R1, G7: Lightning @ Leafs - May 14th, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[L K]

I will say that there is still a tendency of this team to get pretty.  Passing up good shot opportunities trying to feed a tap in.  Kerfoot was probably the most guilty of this in the series.  So many 2 on 1s that went for absolutely nothing because the Leafs tried to force a pass

 

[rdowdall]

I hate to admit this, and let me preface this by saying that the leafs should not be ashamed of themselves for their performance, that being said, I feel like there?s too much alfredsson era senators in this team. Clearly talent, outplayed their opponent, but weren?t willing to play dirty. TB clearly has no qualms playing dirty to get the job done.

However, on the other side of that argument, I feel as though if the leafs did play dirty all the calls would go against them.

So which brings me back to my original point, the NHL is a really hard league to respect. They make it really, really hard to be a fan.

Yeah unfortunately you don't really have much of a choice.  Watch and put up with it or don't watch and invest your entertainment dollar elsewhere.

 

[L K]

I will also say I would gladly give up being the A game on broadcasts if it meant we could have commentators who actually want the Leafs to win.  The difference when TSN has Ray calling our games and Sportsnets blandest is painful

 

[Deebo]

https://twitter.com/wyshynski/status/1525659901569208321

https://twitter.com/wyshynski/status/1525661208396845058

https://twitter.com/wyshynski/status/1525662331618861058

I don't even think the CBJ was a real travesty either. The leafs roster was much worse back then, compared to now. If it was this version of the Leafs lost to them, then yeah. That one had Ceci, Barrie and Marincin playing meaningful minutes.

The Habs loss, of course, was probably the worst loss in franchise history.

 

[Deebo]

I hate to admit this, and let me preface this by saying that the leafs should not be ashamed of themselves for their performance, that being said, I feel like there?s too much alfredsson era senators in this team. Clearly talent, outplayed their opponent, but weren?t willing to play dirty. TB clearly has no qualms playing dirty to get the job done.

However, on the other side of that argument, I feel as though if the leafs did play dirty all the calls would go against them.

So which brings me back to my original point, the NHL is a really hard league to respect. They make it really, really hard to be a fan.

The Alfredsson era Sens made the finals, conference finals another time, and beat the Philly team the Leafs couldn't, twice.

 

[Spider]

Its really hard to be optimistic right now as I look ahead to next season.
Next year Reilly's salary gets a bump, Campbell will be looking for a big raise, will be tough to try and resign Mikheyev. Not a lot in the prospect pipeline in the way of maiking this team more playpff competent.  Our D is aging and Dubas keeps favouring undersized skill guys in draft.?

Robertson, Sandin and Liljegren will definitely be on the team full time next season.  Need upgrades for Holl, Simmonds, Engvall and Mrazek.  Lyubushkin, Mikheyev and Giordano back if take big discounts.  Spezza to become assistant coach or player development (he is done as a player).

 

[Guilt Trip]

I will also say I would gladly give up being the A game on broadcasts if it meant we could have commentators who actually want the Leafs to win.  The difference when TSN has Ray calling our games and Sportsnets blandest is painful

I've seen on Twitter people are calling for Joe Bowen to be back on tv. He's a good homer lol.

 

[bill0199]

I gotta say, strange territory for me after this.Usually by the end of a series I have a real good hate on for at least one opposing player. Thought for sure this series would be Maroon and or Perry. But In the end it was Cooper. Smug SOB. I know he said all the things he thought would pump his players but the total disrespect for his opponent really irked me. Never hated a coach after a series before. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rdowdall]

I gotta say, strange territory for me after this.Usually by the end of a series I have a real good hate on for at least one opposing player. Thought for sure this series would be Maroon and or Perry. But In the end it was Cooper. Smug SOB. I know he said all the things he thought would pump his players but the total disrespect for his opponent really irked me. Never hated a coach after a series before. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I put Cooper and Cassidy in the same category when it comes to dislike from my perspective. 

 

[Guilt Trip]

Its really hard to be optimistic right now as I look ahead to next season.
Next year Reilly's salary gets a bump, Campbell will be looking for a big raise, will be tough to try and resign Mikheyev. Not a lot in the prospect pipeline in the way of maiking this team more playpff competent.  Our D is aging and Dubas keeps favouring undersized skill guys in draft.?

Robertson, Sandin and Liljegren will definitely be on the team full time next season.  Need upgrades for Holl, Simmonds, Engvall and Mrazek.  Lyubushkin, Mikheyev and Giordano back if take big discounts.  Spezza to become assistant coach or player development (he is done as a player).

Yup lots to look forward to. This team is on the cusp. I think if they played anyone else but TBay, they win. We have a very very good team here. Tweak it and go again.

 

[Kin]

I think the difficulty is, where do they go from here?  Still in cap hell so cant really upgrade due to financial constraints.  It was much better effort, but this team can?t really be improved in a meaningful way, despite Dubas?s wizardry.

Honestly, I think next year is when Dubas really has to make his bones. Some of his draft picks really have to step up and become big time improvements for the team. Maybe it's Robertson, maybe one of the defensemen but either way, now is when he has to prove that he's putting the analytics to use and finding diamonds in the rough.

 

[rdowdall]

I think the difficulty is, where do they go from here?  Still in cap hell so cant really upgrade due to financial constraints.  It was much better effort, but this team can?t really be improved in a meaningful way, despite Dubas?s wizardry.

Honestly, I think next year is when Dubas really has to make his bones. Some of his draft picks really have to step up and become big time improvements for the team. Maybe it's Robertson, maybe one of the defensemen but either way, now is when he has to prove that he's putting the analytics to use and finding diamonds in the rough.

And if not, would you say that it is pitchfork and torches time?

 

[Joe S.]

I hate to admit this, and let me preface this by saying that the leafs should not be ashamed of themselves for their performance, that being said, I feel like there?s too much alfredsson era senators in this team. Clearly talent, outplayed their opponent, but weren?t willing to play dirty. TB clearly has no qualms playing dirty to get the job done.

However, on the other side of that argument, I feel as though if the leafs did play dirty all the calls would go against them.

So which brings me back to my original point, the NHL is a really hard league to respect. They make it really, really hard to be a fan.

The Alfredsson era Sens made the finals, conference finals another time, and beat the Philly team the Leafs couldn't, twice.

That?s fair. I should have been a little clearer, I was specifically referring to the series against the leafs. The leafs very much played dirty and the sens had no response.

 

[ZBBM]

It's a results based business.  Dubas and Shanahan have delivered zero when it counts.

Not their fault, likeable guys, have improved the team.  Yup yup and yup.

I'm not clamoring for it but if they get fired I wouldn't be upset either.  I do think aTrotz might help the team.  Keefe is meh.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[Kin]

I think the difficulty is, where do they go from here?  Still in cap hell so cant really upgrade due to financial constraints.  It was much better effort, but this team can?t really be improved in a meaningful way, despite Dubas?s wizardry.

Honestly, I think next year is when Dubas really has to make his bones. Some of his draft picks really have to step up and become big time improvements for the team. Maybe it's Robertson, maybe one of the defensemen but either way, now is when he has to prove that he's putting the analytics to use and finding diamonds in the rough.

And if not, would you say that it is pitchfork and torches time?

My position on change is always going to be the same. If you can make a good case that the replacement will improve things for an actual reason, go nuts. If you're just changing things to change things, I'm generally speaking not on board.

 

[BermudaBudsFan]

So, my 15 year old daughter is out at a birthday party tonight.  My wife picks her up and when she gets home, she says to me ?Mum told me about the Leafs.  You knew this was going to happen.  It always does.?  Painful but true.

 

[mr grieves]

I think the difficulty is, where do they go from here?  Still in cap hell so cant really upgrade due to financial constraints.  It was much better effort, but this team can?t really be improved in a meaningful way, despite Dubas?s wizardry.

The PP?s late season wobble carrying over into the postseason and marginally losing the depth match ? but the big guns and goalies fighting to a draw? that?s not a terrible way to lose to Tampa Bay. It?s only miserable / depressing in the wider context.

How do they get better? They?re decidedly constrained until the cap gives them breathing room (its stagnancy leaves the team with an unprecedentedly high share of cap going to the core). Maybe Dubas does just as well finding valuable scrap as he did this year (about as well as I can imagine it going) and a few of his draft picks make the jump.

 

[ZBBM]

I think the difficulty is, where do they go from here?  Still in cap hell so cant really upgrade due to financial constraints.  It was much better effort, but this team can?t really be improved in a meaningful way, despite Dubas?s wizardry.

The PP?s late season wobble carrying over into the postseason and marginally losing the depth match ? but the big guns and goalies fighting to a draw? that?s not a terrible way to lose to Tampa Bay. It?s only miserable / depressing in the wider context.

How do they get better? They?re decidedly constrained until the cap gives them breathing room (its stagnancy leaves the team with an unprecedentedly high share of cap going to the core). Maybe Dubas does just as well finding valuable scrap as he did this year (about as well as I can imagine it going) and a few of his draft picks make the jump.

Barry Trotz is presently unemployed.

If you are tied up with making significant player moves, and you have a coach available who took a perennial Cinderella and got them a Cup ...  sounds like something I'd be interested in.

Of course to do that you'd have to get yourself a new front office, too.  But if you are looking for the lowest cost route to improvement....

 

[Courtnall]

What a bunch of losers!
Played well but no killer instinct.  Can?t say this was a shocker.
But I?m sure next year will be different???sure?just like this year was suppose to be. Just a shitty franchise with a losing culture.

 

[AtomicMapleLeaf]

I'm pretty proud of this team, sure it sucks that we lost but I think overall they played well. It'll be interesting to see what the roster looks like next year with all the expiring contracts.