Pre-Game Talk: Edmonton @ Toronto V2 | Friday @ 7pm

[Kiwi]

I want to try out a Liljegren-Muzzin pairing

Holl has been unbelievably good so dropping him out of the top 4 for somebody who hasn't played a game this season seems somewhat insane to me

 

[TheBigFour]

Its only been five games but so far leafs are fourth in the league in average shots against, which is very good.
890 SV% and poor even strength production is the problem so far.

 

[MattySnipes]

Both were awful last night. The thing that really irritated me about them was the fact that Keefe did a lot to keep them sheltered, going so fair as to give Kerfoot a bunch of shifts against Draisaitl.

And they responded by doing absolutely nothing.

That seems to be the issue with Leafs for long time. Consistently inconsistent. It's their superpower.

One night they're world-beaters, the next they can't even collect a puck.

Ofcourse there is some exaggeration there, but once they develop the killer instinct, that's when you'll see them go on a streak of winning 85% of games. It may or may not happen this year, but it'll come. I have seen a lot of good things in the past two games defensively, which is a great sign.

Not too worried about offense yet. It'll get going. But they definitely need the 3rd and 4th to start potting some.

 

[MattySnipes]

No they aren't don't be ridiculous, it's not Freddy's fault the offense took the night off

Hard to blame Fred on an own goal, and then that crazy bounce that hopped to Drai for a free goal.

The offense won't always disappear like that, and if Fred can have more games like that, they'll come out of them okay.

Muzzy needs to wake up for next game.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Holl has been unbelievably good so dropping him out of the top 4 for somebody who hasn't played a game this season seems somewhat insane to me

I don’t think he looks that good

 

[fahad203]

Why is Vessey still on top 6 or even this team for that matter.

engvall has the same amount of goals and better with puck possession

Vessey experiment needed to end back in summer

 

[zeke]

Its only been five games but so far leafs are fourth in the league in average shots against, which is very good.
890 SV% and poor even strength production is the problem so far.

They've actually been great in terms of overall control of play indicated by shot attempts for and against, but they have been very mediocre in terms of the quality of those shots for and against.

 

[PromisedLand]

need 5 on 5 production; find a way to score

that said, this doesn't mean cheat for offense and leave your defense to do all the things on their own or your goalie to stand up on his head

 

[MapleLeafs77]

Couple of things:

1. Vesey is in the top 6 so that our bottom six can have somewhat dangerous players and get some depth scoring. Can’t have all our best forwards in our top 6. Mikheyev, kerfoot, simmonds, spezza, and others need to start scoring soon.

2. We need to start a rotation for our defence. Every game you have a different player jump in. I want to see full games with actual minutes for all of dermott/bogosian/sandin/lehtonen and liljegren.

 

[hockeynorth]

Why is Vessey still on top 6 or even this team for that matter.

engvall has the same amount of goals and better with puck possession

Vessey experiment needed to end back in summer

He's been pretty solid so far IMO

 

[hockeynorth]

Couple of things:

1. Vesey is in the top 6 so that our bottom six can have somewhat dangerous players and get some depth scoring. Can’t have all our best forwards in our top 6. Mikheyev, kerfoot, simmonds, spezza, and others need to start scoring soon.

2. We need to start a rotation for our defence. Every game you have a different player jump in. I want to see full games with actual minutes for all of dermott/bogosian/sandin/lehtonen and liljegren.

Could not have put it better myself

 

[Kiwi]

I don’t think he looks that good

He looks better than any RD we've had getting tough minutes over the last decade and a half

 

[Nineteen67]

I can’t shake the feeling McDavid is going to off in this game.

 

[34]

No they aren't don't be ridiculous, it's not Freddy's fault the offense took the night off

The team plays different in from of Andersen. They are playing scared.

I notice when Campbell is in net, everything just flows.

If Andersen starts next game I can see it being a blow out.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

He looks better than any RD we've had getting tough minutes over the last decade and a half

Do you realize how low that bar is? other than Brodie the top RD in that time period is Ron Hainsey.

Ron Hainsey.

Think about it

 

[Lil Tuzzi Bert]

Spezza to me looks as if he’s lost his hands this year scratch him for a couple games

 

[Kiwi]

Do you realize how low that bar is? other than Brodie the top RD in that time period is Ron Hainsey.

Ron Hainsey.

Think about it

Goes to show how hard it is to find a RD that can play "shutdown" minutes competently doesn't It?

Which begs the question, we've found one who's getting excellent results so why are people so keen on replacing him with a gigantic question Mark?

 

[baton elevated]

Would it surprise anyone if we lost to these guys again Friday?

 

[grapes55]

Nylander has that power move where he’ll cut into traffic and shield a defender with one arm while one handing the puck in the other, but he almost never cuts to the front of the net, opting for the behind the net option.

Marner still needs to work on his physical maturity. Not asking for a power forward game but he needs to be able to handle those heavy traffic situations better.

I really liked Marner's cut to the net on Nurse last game that led to the penalty, Marner has the skating where he's going to be able to get to the net most of the time (unless they're like Nurse and try to decapitate him)

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Goes to show how hard it is to find a RD that can play "shutdown" minutes competently doesn't It?

Which begs the question, we've found one who's getting excellent results so why are people so keen on replacing him with a gigantic question Mark?

It goes to show they didn't try for 15 years to find that guy it shouldn't be THAT hard.

In my case, i want Holl bumped down because I don't believe He's top 4 not really, I believe Jake Muzzin carries him, in fact I know he does.

If Justin Holl was a legitimate top 4 D, Justin Holl would not have gone to shit, the SECOND Jake Muzzin got hurt VS Columbus but that is EXACTLY what happened, that said i am watching Columbus to see how they do because I want David Savard.

I think if you go into the playoffs with

Rielly Brodie

Muzzin Savard

Holl Dermott

Bogosian Sandin

That's championship level depth.

 

[Kiwi]

It goes to show they didn't try for 15 years to find that guy it shouldn't be THAT hard.

In my case, i want Holl bumped down because I don't believe He's top 4 not really, I believe Jake Muzzin carries him, in fact I know he does.

If Justin Holl was a legitimate top 4 D, Justin Holl would not have gone to shit, the SECOND Jake Muzzin got hurt VS Columbus but that is EXACTLY what happened, that said i am watching Columbus to see how they do because I want David Savard.

I think if you go into the playoffs with

Rielly Brodie

Muzzin Savard

Holl Dermott

Bogosian Sandin

That's championship level depth.

Here's the thing, I don't care about any of that stuff

I just care about his results, they are excellent so I question why the hell anybody would want to mess with something that works?

How about we fix things that aren't working instead?

 

[Critical13]

A RD is the least of my worries right now.

We need to be creating more high quality chances with this lineup.

 

[CanadasTeam]

Would it surprise anyone if we lost to these guys again Friday?

It's very well possible. It also depends if Matthews is going to be in the lineup.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Here's the thing, I don't care about any of that stuff

I just care about his results, they are excellent so I question why the hell anybody would want to mess with something that works?

How about we fix things that aren't working instead?

There isn't really much that isn't working.

The defense has been solid the last 3 games the offense just took the night off vs the oilers overall things are looking pretty good

 

[stickty111]

Might do these after every 5 games. Here is how we look in the first 5 games.

Record: 3-2

5 on 5
CF/60: 60.25(4th)
CA/60: 43.87(6th)
CF%: 57.87(2nd)

SCF/60: 31.45(3rd)
SCA:60: 22.46(12th)

HDCF/60: 9.25(15th)
HDCA/60: 9.51(15th)
HDSH%: 13.64(24th)

xGF/60: 2.08(16th)
xGA/60: 1.86(11th)

SH%: 6.73(20th)
SV%: .900(25th)

Overall, we are a good team 5 on 5, but offensively we can be a lot better in creating high danger chances. It doesn't help that oue conversion rate is terrible on the chances we do create. Defensively we are doing well but goaltending needs to improve.

5 on 4 PP
CF/60: 150.82(1st)
SCF/60: 101.37(1st)
HDCF/60: 44.51(1st)
xGF/60: 13.64(1st)

SH%: 11.90(17th)

In a small sample size, our PP has been fantastic and the best in the NHL. Our conversion rate is only middle of the pack too.

4 on 5 PK
CA/60: 78.11(9th)
SCA:60: 47.63(16th)
HDCA/60: 23.08(20th)
xGA/60: 5.46(10th)

SV%: .880(14th)

Above average PK but preventing quality chances can be better. Goaltending has been only average as well.