Leafs Regular Season Discussion

[ATLTimekeeper]

how about we give coach wilson a little bit of credit as well? not only has the team been winning steadily in the last 11 months, but they compete every single goddamn night and it's a pleasure to see after several listless seasons in which this team would get put in the wash on a nightly basis. wilson has been pushing all the right buttons so far, the players respect him and play for him, and on the other hand he doesn't throw his players under the bus and remains loyal to the players who play hard. throwing scrivens into the fire against one of the worst teams this season in columbus was an excellent call, even if they were playing for the best overall record in the league.

Several listless seasons when he was also the coach. The players have improved around him yet he still can't do anything with the special teams. We have 2 of the top 5 scoring forwards in the league this year and a top scoring defenceman and our power play is middling. How is that possible?

[Chevy Chase]

how about we give coach wilson a little bit of credit as well? not only has the team been winning steadily in the last 11 months, but they compete every single goddamn night and it's a pleasure to see after several listless seasons in which this team would get put in the wash on a nightly basis. wilson has been pushing all the right buttons so far, the players respect him and play for him, and on the other hand he doesn't throw his players under the bus and remains loyal to the players who play hard. throwing scrivens into the fire against one of the worst teams this season in columbus was an excellent call, even if they were playing for the best overall record in the league.

Several listless seasons when he was also the coach. The players have improved around him yet he still can't do anything with the special teams. We have 2 of the top 5 scoring forwards in the league this year and a top scoring defenceman and our power play is middling. How is that possible?

I do not give Ron Wilson any credit. The true measure of a coach is special teams which are dismal. This team is playing well because of the great play of its Goaltenders. When you trust your goaltender your defence doesn't think twice about making the better but riskier pass. Your forwards don't worry as much about flipping the puck out front (which could lead to a rush the other way). When you play without fear good things happen.

[Brew666]

how about we give coach wilson a little bit of credit as well? not only has the team been winning steadily in the last 11 months, but they compete every single goddamn night and it's a pleasure to see after several listless seasons in which this team would get put in the wash on a nightly basis. wilson has been pushing all the right buttons so far, the players respect him and play for him, and on the other hand he doesn't throw his players under the bus and remains loyal to the players who play hard. throwing scrivens into the fire against one of the worst teams this season in columbus was an excellent call, even if they were playing for the best overall record in the league.

Several listless seasons when he was also the coach. The players have improved around him yet he still can't do anything with the special teams. We have 2 of the top 5 scoring forwards in the league this year and a top scoring defenceman and our power play is middling. How is that possible?

I do not give Ron Wilson any credit. The true measure of a coach is special teams which are dismal. This team is playing well because of the great play of its Goaltenders. When you trust your goaltender your defence doesn't think twice about making the better but riskier pass. Your forwards don't worry as much about flipping the puck out front (which could lead to a rush the other way). When you play without fear good things happen.

I think he deserves a bit. It finally seems like the Muskoka days are long gone and Wilson is part of that. He's made everyone on the team accountable. No one gets a free pass any longer. Everyone is playing a full 200 ft game and if you're playing well you'll get the minutes.

Can't deny the horrid special teams but at least we're seeing a team that's putting in an effort every night.

[s e n s i]

hey, no problem with me if you don't wanna give wilson any credit. the team is first in the league so something's gotta give. either wilson is doing a heck of job or burke has but together a heck of an overachieving roster. this is no fluke anymore...the team has been good for a while now.

a team that gives maximum effort and competes on a nightly basis and WINS is all leafs nation asks for, and when the team can't do that, where do the fingers point first? wilson. but when the team is competitive every single night, no one wants to give him any credit? just saying, most of wilson's criticisms are deserved but it's hard to argue that he has been getting the most out of a roster many people think will be on the outside looking in for another year.

[Relentless88]

Schenn will be a healthy scratch tonight. Franson is in.

It appears Luke Schenn is going to be a healthy scratch for the first time this season on Saturday. James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail reports Cody Franson will play in Schenn's place when the Toronto Maple Leafs face the Boston Bruins.

Via Sportsnet radio 590 The Fan, Leafs coach Ron Wilson recently said Schenn was playing poorly because of a lack of confidence.

[andyo]

If we can fix that PK of ours, we can be a very legit team moving forward..........can't give too much credit for Wilson in that regard. Our specials teams has been horrendous under his reign, and I really do think coaching has the biggest effect on things like special teams. Even though we're 1st in the league, the schedule is going to get way tougher.

Interesting stat I found out the other day is we're the best team 5 on 5 in terms of goal differential, if only we could fix that horrendous PK....like I said, I think it's more of a coaching issue than personnel.

[Crowned]

Ben Scrivens has one good game and all of a sudden they are calling for a Goalie Controversy. Typical Toronto Media trying to stir up stuff out of nothing. Lets just have consistency and start Jonas more often than not for the time being. He hasent been bad at all, and 1 game for Scrivens is just a small sample size. I admit Ben looked very good last night, but other goalies in the league doesent have to evenly split times with their backups and their teams do pretty good (I think Cory Schneider is just as good as Luongo but Roberto still plays the heavy bulk of the games). Just let Jonas keep doing his role while Reimer is still out, and try to put pressure off them. If we keep pressuring our teams (Raps, Leafs etc etc) while they look good it tends to blow up in our faces and then they start folding. Let them relax without putting more stuff in their heads.

Scrivens had success in college, played well in the ECHL, had a good year last year with the Marlies...and showed enough during training camps and pre-season. I've seen him in practices, and he's no different positionally and skill-wise.

IMO Scrivens is more skilled than Gustavsson, and the waiver-wire is the only reason with Jonas isn't with the Marlies with Scrivens as the backup.

[5DOM]

Only a touchdown and a two-point conversion away. Goal differential could become negative again after this game

[s e n s i]

lol how embarrassing. this loss was beyond a reality check and was the type of game that could send this team into a tailspin. really no excuse at all for such lethargic play. can't wait until reimer comes back, but it would be a damn shame if he is truly concussed.

[hsb]

I wonder what they were trying to execute there.

Were they that tired? Three games in four nights but tough loss either way.

[ATLTimekeeper]

lol how embarrassing. this loss was beyond a reality check and was the type of game that could send this team into a tailspin. really no excuse at all for such lethargic play. can't wait until reimer comes back, but it would be a damn shame if he is truly concussed.

Where was Wilson to fire them up? I missed the game, but my guess is these guys are spooked by Boston. Still a young team and they're pretty wimpy, especially in comparison to the Bruins.

[s e n s i]

lol how embarrassing. this loss was beyond a reality check and was the type of game that could send this team into a tailspin. really no excuse at all for such lethargic play. can't wait until reimer comes back, but it would be a damn shame if he is truly concussed.

Where was Wilson to fire them up? I missed the game, but my guess is these guys are spooked by Boston. Still a young team and they're pretty wimpy, especially in comparison to the Bruins.

you're hilarious bud, i can't stop laughing right now.

i don't know how anyone can deny that wilson has gotten the most out of this roster in the past year. if you think this roster should be better than 33-21-8 in our last 62 games then sure.

[andyo]

Man, Seguin still haunts me to this day, and it looks like its only going to get worst. My only saving hope of all this is that Colborne develops into something special.

[YogiStewart]

lol how embarrassing. this loss was beyond a reality check and was the type of game that could send this team into a tailspin. really no excuse at all for such lethargic play. can't wait until reimer comes back, but it would be a damn shame if he is truly concussed.

Where was Wilson to fire them up? I missed the game, but my guess is these guys are spooked by Boston. Still a young team and they're pretty wimpy, especially in comparison to the Bruins.

you're hilarious bud, i can't stop laughing right now.

i don't know how anyone can deny that wilson has gotten the most out of this roster in the past year. if you think this roster should be better than 33-21-8 in our last 62 games then sure.

You are a smart poster.
You have to stop quotng that stupid "in the ladt 62 games" stat.
Endof season wins are fool's gold.
Use that same stat to talk about the Devils, since i would think they have the same 62 game record as the Leafs but sit in the lower part of the standings

[s e n s i]

fair enough then. we don't have a powerhouse, nor do we have a bottom feeder, but we have something in between...a team that imo could end up anywhere from 8th to 4th in the conference when the season is over, and that's good enough for me, having suffered through nearly 8 seasons without a playoff game to watch.

i'm just saying that it's a large enough sample size to properly evaluate what kind of team we have. i firmly believe if the team didn't lose 11 of 12 games in one stretch last year, that they would have been in the playoffs. but playoff teams don't hit the skids that hard and if the these leafs can stave off a prolonged losing streak such as that, they will find themselves in the playoffs come the spring.

the special teams ineptitude is inexcusable and wilson and the staff should shoulder the blame for that...that is not debatable. but he is not nearly as bad a coach as many would suggest, and for the most part has gotten the most out of every roster he's managed, whether it be in washington, san jose, for USA in the olympics, or our leafs.

as for end of season wins being fools gold for non-playoff teams, yes that is certainly true. but they sucked at the very end of last season anyway. they were in the hunt for a playoff berth up until the final 2 weeks of the season, so those wins last feb/mar actually had playoff implications.

[Relentless88]

Wow 7 goals on 20 shots...

[Chevy Chase]

I was at the game. Besides a good first 2 min, it was brutal.

[YogiStewart]

Conolly's out for the next 10 days.

surprised?

[LLJ]

"Cotton" Connolly.

[_venom_]

Burke really needs to stop signing free agents and stick to trades. Komisarek and Connolly, probably his 2 worst moves as GM.

Anyway, I'd call up Colborne and throw him into the fire on the top line. He's playing great, you might as well give him a shot. Kadri has had his chances. Frattin just got sent down. Give Colborne a chance.