GDT: Detroit Red Wings @ Toronto Maple Leafs - 7:30 EST

[chances14]

toronto reminds me of dallas a couple years ago. elite offense but pretty awful defense. they might win the division and even a playoff round, but I don't see them as a cup contender until they upgrade the defense

 

[Redder Winger]

If Z goes down, this team could easily finish bottom 5

 

[Pavels Dog]

Larkin is playing awesome this year. Toronto got lucky this game, they're just in that zone where all their chances get converted. Wings actually looking good last two games, if they play like this they'll win against a lot of teams.

Mantha was sleepwalking this game though. Time for him to step up the effort level a notch. Frk has also cooled down and now looks more like the borderline-NHLer he is. Starting to miss AA who would bring a legit scoring threat to our bottom 6.

 

[Martinez]

Starting to miss AA who would bring a legit scoring threat to our bottom 6.

Agreed. We are a two line team. It would help a bit if aa could pitch in and score a few on our 3rd line

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Over the last 3 days the wings have lost to
Tampa - 5-1-1
Toronto - 6-1

And I see fans saying how bad those teams look.

Toronto was playing the second of a back-to-back after beating the team that ousted them in the playoffs last year.

It is pretty hilarious how many Leafs fans came to this subforum and felt the need to like a post that complimented their team.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

You can say what you want but if the playoffs started today the leafs are contenders. Thankfully the playoffs are months away

 

[izlez]

I thought the game leveled out after the first period (from play being badly dominated by the red wings, to being level the rest of the way). I still think we win that game every time if we even get below average goaltending. I don't understand coming in and insulting everything about this team after watching that game

 

[dragonballgtz]

Larkin is playing awesome this year. Toronto got lucky this game, they're just in that zone where all their chances get converted. Wings actually looking good last two games, if they play like this they'll win against a lot of teams.

Mantha was sleepwalking this game though. Time for him to step up the effort level a notch. Frk has also cooled down and now looks more like the borderline-NHLer he is. Starting to miss AA who would bring a legit scoring threat to our bottom 6.

Frk is being miss managed IMO. With his ability to get his shot on net he should be on the first unit PP. What did Trashill put on the ice for our last PP.... 55-40-21-14-8 jeebus. All playing pass pass pass on the outside

 

[Ezekial]

Regardless of what PP he's on, can't keep telegraphing passes every single time to him.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

I thought the game leveled out after the first period (from play being badly dominated by the red wings, to being level the rest of the way). I still think we win that game every time if we even get below average goaltending. I don't understand coming in and insulting everything about this team after watching that game

Yeah we win if mrazek started. Howard was really awful.

 

[raymond23]

Regardless of what PP he's on, can't keep telegraphing passes every single time to him.

And he needs to choose his shots better.

 

[Dotter]

Can't wait til Leafs are in cap hell. They are going to lose lots of players.

Also, would like to see NHL change the drafting rules. Start drafting at age 20 and after a player plays 15 games in the NHL, he becomes UFA the following season. Also make it easier for other teams to offer sheet (costing less in draft picks).

Lets make it hard on teams who purposefully tank 'shannahplan' style. And results in GMs having to make hard decisions they otherwise wouldn't have to. Make the NHL more interesting in the off season.

 

[Leronziia]

How about not doing that?

 

[Dotter]

Teams purposely tanking is funner. derp. derp.

 

[Leronziia]

Teams positioning themselves for future success by sacrificing the current.

Never seen that before, in any other code...

 

[Redder Winger]

It is pretty hilarious how many Leafs fans came to this subforum and felt the need to like a post that complimented their team.

Was thinking the same thing

 

[Redder Winger]

I thought the game leveled out after the first period (from play being badly dominated by the red wings, to being level the rest of the way). I still think we win that game every time if we even get below average goaltending. I don't understand coming in and insulting everything about this team after watching that game

What did you think was going to happen?
You nearly always see the game level out after a team jumps out to a 4-1 lead.
That's why you don't see many 10-2 games.

 

[izlez]

What did you think was going to happen?
You nearly always see the game level out after a team jumps out to a 4-1 lead.
That's why you don't see many 10-2 games.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you...

but to be clear, I'm saying we were BY FAR the better team in the period that we lost 4-1. They had 5 shots. I don't think any of those 5 shots were particularly good scoring chances, despite 4 of them finding the back of the net.

So the "natural leveling out" benefitted them, if that is a thing

 

[Redder Winger]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you...

but to be clear, I'm saying we were BY FAR the better team in the period that we lost 4-1. They had 5 shots. I don't think any of those 5 shots were particularly good scoring chances, despite 4 of them finding the back of the net.

So the "natural leveling out" benefitted them, if that is a thing

They were shorthanded twice that period and even if we outshot them, 11-5, we had like two scoring chances.

Pretty hard to say we were the better team.
Bad line change leads to easy goal.
Auston Matthews goal comes on first an offensive turnover and then a neutral zone turnover.
The other goal, Toronto played keepaway from Detroit for like 35 seconds.

Goaltending ans shooting are part of being better.
And Toronto was better than Detroit.

 

[Pavels Dog]

They were shorthanded twice that period and even if we outshot them, 11-5, we had like two scoring chances.

Pretty hard to say we were the better team.
Bad line change leads to easy goal.
Auston Matthews goal comes on first an offensive turnover and then a neutral zone turnover.
The other goal, Toronto played keepaway from Detroit for like 35 seconds.

Goaltending ans shooting are part of being better.
And Toronto was better than Detroit.

I'm sure you'd say the same if Detroit was outshot 2:1 and managed to win by scoring on all their chances and getting amazing goaltending.

Wings were the better team. No, that doesn't mean the Wings are a better team or will do better this season. But they were the better team in this game. Toronto got a bit lucky, like good teams with strong coaching and high talent level tend to get. They had just as many or more turnovers as Detroit, Wings just didn't have as many seeing-eye shots make it to the back of the net.

 

[Ezekial]

It's like when wings fans were saying "can't believe we're hanging around in this one" about the Tampa game going into the third and Tampa fans were like, you've dominated most of this game.

 

[ElysiumAB]

Kronwall is awful. It's also just a matter of time before he gets a visor penalty - shocked he hasn't yet.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

toronto reminds me of dallas a couple years ago. elite offense but pretty awful defense. they might win the division and even a playoff round, but I don't see them as a cup contender until they upgrade the defense

Agreed. They've almost become a victim of their own success by turning things around so quickly. Expectations are probably getting higher than they should be. They're gonna have to score by the bucketfulls to overcome that blueline.

Though Babcock does have a fair amount of experience maximizing team defense to cover for a bad defensive corps. Though he didn't have to do it with so many young players.

 

[aar000n]

Howard played bad last game. Toronto reminds me of the 90's when we would win with scores of 6-4 and 7-5 only to get swept. Leafs fans are right about the Wings outplaying them last night. Last night for that one game the Wings were the better team.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

You can't sign a 7 year $30M deal and not be judged against what you bring.

And yes I mentioned that. Im defending Abby and saying he is still a top 9 NHL player