Pre-Game Talk: Devils @ Leafs | Wednesday @ 740pm

[iBlaze81]

going to be tough game, can't take NJ for granted. GLG

 

[Liferleafer]

Please don't take this as trolling but in 2 games Devils have given up just 3 goals whereas in 3 games the Leafs have given up 15 (I think?) so how can our D worse than yours?

12 actually....and we have played tge Hawks....Rangers and Laine. .

 

[ACC1224]

Please don't take this as trolling but in 2 games Devils have given up just 3 goals whereas in 3 games the Leafs have given up 15 (I think?) so how can our D worse than yours?

Played different teams?

 

[Brooklyndevil]

It's fine. People are going to hate leafs fans because we have a great team and we know it

Hate is too strong of a word. I dislike how it's used. I like the leafs and love Toronto. Spent most of my childhood there. I'd be satisfied with a good showing in your barn.

 

[Brock Radunske]

Please don't take this as trolling but in 2 games Devils have given up just 3 goals whereas in 3 games the Leafs have given up 15 (I think?) so how can our D worse than yours?

While I don't really agree that the Leafs have a better defense than the Devils, to be objective the Devils played the Avs and Sabres where the Leafs played the Jets, Rangers and Hawks. A little higher quality of competition IMO.

 

[jrgtml67]

I will say the Devils have a been a bit of a surprise, you guys do have speed and skill. I will also say that your defense hasnt been tested as much as ours. You guys played Colorado who gave up the most goals last year, and Buffalo, who really has no good defensemen except for Ristolainen. While I wouldnt say our defense is great. I would say the players we have back there are far more skilled. In fact you top D man right now is a rookie in, Will Butcher. I have watched your 2 games, and you guys can fly to be sure, but again, your defense has not been put to the test. In addition the Colorado game for a while was pretty close. Now our guys have faced 2 good defensive teams in NYR and CHI (emphasis on CHI). While you Devil's fans have a lot to be happy about, troll (and sorry that is what you did), and argue you something without backup. You have 3 D with 1 point, 3 D with 0 pts. Further we have all of our D with minimum 1 pt, two with 2 pts, 1 with 3pts, one with 4pts. Plus minus, your highest is a plus 2 our highest is a plus 4. When push comes to shove it is about team defense as well. Now if you had played at least one offensive juggernaut team I would not be saying this (but you have yet to). At the same time Schneider, has not made a huge save yet (again I have watched your 2 games thus far). Since I am rambling I will keep it to this; you guys are young, fast and skilled, but maybe reserve your judgement until you face a real test. Your squad reminds me a bit of ours last year (minus you have no Matthews). This game for us will NOT be a cake walk by any means, but it could get really ugly for you guys real quick.

Good luck tonight.

 

[jrgtml67]

you forgot Ehlers, Schiefle, Wheeler LOL Kane, Toews, Saad, Sharp, ....I myself posted a long message telling that fan to prove why he/she thinks their D is better based on goals allowed. Last I checked D is not the only position responsible for bad plays, it is a team effort. They havent been tested yet, not like we have. They faced 2 teams that were bottom of the barrel in GA last season. Tonight will not be easy, that is for sure, they do have speed in skill. But if they get in a track meet with our guys, and our guys are on tonight they are in big trouble. Same as if our defense backs up and allows there speed skilled guys to walk in like they did vs NYR we could be in for a long night. Right now the bench mark (while it is so early) is we kept Chicago to 3 goals...and boy you should have seen Chicago play against Montreal last night. Outside of Saad, they were gassed from playing us the night before. Again as well, best defense is offense, they have good guys, our guys on paper are far superior, if they show up and fore check, and are aggressive it may be a blow out. Similarly (again) if we dont show up, they will make us pay, they are fast. Plus there is not a book on Hischier, Bratt or Butcher yet, so that makes it a bit tougher (not knowing their true weakness')

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Please don't take this as trolling but in 2 games Devils have given up just 3 goals whereas in 3 games the Leafs have given up 15 (I think?) so how can our D worse than yours?

We've only let in 10 goals and we've faced better teams. Also Schneider is better than Andersen

 

[RoadWarrior]

On paper the leafs are the better team. It's really no contest.

Bratt and Butcher are good finds but they're not enough to compete with Matthews, Nylander, Gardiner, Zaits etc

 

[jrgtml67]

BTW Bozak had 2 more pts than Hall last year; this is the order;

Matthews-69pts
JVR-62pts
Kadri-61pts
Marner-61pts
Nylander-61pts
Bozak-55pts
Hall-53
Palmieri -53pts
Gardiner-43pts
Henrique -40pts

 

[CyBorgman]

I'd be so happy to see NJ leapfrog the Sabers and Jets in their rebuild.

 

[jrgtml67]

Pretty much a guarantee with the Sabres, they really are terrible. They have almost no offense--they have Kane, Orielly and Eichel. Defense they have Risto and thats all folks. Lehner at one point in his career, I thought he would be a starter for sure, so far he looks like an in between starter-back up. The Jets I think I way ahead of them...Schiefle has figured things out, Laine is Laine, Ehlers figuring it out...very similar to our big 3..but the trump is Matthews is far and away better than any of those players. The biggest difference that we have that they dont is Andersen, what a signing that was. Both Jets and Buffalo dont have a solid true starter. That is the huge key. A lot of nights last year, and even once this year already Andersen held us in it so we could come back. NYR and CHI both times, although with Chicago we dominated a good 85% of the game...still timely saves.

 

[Cotton]

Sure, why not?



Don't entirely disagree.



Is it your feeling that Leaf fans should be free from criticism from other Leaf fans? If so, then your comments above seem to contradict that as you are jumping all over the Leaf fans in this group?



I was just saying that what he called "hating on Leafs fans" could be considered a somewhat accurate view.

Part of what set me off about his post and so many others on these boards is the overblown emotionality of it all. He "absolutely HATED" the "hating on Leafs fans" that he saw on the NJ boards. If he said that he had found it interesting that the early posts on the NJ GDT were heavy on criticism of Leafs fans, I probably would have given it a pass as that comes off as a rational complaint. His post came off as "someone said something slightly negative about a group I'm part of, so I should go whine about it".



Once again, it wasn't so much the subject of his complaint as it was the over-emotional nature of it.

You chopped my post up to address it so I'm addressing your bottom up, cuz I'm the Rickist Rick.

I didn't find it overly emotional, I found it the right amount of emotional. And when I was a kid I might have an issue with that but as an adult I've come to learn emotions not a bad thing. Had his post been dripping in exaggeration and drama I'd of probably said nothing about your reaction.


Aha, scrolling up I'm getting a better idea of where your coming from.

Why'd you join these boards? Was it the incredible insight into Hockey's FUTURE!!!! Or to maybe make a friend? Waste time reading/speaking on a topic of interest? Be apart of a community? All? none? For all you or I know, that poster is looking for the community aspect, so he, after finding something disappointing, shared that with his community. I saw it that simple myself.

Hating on Leafs fans could be considered justified? Sometimes, sure, but it should be case or cause specific. Blanketing all Leafs fans as arrogant based on a few posters is dopey logic. Would make about as much sense as hating on all Finnish hockey fans because of a group of Laine-supporters. We aren't immune, but have a valid f***ing reason is my view.

Sure Leafs fans can criticize each other, ideally it's constructive and done in a way a friend would to another, not the way you had to him, nor the way I did to you, or anyone does to anyone... who am I kidding.

I think you might of overreacted a smidge, and I'm a dick and just like to argue so I jumped in. You should toss out a quick apology for jumping on his head then ask him to be your friend, nay... best friend, because happy endings don't tend to happen outside of China town and it would be the cool guy thing to do.

 

[thewave]

Please don't take this as trolling but in 2 games Devils have given up just 3 goals whereas in 3 games the Leafs have given up 15 (I think?) so how can our D worse than yours?

GPG 6.33 /82 519
GAA 3.33 /82 273
--------------------------
3.00 /82 +246

Its ok

 

[MJ65]

I think we should close one of these 2 threads - how many threads we need to discuss this game

 

[Cult of Hynes]

While I don't really agree that the Leafs have a better defense than the Devils, to be objective the Devils played the Avs and Sabres where the Leafs played the Jets, Rangers and Hawks. A little higher quality of competition IMO.

To be fair, the Avs have beaten both the Rangers and the Bruins. They beat the Rangers 4-2 and blanked the Bruins 4-0. Them beating the Rangers also speaks to how bad they, the Rangers, have been to start the season so far. Horrible goaltending from Hank outside of the Montreal game, and a defense with some major holes in it.

The Jets, well, one night they can look like a lack for the playoffs, and the next they can look like a lock for a top 10 pick. They do have some serious offensive power that the Leafs did manage to keep quiet in their 7-1 win though, so that is saying something.

The Blackhawks game was impressive even though it took OT to end it. Their best line and defensive combo were utterly dominated.

The Sabres? Well haha, some good talent, maybe not a ton of depth, players not playing up to potential so far and some serious issues defensively, especially from their top d talent. But yea, nothing to really write home about on there.

 

[uncleben]

Game Day Thread is open!