Is the Leafs Defensive play really that bad?

Vaive50

Registered User
Dec 24, 2015
1,102
741
So now after todays game, the Leafs are still sneaking up the charts in GA. Now in 4th place all alone in GAA, very close to 2nd. Freddy is sneaking up as he is in 5th place in GAA and 6th in SV%, very close to 2nd.

Vancouver seems to be playing the kind of game everybody thought the Leafs would be playing as they have 57 GF but 58 GA. Can't wait to see what happens when Matthews and Nylander are back, they'll probably both come at about the same time.
 

Zybalto

Registered User
Dec 28, 2012
9,489
8,761
now have the 4th best GAA in hockey

Impossible!

Not with "not a real number 1" Rielly, "over the hill" Hainsey, "Mr. -5" Gardiner and "albatross contract" Zaitsev as our top 4.

Just fudging the stats!
 

Judas Tavares

S2S (Sundin2Sandin)
Sponsor
Feb 9, 2007
10,163
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I'll give them kudos for their improved play this year. They deserve it. But how much of it is also Andersen?

Again credit goes to the improvements, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, i just don't think we can win with this defence. Andersen can only be so good each game. And some of these guys will only be able to "fake it" for so long.

I truly only trust Mo and Dermott. I'm not going to get into Gardiner as it opens a can of worms. The other 3 are good soldiers, eat up ice time etc...But... They need to be improved upon, there is only so many rounds they can take you.
 

Zybalto

Registered User
Dec 28, 2012
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Only gave up 8 high danger chances again last night. Despite the loss, I like the trend.
 

Vaive50

Registered User
Dec 24, 2015
1,102
741
I'll give them kudos for their improved play this year. They deserve it. But how much of it is also Andersen?

Again credit goes to the improvements, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, i just don't think we can win with this defence. Andersen can only be so good each game. And some of these guys will only be able to "fake it" for so long.

I truly only trust Mo and Dermott. I'm not going to get into Gardiner as it opens a can of worms. The other 3 are good soldiers, eat up ice time etc...But... They need to be improved upon, there is only so many rounds they can take you.

I think that you are basing this all on last nights stinker (2nd of B2B's, B's angry with their recent 8-5 loss, in the B's barn, top line missing). If Andersen was good enough to bring us up to the 4th best in GAA after those first 4 games, with a bad defensive system, then he'd easily be the Vezina winner.

Defense is not only the 2 guys on the blue line, it's mainly all about having great forwards that know how to play a 200 ft game like Tavares, Marner, Matthews, Kadri, Par, Hyman, etc.). Tampa let Ottawa score 6 on them last night (and isn't Vasilevskiy supposed to be an Elite goalie) and they've got a healthy team, they didn't play the night before and were at home.
 
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Jmo89

Registered User
Mar 21, 2010
4,299
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I think GAA can be a little deceptive. That said I've never though the defence was bottom 10. I'd rank them 15-20 overall.

Although he can be stubborn and downright annoying its also looking like Babcock is getting them to buy in a bit more. Perfect the defence first and then let the offence fly. Andersen is the best I've seen him as well.

I think a solid top 4 dman puts them in the top 10 for D - if we are lucky and avoid injuries.
 

rent free

Registered User
Apr 6, 2015
20,427
6,114
I'll give them kudos for their improved play this year. They deserve it. But how much of it is also Andersen?

Again credit goes to the improvements, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, i just don't think we can win with this defence. Andersen can only be so good each game. And some of these guys will only be able to "fake it" for so long.

I truly only trust Mo and Dermott. I'm not going to get into Gardiner as it opens a can of worms. The other 3 are good soldiers, eat up ice time etc...But... They need to be improved upon, there is only so many rounds they can take you.
most of it is andersen but that's because he's been elite this season. the defence is above average
 

NoName

Bringer of Playoffs!
Nov 3, 2017
2,790
1,635
They are an offense first team. Their blue-line is definitely their weakness (and backup goal, but that is less of an issue), but their has been some internal growth to help offset some of the issues (Morgan Rielly is now indisputably a true 1D, Oz look reasonable where he is and Zaitsev, while not being worth his rich contract at least looks like he is worth a spot as a 2nd pairing RHD this season). Defence is the weakpoint, for what is overall a strong Leafs team, but it isn't the calamity some thought it would be.
 

Apotheosis

Registered User
Mar 27, 2014
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Toronto, Ontario
I think this is mostly because Rielly has taken yet another step and our bottom pairing is absolutely dominating usage. Zaitsev is trash tier, but the former two mentions help curb that.
 

Zybalto

Registered User
Dec 28, 2012
9,489
8,761
Nikita Zaitsev so far in November:

5 games:

Adjusted 5v5 (50 min minimum) out of 167 dmen:

Shots allowed/60: 20.77 (7th lowest out of 167)
CF%: 52.98 (54 out of 167)
SCF%: 60.35 (22 out of 167)
HDCF%: 69.53 (6 out of 167)(1st out of all 2nd pairing D in the league)
OZ Faceoff % : 39.34 (21st lowest)
QoC level: Upper tier 2nd pairing
PDO: 1.002

Relative numbers:
Corsi%: +7.08 (35th out of 167)
SCF%: +14.70 (12th out of 167)
HDCF%: +23.74 (2nd out of 167)



PK stats (10 min minimum) out of 84 dmen::

Shots allowed/60: 66.12 (60th out of 84)
Scoring chances allowed/60: 49.59 (43rd out of 84)
High danger chances allowed/60: 9.92 (15th out of 84)

Last nights game hurt the PK numbers a bit and Vegas(20th) isnt great on the PP but Boston (3rd), NJ (7th), Dallas (9th) and the Pens (12th) are great to decent. Good showing overall in a small sample size.

Never quite saw the extreme turn to defensive stud instead of a two way player but maybe thats the way Babs wants him to play. After carrying Gards to get up to speed they have become a perfect second pairing for us IMO and one of the main reasons for our reversal of fortunes in the goals against department.

You can now return to your regularly scheduled programming of trashing him......

Edit: Screwed up his Shots against per 60. Should be 7th best in the league so far this month, not 13th. Sorry, my mistake.
 
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