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Toronto Maple Leafs 2013/14 Season

Ironhead

Son of the First Nation
Sep 13, 2008
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Good news for Leaf Nation, Bolland may start skating this coming Thursday.
 

JohnLarue

Well-known member
Jan 19, 2005
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Carlyle has to go... the players are not playing for him anymore and they cannot fire 20+ players.

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014...-randy-carlyle-coaching-himself-out-of-a-job/

I agree with all of this analysis except for the goaltending bit. Both goalies just got tired of facing 47+ shots per night.
Fortunately you are not the one making that decision
The list of really good coaches have been fired from the Leafs is long (Pat Quinn, Paul Maurice, Pat Burns, Ron Wilson etc.)

All of these coaches and Caryle have forgotten more about hockey than you or Michael Traikos will ever know.
And each one (save Burns) could conceivably still be coaching the Leafs to a more successful record

The only reason to even consider firing a coach is if he does not command respect within the dressing room i.e., the players are tuning him out
At that point you have to ask is that down to him or the group of millionaire premadonas on the roster
Revamping a roster is very challenging & risky and hardly ever results in an immediate upgrade in on-ice success
Coaching changes, while lower risk, on aggregate do not have a much better record

If it is down to the coach and he is simply not able to motivate and communicate with the players, the GM will know about this long before you or some newspaper wessel who has to come up with a story every day, irrespective of the truth, facts or even a sound understanding of the game.

Has this group tuned Caryle out?
Only those on the inside will know for sure
So lets leave these decisions to those that have all the correct information and not let some newspaper hack determine the coaches fate
 

saxon

Well-known member
Dec 2, 2009
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Same situation tonight as in their last 3 games, the Rangers, Isles and Caps all played the night before while the Leafs were well rested but they still lost all 3. Devils played last night and I'm betting the buds again. The 49ers have already won now I just need the Leafs and Broncos to win.
 

dirkd101

Well-known member
Sep 29, 2005
10,336
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eastern frontier
Ok Leafs fans, let's not consider the season over now.

Like every team, there are some rough patches. Not every player scooped up is going to work out, Clarkson and sometimes injuries will affect your team, Bolland.

The Winter Classic was a bit of a disruption and the loss of key players before this and Clarkson not really panning out thus far can be a cause for concern. But, let's not forget, other teams will go through rough patches. It's better to happen now, then during a playoff run.
Bolland should/should be back, but at what capacity is unknown.

Clarkson may turn into the guy they thought he was.

They can always pick up a key piece at the trade deadline. Let's hope before then though.
 

smuddan

Well-known member
Mar 7, 2007
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Ok Leafs fans, let's not consider the season over now.

Like every team, there are some rough patches. Not every player scooped up is going to work out, Clarkson and sometimes injuries will affect your team, Bolland.

The Winter Classic was a bit of a disruption and the loss of key players before this and Clarkson not really panning out thus far can be a cause for concern. But, let's not forget, other teams will go through rough patches. It's better to happen now, then during a playoff run.
Bolland should/should be back, but at what capacity is unknown.

Clarkson may turn into the guy they thought he was.

They can always pick up a key piece at the trade deadline. Let's hope before then though.
Unfortunately the Leafs' rough patch started way back on November 1st. In 32 games since they picked up only 5 wins in regulation time. They probably has had one of the worse win/loss record in the league since then.

I'd like to believe they can bounce back, but they have to raise their intensity level like they did in the Washington game. They didn't win but I thought it was their best game in a long while. Hopefully that's a sign of good things to come.
 

LoveThemGirls

World Champion Girl Lover
Nov 18, 2001
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Two entertaining games in a row, hopefully they keep up this intensity and effort and get back into playoff position. Hate to say it as I'm a big fan of Orr and respect how he sticks up for teammates but looks like the need for an enforcer is fading away. McClement has no offensive ability at all and should be centering the 4th line with D'Amigo and Ashton (or Bodie as he's a better fighter), and Holland should be brought back to play with Clarkson & Kulemin for a 3rd line that has a chance to contribute some points. Seems like McLaren & Fraser will be eating hot dogs in the press box for the rest of the season, and thankfully Ranger will be seen less and less in the lineup. Don't feel sorry for Reimer he still makes $3 mil. as a backup.
 

Polaris

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2007
3,076
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hornyville
You what folks, I kind of like the Leafs game more lately the past 15 games than the 15 games before that.

They are always playing close one goal games, night in and night out it seems. They do not finish well lately, but before the four game losing streak they got points in six straight games. In the four game losing streak, they went into the third period tied, and could not finish in two games Islanders and Washington.

Tonight they prevail in the shootout.

This Leafs team won't fold, they will make some noise. They just have to do it soon as the season past the midway point.

I think Carlyle has no choice but to play Phaneuf with Gunnnarson, Franson with the new guy, and the two kids as the third defensive pairing. It won't be pretty, but no team in the league has a perfect defense. Some are very good though, like Chicago, and Montreal who has both Subban and Markov.

The forwards seems to me that Mason Raymond has had a good year so far, but has gone silent, and looks more like a third line player that is probably is and not a top six forward. The Leafs actually does have another top six forward, in a slump in Clarkson. Realistically, for instance tonight, Lupul, Raymond, Clarkson, who did you notice more out there? Clarkson had a strong game, nothing to show for it again.

If Bolland can return for the last 20 games, that would be huge.
 

Ironhead

Son of the First Nation
Sep 13, 2008
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Good news for Leaf Nation, Bolland may start skating this coming Thursday.
Unless I saw a video from earlier in the week I thought Carlyle meant Bolland will start skating this coming Thursday, but last night they showed video of Bolland skating.
 

bullitt

Well-known member
Nov 7, 2005
1,296
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Same situation tonight as in their last 3 games, the Rangers, Isles and Caps all played the night before while the Leafs were well rested but they still lost all 3. Devils played last night and I'm betting the buds again. The 49ers have already won now I just need the Leafs and Broncos to win.
jeez saxon, if you didn,t have bad luck, you wouldn,t have any at all!
 

saxon

Well-known member
Dec 2, 2009
4,759
520
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jeez saxon, if you didn,t have bad luck, you wouldn,t have any at all!
Well I finally won one. I bet thru pro line not my friend the bookie. Leafs won and 49ers and Broncs won by 4 so I cashed. Mind you I didn't win much but enough to come into Toronto tomorrow and spend my winnings on a SP. I'm hoping Lexi at Mirage is on tomorrow I've been wanting to try her for quite awhile now.
 
Big win. Just one question: Is there one referee in the NHL that has the guts to call a late penalty against the Bruins at home in the third period? The trips and holds couldn't be more obvious. For a while there it felt like a bad dream all over again, only the Leafs got the win they deserved for a change.
 

Ironhead

Son of the First Nation
Sep 13, 2008
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Leafs win !

Defeat Bruins in Boston .... and the Referees also. Apparently the rules were no longer in effect in the final two minutes.


Bernier was great. Gleason looked good too.
Kessel helped with helpers. :thumb:
Bozak is really going good since coming off injury.


When Boston scored the third I though 'oh-oh here we go' but turned out ok. whew
There are some Leaf players I cannot wait to get rid of and it is getting more and more obvious everyday that those guys have no interest in paying the price.
 

gcostanza

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2010
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There are some Leaf players I cannot wait to get rid of and it is getting more and more obvious everyday that those guys have no interest in paying the price.
Names?
 

gcostanza

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2010
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smuddan

Well-known member
Mar 7, 2007
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Gardiner continues to be the most dangerous player on both ends of the ice. He scored a goal and he assisted on the Boston 3rd goal. It seems to me his feet are a lot faster than his brain.
 

SPseeker

Member
Sep 23, 2009
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bozak sure looks more like the top line center than kadri does with 11 points in 8 games back from injury. not sure what's wrong with the kid, but it almost feels like he's pouting or something and not giving the effort he's capable of. agree with them putting holland and lupul back together. almost seems like lupul is being held back by kadri.

wonder if kadri is hiding an injury cuz he looks nothing like how he was at the beginning of the season.
 

saxon

Well-known member
Dec 2, 2009
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Can't speak for Ironhead, but certainly some concerns for 'lack of effort' would be Raymond and Franson. Both way too tentative with engaging other teams, or quick to give up in corners. Clarkson I'm sure is another name many hope far more of a contribution is seen soon. Though Kadri isn't really clicking on any line right now, and missing many chances, I can't dispute his effort.



Couldn't agree more. That last few minutes seemed like an eternity. I saw Bruins holding sticks, pulling Jerseys, JVR took a knee/trip, and nothing was called.

Though Lupul isn't getting much credit, I still find him to be one of the most consistent effort wise. JVR had a really strong night, as did Bozak and Kessel obviously. I'm happy Holland was brought back up, but don't know why he ksaw so little ice time. Clearly Kadri continues to be snake bitten, so why night move Kadri to the 3rd, and play him with Clarkson?

Restore Holland on the second with Raymond and Lupul. That way to proven lines are rolling, and you have more grit/talent on the 3rd line.

Sabres lost a tough one to Philly with :14 secs left, so sure they won't be in a great mood for the Leafs. Plus if Philly got Enroth tonight, that means Miller time for Toronto tomorrow. Ugh.
Leafs will still beat the Sabres even with Miller in net. They just can't score enough goals to turn their miserable season around.
 

gcostanza

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2010
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Leafs will still beat the Sabres even with Miller in net. They just can't score enough goals to turn their miserable season around.
Buffalo has beaten the Maple Leafs twice already this season.
 

bullitt

Well-known member
Nov 7, 2005
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good result against the bruins huh. team is like pish though aren,t they. bernier saved their ass.
 
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