They have only four forwards that know how to defend that you feel fine throwing over the boards late in games with a lead, Matthews, Marner, Kampf, and Jarnkrok. Everyone else is more offensive based players and pretty well all their offseason additions have been underwhelming besides the depth guys making league minimum and every fan agrees the D ain’t good enough
Boston is getting carried by great goaltending and their healthy defence is one of the top in the league all while they have forwards that can defend
This is an roster issue
Prudent_Artichoke205
Lmao your surprised a team that has over 50% of their money tied up in 4 players isn’t doing well?
Fuck the Stanley cup man it’s over rated, as long as we have the core4 we’re good!!!
I don’t know what the issue is? We should just try and win every game 6-4.
Why the downvote!? Who cares about blown leads!! We got 8 more years of Willy Stylez and his pre-game outfits!!! Cammmannn!!
Get started on Marners contract ASAP! 9 years at 12 million per year? Who’s with me!?!?
13jsw
An idea I’m beginning to warm up to-
Maybe Keefe isn’t doing enough coaching. On one hand, these are professionals who have been playing the game for years+years which may lead you to believe that “they are who they are”.
On the other hand, these guys spend hours every day practicing and preparing- why can’t a guy like Domi be coached to have more defensive responsibility?
While I wasn’t a fan of Babcock, we all watched him mold a raw, offensive-minded Nazem Kadri into a dynamic, shut-down C that was a pain in the ass to play against. THAT is coaching- as far as I’m concerned.
Keefe seems to shy away from this aspect of the job and defaults to “sheltering” players like Domi and Robertson rather than actively teaching them how to play the way he clearly wants them to play.
0nlyRevolutions
We’re at a 50% win rate now. Ouch. OT loser points saving our points percentage.
Jonesdeclectice
IMO, show me a “great coach” and I’ll show you a great goaltender. Samsonov’s poor performance has cost us a LOT of games already this season. With his 5-3-6 record and 0.863 sv%, I reckon that at a very conservative 0.905 sv%, he’s walking away with a 9-2-3 record (that’s a 5 point bump in the standings, which would put us 2 pts behind FLA with a game in hand).
osprey9711
The Leafs are currently at 0.500. On paper, they are better than a 500 team. They are still lacking a 1st line LW to play with Matthews. They are still lacking a top 4 d-man. They are still questions in the net (hopefully, Woll is back soon).
That being all said. They are losing due to a lack of defensive team structure and poor defensive team play. This is directly Keefe’s fault. He should be gone.
They need a tough but fair coach who can instill defensive structure and deal with the lack of effort from some players. When introducing this new coach to the locker room, management has to make it clear that this guy is THE BOSS.
The new coach should be free to bench even the core 4 if the effort is not there.
shekelxpress
3 GMs.
2 coaches including a Stanley Cup winner and Gold Medal winner.
You’re telling me with a straight face that it’s the coaching and not the players?
PretendQuote_
The defence is not the same.
Theoretically swap out Brodie for Lindholm, Gio for Shattenkirk, and swap Samsonov’s horrendous play with league average, and I guarantee we’re way closer to them.
OneNineSevenNine
Boston simply has better systems.
As for it being a coaching issue… I would wager we would be the same exact team with any other coach.
I’m unconvinced that Keefe is the issue.
Those lines aren’t a bad idea. Spreading out the talent, to provide opportunities to score is a GOOD thing. Because we don’t have depth so trying to create depth is a good thing.
I’m not convinced it’s Keefe.
For example, Nylander has been completely gone for 4 games now. Bertuzzi is no where on pace for what was predicted for him. Samsonov collapsed. Knies has been struggling a lot, a literal non factor in games. Tavares is on pace for 60ish points, way, way below expectations.
That’s not a coaching issue. The players are simply not showing up.
MediumWild3088
Keefe is definitely bad but sometimes as we have seen over and over it’s not the most talented teams that win. Will beats skill, hard work & determination I know it sounds cliche but it’s true
ChestyYooHoo
This isn’t a coaching issue.
JamesCurtis24
Getting rid of Keefe isn’t going to change the 3rd and 4th line getting caved in. The fact that Brodie is too old and has taken a step back from being a top pairing guy, that Rielly was never a guy who put out fires, Gio being too old to play regularly etc.
The bottom line is that the Leafs lost all their solid defensive depth guys, Acciari, O’Reilly, Schenn, replaced them with horrible defensive players Bertuzzi, Domi, Klingberg and then those horrible defensive players are also not contributing anywhere near what you figured they might. And then again, throw on top of that Brodie and Gio taking a step back as well.
Change the coach to whoever you want. This team would still need 2 big shutdown D men, 2 big shutdown bottom 6 guys and probably a top 6 winger, although I’d argue if you added the shutdown guys the offense would be perfectly adequate.
Until this team builds itself to win 2-1 hockey games (when needed) they’re never going to have success in the playoffs. That’s probably the one thing that if you look back historically you’re not going to find a cup winner (in the last 30 years) that gave up 4 goals a night and just run and gunned their way to victory every night.
I am so incredibly thankful that after this year, Brodie, Liljegren, Bertuzzi, Domi, Gio, Samsonov etc. are all of the books. Hopefully that will allow the Leafs to target players that are more what they need. I’m not worried about signing offensive production. We pay the guys already to do that. I want bruising defensive players. And then if this team shows at next year’s deadline that they can play really well defensively, and maybe they need another scoring touch, then you go grab your high scoring deadline winger.
BackTo1975
It’s almost like goaltending is important or something.
TheWilrus
Should have just hired Gruden as the Leafs coach this summer.
KottonMouthKings1
Yeah I been saying big time why the hell did we bring back Samsanov and our lines were great. We were on a 11 game win streak why would they change the lines up. Guys are everywhere now if u haven’t noticed.
MotherAd1865
Same core. Same story.
NervousBreakdown
The way I see it, this teams blue line and goaltending are pretty sub par. Having said that if keefe couldn’t get the most out of the previous iterations of this team, and he didn’t, then it stands to reason that he won’t get the most out of this one so what is the reason to keep him?
bof5
I see far better defense and goalies on the bruins. Leafs can’t hold leads…
backdraft78
He’s just gotta go. Too many years trying with results that don’t match talent
UnflushableNug
That defensive group is a mess.
On 50% of the teams, Rielly is a #1 and on the other 50% he’s a #2
Brodie is a #4/5
Benoit is #5/6
MCabe is a #4/5
Gio is a #6/7
Lily is #4/5
The Leafs ***MIGHT*** be able to compete with that group if they played a tight system and had a Vezina caliber goalie but they have a wash-out on a career rebound, a rookie and a headcase.
Sarge1387
I believe Holmberg may be the best fit up there…kid had 2 more points again last night. He’s making smart plays, and doesn’t look out of place. The only guy here I’m not 100% sold on is Bertuzzi. Too high a cap hit for such little production, he looks out place no matter who he plays with. Kampf, McMann, and Gregor are the perfect energy line, and they all have some nose for the net.
mikasaxo
We need a complete coaching overhaul. Morgan Reilly and TJ Brodie were way out of position last game. We have a good team (on paper), but Keefe has no idea how to move the pieces around.
Lefty25k007
Keefe is a damn good line juggler
TopTransportation248
Keefe can’t make the team go out and play with some passion. He also can’t go out and do it himself. The Leafs top 4 forwards are the softest in the league. Go around the league and find a team that has a softer group of top 4 forwards. You can’t. Doesn’t matter how skilled they are. Hard work beats skill when skill doesn’t do hard work. The dudes making 50% of the teams salary just don’t play with the intensity necessary to win. Could a different coach potentially get them to play a heavier game? Maybe! If so then fire Keefe into the sun and bring in Trotz, I’m getting sick and tired of watching these guys play so soft every game.
BuzzOff2011
It’s really infuriating that the bruins are doing what they’re doing with a #3C playing as a #1, they arguably have one of the least talented on paper C depth in the league and they’re on route to another presidents trophy if things go their way
Musselsini
Tavares – Matthews – Marner
Jarnkrok – Holmberg – Nylander
Knies – Domi – Bertuzzi
McMann – Kampf – Gregor
Let the Swedes swede.
InternationalPost447
Fire Keefe. Who cares. Still no defense, still no cup.
27 Comments
They have only four forwards that know how to defend that you feel fine throwing over the boards late in games with a lead, Matthews, Marner, Kampf, and Jarnkrok. Everyone else is more offensive based players and pretty well all their offseason additions have been underwhelming besides the depth guys making league minimum and every fan agrees the D ain’t good enough
Boston is getting carried by great goaltending and their healthy defence is one of the top in the league all while they have forwards that can defend
This is an roster issue
Lmao your surprised a team that has over 50% of their money tied up in 4 players isn’t doing well?
Fuck the Stanley cup man it’s over rated, as long as we have the core4 we’re good!!!
I don’t know what the issue is? We should just try and win every game 6-4.
Why the downvote!? Who cares about blown leads!! We got 8 more years of Willy Stylez and his pre-game outfits!!! Cammmannn!!
Get started on Marners contract ASAP! 9 years at 12 million per year? Who’s with me!?!?
An idea I’m beginning to warm up to-
Maybe Keefe isn’t doing enough coaching. On one hand, these are professionals who have been playing the game for years+years which may lead you to believe that “they are who they are”.
On the other hand, these guys spend hours every day practicing and preparing- why can’t a guy like Domi be coached to have more defensive responsibility?
While I wasn’t a fan of Babcock, we all watched him mold a raw, offensive-minded Nazem Kadri into a dynamic, shut-down C that was a pain in the ass to play against. THAT is coaching- as far as I’m concerned.
Keefe seems to shy away from this aspect of the job and defaults to “sheltering” players like Domi and Robertson rather than actively teaching them how to play the way he clearly wants them to play.
We’re at a 50% win rate now. Ouch. OT loser points saving our points percentage.
IMO, show me a “great coach” and I’ll show you a great goaltender. Samsonov’s poor performance has cost us a LOT of games already this season. With his 5-3-6 record and 0.863 sv%, I reckon that at a very conservative 0.905 sv%, he’s walking away with a 9-2-3 record (that’s a 5 point bump in the standings, which would put us 2 pts behind FLA with a game in hand).
The Leafs are currently at 0.500. On paper, they are better than a 500 team. They are still lacking a 1st line LW to play with Matthews. They are still lacking a top 4 d-man. They are still questions in the net (hopefully, Woll is back soon).
That being all said. They are losing due to a lack of defensive team structure and poor defensive team play. This is directly Keefe’s fault. He should be gone.
They need a tough but fair coach who can instill defensive structure and deal with the lack of effort from some players.
When introducing this new coach to the locker room, management has to make it clear that this guy is THE BOSS.
The new coach should be free to bench even the core 4 if the effort is not there.
3 GMs.
2 coaches including a Stanley Cup winner and Gold Medal winner.
You’re telling me with a straight face that it’s the coaching and not the players?
The defence is not the same.
Theoretically swap out Brodie for Lindholm, Gio for Shattenkirk, and swap Samsonov’s horrendous play with league average, and I guarantee we’re way closer to them.
Boston simply has better systems.
As for it being a coaching issue… I would wager we would be the same exact team with any other coach.
I’m unconvinced that Keefe is the issue.
Those lines aren’t a bad idea. Spreading out the talent, to provide opportunities to score is a GOOD thing. Because we don’t have depth so trying to create depth is a good thing.
I’m not convinced it’s Keefe.
For example, Nylander has been completely gone for 4 games now. Bertuzzi is no where on pace for what was predicted for him. Samsonov collapsed. Knies has been struggling a lot, a literal non factor in games. Tavares is on pace for 60ish points, way, way below expectations.
That’s not a coaching issue. The players are simply not showing up.
Keefe is definitely bad but sometimes as we have seen over and over it’s not the most talented teams that win. Will beats skill, hard work & determination I know it sounds cliche but it’s true
This isn’t a coaching issue.
Getting rid of Keefe isn’t going to change the 3rd and 4th line getting caved in. The fact that Brodie is too old and has taken a step back from being a top pairing guy, that Rielly was never a guy who put out fires, Gio being too old to play regularly etc.
The bottom line is that the Leafs lost all their solid defensive depth guys, Acciari, O’Reilly, Schenn, replaced them with horrible defensive players Bertuzzi, Domi, Klingberg and then those horrible defensive players are also not contributing anywhere near what you figured they might. And then again, throw on top of that Brodie and Gio taking a step back as well.
Change the coach to whoever you want. This team would still need 2 big shutdown D men, 2 big shutdown bottom 6 guys and probably a top 6 winger, although I’d argue if you added the shutdown guys the offense would be perfectly adequate.
Until this team builds itself to win 2-1 hockey games (when needed) they’re never going to have success in the playoffs. That’s probably the one thing that if you look back historically you’re not going to find a cup winner (in the last 30 years) that gave up 4 goals a night and just run and gunned their way to victory every night.
I am so incredibly thankful that after this year, Brodie, Liljegren, Bertuzzi, Domi, Gio, Samsonov etc. are all of the books. Hopefully that will allow the Leafs to target players that are more what they need. I’m not worried about signing offensive production. We pay the guys already to do that. I want bruising defensive players. And then if this team shows at next year’s deadline that they can play really well defensively, and maybe they need another scoring touch, then you go grab your high scoring deadline winger.
It’s almost like goaltending is important or something.
Should have just hired Gruden as the Leafs coach this summer.
Yeah I been saying big time why the hell did we bring back Samsanov and our lines were great. We were on a 11 game win streak why would they change the lines up. Guys are everywhere now if u haven’t noticed.
Same core. Same story.
The way I see it, this teams blue line and goaltending are pretty sub par. Having said that if keefe couldn’t get the most out of the previous iterations of this team, and he didn’t, then it stands to reason that he won’t get the most out of this one so what is the reason to keep him?
I see far better defense and goalies on the bruins. Leafs can’t hold leads…
He’s just gotta go. Too many years trying with results that don’t match talent
That defensive group is a mess.
On 50% of the teams, Rielly is a #1 and on the other 50% he’s a #2
Brodie is a #4/5
Benoit is #5/6
MCabe is a #4/5
Gio is a #6/7
Lily is #4/5
The Leafs ***MIGHT*** be able to compete with that group if they played a tight system and had a Vezina caliber goalie but they have a wash-out on a career rebound, a rookie and a headcase.
I believe Holmberg may be the best fit up there…kid had 2 more points again last night. He’s making smart plays, and doesn’t look out of place. The only guy here I’m not 100% sold on is Bertuzzi. Too high a cap hit for such little production, he looks out place no matter who he plays with. Kampf, McMann, and Gregor are the perfect energy line, and they all have some nose for the net.
We need a complete coaching overhaul. Morgan Reilly and TJ Brodie were way out of position last game. We have a good team (on paper), but Keefe has no idea how to move the pieces around.
Keefe is a damn good line juggler
Keefe can’t make the team go out and play with some passion. He also can’t go out and do it himself. The Leafs top 4 forwards are the softest in the league. Go around the league and find a team that has a softer group of top 4 forwards. You can’t.
Doesn’t matter how skilled they are. Hard work beats skill when skill doesn’t do hard work. The dudes making 50% of the teams salary just don’t play with the intensity necessary to win. Could a different coach potentially get them to play a heavier game? Maybe! If so then fire Keefe into the sun and bring in Trotz, I’m getting sick and tired of watching these guys play so soft every game.
It’s really infuriating that the bruins are doing what they’re doing with a #3C playing as a #1, they arguably have one of the least talented on paper C depth in the league and they’re on route to another presidents trophy if things go their way
Tavares – Matthews – Marner
Jarnkrok – Holmberg – Nylander
Knies – Domi – Bertuzzi
McMann – Kampf – Gregor
Let the Swedes swede.
Fire Keefe. Who cares. Still no defense, still no cup.
Round 2 at best.