GDT: GAME #5: LEAFS @ WINGS | Thurs, Oct 11 @ 7:30PM EST | TSN4

[Gary Nylund]

People that want to neuter offense for the sake of winning 2-1 or 3-2 are funny, when you have a strength that's most likely the best in the league, you should exploit that strength. Team defense will improve as the season goes along, even Andersen is notorious for being terrible this month getting his legs going. Golden State has an amazing offense, they don't decide to ignore that and play grind out basketball trying to win games 90-89...they'll put up 130 on you and force you to keep up and if you can't, you lose. Their defense came over time as well, the Leafs need an upgrade on Hainsey (nothing major) for that top pairing but I have trust come the TDL it'll come.

Team defence will improve as the season goes along only if we work on it, it won't happen on it's own.

 

[PromisedLand]

Which comes first?

Tavares with an assist or Gardiner with a shot on net?

The right answer is Freddie with the SO

 

[IceColdBear]

Hoping to see Kadri get going a little bit here, as well as for the D & goaltending tighten up.

 

[PromisedLand]

Hainsey will get 7 goals!

Come on, you know he's going to score a goal into his own net too.

for or against

 

[X66]

Man Toronto sports radio/media is more unbearable that usual.

Here we have, arguably the best Leafs team ever, and all people are talking about is the cap-crunch next summer.

Just enjoy the show, you losers.

 

[Burnie97]

This is huge IMO.

Getting Dermott use to the right side on the 3rd pair to eventually take over for Hainsey in the top 4

I think so too... then you can drop hainsey to 3rd pair.

Next year bring up liljegren and put him with an older d you sign for cheap in the off season. Maybe Hainsey does decent on the 3rd pairing and in the summer you say okay you can come back but on a 1 year deal at 1 million. Otherwise sign someone else.

Leafs d isn't perfect but not as bad as some people say it is.

They're making it very mobile. Reilly, Gardiner, Dermott, Zaitsev top 4 is pretty solid. With a couple solid youth in the pipeline... liljegren, and sandin.

 

[PromisedLand]

Hoping Kadri and Marleau can score their firsts of the year tonight.

I'd be happy if Kadri isn't on the ice for any goals against this game

 

[PromisedLand]

8:3 Leafs, Hainsey with a Lebda-ing -3.

Nobody can go full Lebda except Brett Lebda

 

[CanadasTeam]

 

[Suntouchable13]

I think we will see a lesser scoring game tonight. Matthews and JT have to cool down sometime. Or not, I don't know

 

[PromisedLand]

just wondering why is Oz not playing tonight?

 

[Eyedea]

I think we will see a lesser scoring game tonight. Matthews and JT have to cool down sometime. Or not, I don't know

I wouldn’t say today should be the day though

 

[DarkKnight]

I thought Oz played his best game so far against Dallas.

 

[TMLeafer]

I honestly have liked OZ's play for the most part so far.

 

[MyBudJT]

I can see why Babs wants Marincin in the line-up though... Hopefully he can eventually de-thrown Hainsey as the main PKer....

Rielly-Dermott
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Marincin-Ozhiganov/Holl

 

[CanadasTeam]

I thought Oz played his best game so far against Dallas.

I think Oz in a good spot, not worried. I think Marincin might be getting a second look, he saw what happened to Kappy let's see how he responds.

 

[67Cup]

Why do people think winning 2-1 is better than winning 7-4? It's really not

Winning 2-1 would be better if the style and quality of play that it takes to win that sort of game makes winning more repeatable. Getting lots of goals may be more determined by puck luck.

I don’t actually know if my statement is factually accurate, by the way. It’s just a consideration of situations in which a 2-1 win is preferable. All this is a way of asking whether a strong defense or a high octane offence is more conducive of consistent winning. I would be interested in hearing some our analytics gurus address that.

 

[tom leafers]

I love how the league is terrified of our PP.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Winning 2-1 would be better if the style and quality of play that it takes to win that sort of game makes winning more repeatable. Getting lots of goals may be more determined by puck luck.

I don’t actually know if my statement is factually accurate, by the way. It’s just a consideration of situations in which a 2-1 win is preferable. All this is a way of asking whether a strong defense or a high octane offence is more conducive of consistent winning. I would be interested in hearing some our analytics gurus address that.

allowing only 1 goal could be as influenced by puck luck as scoring 7. As for conducive winning, it's best to outscore your opponent as much as possible. generally in the playoffs it's easier for teams to clamp down and tighten up offensively, but not everyone can find offense

 

[Tak7]

The right answer is Freddie with the SO

We are still in October..

 

[Tak7]

Auston Matthews has more goals than the Detroit Red Wings

 

[GrizzLeaf]

Could it be that Bab's is cycling the extra Dmen (Oz and Marincin) in and out of the line-up to keep them both active and engages... and possibly happy? Leafs could have easily lost Leivo this season if they sat him again for the bulk of the games.

Just a theory.

 

[OVO16]

Ugh, why cant the Marincin experiment end. Heck, Id watch Holl over Marincin.

At the same time, Im guessing Babs is keeping Oziganov to play against the Caps on Saturday night, because they're a much heavier/physical team

 

[MyBudJT]

Could it be that Bab's is cycling the extra Dmen (Oz and Marincin) in and out of the line-up to keep them both active and engages... and possibly happy? Leafs could have easily lost Leivo this season if they sat him again for the bulk of the games.

Just a theory.

I think a little bit of it is catching Ozhiganov up to the North American game... maybe spend a little extra time with him in practice, teaching him the systems and how the game is played in North America...

 

[GrizzLeaf]

I think a little bit of it is catching Ozhiganov up to the North American game... maybe spend a little extra time with him in practice, teaching him the systems and how the game is played in North America...

Yeah. Makes sense.

I never did understand why the Leafs didn't just cycle the bottom guys in and out for the extra guys. Seems like a good way to keep everyone fresh, engaged and ready. But what you wrote makes more sense, since I doubt the Leafs would change how they handle healthy scratches.