More On Leafs' Transition Defence

Some might say it should be written as 'Moron' and I would agree. Here's a second of three posts today on the Leafs' failure in properly picking up trailing players.

over 1 year ago PPP 12 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

DBTB has aggresively lobbied the Sabres to never, ever, attempt the pp drop pass entry because we hate it so much.

Mike Weber: Free to roam the ice and take stupid boarding penalties once more.
Everything wrong with the Sabres is Drew Stafford's fault.

by Ubiquitous on Nov 29, 2010 1:07 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, that’s a huge Sabres move and good teams pick up on it and it’s a great transition chance because 4 guys are standing still and one guy is going in the wrong direction.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.

by PPP on Nov 29, 2010 1:31 PM EST up reply actions

This has absolutely no bearing on whether Ron Wilson is a good coach or not, but I really think a coaching change is probably needed. I don’t understand why this team year in and year out has such a hard time competing most nights at a high level. We saw it for the first 4 games, what happened after that?

by Huey2k2 on Nov 29, 2010 1:15 PM EST reply actions

Also just to clarify, when I said “competing at a high level” I don’t mean I expect them to be a top team in the league, I just would like to see the players at least play a full 60 minutes on a regular basis.

by Huey2k2 on Nov 29, 2010 1:17 PM EST up reply actions

This team’s issue isn’t effort, it’s execution.

They don’t lose because they don’t give a crap. They lose because they make mental mistakes and teams burn them on the powerplay. And then the other team goes into a defensive shell to minimze scoring chances, and the Leafs don’t have the offensive firepower to play catch-up.

So your comment, as you’ve framed it, doesn’t really hold water for me.

Resident Capologist
Сертыфікаваны Grabbo Палюбоўнік

by clrkaitken on Nov 29, 2010 2:41 PM EST up reply actions

welcome, brother, to the fraternity.

Fire Ron Wilson!

by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Nov 29, 2010 1:43 PM EST up reply actions

hey!

remember when we were mired in an 8-game losing streak? and we went down 3-0 to Nashville? And Ron Wilson considered leaving the building?

those were good times.

then we had to go and screw it up by actually winning again. …

Fire Ron Wilson!

by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Nov 29, 2010 1:45 PM EST reply actions

then we had to go and screw it up by actually winning again. …

So if we win a game, it’s awesome because it gets us closer to being out of the basement, keeping that Boston pick out of the lottery. But if we win too much too quickly (ie. anything more than 2 consecutive wins), we forget how we got there and start playing like shit again, divebombing us back to the basement. Only the Toronto Maple Leafs could get themselves stuck in such a ridiculous mindfuck of a situation.

by lucc on Nov 29, 2010 1:52 PM EST up reply actions

wow, total fail on the quote. only that first part should be quoted.

by lucc on Nov 29, 2010 1:53 PM EST up reply actions

If we had lost the 9th game in a row, there’s a really good chance Wilson would have been fired. Especially the WAY we were losing it.

if we go another 10 game losing streak, we’re guaranteed to be out of playoffs, but wilson will probably be fired.

if we keep playing sub 500 hockey, going 2-1 then going 1-4, we’re just digging a deep hole, but while deluding ourselves into believing we’re the team who plays 2-1 hockey, not the team that plays 1-4 hockey.

Fire Ron Wilson!

by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Nov 29, 2010 2:03 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed on all fronts, although I’d say the situation is even a bit more dire. A 5-7 game losing streak should almost certainly kill our playoff chances.

by lucc on Nov 29, 2010 6:51 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Good break down.

I especially liked the emphasis on the low, hard slapshot to the far side – which is more likely to create a generous rebound in ths slot than any shot high, or to the short side.

Looks like Kessel took a bit of a loop around to get back too, but he got back and forced his man to shoot from outside.

I like Beauchemin, but he’s definitely a bit slow.

by MapleLeafMole on Nov 29, 2010 1:49 PM EST reply actions