That's hockey, it's a cruel female dog sometimes. But she's got them titties.

Positive

Only in Leafland would a rookie goalie who is overachieving, leading the team in stats and making less than 1m/year face this type of scrutiny

Everyone on here said Samsonov should never play another game for the Leafs. Then he was waived and nobody wanted him. Agreed he is playing well currently but not the long term solution.
- mr.sir

I got a bridge to sell you..


In Baltimore..

Positive

Only in Leafland would a rookie goalie who is overachieving, leading the team in stats and making less than 1m/year face this type of scrutiny

Everyone on here said Samsonov should never play another game for the Leafs. Then he was waived and nobody wanted him. Agreed he is playing well currently but not the long term solution.
- mr.sir

Is he playing well enough to be their current starter? No.

Is it the current team I’m interested in the most? Yes.

No matter how well the Leafs may look for a game or two, they never fail to disappoint. They had every chance for home ice advantage and just give it away, because they don’t have the killer instinct. And that’s not going to change. First round exit, bet the farm.
- Bullot

Killer instinct can be seen as an issue but this is the first time in years I think we have to acknowledge the team just isn't that good.
We're expecting to squeeze lemonade from a dog turd.
This team is slightly above average and has been that almost year except a cold streak at the beginning and a hot streak last month. They arent underperforming or lacking push. They're just mid.
The only saving grace is talking at the end of last season that we'd all be willing to sacrifice points in the season to be seen as a better playoff team. I don't see that, but we can still hope.

Positive

Only in Leafland would a rookie goalie who is overachieving, leading the team in stats and making less than 1m/year face this type of scrutiny

Everyone on here said Samsonov should never play another game for the Leafs. Then he was waived and nobody wanted him. Agreed he is playing well currently but not the long term solution.
- mr.sir

Let's take tonight's game out of the equation because it's not a fair thing to consider given the emotions people feel after a guy craps the bed . . .what makes you think Woll is the goalie of the future? He is very inconsistent. he has 5 good games, 4 bad ones, 4 good games, 3 bad ones, 5 good games, 4 bad ones . . . that describes a backup goalie who is stepping into a starter's role. Like a Jack Campbell.

I am not saying Samsonov is the long-term answer - but I am saying that I believe in him more than I believe in Woll at this stage of his career. Neither one has to go anywhere, so that's just fine!

Oct - Dec 31, Woll had a .916% (15th in the league in that span, playing more than 600 minutes); Samsonov was .862% (57th out of 58 in that span).

Since January 1, Samsonov is .908%; Woll is .884% and that was before tonight's .792% is going sink that number lower. Now .908% is not particularly impressive, but I'm not sure I trust Woll right now to think he's the answer over Sammy, even given Sammy's poor playoff history.

.792% isn't going to cut it. The kid has been tailing of late. He's been sub-par in 4 of his last 5 games. He had a similar dip in early November - and came back pretty well in the next several afterwards.

It was the type of game where Rielly would certainly have excelled in transition, so they were missing him - and honestly I think it was the type of game where a guy like Edmundson was missed - Benoit really stood out as a positive, but we needed more intensity in the D-zone. Liljegren was a tire fire tonight.
- Monkeypunk

He had a stretch of 5-8 good games, and everyone was ready to ship Sammy off to the glue factory.

Woll is entirely unproven. Maybe the skill is there, but in between the ears is a concern.

They can’t sustain any kind of success for more than a few games without their MVP.

Mitch Marner.

It will expected. It will be incorrect but it will. But if Marner doesn’t turn this team into some massive powerhouse giant when he returns there will be fans who begin to hold spite for him.
- Dozzer

Why is it marners job to turn this team into a powerhouse? I understand he takes up a good chunk of change and we do miss him on the pp.

He had a stretch of 5-8 good games, and everyone was ready to ship Sammy off to the glue factory.

Woll is entirely unproven. Maybe the skill is there, but in between the ears is a concern.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Leaf fans have had a history of overreacting to goalies. I remember when Ben Scrivens played an amazing first game in the NHL against Columbus - he made like 40 saves and allowed 1 goal and he was the goalie of the future. There were people, "Trade Reimer. Like what we did when Potvin took over for Fuhr!" - and then Scrivens was lit up badly by Boston a couple of games later and those yahoos crawled back into the woodwork. They did the same thing with Sparks - who had a shutout in his first game.

I think I like Woll's poise more than I liked Scrivens or Sparks - in fact Sparks, just to look at him, never looked like an NHL goalie - but he's battled a lot of injuries over the recent years which will set him back a bit. I admit that I don't think I believe in him yet, but I think he has the raw tools to be a guy you could put in and be happy with.

Then again when it comes to goalies, I always have to point out that I thought Bernier _looked_ every bit the part of a great starting goalie.

It will expected. It will be incorrect but it will. But if Marner doesn’t turn this team into some massive powerhouse giant when he returns there will be fans who begin to hold spite for him.
- Dozzer

Billy, Jrpout, Wimpsix, and all the other whine warriors already purchased their tiki torches..

Leaf fans have had a history of overreacting to goalies. I remember when Ben Scrivens played an amazing first game in the NHL against Columbus - he made like 40 saves and allowed 1 goal and he was the goalie of the future. There were people, "Trade Reimer. Like what we did when Potvin took over for Fuhr!" - and then Scrivens was lit up badly by Boston a couple of games later and those yahoos crawled back into the woodwork. They did the same thing with Sparks - who had a shutout in his first game.

I think I like Woll's poise more than I liked Scrivens or Sparks - in fact Sparks, just to look at him, never looked like an NHL goalie - but he's battled a lot of injuries over the recent years which will set him back a bit. I admit that I don't think I believe in him yet, but I think he has the raw tools to be a guy you could put in and be happy with.

Then again when it comes to goalies, I always have to point out that I thought Bernier _looked_ every bit the part of a great starting goalie.
- Monkeypunk

I said the exact same thing a few days ago, made the Scrivens comparison.

Don’t get us wrong, everyone. We want Woll to succeed and be the #1. But as of now it’s ridiculous to even fathom him being the starter game 1 of the playoffs.

Throw Murray in there if you have to


Jones is for sure ahead of him on the depth chart.

I personally feel that the entire defensive side of the team is the issue in general. Defence and the fact there isn’t a true NHL Starter on the roster.

I know some teams have (the exception) have won cups with a mediocre goalie - but those teams were also very responsible defensively (forwards and defence), had a good score, and were built well lines 1 to 4 upfront. In my opinion this Leafs team needs an NHL Starter to do damage.

All that said - playoffs are a fickle thing eh. All it takes is a hot run from Sammy, the big boys get on a roll, and maybe they face a team that gets cold or has injuries at the right time. The league is so tight you need to be good and lucky to win the Cup.

Just got home, missed the game... yay me.

Soooo looks like Woll kinda shat the bed?

I said the exact same thing a few days ago, made the Scrivens comparison.

Don’t get us wrong, everyone. We want Woll to succeed and be the #1. But as of now it’s ridiculous to even fathom him being the starter game 1 of the playoffs.

Throw Murray in there if you have to


Jones is for sure ahead of him on the depth chart.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Murray hasnt played all year. Hes not an option imo.
Its a meh game by woll, he'll bounce back.
But woll is ahead of jones and murray.

Why is it marners job to turn this team into a powerhouse? I understand he takes up a good chunk of change and we do miss him on the pp.
- Fakepartofme

Oh I have the same view as you, I just know there will be some who will begin to dislike him for not being the saviour they’ll expect. Complaints will start with a PP that doesn’t get going immediately for instance.

The Woll is my saviour
I shall not Woll

Oh I have the same view as you, I just know there will be some who will begin to dislike him for not being the saviour they’ll expect. Complaints will start with a PP that doesn’t get going immediately for instance.
- Dozzer

Ah ok. Ya i can totally see that, but they're probably already marmer haters.

Woll is not the answer.

Our goaltending is my biggest worry this year for playoffs.

I think the team is fortified enough not to shrivel but they're still not going far. Someone posted it earlier, they're not that good. They're better than the Phaneuf era and I think that's why some get over excited about their potential.

Lily should've been traded for an upgrade. Needs a fresh start some where else. He's sloppy and soft.

Leafs have also been inundated with flu and injuries and the Keefe blender never lets them gel in any way.

LOCK.THE.FU3KING.LINEUP.AND.LEAVE.IT.THE.FU3K.ALONE.

Keefe sucks. Keefe should be fired.

Billy, Jrpout, Wimpsix, and all the other whine warriors already purchased their tiki torches..
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Some only rip on Marner because they are tired of the constant verbal diarrhea from Artic Allbark…..

See you threw in the towel for your boy Mitch. Must have done it on Pm. Not surprised 2nd time you prove to be a major coward.

Woll is not the answer.

Our goaltending is my biggest worry this year for playoffs.

I think the team is fortified enough not to shrivel but they're still not going far. Someone posted it earlier, they're not that good. They're better than the Phaneuf era and I think that's why some get over excited about their potential.

Lily should've been traded for an upgrade. Needs a fresh start some where else. He's sloppy and soft.

Leafs have also been inundated with flu and injuries and the Keefe blender never lets them gel in any way.

LOCK.THE.FU3KING.LINEUP.AND.LEAVE.IT.THE.FU3K.ALONE.

Keefe sucks. Keefe should be fired.
- underhill14

Agreed with Keefe. And the goalies. But special teams are also a big issue that has sunk them in the past, and it seems to be heading that way again.

The PP is pretty good, albeit inconsistent, but shrivels in the playoffs (I think?) and I believe our PK is the worst of any team currently in a playoff spot.

Killer instinct can be seen as an issue but this is the first time in years I think we have to acknowledge the team just isn't that good.
We're expecting to squeeze lemonade from a dog turd.
This team is slightly above average and has been that almost year except a cold streak at the beginning and a hot streak last month. They arent underperforming or lacking push. They're just mid.
The only saving grace is talking at the end of last season that we'd all be willing to sacrifice points in the season to be seen as a better playoff team. I don't see that, but we can still hope.
- UsernameUnknown

Missing Marner, Rielly and new tough dman Edmundson and people want to say this team sucks. Not going to win every game. No big deal, it's game 71. I'm sure some are starting to coast into the playoffs and just want to be healthy going into them.

Missing Marner, Rielly and new tough dman Edmundson and people want to say this team sucks. Not going to win every game. No big deal, it's game 71. I'm sure some are starting to coast into the playoffs and just want to be healthy going into them.
- Aaron_85

You forgot Jarnkrok. Leafs most underrated player

Ah ok. Ya i can totally see that, but they're probably already marmer haters.
- Fakepartofme

Yeah the M-H’s are brutal but they’ll grow.

MH on civil blue prints means Man-Hole… I could live with this being a nickname for the Mitch-Haters

I find it funny how people think Leafs are all soft and yet big bad vegas is sitting in the 2nd wild card spot.

I find it funny how people think Leafs are all soft and yet big bad vegas is sitting in the 2nd wild card spot.
- Aaron_85

Well their best players been on LTIR. Ha