairing role just yet. He's played well though just not at the level needed there.

 

[azzurri63]

They have defensive problems for sure ? they have taken a step back this year for whatever reason ? but the goaltending has been atrocious for 2+ months.  It's actually a testament to how good they are that they haven't sunk like a stone over that period.

The deeper issue is that you are looking at a bonafide sueprstar in his prime (maybe two, if you add Marner) and they cannot waste that by relying on sketchy goaltending.  Mrazek needs to go; he plays a completely wrong style.  They need somebody calm in net.

Unfortunately, I think our best hope is that Jack gets himself together and at least plays halfway competently.

Ya I agree with you on all accounts.

 

[ZBBM]

They have defensive problems for sure ? they have taken a step back this year for whatever reason ? but the goaltending has been atrocious for 2+ months.  It's actually a testament to how good they are that they haven't sunk like a stone over that period.

The deeper issue is that you are looking at a bonafide sueprstar in his prime (maybe two, if you add Marner) and they cannot waste that by relying on sketchy goaltending.  Mrazek needs to go; he plays a completely wrong style.  They need somebody calm in net.

Unfortunately, I think our best hope is that Jack gets himself together and at least plays halfway competently.

Ya I agree with you on all accounts.

Keefe will never call out goalies in the postgame and sure enough tonight he said

    I thought Petr was good. He made some saves today. It is not an easy environment to play in, especially for a goalie. I thought he made saves and was good.

    Obviously, the third goal is a tough one for us, but there is nothing he can do on the first one or the second one that we put in our own net off of a funny bounce. On the fourth goal, it is a pass out, the net is off, and all of that kind of stuff.

    Some funky goals were happening around him, but I thought he looked solid, all things considered with the environment and everything like that.

Well, he did look pretty good in the first (albeit with his strange habit of stabbing pucks out of the way to God knows where) but as in the bolded part ... the MLHS guy said it better.  To paraphrase: That. Shot. Cannot. Go. In. EVER.  The team just sagged after that.

That's Keefe with his Publicface?.  The looks of disgust from Shanny and Dubas spoke volumes.  I think Mrazek will be made to be gone one way or the other.  Whoever replaces him probably won't be an upgrade in talent per se, but even a lateral could be a psychological upgrade.

And unless Jack or whoever takes them on a deep run, I think they start from Ground Zero in the summer for the position.

 

[ZBBM]

And this is what MLHS actually said:

6.  What can you even say at this point? It?s hard to create offense in a game like this, and Petr Mrazek goes and lets that third goal in.

Even if you have faith in Jack Campbell?s play rebounding, you typically need a second goalie at some point if you?re going anywhere in the playoffs, and Mrazek doesn?t even look like he can pinch-hit safely right now if the Leafs did have a reliable starter.

At a certain point, a team will collapse psychologically and lose all structure defensively when goals like this continue to go in, and it can be hard to rediscover that confidence overnight. The Leafs need a reset in net, and it probably has to come from Campbell?s eventual return as well as some outside help.

So, yup.

 

[wnc096]

Bring up Curtis Douglas for the next game against Buffalo.  First shift of the game, he is to run Thompson.  Then he skates past the Buffalo bench, and lets it be known that if anyone takes liberties with the his teammates, he will break Dahlin's legs.

Rich Clune would be the guy if that?s the route you want to take

 

[Guilt Trip]

Bring up Curtis Douglas for the next game against Buffalo.  First shift of the game, he is to run Thompson.  Then he skates past the Buffalo bench, and lets it be known that if anyone takes liberties with the his teammates, he will break Dahlin's legs.

Rich Clune would be the guy if that?s the route you want to take

Clune is on an AHL deal so he isn't an option.

 

[rdowdall]

Bring up Curtis Douglas for the next game against Buffalo.  First shift of the game, he is to run Thompson.  Then he skates past the Buffalo bench, and lets it be known that if anyone takes liberties with the his teammates, he will break Dahlin's legs.

Rich Clune would be the guy if that?s the route you want to take

Clune is on an AHL deal so he isn't an option.

To be fair, I think Douglas is as well.  I was just reading an article on him though that said he was turning into a really good 4th liner at the AHL level and they thought his skills would translate  nicely to the NHL as a 4th liner.  He isn't a goon, but he is 6'8", and he isn't afraid to hit.  He has 26 points in 46 games.  It allows Spezza to move to the wing.  The article said that all that needed to be done was to sign him to an NHL contract.  I think that it's good that Matthews will stand up for himself, but at the same time, I also don't want Matthews suspended.   

 

[herman]

My respect for Craig Anderson increased yesterday.

My respect for the refs, already pretty much lower than a medium piling rug, is maybe in the floorboard nail tips at this point.

 

[rdowdall]

My respect for Craig Anderson increased yesterday.

Someone was asking on the radio this morning if they thought he was an option for the Leafs.

 

[herman]

My respect for Craig Anderson increased yesterday.

Someone was asking on the radio this morning if they thought he was an option for the Leafs.

I don't like blaming goalies, but boy was I ready to reach out to Curtis McElhinney (retired) and David Ayres (should be available!) to see if they wanted a bit of salary and swag.

 

[rdowdall]

My respect for Craig Anderson increased yesterday.

Someone was asking on the radio this morning if they thought he was an option for the Leafs.

I don't like blaming goalies, but boy was I ready to reach out to Curtis McElhinney (retired) and David Ayres (should be available!) to see if they wanted a bit of salary and swag.

It's funny you bring up McElhinney.  I was thinking the other day that when they lost him is when the Leafs goaltending went off the rails. 

Goalies are voodoo.  Some like to be pushed and some need to know they are safe in their spot.  I think Andersen liked to be safe in his spot, so the Leafs just needed a competent backup that could play 25 to 30 games.  They had that in McElhinney, but once they lost him they just never found the right guy to backup Andersen.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I don't like blaming goalies, but boy was I ready to reach out to Curtis McElhinney (retired) and David Ayres (should be available!) to see if they wanted a bit of salary and swag.

Hutch's .919 Sv% last season is better than any goalies this season, just sayin'.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I don't like blaming goalies, but boy was I ready to reach out to Curtis McElhinney (retired) and David Ayres (should be available!) to see if they wanted a bit of salary and swag.

Hutch's .919 Sv% last season is better than any goalies this season, just sayin'.

And this season he's .857 Sv% with the Leafs in 2 games, just sayin' lol. All goofing aside, maybe they should look to trade Mrazek, plus for Driedger. Pretty much the same terrible numbers, salary and all that good stuff. Both goalies could probably use a change in scenery.
I wouldn't mind them going after Varlamov and maybe work out a deal to bring Mayfield with him. Does Dermott, Holl, Mrazek plus a pick get it done? Probably not, but if I'm aiming for a goalie I want a guy with term.

 

[Guilt Trip]

And love this from our tough guy Mikheyev.
https://twitter.com/_NickRichard/status/1503360658624200707

 

[dappleganger]

And love this from our tough guy Mikheyev.
https://twitter.com/_NickRichard/status/1503360658624200707

Also love this. Makes me believe he will show up in the playoffs this year and play well.

 

[Guilt Trip]

And love this from our tough guy Mikheyev.
https://twitter.com/_NickRichard/status/1503360658624200707

Also love this. Makes me believe he will show up in the playoffs this year and play well.

No complaints about our 3rd line, that's for sure.

 

[Bender]

And this is what MLHS actually said:

6.  What can you even say at this point? It?s hard to create offense in a game like this, and Petr Mrazek goes and lets that third goal in.

Even if you have faith in Jack Campbell?s play rebounding, you typically need a second goalie at some point if you?re going anywhere in the playoffs, and Mrazek doesn?t even look like he can pinch-hit safely right now if the Leafs did have a reliable starter.

At a certain point, a team will collapse psychologically and lose all structure defensively when goals like this continue to go in, and it can be hard to rediscover that confidence overnight. The Leafs need a reset in net, and it probably has to come from Campbell?s eventual return as well as some outside help.

So, yup.

I almost think he looks worse than Hutchinson.

 

[herman]

And this is what MLHS actually said:

6.  What can you even say at this point? It?s hard to create offense in a game like this, and Petr Mrazek goes and lets that third goal in.

Even if you have faith in Jack Campbell?s play rebounding, you typically need a second goalie at some point if you?re going anywhere in the playoffs, and Mrazek doesn?t even look like he can pinch-hit safely right now if the Leafs did have a reliable starter.

At a certain point, a team will collapse psychologically and lose all structure defensively when goals like this continue to go in, and it can be hard to rediscover that confidence overnight. The Leafs need a reset in net, and it probably has to come from Campbell?s eventual return as well as some outside help.

So, yup.

I almost think he looks worse than Hutchinson.

Which do you prefer: the goalie that is in position and lets the puck through, or the goalie who is aggressively cutting angles and finds himself out of position while the puck lands on an opponent's stick (ostensibly because the Leafs' defense is juuuust a bit late or on the wrong side of the body).