Comments on: JFJ = HORRIBLE GM

By: Hoondog2

Hoondog2 — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 09:10:51 +0000

I guess the question is do you want a competetive all around team, or do you want a team with a great 1st line, and a bunch of subpar players like Tampa?If i were overvalueing our prospects i would have added Earl, Aubin, Orceckic (i'm not sure of the spelling), Reimer, both Mitchels, Williams……I named the players that i think are sure shots to make the Leafs one day. I was right about Wellwood, Antropov, Steen, Poni, Stajan……You can tell talent from possible talent!

By: Radio

Radio — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 02:51:11 +0000

I hereby resign from life under the condition Mats Sundin is traded to Ottawa at the deadline this season and hoists the cup with his native Daniel Alfredsson.

Too funny.

By: Radio

Radio — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 02:47:41 +0000

At least you Leafy's didn't get mad Mike.

JFJ will lose his job after the Leafs fail to make the playoffs again. Don Cherry will then pretend he never called the Leafs for 8th spot.

By: 92-93

92-93 — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 23:22:37 +0000

well, i'll give an inch to your position on raycroft as well ... which i've never really totally supported.

tonight, he made some solid saves and actually kept the team in the game, but he couldnt save a shot from his own defenceman that no one saw coming or could predict, go figure.

but yeah, certainly the netminding is not as stong as it once was - but now that toskala and raycroft are literally being VICTIMIZED by their teammates - and not just the opposition - surely there is a major problem from an overall team perspective.

at this point, their D and forwards are so terrible at keeping the puck out of the net (and their goaltending is so inconsistent), that the leafs have no choice but to play the trap.

however, one must also realize that they have been taking on teams with huge, high powered offenses: Buffalo, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Carolina. the problem is, those teams are not going anywhere and the leafs take them on many times this year.

firing JFJ or Maurice is not really the answer because the contracts signed or virtually untradeable (although not entirely) and MLSE is so dysfunctional anyways.

maybe play the boring trap hockey? maybe dive like all the other teams? i dunno. i would hate to see that, but this kind of hockey in their own end (especially on home ice) is ABSOLUTELY SICKENING to watch. some would call it exciting ... fine. but i think its brutal and i hate it.

By: leafy

leafy — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:52:31 +0000

Looks like you pretty much nailed it. Certainly he doesn't look like he'll be competing for the Norris trophy this year.

By: RealisticLeaf

RealisticLeaf — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:39:27 +0000

Ya really…it is a real mystery as to how they can dump him unless he waives his no trade clause. They can't send him to the monors…like what the hell can they do…i think benching him would do best. But that kills what little confidence he has. i am at a loss for once with what to do with this guy…lolKubina…should be on waivers…man he does not even know how to play D anymore. He looks lost out there right now.

By: nordiques100

nordiques100 — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:28:30 +0000

new rules. simply cannot adjust without cheating which is how he defended for years. he was a clutch and grab guy, still is in fact but now its illegal. the canopener too slowed players down who now easily pass him without any resistence.

new coach. under quinn he could freelance and do whatever he wanted. playing 32 minutes a night helped him too. now he isnt always used for the top situations and plays much less now. confidence is shot to hell under maurice.

guy's gripping his stick like grim death. he needs to relax. if he wasnt so tense, maybe he's take a second to gather the puck instead of firing it in any direction such as his own net.

some players need the playing for a contract incentive. mccabe is one. now that he is locked up for life, he has really nothing to play for.

really we can do nothing except hope he works his way out of this slump.
there is nothing the team can do except play him regularly and hope he turns it around.

By: leafy

leafy — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:18:04 +0000

The sad part is that both of these two defencemen were once excellent blueliners.

I was recently watching an old tape of a 2001 playoff game, Leafs vs. Senators, when the Leafs swept Ottawa in 4 games. McCabe was a completely different player. What happened?

Thus, here is my ranking of some of the biggest mysteries in history:

Bigfoot
Loch Ness
The Bermuda Triangle
Atlantis
Who shot John F Kennedy
And now....what happened to McCabe?

By: leafy

leafy — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:05:48 +0000

What was also interesting was seeing McGiveaway...I mean, McCabe praising Raycroft during the post-game interview on Leafs TV. He described Raycroft as "awesome tonight". Think he was trying to suck up to his goalie after 'scoring' the winner into his own net?

By: leafy

leafy — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 20:58:16 +0000

Given their play so far this year, I'll have to agree with you. Unlike last year, they're not playing well and are not carrying the play, PLUS they're having defensive breakdowns. Not good.

As you know, I'm one of those people who doesn't hold Raycroft in high-regard - and again tonight we see that he's never going to steal a game for you - but there's no excuse to play so poorly defensively.

The question is, why are they playing so poorly defensively? The other day, someone put up an article blaming Maurice, and the author got massacred by the pro-Maurice crowd. Although placing the blame squarely on Maurice might be a bit harsh, I don't think it's completely way off. Everyone says he's such a great defensive coach. We have yet to see that in Toronto.