Leafs Talk Mobile

21 Oct 2026 02:32:05
That entire game was Marchenko playing with an edge and showing every reason to have him.

Sorry Clarky, but Knies was an absolute nobody. He should be embarrassed with his play since the first game. Knies is not what you think he is.

21 Oct 2026 17:38:22
I don’t care about regular season. We have a perimeter team that doesn’t like to go to or stand in front of the net. In playoffs, which should be the ultimate goal, the goals that go in are tip ins, screens and rebounds. I’m not here saying Knies is better than Marchenko. I’m saying this team has enough perimeter players like Marchenko. We have no one standing or screening goalies.

We will do nothing in PLAYOFFS because of it. I’ll be there at the end of year to say I told you so, again! But hey, we have 2 series wins in 10 years and that will continue. At least the goals are nice in the regular season though eh, 🙄. Marchenko got manhandled yesterday and didn’t do much other then Matthews banking a puck off his skate.

19 Oct 2026 13:20:53
Tor: Cowan

Cal: Parekh.

19 Oct 2026 20:17:06
I’m sure they will meatball. Cowan has heart and drive, that means he doesn’t belong on this team.

19 Oct 2026 21:17:17
Not a Parekh fan. He can put up points, but way too nonchalant with and without the puck.

19 Oct 2026 22:00:23
As RLF said, I don't think Parekh moves the needle.

20 Oct 2026 14:24:31
Trading Cowan is a huge mistake. Localish boy who definitely wants to be a Leaf. He's a dog, not saying he's gonna get 80 points, but he will most likely take a discount and not recommend a trade. Kids got heart. Trading him for a Dman and betting on if he wants to stay or not is a gamble we shouldn't take.

16 Oct 2026 18:31:16
Been talk about the D standing up more at their blueline and not being too deep. I agree, they do need to. One of the reason they often seem to sag behind their blueline was on display on the Samuelsson goal. Roslovic and Nylander are at the redline both facing Samuelsson as he comes up the ice with the puck. No forecheck, just standing waiting. Freeze the play as Samuelsson is making his pass. Roslovic engages Samuelsson. McCabe is starting to move to his left to cut off the guy he thinks is getting the pass along the boards. Instead of Willy picking up a man, he stands there hoping to pick off a pass. The pass goes through him and both him and Roslovic let Samuelsson and Thompson blow right by them and literally stand there and watch.

McCabe starts to back peddle to the middle of the ice because he now is facing a two on one all of a sudden. Neither Roslovic or Nylander touched Samuelsson or Thompson.
I am not letting the D off the hook, but this happens way too often with our forwards. I don't think the D trust the forwards to take a man or slow them down and it has a lot to do with why they don't close at the blueline. If McCabe had of been up at the blueline, Thompson would have blown by him or if McCabe engaged, he slips it back to Samuelsson who walks in untouched.

16 Oct 2026 18:46:49
I agree here completely. No D in the league wants to backpedal into their goalie's face. They all know that isn't the right play, but the D on this team have no choice.

Everyone losing their minds about McKenna being benched needs to remember how badly he played.

He deserved the benching.

My only issue with it was not also benching Willy and Roslovic. They both just gave up after the first period and decided they're done for the night.

16 Oct 2026 03:42:50
This coach…really?
He forgets he has an uber talented rookie on the bench?
This is not going to end well…
What a meathead…

16 Oct 2026 02:36:08
Reminds me of Babs.

Mckenna looked like garbage (he's 18, no hate towards the kid). But Babs always benched certain guys and not others. No different from what I can tell.

16 Oct 2026 08:43:08
For whatever reason he likes to just button mash with the lines. Whether Mckenna played poorly or not, sitting him half the game is a good way to lose a player.

16 Oct 2026 14:39:59
I get that Leafs were killing penalties second half of the 2nd period. But man, they had a 2 goal lead to start the third. McKenna pushes play forward. Needed to get him on the ice early in the 3rd. I will never understand when teams are outplaying other teams, they get a 2 goal lead then sit back and just play D in the 3rd.

Keep pressing. Keep the puck in their end. Try and get a 3 goal lead. I would rather my team lose trying to take it to them, then sit back and try and hold onto a lead by just playing defence.

16 Oct 2026 15:08:32
Jim Hiller lost us that game, plain and simple.

14 Oct 2026 00:33:52
I know I am on an island here, but I am done wirh Raddysh.

Slow as mollases, does nothing offensively, poor defensively, does not help the PP in any way now he is away from Kycherov, poor on the PK, etc

He is a fine 3-4D, but he was signed as a 1D (apparently). What is the hate for Rielly whilr we pretend that Raddysh is a stud? I don't get it.

Mo on that top PP looks exactly the same as Raddysh on the top PP.

14 Oct 2026 07:23:55
I won’t go as far as saying I’m gonna write this player off, but I do think he’s a player you do need to shelter a bit, which isn’t great. Also, he’s been pretty passive on the PP. It’s feed Auston syndrome.

14 Oct 2026 16:29:09
Very poor deployment on the PP in my mind. He shouldn't be quarterback on the PP. Needs to be a shooter.

14 Oct 2026 18:56:06
Do you mean he was signed as a #1D or a top pair D? I don't think many thought he was a #1D, but he was playing top pair in Tampa. From what top #1 D are getting paid right now, Raddysh wasn't paid even close to what a lot of these guys are getting.
He hasn't been that good, but it isn't uncommon when these guys sign their first big deal and try to live up to the pay instead of just playing their game. Especially if they sign in their hometown. My hope is that he will continue to settle down and just play his game as time continues to go on.

He makes some nice plays, but he is definitely looking for Matthews on the PP a lot. Maybe trying too hard to fit in etc. Needs to be a little more selfish and let that bomb go more often. You may be right that he is more a 3-4 in the long run, but right now it's not like anyone is going to take his top pair slot from him. OEL has not looked good at all. MacCabe has been hot and cold. Rielly has been better this year, than last, but still not looking like a top pair guy. They have a bunch of guys playing like 3-5's.

14 Oct 2026 19:14:28
@RLF I listened to media hype Raddysh a true #1 D from the time they signed him and I honestly feel bad for the guy. He's getting the Mo treatment. Put a guy in a position to fail, then act surprised when he fails.



OEL looks his age and McCabe is definitely losing a step from when he first signed.

Not sure this D corps is getting any better.

14 Oct 2026 19:20:49
Does Reilly look better? He is definitely playing more physical, which is good, but he has some of the worst gap control in the league. That’s why he either gets walked, guys go around him on the outside. First periods of the last two games killed them because the gap control in the neutral zone is awful. They tightened up in the 2nd half of both games (especially the Avs). Utah game was too little, too late. Just watch next game when teams are breaking out, our D are already in our zone, backed way off.

Giving so much time and space to make passes, gain speed and be creative. Hopefully it’s something Hiller is working on. But none of the last 3-4 coaches have corrected this major issue. But I’m going to eat humble pie and say Matthews and Nylander are actually stepping up and playing a much better style (especially Matthews), trying to win every puck battle. If the team feeds off this, could be tough to play against.

14 Oct 2026 22:13:40
Clarky. I said Rielly looks better this year than last year. That's all. I think he does. I also said they have a bunch of guys looking like a 3-5. Rielly would be in that category along with Raddysh, OEL, McCabe. Tanev was the only one that looked better than a 3. Then you have Stecher, Blankenberg and Rafai that are 6-7's. You see it differently?

14 Oct 2026 22:45:03
@RLF That's pretty much how I see the D-corps as well. OEL looks bottom pairing, Rielly maybe a 4 probably a 5 and Raddysh a 4 (most would argue 3 and I wouldn't be upset with that either).

What is up with McCabe? Looks like a 7th D half the time.



I do think McCabe is a solid second pairing guy still, but man is he not good enough to cover up for Mo/Raddysh defensievly. He really needs a new partner.

15 Oct 2026 14:41:07
LL, I don't read or watch a lot of media coverage, but I don't remember anyone calling him a true #1D. I remember them saying he is the #1 defenceman available and a PP quarterback as well as a top 4 or top pair. You are probably right, I just didn't see much of that.

15 Oct 2026 19:15:04
@RLF I know you said Reilly looks better then last year, but the only improvement I have seen is he being more physical in the corners. But our D is going to always look bad no matter who you get, if they don’t change the defensive system to close gaps in the neutral zone.

Neutral zone is arguably the most important zone to be good at from a defensive standpoint point and the Leafs have been and still are one of the worst teams for gap control. Makes it easy to play against.

15 Oct 2026 20:11:52
Clarky. I would also say that Rielly is using his feet better to keep moving out of danger with the puck in his own end as another improvement. Point being, he was horrible last season and I wouldn't call him horrible this year. The gap control I don't disagree with, but that is also on the forwards as well. It's hard to stand up at the blue line when guys are allowed to come through the neutral zone with so much speed. When Sissons, Duhaime and Blueger are on the ice together, that speed is taken away and the D don't back up as much.

It also happens on plays where they dump it out and try to change or there is a neutral zone giveaway where now they are flat footed and they play is quickly coming at them. They need to be better at that for sure, but the forwards need to force them to one side better and have a strong backcheck ro support the D so the D can stand up more. Sometimes it is totally on them, sometimes not much they can do but back off or have a guy blow by them or just chip it past them and go get it pretty easily.

11 Oct 2026 03:20:29
Said it before, McKenna is looking better everyday.

Really like his back check at times, liking his effort, kid is a stud.

Give him half a year and he will easily have 60pts as an 18 year old.

11 Oct 2026 14:07:41
Great attitude. All I have heard is how much of a sponge this kid is for soaking up as much info from the vets as he can. The discussion before the draft was who is more NHL ready, him or Stenberg and should you take the so-called more NHL ready 2 way type winger. For me, as I believe you as well, I was taking McKenna all the way. He's ready and he is just going to get better. As I said then, his vision and ability to hold onto pucks to find the open guy is waaaaay beyond his years. Even on the PP, Matthews is giving him the puck to run the PP from the half wall.

That said, a shout out to Matthews and Nylander. Willy was good last year and has seemed to be grinding even more. Matthews is a different player this year. Ever since that Nashville game where he admitted after the game the decision for the team was not to lose any puck battles, he has been dominate.

He is skating well, the shot is there, he is winning battles. He is being an on ice leader.

We can give credit to the GM and coach, with the additions of Paul, Scissons, Duhaime, Raddysh, Bob, etc., because those moves are paying off and the style of offence play is more creative. To me, the other big difference we are starting to see from the team this year is the stars (Matthews, Nylander) are at a different level than last year and the emergence of Cowan and the addition of McKenna is huge. Rielly is much better this year. If those guys were playing like they did last year, they aren't 3-2-1. It would be more like 2-4 or 1-5.