Game 7: Leafs @ Bruins - Apr. 23rd, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[pnjunction]

You just can?t roll four lines when you are down.  Especially when as much as the 4th brings energy they are incapable of putting the puck in the net.  Marleau playing more than 10 minutes was bad.  He was old and slow.  For all the flak they Nylander got by the talking heads I genuinely felt Marleau was our worst forward.  Every play died on his stick.  Nylander made mistakes but tried to create stuff.  Marleau did nothing all series.

I?m not sure if changing the assistants is enough is Babcock is going to put out bad lines. 

Agree with all of this what really burns is that most our best forwards have 5-10 years of age on theirs.  To just roll them 18 min and let Boston match is so bad I don't think I'll ever get over it from Babcock.  Bruins are laughing at just how easy this game was.

 

[Chris]

Nylander has to be with Matthews next year. Get another 3rd line center if they've had enough of Naz. Or keep Naz and put him with Kapanen (if we can afford him) or Bracco. I want Nylander making room for and sending those sweet passes to someone who can do something with the puck...Matthews.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Also, while I don't think Rosen would have been a difference maker (Gardiner played OK most of the series), it didn't help that Gardiner has obviously hurt.

Gardiner was ok but the guy was skating around straight A?s a board.  That he played as well as he did was a testament to how good he actually is as a player but he was really limited in his mobility

We won't know if Rosen is better until next year at the earliest. Gardiner was def hurt and his mobility was limited, but that shouldn't affect his brain. That second goal giveaway was classic Gardiner and that's why he need to go. Simply can't pay 6 or 7 mill for that..

 

[pnjunction]

You can't sell this low on Nylander.  Sure he could have buried one but his wingers were garbage to work with.

 

[Mack674]

LOL Dude, that fucking killed me

 

[AvroArrow]

In case it hasn't been brought up lately, Kadri screwed them pretty badly.

This is true.  Very selfish, though he would say he was sticking up for a teammate, which is nonsense.  I think if Dubas can get some value he is gone.

Part of the team identity was based on being a 3 headed monster.  Unfortunately, one of those heads put his own bullshit ahead of the team for the second year in a row.  In my opinion, he needs to go.  Once is bad enough, twice in 2 years is unforgivable.

 

[BermudaBudsFan]

In case it hasn't been brought up lately, Kadri screwed them pretty badly.

This is true.  Very selfish, though he would say he was sticking up for a teammate, which is nonsense.  I think if Dubas can get some value he is gone.

Part of the team identity was based on being a 3 headed monster.  Unfortunately, one of those heads put his own bull#$#% ahead of the team for the second year in a row.  In my opinion, he needs to go.  Once is bad enough, twice in 2 years is unforgivable.

Well said.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Nylander has to be with Matthews next year. Get another 3rd line center if they've had enough of Naz. Or keep Naz and put him with Kapanen (if we can afford him) or Bracco. I want Nylander making room for and sending those sweet passes to someone who can do something with the puck...Matthews.

Agree. While I wanted more from Willy, I really didn't expect it this season. It's been a total waste for him. You simply can't miss that much time and be any good and it showed. There's no way you trade him unless it's total salary dump and that would be a mistake. You'll see guys like Hyman and Brown shipped out before that. I think the Leafs will be talking to Marleau about load management next year and he should be put on the 4th line. I'll be shocked if he's traded or off to Robidas Island..

 

[cabber24]

Just heard that Zeisberger asked Babs why, when he pulled Freddie with 3 minutes left, was Marleau on the ice considering how bad he struggled in the series.

That ended the press briefing pretty quickly! "We thought he should be out there." If that's the case, he should be parking his ass in front of the net and not ever handling the puck other than tipping shots.

Babs folded at that question. Babs relied on the wrong guy way to long and he never showed up. That?s on Babs and he knows it but he doesn?t take ownership for anything. His gud pros didn?t save him and his best didn?t get enough ice time to make up the difference.

 

[Chris]

LOL Dude, that friging killed me

Easy now, Gauthier almost got a shot on goal!

 

[slapshot]

I think part of the problem is that this team relies on the speed and skill game all year long and the come playoff time, they find themselves doing a lot more bumping and grinding. Hence, they seem to wear down as the series progresses and the speed game we saw in game 1, couldn't be duplicated.  They were fresh to start series (4 days off from end of season to start). And the grind of every second night playing playoff style hockey seems to really take their legs away.  Boston is perhaps a little more used to the grinding playoff style of hockey and seems to deal with it better.  I remember having similar thoughts at last two years 1st round exits.

Don't agree with this. This doesn't feel at all the same as last year other then losing the series. I thought the Leafs actually outplayed the Bruins again and probably for the 5th time this series. Difference was the Bruins capitalized on the bad giveaways, Leafs didn't. Bruins D made fewer mistakes then the Leaf D.

I'd say that's pretty much bang on. Bruins d-men were also more aggressive and that's why Tavares and others didn't get much opportunity in the blue paint.

 

[Mack674]

LOL Dude, that friging killed me

Easy now, Gauthier almost got a shot on goal!

lol im still laughing, I have to steal this and send it to a few people. Such a good meme

 

[mr grieves]

In case it hasn't been brought up lately, Kadri screwed them pretty badly.

This is true.  Very selfish, though he would say he was sticking up for a teammate, which is nonsense.  I think if Dubas can get some value he is gone.

Part of the team identity was based on being a 3 headed monster.  Unfortunately, one of those heads put his own bull#$#% ahead of the team for the second year in a row.  In my opinion, he needs to go.  Once is bad enough, twice in 2 years is unforgivable.

Well said.

Lose Kadri, and the Leafs still had 7 forwards who clocked .5 ppg or better. Boston had 5. It's on coaching staff that they couldn't find a third line that could score -- they had 5 games and did nothing. No excuse.

 

[slapshot]

Nylander: Hey, you said you wouldn't trade me!
Dubas: You said you were worth $7 million a year.

Glad they got him for a shade under $7 million, $6.9 million sound cheaper for shipping him off. Put Bracco with Matthews next year.

 

[Guilt Trip]

In case it hasn't been brought up lately, Kadri screwed them pretty badly.

This is true.  Very selfish, though he would say he was sticking up for a teammate, which is nonsense.  I think if Dubas can get some value he is gone.

Part of the team identity was based on being a 3 headed monster.  Unfortunately, one of those heads put his own bull#$#% ahead of the team for the second year in a row.  In my opinion, he needs to go.  Once is bad enough, twice in 2 years is unforgivable.

If we had Kadri, this series doesn't go 7. The plan was to have a line match the Bergeron line and kill them with the other 2. We couldn't do that once Dumbass got suspended. He might well be the most hated guy in the room after that move and if so, he'll need to be moved.

 

[Guilt Trip]

In case it hasn't been brought up lately, Kadri screwed them pretty badly.

This is true.  Very selfish, though he would say he was sticking up for a teammate, which is nonsense.  I think if Dubas can get some value he is gone.

Part of the team identity was based on being a 3 headed monster.  Unfortunately, one of those heads put his own bull#$#% ahead of the team for the second year in a row.  In my opinion, he needs to go.  Once is bad enough, twice in 2 years is unforgivable.

Well said.

Lose Kadri, and the Leafs still had 7 forwards who clocked .5 ppg or better. Boston had 5. It's on coaching staff that they couldn't find a third line that could score -- they had 5 games and did nothing. No excuse.

This is true also. Babs refusal to adjust hurt the Leafs more.

 

[BermudaBudsFan]

In case it hasn't been brought up lately, Kadri screwed them pretty badly.

This is true.  Very selfish, though he would say he was sticking up for a teammate, which is nonsense.  I think if Dubas can get some value he is gone.

Part of the team identity was based on being a 3 headed monster.  Unfortunately, one of those heads put his own bull#$#% ahead of the team for the second year in a row.  In my opinion, he needs to go.  Once is bad enough, twice in 2 years is unforgivable.

Well said.

Lose Kadri, and the Leafs still had 7 forwards who clocked .5 ppg or better. Boston had 5. It's on coaching staff that they couldn't find a third line that could score -- they had 5 games and did nothing. No excuse.

Sure, but I cite the second suspension in successive playoff years as the case to get rid of him.  His teammates, you would expect, are justifiably pissed off.

 

[Highlander]

And before everyone forgets, the Bruins were 3rd overall in the league. That's a very tough opponent for the 1st round. Were a very young team that will get better with time and some adjustments along the way.

Yes GT and time to go back to the 1-8, 2-7,3-6, 4-5 era of playoff hockey

 

[BermudaBudsFan]

What is Keefe?s contract status?

 

[Bullfrog]

Trading Naz is ridiculous. He's got the best value contract on the team aside from Rielly.