Leafs D corp not that bad

[Zybalto]

Same could be said for every team that makes the playoffs. Of course the Leafs have a shot, just not as good of as a shot as they should have in the next few years.

Its a strange league. Washington puts up 120 and 118 point seasons back to back and they choke in the playoffs. The next year they are plagued by a defense that gives up scoring chances worse than the Leafs and they win the cup.

The Leafs with Holtby in net probably win the cup too. He was incredible.

 

[Da Cool Rula]

Are you a Leaf fan? Just asking. What you just typed can be done for every NHL team. I looked at the positives while you grabbed at the negatives. They were so bad that the Leafs only had a 105 point season. Most of us are a "glass half full" group. You seem to be in the glass half empty group. Like I said, the Leafs were better than a lot of top teams like the Lightning, Capitals and Hawks. All 3 were Stanley cup champs. Be positive my friend. And like the other poster said, the Leafs D corp are very very young. Great things to come. The Leafs will be top 5 defensively this year and I am willing to bet on it. (injuries change that possibly).

As an earlier poster touched on the forwards have to help. Thats what makes a defence look good.
Last I heard it was a team game.

 

[mattydamon]

Youre probably right. Which is why I said he needs to be better - but it most likely stems from the rest of the guys minus Rielly scaring the crap outta me tonight
Gardiner needs an ayahuasca retreat to fix his inner demons

Zaits bouncing back this season would be huge!

Just want to say I genuinely lol'd at Gardiner needing an ayahuasca retreat, good stuff.

 

[Ratboy]

Next year we likely lose Gardiner and Hainsey. So who steps up? We need a FA or trade unless someone like Rosen, Borgman, Sandin or Lily are ready by then.

 

[Menzinger]

Next year we likely lose Gardiner and Hainsey. So who steps up? We need a FA or trade unless someone like Rosen, Borgman, Sandin or Lily are ready by then.

The best case would be Dermott shows he’s ready for more monies (though he may not be ready). And that the bottom pairing guys show they're stable enough to eat up more icetime.

 

[alko]

Defense without Marincin is incomplete. Trust me.

 

[Ratboy]

The best case would be Dermott shows he’s ready for more monies (though he may not be ready). And that the bottom pairing guys show they're stable enough to eat up more icetime.

Yeah I agree. Hopefully a pairing of Borgman, Rosen, Sandin or Lily is ready by next year. Hopefully a top 4 D signs too.. I don't know who.

 

[Battle Lin]

if injuries hit our top 6, it could get ugly

borgman rosen
marincin holl
liljegren

our next 5 all unproven or just plain bad

 

[notDatsyuk]

if injuries hit our top 6, it could get ugly

borgman rosen
marincin holl
liljegren

our next 5 all unproven or just plain bad

I think that any team would look pretty ugly if they lost their top six defencemen.

 

[Mr Hockey]

 

[82Ninety42011]

The Leafs don't have a bad defense per say. Reilly is a top pairing guy and Gardiner is a top 4 for who needs a solid stay at home partner. The problem the Leafs have is they are solid to great on the left side but well below average on the right side. Adding one or 2 top 4 RHD who are solid defensively would go along way into moving their defense from weak to one of the better ones in league. They don't need PMD on the right side but a defensively responsible pair for the top 2 pairings on the right. Whose out there I don't know but they definitely have the assets to make a move as they are stacked upfront.

 

[Eat The Rich]

The danger in evaluating like this is that one makes it seem like Reilly (who is a really good player) is on the same level as: Karlsson, Burns, Ekman Larson, Doughty, Herman, etc...

Maybe this year he’ll be around the Kieth and Letang range.

Duncan Keith IMO is massively over-rated. He's only scored >50 points 3 times in his career. Reilly so far has done it once, and he did it at the same age Keith was when he entered the league. He never hit more than 50 points until he was 27.