March Malaise
This is going to be a post about the Leafs, though the title sorta/kinda applies to the Raptors as well.
Both teams have long clinched playoff spots (though, in case of the Leafs, not yet mathematically). Not just any spot. The Raptors will most likely finish 2nd in the East, and the Leafs have all but locked up the 3rd spot in the Atlantic.
So when something like that happens, the final stretch of the regular season can be frustrating and even tedious to watch for fans like moi. Other than to try to avoid injuries and to fine-tune some stuff on the ice and on the floor, there's not that much to play for. I think that somewhat explains why I haven't been blogging as much in March (in addition to some increase in workload in my day job with the start of the baseball season). I haven't been as compelled to comment on my teams as earlier in the year, and I'll probably start writing more about the Blue Jays once the regular season begins.
I understand this is a good problem to have. For my mental health, I'd rather my teams ease into the postseason than battle for a postseason berth. If I am complaining too much about the lack of bounce in the steps of my boys in blue and white or red and black, then I am spoiled.
But the situation begs a few questions. How important is it to be playing well heading into the playoffs? Or would you rather not peak too early? Is it okay to stumble toward the finish line in the regular season because you think you can kick into that new gear come playoff?
I think there's a fine line between trying to play well enough but not so hard that you will run the risk of getting hurt, and trying to ease up a bit without losing too much of your form and edge.
It's obviously not ideal to be giving up 5 goals to a team like the Panthers, or to be blowing a 2-0 first period lead against a team like the Flyers like the Leafs have the past two games. No matter what the context, whether it's at the beginning of the regular season or close to the playoffs with a spot clinched, these were just flat-out bad games. (Bad enough to overshadow Tavares' four-goal performance vs. the Panthers.)
Meanwhile, the Big Bad Bruins (mostly bad) won their 20th game in the last 26 today. Even hard-core, super-homer Leafs fans would have to admit the Leafs will be lucky to get past these Bruins in the first round if the current forms for each team hold for the playoffs.
Freddie Andersen's recent play is a concern for me. He's usually been the steadiest guy on the ice even when things were going sideways for us. But a few times recently, it's been the other way around, with our guys bailing him out with some key goals.
Today, he did make some key saves in the 2nd period when the Flyers were pushing us around with ease. We lost in the shootout but we had no business even being in that situation. We could have easily lost in regulation.
But Freddie clearly isn't 100 percent. What also bothered me was he said before the game he would view the rest of the regular season like pre-season. I'm not sure how that can help with your mental edge this close to the playoffs. I guess I understand his intention (that he's only going to focus on polishing up his game without worrying about results, etc) but a human mind can play tricks on you. Once you start thinking you're playing in pre-season games, well, maybe you will lose some of the mental sharpness as well. Does Freddie think he has some sort of a switch that he can just turn on at a moment's notice?
When we lost to the Bruins in the first round last year, Jake Gardiner took the brunt of criticism because of his glaring defensive miscues. But Freddie wasn't exactly making highlight-reel saves, either.
Your team will only go as far as your goalie will take you. Can't remember, off the top of my head, a team that won the Cup with bad goaltending, or maybe even mediocre one. Not that long ago, Freddie was in the Vezina conversations. His March swoon has essentially ruled him out. But hey, as long as he can steal a few in the playoffs, who cares about Vezina, right?
On a more positive note, it was nice to see some guys end long scoring drought today. Connor Brown had a couple of points, and his fourth line played a strong game. Naz got his first one to go in 13. With so much focus of the checking on the top two lines in the playoffs, those role players have to step up. Both Kadri and Brown have been capable scorers at this level. I have had a love-and-hate relationship with Brown in particular. Babs obviously sees things in Brown that I don't, because my favorite 4th line combo is Gaut between Ennis and Moore, given their mix of size, grit, speed and skill. Brown may not be as skilled as Ennis or Moore but he does bring more of sandpaper, or so in the eyes of Babcock anyway.
Auston Matthews has been dominant in recent games and got himself a couple of points today to show for it. He has also been outspoken about the team's poor play of late. He's that type of player who can challenge teammates to get better and goes out and leads by example as well. In other words, a future captain material.
We got five games to go: Ottawa on Hockey Night in Canada, Tavares going back to Isles a second time, then 'Canes for back-to-back, Tampa and then the Habs. Each game has a great storyline for me. Will we get revenge on the Senators after the embarrassing loss two weeks ago? Will JT's teammates come through for him this time in New York? What kind of celly are we going to see in Raleigh? Is the game vs. the Lightning going to be a preview of the second round? The Leafs-Habs will be Bob Cole's last Hockey Night in Canada game. The Habs could be in a position where they need a regulation win to make the playoffs, while we'll probably have clinched. Are we going to ease up or are we going to spoil whatever the Habs want to do?
March hasn't been a great month for this fan. But April will definitely be better.
Both teams have long clinched playoff spots (though, in case of the Leafs, not yet mathematically). Not just any spot. The Raptors will most likely finish 2nd in the East, and the Leafs have all but locked up the 3rd spot in the Atlantic.
So when something like that happens, the final stretch of the regular season can be frustrating and even tedious to watch for fans like moi. Other than to try to avoid injuries and to fine-tune some stuff on the ice and on the floor, there's not that much to play for. I think that somewhat explains why I haven't been blogging as much in March (in addition to some increase in workload in my day job with the start of the baseball season). I haven't been as compelled to comment on my teams as earlier in the year, and I'll probably start writing more about the Blue Jays once the regular season begins.
I understand this is a good problem to have. For my mental health, I'd rather my teams ease into the postseason than battle for a postseason berth. If I am complaining too much about the lack of bounce in the steps of my boys in blue and white or red and black, then I am spoiled.
But the situation begs a few questions. How important is it to be playing well heading into the playoffs? Or would you rather not peak too early? Is it okay to stumble toward the finish line in the regular season because you think you can kick into that new gear come playoff?
I think there's a fine line between trying to play well enough but not so hard that you will run the risk of getting hurt, and trying to ease up a bit without losing too much of your form and edge.
It's obviously not ideal to be giving up 5 goals to a team like the Panthers, or to be blowing a 2-0 first period lead against a team like the Flyers like the Leafs have the past two games. No matter what the context, whether it's at the beginning of the regular season or close to the playoffs with a spot clinched, these were just flat-out bad games. (Bad enough to overshadow Tavares' four-goal performance vs. the Panthers.)
Meanwhile, the Big Bad Bruins (mostly bad) won their 20th game in the last 26 today. Even hard-core, super-homer Leafs fans would have to admit the Leafs will be lucky to get past these Bruins in the first round if the current forms for each team hold for the playoffs.
Freddie Andersen's recent play is a concern for me. He's usually been the steadiest guy on the ice even when things were going sideways for us. But a few times recently, it's been the other way around, with our guys bailing him out with some key goals.
Today, he did make some key saves in the 2nd period when the Flyers were pushing us around with ease. We lost in the shootout but we had no business even being in that situation. We could have easily lost in regulation.
But Freddie clearly isn't 100 percent. What also bothered me was he said before the game he would view the rest of the regular season like pre-season. I'm not sure how that can help with your mental edge this close to the playoffs. I guess I understand his intention (that he's only going to focus on polishing up his game without worrying about results, etc) but a human mind can play tricks on you. Once you start thinking you're playing in pre-season games, well, maybe you will lose some of the mental sharpness as well. Does Freddie think he has some sort of a switch that he can just turn on at a moment's notice?
When we lost to the Bruins in the first round last year, Jake Gardiner took the brunt of criticism because of his glaring defensive miscues. But Freddie wasn't exactly making highlight-reel saves, either.
Your team will only go as far as your goalie will take you. Can't remember, off the top of my head, a team that won the Cup with bad goaltending, or maybe even mediocre one. Not that long ago, Freddie was in the Vezina conversations. His March swoon has essentially ruled him out. But hey, as long as he can steal a few in the playoffs, who cares about Vezina, right?
On a more positive note, it was nice to see some guys end long scoring drought today. Connor Brown had a couple of points, and his fourth line played a strong game. Naz got his first one to go in 13. With so much focus of the checking on the top two lines in the playoffs, those role players have to step up. Both Kadri and Brown have been capable scorers at this level. I have had a love-and-hate relationship with Brown in particular. Babs obviously sees things in Brown that I don't, because my favorite 4th line combo is Gaut between Ennis and Moore, given their mix of size, grit, speed and skill. Brown may not be as skilled as Ennis or Moore but he does bring more of sandpaper, or so in the eyes of Babcock anyway.
Auston Matthews has been dominant in recent games and got himself a couple of points today to show for it. He has also been outspoken about the team's poor play of late. He's that type of player who can challenge teammates to get better and goes out and leads by example as well. In other words, a future captain material.
We got five games to go: Ottawa on Hockey Night in Canada, Tavares going back to Isles a second time, then 'Canes for back-to-back, Tampa and then the Habs. Each game has a great storyline for me. Will we get revenge on the Senators after the embarrassing loss two weeks ago? Will JT's teammates come through for him this time in New York? What kind of celly are we going to see in Raleigh? Is the game vs. the Lightning going to be a preview of the second round? The Leafs-Habs will be Bob Cole's last Hockey Night in Canada game. The Habs could be in a position where they need a regulation win to make the playoffs, while we'll probably have clinched. Are we going to ease up or are we going to spoil whatever the Habs want to do?
March hasn't been a great month for this fan. But April will definitely be better.
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