Oh, the humanity!
By Jim Lang
10 years ago
The end of this Leafs season has taken on a real Hindenburg trying to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey feel to it.
Tuesday night the Leafs allowed a staggering 23
shots in the first period as they went on to lose 5-3 to the Blues. There’s
no question the Blues are a very good team but that makes it six straight
losses for the stumbling Leafs and the Leafs Nation is angry my friends. As if
that wasn’t ugly enough all six losses have come in regulation time.
shots in the first period as they went on to lose 5-3 to the Blues. There’s
no question the Blues are a very good team but that makes it six straight
losses for the stumbling Leafs and the Leafs Nation is angry my friends. As if
that wasn’t ugly enough all six losses have come in regulation time.
After their victory over the Kings back on March 13th the Leafs had it made. They had 80 points with 14 games left to play. I mean, even Randy Carlyle couldn’t screw that up. Or so we thought.
Leafs fans should have known better than to trust the fate of their team with a man who can’t operate a freaking toaster!
In the pantheon of ugly late season losing streaks by the Leafs this has to rank up there as one of the worst.
Now, if by some miracle, Carlyle and the Leafs can manage to find a way to
pull themselves out of this late season nose dive and squeak into the playoffs
then maybe, just maybe, Randy Carlyle can save his job.
pull themselves out of this late season nose dive and squeak into the playoffs
then maybe, just maybe, Randy Carlyle can save his job.
But if the 18 wheeler continues to careen off of the
edge of the cliff and the Leafs end up missing the post-season, then Carlyle
is toast (pardon the pun).
edge of the cliff and the Leafs end up missing the post-season, then Carlyle
is toast (pardon the pun).
With each loss Leafs fans jam the phones lines of
sports talk radio stations with angry calls for heads to roll. Fire
Carlyle! Phaneuf is a bum! (Sweet Jesus, Phaneuf was gawd awful against the Blues) Buy out
Clarkson!
sports talk radio stations with angry calls for heads to roll. Fire
Carlyle! Phaneuf is a bum! (Sweet Jesus, Phaneuf was gawd awful against the Blues) Buy out
Clarkson!
Phaneuf looks completely lost out there at times and seems to have no confidence with the puck in his own end. Maybe if the Leafs can reduce his ice time and surround him with more talent then Phaneuf can rediscover his game. But none of that is going to happen between now and the end of the season.
Credit where credit is due. Last summer Greg Brady was vehemently against the signing of David Clarkson and made it clear he thought it was a mistake for Dave Nonis to sign him. Especially for the term and money he was given. Lord knows I didn’t always agree with Greg but he was right about Clarkson. Of course there is always a chance a new Coach might help to restore Clarkson’s game, but as of right now his signing and his contract are a major mistake.
With their next two games against the Flyers and the
Red Wings the Leafs losing streak could easily hit eight games by Saturday
night.
Red Wings the Leafs losing streak could easily hit eight games by Saturday
night.
Now if you think it is ugly now, just wait
to see what happens if the Leafs losing streak hits eight games.
to see what happens if the Leafs losing streak hits eight games.
To makes matters even worse for the Leafs is the fact that the two teams
they are chasing for the Wild Card in the Eastern Conference, the Blue Jackets
and the Red Wings, each have two games in hand.
they are chasing for the Wild Card in the Eastern Conference, the Blue Jackets
and the Red Wings, each have two games in hand.
The thought of the Blue Jackets making the playoffs
while the Leafs piss away the season in the mother of all tailspins will be too
much for the Leafs Nation to take.
while the Leafs piss away the season in the mother of all tailspins will be too
much for the Leafs Nation to take.
Tim Leiweke didn’t come to Toronto to sit and watch this garbage. If the inevitable happens and the Leafs miss the playoffs then he is going to go on a firing spree that would make Ari Gold blush.
Nobody, and I do mean nobody, will be safe from Leiweke’s hatchet if this keeps up.
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