I think he is changing his ways actually. Bringing in Muzzy. Now Clifford. and a couple more defensive defenders/forwards before TDL and bingo bango now we maybe can do something. We will see the jury is still out. Maybe he went way too far one way and now realizes he needs to change a little. I for one am still hopeful.That is precisely how Dubas mission statement reads in his beliefs in successful team building, and he has set out to prove that using HockeyPuck analytics that speed and skill is the recipe for success in the new NHL, and that it will overcome all other impediments including being in the bottom 5 in goals against with average goaltending.
He has tossed the old playbook out the window of "good teams are built from the goalie out, through strong defense ....yada yada yada". That is old school beliefs no longer viable in modern day hockey.
If he is right and the Leafs hoist the Cup he will be seen as a genius and have proven all his naysayers wrong, and if he is wrong and Leafs miss the playoffs then fill in the blanks _________.
In the last 5 playoff years of the bottom 10 teams in goals against where Leafs currently sit bottom 5 worst, only 2 of 50 teams (or 4%) of teams have made the playoffs only to get blown away in round #1, and where 96% of teams that finish in the bottom 10 in worst goals against don't even make the playoffs. The odds are not good statistically based on historical precedence.
Dubas is like Daenerys Targaryen and setting out to "break the wheel", but we might need a Jon Snow to step in eventually, if this starts going badly wrong.
Babcock was definitely a problem. Silly to think he was/is the only problem.
This is not true at all. You specifically mentioned my name as reasoning, and misrepresented how I operate. You didn't counter anything about my actual analysis; just made accusations against me.
The only blind spot is people not recognizing the level at which goaltending in the NHL, especially starting goaltending, is expected to make the saves that are being blamed exclusively on the defense. A defensive mistake does not absolve the goaltender of doing his job.
The analytics say that the defense is average to slightly below average and improving. The team is not a tire fire defensively. It's just easier for you to rationalize what's happening by assuming that what has caused the issues the last few years has maintained, because the GA (which is a combination of defense and goaltending, largely goaltending) hasn't improved. In reality, the defense has improved from past years, and the goaltending has gotten much worse. Literally everything supports this, from all analytics, standard and advanced, to the "eye test".
Babcock's first 15 games:
this season is boardline a wash. You just want to keep holding onto our UFA's and sell more of the future for what looks like won't happen anyways? so we should push for the playoffs and if we miss we wasted a year on their contracts anyways. or we sell our UFAs who will be gone anyways replace them with the kids and see how we do anyways. gain assets to move forward with... like christ time is running out you do realize that right? Leafs havn't been good since January of last year. with the injuries we have I think a retool is more than realistic.
Why not look at the whole picture and evaluate that way? He's a middle tier starter this year by save% and slightly below when you look at expected GA (last I saw).
What’s the point of adjusting the roster when the personal it’s comprised of are absolute trash?
Below average goaltending.
Expected goals against: 15th
Andersen's total goals saved above average (average relative to all goalies, not just starters):
I agree completely. It also doesn't seem that any coach can get this team to start on time.
