Things that have cost us wins/points this year in games

[The-Insider]

People will call them excuses, but we have had some bad luck...

Some of my faves:

-Knee on knee on Mike Peca
-Cam Janssen Knocking Kabs out of the lineup for 2 weeks. (Although they played ok during that stretch...)
-Brutal refereeing in the NSH game
- Melt down in Buffalo
- Impossible Sundin goal called back
-PM consistently picking Ponikarovsky for the shootout (1/11 in career or something)
- Very poor penalty killing
- Losing two straight to Boston in November
- Very poor PP late in the year
- Losing a 1-0 lead against Boston earlier in the year halfway through the third to lose 2-1

Peca - There was no player that effectively filled the PK specialist role very well on the Leafs, and the penalty kill suffered in a big way. It definitely lost us a few.

Please list some singular events if you can think of any.

[Looogie]

Having a bad GM

[Crowned]

Don't forget the Wellwood/Tucker injuries.

[WHAT_DA]

Our inability to convert on the shootout is the big one. Going 4-7 in shootouts this year while the teams we are fighting have gone 6-5 (MTL) and 7-5 (NYI) respectively hurts.

[whysoserious]

Andrew Raycroft, guy may have quite a few wins, but he simply cannot continue to let in soft goals at the worse possibly times. I am tired of hearing people constantly making excuses for him, he's just not that good of a goaltender.

[Osiris]

Andrew Raycroft, guy may have quite a few wins, but he simply cannot continue to let in soft goals at the worse possibly times. I am tired of hearing people constantly making excuses for him, he's just not that good of a goaltender.

I'd love for you to go out and find me a good one in the NHL right now.

Go on. I'll wait.

...done? What did you find? Pretty awful across the board eh?

Says something when an up-and-comer was traded for a vezina winner, and neither of them were starting for their teams a year later (I'm talking about Abby and Theodore, if you're wondering)

Like - who do you want? Franchise goalies like Brodeur, Kipper, Luongo or Turco? There's four in the league.

Fact remains is that most teams are going with a platoon in net and trying to get the most of a very average group of goaltenders.

Hell - that's why over-the-hills Cujo, Belfour and Hasek still have starting jobs for christ sakes. Our goalie's skill is questionable on absolute skill - but relative to the league - I'm happy to have him.

[whysoserious]

Wait, so what you are saying is that because the rest of the league has mediocre goaltending we should be content.

There may not be a lot of franchise goalies right now, but the goal should still be to get one. For what Raycroft provided, was it worth giving up Rask or would it have been wiser to just sign someone on the cheap or let Aubin and Telly play out the year.

This is the key to poor management.

BTW, what about looking at a deal for a guy like Biron. There's a perfect example of a guy that could have been had. I'd rather have given up Rask for him last year.

[Crowned]

Biron was not available in the offseason. Buffalo was interested in a Miller/Biron tandem heading into the season.

[whysoserious]

Maybe he wasn't available, but you knew eventually one of them would be moved and it was most likely Biron and not Miller.

My opinion is that Raycroft just isn't that good and his record this year is not a reflection of how he's actually played.

The deal was made and is over with. I just hope that either Pogge is ready for next season or the Leafs look elsewhere.

[Crowned]

Maybe he wasn't available, but you knew eventually one of them would be moved and it was most likely Biron and not Miller.

My opinion is that Raycroft just isn't that good and his record this year is not a reflection of how he's actually played.

The deal was made and is over with. I just hope that either Pogge is ready for next season or the Leafs look elsewhere.

It's too early for Pogge. I highly doubt the Leafs rush him onto the team next season as a starter. He's just adjusting to the minors right now, he still needs time.

[Garbage2Hero]

Sundins consistency is another one.

[The-Insider]

Sundins consistency is another one.

Sundin didn't cause us points - Even that stretch where he hadn't scored a goal in some odd games, he was still racking up points.

[trevc3]

-= original quote snipped =-



Sundin didn't cause us points - Even that stretch where he hadn't scored a goal in some odd games, he was still racking up points.

I don't understand why everyone wants to give Sundin a free pass.

Here are some interesting Sundin stats..


T51st in Goals
T34th in Points


And oh yeah...I *think* the 4th Highest Salary.


That's not getting it done. At all.

[The-Insider]

[quote="trevc3"][/quote]

Believe me, he does not get the free pass.

At that age, and for that salary, and with the team's status, it's just that much harder to keep him.

Here are some more interesting Sundin stats..

1st on the Leafs with goals
1st on the Leafs with assists
1st on the Leafs with points

Surely, it was his "consistency" that caused the Leafs points this year.

Sundin in general is a different story...

[trevc3]

Being 1st in major statiscal categories for a non-playoff team doesn't impress me too much.

His in-team competition wasn't much to look at this year.

He didn't get it done, and he should be shouldering as much of the blame as anyone else.

[The-Insider]

Being 1st in major statiscal categories for a non-playoff team doesn't impress me too much.

His in-team competition wasn't much to look at this year.

He didn't get it done, and he should be shouldering as much of the blame as anyone else.

Sort of a subjective way to look at it...

He was first in goals, assists, and points on a team that had 91 points. His consistency def. wasn't a factor for this team not making the post-season. The problem is his salary. Has he lived up to his pay-check as a player in the NHL? Not so much. But has he lived up to teams expectations? Fair to say; yes. Leading the team in three important categories is getting it done as a team player. Blaming him for the team not making the playoffs is naive. This doesn't mean he's getting the free pass either...

Is it the organizations fault or Sundins fault that they didn't make the post-season? Should he really take as much blame as a player like Jeff O'Neill? Considering the teams status, their best options is either to trade him or have him significantly cut down his pay-roll. That doesn't refute the contributions he's done for this team this year....

[juucer]

The one that irks me the most is that 5-1 loss to Washington late in the season.

The Leafs got badly outplayed by a far inferior team - those 2 points would've been big.