Toronto Maple Leafs 2011/12
- Thread starter Ironhead
- Start date
After the first goal, it was all downhill after that.
That is what we learned about this Leaf team tonight. This is a team of mental midgets. The pressures of the playoff race, of the trading deadline, and the brain starts seizing up.
This is what got to happen next. Someone with authority on the Leafs team or in the organization, has to step forward and declare Tuesday's game a guarantee win night. It is going to happen, a win. Once the pressure is off, like who expects anything from this team now, they will start winning again. It don't look good now, but I don't think all is lost. The teams the Leafs are trying to beat out for a playoff spot, aren't that good either, and they play most of their games on the road in the final three weeks.
I think it was Boje Salming who recently said that Toronto is the best place in the world to play professional hockey. He's right. Win or lose, the players are rock stars, idolized by the fans.
Remember Burke wanted to change the culture of the Leafs, get rid of that country club atmosphere, a dressing room where the feeling of entitlement is the norm. Guess what? After turning over the entire roster, seems like the same team, the country club and feelings of entitlement in the dressing room.
The players, rich young men, having a bad game means nothing. The fans and media will all say fire the head coach. The culture of entitlement has to stop. Firing Wilson will only perpetuate it.
That is Bruke's biggest mistake in Toronto. Does not matter if you have a roster of hard working lunch pail type of guys, the way the NHL salary scales are, and what the Toronto hockey market is like, those blue collar players will all turn into rock stars. Then what happens next, is that Burke's successor will start thinking, "we need to change the culture of this team", and the wash and dry cycle repeats itself.
Burke has to make a move. This team is not going anywhere this year. If it is the same team for next, it is not going anywhere next year either. Unless you think raw rookies in Kadri and Colbourne are the answers. I think they should try to play Kessel as a center. Armstrong, try him at center. What do you got to lose at this point.
That is what we learned about this Leaf team tonight. This is a team of mental midgets. The pressures of the playoff race, of the trading deadline, and the brain starts seizing up.
This is what got to happen next. Someone with authority on the Leafs team or in the organization, has to step forward and declare Tuesday's game a guarantee win night. It is going to happen, a win. Once the pressure is off, like who expects anything from this team now, they will start winning again. It don't look good now, but I don't think all is lost. The teams the Leafs are trying to beat out for a playoff spot, aren't that good either, and they play most of their games on the road in the final three weeks.
I think it was Boje Salming who recently said that Toronto is the best place in the world to play professional hockey. He's right. Win or lose, the players are rock stars, idolized by the fans.
Remember Burke wanted to change the culture of the Leafs, get rid of that country club atmosphere, a dressing room where the feeling of entitlement is the norm. Guess what? After turning over the entire roster, seems like the same team, the country club and feelings of entitlement in the dressing room.
The players, rich young men, having a bad game means nothing. The fans and media will all say fire the head coach. The culture of entitlement has to stop. Firing Wilson will only perpetuate it.
That is Bruke's biggest mistake in Toronto. Does not matter if you have a roster of hard working lunch pail type of guys, the way the NHL salary scales are, and what the Toronto hockey market is like, those blue collar players will all turn into rock stars. Then what happens next, is that Burke's successor will start thinking, "we need to change the culture of this team", and the wash and dry cycle repeats itself.
Burke has to make a move. This team is not going anywhere this year. If it is the same team for next, it is not going anywhere next year either. Unless you think raw rookies in Kadri and Colbourne are the answers. I think they should try to play Kessel as a center. Armstrong, try him at center. What do you got to lose at this point.
this team needs a kick in the ass! Burke is in love with Wilson so he ain't going anywhere.(damn it!) Need a big trade to shake them up, Phaneuf? Leafs are loaded with defense men(so we are told) thus we can afford to give up a veteran to let the boys know no one is exempt. Leafs should be able to get something half decent in return as well as dumping a big cap hit.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
2011/12 Leaf postmortem ?
If it were not for how poorly the other teams around this season's edition of the Toronto Maple Leafs played it would be a postmortem this morning ... damn, maybe it would have been last week.
However, because none of those teams decided to drive the bus with any authority means the Leafs(1-8 in past nine) are still in the hunt this season, only three points out with two games in hand for eighth.
Nash has likely since crossed Toronto off his list.
I guess the Leafs can add goalie to #1 center as top concerns for the future.
I still wonder what might have happened if Reimer did not get injured earlier this season.
If it were not for how poorly the other teams around this season's edition of the Toronto Maple Leafs played it would be a postmortem this morning ... damn, maybe it would have been last week.
However, because none of those teams decided to drive the bus with any authority means the Leafs(1-8 in past nine) are still in the hunt this season, only three points out with two games in hand for eighth.
Nash has likely since crossed Toronto off his list.
I guess the Leafs can add goalie to #1 center as top concerns for the future.
I still wonder what might have happened if Reimer did not get injured earlier this season.
Toronto was never on his list.
I would imagine most players would avoid Toronto like the plague.
Too much media bullshit and nonsense these days in being a Leaf player.
Too many unrealistic expectations and unrealistic unknowledgeable fans who are unwilling to wait for a "build from within" strategy.
Someone mentioned that they believe that the players are "entitled".
That couldn't be farther from the truth - it is the fans who seem "entitled".
Leaf fans need to wake up and smell reality.
This team and organization will never substantially win anything unless the overall culture changes and that will be next to impossible.
Just look at the last 2-3 years.......
Change players? = nothing
Change coach? = nothing
Change GM? = nothing
Change owners? = nothing
Being an interested outsider I have no idea how this will be fixed.
Pointless, and lame. Three quarters of the teams in the league manage lose year in a year out, including all the Canadian teams for the past decade.
If you are trying to troll, you must make a better effort than that. Then again, nothing could go wrong in Attawapiskat.
If you were Burke, what would you do right now?
Even if this team makes the playoffs, it will get spanked in 4 straight games. They could get lucky not get swept if they make it in. Making the playoffs is important because they players learn what it takes to win. Otherwise, they will be losers forever.
Lately, it is noticeable that the team is not scoring, and not looking dangerous on the rush. As we get closer to the playoffs, the checking gets tighter and tighter. The Leafs offense slows to a trickle and secondary scoring disappears completely. Since the team does not back check very well, no wonder it is losing.
One big trade, probably cannot do anything for this season. Landing Nash would be nice. The price probably is too steep, especially considering that it is still a team sport where team defense is important. One player cannot change what ails the Leafs now, except in goal, but those players don't grow on trees.
Just play the kids. If they do well, then maybe the roster does not need a major overhaul. If the Kadri, Frattin, Colbourne looks bad in the next 20 games, then make that trade for Nash if he is available in the summer. Right now, this current roster is not doing anything except choke.
Actually, the only thing I liked the past few games were the facial expressions on Ron Wilson when another bad goal goes in. It is a mixture of frustration, angry, pity, sorrow, and most of all, the look of exasperation, his face says it all - "Why me? Not again! Why us?" Wilson was Leaf player. Probably a Leafs fan too. As most fans would have that same Wilson face when those bad goals went in.
Even if this team makes the playoffs, it will get spanked in 4 straight games. They could get lucky not get swept if they make it in. Making the playoffs is important because they players learn what it takes to win. Otherwise, they will be losers forever.
Lately, it is noticeable that the team is not scoring, and not looking dangerous on the rush. As we get closer to the playoffs, the checking gets tighter and tighter. The Leafs offense slows to a trickle and secondary scoring disappears completely. Since the team does not back check very well, no wonder it is losing.
One big trade, probably cannot do anything for this season. Landing Nash would be nice. The price probably is too steep, especially considering that it is still a team sport where team defense is important. One player cannot change what ails the Leafs now, except in goal, but those players don't grow on trees.
Just play the kids. If they do well, then maybe the roster does not need a major overhaul. If the Kadri, Frattin, Colbourne looks bad in the next 20 games, then make that trade for Nash if he is available in the summer. Right now, this current roster is not doing anything except choke.
Actually, the only thing I liked the past few games were the facial expressions on Ron Wilson when another bad goal goes in. It is a mixture of frustration, angry, pity, sorrow, and most of all, the look of exasperation, his face says it all - "Why me? Not again! Why us?" Wilson was Leaf player. Probably a Leafs fan too. As most fans would have that same Wilson face when those bad goals went in.
Gotta agree with you.
This team can do OK in a free wheeling game but they've been dead meat this whole year against tight checking which is what happens consistently in the playoffs.
Do nothing drastic right now and see how the last 20 games play out. The future of almost every player and Wilson will be decided in that time. If drastic changes are required the off season is a better time to do it, especially if a new CBA changes the parameters of building a team.
No doubt, the team is improving although not as much as the first half of the season seemed to indicate. Still lots of work left to do for Burke.
This team can do OK in a free wheeling game but they've been dead meat this whole year against tight checking which is what happens consistently in the playoffs.
Do nothing drastic right now and see how the last 20 games play out. The future of almost every player and Wilson will be decided in that time. If drastic changes are required the off season is a better time to do it, especially if a new CBA changes the parameters of building a team.
No doubt, the team is improving although not as much as the first half of the season seemed to indicate. Still lots of work left to do for Burke.
I've defended Wilson but the time has come. Any chance to salvage this season will begin with a fresh approach at coach, not some unimpactful trade.
Actually I think my analysis is right spot on.
If you would like to hide your head in the sand and chat "evreything is shiny" then that's OK by me. Your choice.
We say good bye to Aulie, on his way to Tampa Bay and Dale Mitchell to Anaheim.
From Tampa. Carter Ashton is 20(21 on April 1st), 6'3", 200lbs. He has the size the Leafs are looking for at forward.
From Anaheim. Mark Fraser is 25, 6'3", 200lbs. A big defenceman who may help down the road.
From Tampa. Carter Ashton is 20(21 on April 1st), 6'3", 200lbs. He has the size the Leafs are looking for at forward.
From Anaheim. Mark Fraser is 25, 6'3", 200lbs. A big defenceman who may help down the road.
That didn't stop TSN from talking about the non-event for 12 hours today alone. And then there are the multiple hours they spent every day for the last week or two telling us who is available, updating us on every rumour and analyzing each one to the most minute detail.
There was even one point today where I heard Duthie asking someone to analyze a rumoured trade, "even though we know it is not going to happen". It was mind numbing.
A few years ago I was suspended from a hockey message board because of a post I made in a "who were the winners and losers today". My answer was the biggest losers were the mod and anybody else who stayed home from work to watch deadline day..
Maybe they should stop these lame pregame ceremonies (Sundin and 62 Leafs), they lost both games, see a trend happening here.
