Are the Leafs really "struggling" or do they just get outshot because they always have the lead?

[LeafFever]

I think fans of every other team in the League are fairly objective about their teams - of course, they might wear blinders at times but I think there's a distinct difference when it comes to Leaf fans - in sheer numbers, they are probably blind and wear the rosy coloured goggles more than fans of other teams.

You can't reason with them AT ALL. One fan said they are 3rd or 4th in shots against? Someone should check out how many times they give up 40 shots or near-40 shots against. It seems to be quite often. They also choke more often than other teams, it seems - meaning losing games in later stages of a game. Their team defence totally collapses so if Andersen is not thought of as a top goaltender, I think he probably has to deal with good scoring chances more often than not. Teams that are in slumps love playing the Leafs because it means an opportunity to end that slump. They are collapsing early this season as they usually choke with only 1/4 left but to do it before the break is a bit early for them.

I think they will continue to falter and it will be a challenge to even make the playoffs. Several teams neck and neck with them should pass them soon. When Matthews is out or Andersen is struggling, it is really transparent how average that team is.

That is absurd.
Remember, this is a team on a 100 point pace that regularly gets threads about how much they suck.

 

[LeafFever]

It's funny how Leafs fan, despite watching this team every game, are blind to the fact that their team isn't good.

It's funny how non Leaf fans are blind to the standings and statistics.
If the Leafs weren't any good, wouldn't their record be worse than it is? But Leaf fans are blind to the truth I guess...

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

I wonder if "pucky" has ever watched a Leaf game. Believe they have given up one third period lead this year that led to a lose. With his 7847 posts and just 34 likes, you can guess how factual his posts are.

 

[Menzinger]

That is absurd.
Remember, this is a team on a 100 point pace that regularly gets threads about how much they suck.

Seems like a case of a fan of another team letting their personal dislike of the Leafs prevent any logical analysis.

 

[LeafFever]

Seems like a case of a fan of another team letting their personal dislike of the Leafs prevent any logical analysis.

Yes. This occurs a lot on here.

 

[zeke]

I think fans of every other team in the League are fairly objective about their teams - of course, they might wear blinders at times but I think there's a distinct difference when it comes to Leaf fans - in sheer numbers, they are probably blind and wear the rosy coloured goggles more than fans of other teams.

You can't reason with them AT ALL. One fan said they are 3rd or 4th in shots against? Someone should check out how many times they give up 40 shots or near-40 shots against. It seems to be quite often. They also choke more often than other teams, it seems - meaning losing games in later stages of a game. Their team defence totally collapses so if Andersen is not thought of as a top goaltender, I think he probably has to deal with good scoring chances more often than not. Teams that are in slumps love playing the Leafs because it means an opportunity to end that slump. They are collapsing early this season as they usually choke with only 1/4 left but to do it before the break is a bit early for them.

I think they will continue to falter and it will be a challenge to even make the playoffs. Several teams neck and neck with them should pass them soon. When Matthews is out or Andersen is struggling, it is really transparent how average that team is.

if leafs fans are such homers, why are they so much better at assessing how good the leafs are than you are?

 

[Whileee]

Is that why Hyman is on the first line and Komarov is on the second line? Spreading the talent thin with grinders doesn't make a team have depth. The leafs should just stack the lines like WPG, TBY instead of thinking they have the talent to run 4 lines.

Sure, the Jets stack their top two lines, but they also have a third line (centered by Lowry) that's running at around 64% CF and is on pace to allow less than 6 even strength goals against over the entire season. They also have Perreault (a top 6 talent) and Armia on a very effective 4th line, that would be even better if Maurice didn't have a blind spot about Hendricks. That line is also out playing and outscoring opponents.

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

Three game losing streak, injury bug starting to hit them this season (they had very little man games lost last year), and the weak team defense is beginning to show. Playing Carolina next who is playing well lately.

The Atlantic is weak in general so they will remain afloat for now - but could Toronto be plummeting back to Earth after a hot start to the season? How long can the defense survive in a goal scoring drought?

 

[BB88]

They'll get it going at some point and are a pretty sure playoff team. Too much talent to not be a good regular season team atleast.

The defense is definitely a ?????? for contending.

 

[Hint1k]

Three game losing streak, injury bug starting to hit them this season (they had very little man games lost last year), and the weak team defense is beginning to show. Playing Carolina next who is playing well lately.

The Atlantic is weak in general so they will remain afloat for now - but could Toronto be plummeting back to Earth after a hot start to the season? How long can the defense survive in a goal scoring drought?

Who cares if they will make play-off. Better ask their next opponent how do they like to be out of play-off for 9(?) years in a row.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

If by true colors you mean are we finally becoming a boring Babcock team where every player is asked to grind? Yes we are. Creativity and excitement is slowly getting coached out of the players and the team.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

nobody shows their true colors in 3 games. Pretty obvious what your agenda is. We got a dumb thread like this the last time the Leafs had a 3 game losing streak

 

[D Wakaluk]

I don't know but I'm enjoying the better quality of the mainboards at the moment. These colours can shine a little longer

 

[naruto]

the haters are latching onto a 3 game losing streak.
lmao can u spell desperate?

 

[AzHawk]

yeah

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Every team has losing streaks. Yes, even the Blues and Bolts have had stretche(s) where they've been playing like crap and just not working.

It's the ups and downs of the season, sometimes you need a wakeup call and work through it. For the Leafs results-wise it's only their 2nd tough stretch of the season.

Leafs have been good for a calendar year now (actually exactly a calendar year, Dec 17th of 2016 they beat Pittsburgh at home and snapped a 3 game losing skid while having a .500 record, they went 10-2-1 afterwards) and they're a young team with good leadership. I don't see where they fall back to in the middle of the season. To me the Leafs are what they are and the bigger question is can they get better and if so how much better than what they've showed so far this year.

 

[Seanaconda]

Toronto and the blues are competing for longest cup drought but unless you're a leaf fan that wants a jinx thread don't bag them. I'm happy they aren't the worst team to watch anymore even tho I don't like the franchise

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

It wasn't going to last.

 

[Haatley]

With Matthews out I am sure they hoped Nylander and Marner would step up their games. That hasn't been the case.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

With Matthews out I am sure they hoped Nylander and Marner would step up their games. That hasn't been the case.

it's hard to step up when you get 13 minutes a night compared to 20 for Komarov
Nylander only got 8 minutes against Pittsburgh

 

[kudymen]

Who cares if they will make play-off. Better ask their next opponent how do they like to be out of play-off for 9(?) years in a row.

Yes that sounds so much worse than 7 straight after the lockout or 10 in 11 after the lockout

 

[Hint1k]

Yes that sounds so much worse than 7 straight after the lockout or 10 in 11 after the lockout

Your comment does not make sense to me. I assume it was about Toronto, but I am not a Toronto fan. My point was that it is better to have a chance for cup rather than have no chance for a cup. Also my point is that it is better to have a chance for cup now rather than have cup/cups somewhere in the past. Cause the most important play-of is always this year play-off.

 

[crackdown44]

Leafs easily the most polarizing team in the league. As an unbiased fan of a western team it’s easy to see that their own fans think they’re better than they are and everybody else thinks they’re worse than they are (with exceptions, not many, but some). Realistically they’re the second best team in a weak division and will probably have a 50/50 chance of ousting Boston in the first round. Anything can happen after that. They’re ahead of schedule in the rebuild anyway.

I also low key think their management is conspiring to micromanage the big threes point totals this year to keep their contracts manageable but that’s just my unpopular theory.

 

[howkie]

It would be a massive dissepointment if not Leafs goes to the playoff, it is a good team and a weak division, what is the argue here?

 

[Atoyot]

The Leafs are by far the best team in the NHL at generating high danger shots as a fraction of their total shots for. They don't shoot the puck from the perimeter often, and they don't shoot it from the point often. So their shot totals are a bit misleading.

This is much different from the Randy Carlyle years when they would shoot from everywhere and still get outshot. That's what a lot of coaches encourage too, which you can tell from "get pucks on net" being a standard cliche.

You look at someone like Kadri as a good example. A couple of years ago every time he had possession of the puck in the offensive zone with nobody open he'd fire the puck on net with no screen. And he has a muffin of a shot, so those were a complete waste. Now though, he'll almost always choose to delay and wait for a trailer, or cycle the puck if there's no option.

They have the highest shooting percentage in the NHL and it's not just luck, it's because most of their shots are high percentage ones.

8th in shooting percentage.