Leafs players reveal that they held a players only meeting following embarrassing loss to Sens on Friday
With the dust having settled on what was a very disappointing home game against the lowly Ottawa Senators on Friday, the Leafs were hanging their heads - and rightfully so. I can't recall a team in modern hockey history who has surrendered so many points in the standings to so many inferior opponents over such a lengthy duration. This Leafs team should be embarrassed, even if these last two seasons have been historical.
John Tavares, William Nylander and Joey Anderson were three Leafs who confirmed to TSN's Mark Masters on Saturday that the team held a players only meeting following Friday's game where several messages were sent and sentiments shared around the locker room. Among the topics discussed was that when a response is needed, guys can't simply fold up and allow the opposition to have their way. When a response is needed, guys have to dig deep and find a way to get it done - or at the very least, push back.
For those who didn't watch Friday's game, the Leafs and Sens kept it close after 20 minutes, but the final 40 minutes in the game was all Ottawa and the Leafs had little in the way of answers for the hungry, tenacious Sens, who battled all night with no response from the Leafs in the 2nd and 3rd periods. The Leafs failed to clear pucks, took ill-advised penalties and just couldn't meet the speed, physicality and intensity of the Sens, despite being the superior team on paper.
Nylander and Marner admitted pretty openly that the team just sort of took their foot off the gas on Friday following the first intermission. Marner also said that the team left Ilya Samsonov without much support - something the team will need to avoid doing again if they hope to have any sustained success in the second half of the season. Marner used the word "unacceptable" in his bid to to hold himself and his teammates accountable.
Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe also spoke on Saturday following practice, crediting his team for taking the initiative and meeting as a group to debrief and commit to doing better in the future.
"That's on them and it shows the growth of our team. It shows that our guys care - it shows that they're not happy with their performance. Of course, you'd like that as a coach, you'd like it to be in the moment... to address it and fix it on the fly and most of the season, that's been the case. We've been able to rectify things and get back to it. [Saturday] was a case of us having a strong first period and not a good second period and it put us in a hole and then not a good enough third to dig our way out of it. To do that, especially on home ice, is not acceptable and the players acknowledge that."
-Keefe on the Leafs meeting as a team after the game to try to address some of the key issues after the embarrassing home loss
-Keefe on the Leafs meeting as a team after the game to try to address some of the key issues after the embarrassing home loss
The Leafs have a pair of games remaining before the All-Star break and their subsequent bye-week. They play Washington this evening and then Boston on Tuesday. They're hoping for a much better effort from the group from top to bottom in these next two games against much tougher opponents.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 29 | 236 ANSWERS Leafs players reveal that they held a players only meeting following embarrassing loss to Sens on Friday Will the Leafs win both of their next two games against Washington and Boston? | ||
| Yes | 127 | 53.8 % |
| No | 38 | 16.1 % |
| They'll beat Washington but not Boston | 70 | 29.7 % |
| They'll beat Boston but not Washington | 1 | 0.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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