Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins Postgame Show | Game 17 | TLN After Dark

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins Postgame Show | Game 17 | TLN After Dark

Hey, hey, hey. Well, if you wanted things to change, that one may have done it. game 17 of the Maple Leaf season. And I mean, in some ways, the score is going to be deceiving in terms of how [ __ ] pathetic that was that we just saw from this group out there tonight. I mean to go and respond to the loss on Saturday, to the loss on Sunday, the way you lost those games, the way you were being challenged and called out, whether it was by the fan base, the media, the coaches, whoever the [ __ ] it was that you want to point to and say they were calling you out. Um there’s there’s no response, there’s no effort, there’s no get up from these guys until it’s too late. And that’s been the story of this group the entire time they’ve been here. You know, you look back to the beginning and you can make all you want about what’s gone on with this group since Brad Tree Living has got here, since Craig Buru has got here, and we’ll talk about it through the course of the show here tonight. I I got no problem getting into all of that. It’s it’s all entirely fair game, especially after this one here tonight. But, but there have been [ __ ] mistake after mistake after mistake about roster decisions and whatever. But ultimately, the one thing that I’m going to continue to come back to as we go throughout all of this, dissect all the [ __ ] we just saw on the [ __ ] ice tonight is the fact that there was a significant culture issue from the day these guys got here to where we are right now. And nothing has changed any of it. Coaches, GMs, uh, depth guys, uh, secondary pieces, defense, t, it does not [ __ ] matter. None of it has mattered because the nucleus of this group has been gutless, ballless, and a bunch of [ __ ] cowards the entire time. Really skilled players. They drafted great players, but the combination of these guys never has worked. They missed opportunities and they just continued to say, “It will work. It will work. It will work.” And put the trust back in them and it never [ __ ] worked. And now here you are at the point where it is more than likely too late for this to be salvaged in any sort of way and you are up Shitz Creek without a paddle to just watch these guys go out there and lay a [ __ ] egg. I don’t give a [ __ ] that it finished 53 and they pushed back and it was 4-3 and it was close. I don’t give a [ __ ] That that is irrelevant. If you watched anything that took place here tonight from start to finish, it is unbelievably pathetic to go out there and play that style of hockey in a game in which you are trying to effectively save your season. Like, it’s game 17. It’s obviously not actually a literal must-win game, but if there was ever a must-win, that wasn’t a must-win. That’s a must [ __ ] win game. and you you you went out there with your dick between your legs trying to figure out what the [ __ ] was going on. That’s a pathetic effort. That has to be the end of this. I I I coach players on this group, I don’t know who it is, but heads have to roll tomorrow because that is enough. That cannot continue and you cannot throw that out there again. You have minimal bullets left that you can fire at this point. Whether it is the coach, if it’s just gassing tree lifting and bringing somebody else in, if it’s going into the room and trading somebody, I don’t know. But you need to be waking up tomorrow morning ready to change things. Not like, oh, what are we going to do about David Camp and and Cali Yarn Croak? [ __ ] that. That is not the answer here. That is what this team has done year after year after year is putting looking around and going, “Oh, can these the can these secondary pieces be the ones to change things?” They are not. They never were and they never will be. It is pathetic to have shown up tonight and put forth that type of effort and expected things to go well. Not enough from a fan perspective. You know, we can sit here and have hoped that things would have been better all we want and that’s completely fair. Uh, but just watching that is just unbelievably mind-boggling. Like I I can’t even begin to understand. I’m not in the NHL. I was not even ever close. But just even knowing what I had gone through playing minor hockey, junior sports, whatever. just to know that that kind of situation was on the line and you had your backs against the wall like that to show up or or the lack of show up in in that instance from the opening puck drop [ __ ] unbelievable. I don’t know how you get to this point. I I just I don’t know how you show up like this. Like this is I I I don’t even know I don’t even know what to make of what we just saw there. Uh I I don’t I don’t know what to make of what we just saw there. Like we do we’ll break it all down, but what the [ __ ] just happened uh to help us break this one down and maybe provide some more clarity on all of it. Um the man with a much better mustache I think than mine here right now, Nick Alberga. Nikolai, how you doing tonight? Uh, I think a bit better than you. Having said that, I had avocado for dinner and the smell of my farts. Uh, reminiscent of how the Leafs are playing right now. So, there’s that. How are you, buddy? You taking a breath here? Just I know. I know it’s tough. I know it’s tough. You, you coming in here probably helps because then otherwise it’s just me going like this and snowballing for like 45 50 an hour here. Uh, so probably does catch give me a breather. But, um, that you agree, right? like this. This is a game. This is not a uh this is a teamdefining, organization definfining moment here tonight. This is not a season defining situation. This is a shit’s got to change type of moment. Well, firstly, I want to say uh you off the hopper here coming in hot. It reminds me of like your first go of things when whenever your age is and you just want to get to the climax as quickly as possible. That’s you right now. You are in one. I get it. Um, to answer your question, I think what I try to do is bring a level of experience, if I want to call it that, to our sort of we have so many array of of different personalities, and that’s a great thing that makes the Leafs Nation tick. Um, you know, I think it’s difficult for me because if there’s one thing I’ve learned in like 15 years or whatever it’s been covering this league is like don’t get too high, too low, and Rosie brings it up quite a bit. I will say this, um, for the first time this season, I am genuinely concerned at the product where it’s like I’ve been pushing it to the shot side every time they lose this way and I’m like, you know what, they’re going to be okay. There’s going to be a response and then they get to this game, they have this abysmal weekend against Boston and Carolina and you’re like, “Oh, there’s got to be a push back.” Like, they got called out by their coach, Stallars got pulled and then that’s the way they come out in the first period. That was super concerning. And then on top of that, like you know, the cherry on top was the way they came out in the second period. So Stallars leaves, Hilderby comes in and right away they go to giving up twoonos’s and threeon- ons and oddman rushes. The only path that leads me now to Zach is that this team has given up on the coach and the messaging because we’ve talked about it a lot throughout the early season. Pretty direct in what they want. they being the coaching staff and the team’s not following through right now at all. At all. Y that’s a like we can make as much as we want about uh Craig Bub and Yeah. Maybe that he’s not the best coach in the world. Maybe Craig Buru, excuse me, um is not the right coach for this group. Sure, that’s that’s all fair. Like we can have that conversation. But um at the end of the day, systems and whatever aside, you know, there is obviously a disconnect here between coach and players, even just with messaging and how it’s coming across and just the most frustrating part to me where I was trying over the last 16 games even in the postgame show trying to give Craig Breub a bone and say, “Hey, maybe it’s not just that.” And even still here today where I will say this this has to be the last game for Craig Brew. Like I mean I like him. Um person personalitywise I I think that’s it. I I don’t know how you get through the rest of the day tomorrow with Craig Breub still as your coach. You’re coming back to Toronto. You’ve got a home game on Thursday against the LA Kings. I I just don’t know what happens on Thursday against LA that tells you anything differently uh about them showing up or whatever the [ __ ] could possibly happen on that in that game that would say, “Yeah, yeah, maybe this thing can still work.” I don’t think it works. You’ve got a bullet to fire. You’re not going to be able to trade one of the big boys. You know, you had the guy to spare last year. That’s kind of it. Uh but the thing that’s frustrating to me is just you went from Mike Babcock and it was like, “Oh, we don’t like this guy, so we stopped responding. gone. Sheldon Keefe comes in. Um, I think Keefe is probably a good coach, but ultimately I think part of the problem with Keef here was it was the wrong timing for the group because I think he’s a he’s a nice guy. He I think he has an ability to snap, but it kind of seemed like it was always like, you know, maybe more of a players coach or lending to being more forgiving with those guys, which ultimately I think has foster uh fostered this this culture that you have now. Helped foster it. At least I don’t think he’s the root of the problem, but I think helps foster it. And now Craig Bub comes through here, Nick. And it’s just like here’s a guy who goes the other way. He comes in, he lays the hammer down, he gets angry. You see him behind the bench, he’s screaming, “Fuck me, [ __ ] you, [ __ ] this, [ __ ] it all.” And no response. I mean, that’s part of the problem here this season. I still don’t think they’re a great team. Um, I think that they still should have the talent in that room to make the playoffs at bare minimum, but if you show up like or fail to show up like you did tonight, I no matter who the [ __ ] is your coach, you’re not going to be having any type of success. And it’s just yet again just deciding we’re out on a coach. I I can’t believe 10 years through these guys, they just say, “Hey, we don’t want to do this anymore.” And then it’s like, “Get us a new guy.” You haven’t had the success to [ __ ] demand that. Like who are you to demand that? Let me ask you, would you be shocked at all if the Leafs go on some type of run without Austin Matthews and Anthony Stolars? Like that’s what they do, right? They suck you back in. But I I think your your analysis is is, you know, is is is is going through. Um I comprehend what you’re saying. Again, I know it’s difficult. People are not going to want to hear this. It’s game 17. They could easily come out in game 18 and be like, “We want to play hockey again.” But I I couldn’t agree more, as I mentioned off the top. Go ahead. No, I was just going to say I would agree with you every year prior to this. Like there’s not been anything that they’ve shown me here so far other than like the third period against Pittsburgh and like most of the 60 minutes against Utah that says that they have it. And if we were six, seven games in like I’ I’d be way more inclined to believe you and let you talk me off the ledge. But I I mean Nick, honestly, sorry. Like I just I’m not there with them right now and tonight. Like I we just watched the Saturday game against Boston where they basically did this Sunday against Carolina where they did this and then that’s usually where this team says, “Hey, we’ll turn it around. You had a chance here tonight and you just completely [ __ ] off with it.” Like I I don’t know how I can believe now 17 games into this one plus 10 years or 9 years, whatever it is that I can believe differently because it’s been too big of a sample size. Whether just this season or with these guys dating back to the day they got in the league. I I would normally agree with you. This year I don’t think I can. I think, you know, just to bring the positive approach or the aspect because again I I I fully comprehend where you’re coming from. I look at the standings. Okay, so the Leafs are 88-1 through 17 games. The Florida Panthers who have won backtoback Stanley Cups, they’re 87 and one. Granted, I get it. Barov’s not playing. Kachchuck’s not playing. Kulakov, the list goes on and on. They’ve probably exceeded expectations. What I’m trying to get at is there’s a lot of race track remaining. I think the great thing about pro sport is is adversity and how you overcome adversity sometimes. And they’re up against it right now, don’t get me wrong. I think the cool thing too is like it’s just one game, right? And the last three have just been one game. But I I completely understand like it’s been 10 years. How many different variations of these type of no-show efforts have we seen where you have to say enough is enough. But unfortunately, as you just brought up, I mean, how many head coaches are going to take the blame for the players on the ice and it’s the same nucleus. But the problem unfortunately is that you really can’t depart or trade any of these guys. Like they have full no trade clauses. I think the bigger story for me I I wondered, you know, behind the scenes, how much was this about great goalending last year? Like is this a two-year issue or is it a one-mon issue where maybe the goalending masked what this team truly was last year? How would you answer that? Oh, well, I mean, like they’re getting ECHL goalending right now from Stoley at least. Yeah. I mean, look, let me put this into context for people here, too, quickly, just for those wondering like how bad this goalending truly is right now. Um, Anthony Stallar’s rankings since calling out his team after the loss on October 18th does not include the games played on that night. 4.05 05 GAA, worst in the NHL. 874 save percentage, second worst in the NHL. Um, I think that, yeah, they got great goalending last year, but even the body of work surrounding this was just better than what you saw right now. So, I get what you’re saying and for sure goalending masked some of it, but there was at least enough focus, attention to detail, um, you know, show up. Like, I it’s just this is a team we complain about starting on time all the time. There would be games last year, the year before, whatever, where it would be like, “Hey, maybe we just [ __ ] off for the first period.” And then you get to the second and it was like, “Okay, we’ll show up now.” So, you could at least give them that credit. This one took till the third period. Pittsburgh took to the third period. You know, Saturday car Saturday Boston, Sunday Carolina, even those ones. I know I’m going off some recency bias here, but like even in those games, Nick, you didn’t really see too much fight in them until maybe like a blip in the second where all of a sudden they scored a bunch of goals or late in the third when they’re down one. It it just it’s not been there for these guys. Uh even outside of the goalending. Um, for those who are new here right now to the Leafs Nation 401 YouTube channel, hit that like button, subscribe here to the channel as well, Leafs Nation After Dark, available on all podcast platforms. You’re looking for After Dark shows postgame, it’s right here. If you’re looking for Leafs Morning Take with Nick Albera, Jay Rose Hill, who will be live tomorrow morning, 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, make sure to come back here to the channel as well. Uh but uh Nick, I mean I I I think that that’s part of it here where somewhat unfairly um Craig Bubé is going to get this laying like his head on a platter for this. Uh where you know it’s like you can’t there’s just not enough you could do with the guys in the room, right? You just mentioned it. no moves, locked up on term, big deals that you can’t get rid of, whatever it may be for some of these guys. There’s just immovable pieces. Uh Craig Barube is a movable piece. You know, Savard and Leand, um Mike Van Ryan, they’re they’re movable pieces. Whether they deserve to be or not, they are movable pieces. And there comes a point where something has to happen to make guys in that room go, “Whoa, what the hell is going on?” What? And I think that if that doesn’t work then you are then you know it’s like it’s over over you are [ __ ] like you get the assets you can do what you can but my my thing is Nick and it’s where you’re you asked me you said you think that’s it like they don’t go into Thursday against LA G with Bub or what like does he not get past this in my opinion you’re at least asking it’s just like what does it do one way or the other, you know, because this is a group that unfortunately and I said it in the text uh in in our group chat like we were talking throughout the entire game. Um this is a group that unfortunately does not get inspired by late comebacks or guys fighting and getting aggressive and stuff. And you know, this is the first team we’ve seen in a long time that shows up to a game and like maybe has some physical bite back when the game’s not going their way. How many times in years past do you see them down 4-1 to Boston and like Nikita Zidorov ragdolls somebody and drags him around the ice and everybody’s like, “Woo, don’t look at me. I don’t want to be involved in this one.” There’s at least guys involved. So, okay, kudos for that. But yeah, my problem is outside of like Dakota Joshua and Sammy Blle and Bobby McMahon and Jake McCabe and Oel and uh I I don’t even know if I’m losing missing people here. I apologize to them if I’ve left you off this list. But the point is that it doesn’t affect the guys that it needs to affect. It doesn’t affect Austin Matthews and William Knander and John Tiveres in that same way where it’s like rah rah inspiration. I almost feel bad actually throwing JT in there. I almost feel like that’s an undeserved shot at him cuz I feel like he’s just shows up and does his thing every night no matter what. But point being, it’s just like who does that extend to? You know, if I watch a Colorado game and I watch Gabe Landisk go on the ice and beat the wheels off somebody cuz they’re losing 4-1, the next thing you know Nathan McKinnon is shoving his stick down some guy’s throat, pulling it out his ass, and then going on a breakaway and scoring. You know, like there’s bodies left everywhere. These guys get inspired by this [ __ ] These guys do not. So you come out on Thursday, you beat the [ __ ] wheels off the LA Kings, it doesn’t matter cuz in my opinion, you probably come out on Saturday, you lay an egg, and you get [ __ ] again. Or you come out on Thursday and you get your [ __ ] pumped with Buru here. It doesn’t matter again. So it’s just like that’s where I’m at where the results on the ice seem like it just doesn’t matter anymore to these guys. It’s the same thing rolling over, rolling over, rolling over. I I don’t even know what Buru says to these guys to get anything out of them for Thursday’s game because what else is there left for this guy to possibly say? I’m not in the room. I don’t know everything he said, Nick. But I could imagine he’s gone through the laundry list of things he hates about them and there’s basically nothing else left. And yet we’re still here and nothing’s changed. Realistically, uh you have to think about what he can do. I I don’t think Craig Barubi has anywhere close to being fired or getting fired. Uh really haven’t talked to anybody on that front, but I I don’t think it’s a coaching thing. Um Well, I don’t either. I don’t either. Just to be clear, I don’t like Yeah. Yeah. Just you’re trying to find some like you need to we need to blame somebody as a fan base. I get that. Um, I think I wonder if the next bullet to to to use, if you want to call it that, for Craig Brewy is is doing the old Jordan Kyu treatment and the Blues last week, Jim Montgomery, one of the best coaches in the league, sat one of his best players. But the unfortunate aspect of all this, you can probably pick one or two guys who have been consistently playing well. Like, you can make the case for so many different guys to be health bombs, but maybe that’s the next decision. Maybe you go to Knander and say, “Hey, you’re sitting tonight.” or Morgan Riley, you’re sitting tonight. And they really haven’t used that because you start to wonder like what can the head coach do? He’s changed the line combinations 83 times. He’s called out the team. Uh he’s bitched at them on the bench during the game, told them to wake up. Nothing seems to have worked. But getting back to the initial point like off the top, it just we’ve seen so many examples of this in the past to your point where teams just sort of give up on the messaging from the coaching staff and you start to feel that way when it’s been not one, not two, but three outings in a row where there’s just no response. Like that was your your classic response type of game tonight in Boston after they dummy you Saturday. You got played out of the building against Carolina on Sunday and that’s the way you come out. That is some puzzling stuff where you start to wonder if the message is getting through anymore. Well, and I mean, Nick, we saw it at the end of the game where in the third period, it’s like, okay, you know, everybody’s getting going. There’s scrums everywhere. Guys are fighting, whatever. And you know what, there’s part of like the caveman brain in me that is like, yep, I’m with this. I appreciate the push back and I appreciate that effort. The other side of me also watches Austin Matthews get hit from behind by Nikita Zidorov. I know he’s a big scary dude, but Saturday night he just put Scott Lton back onto the IR who missed the 15 games beginning the season before that one or 14 games, whatever it was before that one and just sends him back out of the game. Bobby McMahon fights good enough, whatever. But then you go into this one and your captain gets crunched over by the boards. And I’m not going to sit here and yell and scream about Nikita Zidorov deserving a penalty, supplemental discipline, whatever from that play, but you need a response from the team. And nobody did. That guy scores 13 makes 13.25 million. He wears the C. He’s supposed to be a 4550 60 goal scorer. And you just watched him get [ __ ] crunched three feet away from the boards and everyone’s like, whoa. You see Matthews got hit. All right, keep going. This is like this is just who you’ve been the entire time. Messaging from within the room, messaging from the coach, GM, [ __ ] Keith P. I don’t know who it is, Nick, but there seems to be no amount of messaging that is going to get through to these guys. And I just don’t even know. Like you’re saying you’re saying sit guys, but I mean I look at like Jordan Kyu and the reason that they’re sitting him is because for accumulation of reasons, but like let’s narrow this let’s let’s throw this a broader broad here and just say like you know buy in to what Montgomery is trying to build there lacking from him production lacking and you know when those things are missing then you say okay yeah you’re going to go to the Bucks we’re going to send you a message let’s [ __ ] get it going here. Who is it that you sit here in Toronto in your opinion? Because I look at Knander, N even Matthews, JT Matthews obviously injured out of this one, but those guys and I look and I’m like, you are not only leading this team in points, but you all have some of the highest point totals around the NHL. They’re not leading the NHL for sure, but they are up there. And if it’s not for those guys, the one thing we can do, we’re putting into the press box because if you look at a a positive, if we want to find one, they can score goals. They’re one of the league leaders in scoring goals right now. So like, who’s the guy that you look at? Is it Morgan Riley? Is that the obvious answer here? I think I think that’s that that’s a fair question. Um there just doesn’t seem to be a response from anybody for that matter, but it always seems like the galvanizing guy is Morgan Riley. But across the board, they they just need to get together and be like, “We’re doing this.” I mean, it’s quite clear they they’ve got it in that room to be able to to withstand sort of a losing streak like this and and push back and and do their thing. But even like to your point about like the whole Zadorov thing, like that’s part of the game. He’s a big boy. He’s a tough customer and there’s been response in the past. But even like the timeliness of Maxi, like that’s the decision you make. That’s when you’re going to do something about it. And you know, I respect that aspect of it. But you look at that point in the game, the Maple Leafs had a lot of momentum, playing pretty decent hockey in the third period, wave after wave, shift after shift, and you take that penalty like we’ve seen that too many times in the tenure of Maxi as a Maple Leaf where he takes a an ill-advised penalty, we’ll call it, the other team comes back and scores on the power play and that’s the night. Like obviously the Leafs didn’t deserve to win that game, but you don’t you can’t afford to make bigger mistakes like that in the grand scheme of a hockey game and expect to win. Like I I thought they shot themselves in the foot. Doi speaking on Doi there where it’s like you got to pick your timing and that wasn’t a good time to go after Zidorov. You get the power play then they score the goal obviously. Yeah. Um I didn’t mind it as much but I do completely understand what you’re saying. Like I’m not really going to disagree. Uh, I I just think like somebody had to do something, I guess. [ __ ] man. I don’t like it. It’s funny, too, Zach. It’s funny, too, Zack, cuz like this is an older team and like it scares me a lot that the guys, and we’ll see what they say tonight after the game, they talk about immaturity. Like, you’re one of the oldest teams, most veteran teams in the NHL, and John Tavvarz is talking about immaturity in the room. Like, what is really up here? And it leads me down a rabbit hole too where it’s like maybe there was a bigger ripple effect in that room than we thought on the outside looking in from you know the timing of the Stallar situation. Like he talked about the numbers man 44 and0 4.05 874 since October 18th the night he called out the team. You wonder if there’s got to be some type of correlation and I remember at the time me and Rosie came out and said good on Stoleie but you got to back it up dude. he cannot make a save and then like the final undoing was obviously the last goal then he doesn’t come back and you even wonder if if if he’s even hurt like that’s just my speculation where it’s like hey the old Tristan Jarry remember when the Leafs last week lit up Jarry in that game next thing you know he lands on injured reserve and maybe you need a couple games off like I I wonder if we’re going that direction with Stallar like he needs a reset man like that guy was was nails last year he was great for the Florida Panthers two years ago has zero pro confidence right now and you you you wonder without knowing anything how much that played into his head. Maybe after the game he’s driving home and he’s like [ __ ] I probably shouldn’t have said that. Um I think there was a bigger impact on that night than we thought about and now the numbers are lining up with it too. So there’s some stuff coming out here postgame by the way uh trickling through. That’s what I just trying to make sure and try to keep up with. um Burubet on the Austin Matthews lower body and on if it’s serious. Uh I don’t know exactly. I really can’t give you guys a timeline or how serious it is right now and I’m not sure when he heard it to be honest with you. I mean I think we all know Craig unfortunately that’s one that we do know when he heard it. Um Brew on Germany again. Well [ __ ] man like that just seems to be the next thing. Like tomorrow morning we’re going to wake up and the news coming out of Toronto isn’t Bub’s gone, it’s Austin Matthews is in a different [ __ ] continent. Um Craig Bubet, this is from Jonas Seagull. Craig Brew on a Anthony Stolar’s injury. I don’t believe that serious. I think he’ll be fine. It’s the old uh wink wink nudge nudge. Little reset needs to happen there. and let’s uh let’s save him some face because uh list your goalie of who you remember that let a goal like that in in recent memory in Toronto where you’re like man where is the guy from last year what was that let let me say this um on the stolars not returning thing um and it’s happening in the chat a lot right now it’s a conversation online a lot right now if any of these these things are true, which I do kind of believe some of them to be, but I’ll get there. Um, the one word that continues to circulate is quit. They quit on the coach. Did they quit on the goalie? Did they quit after Mner left? That’s a whole lot of [ __ ] quitting. And if you’re quitting from things like that, the makeup of this group is just flawed to begin with. I I mean, that’s my honest opinion. You know, I I I don’t know like I maybe I’m just wired like a [ __ ] psychopath, but like I I remember and you know whe whether it’s like somebody gets hurt or can’t play or you get down in a game or you get called out, it’s like my initial reaction has always been and and I always rely on this because I go back to how I would approach things, which maybe is just not fair to apply this to everybody else, but I think you’re on board with me is like that gets you going. Oh [ __ ] our starting goalie went down or our starting goalie didn’t play that well here tonight. Let’s [ __ ] get one back for him. Like let’s have one here. You know, he had a tough one tonight. Let’s have one for him. Let’s go. Matthews gets hurt. Let’s let’s [ __ ] back back back him up here. It’s like that that doesn’t seem to happen. And we keep talking about quitting. Oh, the coach got mad at us. We’re quitting. Mitch Martner left. We’re quitting. What the [ __ ] is wrong with you? If your initial response in every one of these situations is quit and you know to further that let’s think back to two years ago Boston game four you have a chance to tie the series at home. They lay one of the worst games of all time. It’s a historic Rosie Rant here on the Leaf Station after dark that he comes on here and he lets loose. That’s a quit game. I I mean call it what it is. That’s a quit game. Game five round two last year against Florida. Uh that’s a quit game. You got down early. You said [ __ ] it. We’re out of here. Game seven, round two last year. Got down, said, “Fuck it. We’re out of here. Another quit game.” You know, there’s numerous instances throughout the last nine years of these guys just saying, “Wave the white flag. We’re quitting tonight.” And ultimately, I think that that’s just been a consistent pattern here that’s making me want to [ __ ] puke, Nick. Yeah, I I concur. Um, again, you got to put it into perspective. Um, they are 14th in the Eastern Conference. uh 88 and one to start this season through 17 games. That tells me there’s a lot of games left, but uh you would hope a lot of soulsearching. Um I would say the way this team started the game concerned me too. They look really really fragile the first couple minutes, couple shifts. We all saw what transpired in the first period. Uh the the lack of discipline. You take three minors in the first eight minutes of the game. Like everything you would think the coaching staff is trying to hammer into their brains before the game. Even apparently they had a team meeting before the game and that’s the way they come out. Like that’s more of the puzzling part. And at the beginning I felt like they were playing not to make a mistake instead of playing their game. So for all the talk about DNA change and identity conversation, they got squat. They got nothing. Like it’s it’s it’s back to the basics now. Zach, last question before you leave. I know you got a show to do tomorrow, so I don’t want to make you do it all here tonight, but uh last question. his name had not come up in the chat yet until like the last two minutes here. Um, are things different if Mitch Mner is still here? No, no, no. We we’ve we’ve seen this so many times from this team. To your point, you just listed off so many variations of of the same old story in the last 10 years and nine of which included the guy in in Vegas. So, people are going to draw correlations. It’s not there. By the way, Vegas is playing like [ __ ] right now. Their power play is a disaster. They got Mitch Mner, one of the best playmakers on the planet on their team. I I I just don’t buy that Mner’s on this team and anything is is different at all. Like there’s there’s absolutely no buy in defensively. They’re not getting the saves. They’re not playing as a team. Plain and simple. It doesn’t matter who’s on this roster and quite frankly, I was thinking about it. Scotty Bowman in his prime could be coaching this team right now and they’d still be [ __ ] Yeah. No, Dude, I I’m on the same page as you. Um I I don’t even know. It’s a It’s the collection of these guys. It’s the core of these guys from from the very beginning. These guys have been rotten. Um I I I don’t know. It’s this is a this is kind of like a breaking point for game for me where like I always felt like there is hope and things will turn around and I know you just you called it a must-win game. Yeah, it it was it was that was that was a must-win game that you said Thursday up. What’s Thursday? Uh, Thursday is game one of the rebuilds. Thursday, will they do a uh will they do a video tribute for Joel Edmonson? If you recall, he missed last year’s game in Toronto. So, will they roll out the red carpet for Joel Edmonson who saw this [ __ ] show and was like, I want no part of it. Knowing this how this organization has handled things here so far and how this fan base has [ __ ] handled things here so far, I I wouldn’t put it past because the you know the amount of people who were just happy with first round exit after first round he exit and hanging the participation trophy year in year out. I mean, yeah, why not? Why not give him a round of applause? Let’s give him a [ __ ] stick on his way out, a signed picture, all of it. Let’s let’s let’s do it all. Unbelievable. No, fair enough, Zach. I understand. Uh you’re doing a great job, buddy. Uh I like the fact it’s it’s it’s I respect the fact you got to come on here right after the game because I think lucky for me and Rosie, we got like 12 hours to like really um put together our thoughts and not blow a gasket. That’s why you see Zach lose his mind on this show quite a bit because it’s very reactionary, which we love, and we love the candidness of that. But all I want to say on the way out, um I know things are grim. They’re tough, but there’s been so many times in Lease Nation, they just suck us back in. So, I’m looking forward to Thursday night. Uh, I want to see what this team has in them. Doesn’t sound like Matthews is anywhere close to coming and and being the savior, even with him in the line at nothing, but maybe the attention to detail is a bit finer. And it would not shock me at all. We’ve seen so many examples from this team in the last decade where big boys are out, they step the hell up. But, it’s got to start in the crease. You got to figure that out. uh team defense. There’s there’s a lot of questions, but I I still have a bit of faith in this team to figure things out here at some point. Well, a bit is more than what I have because I have none. You’re done. Finished. I I I you know that countdown that you unveiled. At least you can still use like the basis of the graphic, but this time it’s going to have Gavin McKenna on it because starting tomorrow morning, I’m going to request personally that producer Vic announce the new MC Countdown. You’re the best, man. Um because I even recall last year, I think in that Florida series alone, you were out six times. So, uh we’re gonna we’re going to bring Zack back in. Don’t worry, folks. Couple more wins, you he’ll be back on this train, baby. Let’s go. Wagon. Wagon. All right, Nick. Thanks for joining this. I appreciate it. See you tomorrow morning 11 a.m. There you go. Nick Albera hopping on to help us break this down. Um I still have more thoughts uh on tonight. I see people in the chat. I’m going to get to more of those. I’m going to get to the super chats that have taken place. Um, we got to recap our best bet, graded the game. I kind of just want to glance over who played what and how everyone performed here tonight for the Maple Leafs. Uh, as well, if you’re in the chat and you want to call into the show, this is going to be a frustrating one for Leafs fans, and I get it. So, there is a link pinned in the chat. It is a Zoom link. You click the link, you can call into the show. You don’t have to come on camera. Um, I’ll put your name up, but you can just call in. Give your thoughts. If you disagree with what I’m saying, if you want to come on here and you want to just [ __ ] yell and scream about this team, the door is open. There is a Zoom link pinned at the top of the chat. You click that. You can call into the show. Get [ __ ] off your chest. I want to hear all of it. I want to hear what you think, how you feel. I don’t care if it’s rational or not. Call into the show. Let’s hear it from Leafs fans here tonight. Um, as well, quick reminder, make sure to hit that like button, subscribe here to the channel, Leafs Nation 401, right here on YouTube. Um, I I mean, we’ll be breaking this thing down as the entire season goes. You know, I don’t care. Fans may check out, the team may check out, it doesn’t matter. Nick, Rosie, and myself will be here, all 82 games, all year to react, try to comprehend, and then also look forward to the future of what this group could be. We will be here. So, subscribe to the channel, LeafStation 401, uh, right here on YouTube. You want to call in, Zoom link is open for everybody. You get, you get your calls in. I want to I want to hear what people think because I feel like it can’t be just me as well. There’s a poll in the chat right now just before I go to the super chats. Um poll in the chat. What do the Leafs do now? There’s 400 votes on this one. So big enough body or just shy of 400 votes. Big enough sample size here. Um nothing they’re fine is 15%. Fire Bub and and uh staff 11%. Massive culture changing trade 43% drastically in the lead. And then uh following that one up with second place at 31% is blow it up. It’s a tough one for Lease fans tonight. Uh we do have a caller on the line waiting. Just before we get to the caller, uh we do have a bunch of super chats and I want to run through these because I don’t want to make people wait. Uh as well, for those who are new here to the postgame live shows, if you like the stream, for every set of 50 likes here on the show, we will do the smelling salts. I got a brand new bottle. It almost ruined my day the other day when I did them. But for every set of 50 likes, we do the smelling salts. And we’re almost at 100 right now. So get those up. We’ve got 400 people watching the show. We’re almost at 100 likes. The more likes, the more smelling salts. Um I want people all the way in on this one, liking the stream. Let’s get this thing going. But let’s get to some of our super chats. Super chats. Proceeds from our super chats do go to Sick Kids Charity, Canada’s uh number one ch uh children’s hospital, number three in North America. Proceeds from our super chats do go to Sick Kids. We did raise almost $5,000 going to Sick Kids uh throughout the course of the last year. So, let’s keep that up. Amazing work by those of you in the chat. Starting with Nate Dog 3654. Nate Dog says, “I don’t care what you guys say unless it’s really offside, but I will read all of them.” So, these are from the chat, not necessarily me. I will respond and read them all. Captain Comover doesn’t deserve anyone standing up for him. He wouldn’t do it for them. Bube is a [ __ ] coach. Zero intelligence and no culture. Um the the let’s let’s break this down in reverse. So the Bubé intelligence he might not be a very good coach. Um he won a Stanley Cup. Maybe that was just pure luck. Entirely possible. Seemed to be trusted by people around NHL circles. Has been in the NHL for a while. seems like it may not be working here culture-wise. Uh, I don’t know. I have a little bit of a hard time with that one, saying no culture. Disagree there to say no culture. I think that that’s like a little bit aggressive to suggest that. Uh, I think it’s very clear what he demands out of these guys, what he wants them to be. I just think that he might be asking them to do something they’re not capable of. Um, I think he might be uh he might just be here yelling and screaming and telling them to do something and there’s no response because they don’t have that DNA. His and theirs do not match and it just does not work that way. I would argue that he probably has a fine culture, but the guys in the room just don’t fit it. Uh, going back to the beginning point though from Nate Dog 3654 here about Matthews doesn’t deserve anyone standing up for him. He wouldn’t do it for them. Um, I will say it’s not that he doesn’t deserve I disagree with that. Every everybody every teammate deserves to have their teammates stick up for them. But where it is understandable is what Nate says here where he says he wouldn’t do it for them. I think that’s a huge issue. And I think Nate is 100% spoton with that. You know, again, I refer back to this the Amazon Prime documentary that came out last year. Uh I can’t remember if it was Gabe Landiskog or Jacob Trouba who said something along the lines of, you know, at some point you’ve got to stand up and you’ve got to do it. And he was talking about Quinn Hughes saying, “I don’t know if Quinn Hughes is going to be able to be the guy who’s going to do it because you can’t ask things of other guys that you wouldn’t do yourself.” And he was referring to the physical play sticking up for other guys and everything. And that since that day, since I heard that has resonated with me because I always look at Austin Matthews and think he won’t do it. He would not do it. He won’t stick up for the other guys. He won’t go in there and stick up for himself. He’s not going to go in there and fight. He’s not going to go in there and grab guys. Like you look at Sydney Crosby, he’ll do it. Ovuchkin does it. Um, I think the only reason Conor McDavid doesn’t do it is because there is no chance they can risk having him not in the lineup. Like, you just physically cannot do it. But McDavid still gets pissed off. He gets in scrums. He goes at guys. Like, he gets involved in those things and at least gets mad. Austin Matthews just seems to have this like he’s an unbelievable player. Nobody’s doubting that. I have no issue with him from that standpoint and for him being one of the best players on this team. I’m not going to question any of that. But from the leadership standpoint, him being the captain, I do think that’s a little bit tougher because it’s so much harder for him to ask other guys to do things knowing for a fact he would not do them himself. And I think it speaks to the culture of the team and I also think it speaks to the identity and the DNA of the guys that are in there. You look around at your best players. You look at again, look at the difference. Even Didle and McDavid, they won’t, they’re not fighters, but they’ll get pissed off and they’ll go at guys. They will stick up for other guys. They will grab a hold of other guys. They get in the scrum. They’re not the first guy to go to the bench when it happens. Colorado Nathan McKinnon, we saw him two weeks ago fighting [ __ ] Charlie Makavoy. It’s like game nine and he’s losing his [ __ ] I always think about the one where he lost his mind and was throwing his helmet at Connor Garland. Like psychopath. The rest of the team looks around and goes, “Oh [ __ ] let’s buy in. That’s our best player that’s doing that. He’s the guy stepping up. He’s the guy buying in here. We got to follow suit.” You know, Gabe Landiskog, the leader, unbelievable player for Colorado. Obviously, a little bit different situation for him here now, but unbelievable player. He’s a guy who steps up. You buy in, you follow that. Dallas, Jamie, Ben, Tyler, Sean, you follow those guys into battle. Uh Boston always, Berseron, Charara, Marian, you follow them in. Florida, Bennett, Kachchuck, um Reinhardt will do it. You know, Marian’s there now. He’ll do it. Like all of these guys around across different teams, they will do it. And then you watch this Leafs team and it’s just like I pray to God Max Doi does something because outside of those guys, your depth guys, no one is [ __ ] wagging a finger at [ __ ] Everyone wants to stand around and watch it happen and hope someone else does their dirty work. And at that point, everybody else probably starts to look around or look at themselves and say, “What the [ __ ] are we doing?” So, I get it, Nate, and I’m with you. It doesn’t make it any less frustrating that nobody in this situation does stand up in there because, you know, again, I think that just screams to the lack of culture that the guys have in the room. And I don’t think that’s a Craig Bubé thing. I think that’s the identity of the guys they have in there. Um, I don’t know what this one is, who this one is from. Uh, this is uh from Robert Bet. Super chat from Robert Bet. I will get to uh our calls here on the line as well, but Robert Bet super chat again. Proceeds going to Sick Kids charity. Like, subscribe, turn on all notifications, all that good stuff. Robert Bett says, “Do you think that Derek Leon and Burbase systems are clashing?” Robert, honestly, no. Um, first of all, I think you might have suffered a significant loss with losing Lane Lambert. Um, I think he might have had a really strong impact on these guys. I I think you may have downgraded. I don’t know for sure, but it seems like you may have downgraded here. But to suggest that they’re clashing, I I just feel like that’s not the case. Um, you know, one of the things that Lane Lambert preached when he left and said that Craig Buru does such a good job of is that Burubet is a guy who he allows the assistant coaches to do their jobs. And rather than Buru being a guy who’s like the system strategy guys, he brings in other people around him to do that stuff and then he motivates and he gets guys on the right systems and trying to play the right way and that’s his focus. Now, I know people are going to say, “Are you [ __ ] dumb? Are you watching this? He’s not doing it very well. Fair enough. I’m just speaking to what Lane Lambert said when he departed Toronto, talking about what Buru does well. Um, and when we’re looking at a defense that seems like it’s significantly worse. And to Nick’s point earlier in the show when he’s bringing up were they, you was this just amazing goalending last year. I think that helped, but I do think they were drastically better on the defensive side of the puck. I think that from that standpoint, they were way tighter, way tougher to play against in their own zone. Like, not to say they were the best defensive team in the world, but watch what they’re giving up now. It’s 10x what they were giving up last year. It’s way worse. It’s way more opportune for the other team. It’s way easier to get into the zone. It’s way easier to find open ice and get good shots and get good chances and get in tight. It’s so much easier for the opposition than it was last year. So yeah, goalending is worse and that doesn’t help. But even on the other side where it’s the defense that you’re looking at and the systems defensively, it’s so much worse. You can also look at the six guys playing defense and notice a big drop off in those guys as well. Like this this defensively has gone off a [ __ ] cliff. And it’s really frustrating as well because you’re watching a team that’s scoring way more than they were earlier in the season last year. If you remember back to last year, we were banging our heads against the wall being like, “They can’t score.” And the amount of people who came to the post game and were like, “Bu wants to play a defensive style of game and this team can’t score.” And now the chat that we’re coming to here every day is like, “Bur his defensive system sucks.” like the the swing on this thing has been outrageous and that’s why again I just continue to look at the guys in the room whether it’s the wrong guys who have been put on there in there fair enough um if it’s just the wrong guys that you’ve built around also an an entire possibility you know again it’s just like looking at the culture of this team I just look at you can you can pinpoint point situations that things went went wrong. Um, breaking to the Mner contract, huge mistake, started to establish the culture. Uh, trading Nasim Codri and bringing back Alex Keroot and Tyson Berry, huge issue right there. That was something that we have spent the entire time since trading Nasim Codri chasing a guy who does what Nasim Codri does. Um, look at the Jared McCann situation. acquire Jared McCann for [ __ ] nothing, whether he puts out 40 goals every single [ __ ] year after he gets to Toronto or or in Seattle or not. You bring in um you you bring in Jared McCann and then you leave him to Seattle in the expansion draft to protect Justin Hall and Alex Kerfoot. Like those were the players that you protected. Jared McCann, even if he doesn’t score 40 every year, which he went on to score 40 immediately that season, Jared McCann is a type of guy who is feisty and is a [ __ ] battler and brings that type of energy that we are dying for in this room with this team. And he was let go so that you could protect Alex Kerfoot and Justin Hall. Add it to the list of [ __ ] Mason Marchman for Dennis Malgan. add it to the [ __ ] list. Like you just go down every single thing. Mike Babcock, yeah, wrong guy. But then you brought in Sheldon Keefe, who was a rookie coach and seemed to be kind of more a players coach than anything. Add it to the [ __ ] list. The culture of these guys from day one has been fostered to be this soft child gloves [ __ ] situation from day one. You couldn’t say anything about them. You couldn’t do anything to them. You couldn’t write anything about them. Nothing. You weren’t allowed to criticize them. You weren’t allowed to hold them accountable. Nothing. You just built these primadonas that have just kind of built it all the way through the rest of the lineup where it’s like, “We don’t give a [ __ ] We will do whatever the [ __ ] we want. We’re going to get our money.” And then everything else from that point has gone to [ __ ] Pure [ __ ] diarrhea. From that day that you [ __ ] started to give into the contracts and said, “We can and we will.” to the day you traded Nasim Codri to the days that you left Jared McCann unprotected for Alex Keroot and Justin Hull who can’t even get in an NHL lineup right now and then you just continued that on Gino Malgan Mason Marchman moved down the list guy after guy after guy Zack Heyman can’t pay him goodbye off to Edmonton Connor Brown off to Edmonton Washington New Jersey wherever the [ __ ] these guys just pieces that you look at the entire time and you think, “Wow, we love a guy like that. Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, guy after guy after guy.” And so much of it started with the day you said we can and we will. And this team has been [ __ ] since that day. And we are looking at them here 17 games in to the 2025 2026 season and likely looking at is what is the end of this [ __ ] window and this group. So we can blame Bube and we can blame uh Tree Living and we can blame that all and I understand the frustration and these guys did not help but reality is this has been brewing since the day you got these guys. Since the day Mitch Mner’s dad threatened to go to Switzerland. Since the day William Knander held out and stayed in Sweden, it has been a problem from day [ __ ] one. And nobody put their foot down. They got whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, and it’s continuing to this day. And it is not working. And it might be over. I was in first year university the first year that I watched Austin Matthews play as a Maple Leaf and thought, “Holy [ __ ] this team is going to be unbelievable. I am 27. And it feels like it was simultaneously yesterday and 75 [ __ ] years ago that I remember that that first game against the Ottawa Senators happened. So [ __ ] frustrating. So [ __ ] frustrating watching mistakes that it feels like [ __ ] Ernesto from Woodbridge knew not to do and we’re still [ __ ] paying the consequences. tried to change things when it was too late. That’s the motto of this team. It’s like what they did in the third period tonight. Oh, we’re down big. Oh, things are really a problem. Time to change now. Mitch has a no move. Two years left on his deal. Time to change. Too little, too late. Um, we have callers on the line. I thought I was going to be quick on the answers. Um, I went a little long on them. So, I apologize to the callers that are waiting. We did hit 50 likes here on the postgame stream. So, just before uh I bring in the callers just quickly, I promise to them this one won’t take long. So, I’ll do this quick. We have 50 likes on the stream. Working our way up to 100. I want to hit 200 by the end of the show here tonight. We still got more [ __ ] to get to. Um I don’t know. There’s a chance here this one goes a little bit longer tonight. This kind of seems like one of those uh state of the union um you know like therapy sessions for Leafs fans tonight and uh for that I’m willing to kind of let this thing ride and see what everyone in the chat has to say and how everyone feels about this. So keep the super chats coming. I’ll keep answering them. Um keep liking the show and calling in. We got a couple people waiting here. So quickly smelling salts. All right. Um, there you go. Let’s welcome to the show a man who’s been calling in since basically I started doing the postgame coverage shortly after I was a young wideeyed boy watching Austin Matthews score four goals and thinking this team is special. Uh, let’s welcome to the show our good friend Alex A. Alex. How are you doing tonight, brother? I can’t imagine well. Yeah, I’m pissed. I’m not going to lie. I’m pissed. Just as pissed as you are. And uh I don’t know. It’s just just really frustrating. I mean, I had to witness it in person start on Saturday at the Bruins game. I was there in person and what a terrible game to go to. What a terrible game to go to. And for it to just continue on these last two games after that is just even more frustrating. And you know, the lack of effort, the lack of culture like you’ve been just talking about. in your stream the whole time here and it’s just I couldn’t agree anymore with what you’ve been saying. Like it’s just it’s so frustrating what they could be but they just won’t be. That’s the most frustrating thing. So, and Alex, where are you at on these guys? Because Nick seemed to have a little bit more optimism. Myself, I feel like after this one, this is like a uh this is this is kind of the breaking point for me. Like I I just I don’t know how you go through tomorrow with these guys um with this same group still intact. And by same group, I mean Bub assistants, etc. still here with this team. I do I just don’t know how you wake up with these guys. Like by tomorrow morning, I don’t know that you make a trade, but even by tomorrow afternoon, if it’s [ __ ] scratching somebody, waving somebody, announcing you’ve put somebody in the press box, I don’t know. But I don’t I just don’t even know how you get through the day tomorrow and say that, you know, oh no, no, we’re gonna go back at these guys on Thursday. Like this has to be this has to be a alarm bell’s ringing. I’m [ __ ] panicking. Let’s change some [ __ ] Not do some stupid [ __ ] but something has to change going into uh or waking up tomorrow morning. Um I don’t have hope anymore. I think you’ve got to flip this thing on its head. And by that I don’t mean like get rid of everybody on the roster. Trade Matthews and Knander tomorrow, but you got to do something drastic. You got to [ __ ] wake people up. You got to change the DNA, the guys in the room, the coach. I don’t [ __ ] know. But you got to change it before this goes into Thursday’s game. Are you with me? Cuz I just don’t have faith right now. I know Nick seemed to have a bit more, but I just got none. Yeah. No, I mean, I’m with you. Like the problem is obviously that we all know is all them no movement clauses and like you know it takes time with a lot of these things and I think like realistically they do all these meetings. You mentioned earlier they or I think Nick mentioned that they had like some player meeting thing. I don’t know if it was just with the coach with the coach as well. Coaches were there as well this morning. Yep. Yeah. Well, I don’t know what the hell they said. May maybe they said something great, but clearly they didn’t receive the message well at all because they didn’t put any effort in the ice and it’s frustrating. Like I think what realistically like people want to sit there and see on Twitter all the time, oh it’s Bubé, oh it’s this, oh it’s that. We’ve seen it for 9 years and we’re still blaming the coach. Like really, we’ve been through three this is our third coach. So why are we blaming the coach when why don’t we start saying why isn’t it the players? I mean you’ve been saying I’ve said but I’m just saying the other people like they’re like oh we’re too old and slow. Like there’s so many things like I think realistically you’re looking at it and like we look like we’re playing Timbits hockey in our own zone. Like we can’t break the puck out. Like it like listen like getting guys like last year that could defend in their own zone for sure. We have the same defense core other than Tana being hurt. But like you’re seeing it now. I don’t know if it’s the system they’re running but they can’t get the puck out of their own zone. And I understand we don’t have the strongest guys for that cuz like we don’t have great puck movers, but like we’re not moving the puck properly and it’s just like it’s terrible to watch. Like it’s terrible to watch. Like are we trying to tank for McKenna? Like is that what we’re is that what we’re really trying to do here? Like like I I I I’m just mind blown that like I’ve been so positive and I think you’ve seen me a few times here with you just being like, “Oh, like I think they’re, you know, I think it’s just going to take some time.” And like is that possible? Sure. But I really am not like looking forward to anything at all. Like unless they do something significant. Like I think the GM needs to sit there after today with the team and be like listen if this is the sort of effort you guys are going to be giving like I’m going to start like some of you need will need to be moved or like we need to look at shop with some of you guys. And I’m not even kidding. Like even the guys with no movement clauses like go look go talk to them and be like listen just cuz you have no movement clause like tell me what options that you would be possibly interested in because you are not a fit for this team and the kind of culture we want in this locker room. Like it’s as simple as that. Like I don’t know how soft we’ve been for years given these no movement clauses and guys feel safe and going on your golf trips and you know drinking your margaritas. Like figure it the hell out man. Like you guys are paid to win hockey games. You know what I mean? Like Holy crap, man. It’s so It’s so frustrating. I I mean, I I’m with you. Uh and I I think that, you know, this is something you work on over the next couple of weeks and try to figure out, but I also think that it first of all requires an internal conversation, which because of the fact that you’ve got Matthews, you’ve got Knander, I think no matter what the ultimate conclusion is going to be, and Tiveres and N by the way as well, throw them into that group. I think at at the end of the day, the ultimate conversation here is going to always come back to if you have those guys, you cannot just give up. And and I get that. Um I think you have to come up with creative ways to approach it. I I think you have to kind of make an organizational decision as you look to move forward, but I’m with you. Um I I don’t know how you look at this group right now and say that they are they’re a team that wins the Stanley Cup, let alone makes the [ __ ] playoffs here right now. like, you know, this is this is a group that I think has enough talent to make the playoffs. I think should make the playoffs. I still stand by that. But given the fact that you’re seeing this lack of attention to detail, um, focus, give a [ __ ] on a nightly basis. Yeah. I I I mean, you you you can’t comfortably or confidently look at these guys and say, “Yeah, they can do it. They can figure it out. They can they can go on a run. They can make the playoffs.” No, I just I just don’t know how that could be a logical conclusion. At which point, I’m with you, Alex. I think you start to go in there and you start to have the conversation where it’s like, who has to go and how do we fix this? Because I think you start to look at the defensive side of things. Um, and then go but go from there. Um, Chris Tanv is going to come back at some point, but Chris Tanv doesn’t fix this. Uh, he’s also older. He’s taking a step back at here at at a point. Um, may potentially even here this year. I think he did look a little bit worse than what he was last year. Not bad, but just a step back. He was unbelievable last year. Same with McCabe. He’s also taken a step back. I think you look at Benois Myers and you say, “These guys can’t be here anymore. That’s it.” Um, I don’t know if they’re in the Marlies. I don’t know if they’re on a [ __ ] different team. I don’t know what it if they’re in the press box and you’re a seventh defenseman, but they can’t be playing. I don’t even know how many minutes they played. Honestly, I haven’t even looked at the box score. I don’t know. This was so infuriating tonight to see that. like you can’t put them back out there and expect something different to happen. So, those two guys done. Brandon Carlo, I don’t know if it’s that he needs a new partner, um if we just overrated what he was, if uh he only worked in Boston. I don’t know. But Brandon Carlo doesn’t work here. Maybe you got to find a way to get him gone. And if not him, you got to find the guy with that plays with him to be gone because guess what? That guy has been here since 2012. I love him as a person. I love what he’s done for the city, for the team, for the community here, for every [ __ ] organization around this city, even outside of the Maple Leafs. Like, you hear about everything Morgan Riley has done for the city of Toronto. Unbelievable. Like, I’m never going to fault the guy for that. But at some point, maybe he’s a part of the culture that we’ve spoken about that’s not good enough. Um, that is just been used to losing and and being around this for too long. Maybe it’s time to give up on that guy and say we got to change something and he’s a guy that’s got to go, Alex. But it just screams to me tomorrow you start to wake up and you get the [ __ ] on the phone. Uh I don’t know if it’s retooling, if it’s taking a year off this year and trying to get assets back or if it’s saying [ __ ] it, we’ve got the right pieces here because they see something. But you need to wake up tomorrow and status quo is not acceptable. Shit’s got to change, man. Yeah. No, 100%. And I mean now like looking at that whole trade obviously for Brandon Carlo talking about Brandon Carlo I like realistically now we’re talking in hindsight like I think at the end of last like after the last playoff run obviously letting Mitch go and all that I realistically think like when they were talked about shopping Carlo apparently there was talk about the Leafs possibly being open to trading him for getting JJ Purka Jurka. Yeah, exactly. In my opinion like sure JJ Purka would have been cool. It would have been a great great addition. I’m not going to take that away. Do I think that solves the issue? No. But what they could have even looked at is okay, we have McCabe or not Mabe. Um we we have Carlo, we could trade Carlo and maybe package him with Ben Wah coming off a good playoff and try and like even throw another asset to maybe get like an actual puck moving defenseman, a right shot puck moving defenseman, right? I I don’t know. I’m just speaking in hindsight. Something like that. like they got to change something cuz they just built a back end of like slower, bigger that don’t even play that physical other than maybe when you know and I guess Oel too, but like still not that like like go look at like watch what Zodorov is doing. He’s not a perfect defenseman at all, but dude, he was noticeable tonight. He’s pissing the Leafs off or well kind of pissing Max Diy off I guess and Bobby McMahon but the other guys well he injured your captain and and and took him out of the game. He takes uh Scott Lton out of the game the other day, you know, like it he is just causing damage in his path here right now. And it’s like you almost look at Brandon Carlo and you’re like, “Okay, if you if you are not going to be able to pass the puck, if you’re not going to be able to stick handle, if you’re not going to be able to [ __ ] find guy like find who you’re supposed to pick up in the defensive zone, at least you could go out there and mash bodies and [ __ ] make guys feel it and make guys lives in front of the net a living hell. and every scrum you could pop guys heads off like what Zidorov was doing to DOI and everybody else every time he goes in there and instead he’s not. He’s a gentle giant on the ice who blocks shots. He’s got nothing else going for him right now. And ultimately that trade with Fraser Minton going the other way who I do agree with Nick by the way to people’s points like who who are going to rip on him for it um and are going to disagree with me here. I I get it like or or try to build this up to something else. I get it like where people are gonna say, “Hey, Fraser Minton’s a guy you had to you had to keep. You could never trade that guy.” I do agree with Nick where I think Fraser Minton is like a third line center. A ceiling on a really good team or like a on a third line center, he’s a he’s a third line center on a really good team. Ceiling would be a second line center. I agree with him. Like I don’t think you’re looking at the second coming of [ __ ] Steve Eman. Like you’re not looking at that. You’re just not. I I I don’t think so. But point being, that one is going to [ __ ] sting because Brandon Carlo, if he was at least part of what he buil was build out to be, I don’t think we’re looking at that one and saying it was as bad. I I just don’t. But right now, what he did in the playoffs last season, what he’s doing to start this season, it is one of it will be one of the worst trades this team has ever made. Like you’re going to go in the [ __ ] hall of fame of bad trades and you’re going to find Fraser Minton and a firstround pick by the way for for Brandon Carlo and it’s going to be beside Nasim Codri for Tyson Barry and Alex Kerfoot. Like you you might as well put those two as the [ __ ] Mount Rushmore of bad trades made by the Toronto Maple Leafs. And both of them have now happened when the Matthews kneelander era. So, good [ __ ] [ __ ] Like, we’re going to look at these someday and just go, “How the [ __ ] did we get here?” And then we’re going to be like, “Oh, that’s how it’s just a huge piece of it.” Um, I’m not quite as infuriated as people are with the Scott Lton as my Poppy goes [ __ ] in my shoulder. Um, I’m not as frustrated as people are with the Scott Lton trade. um doesn’t look the best, but uh it’s not it’s not the end of the world for me. Again, I saw Scott Lton was doing in Philly. Um I think if he was able to bring that over to Toronto, which I saw the preseason this guy had, I’m like, “Fuck, this guy’s going to be able to have a great season. I had a lot of faith in Scott Lton this year. Um hasn’t been able to play because he’s just been injured, which [ __ ] really hurts. But, uh, yeah, that one’s not looking good right now either. So, hand up on that one. I don’t think it’s nearly as bad, but not good. Like, it’s not good. Um, no. Yeah, not at all. We’re like, we’re we’re struggling right now, Alex. We’re struggling. Um, any other thoughts here? I’ve got one other person waiting on the line, so I want to get to them and let them uh get some takes off here, but any other thoughts from you? Um, basically, yeah, what I said like about the whole management and everything, we both agreed on that. what I think realistically for Thursday’s game like and I’ve been thinking this the last couple of games like dude like at this point like like you said Benois Myers you can’t have that pairing or even both those guys right now on the ice like dude call up one of the Marley’s guys call up Thrunn or call up um the other the other right shot defenseman I forgot how you pronounce his name it starts with a V I forgot how you pronounce it but uh he from what I know he’s like more of a puck mover like just try something different cuz like clearly it’s just not working you can’t break out of your own zone like I mentioned just do something different you You never know. Like sometimes some guys, you know, especially guys like that can come in with some extra motivation, right? Just to just to try and get some sort of life. I’m not saying they’re going to be the saving grace of the Toronto Maple Leafs right now, but what do you got to lose right now? You’re you’re playing you’re playing terrible in your own end anyways. So like, what do you have to lose? Lose 91. Like I don’t know. Exactly. Exactly. And this one like you you probably should have lost that but uh to like the Bruins who again credit to them for this game here tonight. The Bruins ultimately are going to be a fringe playoff team if a playoff team at best. And if it’s not the Bruins, if it’s [ __ ] the Montreal Canadians right now, if it was if that game tonight was Carolina or Dallas or Colorado or even Edmonton probably for that matter, you are losing 10 [ __ ] one tonight. Like Steven Lorenz is walking away with the only goal of the game. I believe that. I mean, I think the Bruins just let their foot off the gas a little bit. I don’t think they’re the best team in the NHL. And I think that that’s kind of where like it lets the Leafs back into this one a little bit, but otherwise I think they get floored out of this building. Um, but I’m with you, Alex. Uh, with that, I’m going to let you go. I I appreciate you calling in. Seems a very different tone than the last couple times I’ve spoken to you, but uh, who knows? Maybe we’re back here on Thursday saying we’re back. Yeah, you never know. But yeah, I’ll definitely I’ll definitely talk to you on Thursday. And yeah, hopefully we can be a little more positive on that day. But uh, Maybe we Well, I guess the next couple days will be interesting. Let’s put it that way. But uh thanks for having me, Zach. I appreciate it. Yeah, no problem. There you go. There’s Alex A jumping on here. Uh we got a couple more people uh so that I want to get to. So, uh we will uh sort this out here, but just quickly before I go to our next couple of callers, um we do have super chats. I want to address those. And we did hit over aundred likes on the stream here tonight. So, uh let’s go to a couple of our super chats. Uh, first and foremost, we have a super chat that comes in from Detwin. Detwin says, “Trade AM34. He has been the common denominator.” Look, uh, I don’t think you’re going to trade these guys right now. I said it the other day um on the postgame show. You know, you talk about window and all this kind of stuff. I think you’ve at least got to make your way through this year and see where you’re at. Like, I don’t think you trade these guys now or at the deadline is more so my point. I Hey, maybe things change in the summer. Maybe you say this isn’t it. Maybe they come to you and they say they’re done, but I think where you’re at right now, you don’t. Um, but I I mean, I get it. I get the frustration. I get the grouping and looking at these guys and saying they’ve been here the whole time, it’s frustrating. Uh, Angry Dolly Llama. So, uh, what’s 34’s favorite flavor of Simply Deaf drinksome. Um, I don’t know. Simply were great drinks. But, uh, anyways, um, let’s get to our next caller here. Uh, waiting on the phone for a little while. I apologize for making him wait. It was a while that he sat there, but he stayed with it and is still here. So, let’s welcome to the show, I believe, for the first time ever, Jacob. Jacob, how’s it going? Not too bad. How’s it going, Zach? Do you have me? Yeah, I got you there. Um, I I guess also not too bad. Like, at the end of the day, it’s just hockey and it’s just a hockey team. So, like in the grand scheme of things, not too bad. But if we’re gonna talk about like if my livelihood depends on this team, [ __ ] awful, Jacob. That’s where I’m at. I hear you, buddy. Hey, first of all, you got to shave off that silly looking mustache cuz one, it’s not the 70s and two, you’re definitely not a porn star, buddy. Okay, I appreciate it and I appreciate you making me laugh. I am raising money for Movember, so that’s why I’m doing it. So, I tweet out the link. We’ll put it out. But that’s why I’ve got the mustache. It’s not just for fun because I’m on the same page as you. I kind of look like [ __ ] but I’m trying to raise money here. Sorry about it. Just trying to lighten the mood up a little. So, I know. I feel you. I feel you. Now, about this this [ __ ] team of ours here, man. Um I think it it’s it’s hilarious to me because I think it’s so obvious and I have no idea how the actual organization doesn’t get it. Um we’ve we’ve had the same [ __ ] for 10 years. We’ve had so many we’ve had GM changes, coach changes, management changes, everything’s changed. It’s the same [ __ ] year after year. And it’s it’s pretty obvious. It’s it’s the heart of the team. And these guys that that are on the ice, there’s just a lack of balls. I mean, literally, they should if if it was an option to send these guys down to the the WHL, it would be a great option because it’s a bunch of vagina. I mean, there’s just there’s no balls, there’s no heart, there’s nothing. I mean, it’s guys that just could give less of a [ __ ] except for a paycheck. It it’s that’s what it seems like. Yeah. I I look, dude, I’m with you. Um, it’s hindsight here now, but I mean I I think you look at it and you can kind of you can start to I mean start to I mean at this point you kind of kind of finalize your opinions on it, but I think that having those four guys here and be the nucleus of this team the entire time was a massive massive issue. Um, not because they weren’t talented, not because they weren’t skilled players, uh, or some of the most elite players from that standpoint in the NHL, but because they were all built the same. And as you said, and it’s harsh, but 10 years into this, I think it’s fair to say they’re gutless. Like, they are gutless. They show up and do their jobs every night and then they leave. Um, aside from that, there’s there’s not much more that goes on. and allowing them to stay together, allowing them to try year after year after year to run it back, I think caused major problems and and just was a cancer to the organizational culture that you’ve developed here where it was just like status quo is acceptable. These guys don’t show up and they don’t have that next gear. They don’t have that next level of intensity. They are show up to the rank, do your job, and go home kind of guys, not take this with you. And I’m not saying like going home and staring at the ceiling at night and contemplating life is the best way to approach things, but like you know feeling feeling a bit of pride about what happens is isn’t a bad thing. And it feels like this group didn’t have that and they let them run it back year after year after year. And you know I I think getting Mitch out of here or one of the four at least like we can just drop his name and just say one of the four was probably the way to do it. But it was too little too late by the time that he left here for Vegas. And you didn’t replace him with anything. And it it’s it’s just it’s it’s [ __ ] this team right now. And it’s really putting a damper on [ __ ] And I don’t think it was enough either. I mean, I I hear all these people that in the in the chat and everywhere, all the noise, you know, fire Bub and stuff. Give your [ __ ] head a shake. Bury is a world class coach. He’s one cups. He knows what he’s doing. He has the right mentality. He has what this team needs. It’s just that they’re not [ __ ] listening to him. You’ve got guys like Doy that are going out there and taking the worst penalties at the worst times. Just dumb, stupid, unintelligent, no hockey IQ plays. You’ve got guys like Riley just everybody knows he’s playing ridiculous hockey. It’s not it’s not even close to NHL level. It’s like pee-wee level. Carlos not performing up. You can’t have this many guys playing this terribly and think you’re going to get anywhere with that. I mean, I I think the obvious thing that just needs to be done, Buru needs to just literally bench some of the stars. He needs to take Riley, sit them for a game, send guys down, make them play in the NHL for a while, make them feel embarrassed. I mean, so that when they come back, maybe they grow some balls and have some pride. I mean, if you’re not going to take pride in the sweater that you’re wearing, just get the [ __ ] out. like sit on a bench, right? The Giants are sit in the AHL. I mean, it seems to me like that’s the solution, but why don’t they get it? Why don’t why doesn’t it get done? I I’m with you that this can’t fall solely on Bub’s lap um of the blame. Um I I think that’s completely unfair to suggest that they’re playing this way because of Buru. I think they’re playing this way because of whether it’s the the mind, the the heart, whatever it is of the guys that are in that room. And specifically, I look at the the core of it. Um, and you know, people are going to say, well, well, Mitch left and so now who do you have to blame? It’s Matthews and Knander. I think it’s just that that whole nucleus of it all. Riley in there as well. Um, JT, Matthews, Knander. Like, it’s it’s just being built and that’s who they are. And then that’s kind of what everything feeds off of. Uh, so I’m with you. Like I I the only reason I suggest firing Bubet is because they’re clearly not listening. Um I’m I’m not even sure like Jacob, I’m with you. Obviously there’s guys you can’t send to the HL just cuz you physically can’t like you’ll just lose assets for them like they’ll be gone. But I’m with you in terms of like embarrassing these guys and putting guys in the press box. I’m on the same page here, man. You got to do some crazy [ __ ] in a way to be like wake the [ __ ] up. You’re not you’re not immune to this situation that’s going on here. You’re not excused from what’s going on here. Go sit in the press box for a game. Go watch your team. Go be embarrassed. Go have articles and everything written about you because we can talk about how bad it is in Toronto for the media here to do [ __ ] Look, guess what will happen when Morgan Riley goes and sits in the press box? ESPN, who doesn’t seem to give a [ __ ] about hockey, will lead off tomorrow morning’s show with Morgan Riley who’s benched. you know, like they will do that and that’s gonna be embarrassing for these guys. But the only thing, Jacob, these guys, they they don’t seem to be embarrassed. Like, they just don’t have that in them. Get your [ __ ] pumped on a Tuesday. Get your [ __ ] pumped on a Saturday. Blow leads, lose playoff games. We’ll show Oh, we played all right. We’ll show up to the next one. So that’s the only reason for me I look at it and I’m like maybe it’s just got to you got to wipe the coaching staff, try something different and then you kind of work your way back from there because I I don’t even know how much more Buru can do other than like putting the entire [ __ ] team in the press box at this point. But I’m with you, Jacob. I’m with you. Sure, buddy. Yeah. And it makes you wonder, too. I mean, because of the culture and the the attitude of some of these guys, if you sit them in the press box for game or two, is it going to make a difference actually? I got to relax and I’m still getting paid for a day, right? That’s my concern. These guys are almost going to take it like, “Ah, well, [ __ ] Nice day off.” You know, go eat some popcorn, hang out with the boys, have a beer the night before. Like, [ __ ] It almost seems like that’s the issue in the in the playoffs, too. they get they start getting, you know, into round two and they’re thinking, “Well, [ __ ] you know, I’ I’d like a little bit more summer and some golfing time.” So, you know, maybe it’s time to just uh be a lazy prick and not not play, right? You wonder. Exactly. Exactly. Um infuriating like infuriating stuff. Um anything else here sticking out to you tonight, Jacob, or whether it’s about this game, the season as a whole, thoughts going forward, like where are you at right now? What else is on your mind? The only other thing I could say is like about tonight’s game, if you’re if you’re looking for any positivity, any little glimmer of hope, it was that they showed at least a little bit of fight uh feistiness late in the game, you know, a little bit of chippiness around the boards and stuff like that. But then again, stupid timing and and going too far. I mean, don’t drop in the gloves when Zidorov didn’t drop the gloves. I mean, it’s a dumb penalty. I mean, when when they’re showing anything, it’s the wrong timing. It’s it’s just not hockey sense. I don’t know. No, no, no. You’re right. You’re right. You’re right. And like where I’ll like expand on this is that we’re going to sound hypocritical here as Leafs fans. Uh, and I think you’ll get this where it’s like, well, you always ask for them to have a response. Yes, I’m glad that they had the response and I’m on board with what you’re saying where it’s like, hey, I’m glad that they at least showed something cuz Nick and I talked about it. Years past, they go down 4-1 in this game. They are like scrum in front of the net. Get me the [ __ ] out of here. Like, I want to go home. I want to get on the plane. I want to eat my steak and I want to get in my bed tonight. Uh, at least tonight there was some there was some fight like there was some push back. the the point which I think you’re getting to um and I agree with and I’ll expand and you tell me if I’m wrong, but you don’t want this to be reactionary. You want this to be from the moment you step on the ice where you’re mean and beating guys down and wearing them down. The Florida Panthers don’t go out into a game and they’re like, “We’re going to skill it up. We’re going to score more goals than you and then if it goes wrong, we’re going to beat the [ __ ] out of you.” They come out the gates and like stare at you in warm-up and skate by the red line and [ __ ] spit on you and say, “I’m going to kill you.” And then the second the puck drops, they they attack attack attack. It’s not reactionary toughness. It is built into them from the moment they they wake up in the morning that they want to kill you to the moment that they go to bed. And they probably go to sleep dreaming about killing you. These guys are like, “Well, we got out of there in the third period and showed some fight. That was good enough.” That’s not good enough. You can’t do that. Yeah. Yeah. 100%. Man, what what I what I consider it’s it’s too little too late hockey is what they’re playing. They wait until in a spot where they’re kind of [ __ ] and they’re like, “Oh [ __ ] we got to wake up.” And it’s they’re already screwed. You can’t you can’t play down three goals and come back every single game. It’s a losing strategy. And it’s just it’s what they continue to do. And it’s uh yeah, I’m surprised I have any [ __ ] hair left on my head. I should have pulled it all out by now. Oh, dude. That’s it. I’m like, I’m looking at this and I’m like, people are going to look at me early in my career versus where I’m going to be at like by the end of it. And I don’t think it’s going to look like this anymore. Well, look at uh look at Nick there. He’s got the alipcia thing going on that I [ __ ] with. All right. Uh anything else, Jacob? Oh, sorry. I didn’t hear either. No, that’s all. I just said it’s it’s not genetics for him. It’s a team. It’s a team. It’ll do it to you. It probably will. Uh, anything else, Jacob, here before I let you go? That’s it, brother. I just appreciate you having me on and uh good stuff. Love what you guys are doing. Thank you. I appreciate you calling in and giving your thoughts here. Um, you enjoy the rest of your night the best you can. Look forward to seeing you in the chat and hopefully see you back here on Thursday. I happy to have you call back at any time. Cheers, man. Have a good one. There you go. There’s Jacob. You, too. I appreciate it. appreciate the call here on the show tonight. Um I don’t know why that thing’s popping back up. There we go. Got it off the screen. Um but uh yeah, we’ll we’ll get to one more caller here. There’s a couple other things I want to get to. We still have 500 people watching here on the postgame show. So, thank you to anyone who uh is watching who’s uh hit the like button because we are currently now at um 141 likes. So, nine more and we’ll get ourselves to another set of smelling salts. But we’ll do the uh ones for 100 here right now. Uh and then we got I think Prague on the line. Hopefully I said his name right. If I didn’t, he can correct me when he jumps in. But I’ll do the smelling salts. I’ll answer a couple super chats here quickly. But uh here’s the smelling salts. There you go. There the smelling salts. I swear these are brand new bottle and these things kick your ass. I had Rosie here. Tried to get him to do them. Wanted him to do it on the show. uh and then kind of forgot and then time passed and I was like all right whatever it is what it is we’ll move on but uh quickly here uh super chat couple that did come in uh super chats proceeds from our super chat do go to sick kids charity uh first super chat comes in from Robert Betts again uh Robert here says sorry just not a Derrick Leon fan look what he did in Detroit everybody says yes look what he did in Tampa as an assistant coach but look at the elite defense he had um I think that’s fair I’m just and again, Robert, thank you for the super chat. Very generous at the donation there. I’m not going to like disagree and say, “No, no, Rob. Um, Dererick Alain is an amazing head coach.” Like, who the [ __ ] am I to say that here right now? It’s not like he’s had this unbelievable body of work. But what I’m going to say is I’m not looking at this group and saying this is Derek Leon’s fault. I I just can’t get there. Uh, and then there’s another super chat that came in from Mike Fodorov. Uh, there’s nothing attached to it. It’s just a super chat, but Mike, thank you for the super chat. So, with that, uh, let’s get to our next caller here on the line. I’m looking forward to hearing what he’s got to say. And tell me if I said his name right. Uh, Prague. Prague. Did I say it right? There’s two ways to say. You can say Prague like the city or Pog, but whatever. I’m good. Prague. Okay. Okay. Or you can say Prague like the city. Prague like the city is fine. Prague like the city. I’ll I’ll go with that one. How are you doing tonight, Prague? Uh well on defense uh let’s see before Wendell Clark’s uh first season but it’s he was the reason I became a a huge leaf fan in hockey play. But anyway so that’s just a little bit about me anyway. So I think it’s um it’s been a comedy of errors for over 20 years. Um, I think like you you can tell me. Okay, let’s talk about the coach. Craig Buru caught lightning in a bottle. Jordan Bennington was what in the ECL. Uh, can you tell me who is our Vince Dunn? Who is our Peter Angelo? Who’s our like Vlad uh Terenko, our Roar? Like they had up and downs. We have we have Sammy Blade, but he was not as injured, right? So he won only one round after winning his Stanley Cup. So he had five months as a co head coach in St. Louis cut lightning in a bottle. They’re last place only team to ever do it. So tell me how is he I don’t care. He has Stanley Cup things. It doesn’t matter to me. I look at what he did. So now second um he only won one round afterwards and then was fired because he didn’t make the playoffs. Great. Now he gets hired in last year, let’s say. Okay, I hated the trade trading win because if you look at him right now, he’s got Yes, he only has like four points on San Jose, but he’s zero. He has a zero plus or minus. Some people care, but like he’s playing topline minutes for the last two since last year. Mhm. He played here. He was top four until he got injured the pre the last year he was here, he played top four and was doing killing it. Yep. by every trick until he got injured. Then he came back and they never played him in the playoffs because well Keith anyways then we trade him for what a fourth and a sixth and Matt Benning who’s actually an NHer but we don’t play him we play Sam Simone Benois but anyways going back yeah anyways we go back to last year we’d win a game one nothing 2-1 but we’d get caved in by everybody San Jose was caving us in Chicago was caving us in points points points we had two goalies. One was 910, one was 926. Yes, they did better defensively, technically a little bit better with the cross puck stuff, but we were getting caved in. They were not like, who was our best zone entry defenseman? Who who blocked the most zone entries in all of his years? Timothy Lyn. Who was our best passers in the last three years? Lilligrin. Timmons. Timonss has four points on Buffalo. who’s got so many injuries. We gave away Timmons Ander who has also he has three goals and three assists. I think in Pittsburgh, we gave them away for a fifth round pick. All they thought about was getting somebody who’s a 3C, an older 3C. He’s not even a 3C. He was a third line, fourthline winger who were forcing into a 4C. I love his attitude. I think he’s great in the room. But we paid what a a first round pick and Grabbank in. Mhm. What did What did Florida pay for Marshand? Yeah. No kidding. I think it was a I think it was a second or third. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that’s what it was. Yeah. Yeah. And if you think about asset management, yes, we got we had a tradeway at goalie and our pick that was used was Sam Riddenel. Their third line center on Dallas was our 31st 30th pick that we got in the trade for Kville Kel where we got the 30th pick overall from the from Pittsburgh, Sam Steel and uh Kain. Uh look on any team like I can tell you every name because I’ve been watching I’m a huge fan. I’m like about it, but not because not in a bad way, just like I can’t afford the tickets, but like you know, um, so like asset management has been poor every single time. You say we don’t care about uh picks and this and that. Could we have gotten Dobson? No. Could we have gotten like they got uh Montreal did a great thing. They got Kerry, I think his name is Kerry, Alexander Kerry. He’s a right-handed. Yeah. Yeah. From from Nashville. Yeah. From Nashville for like a fourth round pick. Yeah. He’s better than every right-hand we have currently. And I’ll tell you right now, Carlo was good. Carlo was good until he started getting concussions. Then he’s his ice time went down on Boston. He was the I think last year he was sixth in ice time or D. He’s just big. And what did Lton do that proved him to be any kind of winner? Yes, we’ve always needed scoring, but they never went for the scoring. They went for big and tough and this and that. That doesn’t do anything. And then they go for Buru, who has this big and tough. We have everything that Brew wants in terms of his defense. And we have actually better talent. I like our forwards way better. But you telling me we have problems with our defense and David Conf is in the AHL. That’s a good point. Why? No. Tell me like we can’t we can’t get out of our own zone. David K is a like yes he needed McKayv or uh Angal to push the the puck up but we have enough speeders now and enough passers and good quality players to work with him. And well I love Wah I love uh Machellia. No matter what you say he’s actually doing something. He’s getting points. he’s doing something like not every game he’s he’s not like that but he’s going to learn but because he never got the opportunity but he played with low uh Krauss when he was on when he was getting the 57 and 49 points he was playing on the the wing right wing or left wing depending on the day with Krauss and uh Nick Buchad’s not had only one great season two great seasons but otherwise he hasn’t done anything for a lot of years Krauss is amazing But they work great together. So working with Wah and Dakota Joshua is great. So like the thing is the whole point is my point is saying our defense is crap. We should put Benois Benois and Meyers put him on IR pretend. I don’t care. Matthews looks like he’s depressed or doesn’t give a damn because he has not looked I don’t care about his points or goals. When has he dominated? Tell me one shift he’s dominated where you were like like off the edge of your seat where you were like No, I I’m with you there. I’m I’m with you on that. Morgan Riley just tonight he g he was there was nobody in his own. He was picking up a puck on the right be on the right side behind uh uh I guess it was Hillby at that point. He had two pe one person in front of him who was a leaf. Behind him he had two leaves. He had one leaf. Yeah. He rims it hard as he can the other way. So then there’s this lead that’s curly in the zone and he’s he’s like jetting just to get to it and barely made it to beat the uh Boston Bruin. What the hell is this? Like Morgan Riley has given away putts when there’s no pressure, when there is pressure. When there’s a little pressure, he’s been throwing muffins every which way. I don’t care about the points he had. Like people tell me he has 13 points. Who cares? He needs to be traded. I don’t Sit him down. Sit Matthews down. I Matthews needs to be sat down for games. Even if he’s not injured, if he is injured, sit him down for a week. Do it on hockey night in Canada. Do it in front of his family. I don’t like he has nothing. He has done nothing. He has been a complimentary player on the front. Well, he does. There’s no reason in the world that Matthews needs N. He doesn’t need anybody. Yeah, Matthew. Well, he shouldn’t. He shouldn’t. He two years ago he was with who? Bertusi and Doy and he made them look like superstars. He gave he gertusi a $5.5 million contract. Yeah, that’s what And look at look at Tavvaris. Tavvaris is five years older than him or six years older than him. Look at uh Knander. No matter what you say about Knander, yes, he has a great attitude for this market because it’s tough, but he’s the only one him and uh Tavvaris always show up. I’m not very impressed by N tonight. He was like he couldn’t handle a puck. He couldn’t pass at two feet. And there’s a lot of games I don’t find him very good. Don’t I’ve been saying that uh Roberts Nikki Robbie has been had had to play with somebody. He was always playing with like comp or doi at center. I’m like that doesn’t work. So my point is um all the asset management like look at uh the Kessle trade where we lost uh who was it? Hamilton and what’s his face say again everything is going wrong so like my point is everything you’ve said about the coach if they’re not listening to the coach they need to fire him but they also need to get rid of I think the rot starts with Morgan this rot starts with Morgan and Matthews is right up there too because I’ll be honest when have you been impressed by him in the postseason being five or seven or even in the second second round one game maybe here. No, no, I’m with you. So like to me it’s a defensive problem because they only go for big slow old like Tanv there’s a good chance he might have uh by the time I I think the only thing I think the only thing is though that you you look at these guys and you needed to get bigger but you lost any ability to skate and to move the puck and I I think that they kind of went from having one and not the other to having the other and not the one. You know, you look at the guys that you mentioned, you talk about Lilligrin, uh, even relating back to Sandy and looking at some of the guys that you had in the bottom six here before. Um, I look at those guys and I I see what you’re saying and you’re lacking those areas of the game that they had, but the honest response to it though is just when you got to the playoffs, you went and watched and said, “Wow, you’re missing this other area.” the the thing that they made the mistake on was overcorrecting and getting way more of what you said that they were missing and losing what the other guys had. You look at the teams that are successful, Colorado, Dallas, Edmonton, uh Florida, Carolina, some of the teams that you just pointed out, some of the players that they had that you’ve brought up here uh to my attention. You look at some of those guys, the difference is just that the guys they have in the bottom, they do both. They do both well. You know, you brought in guys here to Toronto who load up your back end who are supposed to these big be these big physical heavy guys. And now you look at Brandon Carlos, Simone Benois, um Jake McCabe, Phipe Meyers, like they can’t move the puck. They they just can’t move the puck. Jake McCabe is a good skater. He’s he’s a pretty decent He’s a decent He’s not a great, but he’s a decent puck mover. Oel is the best. Yeah, he’s fine. O is the best puck mover for sure. Jake McCabe is fine. I I just more so mean like you’re you’re looking at that and saying that’s the barometer. Like that’s not an acceptable barometer in my opinion, right? Like you need to go higher than that. And that’s not to knock Jake McCabe. It’s just like if Jake McCabe is your third best puck mover, you’re probably up Shitz Creek without a paddle. Yeah. And the point is remember we always went with toughness. We got Lushkin twice or three times. We got Chen twice. That’s why Littlein never played in the playoffs. That’s why Nikki Robbie, we would never let him play any anyone with any kind of skill. We just we dump him in the worst positions. So, how are you going to develop a player? But I think I I I think a guy like Nick Robertson and like I I’m giving I I’ve been giving him credit this season. I think a guy like Nick Robertson though in the past and like again some of this stuff we’re talking about in revisionist and I understand because a lot of it as we’ve brought up is is led to where we are right now but like a guy like Nick Robertson um he never fully came to even what he’s doing right now. It’s not like he was showing what he’s showing right now before and they were just choosing not to play him. He never really got to this point like this was lacking. You know, he deserves this opportunity right now. he deserves this platform right now. But it’s not like he was just showing this and they were just choosing to put him in the press box, you know? Like that’s my that’s my disagreement with on that. Like and I I think Nick Robertson works his bag off. Um I just think he just wasn’t consistent before and if he didn’t have an offensive game where he was coming out and scoring, a lot of the other areas of his game are were lacking. He’s finally started to figure those things out. But just I I give him the credit this year. If they were to pull the plug on him on Thursday, I’m going to sit here and yell, “What the [ __ ] are we doing?” But in years past, it’s not the same, it’s not the same reaction to taking him out of the lineup or putting him down the lineup because he just he just can’t he couldn’t string games together. And so he had the skill, but like so did Dennis Malgan and so did uh trade. Yeah. Yeah. That that’s that’s a bad one. But like he had skill too. Alex Keroot had skill. Cali Yarn Croak has skill. I just think like a lot of these guys, they’re just missing a piece now. Have we overcorrected? Probably. I’m with you on that one. But again, like you you watch those guys, you put them in the lineup, and then you say something’s missing, and then you take them out of the lineup, and it’s like those things that those guys brought were missing as well. But the problem and again this is what happens when you go on the internet and you see like you know vibes versus chart people that happen is like the chart people are on this side saying Kerfoot and Yarn Croak are amazing and then the other people are on the other side saying Lton and Lorent are amazing and it’s like you just needed to find the guy who’s in the [ __ ] middle like looking at the guys who are on the Panthers like Jonah Gajivic is a guy who does both like Yona Gajich is a guy who will go out there and poke your eyes out and then score 15 goals this season. Uh but okay, so I’m not I’m sort of both you have to look at it and I look at the numbers too, right? So I’ve never been like um I always sometimes you miss something that you don’t see in the numbers. No one ever said kurfoot like Yarn Croc we know can play up. He’s a jack of all trades. He’s not like a master of any and last year he was injured. So, like I didn’t take last year as anything, but I’ve looked at um like if you look at my comments on the athletic or on other videos from way back in the day, I’ve always said like we people like to say we got really skilled up. When did we go really skilled? Because what we did was we got rid of Bozac for nothing. We got nothing in return. We got rid of JVR for nothing. Padre we gave up on because he had two like stupid things that happened. But like regardless, he was a dog who was in the fight. Now with Nikki Robbie, he the only that was when they went really skill Prague. Like that’s when they went really skill. That that period of time was when Kyle Dubis and co decided that was the direction that was they were going to head in. It was Sheldon Keef coming. It was the the Kerfoot and Barry and uh I mean you had Sandy coming through Keroot and Barry was but that was that period of time where things transition that way where it was like we are building on analytics and speed and expected goals and zone entries which are all important but you’re over it was overvalued and that was the first issue where we went way the other way and and when and tried to reinvent the wheel and say we’re going to be the first team in NHL history to win this way and then now it swung way the other way where we’re trying to build it the other way and be like we’re going to be cavemen and bash everyone’s heads in and we can’t [ __ ] skate and move the puck anymore. No, but like okay Kerfoot and Barry even when they were traded for I was like getting into analytics pretty hard at that time because I was trying to understand everything. Uh and nobody liked it. Barry was like people just basically said he’s like uh dimestore gardener without the skill or the like the ability to do anything in the defensive zone. Yes, I love Gardner. I thought he was better than Riley, but that’s yes, he screwed up here and there, but his game, his skating, everything else was better. Um and I’ll take that to my grave. But um the thing is nobody liked Keroot. People were hoping that Barry could be a three or right-handed 3D who could do power play. Uh people were hoping that Keroot could maybe be a 3C, but he’s more of a winger and that’s like complimentary maybe on a four. But like nobody thought that was a great deal. And the fact that we had to give extra to even get picks to even get to them was brutal cuz we would have gotten um Brody and whatever. Brody and Jenowski. Jenowsky would have been bad, but Brody would have been good. But anyway, so my whole point about Nikki Robbie, the only reason he got he showed what he could do is because one of the things I didn’t like about I like Buru generally like I thought his ideas are good. He just doesn’t have it’s not the right team for it. Uh in certain ways, right? I like his idea of being, you know, cutting off the middle, cutting the, you know, the uh what they call the uh Royal Road passes or whatever they call it. But like um but we kept on getting caved in. So I didn’t like that. But the only reason Nikki Robbie got a chance or Robertson got a chance is because he put the blender in a blender. Like he kept on putting there was no chance for anybody to get used to any line. Not even Austin Matthew, not not uh Knander, not Tavvarz. And that was a huge problem. And that’s the only reason that Nikki Robbie got a chance in the uh in the top line or you know to show what he can do and get like a few more minutes and that’s how he showed otherwise every other team like every time if you look at his minutes and who he played with. These were non-skilled or like basically captain and kind of like people who are fast but don’t know what to do with the puck once again in the front in the end in the offensive zone. No passing skill, no nothing. So anyways, my whole point is I think um if anything I would try to uh I would put uh my goal would be Simone Benois on IR, put Philippe Myers on IR. We have we have Vilnov, William Vilnov, who’s a he’s a 6’2, great passing. He’s not the best skater, but uh who cares? He he can do it. Uh we also have Matt Benning who was uh 61 and until he got injured a couple years ago. He was a sought-after commodity. I think he was at $3 million during the pandemic for like three years until he got injured. So like and people were saying we couldn’t trade half our team for him like when he was on the other team. So I think we need Matt Benning. I like Yeah, trust me. People are idiots on the on on on Twitter. But like um I Yeah, I don’t know about that. I don’t know that Matt Benning was I I don’t know Prague, let’s get let’s get to let’s I want to get your final thoughts just on this team here now like the not previous teams not previous constructions just one final thought here on what what’s going on right now with this team and and where you’re at like again like not back to Matt Benning and Bozac and JVR and stuff this team right now as constructed just a final thought for me um you got to get rid of Morgan Riley. Uh bench him until he agrees to leave. Um you need to toss uh Philip Myers and Sim Bono Benois into the sun. Like try to get some picks and prospects for him or a player of some sort. Some there’s always player people who like uh those guys. So big and right-handed or big fast and uh you know Benois and a fighter. But like uh we need to get rid of a bunch of players. The only three defenseman I’d keep is uh Oel, Tanv for sure, and uh uh McCabe. Carlo, I’d want to boost his I want to I want to boost his value and then trade him to like Seattle for their four first round picks they have the next two years cuz I’ll be and maybe sorry Carlo trade him for four first round picks if you can because he has two years left. Eat half his salary if you have to. I don’t care. And there’s no way they’re getting that return. But I that’s optimistic they’re not getting that return. Boost them up. Boost them up as much as they can. I don’t I don’t know. I don’t know how much you can polish that turd. That’s not happening for first round. But you know, at this point, you’re you’re lucky to get you’re lucky to get rid of the guy for like a like a fifth right now. Like you’re you’re scraping by. You’re moving the guy off and somebody’s doing you a favor by taking that contract on. I I I get the optimism, but that’s not happening proping. I’m I’m a Leaf fan. I have to dream because I’ve had 40 years of pain. But like um I get it. I get it. But uh anyways, I want to thank you, Zach, for doing this every evening and uh uh letting me chat so much. I look forward to the next time, my brother. Yeah, I appreciate you calling in. We disagree. I I’m okay to disagree with anybody. I just want to know why. Why do you disagree? I just I it the only thing that drives me nuts is when people in the chat just say, “You’re an idiot. You’re wrong.” Like, why? Let’s hear it. Why? So, I appreciate you coming on here and saying your thoughts here, even though we disagree on some. So, one last thing. One last thing. Yeah. Yeah. Um, one of the problems with um, for living is like he likes big and long, right? Yeah. He passed over. There’s a there’s a reason he passed over Blaine Hudson. He passed over. Well, I mean, he didn’t really I I don’t know that he like passed over. Name name a player name a player that was 57 or 5’8 or 5’9 that he he’s picked outside of Andrew Manapani. And that was Cowan was one that was the first one that he picked but he’s 5’11. Okay. And he was a smaller guy. Yeah. But he was touted pretty heavily and they thought he had fire. So like uh 5’11 is probably the smallest, but he like uh Lane Hudson, everybody knew about him. He was breaking records. Cole Hudson, his brother, one year younger or two years younger. He’s he’s he’s in Washington. Uh Kale Mar, he’s 51. You know, I’m me saying like he might have like if we had picks, if we had anything like I’m looking at his whole history, like what did he do with Calgary? What did he do like I I just I love what he’s done in terms of uh contracts. I love what he’s done in a lot of ways like in terms of forwards. Yes. But I’m not I’m not a fan of what he’s done. So otherwise, um anyways, but anyways, have a great night, my friend. Have a great night. Thank you. Appreciate you calling. Uh there you go. So, there’s Prague uh jumping on here tonight. Uh appreciate it. Um we’ll wrap up with a couple more things before we can close out tonight’s show. It’s been a long one. Uh but we do have to get to some of our segments. Um I don’t know. I don’t know where people are at. I think we could probably skip the play of the game tonight. I don’t think that there needs to be a play of the game, but uh I do want to get to our best bet segment to recap that. So, our best bet is a presentation of bet 365. Whatever your bet is, it’s never ordinary at bet365. Um, download the app and get in on the game. Use the code nation nat i n. That’s code nation nat i n at bet 365. Must be 19 or older. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Um, getting to our best bet to recap what happened here. So, let’s start with the real negative for best bet. Um, we had really tiny bets. Let’s make sure that that’s clarified. This was really tiny bets on Austin Matthews to get two plus and Austin Matthews to get three plus. $5 lost on the 3+, $15 lost on the two plus. Grand scheme of things, not that big of a deal. Lost 20 bucks on that one. Those were some fun ones. There were some tiny bets. Uh that brings our record on the year to nine and 16. But I’m not worried about the record. I’m worried about the profits. The profits on this one so far on the season now uh $160. We are still up 1.6 units. If you follow every bet, the size of the bet uh and we get to um uh you bet it at bet365, you’d be up $160 here at least on the season. Um now, uh also, uh the the other bet that we had was William Knander over two and a half shots on goal at plus 100. William Knander, thank [ __ ] god, had seven shots on goal. Thank you, William Knander. That is $75 profit from our boy Willie Nye. That brings us up on the day. So, we lost 20 bucks total to uh the Austin Matthews stuff who obviously left this game with injury. Um and then we get $75 of profit back from William Knander. uh which makes us positive $55 on the day, bringing our total to a profit of $235 on the season. That would be 2.35 units on the year. And that would bring our record to 10 and 16. If there’s anything here, this proves to uh this proves or should prove at least that you don’t need to be a positive record to win in sports betting. you just need to bet the right things. So, there you go. Up $235 profit on the season. Uh before we move forward, 172 likes here on the show, that means the third set of smelling salts for tonight. Um if you haven’t already, hit the like button, subscribe to the channel. Um just quick note, uh if we get to 200 before the end, we’ll do it again. So, thank you for liking. Let’s get to 200 though. Here’s the smelling salts. And if you haven’t subscribed yet, Leaf Nation 401 right here on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel. Turn on notifications so you don’t miss anything that happens. Whether it is the postgame shows just like this one. If it’s a Leafs morning take uh Monday to Friday at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, Nick Albera, Jay Rose Hill, producer Vic giving some hot takes. I’m interested to see what he’s got to say tomorrow. It’s all happened here uh right here on the Leaf Station 401 YouTube channel. Also a note to people if you want to just listen to this back if you missed the video, you want to listen to it in the car, you want to listen to it in the gym, whatever, you can find us on all podcasting platforms, TLN After Dark, the Leafs Nation after dark. So make sure to check us out. Uh but before we can go forward, we got couple more things to do. Uh we’ll so we’ll go first and foremost to the next super chat that we have. Uh last super chat here of the night. This one comes in from JD Anderson Comedy. Thank you, JD. Uh, that would be Jacob who did call in earlier. Proceeds from our super chats go to Sick Kids Charity. JD Anderson Comedy says, “Donation for the Marathon Rant Show tonight, Zack. Thanks for having my sorry ass on. Thank you for calling in. Thanks to everybody who called in. Thanks to everybody who stuck along uh throughout the entire show. We’ve been at it for almost two hours here on the post game. I know that this is a long one. Um, I know my roommates are probably not the most impressed that I’ve been yelling and screaming for two straight hours, but sometimes it calls for it. And tonight it called for it. Uh, let’s keep it going here on the postgame show though. Uh, to wrap things up, we have Crave the Stats and we have uh our best uh not our best bet, sorry, our grade of the game. Uh, crave the stats. Just going to kind of quickly run down a box score so we get an idea of who performed and who didn’t because I think for the most part here. A lot of people didn’t in this game tonight, but Crave the Stats is a presentation of Uber Eats. Pretty sick to have Uber Eats part of the show. Uber Eats is enabling fans to maximize their fandom all season long with exclusive game day deals on the app. From game day eats to paper plates and napkins if you’re hosting to all the ingredients you need to make your favorite game day dip. Every time the Leafs are playing at home, you can get these exclusive deals in Toronto only on Uber Eats. Firehouse Subs, Bogo Brisket Hatrick, KBO Sushi, Bogo California Roll, Shelby Schwarma, Bogo Traditional Wrap. BOGO of course is buy one get one before, during, and after the game. Uber Eats is assisting every fan’s hockey experience all season long. Look, I mean Uber Eatats is an absolute savior. uh when we go from ripping through content all day here doing what I’m doing. I’m not going to pretend like I have this super hard job. I know I get to watch hockey and talk about hockey and it’s a dream, but sometimes it can get busy and you can get lost in the day and Uber Eats sitting there being as convenient as it is is a pretty unreal thing to have on my phone and saves me a lot of days, especially when all of a sudden I’m sitting down going, “Oh [ __ ] it’s almost 7 o’clock. I got to watch the Leafs game here now.” Uber Eatats comes in clutch. Um, let’s quickly run down what we got for box score. I mean, you know, you look at guys playing minutes tonight. Sammy Bl plays the least amount of minutes of all forwards of all players on the Leafs with 8 minutes and 34 seconds of time on ice. Uh, goalending jumping there. Anthony Stolars, three goals on 10 shots. He had a 700 save percentage. He was terrible tonight. Um, love Stoley. love, you know, his his energy and what he brings to the game. And I think he will get this figured out, but right now he’s not getting any help in front of him and he is not backing up the comments he made the other day. He’s been really really struggling and the last two games has been absolutely terrible. Like there’s some unacceptable goals that are scor being scored on him right now that you you just cannot cannot let slide. Um, you know, Dakota Joshua minus1, Bobby McMahon minus one, John Diverz minus one, Jake McCabe minus2 on the night. You look at guys like Riley Meyers, uh, Brandon Carlos somehow walks away with a even on the night. Uh, Knander even, it’s the shot leaders for this one. William Knander seven, NY five. Um, outside of that, the Leafs aren’t generating much. You know, Sammy Blade two shots on goal. Doi one, Lorren two, Machelli one, McMahon two, uh Robertson one, Nick Wah two, Johniverus one. Um Austin Matthews zero shots on goal tonight. I know we played 10 minutes and 51 seconds, but like 10 minutes and 51 seconds with no [ __ ] shots is unacceptable. Especially when you’re looking at going, we started like [ __ ] Well, where was the captain? For the first 10 minutes and 51 seconds that he played, he didn’t register one shot on goal. Not one. He had one hit, zero goals, zero assists, zero plus minus, zero shots on goal, zero block shots, zero penalties, zero giveaways. So, sure, great. Zero takeaways, though. Like, it it’s it’s unex it’s unacceptable. Honestly, it’s unacceptable. You can’t. And I think this has been one of the biggest issues these guys have had all season long. You just can’t show up like this or fail to show up like this and expect things to be good or different. Also, final stat of the day that I want to get to here. Posted in the chat to start the show. Um there’s 752 viewers, 754 votes, 55. It’s climbing uh on the uh poll here tonight that was put up in the chat. What do the Leafs do now? Uh nothing. They’re fine. 17% fire and staff somehow in last place right now. 11% um 41% say massive culture changing trade and then 32% say blow it up. I’m surprised that fire brew staff is 11%. Cuz to me that’s the first move that you got to make because it’s the easiest one. um it’s the most realistic one and then after that it’s figuring out whatever the [ __ ] you can do with guys who have no moves and big contracts and haven’t been performing and figuring out how do you replace those guys. Um okay, final thing. Let’s get to uh let’s get to our grade of the game. This one is simple. Uh it’s straight up an F. This is a complete failure from start to finish, from top to bottom. Everybody on this roster, everybody in that room, everybody on the bench failed here tonight. There there’s no way around it. This is a complete and utter failure from start to finish. I don’t care about the push back late. I mean, the only person who deserves any type of positive is Dennis Hillby who gets a 905 save percentage, lets in two goals on 21 shots. You can get that if you want, but this is another failure. And we are 17 games in and this might be a record for most fails given in a season by myself. Like I don’t think I’ve ever handed out this many. And to be 17 games in handing out failure after failure after failure after failure is just unacceptable. But it’s another night with another failure. There’s no way around it. This is pathetic from this group. No response, no show up. Uh too little too late for these guys yet again. You cannot be doing that. That’s it. That’s it. Like fail, fail. Something changes tomorrow. Something changes tomorrow. It has to. Uh that’s it for me here tonight on the postgame show. I appreciate everyone who watched, liked, subscribed, tuned in. If you haven’t yet, hit that like button. Hit the subscribe button. Leaf Nation 401 right here on YouTube as well. Reminder, turn on automatic downloads on all podcasting platforms for the Leafs Nation after dark. two hours of show and we are at 400 viewers still here on the postgame show. You guys are some sick [ __ ] much like myself. So, I’m not excluding myself from that. I am as well. I watch this every night and deal with this pain and misery and then come here and talk about it with you guys. But regardless, you stuck with it the entire time. You called into the show, Alex, Jacob, Prague, Nick Albera for jumping on earlier. Thank you to everyone. Thanks to those in the chat. Thanks to those who sent super chats. Thanks to those who liked. We appreciate all of you guys. Like and subscribe on your way out. Um I will see you back here on Thursday for a pregame video. Um if any breaking news happens, that’ll probably pop up in the next little while here on the channel as well. And then on Thursday, we will be back for another postgame against after the game against the LA Kings. I don’t even know at this point if it’s if it’s good or bad if they play well on Thursday. Like I’m not even sure because if nothing changes between today and Thursday and then they win on Thursday, is that actually good? Who knows? We’ll break it all down on Thursday. Thank you for watching. Thanks for liking. Thanks for subscribing. We’ll see you on Thursday. Till then, find it somewhere within you. Maybe it’s not about this group or the coach or the GM, but find it somewhere. Just think about the blue and white, the Leafs logo. Think about that. Find a way to keep beliefing in that. For more content just like this, including game previews, postgame live shows, Leaf’s Morning Take Monday through Friday with Nick Alber and Jay Rose with special guests, as well as instant reaction videos. Make sure to subscribe here to the Leaf Nation YouTube channel. Turn on.

The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped another frustrating one to the Boston Bruins, and the questions surrounding this team are louder than ever. Zack Phillips breaks down the collapse on Leafs Nation After Dark, calling out the Leafs’ lack of accountability, leadership, and defensive effort after another night that exposed deep cracks in their identity. He digs into why Craig Berube’s message isn’t landing, how Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares responded under pressure, and whether this group has already tuned out their new coach. Later, Zack is joined by Nick Alberga to analyze Anthony Stolarz’s rough outing, the Leafs’ goaltending uncertainty, and what lineup or front-office changes could be coming next. From blown assignments to failed responses, it’s the brutally honest post-game breakdown Leafs fans have been waiting for.

Join the live chat, share your thoughts, and subscribe for full post-game coverage, instant reaction, and fan calls all season long on Leafs Nation After Dark.

#LeafsForever #LeafsNation #TorontoMapleLeafs #TLNAfterDark #NHL #Hockey #AustonMatthews #WilliamNylander #NicRobertson #CraigBerube #bostonbruins

Chapters:
0:00 Opening rant — Leafs’ “gutless” effort and culture failure
1:30 Why the core is broken beyond repair
3:00 Zack calls for accountability — “Heads have to roll”
5:10 Bringing in Nick Alberga — reaction and first thoughts
7:10 Leafs’ lack of response to Berube’s challenge
8:30 “They’ve given up on the coach” — what that means now
9:40 Why firing Berube might not fix anything
11:20 Do the Leafs only respond when it’s too late?
13:00 Nick argues there’s still time — Zack disagrees
14:20 Stolarz’s numbers since calling out the team — total collapse
15:30 Defensive issues and who’s really to blame
17:30 Is Berube done before Thursday’s Kings game?
19:00 Why the core refuses to be inspired
20:20 Could Berube bench a star like Nylander or Reilly next?
22:30 Matthews’ injury fallout and the “quit” factor
25:40 Has the team stopped playing for each other?
28:10 Leafs’ biggest mistakes over the last decade
30:00 The “we can and we will” era comes full circle
32:10 What this loss says about the Leafs’ direction
34:00 Are the Leafs already entering rebuild mode?
35:40 Alberga’s closing optimism — “They’ll suck us back in”
37:00 Zack reacts to fan calls and super chats
39:20 Leafs fans sound off live — culture, trades, and goaltending
41:00 Wrapping up and looking ahead to Thursday vs. LA

SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!
👍🏼 Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it’s Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today and use promo code NATION.
👉 http://www.bet365.ca/

Gambling can be addictive — please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+.

👍🏼 Uber Eats: https://www.ubereats.com/ca

🚨 Subscribe to TLN on Youtube!🚨
➡️ https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401

🎙️LMT INTERVIEWS 📺
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLH4sxh5zc9TF5GcP6knehfKBulG7sFQsP

🎧 LISTEN TO LMT 🎧
ITUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leafs-morning-take/id1649600835
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/14O8iXMvFwpGJvEoS6vsWO
_______________________________________________________________________________
💻 Website: https://theleafsnation.com
🐦 Follow on X: @TLNdc @thegoldenmuzzy @Jay_D_Rosehill
📺 Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401
💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tlndc

#leafsforever #torontomapleleafs #nhl