Why are the Maple Leafs so frusterating?
Alright, after a bad game in Boston what exactly does this team do? Have another "lovely" effort against the Panthers. Why is it, that year after year this team has the SAME problems? Can’t kill a penalty, can’t run a power play, they haven’t played a full 60 minutes on the year yet. I am one of the younger Leaf fans (mid twenties) who has been a fan of the team since the Gilmour days. Why is it, when other teams have problems, like lets say…they are having a bad season- they are never afraid to fire the coach when they have a chance of saving their season, or their GM. MOST of the time, at least when it comes to the coach, what the heck does this team do? Leave them be for the season then fire them in the off-season. You may say, oh but we are 9-5 on the year. Yes, but look at how this team plays and it is the SAME problems as this team has last year. Sick and tired of seeing goalies that can’t stop beach balls, a weak power play, a pk that is amoungst the worst in the league, a team that is NEVER ready to play a full 60 minutes. The reason as to why I say this now is that I have ZERO confidence in this team (when your team and Florida are the ONLY teams that have NOT made the playoffs since the lockout can you really blame me?) I’m willing to bet that this will be the same result as last year and until this team learns to at least straighten out their "special teams"…or even one of the problems they’ve had since last year mark my words, it’s going to be the same thing only different calendar year. This makes me one PISSED off fan-I have a team in my own backyard (live in Philly) that just went to the finals the other year yet my own team out of the 8 years I’ve been down here has only rewarded me with ONE playoff appearance the entire time I’ve been down here (2004- the first year I lived here).
Sorry for my rant. Anyone else with me?
Sorry firecole, yes they are playing well I’ll give you that, but with the amount of hatred seen towards my team and the crap I’ve taken as a Leaf fan at least online, cheering another Canadian team would be the last thing I’d do.
*firecoal*
we can’t score on the power play if our lives depended on it…what the hell is up with that?
I can see why you’re frustrated, I am a fan of the Hawks first and the Leafs second…I’m going to hang on to some faith in the team though, they have a great bunch of guys playing and the season is early…if I start sounding like a cubs fan, someone shoot me.
December 4th, 2011 at 5:10 am
Because the Oilers kick ass.
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December 4th, 2011 at 5:18 am
I am pissed. Our defence sucks, all 5 of those goals could of been stopped, we couldn’t score (even though we got ALOT of shots). If we don’t beat the Blues on Thursday we are screwed.
Oh yeah one more thing. RON WILSON IS A BAD COACH! I’ve been saying it all season (and last season) even though we won, he was not coaching well. Burke will never fire him though.
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Fellow upset Leafs fan
December 4th, 2011 at 5:41 am
Gotta love the Leafs and their fans.
You set the standard for frustration.
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December 4th, 2011 at 5:58 am
I think that the Leaf fans are expecting too much from this team. It’s not the Leafs fault that they had a good start to the season, they were never expected to finish anywhere higher than between 7th and 11th place this season anyway. Anything higher would be a bonus. So maybe rather than booing an over achieving team off home ice they should be happy that the team is above 500. and may make the playoff for the first time in seven years.
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December 4th, 2011 at 6:47 am
It just seems like when one part of the team is struggling, the rest started fading as well. In the beginning of the season, Reimer was solid, the blueline was on fire and Phil Kessel was a one-man army.
Now…Reimer is injured leaving the horribly inconsistent, career back-up Gustavsson and a rookie (Scrivens) as the Leafs goaltending. The blueline seems lost, leaving Gustavsson and Scrivens to make the highlight saves to keep the team in it. And all of a sudden, the offense has dried up.
The Leafs have been outscored 12-1 in the last 2 games with both goalies seemingly unable to stop a puck and Ron Wilson isn’t doing a single thing to stop it. Mixing the lines up aren’t doing anything.
I think it’s time for a shake-up. The Leafs have plenty of depth so I think Burke should package a couple of players together like Nazem Kadri (since nobody seems to give the poor guy a chance to shine) to get a true #1 center since Tim Connolly goes on the IR everytime he sneezes too hard. Try to get a veteran goalie to help our young tenders and get some experience on the blueline. And get a new damn coach!
There’s so much that needs to improve on the team like their embarassing PP and PK. Leafs are the ONLY TEAM IN THE NHL that averages less than 1 shot per powerplay. LESS THAN 1 SHOT PER POWERPLAY!
I try to see the best in my Leafs and stay optimistic but that can only last so long…
*end rant*
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Personal Opinion
December 4th, 2011 at 7:31 am
we can’t score on the power play if our lives depended on it…what the hell is up with that?
I can see why you’re frustrated, I am a fan of the Hawks first and the Leafs second…I’m going to hang on to some faith in the team though, they have a great bunch of guys playing and the season is early…if I start sounding like a cubs fan, someone shoot me.
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we = the Blackhawks
December 4th, 2011 at 7:39 am
f – r – u – s – t – r – a – t – i – n – g
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December 4th, 2011 at 7:55 am
Just be glad you are not a die-hard, life-long Leafs fan like some on this website,
ditto others that I know offline. I sometimes ask myself how they maintain sanity.
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December 4th, 2011 at 8:17 am
It all comes down to Wilson, hes a poor coach and brings no system or structure to this team, lets look at facts here-
1.Goals against: 2007-08 (256, 27th overall), 2008-09 (286, 30th overall), 2009-10 (263, 29th overall) 2010-11 (245, 24th overall) 2011-12 (51, 28th overall)
2. Penalty Kill: 2007-08 (78.1%, 29th overall) 2008-09 (74.7%, 30th overall), 2009-10 (74.6%, 30th overall) 2010-11 (77.4%, 28th overall) 2011-12 (71.9%, 30th overall)
3. Standings 2007-08 (12th in the east), 2008-09 (12th in the east), 2009-10 (15th in the east), 2010-11 (10th in the east)
If you look at all those things, Wilson has shown little to no improvement, and if anything he has regressed. All of this despite Burke revamping the roster and bringing in key upgrades each year since being a GM. The blame cannot lie on the players because they’re has been a different group here each year, the blame doesnt lie on the GM because he has brought in the necessary players to improve the leafs as well. The one constant in this hot mess is Wilson, and its clear as day he is not doing his job properly.
Another problem with Wilson is we have no structure or system- Supposedly were a "run and gun team" but that implies the abiltiy to use our legs to skate the puck up to the net, and to make quick clean passes out of our zone. Under Wilson we have a hard time skating a puck out, and we cannot clear the zone with a pass, if you look at it during a game it either goes to the other team or is shot up the boards only to be intercepted by the opposing players, resulting in lengthy times being pinned in our own end.
There is NO structure, as a result players are doing "individual things" because they have zero faith in the "system", as a result this leads to confusion, chaos and scoring chances for the other team.
People will say "oh the players are standing behind their coach", well of course they are, and its all political! No player is going to slit their own throat and by throwing their coach under the bus is career sucicide. Lets say Kessel calls Wilson out by saying "wilson is the worst coach ever i despise playing for him", now lets say Wilson gets canned and Kessel traded and yet again plays for Wilson, do you really think Wilson would put Kessel into the lineup? The answer is a big NO, and the players know this, thats why they "stick up" for their coach.
Its sad really because the leafs have the talent (both up front and on defence), they have blazing speed, tremendous depth at all positions to not just squeak into the playoffs but to get in by a large mile. However under Wilson the best case scenerio will be barely squeaking in and getting bounced in the 1st round, and the worst case under Wilson is finishing dead last.
Fire the coach, and the leafs will be a great team, keep wilson at best they’re mediocre.
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December 4th, 2011 at 8:54 am
Calm down.
The issue is goaltending. I said at the start of the season (and it’s still true) that a positive goal differential and .915 goaltending would equal playoffs.
As of this morning their goal differential is -5 and their team SPCT is .888 (Reimer is .912, Scrivens .867 (he got left for dead against Boston), and Gustavsson is at an .878).
PK ranks 30th.
Despite all this, if the season ended today they win the Northeast Division and would be seeded 2nd in the East. It’s not the disaster of 2008-09 or the first half of 2009-10.
Math: in order to make the playoffs (95 points would do the trick), you need to have an average of 1.159PPG. The Leafs are currently average 1.267 PPG. If they can manage 76 points out of their last 67 games (they’ve played 15 games) that gets them in the playoffs.
They’re not a cup contender. The goal this year is get in the playoffs…anything after that is icing on the cake.
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