Toronto Maple Leafs 2022 - 2023 Thread

[SeanAvery2point0]

Not a lot when gifted that team. Again, how's that playoff record? That's the only thing that really matters at the end of the day.

So the Leafs regular season success is because they're one of the most skilled teams since the early 70s, but their shortcomings in the playoffs are Keefe's fault? I'm not following...

[Jeffc]

So the Leafs regular season success is because they're one of the most skilled teams since the early 70s, but their shortcomings in the playoffs are Keefe's fault? I'm not following...

ya you're not.

Where did I say it was Keefe's fault? Oh ya, that's right I didn't.

I was simply pointing out that they've been a good team for quite a few years, even before he got there with a lot of success in the regular season but none in the playoffs. And nothing has changed in that regard. Who's fault is that is open to debate but I think there is lots to go around.

Someone saying that he has the 2nd best regular season coaching record really doesn't mean a lot when he never coached any crappy Leafs teams, just one that was peaking and he was in the right place at the right time to take advantage of that. Pointing out that it's tough to fire a guy who has a lot of success in the regular season is not wrong, but the team under him has achieved nothing in the playoffs.

There's a lot of coaches that could have come into that team and achieved a lot of success. Is he a great coach? Hard to say really at this point as it's a pretty small sample size. I guess you could say he didn't **** things up but I am not sure that is a ringing endorsement.

If the team stalls and the coach starts to lose the room, then guess what happens next, rightly or wrongly. And if they don't make it out of the first round this year, there will be changes and he may then find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

And I just checked, he was 11th in Jack Adams voting last year for a team that finished 4th in the league and had more points than any Leaf team in history.

But what do I know, I'm just a troll.

[Lefty17]

Well Keefe has used the media to call his players twice and apparently the the players have had 2 closed door meetings… where’s Speeza when you need him??

[High cut]

If these guys want to bail because Torts is the coach can you really win with them then? Things get tough and they want to run makes sense since they can’t find the mental toughness to make it out of the first round.

That's a very real question. One I heard about AM from people on the inside before AM was even drafted, and they were serious. That said, there was no choice, there was no way to not draft that kind of talent, even if they saw this coming.

[High cut]

Well Keefe has used the media to call his players twice and apparently the the players have had 2 closed door meetings… where’s Speeza when you need him??

Wait.

Maybe Keefe is trying to do exactly what y'all want out of a coach?????

[Pingeye2_fan]

Fellow leafs fans, t could be worse.

“Canucks are the first team in NHL history to lose 4 straight games after holding a multi-goal lead in each contest.”

[Benz]

Bad news


Tweet

Chris Johnston

@reporterchris
Sad news from Expressen: Börje Salming's battle with ALS has progressed to the point where he's no longer able to speak.

This is very sad.

My mother died of ALS almost 17 years ago, and she lost her ability to speak for the last 18 months of her life.

My thoughts are with the Salming family as they go through this terrible ordeal.

[Pingeye2_fan]

This is very sad.

My mother died of ALS almost 17 years ago, and she lost her ability to speak for the last 18 months of her life.

My thoughts are with the Salming family as they go through this terrible ordeal.

He posted a short video on twitter to thank people for their support. Such a horrible disease.

[4wedges]

This is very sad.

My mother died of ALS almost 17 years ago, and she lost her ability to speak for the last 18 months of her life.

My thoughts are with the Salming family as they go through this terrible ordeal.

Watching such a strong man go through this is heart wrenching.

[4wedges]

Fellow leafs fans, t could be worse.

“Canucks are the first team in NHL history to lose 4 straight games after holding a multi-goal lead in each contest.”

Yikes, it must be tough out west.

[Lefty17]

Wait.

Maybe Keefe is trying to do exactly what y'all want out of a coach?????

Unfortunately maybe a little late and fall on deaf ears. Especially since it was rare before the latter half of last year.

But it’s been the same few issues with this group since the get go.

[cuonthe1t]

Another injury on defence - Muzzin out at least 7 to 10 days

[Arthur Dailey]

This is very sad.

My mother died of ALS almost 17 years ago, and she lost her ability to speak for the last 18 months of her life.

Saddened to read that. Condolences.

[Arthur Dailey]

What is the 'window of opportunity' for the Leafs?
Well it could be much shorter than fans believe or management will publicly admit.

For evidence allow me to provide 2 examples.
The Marcel Dionne Los Angeles Kings and the Lou Nanne Minnesota North Stars.

In 79-80 the Stars went to the Semi finals The following year to the Stanley Cup finals. Following that over the next 5 seasons despite finishing 1st in their Division on two separate occasions they won only 4 playoff rounds and never went back to the finals. After that they finished out of the playoffs for 2 consecutive years.

Why? To some degree injuries. To another inconsistent goaltending.
How talented were those teams? The team that went to the finals had a 21 year old Bobby Smith, 20 year old Curt Giles, and 22 year old Brad Maxwell. However key young talents whose careers were curtailed by injury included 19 year old Tom McCarthy, 21 year old Steve Payne, 22 year old Glen Sharpley, 24 year old Tim Young and perhaps most importantly 20 year old Craig Hartsburg. Yes a strong GTA contingent.

The following year they added as rookies Neal Broten and Dino Ciccarelli as well as young veteran Gordie Roberts. In subsequent years they added Brian Bellows as a rookie. Also as rookies Bob Rouse and Dirk Graham and later Home overall pick Brian Lawton. As well as respected veterans such as Dennis Maruk, and Willi Plett.

As for Dionne's L.A. Kings. Despite playing with solid NHLers during his tenure with the Kings such as eventual 70+ goal scorer Bernie Nicholls, 50+ goal scorer Charlie Simmer, Dave Taylor, Butch Goring Jim Fox, Mike Murphy, Larry Murphy, Mark Hardy, Dean Kennedy, and even early in his time in L.A, with vets such as Rogie Vachon, Bob Nevin and Bob Berry, the Kings won only a total of 3 playoff rounds during Dionne's time in L.A. Their problem was generally a lack of depth on the roster.

[Fredk]

... Their problem was generally a lack of depth on the roster.

Sounds familiar.