Leafs Regular Season Discussion

LLJ · Post #481 » by **LLJ** » Thu Mar 1, 2012 3:05 pm

Wilson is Burke's buddy. I'd be surprised if he's canned anytime soon. I think if we start off next season sucking, maybe only then will it force Burke's hand.

whysoserious · Post #482 » by **whysoserious** » Thu Mar 1, 2012 3:16 pm

ATLTimekeeper wrote:That was a tough loss. Chicago just manhandled us in the third period of that game. It also kills me to see Stalberg and Versteeg playing well. What a bust of a trade. Liles hasn't looked the same since he's come back from his concussion. Glad we locked him up long-term . I don't like Wilson, but he's hardly the problem. These guys want to make the playoffs. They haven't quit on the coach. They're a finesse team that can't score tough goals and their defense is too young. They're also putting out a minus player 26 minutes a game just because he's their captain. His friggin' defense partner is sitting at 0 and Dion is somehow a -8.

On the plus side, I thought Frattin played well. He looks like a good, solid third line player that can put up 10-15 goals and deliver some hits. They should have never sent him down.

If you don't think Wilson is a major part of the problem, then I don't know what to say. He hasn't produced a winning season here, he hasn't really developed any young guys at this level and our special teams has been atrocious since he's been the head coach. Is he the only problem? No, but he's a major contributing factor at this point. They need a new voice in the locker room.

whysoserious · Post #483 » by **whysoserious** » Thu Mar 1, 2012 3:18 pm

LLJ wrote:Wilson is Burke's buddy. I'd be surprised if he's canned anytime soon. I think if we start off next season sucking, maybe only then will it force Burke's hand.

If Burke doesn't make a coaching change now or the off-season, he deserves to lose his own job. I mean, how can you go in to next season again with him the coach, short contract and no results in 4 years.

If he does that, the media will be calling for his head soon.

ATLTimekeeper · Post #484 » by **ATLTimekeeper** » Thu Mar 1, 2012 3:32 pm

whysoserious wrote:
If you don't think Wilson is a major part of the problem, then I don't know what to say. He hasn't produced a winning season here, he hasn't really developed any young guys at this level and our special teams has been atrocious since he's been the head coach. Is he the only problem? No, but he's a major contributing factor at this point. They need a new voice in the locker room.

I don't think you can blame the collapse on the coach. Maybe he messed with the goalies a bit, but the guys effort level shouldn't be questioned. They're playing hard, it's just not a battle-tested group of guys and they're wilting. I definitely think Wilson should be fired at the end of the year, but that's more just for the sake of change. Watching that third period, we just lack guys that can control the puck. We've been losing fights along the boards all year. We've got great speed, but great speed without tenacity or puckhandling is eventually going to fail.

Bankai · Post #485 » by **Bankai** » Thu Mar 1, 2012 4:56 pm

Do alot of people believe that Brian Burke hired Ron Wilson in the first place and not Cliff Fletcher? They sure do... when they rant about Burke because they claim that he hired Wilson (on TV, Radio, Newspaper, Social Media) which is when I dont listen to these "educated" fans.

At least this place makes reasonable and subjective points on what to do with this team, cause no doubt its a mess right now.

whysoserious · Post #486 » by **whysoserious** » Thu Mar 1, 2012 5:24 pm

It's been a massive collapse that has exposed some deficiencies in the team but overall I'm happy with the job Burke's doing. I'm glad he didn't do anything just for the sake of doing it at the deadline.

As for Wilson, it's true he's hired by Fletcher but after 3 years, a coaching change probably should have come last summer. It's clear whatever Wilson was preaching was just not getting through, you cant have the worse special teams for 3 years in a row.

I know this team is young and they are right about where they should have been before the season, fans are freaking out though cause of the collapse because the playoffs was right there.

I don't doubt the team has stopped listening to Wilson all together and he looks like he's given up himself at this point.

sanity · Post #487 » by **sanity** » Thu Mar 1, 2012 8:52 pm

On the bright side even at the max. potential of this team I would honestly say we easily get bounced by the Rangers or Bruins, so no playoffs isn't that big of a deal. This losing streak could mean the difference between seeing Ron Wilson next year and not, so long-term that could be beneficial because as a coach he's always been borderline mediocre.

Just looking at his history its quite shocking he couldn't amount to sht coaching the Sharks and that team was absolutely STACKED. Wilson is like the Lenny Wilkins of nhl coaches. He's been around so damn long that he has this make-belief prestige of being a great coach even though he hasn't really done anything. A coach like Ken Hitchcock has accumulated more wins than Wilson in almost half the amount of games, and he sure turned the St. Louis Blues into a competitive and scarey defensive team rather quickly

Post #488 » by **Crowned** » Thu Mar 1, 2012 9:29 pm

ATLTimekeeper wrote:
whysoserious wrote:
If you don't think Wilson is a major part of the problem, then I don't know what to say. He hasn't produced a winning season here, he hasn't really developed any young guys at this level and our special teams has been atrocious since he's been the head coach. Is he the only problem? No, but he's a major contributing factor at this point. They need a new voice in the locker room.

I don't think you can blame the collapse on the coach. Maybe he messed with the goalies a bit, but the guys effort level shouldn't be questioned. They're playing hard, it's just not a battle-tested group of guys and they're wilting. I definitely think Wilson should be fired at the end of the year, but that's more just for the sake of change. Watching that third period, we just lack guys that can control the puck. We've been losing fights along the boards all year. We've got great speed, but great speed without tenacity or puckhandling is eventually going to fail.

When you watch him matchup David Steckel against Patrick Kane all game (which is a disaster in it's own right), you know it's time for a change. Sure, try it a few times to see how it goes, but when that line is dominating you, you need to make changes throughout the game. I don't care what you do until something works, put Frattin and Kulemin and apart of a shutdown duo...try Mike Brown and Kulemin, anything.

_venom_ · Post #489 » by **_venom_** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 3:49 am

As the season goes there seems to be more and more guys added to my list of players I don't want to see on this team anymore (in order):

1) Wilson (ok so he's not a player but he needs to be gone)
2) Komisarek (terrible contract, mediocre player)
3) Armstrong (when he plays which is rare he's average at best at a 3 million pricetag)
4) Lombardi (he's been absolutely brutal this year, maybe our worst forward)
5) Connolly (looks slow and disinterested most nights, when you start to remind me of Jason Allison you suck)
6) Steckel (other than being good at faceoffs he's not good at anything else)
7) Crabb (good AHL player, shouldn't be in the NHL)
8) Gustavson (his time in Toronto has run it's course, maybe he'll figure things out elsewhere. He is horrible at handling the puck, has terrible positioning, always loses track of where the net is, and he doesn't fight through traffic to make saves)
9) Grabovski (I generally like him but at the price he'll cost I'd rather keep the money and give Colborne a chance next season)

_venom_ · Post #490 » by **_venom_** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 3:53 am

Also some rumors have come out that Burke offered Vancouver Schenn for Hodgson but they decided to go with Buffalo's deal instead. That would have been followed up by trading Grabovski for that 1st rd pick that was rumored to be available. Wouldn't that have been nice....

Post #491 » by **YogiStewart** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 2:47 pm

Wilson should be fired. it should be a non discussion. A playoff run collapse?
coaches are hired to be fired and there is no reason why Wilson shouldn't be fired.

as I said months ago (and it made chocolatesensai cry), the Leafs' start was an anomaly. for those hoping for a playoff date, i would state that the odds are against it BUT...and this is a big but...if the hot start of the season was an anomaly, then the crappy February is an anomaly as well. the Leafs need to leapfrog Washington, Buffalo, Winnipeg and/or Florida for that final playoff spot. anything is possible in the East, but i'd assume the last playoff spot is Winnipeg or Washington's.

sanity · Post #492 » by **sanity** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 4:47 pm

The thing I hate about Connelly is that he goes out of his way to avoid contact... and will gladly cough up the puck as well. The guy isn't even skilled or fast enough to be considered an offensive threat. His production is solely based on the players on his line. I **** hate players like that. Wellwood was the same but at least the guy had serious puck skills and a nose for the net

Deron05 · Post #493 » by **Deron05** » Sat Mar 3, 2012 11:02 pm

thing is, no one wants Connolly, Komisarek, or Lombardi. BTW Lombardi gets sooo many chances, but he cant even score. What a waste.

Deron05 · Post #494 » by **Deron05** » Sat Mar 3, 2012 11:07 pm

A lot of changes have to be made this offseason. I say bring Eakins up as an Assistant coach, only thing is that Eakins and Carlyle dont have the same style.

Bankai · Post #495 » by **Bankai** » Sun Mar 4, 2012 12:59 am

Wow Don Cherry lol... ranting about Brian Burke for the entire Coach's Corner and calls him out. I can imagine two old men in a back alley in Toronto somewhere duking it out. Cherry seemed bitter/mad/senile no matter how you want to call it about his feud with Burke.

Deron05 · Post #496 » by **Deron05** » Sun Mar 4, 2012 1:11 am

Bankai wrote:Wow Don Cherry lol... ranting about Brian Burke for the entire Coach's Corner and calls him out. I can imagine two old men in a back alley in Toronto somewhere duking it out. Cherry seemed bitter/mad/senile no matter how you want to call it about his feud with Burke.

This was the first time that I agreed with Don.

s e n s i · Post #497 » by **s e n s i** » Sun Mar 4, 2012 3:03 am

YogiStewart wrote:as I said months ago (and it made chocolatesensai cry), the Leafs' start was an anomaly. for those hoping for a playoff date, i would state that the odds are against it BUT...and this is a big but...if the hot start of the season was an anomaly, then the crappy February is an anomaly as well. the Leafs need to leapfrog Washington, Buffalo, Winnipeg and/or Florida for that final playoff spot. anything is possible in the East, but i'd assume the last playoff spot is Winnipeg or Washington's.

wasn't really crying...just kind of irritating when people say it's safe to come to any conclusion a month into a 6-month season. but anyway, congrats on being right about the eventual demise of this team.

anyway thank god for the the terrible habs. if not for them, this losing skid would have gotten REAL UGLY with boston, pittsburgh, and philly coming up this week. if the leafs can miraculously squeeze out 3 points in these games, then they will be in striking distance of a playoff berth with games against washington and florida right after. losing the next 3 games - which is very likely - will put the proverbial nail in the coffin though. should be an interesting finish to the season nonetheless.

Deron05 · Post #498 » by **Deron05** » Sun Mar 4, 2012 3:31 am

WOOO, a win! took long enough.

sanity · Post #499 » by **sanity** » Sun Mar 4, 2012 4:44 am

Meh, they came out real shakey in this game as well. The points are important though no doubt

Deron05 · Post #500 » by **Deron05** » Sun Mar 4, 2012 5:44 am

sanity wrote:Meh, they came out real shakey in this game as well. The points are important though no doubt

yeah, I saw the mistakes when ron was here.