Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs - Dec. 29th, 7:00pm - SN, Fan 590

[Guilt Trip]

Alright everyone, not much more to be said at this point. We'll see what tomorrow brings...a game between two (supposedly) good teams with terrible goaltending. Should be fun!

Hey its entertaining. 10-9?

 

[azzurri63]

He can't play again.  I don't care who you call up, this is unacceptable.  He is not an NHL goaltender.

Willy can eat some crap on that one too.
Sammy needs to go down tho and try to get his game back. 

Samsonov had a decent 3rd and OT but he can't get another start.  He needs to go down (who'd claim him?) and do about a month's work on fundamentals.

Nobody is picking him up.

Obviously different career trajectories and Sammy had more NHL success recently but a tiny salary payout let Jones pass through waivers.  Sammy's 3+ million cap hit is easily getting through.  I'm still so leery of rushing Hildeby but if we know he's going to get a set number of games I'm tempted to just let it happen.

Leave him in the minors because with this team and defence we'll ruin him too. Give him more time. I read rebound control needs to be worked on.Treliving needs to do something but at what price. Teams know we are desperate and will want the world. Isn't there anything in the minors, overseas anywhere where we can find someone that can stop the puck? How about the kid in net for team Canada? Undrafted can they sign him? Better than this crap.

 

[azzurri63]

You know I didn't mind the off season signings but although we needed some more grit which by the way we really haven't seen, the money Tre had to spend along with the wasted 3+ million for Sammy couldn't we have signed a proven net minder? Hellebuyck was available not to say he'd sign here but was there anyone else that would have been better for us?

 

[dekedastardly]

It's time. Let the Berube era begin

 

[azzurri63]

It's time. Let the Berube era begin

It really boggles my mind how Keefe was brought back. You can argue the success of the team during the regular season but nothing else. His coaching has come into question multiple times but was resigned. Change should have been made before the season started. Longer we wait before making some sort of change whether behind the bench or on the ice is just putting more jeopardy on this team missing the playoffs. Some on here will beg to differ but it's reality. Maybe that's what's needed.

 

[L K]

Expected goals were 4.09 - 2.1 in favour of the Leafs.

That's another 3.9 goals saved below expected.  That brings his season numbers to -13.3 goals saved above expected.

He's essentially giving up a full goal a game more than he should based on team play.  Jack Campbell + Stuart Skinner have a combined -12.8.  Samsonov has been worse than that disaster of a tandem.

 

[ZBBM]

Keefe is not my favorite and like azzurri I don't really know why Treliving brought him back.  But I have a bit of sympathy for him.  He's trying to deal with a complete goalie meltdown and win games with a 3rd stringer.  But his postgame comments are just a word hash:

We played a good hockey game. If you play that game over 100 times, you probably win it 99 times, but you can?t make those types of mistakes with how Samsonov is going through it right now. We can?t make those kinds of mistakes. We have to support him better there.

But we scored five. You should win that game nearly every time.

Translation:
We played good.  OTOH
We made a bunch of mistakes that can't happen, especially when you're goalie is crapping it.  SO
Even though we played good we need to play better in front of a bad goalie performance.  YET
Look at all the goals we scored!  BUT
We didn't win, but should have.

Sounds like a pretty bewildered guy at this point.

 

[lamajama]

I?d say wave Sammy to work with the Marlies - or not - and bring Petro up. I mean there is no way he?d be worse.

 

[Bullfrog]

I do think there is something to the point that this team, more than some others, feeds defensively off the goalie's demeanor.  I think you can trace that to the fact that they have never had a star #1 defenseman who is a rock since ... Salming?

Yushkevich

Man, we could use him now.

 

[ZBBM]

I?d say wave Sammy to work with the Marlies - or not - and bring Petro up. I mean there is no way he?d be worse.

Petrielli's game write-up on MLHS was, as usual, level-headed and he laid a lot of blame on the team D, but he minced no words that the tying goal by Fantelli was a stinker.  Summing up:

Ilya Samsonov allowing four goals on 11 shots (six on 20 overall) is going to be a major talking point and for good reason. It?s trending into the territory where we have to wonder if there is any sense in showing any trust in Samsonov in any capacity at this point. At the same time, it has to be re-emphasized that many of the goals are coming off of inexcusable defensive miscues.

I think it's at the point where it's a mutually deflating downward spiral.  Treliving may be forced to take a chance with Hildeby.

 

[ZBBM]

I do think there is something to the point that this team, more than some others, feeds defensively off the goalie's demeanor.  I think you can trace that to the fact that they have never had a star #1 defenseman who is a rock since ... Salming?

Yushkevich

Man, we could use him now.

I loved Yushkie.  He was very good, and wow are you right about needing a guy like him.  But I am thinking of an undisputed star #1.

 

[azzurri63]

Sammy has been an issue and cost us a bunch of points plain and simple but this team needs an overhaul. I don't think it's just goaltending. Yes we would be a better team, record would be better but realistically would having a top goalie be enough? I don't think so we have more issues as far as becoming a legit cup contender. The last few years with these addons and tweaks haven't moved the needle. Some major changes and direction are needed to get this team to a new level. I've said it before it's not working with this core and dumping so much money in the core has been proven not to be working. It sucks but that's what I think. It sucks because we have some players who are fun to watch, super talented, and probably icing maybe the best goal scorer in the history of the game but how long before you say enough is enough we need to move in another direction.

 

[Bullfrog]

That was a bit tongue-in-cheek as Yushkevich is one of my all-time favorite Leafs defencemen. But he would absolutely be perfect for this team.

 

[azzurri63]

I do think there is something to the point that this team, more than some others, feeds defensively off the goalie's demeanor.  I think you can trace that to the fact that they have never had a star #1 defenseman who is a rock since ... Salming?

Yushkevich

Man, we could use him now.

I loved Yushkie.  He was very good, and wow are you right about needing a guy like him.  But I am thinking of an undisputed star #1.

There lies the problem when you are cap strapped. We don't have a #1 D sorry Morgan love him as a player but he's not a #1. That and a proven net minder are 2 key pieces missing from this team for a while. Even when we had Freddy you were always on edges. Someone should have been moved to acquire some help in these spots. Maybe they are waiting for Tavares' contract to use the money in that area I don't know. But those 2 areas are where we should have upgraded and that goes back to when Dubas took over..

 

[Guilt Trip]

Keefe is not my favorite and like azzurri I don't really know why Treliving brought him back.  But I have a bit of sympathy for him.  He's trying to deal with a complete goalie meltdown and win games with a 3rd stringer.  But his postgame comments are just a word hash:

We played a good hockey game. If you play that game over 100 times, you probably win it 99 times, but you can?t make those types of mistakes with how Samsonov is going through it right now. We can?t make those kinds of mistakes. We have to support him better there.

But we scored five. You should win that game nearly every time.

Translation:
We played good.  OTOH
We made a bunch of mistakes that can't happen, especially when you're goalie is crapping it.  SO
Even though we played good we need to play better in front of a bad goalie performance.  YET
Look at all the goals we scored!  BUT
We didn't win, but should have.

Sounds like a pretty bewildered guy at this point.

He also said...
"It?s the NHL, we need saves, we need points and we need wins, so I?m sure Tre is going to consider everything." He's not bewildered.

 

[azzurri63]

So we have lost the season series against both Columbus and Chicago. Now there?s a positive sign. Inexcusable.

 

[azzurri63]

What gets me about tonight?s game is why don?t you pull him? I know Jones is playing tomorrow but you telling me he couldn?t play a period? Maybe we still lose but you got to make the switch. Cost us multiple times the last couple weeks and Keefe?s stubbornness just keeps costing us points.

 

[L K]

Keefe is not my favorite and like azzurri I don't really know why Treliving brought him back.  But I have a bit of sympathy for him.  He's trying to deal with a complete goalie meltdown and win games with a 3rd stringer.  But his postgame comments are just a word hash:

We played a good hockey game. If you play that game over 100 times, you probably win it 99 times, but you can?t make those types of mistakes with how Samsonov is going through it right now. We can?t make those kinds of mistakes. We have to support him better there.

But we scored five. You should win that game nearly every time.

Translation:
We played good.  OTOH
We made a bunch of mistakes that can't happen, especially when you're goalie is crapping it.  SO
Even though we played good we need to play better in front of a bad goalie performance.  YET
Look at all the goals we scored!  BUT
We didn't win, but should have.

Sounds like a pretty bewildered guy at this point.

He also said...
"It?s the NHL, we need saves, we need points and we need wins, so I?m sure Tre is going to consider everything." He's not bewildered.

Honestly I just read this as "our goalie sucks, but he still might play games for us later so I can't rip on him too much so I'll spread the blame around".  If Woll was healthy I think he would get both ends of the back-to-back.  You just can't risk pushing Jones into a fall off the cliff moment.

The good news is that despite Sammy's terrible play the Leafs are 1-1-3 in his December games so at least they are picking up points in spite of him...but all three of those OT losses probably should have been wins if he was league average and even the Buffalo game was a very winnable game until goaltending fell apart of the defense quit.

 

[dekedastardly]

Bring back Hutchinson

 

[Zee]

He can't play again.  I don't care who you call up, this is unacceptable.  He is not an NHL goaltender (right now)

This has been the case for weeks now. They need to send him down now, they can't keep throwing points away because they can't trust the goalie to stop any shot. It's beyond ridiculous at this point