I think for the most part we're all feeling the same way about it. There's good, but there's work to be done.

You can admire how cohesive the Nashville Defense unit is. They pressure, they skate, they hit, and they are smart with the puck.

If you simply look at the shots, it looks like the Leafs were badly outplayed, but I don't think most of those shots for 55 minutes were quality shots at all.

You never know with the ebb and flow of the game if that first Nashville goal (playing with the lead) changed their game or not, but the Leafs had plenty of quality opportunities before and after Nashville had the lead.

They need to adjust their PP, and they need to develop some more breakout options than the stretch pass. They need to start getting people in front of the net when needed, and add some more dynamics to their already pretty dynamic offense.

All that being said, good teams find ways to win games, and this game was Nashville's - like the Tampa game a few weeks back. Good teams manage. The Leafs have managed to win an awful lot of games this year where they weren't the best team on the ice for the majority of the game. It happens.
- Monkeypunk

Agree with all of this.

We had 23 blocked shots and 20 missed nets (!), including two by Matthews, one a grade A open net chance on the PP.

3rd period, shutdown city. Good on NAS, they need to play that way to win.

If anything, I hope this teaches the Queefs that they can't just cheat for 10 minutes in the 3rd with stretch passes and flying the zone, which ended up costing them 2 more goals against. They should've kept playing the same way in the 3rd as they did in the 2nd: bump passes, shorten the bench, attack attack attack.

This is an uptempo high-pressure team that needs to attack relentlessly to win games, but this is also a team that has a ton of room to grow.

People keep forgetting that and want to trade away 22 year olds for 29 year olds.

I mean, all you have to do is watch Tavares play. That guy did not have a complete game when he was in his early 20s, but you watch him now and he's so good at the little detail things in his own end.

nylander has always sucked, so you're surely right about that
- plantheparade

Cards on the table: I've never really loved Nylander. He's a great-skater, great passer, and has an above average shot. He's pretty offensively gifted, but he's inconsistent in his effort, and a lazy back-checker.

He was also 21 when I made that assessment of him. Now he's 22 and it's not fair to expect any real progress in his game this year. He did it to himself in all fairness by holding out for more money than he was worth.

But he's going to mature. He's going to continue to develop. He has the tools and the skills and the mind to be an upper tier player bordering on elite. Basically he has the ability to be like Pastrnak, and that is worth more than $7m if it comes to pass.

He's also not getting traded unless someone comes in with an offer that knocks Dubas' socks off.

You are full of crap, the only reason for you to hang around here is your team now smells like ass. Hard to say that a team is better than another based on one game. Leafs played poorly against a mostly plumber team. There was no answer to Watson running players or PK Subban's Greco Wrestling moves. Leafs beat the Jets twice this year, but I wouldn't say the Leafs are a better team. I would like the Leafs chances against Nashville in a playoff series, I believe they have superior skill, against Tampa not so much. In the meantime, enjoy the draft lottery Simpleton
- winsix

His name is Simplejack from Tropic Thunder. Kinda speaks to his intelligence level using that name.

Preds look like arguably the most complete team in the entire NHL, although Tampa is close.

Definitely more complete than the Leafs.

Saying they got lucky after a 4-0 score cuz “we had more high danger chances in the first 2 periods” is BS. They didn’t get lucky, they’re just the better team. And finally now getting healthy.

Toronto is a very exciting and explosive young team, but in a playoff series wouldn’t stand a chance in hell against Nashville.
- SimpleJack

I agree they were the better team in the 3rd for sure and completely shut down the leafs.
But they had the lead.
Could be different story had the leafs had the lead.
To say the leafs dont stand a chance against them is foolish.
Yes the playoffs are a different animal, heavier tighter play. But the leafs wouldnt get swept and could win 2-4 games

I'm surprised he hasn't gotten hurt yet. Like a pulled groin or something.
- zazzle

Honestly? I think he'd have to try harder for that to happen. He's not only not back in early season form, his mind isn't even in it yet. His "compete level" as coaches love to say literally sucks. I do believe he'll shake it off, but it's not helping when you have millions of Leaf fans angry at you and demanding that you show them why you're worth so much, and why you "jeopardized the future".

Cards on the table: I've never really loved Nylander. He's a great-skater, great passer, and has an above average shot. He's pretty offensively gifted, but he's inconsistent in his effort, and a lazy back-checker.

He was also 21 when I made that assessment of him. Now he's 22 and it's not fair to expect any real progress in his game this year. He did it to himself in all fairness by holding out for more money than he was worth.

But he's going to mature. He's going to continue to develop. He has the tools and the skills and the mind to be an upper tier player bordering on elite. Basically he has the ability to be like Pastrnak, and that is worth more than $7m if it comes to pass.

He's also not getting traded unless someone comes in with an offer that knocks Dubas' socks off.
- Monkeypunk

i never liked nylander that much.
i do not think he can be anywhere close to pastrnak (or marner for that matter).
nylander got his points mainly due to playing on a line with one of the best players in nhl and a guy that did all the dirty work for him.

leafs just need to trade him - they have their 3 top fw in tavares marner matthews, top d-man in rielly and a decent starting goalie in freddy.
nylander needs to go - replaced by players that can do things he cannot

i never liked nylander that much.
i do not think he can be anywhere close to pastrnak (or marner for that matter).
nylander got his points mainly due to playing on a line with one of the best players in nhl and a guy that did all the dirty work for him.

leafs just need to trade him - they have their 3 top fw in tavares marner matthews, top d-man in rielly and a decent starting goalie in freddy.
nylander needs to go - replaced by players that can do things he cannot
- plantheparade

Oh man, love these overreaction comments. Nylander has elite skill, has he been bad? Yes, and his work ethic has looked awful. I think hell turn it around. Saying he only go points due to Matthews is poor analysis IMO.

Same guy who said Babcock overplaying Andersen this year because he doesn't trust sparks as much as Mcbackup last year.....yet Andersen same amount of game this year at this time vs last year.

No idea.
- burn

Except hes been injured and would have played 3-4 games more had he not been.

So our PP is 18.5%, good for 15th in the league, since November 1st.

And since we're given the fewest PPs in the league, this is ungood.

It'll be good to get Hyman back. He plays a clean game that gets under team's skin; Kadri could stand to play a bit more nasty: he's always drawn more than he's taken and he's at his best when he's got that edge.

Also, can we please play Tavares and Marner on PP1, Matthews and Nylander on PP2? Tavares has run a PP his entire career; he could stand to get more touches on the half wall in Matthews' spot.

34 and 29 lit it up in prior seasons with their royal road seam passes and that gives us two deadly shooting threats on either side; they could absolutely dominate 2nd/tired PK units.

Oh man, love these overreaction comments. Nylander has elite skill, has he been bad? Yes, and his work ethic has looked awful. I think hell turn it around. Saying he only go points due to Matthews is poor analysis IMO.
- Archaic

"overreaction" on what?
i have been saying over a year that nylander isnt as good as some people think on here (some were even saying nylander better than marner...) - he just does not have elite skill.
there is no room for him nor gardiner in build of this team going forward.
nylander is behind the 3 fw i mentioned and gardiner behind rielly-dermott.
all this obviously connected to salary cap and type of players you need on your team.
nylander at 4million you keep.
nylander at 7million is just too much - because it hampers leafs in retaining / acquiring other pieces important to win a SC..

Except hes been injured and would have played 3-4 games more had he not been.
- Fakepartofme

That was before the injury I believe; remember reading something before the xmas break about that.

Oh man, love these overreaction comments. Nylander has elite skill, has he been bad? Yes, and his work ethic has looked awful. I think hell turn it around. Saying he only go points due to Matthews is poor analysis IMO.
- Archaic

He's a good player, a little overrated due to playing with Matthews IMO

Give him Kadri's minutes/matchups last year and we wouldn't have had to pay him as much is my guess.

simple truth is that - apart from adding tavares, which was obvious - dubas hasn't done anything significant to make leafs intrinsically better.
i like lindholm.
i think ozhiganov is a good add.
but those were low risk moves (considering the financial strength of organisation).

bad decisions on goalies.
bad decision on nylander.
and really nothing significant done..

So our PP is 18.5%, good for 15th in the league, since November 1st.

And since we're given the fewest PPs in the league, this is ungood.

It'll be good to get Hyman back. He plays a clean game that gets under team's skin; Kadri could stand to play a bit more nasty: he's always drawn more than he's taken and he's at his best when he's got that edge.

Also, can we please play Tavares and Marner on PP1, Matthews and Nylander on PP2? Tavares has run a PP his entire career; he could stand to get more touches on the half wall in Matthews' spot.

34 and 29 lit it up in prior seasons with their royal road seam passes and that gives us two deadly shooting threats on either side; they could absolutely dominate 2nd/tired PK units.
- gravyface

I think we need to put a shooter in Marners spot for a bit....the other team just takes away everything right now and will happily allow Marner to shoot it from his spot. Other then that we're playing not too bad....with our #1 goaler being out.

"overreaction" on what?
i have been saying over a year that nylander isnt as good as some people think on here (some were even saying nylander better than marner...) - he just does not have elite skill.
there is no room for him nor gardiner in build of this team going forward.
nylander is behind the 3 fw i mentioned and gardiner behind rielly-dermott.
all this obviously connected to salary cap and type of players you need on your team.
nylander at 4million you keep.
nylander at 7million is just too much - because it hampers leafs in retaining / acquiring other pieces important to win a SC..
- plantheparade

Yes he really does have elite skill....

Hell fit just fine within the cap, people are so concerned with the cap, but in a couple years it will be just fine. Theyll figure it out. After next year We have Marleau's contract coming off the books which frees of a chunk of space.

This whole spiel of hes not even top 3 is laughable. Like somewhere it states in the how to build a hockey team handbook that you should only have 3 really good forwards. Everyone else has to be under 4M.

He'd be a top 2 player on a bunch of teams.

Yes he really does have elite skill....

Hell fit just fine within the cap, people are so concerned with the cap, but in a couple years it will be just fine. Theyll figure it out. After next year We have Marleau's contract coming off the books which frees of a chunk of space.

This whole spiel of hes not even top 3 is laughable. Like somewhere it states in the how to build a hockey team handbook that you should only have 3 really good forwards. Everyone else has to be under 4M.

He'd be a top 2 player on a bunch of teams.
- Archaic

which teams?
he's really not that good.

which teams?
he's really not that good.
- plantheparade

Thats your opinion, not fact.

I agree they were the better team in the 3rd for sure and completely shut down the leafs.
But they had the lead.
Could be different story had the leafs had the lead.
To say the leafs dont stand a chance against them is foolish.
Yes the playoffs are a different animal, heavier tighter play. But the leafs wouldnt get swept and could win 2-4 games
- Fakepartofme

The preds were just on a 5-6 game losing streak....

Why when the Leafs lose two games in a row they are doomed but when the Preds loss 6 they are still a top team.

Some of you need to chill with losing. It’ll happen every season until the world ends. Get used to it.

Oh man, love these overreaction comments. Nylander has elite skill, has he been bad? Yes, and his work ethic has looked awful. I think hell turn it around. Saying he only go points due to Matthews is poor analysis IMO.
- Archaic

Well we are dealing with Leaf fans

Yes he really does have elite skill....

Hell fit just fine within the cap, people are so concerned with the cap, but in a couple years it will be just fine. Theyll figure it out. After next year We have Marleau's contract coming off the books which frees of a chunk of space.

This whole spiel of hes not even top 3 is laughable. Like somewhere it states in the how to build a hockey team handbook that you should only have 3 really good forwards. Everyone else has to be under 4M.

He'd be a top 2 player on a bunch of teams.
- Archaic

Not good teams. JMO

Not even sure he'd be top 2 in Ottawa, probably Arizona though.

Thats your opinion, not fact.
- Archaic

so 0 teams mentioned

Not good teams. JMO

Not even sure he'd be top 2 in Ottawa, probably Arizona though.
- annoyed

I guess it depends on what you consider good teams, but I never said good teams.

Habs, Arizona, NYR, Detroit to name a few off the top of my head.

so 0 teams mentioned
- plantheparade

LOL OK there...

I guess it depends on what you consider good teams, but I never said good teams.

Habs, Arizona, NYR, Detroit to name a few.
- Archaic

*flips through the stats.*

Ya, probably those teams.....maybe. Depends if he can run a line by himself or with lessor talent. Haven't seen it yet.....hoping though.

*flips through the stats.*

Ya, probably those teams.....maybe. Depends if he can run a line by himself or with lessor talent. Haven't seen it yet.....hoping though.
- annoyed

He'd certainly be on the top PP unit of all those teams, and get more minutes. Which all the players on those teams benefit from by being on bad to mediocre teams.