I wonder if Ayres still works for MLSE, and if so, did he have their blessing to do this?

Yeah, I'm a grumpy old man wearing a cardigan yelling at the neighbourhood kids, but I think the Hurricanes have gone from funny and lighthearted to downright classless.
- Atomic Wedgie

Ya its frigging annoying, time to move on.
He better not still get paid by the leafs or any affiliate

i went to the all star game in raleigh like that🤣

people lost their minds lmfaooooooooo 🤣
- Skalapy

one year for halloween i wore a leafs jersey and a noose around my neck

people got a nice kick out of it.

maybe time to revive that one

Wins and losses shouldn't be the way to define if Keefe is any good at motivating players..

Using the All or Nothing docu-series example, during the Habs series... Keefe gave a speech to the players about this being their moment, to erase everything in the past.. To be known as a great team and be known as great players..
It seemed like a good speech and it got me amped up.. Leafs go on to lose the game, so is that on him or the players?
- PatC80

So you are saying the players are playing without motivation and Keefe is doing a good job of motivating them? Or you are saying its not up to him to motivate the players and squeeze the maximum out of what Dubas supplies him with? The Leafs have one of the best goal scorers in the NHL , yet Matthews gets two shots on goal and Tavares gets one. As a coach this isn't even a point of discussion, it needs to be a demand. Shoot the (frank)en puck from the corner, from centre ice from your own red line - get it on the (frank)ing net, and quit trying to pass it into the net.

I've thought about "the speech" for some time now and I actually think it was the right tone but the wrong message to send.

The "this is your chance to prove you're great" + "now is the time" message sounds neat but it's coming from a critical stand point: prove your quality, prove your worth, prove in this moment you can win this.

(frank) that.

You tell the team: WE ARE (frank)ING GREAT. WE ARE GOING TO WIN. LET'S GO KICK THESE LUCKY (frank)'S ASSES.

Kelly Hrudey, someone I don't always agree with, made this point the other day and I think he was spot on. It really got me thinking from a sports psychology standpoint.

I don't want an instant of creeping doubt asking my team to prove their quality. They ARE quality and there is NO doubt.

This team is mired in self-doubt and are questioning their ability to win. It's completely in between the ears.
- mjones242

I thought Keefe's speech was pretty good. But I understand what you mean.

The only downside for me was it was a real "NOW OR NEVER" speech, in game 6.

There was nothing he could say in game 7 to be relevant again.

one year for halloween i wore a leafs jersey and a noose around my neck

people got a nice kick out of it.

maybe time to revive that one
- senstroll

My Halloween decoration on my front lawn right now includes a skeleton with a Leafs scarf and flag, sitting in a chair. The sign (which I have to replace thanks to this rain) says, "Waiting for the next Leafs' playoff win."

My Halloween decoration on my front lawn right now includes a skeleton with a Leafs scarf and flag, sitting in a chair. The sign (which I have to replace thanks to this rain) says, "Waiting for the next Leafs' playoff win."
- Atomic Wedgie

I thought Keefe's speech was pretty good. But I understand what you mean.

The only downside for me was it was a real "NOW OR NEVER" speech, in game 6.

There was nothing he could say in game 7 to be relevant again.
- Scabeh

Great point, Scabs.

I still don't agree with the "prove your quality" bs psychology but if you're going to blow your load with it, save it for when it's sudden playoff death.

I've thought about "the speech" for some time now and I actually think it was the right tone but the wrong message to send.

The "this is your chance to prove you're great" + "now is the time" message sounds neat but it's coming from a critical stand point: prove your quality, prove your worth, prove in this moment you can win this.

(frank) that.

You tell the team: WE ARE (frank)ING GREAT. WE ARE GOING TO WIN. LET'S GO KICK THESE LUCKY (frank)'S ASSES.

Kelly Hrudey, someone I don't always agree with, made this point the other day and I think he was spot on. It really got me thinking from a sports psychology standpoint.

I don't want an instant of creeping doubt asking my team to prove their quality. They ARE quality and there is NO doubt.

This team is mired in self-doubt and are questioning their ability to win. It's completely in between the ears.
- mjones242

yeah that's the thing Brind'amour, Aho, Staal, are constantly stressing. Up by 2, down by 3, regardless of the opponent, you have to believe you are going to win that game. Every game. It's not a question and, if you don't win, well you made some mistakes and you're going to fix them and win the next one. Period.

Ya its frigging annoying, time to move on.
He better not still get paid by the leafs or any affiliate
- Fakepartofme

it was the first time the teams have played since that game. It was going to come up. It's probably done now.

When did they make the "switch"?

I mean, as kids they probably went to Leafs games, watched leafs games, heard about the Leafs.

I'm just curious how someone ends up cheering for another team than the one where he comes from?
- Scabeh

I'm a Leafs fan because growing up, there were only Leafs games on TV (and Habs games on in French).

The newspapers, TV and radio covered the Leafs.

If you were a diehard, you subscribed to the Hockey News - which came once a week and was already out of date. Cool ads, though.

Today, any kid can watch any team, listen to any team, read about any team.

My daughter likes the Canes - I have no idea why. But it's pretty easy to do.

I thought Keefe's speech was pretty good. But I understand what you mean.

The only downside for me was it was a real "NOW OR NEVER" speech, in game 6.

There was nothing he could say in game 7 to be relevant again.
- Scabeh

i beleive it was that OT where the Leafs came out and dominated for 15 mins, outshot 13-1 ..then well you know..lost

narrative totally shifts if one goes in for them...we would see that on replay 500 times a day

stupid sports

My Halloween decoration on my front lawn right now includes a skeleton with a Leafs scarf and flag, sitting in a chair. The sign (which I have to replace thanks to this rain) says, "Waiting for the next Leafs' playoff win."
- Atomic Wedgie

there are so many jokes about the leafs...its too easy...

lets laugh

So you are saying the players are playing without motivation and Keefe is doing a good job of motivating them? Or you are saying its not up to him to motivate the players and squeeze the maximum out of what Dubas supplies him with? The Leafs have one of the best goal scorers in the NHL , yet Matthews gets two shots on goal and Tavares gets one. As a coach this isn't even a point of discussion, it needs to be a demand. Shoot the (frank)en puck from the corner, from centre ice from your own red line - get it on the (frank)ing net, and quit trying to pass it into the net.
- winsix

I'm saying if you're in game 6 and/or 7 of the playoffs, you shouldn't need a coach to motivate you.. If a chance to win the Cup doesn't motivate you then it doesn't matter what the coach says.

It's in the players heads, I think the players issues are bigger than coaching. It's mental not physical. Maybe, I don't know, they should do one of those movie scenes in real life, where they go play a game in a small town on a frozen pond against a bunch of kids and remember how much fun hockey can be..

I agree.. I think Keefe is doing a good job..
I'm not upset with him or Dubas, this is on the players for not showing well, anything, really.

We were so excited this past off-season with the moves made(except for the McCann one, I wish the Leafs protected him). 7 games in and they are playing poorly, it's on the guys on this ice and not the guys that still need to wear suits
- PatC80

And the last 3 games of the playoffs, basically playing exactly the same....outside of 3 games this season
This is on dubas, keefe and the players. Dubas and keefe keep doing the exact same thing over and over again even after it fails over and over again. But their philosophy is, keep doing it, eventually it will work. So thats on them

Its one the players to play motivated throughout each game, its on them to perform.

Keefe's speeches during the amazon series were boring, uninspiring and mostly F words.
But the players shouldnt need to be motivated by "speeches", theyre pros.

I'm a Leafs fan because growing up, there were only Leafs games on TV (and Habs games on in French).

The newspapers, TV and radio covered the Leafs.

If you were a diehard, you subscribed to the Hockey News - which came once a week and was already out of date. Cool ads, though.

Today, any kid can watch any team, listen to any team, read about any team.

My daughter likes the Canes - I have no idea why. But it's pretty easy to do.
- Atomic Wedgie

Its because they haven't seen what its like to be a part of a playoff run in your home city or surrounding area.

Imagine the Raptors run but people actually cared about them before it happened.

I'm saying if you're in game 6 and/or 7 of the playoffs, you shouldn't need a coach to motivate you.. If a chance to win the Cup doesn't motivate you then it doesn't matter what the coach says.

It's in the players heads, I think the players issues are bigger than coaching. It's mental not physical. Maybe, I don't know, they should do one of those movie scenes in real life, where they go play a game in a small town on a frozen pond against a bunch of kids and remember how much fun hockey can be..
- PatC80

As soon as you get that thought of "Here we go again..." you're done for.

it was the first time the teams have played since that game. It was going to come up. It's probably done now.
- BINGO!

Dont care, its years old.

Its because they haven't seen what its like to be a part of a playoff run in your home city or surrounding area.

Imagine the Raptors run but people actually cared about them before it happened.
- Santo_44

Millions cared about them before the run.
Huge fan base

Dont care, its year old.
- Fakepartofme

I really don't think any Leaf fan really cares about that anymore.

Far too many heartbreaks have came after that, its very irrelevant.

Millions cared about them before the run.
Huge fan base
- Fakepartofme

Compared to the Leafs? Not even close.

Before they won the fanbase was small for Toronto standards.....near impossible to not have a decent sized fan base in a big city.

I really don't think any Leaf fan really cares about that anymore.

Far too many heartbreaks have came after that, its very irrelevant.
- Santo_44

very fair point.

Dont care, its years old.
- Fakepartofme

20 Months.

Compared to the Leafs? Not even close.

Before they won the fanbase was small for Toronto standards.....near impossible to not have a decent sized fan base in a big city.
- Santo_44

Uh?
No that's anti raptors BS, "Small for Toronto standard"?

The fan base was big in Toronto, equal to the Jays.
But there were more fans outside of the Toronto, similar to the Jays.
Now, nationally the Raps and Jays have more fans, but within Toronto, I think all three are relatively close with a slight edge to the leafs for now.

But any and every run will always bring out some more bandwagon fans. Too bad the Jays miss the postseason, it could have been huge for the city.

one year for halloween i wore a leafs jersey and a noose around my neck

people got a nice kick out of it.

maybe time to revive that one
- senstroll

These days the noose might not be a good idea.

Uh?
No that's anti raptors BS, "Small for Toronto standard"?

The fan base was big in Toronto, equal to the Jays.
But there were more fans outside of the Toronto, similar to the Jays.
Now, nationally the Raps and Jays have more fans, but within Toronto, I think all three are relatively close with a slight edge to the leafs for now.

But any and every run will always bring out some more bandwagon fans. Too bad the Jays miss the postseason, it could have been huge for the city.
- Fakepartofme

I disagree very much, the majority of the city didnt give a crap about them before the run.

The Leafs fan base in Toronto is massive, the amount of people that invest their time into watching and following them is far far greater than that Raptors pre championship.