Will the Leafs fade?

[1argoholic]

Well Burke wanted a big storng team and that didn't work so he got smaller and faster but as they are playing I don't see them making the playoffs. You really neeed to hit the skids, keep your first round picks and grow. I don't think you can do it all through trades and free agent signings. I'm getting kind of bored with the NHL.

[bluto]

i love the speed of the team, and on a night when they "click" they are a joy to behold... but the lack of physicality (or even grit in lieu of it) can be a bummer to watch. Boston has turned us over easily and it's because our speed doesn't overwhelm them and they just bully us. i'd like to see a frontline centre with some jam join the team... but that's a rare commodity and it won't come cheap or easy.the scheduler has been tough too. 16 back-to-backs is more than i ever remember having. and our record in them has been poor so far.

[argolio]

i am not talking about the contract extension in regards to being towards the cap, i am just wondering why any gm would reward a coach who has not improved the team since he has arrived

Coaches don't have a union or a lot of leverage. If Wilson gets fired, and you're sitting out there as a potential replacement, you're more likely to listen to a coach-friendly G.M. who is willing to give a coach security. Basically I see the extension more as Burke buying goodwill with the coaching fraternity than rewarding Wilson.

[bluto]

Also a way of giving his buddy a year's severance if he has to axe him.

[1argoholic]

Yah I like that comment. If he has to axe him he helped him out in the wallet.

I'm sick of seeing us crushed by Boston.

[Will]

The Leafs have helped themselves out this week pounding Tampa 7-3 on Tuesday and shutting out Winnipeg 4-0 yesterday. It seems that Jonas Gustavsson is the #1 for now although many think that Wilson has decided on a "win, you play" attitude. Kessel and Lupul continue to chug along and Grabovski seems to be stepping it up as well.

[Argos4Life]

Definately a win and you play attitute has taken over in terms of goaltending and I can't say I agree more. With the battle for the playoffs so hotly contested by so many teams you have to go with the hot goaltender. Getting the "W" is all that matters.

Agreed Kessel and Lupul have carried the load offensively this season but the potential is there for secondary scoring. McArthur may have ovachieved last year but he can still score 20 goals this season. Grabovski has played fairly well this season, as for Kuleman he will turn it around sooner or later. I don't think any player hits a post or cross bar more than him. This trio scored a combined 80 goals last year and that kind of production usually does not dry up over night. I look for a much better 2'nd half out of this group.

[Will]

I also feel sorry for that kid Jake Gardiner. He can't buy a goal despite having had some glorious chances. In the game against the Islanders before Christmas he did a beautiful spin-a-rama move, but was stopped by the Islanders goalie and in the game against Florida that I attended he rang (I think) two pucks off the crossbar within thirty seconds of each other. Also, Mike Komisarek is returning tonight to the lineup against Detroit. Before this year that would normally be a cause for alarm amongst Leaf fans, but he was actually playing fairly solid before he was injured. Dion Phaneuf should apparently also be ready to go despite taking a puck to the face in the game against Winnipeg on Thursday.

[Will]

The Leafs beat the Red Wings 4-3 yesterday. The Leafs were badly outshot, but Jonas Gustavsson was there when he needed to be to make the big stops. Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel found the scoring sheet once again and Dion Phaneuf got a goal too even with that facial mask. The Leafs have won three in a row in the new year and have moved back into a playoff position. They now have three very important games, a home and home against the Sabres and a game against Ottawa.

[DanTheFan]

Was juggling between the Leafs and Raptors last night. Gus has been great for us lately. I still support Reimer, but it would have looked bad if he was voted to start the All-Star game instead of Thomas. And Kulemin looked great last night (WHAT A HIT!!!).

[argolio]

Significant loss last night despite outplaying the Sens and them playing on back-to-back nights. Could end up being a turning point sort of game one way or another. Let's see how the team reacts to this loss.

[Will]

Significant loss last night despite outplaying the Sens and them playing on back-to-back nights. Could end up being a turning point sort of game one way or another. Let's see how the team reacts to this loss.

People seem to be harping on unsteady goaltending for the losing streak, but it is also worth nothing that they've scored only four times in the losing streak as well. Wilson seemed to notice because he split Kessel and Lupul.

[argolio]

Yeah, I agree the scoring drying up a bit has been the bigger problem lately.

Good comeback effort vs the Wild, and the Habs are up next, another team in turmoil.

[DanTheFan]

Good game last night. When the announcer talked about Gustavsson going for his 3rd shutout in as many weeks, I knew it was a matter of seconds before the Wild would score.

[Will]

Yeah, I agree the scoring drying up a bit has been the bigger problem lately.

Good comeback effort vs the Wild, and the Habs are up next, another team in turmoil.

The Habs state of turmoil goes well beyond the Leafs. This business with the head coach not speaking English is silly, and then Cammalleri gets himself traded?

[DanTheFan]

The Habs state of turmoil goes well beyond the Leafs. This business with the head coach not speaking English is silly, and then Cammalleri gets himself traded?

Did Scotty Bowman speak french? Maybe he did, but I'm sure the team's performance on the ice is the main reason the spoken language is given so much attention now. They're a rich organization, so why don't they just worry about finding the best coach for the team and hire translators if necessary?

[ArgoRavi]

The Habs state of turmoil goes well beyond the Leafs. This business with the head coach not speaking English is silly, and then Cammalleri gets himself traded?

The Canadiens are definitely in a load of trouble. The coaching change has done them absolutely zero good. It is likely safe to say that there won't be any playoff hockey in Montreal this year as they are too far behind with too many teams to jump over.

[Will]

The Maple Leafs lost 3-1 to the Canadiens yesterday. This was a pretty big loss because Florida defeated Winnipeg and thus they went out ahead of the Leafs again for the 8th playoff spot. This was a winnable game that they should've won. They have the Islanders for a home-and-home, which the Leafs should theoretically win one if not both.

[1argoholic]

Leafs have faded and every friggin Leaf game I get is a crappy loss. When I get to see them they stop skating and look lost. This doesn't look like a playoff team to me. The Montster gets beat over the left shoulder every game as he's on his knees pulling away from the post. They need better goal tending and some other guys to pick it up in the scoring department. I'm sick of Wilson and it seems like the players don't respond to him. I believe Calgary who sucked bigtime now sits in a playoff spot in the west and we're in 9th in the east and we came out gang busters. I have little faith. Win two lose three will get you nowhere.
Oh I just looked and Calgary sits in 10th but only two points out of 8th but they now are ahead of us in the overall standings which matters little other than my wife is a Flames fan.

[DanTheFan]

All this talk about the Habs being pitiful, and now they're just 6 points back of us. The Leafs need to take those games against the Isles, but they needed to win last night too. Worst case has the Leafs losing both in regulation, bringing the Isles to within 3 points of us.