Too little, much too late.
The Maple Leafs took full responsibility for their awful performance against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, a 5-2 loss that couldn’t have been more demoralizing considering what was on the line.
The Leafs remain eight points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 22 games remaining. And if you think they’re going to make the post-season, pour us a double of whatever it is you’re having.
And, no, despite their putrid play at Scotiabank Arena, they haven’t quit on themselves or on coach Craig Berube. That’s what was being said afterward.
“We have to have more pride in our play,” captain Auston Matthews said. “Nobody’s quitting. It’s an honour to play in this league, and it’s something that not many people get to do. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, where we are in the standings, we have to go out and put in our best effort, especially on home ice.
“We have to play for one another no matter what. Just bad, just fairly embarrassing, to be honest with you.”
WHAT THEY SAID
“A good first five minutes … and then sh– the bed after that. Confidence is a funny thing. Certainly not quitting. It’s a privilege to play in this league, I certainly don’t see anybody quitting out there. It’s just tough sledding right now. Lack of confidence can do crazy things to our team, as we’ve seen through stretches this year. Been around long enough that no matter how veteran you are, there are times when you don’t have that confidence. And this is a tough game to play when you don’t have it.” — defenceman Jake McCabe
“There’s no reason for it. We know what’s at stake. We talk about being desperate and coming out and playing with some urgency and being connected and executing. And then we don’t do it. That’s one of those non-negotiables as a team. When you come out for a home game, you have to have some pride and put forward an effort that you can look yourself in the mirror afterwards and feel good about. I don’t think that’s the case tonight. We can’t allow that to happen down the stretch.” — defenceman Morgan Rielly
“It’s hard. It’s the first time in a long time for the main group that has been here for a while, that we’ve been in this position where we’re out looking in. We have to figure it out pretty quick. I don’t think anybody is quitting. I think everybody wants to be in the playoffs. It’s a lot of pressure to want to find that game … We have to figure it out. It’s still not impossible, but we have to play a lot better hockey if we want to be (in the playoffs).” — winger William Nylander
“When I look at the game and show tape, we go over things, there’s a certain way we need to play the game. But I can’t give guys this (points to heart) or this (points to head). They have to bring the heart and the competitiveness that’s needed. They have to want to bring that. We can bring the Xs and Os and I can go in there and yell and scream at them all I want that. That doesn’t do anything.” — coach Craig Berube
OUR TAKE
That the Leafs still can’t play concise hockey, or that there are questions about whether they’ve quit on their coach or on each other, after Game 60 of the regular season tells you all you need to know, doesn’t it?
There’s more to it than a lack of effort, especially in the three games after the Olympic break, which the Leafs have lost by a combined score of 14-4.
It’s simple: The Leafs are not good enough to compete at the kind of level that will be required in the final weeks of the regular season.
As well, if they had the heart that Berube seeks — and again, this is a discussion point 60 games in — we would have seen more evidence of it by now. Instead, in losses to Tampa Bay, Florida and Ottawa — three Atlantic Division rivals —the Leafs, in the past few days, barely have been able to put two good shifts together.
Whether it’s a systems issue or one of personnel, there’s no discernible way out for this group. The players and coaching staff equally are to blame. Ditto for general manager Brad Treliving.
There is no massive rally on the way, no chance at a comeback that would give the Leafs a chance to recoup something tangible.
It’s good that the players looked inward after the game, especially Matthews, who usually doesn’t have much interest in that sort of thing. But the fact we’re talking about pride, confidence and lack of connection at the end of February is bad. Really bad.
The Leafs didn’t have it within themselves to show up for such a crucial game, even with the knowledge that Boston — holding down the final wild-card slot in the conference — lost earlier in the day. There’s no way to paint it any other way.
Nothing Treliving does before the trade deadline on Friday will change that.
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