Post-Game Talk: Leafs Get Last Laughs

[Guy Larose]

A rebuild is finish at the bottom 4-5 years in a row and get Fleury,Staal,Crosby and Malkin which Hughes is not doing so yes Hughes has no clue how to do a rebuild agreed.

Who let the Leaf fan in?

 

[Schooner Guy]

I hope it’s not because of a size difference, if so waive Pezz yesterday.

Pezz is our hits leader by far and the only player on the team who constantly finishes his checks. We don't want to get any softer. He has 12 points in a 4th line role (and sometimes 13th forward), is +2 on a team that is -52, and he takes up very little cap space. He is the least of our problems.

 

[dinodebino]

I don’t think even nhl gm’s can define a rebuild and a clear quantifiable path through one.

As you mentioned, there are different models.

I see what they are doing here: they had received some solid assets from the previous regime (all but Slaf, the young and promising kids are from that regime). This will essentially be their third draft as the new regime, officially the end of the second year of the rebuild. 2nd YEAR ONLY. Keep that in mind.

We should be seeing the results of their first draft in 2024-2025 (aside from Big Rig Jr), with the arrival of Rein, Hutson and Beck in Laval.

It takes time! This is not a market that will garner UFA interest, folks need to understand that. We are NOT Vegas and Florida! We have shitty weather and have an aquarium-like atmosphere and environment in the city for these players. Ya think that Caufield going to bars in Tampa would get reported in social media? Ya think getting an April snowstorm is exciting for them instead of having access to golf courses after practice?

The pattern is easy to discern : they get at least two first rounds per draft; they trade one for an up-and-coming player. They let the kids develop. They are not afraid to bring in kids in the regular lineup in Mtl AND in Laval. They want the kids to learn how to swim while being in the show, by establishing some guidelines and ‘culture’. If you look at this season, aside from Armia, we can confidently say that all of the team’s success was brought forth by the kids. The 70+ points they will get were practically solely BECAUSE of the kids. THAT is a rebuilt going in the right direction.

It takes time. There will probably be one more offensive up-and-comer acquired this Spring. We will be drafting another promising forward (Tij?) And we will be adding more kids from the draft.

All is positive.

 

[Habs10Habs]

Thank you Pez. Even though you got your ass handed to you.

 

[dinodebino]

I won’t comment much about Reaves, if only that he was tamed (and looked lame and soff) in their previous matches, and we all know why.

 

[Hannibal]

Reaves is a f***ing clown. Can’t wait gor Xhekaj to humble him. When X was there Resves was invisible.

I won’t comment much about Reaves, if only that he was tamed (and looked lame and soff) in their previous matches, and we all know why.

Exactly. He’s afraid of Xhekaj.

 

[morhilane]

There is something off here Suzuki is doing it because he finally has some support. Look at his numbers wit Dach now look at his numbers with Slaf now look at his numbers without Dach now look at his numbers without Slaf. There is a pattern I promise you.

Because I'm bored on this Sunday morning.

Suzuki/Slaf 5v5
with: 722:36 TOI, 51.99 CF%, 35 GF, 34 GA, ozs 54.11%
without Slaf: 420:36 TOI, 48.83 CF%, 15 GF, 12 GA, ozs 47.17%

Suzuki/Slaf PP
with: 176:52 TOI, 85.78 CF%, 26 GF, 6 GA
without Slaf: 112:34 TOI, 87.33 CF%, 13 GF, 2 GA

Suzuki/Dach 5v5 again
with: 409:01 TOI, 51.39 CF%, 25 GF, 24 GA, ozs 59.55%
without Dach: 804:30 TOI, 43.00 CF%, 39 GF, 43 GA, ozs 44.32%

PP
with: 172:21 TOI, 89.05 CF%, 21 GF, 0 GA
without Dach: 102:57 TOI, 83.23 CF%, 6 GF, 1 GA

The power play is the biggest bump. Dach/Slaf really helped there.
Also, Slaf profited a lot more of the move than Suzuki.
Those stats have zero concept of strength of opposition too.

And there is something interesting out of this as well. Suzuki without Dach had better GF per TOI than Suzuki without Slaf. And while people might think this is all reflecting Caufield's lack of goalscoring this season, the Ds are also assisting less at 5v5.

I went to check the Ds and saw that the D pairing with the best GF this season has been Xhekaj/Savard. They lead at 5v5 in GF despite playing hundred of minutes less as the other pairings.

As for D assists at 5v5:
- Matheson had 15 in 48 games last year, he has 12 in 76 games this year
- Guhle had 12 in 44 games last year , he has 15 in 70 games this year
- Harris had 12 in 65 games last year, he has 6 in 51 games this year
- Savard who has a similar rate to last year thought...

edit: Note that the Ds assisting less can be the result of zero depth scoring. I'll have to check deep in the stats if the main issue is finishing or transition.

 

[Naslundforever]

I thought he had the role of enforcer, I was just weirded out about the Reeves somehow supposed to feel bad for punching him.

Pezz is our hits leader by far and the only player on the team who constantly finishes his checks. We don't want to get any softer. He has 12 points in a 4th line role (and sometimes 13th forward), is +2 on a team that is -52, and he takes up very little cap space. He is the least of our problems.

Talks more to how soft and talentless the bottom6 are than his prowess, but I’m sure he is doing his best. A 12 pt 4th line guy hitting people is not something that stands out for me.

Management need to get guys who move the needle on those bottom lines, not just keep around the ones that are “lesser problems”.

 

[Scintillating10]

I haven’t checked the stats but they don’t win much without him.

I could notice dip in our defense since Guhle. More unorganized

 

[Naslundforever]

oh boy just watched the fight holy cripes this week has been deflating.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Talks more to how soft and talentless the bottom6 are than his prowess, but I’m sure he is doing his best. A 12 pt 4th line guy hitting people is not something that stands out for me.

Management need to get guys who move the needle on those bottom lines, not just keep around the ones that are “lesser problems”.

If we waive Pezz, we get even softer. Yes he got his ass kicked against a designated enforcer who can't play hockey in Reaves but Pezz handles himself fine vs light-heavyweights which is what he is. Opposing teams are on alert when he's on the ice because he hits everything in sight. There are no solutions at forward in Laval to make us tougher to play against up front.

Waiving him would make zero sense.

 

[morhilane]

I could notice dip in our defense since Guhle. More unorganized

He's been the team #1 D since December he just doesn't get PP time. He should have bumped Matheson as the #1 LD, but the lack of good RHD caused him to be moved to #1 RD instead.

 

[Rapala]

Because I'm bored on this Saturday morning.

Suzuki/Slaf 5v5
with: 722:36 TOI, 51.99 CF%, 35 GF, 34 GA, ozs 54.11%
without Slaf: 420:36 TOI, 48.83 CF%, 15 GF, 12 GA, ozs 47.17%

Suzuki/Slaf PP
with: 176:52 TOI, 85.78 CF%, 26 GF, 6 GA
without Slaf: 112:34 TOI, 87.33 CF%, 13 GF, 2 GA

Suzuki/Dach 5v5 again
with: 409:01 TOI, 51.39 CF%, 25 GF, 24 GA, ozs 59.55%
without Dach: 804:30 TOI, 43.00 CF%, 39 GF, 43 GA, ozs 44.32%

PP
with: 172:21 TOI, 89.05 CF%, 21 GF, 0 GA
without Dach: 102:57 TOI, 83.23 CF%, 6 GF, 1 GA

The power play is the biggest bump. Dach/Slaf really helped there.
Also, Slaf profited a lot more of the move than Suzuki.
Those stats have zero concept of strength of opposition too.

And there is something interesting out of this as well. Suzuki without Dach had better GF per TOI than Suzuki without Slaf. And while people might think this is all reflecting Caufield's lack of goalscoring this season, the Ds are also assisting less at 5v5.

I went to check the Ds and saw that the D pairing with the best GF this season has been Xhekaj/Savard. They lead at 5v5 in GF despite playing hundred of minutes less as the other pairings.

As for D assists at 5v5:
- Matheson had 15 in 48 games last year, he has 12 in 76 games this year
- Guhle had 12 in 44 games last year , he has 15 in 70 games this year
- Harris had 12 in 65 games last year, he has 6 in 51 games this year
- Savard who has a similar rate to last year thought...

edit: Note that the Ds assisting less can be the result of zero depth scoring. I'll have to check deep in the stats if the main issue is finishing or transition.

This really should have been your summer project.

 

[Essenege]

Leafs are winning it all this year

Not with that D and G! Their offense is amazing though, they have both elite talent with the top 4 and depth with the likes of Domi, Bertuzzi and Knies.

 

[Habs10Habs]

I thought he had the role of enforcer, I was just weirded out about the Reeves somehow supposed to feel bad for punching him.

Talks more to how soft and talentless the bottom6 are than his prowess, but I’m sure he is doing his best. A 12 pt 4th line guy hitting people is not something that stands out for me.

Management need to get guys who move the needle on those bottom lines, not just keep around the ones that are “lesser problems”.

Besides our big 3, Pez is one of our only forwards that I noticed on a regular basis. He was definitely out of his league taking on Reaves. But considering how Reaves was allowed to do pretty much anything he wanted last night. I'm glad someone had the stones to get in his face. I'm disappointed in Andy though, he should have been the one.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Not with that D and G! Their offense is amazing though, they have both elite talent with the top 4 and depth with the likes of Domi, Bertuzzi and Knies.

They'll likely feel obligated to dress Reaves too in the 1st round given he was a Treliving signing and because Florida has so many annoying rats on their roster.

 

[Naslundforever]

Besides our big 3, Pez is one of our only forwards that I noticed on a regular basis. He was definitely out of his league taking on Reaves. But considering how Reaves was allowed to do pretty much anything he wanted last night. I'm glad someone had the stones to get in his face. I'm disappointed in Andy though, he should have been the one.

I both commend his effort and feel they should not poke the bear if they don’t have an answer.

Always hated that about younger Gally playing on a team of ballerinas but running the goalie all the time, getting in net-front scrums or running his mouth. In hockey that means they start targetting good players.

 

[Rapala]

If we waive Pezz, we get even softer. Yes he got his ass kicked against a designated enforcer who can't play hockey in Reaves but Pezz handles himself fine vs light-heavyweights which is what he is. Opposing teams are on alert when he's on the ice because he hits everything in sight. There are no solutions at forward in Laval to make us tougher to play against up front.

Waiving him would make zero sense.

If we decide to waive Pezz it's because we do have an upgrade on him already signed.
We have plenty of Cap to work with and what has to be decided is if there is a reason to do it.
At the very least we need an all around better role player than Pezz flanking him.

I know what my answer is.

 

[Rapala]

I both commend his effort and feel they should not poke the bear if they don’t have an answer.

Always hated that about younger Gally playing on a team of ballerinas but running the goalie all the time, getting in net-front scrums or running his mouth. In hockey that means they start targetting good players.

I laughed like hell last season when Pezz was flying around hitting everything in sight and the opponents just turned around and took it out on Belzile.
The look on Belzile face was classic like give me a f***ing break Pezz.

 

[therocket9]

Who let the Leaf fan in?

who let the sheep in

 

[WeThreeKings]

Remember when people said Slaf had no offensive ability.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Pezz took out one of theirs and post fight the Habs scored more goals 2-1, no need to bash the guy

 

[Habs10Habs]

I both commend his effort and feel they should not poke the bear if they don’t have an answer.

Always hated that about younger Gally playing on a team of ballerinas but running the goalie all the time, getting in net-front scrums or running his mouth. In hockey that means they start targetting good players.

I understand what you're saying. Though Reaves was busy taking shots at all our players. It's not like he was doing nothing, and Pez went out and picked a fight with him. Maybe some don't agree, but I'm old school. Someone had to make Reaves answer for his actions.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Not with that D and G! Their offense is amazing though, they have both elite talent with the top 4 and depth with the likes of Domi, Bertuzzi and Knies.

And GM's who don't seem to be able to find a goaltender.

 

[Schooner Guy]

If we decide to waive Pezz it's because we do have an upgrade on him already signed.
We have plenty of Cap to work with and what has to be decided is if there is a reason to do it.
At the very least we need an all around better role player than Pezz flanking him.

I know what my answer is.

The reality is we don't have an upgrade already signed or in Laval and Pezz is outproducing regulars like RHP and Ylonen who don't bring his physical element.