Tanev injured
Tanev is a warrior; every game, he throws himself into the action the same way. He abandons all common sense and suffers for it. It is like clockwork: everyone comments on how much they love him and mourns him when he goes back to the infirmary. I fear the nurses and doctors know him as well as his family does.
Leafs abandon all defense
The Leafs abandon all defense and leave the goalies to the dogs. And everyone blames the goalie 100 percent. I’m not saying the goaltending doesn’t deserve some of the blame, but the brainless play in front of the net doesn’t help. Stolarz has struggled, but his teammates have checked out.
Matthews and Nylander hit near deity status
Nylander is on fire. He has been skating like the wind, doing his thing. His shot has been deadly, scoring at will. I have loved the way he’s been skating—going in and out of traffic, and making plays out of nothing.
Matthews, meanwhile, has made a new friend in McKenna. Matthews’ one-timers are fun to watch as he finds openings to shoot. He has that knack for finding scoring opportunities. His health is a factor, as we finally have a healthy Auston.
The only consistent thing is the Leafs’ inconsistency.
The habit of winning a game and then losing the next is comical. We never know what the Maple Leafs will bring. The only sure thing is chaos. The Leafs will have to score 5 goals to win because their defense is atrocious. Fans will feel like they are on a rollercoaster, loving their heroes one minute and sending them to death row the next.
Final word
Word is the Leafs are on the hunt for defensive help. So, tell me what else is new? Yup, same old Leafs. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I, for one, have seen this movie; can we choose another theater? One ending with some silverware?
Randy
