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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 10:35 am 
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Well handful of games in now and the Leafs seem to be about what I expected but haven't been talking about them yet. They are playing a much more sound and structured game in this the Babcock era, but lack the skills to convert that into wins as they can't convert chances or get the saves they need.

Phaneuf looks much more comfortable than he has in years. Seven million dollar number one maybe not but he looks like a solid D man with much less free wheeling and confusion going on around him. Gardner is still brain cramping but not as often and they are in better shape to back him up when he does. Rielly still confuses me at times looks good and generally solid but I do not have the confidence in his top pairing horse potential many Leaf fans seem to have. Hunwick has been a functional good soldier and Harrington looks to be on track to be about the same.

Up front Kadri has been the number one center and not really sure yet if he can be a good number two... but he is miscast at the one and will never be that I would say, but no one else is better or ready so Kadri it is. Honestly JVR is the only first line talent on the team and it shows he looks the most dangerous to me. I've like Boyes game though he has little in the stats sheet to show for it. Lupul is Lupul pretty good tries to do to much and will likely end up hurt, feel bad thinking that way but I just don't pay much attention to him now regardless of how he is playing as I expect him to be out soon. Oh Winnik has been one guy that stands out and is doing his job and doing it well in a kinda 3rd line hard to play against line that will still find a way to score.

Goalies are just not good. While Bernier has great technical skill he is too small to make up for his brain farts and he has some pretty bad ones at times, to be a successful NHL starter at his small stature the rest of his game needs to be pretty much perfect and it is not. Then Reimer just flat out does not look to be good enough to make up for his technical inefficiencies. I'd hope the Leafs are considering plans that involve finding that goalie when the team really will need it in place in a couple of seasons.

At this point I'm going to predict they land in that 5-10 pick zone as the structure of play has looked good enough to miss the top five.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 5:43 pm 
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I've watched a few Leafs games this year already and Bernier has gone sieve. From what I can see he gives up and maybe its time for a new team or a backup job. Or maybe he just needs a sports shrink because he's definitely talented. Who is the goalie coach anyway?

The Dion finally looks like a semi-mature defenceman out there.....maybe this is the year he puts it all together.

I like Brad Boyes but sadly I don't know anyone on this team that can put the puck in the net on a consistent basis.

Babcock has his hands full as this is a team that is used to losing and piss poor management.

I am not sure that this team can win many games but if Babcock can at least get the franchise believing again that's a step in the right direction.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 6:22 pm 
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I only saw the game against the Habs, but it looked like a decent start for the Leafs. They can't score, but they limited the giveaways and the second period was actually the best a team has looked against Montreal so far. There will be growing pains, but they need to learn responsible hockey.

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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:41 am 
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This is why you don't let Ron Wilson and Brian Burke run Francois Allaire outta town.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 9:30 am 
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Av-merican wrote:
This is why you don't let Ron Wilson and Brian Burke run Francois Allaire outta town.


Aha! That makes a lot of sense now. Anyone that can shape Reto Berra is worth their weight in gold.

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 3:54 am 
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So Friedman says the Leafs are looking for goaltending help. Not sure how a short-term solution works here.

Kinda shocked at how far the stock of both Bernier and Reimer has fallen.


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 11:54 am 
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Unless a big young goalie talent lands at your doorstep on the cheap may as well ride out what you have for now and keep an eye out for UFA options the next couple of off seasons. Hell I still think in two years Garret Sparks may be an option like what I've been seeing from him though it is raw and a long shot.

Bernier is to small to make up for his mistakes. If he was 6'2" half or more of his ugly goals would stay out so basically he would have to be near perfect to get by and just don't see it in him. Reimer is just awkward much of the time, even when he is making the saves he is swimming. So yeah doubt the leafs have their starter for when they are hopefully good in a couple of years.


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 11:59 am 
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Reimer is probably in that Halak-class of goalies. Good starter but just can't shoulder the load of a full regular season. Not sure what to make of Bernier, though it sure doesn't seem to be a question of talent.

Odds are one ends up in Philly at some point.


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 12:07 pm 
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Av-merican wrote:
Reimer is probably in that Halak-class of goalies. Good starter but just can't shoulder the load of a full regular season. Not sure what to make of Bernier, though it sure doesn't seem to be a question of talent.

Odds are one ends up in Philly at some point.


Well Reimer has only been an outright starter for one season and that was the strike shortened one and the only time in the last decade the Leafs made the playoffs so really don't know. Sometimes I wonder if he does have it in him but can only play his best with a heavy load of games, but with his contract up and Bernier getting some decent dollars we will not find out in a Leaf uniform either way unless he steps in basically now and becomes undeniable as the guy you need to play which seems quit an unlikely turn around.


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 6:11 pm 
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WE'RE #30! WE'RE #30! WE'RE #30!


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 11:53 pm 
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https://twitter.com/Fan_of_DET_313/stat ... 5101107200


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PostPosted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:46 am 
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Based on injuries and ice time kindle looks on his way to more scratches.


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:15 am 
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Gah...head trajectory!? At some point it feels like over-coaching.

https://t.co/O9HKcLAJvM


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 1:24 am 
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Av-merican wrote:
Gah...head trajectory!? At some point it feels like over-coaching.

https://t.co/O9HKcLAJvM



Well so far so good. This new stuff could be legit and could be placebo affect, but he is on his first role since Bernier has been in town so he may as well keep doing what works.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 12:58 pm 
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Oh boy not sure what has happened to Bernier this year, so many atrocious goals. Goals that forty something beer league me would feel shame over...the goalie in me hates seeing guys get embarrased.

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Asked if he needed to get Bernier going Babcock said, "I did that early and Reimer decided that he wanted the job so he took the job."

and that was before last nights Ranger game where things went from bad to worse for Bernier.



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PostPosted: Tue Nov 17, 2015 11:11 pm 
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Yep, had a bad feeling on this one. Roughly 48 hours after beating the Habs the Avs lay a big fat egg in Toronto, 5-1. Absolutely atrocious showing on special teams, giving up yet ANOTHER short handed goal and I think three on the PK. P.A. Parenteau, who was basically exiled from Colorado once Roy took over, got his revenge tonight with two goals.

Didn't see the game but I read Reimer held up quite well. Good to see him rebounding (bad euphemism for a goalie here but oh well) so strongly after nearly getting run out of town.

Leafs are now within striking distance of a playoff spot.


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 4:57 pm 
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If Reimer is healthy and up to it I'd play him both games of this back to back the next two nights. For no other reason than to complete the dismantling of Bernier to then start over again with him, send the message we don't even trust you to backup. Harsh but he is so low now might as well ensure you've bottomed out. Then play him in the tradition backup role till Reimer falters or gets hurt.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 1:59 am 
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Sparks getting the start tomorrow against Edmonton with Reimer injured and Babcock clearly having lost all faith in Bernier. Good luck to the young guy making his NHL debut.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:28 am 
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Man, someone get a crack team of experts to work on Bernier stat. I refuse to believe the guy just wasn't all that good to begin with. He had phenomenal numbers at one time playing behind an defensively inept team. Surely there's something salvageable there.

I never would've guessed after all the goalie drama in Toronto the past few years that Reimer would be The Man, let alone still in Toronto period.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 11:20 am 
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06-30-2011, 11:46 AM
"Long suffering leaf fan here. No pressure future savior. "

Sparks is a member on the near dead once active goalie forum. This was my quote to him in the thread for when he was drafted, now I know why I've been hyping him since training camp I want to be a prophetic. ;)


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