All Encompassing Coaching Status Thread | TOR hire Paul McFarland as an Assistant Coach

[LeafsNation75]

Ok, I don't think firing Hiller is necessary to making that adjustment.

It would seemed fairly easy to fix because I don't think it works when you have such a designated shooter and passer as we do with Matthews and Marner. Well unless you're Washington and you have Ovechkin smacking one timers I suppose. But Mitch isn't a shooting threat from either side and Matthews is kind of wasted just being used as the shooter.

If it was me, it be Matthews and Tavares/Nylander on the flanks, Kadri in front of the net and Marner at the bumper spot.

I would have liked to see Matthews as the designated shooter because we saw in the playoffs his ability to get some one timer goals.

 

[Rare Jewel]

But its twonplayoffs in a row where special teams have cost the Leafs a chance to move on. I'm not a fan of small sample sizes shaping big decisions but eventually enough has to be enougg.

The other issue with the PP is that the 2nd unit hasn't been great for a couple years now but usage still remains strangely balanced. Aside from when the 1st unit has been redhot from time to time I'd like to have seen some bigger changes made

I think last two playoff special teams performances have as much to do with playing Boston as anything. The PK in particular can't be that bad, but on the other hand why is a guy with no ACL in one of his knees taking draws against Bergeron and why are there no centers available to be used on the PK?

 

[LeafsNation75]

I think last two playoff special teams performances have as much to do with playing Boston as anything. The PK in particular can't be that bad, but on the other hand why is a guy with no ACL in one of his knees taking draws against Bergeron and why are there no centers available to be used on the PK?

Frederik Gauthier would have been a better option since he is a centre and was not playing with a torn ACL.

 

[Mr Hockey]

imo ...Leafs need a shooting threat from the defense and that will stop teams from playing a low tight box and blocking all lanes. The teams that ignored Rielly on the blueline did well on the PK against us.

 

[Rare Jewel]

I would have liked to see Matthews as the designated shooter because we saw in the playoffs his ability to get some one timer goals.

On the right side yes I agree.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Frederik Gauthier would have been a better option since he is a centre and was not playing with a torn ACL.

Any of them would been better than a guy on one leg.

But really they did used Lindholm there for most of season and on the face of it you may still make that move. But I couldn't help but think I would preferred him to Hyman even before knowing about his knee.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Any of them would been better than a guy on one leg.

But really they did used Lindholm there for most of season and on the face of it you may still make that move. But I couldn't help but think I would preferred him to Hyman even before knowing about his knee.

Besides his play on the penalty kill Lindholm did nothing on the offensive side and he only scored 1 total goal. So there had to been a reason why Dubas traded him.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Besides his play on the penalty kill Lindholm did nothing on the offensive side and he only scored 1 total goal. So there had to been a reason why Dubas traded him.

Do they really need him to?

He was never there to get points.

 

[Cor]

Besides his play on the penalty kill Lindholm did nothing on the offensive side and he only scored 1 total goal. So there had to been a reason why Dubas traded him.

Dubas said the reason. It was about player control and Petan is more skilled.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Dubas said the reason. It was about player control and Petan is more skilled.

But subtracted from an important role for what turned out to be the 14th forward by doing so.

Value wise, a pretty good trade. Timing wise, kind of a bad trade.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Good riddance to both.

 

[LeafsNation75]

But subtracted from an important role for what turned out to be the 14th forward by doing so.

Value wise, a pretty good trade. Timing wise, kind of a bad trade.

Maybe I'm getting the players wrong but at the time of the trade wasn't Trevor Moore one of the scratches so Lindholm could remain in the lineup and in the games Moore did play, he was at least producing more offense than Lindholm.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

But subtracted from an important role for what turned out to be the 14th forward by doing so.

Value wise, a pretty good trade. Timing wise, kind of a bad trade.

The 4th line got so much better after Lindholm was traded, and he was a healthy scratch for a Jets team that got eliminated in the first round as well.

Moore and Ennis were way better than Lindholm.

Also just because a player played on the PK, doesn't mean he was valuable there. Our PK was in the bottom half of the league even while he was here and should have easily been replaced by Kadri or Tavares.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Maybe I'm getting the players wrong but at the time of the trade wasn't Trevor Moore one of the scratches so Lindholm could remain in the lineup and in the games Moore did play, he was at least producing more offense than Lindholm.

Moore got in after yes. Which is good, but the PK center issue still remained.

Perhaps the best option would have been to move Gauthier to make the room.

 

[Rare Jewel]

The 4th line got so much better after Lindholm was traded, and he was a healthy scratch for a Jets team that got eliminated in the first round as well.

Moore and Ennis were way better than Lindholm.

Also just because a player played on the PK, doesn't mean he was valuable there. Our PK was in the bottom half of the league even while he was here and should have easily been replaced by Kadri or Tavares.

Yes, but the coach won't use them will he? I agree with him on Tavares, but Kadri should kill penalties though.

Moore and Ennis are wingers, Lindholm is a center. The guy who would come out is Gauthier who also doesn't kill penalties.

 

[Magic Man]

Yes, but the coach won't use them will he? I agree with him on Tavares, but Kadri should kill penalties though.

Moore and Ennis are wingers, Lindholm is a center. The guy who would come out is Gauthier who also doesn't kill penalties.

Lindholm was playing wing with Gauthier at center.

I think the smart thing to do and maybe they do it next year if he remains a regular player. That would be to play Gauthier on the PK. He was labelled the best defensive prospect to come out of the QMJHL in 20 years at the draft. His speciality wherever he has went was as a defensive specialist. Junior and the Marlies. He's good on draws too, he was at 53.7% this season. It's weird seeing Fred Gauthier with his low scoring ability in the NHL as a regular while not performing his special kill which is his penalty killing ability.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Dubas can fire Babcock if he wants too. If he cant, hes not GM.

That said, Dubas isnt anywhere close to that now. He isnt just firing Babs without it a justifiable reason to do it.

He has many reasons to fire him

 

[WTFMAN99]

imo ...Leafs need a shooting threat from the defense and that will stop teams from playing a low tight box and blocking all lanes. The teams that ignored Rielly on the blueline did well on the PK against us.

I would really need to check PP goals vs even strength goals but Rielly did have 20 goals this year, ignoring him might not have been the best strategy.

 

[cookie]

The Leafs have more than enough players to set up a proper penalty killing unit. The fact they ended the season below NHL average is concerning when coupled with the team's year-to-year decline (though that can be explained by the annual league-wide decline in PK efficiency). However, considering that the most prominent issue, the lack of a center that could take the draws, could have been addressed by up to three players on the roster - Tavares, Kadri, and Gauthier - was never experimented throughout the year is puzzling. First guy has played on NHL PK units, the other was surprisingly productive killing penalties in junior, and the last is an under-played defensive specialist. The coach is willing to take a chance with speedy wingers on the PK, but is reluctant in putting round pegs into round holes? I liked the development angle taken with Marner but if that were truly the case, then even Matthews was also available to satisfy the requirement for a center with the added benefit of providing him with experience.

It's hard to find any logic for how the PK was manned and depending on how one looks at it, the lack of calls against us this year was either a blessing or a curse. A tougher lineup will crumble with a weak PK unit supporting them.

 

[Morbo]

"Blanket permission to interview" aka hasn't been offered a contract renewal

Great news.

Accountability and change for the coaching staff were an obvious must. Still just rumours but good to hear there should be changes coming.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Maybe I'm getting the players wrong but at the time of the trade wasn't Trevor Moore one of the scratches so Lindholm could remain in the lineup and in the games Moore did play, he was at least producing more offense than Lindholm.

Babcock would have played the hell out of Lindholm had he stayed
But being the jerk that he is, he won't play Petan....just because

 

[Sypher04]

Wait, Hiller isn't expected back?

 

[Mr Hockey]

I would really need to check PP goals vs even strength goals but Rielly did have 20 goals this year, ignoring him might not have been the best strategy.

Teams did not send there forwards high to cover the threat of a shot down the middle or a pass from Rielly, they kept the PK box compact/tight and closed off passing lanes across to Matthews, too Kadri in the slot, Tavares tight to the net and Marner shooting lane. Babcock even spoke about this.

 

[ToneDog]

We need more out of our #4C other than size. Like to see us replace the Goat with a Kuraly type player. The Bruins series turned around when Kuraly returned IMO.

 

[ShaneFalco]

We need more out of our #4C other than size. Like to see us replace the Goat with a Kuraly type player. The Bruins series turned around when Kuraly returned IMO.

Third year in a row where we lacked a 4th line C. The other 2 years they had to trade for one. But Gauthier is not at all an answer going forward IMO.