Just throwing this out there but if the Leafs lose tonight and follow it up with anything other than a big win on Saturday I wouldn't be shocked to see Wilson gone.

Who comes in after him?  Gordon?  I'm not to thrilled about that happening, if it does.

I don't know how I feel about that Reimer article.  Reporter going to Reimer's mom to get her feel for the situation about her son's injury.  Should the Leafs be more forthcoming about his injury?  Do fans have a right to know more?

The real question is if Reimers mom can tell us what James really thinks of his coach.

http://mapleleafshotstove.com/2011/11/03/the-real-penalty-killing-problems/

good read and visual explanation why the Leafs have such problems to kill a penalty

Greg Cronin did coach the best NCAA penalty kill ever

Did not know that.

Hmmm...makes me think that the only similarity between the NCAA and the NHL is the 'N'.

::)

If that's the case then how do coaches break into the NHL? They don't start at the NHL level. Give some credit where it's due. Jeez, a two game losing streak and you'd think everyone in our organization had the aptitude of Reggie Dunlop.

If I am going to give credit where credit is due, then I also have to be critical of something that is not working, and the Leafs penalty killing is not working.  That's great about his accomplishment last year in a developmental league.  Doesn't help the Leafs today.

That's all well and good, but it's getting to the point where nobody deserves a chance to succeed. I mean, I get the hate for RW, but for the new assistants? 15 games in? That's just knee-jerk IMO.

Hell, if we bring Eakins up as head coach now he'd be fired by Sunday.

I never said that he should be fired.  Absence of praise does not mean that it's a complete vote of non-confidence.  The Leafs PK is the worst in the league at 71%.  I would expect that if someone could construct a history making penalty killing scheme in the NHL, and then that person moved to another team, that the new teams penalty killing scheme would be somewhat successful.  Probably not history making again, but they probably also wouldn't be the worst in the NHL, as the scheme would have some success in stopping powerplay goals from occurring.  However, Greg Cronin moved from the NCAA and is now in the NHL, and it would appear that his input on the penalty killing has not had a positive effect on the Leafs PK.  Therefore, his scheme may work in the NCAA, but not at the highest level.

Maybe he needs to learn how things work at the NHL level, and if he adapts, he can break down powerplays with the best of them.  The question is, do the Leafs have the luxury of allowing him to learn?

"Hmmm...makes me think that the only similarity between the NCAA and the NHL is the 'N'."

If that's not thinly veiled criticism and essentially a vote of non-confidence then I don't know what is.

Well I have no control over how you read my post.  You can interpret it anyway you like.  It was meant as a way of saying "The leagues are so different in terms of adjustments and skill level that a plan of attack that has a high degree of success in the lower level does not seem to translate in to any form of success at the higher level."  I just kinda of summarized it in, what I thought at least, was a nice little quip.

A similar case can be made with the differences between the NCAA and the NFL.  One of the common differences that I hear is that at the NFL level, you must learn to adjust on almost every single play, where as at the NCAA level, you may be able to get away with a setup for a complete half, or maybe even a whole game.

[- Don't allow St. Louis to shoot.]

Keys to success:

-  Don't allow St. Louis to shoot.
-  Don't take ANY penalties
-  The first and second line MUST produce
-  It would be nice to get a goal from the 3rd line.


If all of that happens we have a good chance tonight fellas!

That would be awesome to see the final stats, shots on goal Toronto 25, St. Louis 0

Theme for the night "The Leafs need a Hero".

http://mapleleafshotstove.com/2011/11/03/the-real-penalty-killing-problems/

good read and visual explanation why the Leafs have such problems to kill a penalty

Greg Cronin did coach the best NCAA penalty kill ever

Did not know that.

Hmmm...makes me think that the only similarity between the NCAA and the NHL is the 'N'.

::)

If that's the case then how do coaches break into the NHL? They don't start at the NHL level. Give some credit where it's due. Jeez, a two game losing streak and you'd think everyone in our organization had the aptitude of Reggie Dunlop.

If I am going to give credit where credit is due, then I also have to be critical of something that is not working, and the Leafs penalty killing is not working.  That's great about his accomplishment last year in a developmental league.  Doesn't help the Leafs today.

That's all well and good, but it's getting to the point where nobody deserves a chance to succeed. I mean, I get the hate for RW, but for the new assistants? 15 games in? That's just knee-jerk IMO.

Hell, if we bring Eakins up as head coach now he'd be fired by Sunday.

I never said that he should be fired.  Absence of praise does not mean that it's a complete vote of non-confidence.  The Leafs PK is the worst in the league at 71%.  I would expect that if someone could construct a history making penalty killing scheme in the NHL, and then that person moved to another team, that the new teams penalty killing scheme would be somewhat successful.  Probably not history making again, but they probably also wouldn't be the worst in the NHL, as the scheme would have some success in stopping powerplay goals from occurring.  However, Greg Cronin moved from the NCAA and is now in the NHL, and it would appear that his input on the penalty killing has not had a positive effect on the Leafs PK.  Therefore, his scheme may work in the NCAA, but not at the highest level.

Maybe he needs to learn how things work at the NHL level, and if he adapts, he can break down powerplays with the best of them.  The question is, do the Leafs have the luxury of allowing him to learn?

What did Giggy sign for in Colorado?

$1.25M

Why didn't Burke want to keep him around again?

With the virtual cornucopia of young goalies in his system, why would he?

Also Giggy was almost Connolly-esque with his 'lower body' problems.

You can say it, he had problems in the junk area.

I always thought he came across as a little testy

He was a bit strained, wasn't he?

Yep pretty much nuts, he was. Didnt much care for his home/away 'splits' either

I agree, it's like he could never gro-in to his position in Toronto.

if this is the case the leafs have to make a trade for goaltending.  They cannot get to the playoffs with a 4.00 gaa  goalie.

Hey, we have our 1st rnd pick, tank nation returns?

Yakupov FTW!

And every round after that, take a goalie.

I think an easier solution, since we now have 1st, 2nd and 4th rounders,  is to hire back Ferguson and let him weave his backup goalie acquiring magic!

And by backup goalie, you mean Swiss League backup, correct?

What did Giggy sign for in Colorado?

$1.25M

Why didn't Burke want to keep him around again?

With the virtual cornucopia of young goalies in his system, why would he?

Also Giggy was almost Connolly-esque with his 'lower body' problems.

You can say it, he had problems in the junk area.

I always thought he came across as a little testy

He was a bit strained, wasn't he?

if this is the case the leafs have to make a trade for goaltending.  They cannot get to the playoffs with a 4.00 gaa  goalie.

Hey, we have our 1st rnd pick, tank nation returns?

Yakupov FTW!

And every round after that, take a goalie.

What did Giggy sign for in Colorado?

$1.25M

Why didn't Burke want to keep him around again?

With the virtual cornucopia of young goalies in his system, why would he?

Also Giggy was almost Connolly-esque with his 'lower body' problems.

You can say it, he had problems in the junk area.

What did Giggy sign for in Colorado?

$1.25M

Why didn't Burke want to keep him around again?

With the virtual cornucopia of young goalies in his system, why would he?

Good point.

So far it's worked out great too.

http://mapleleafshotstove.com/2011/11/03/the-real-penalty-killing-problems/

good read and visual explanation why the Leafs have such problems to kill a penalty

Greg Cronin did coach the best NCAA penalty kill ever

Did not know that.

Hmmm...makes me think that the only similarity between the NCAA and the NHL is the 'N'.

::)

If that's the case then how do coaches break into the NHL? They don't start at the NHL level. Give some credit where it's due. Jeez, a two game losing streak and you'd think everyone in our organization had the aptitude of Reggie Dunlop.

If I am going to give credit where credit is due, then I also have to be critical of something that is not working, and the Leafs penalty killing is not working.  That's great about his accomplishment last year in a developmental league.  Doesn't help the Leafs today.

What did Giggy sign for in Colorado?

$1.25M

Why didn't Burke want to keep him around again?

With the virtual cornucopia of young goalies in his system, why would he?

Any disgruntled potential star goalie out there who's fallen on hard times?  Wonder if Burke can steal someone off a roster like he did with Phaneuf.

Luongo.

After reading this, not good news:

Tor Star: Reimer's mom starting to worry about son's head injury

"I asked him on the weekend, 'When do you think you'll be back?' He said, 'I have no idea.' And now he's been out so long that, by the time he's ready to go back, he's going to need to do a lot of conditioning and he's going to have to do a lot of practicing. It's not like, 'Today I feel fine. Let me take the net.' I'm sure it will be a slow road back," Marlene Reimer said. "We're worried, for sure. But really, with a concussion, it's so much a wait-and-see. One day he'll say he hasn't had the headaches and you think, 'Oh, yes. Maybe he'll be back this weekend.' The next day he says, if he's going on a 1 to 10 scale (where 10 is perfect health), he'll say it was a 3. So you wait for the next day."
(article has more details)

From that, I don't think James will be back anytime soon.  :(

Is Reimer's mother a Dr.?