⭐2018-19 Toronto Maple Leafs Season Discussion Thread⭐

[Faltorvo]

OK, put the word "scared" in quotes then. I'm not "scared" either, but Boston is "scary". Assuming both teams are healthy, If we have HIA then we'll favoured so our chances will be above 50% and if we're the underdogs, there's no way we'll be below 40% and I'd bet heavily that both those statements are true.

IF Boston has HIA i can't give us better then 35% they got 18 home ice PPs to our measly 5 last POs,, that's just insanity.

They are getting way more PPs then we are this season

HELL they have 89 road PPs this season we have just 65 home pps,,,,Geeezus man we are 31rst in home PPs , 30th has 11 more ,,,hell the top home team home PPs has us by 50.

Until this league bias is addressed i give us little chance.

 

[ChazzMichaelMichaels]

Kadri - Tavares - Marner
Great match-up line for vs Marchand - Bergeron - Pasta

Hyman - Matthews - Kapanen
Johnsson - Nylander - Brown
Marleau - Goat - Ennis

Suddenly one of our weak spots (LW) is a lot deeper and there is no need to deal for a physical scorer like Kreider cause we already got one potentially in Kadri

Matthews line is still decent, can score and defend

Nylander and Johnsson were absolutely great together and Brown can bring some defensive play and looked good with them as well. If need switch the sets of wingers on line 2 and 3 if you wanna get more of a playmaker (Johnsson) with Matthews. Nylander would still have Kapanen to provide offensive line balance.

Marleau makes the 4th line better and with less minutes comes more energy. Marleau and Ennis can create some 4th line scoring.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Kucherov has almost double the points Matthews does.

 

[Advanced stats]

Instead of bringing in a winger with grit why don't we try one of our own first?

Nazem Kadri played as a winger ocassionally in his younger days and could truely be unleashed if he went to play on Matthews wing imo.

Nylander looks great at center and wants that role. A swap might work out well.

Johnsson - Matthews - Kadri
Hyman - tavares - marner
Marleau - Nylander - Kapanen
Whatever's - Left - Over


Truely solidifies our top 9 without adding a single piece.

Anyone else?

 

[Warden of the North]

Boston goes on a heater this time every year.

8-0-1 in their last 10 and just crushing San Jose tonight.

SJ has 16 shots for midway through the 3rd period

 

[MyBudJT]

Looking forward to this next little stretch. The quality of hockey should really pick up, as teams prepare for the playoffs.

Boston is hot right now... but lets hope they're going to undergo the classic 'peaked too soon' dilemna.

Don't have high expectations on the Buffalo game. It seems like games after a high emotion game can go either way... either they come out flying, or they lay an egg. Regardless of the outcome, the western Canada roadtrip is coming at a good time IMO.

We'll likely get a chance to see Rosen in the next couple of weeks. Don't be surprised if he gets a "10 day tryout" to end the season. IF another d-man goes down (praying noone will), we may see Liljegren or Sandin play a game or two as well.

GO LEAFS GO!

 

[Warden of the North]

Tragic numbers are up

 

[Judas Tavares]

Really need to take advantage of that 8-game stretch from that Philly game to Ottawa on March 30. Only Nashville is a playoff team, the other 7 games really need to be a cake walk at this point.

 

[Loosie]

Marner has set career highs in goals, assists and points this year.
Matthews has set career high in assists, 10 points away from a new career high there with less games played than the year he did that (his rookie year)
Tavares is 2 goals away from a new career high in goals (and 3 away from hitting the 40 mark)
Rielly has set a new career high in goals and points, and is an assist away from a new career high there as well.

 

[MyBudJT]

Why do people continually put blame on guys like Hainsey, Marleau, Zaitsev and Brown.

These four have clearly been the biggest scape goats among HFers this season.

Hainsey has had a really solid season, in my opinion.
Marleau has been consistent all year, and not nearly as bad as people make him out to be.
Zaitsev is almost like this years 'Zack Hyman', in my opinion. A lot of irrational hate for his mistakes, but no respect for the positive aspects he brings to hte team.
Brown is what he is. He's playing like a 4th liner with elite pk abilities, and he's paid like one too.


Newsflash: These players aren't the reason why we've been mediocre as of late...

 

[ShaneFalco]

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I figured I'd do a breakdown of our season from before Nylander signed, to after.

Oct-Dec
5v5 numbers:
51.4 cf% (13)
51.5 scoring chances% (11)
49 high danger% (18)
3.03 goals for/60 (6)
1.89 goals against/60 (5)
61.5 gf% (2)
1.048 PDO (1)

Powerplay:
15.16 goals for/60 (2)
89 scoring chances/60 (1, by a ton)
40 high danger chances/60 (1)
21.05 shooting% (3)

Penalty kill:
7.24 goals against/60 (12)
57.89 scoring chances against/60 (20)
32.5 high danger chances against/60 (29)
87.5 save% (9)

Overall:
51.26 cf% (14)
53 scoring chance% (10)
51.4 high danger% (13)
4.11 goals for/60 (1)
2.16 goals against/60 (3)
65.5 gf% (1)
13.25 shooting% (1)
93.83 sv% (2)
1.071 PDO (1)

Record: 20-8-0

Dec-Now
52.9 cf% (9)
54.7 scoring chance% (2)
53.7 high danger% (8)
2.6 goals for/60 (12)
2.28 goals against/60 (12)
53.23 GF% (11)
1.01 PDO (8)

Powerplay:
7.27 goals for/60 (14)
72.7 scoring chances/60 (1)
26.7 high danger chances/60 (6)
14 shooting percentage (15)

Penalty kill:
10.19 goals against/60 (26)
42.45 scoring chances against/60 (7)
12.74 high danger chances against/60 (1)
78.6 sv% (30)

Overall:
53 cf% (7)
55.6 scf% (1)
54.6 high danger% (5)
2.97 goals for/60 (14)
3.16 goals against/60 (21)
48.4 gf% (20)
9.43 shooting% (13)
89.98 sv% (22)
0.994 PDO (19)

Record: 24-17-5

Overall conclusions:
-Leafs started off the year with mediocre structure at 5v5, and got excellent goaltending and shooting luck
-Leafs now have excellent structure at 5v5, but are getting poor goaltending and mediocre shooting luck
-Leafs started out with terrible PK structure, and got bailed out by goaltending
-The PK structure is now excellent, and goaltending is sinking them
-The powerplay started off generating the most offense in the league, and they finished their chances
-The powerplay is still generating a lot, but the finishing has been mediocre at best
-The start of the year was unsustainable and mediocre play got bailed out by ridiculous PDO
-The Leafs are currently playing good hockey, but not getting much help from offense or goaltending

Overall, I think I am happy with where the Leafs are trending despite their record. It's better to bank on a structured team getting luck (especially with the shooters and goaltending we have) than to bank on our earlier lucky team suddenly playing with more structure.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Why do people continually put blame on guys like Hainsey, Marleau, Zaitsev and Brown.

These four have clearly been the biggest scape goats among HFers this season.

Hainsey has had a really solid season, in my opinion.
Marleau has been consistent all year, and not nearly as bad as people make him out to be.
Zaitsev is almost like this years 'Zack Hyman', in my opinion. A lot of irrational hate for his mistakes, but no respect for the positive aspects he brings to hte team.
Brown is what he is. He's playing like a 4th liner with elite pk abilities, and he's paid like one too.


Newsflash: These players aren't the reason why we've been mediocre as of late...

Hainsey/Marleau because they are old
Brown because he's not sexy
and people have always hated Z.

 

[MyBudJT]

Hainsey/Marleau because their old
Brown because he's not sexy
and people have always hated Z.

Because of Hainsey/Marley's old brown what exactly??

Sorry, I had to.... I make the same typos too :p

 

[Zybalto]

The more I look at the Leafs struggles this month, the more Anderson's awful play really seems to stand out more than anything.

Whos gonna win the battle for best keeper for the month of March outta these 3?

Save%:

Sparks: .905
Anderson: .886
McBackup: .867

Sparks has the edge so far with a few games left.....

 

[jfc64]

OK, you guys have 95 million dollar worth of players in the books for 75 million. What could be said for the Tampa Bay Lightning?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Johnsson - Matthews - Kadri

Kadri isnt playing well enough to justify him with Matthews.
I dont see that working.

Kadri needs to practice being a third line Center who can AVOID goals against.

I think he plays better when taken of PP1.

He is an anchor out there.

His slow foot speed needs to be maximized by resting, not expending energy on PP1 without realistic chances of success on the PP.

The Matthews line must be able to score vs Boston.

I think Marner-Tavares can battle and be neutral against Boston's stacked line.

So if our goal is to score more than Boston, we need Matthews having a breakthrough playoffs and Andersen to have a great series.

 

[MyBudJT]

Fun fact, Leafs were 6-4 to finish both of the last two seasons before the series against Washington and Boston.

We currently sit at 1-1-1 with 7 games remaining.

All is not lost... I still think we we remain competitive against Boston, and have a good chance of winning the series, even without home ice!!!

 

[justafan22]

Fun fact, Leafs were 6-4 to finish both of the last two seasons before the series against Washington and Boston.

We currently sit at 1-1-1 with 7 games remaining.

All is not lost... I still think we we remain competitive against Boston, and have a good chance of winning the series, even without home ice!!!

2 1/2 weeks until game 1.

Get ready.

 

[kk87]

I figured I'd do a breakdown of our season from before Nylander signed, to after.

Oct-Dec
5v5 numbers:
51.4 cf% (13)
51.5 scoring chances% (11)
49 high danger% (18)
3.03 goals for/60 (6)
1.89 goals against/60 (5)
61.5 gf% (2)
1.048 PDO (1)

Powerplay:
15.16 goals for/60 (2)
89 scoring chances/60 (1, by a ton)
40 high danger chances/60 (1)
21.05 shooting% (3)

Penalty kill:
7.24 goals against/60 (12)
57.89 scoring chances against/60 (20)
32.5 high danger chances against/60 (29)
87.5 save% (9)

Overall:
51.26 cf% (14)
53 scoring chance% (10)
51.4 high danger% (13)
4.11 goals for/60 (1)
2.16 goals against/60 (3)
65.5 gf% (1)
13.25 shooting% (1)
93.83 sv% (2)
1.071 PDO (1)

Record: 20-8-0

Dec-Now
52.9 cf% (9)
54.7 scoring chance% (2)
53.7 high danger% (8)
2.6 goals for/60 (12)
2.28 goals against/60 (12)
53.23 GF% (11)
1.01 PDO (8)

Powerplay:
7.27 goals for/60 (14)
72.7 scoring chances/60 (1)
26.7 high danger chances/60 (6)
14 shooting percentage (15)

Penalty kill:
10.19 goals against/60 (26)
42.45 scoring chances against/60 (7)
12.74 high danger chances against/60 (1)
78.6 sv% (30)

Overall:
53 cf% (7)
55.6 scf% (1)
54.6 high danger% (5)
2.97 goals for/60 (14)
3.16 goals against/60 (21)
48.4 gf% (20)
9.43 shooting% (13)
89.98 sv% (22)
0.994 PDO (19)

Record: 24-17-5

Overall conclusions:
-Leafs started off the year with mediocre structure at 5v5, and got excellent goaltending and shooting luck
-Leafs now have excellent structure at 5v5, but are getting poor goaltending and mediocre shooting luck
-Leafs started out with terrible PK structure, and got bailed out by goaltending
-The PK structure is now excellent, and goaltending is sinking them
-The powerplay started off generating the most offense in the league, and they finished their chances
-The powerplay is still generating a lot, but the finishing has been mediocre at best
-The start of the year was unsustainable and mediocre play got bailed out by ridiculous PDO
-The Leafs are currently playing good hockey, but not getting much help from offense or goaltending

Overall, I think I am happy with where the Leafs are trending despite their record. It's better to bank on a structured team getting luck (especially with the shooters and goaltending we have) than to bank on our earlier lucky team suddenly playing with more structure.

Great breakdown. It's pretty uncanny how this season has progressed; the first two months of the season it seemed like every single bounce went our way, and since then it seems like essentially everything's gone against us. It has to balance out eventually.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

We've apparently got the second easiest schedule from here on out for the rest of the season. Bodes well for us trying to lock down home ice advantage.

Well the Leafs haven’t exactly taken advantage of their easy schedule. Since January 31 the Leafs are 14-8-4, or 14-12 for simplicity’s sake. Barely above .500. If this part of our schedule is easy you wouldn’t know it.

 

[hoglund]

Well that's 32 out of a possible 52 points, which is .615, not barely .500, I know that's putting a positive spin on it, but that's better than negative.

 

[theTTC]

I figured I'd do a breakdown of our season ...
Overall:
53 cf% (7)
55.6 scf% (1)
54.6 high danger% (5)
2.97 goals for/60 (14)
3.16 goals against/60 (21)
48.4 gf% (20)
9.43 shooting% (13)
89.98 sv% (22)
0.994 PDO (19)

Overall, I think I am happy with where the Leafs are trending despite their record. It's better to bank on a structured team getting luck (especially with the shooters and goaltending we have) than to bank on our earlier lucky team suddenly playing with more structure.

OMG, my sides are splitting.

After all that stat stroking, it boils down to "luck".

 

[MyBudJT]

Nylander may have injured another goalie in practice today. Freddy was laying on the ice for about a minute after a Nylander shot hit him in the head. Freddy was clearly shook...

Nylander can't seem to do anything right this season...

 

[member 262271]

Nylander may have injured another goalie in practice today. Freddy was laying on the ice for about a minute after a Nylander shot hit him in the head. Freddy was clearly shook...

Nylander can't seem to do anything right this season...

Guy is obsessed with shooting high.