GDT: Leafs vs Preds - 8PM TSN

[JT AM da real deal]

Here comes a 7 game heater
Freddy will come out hot as h*ll
Muzzy will help get us back huge with a decent shut down pair
I have heard team is going to try Engval out as a centre to see if he can be our 3rd line centre
I think the Kerfoot experiment is near the end he is either a winger or traded
We need to get a strong foothold on the playoffs right off the new season when we will all see much tighter hockey with reduced time and space with puck
We can't be giving up breakaways, 2 on 1s and kill zone chances like past 7-10 games
That free wheeling no defense game must stop now
My real concern is Barrie as Barrie on the 2nd pair means Dermy has to play unreal defense and I am not sure he is ready

 

[JT AM da real deal]

He has some of the best defensive underlying numbers out there. I think there's some form of perception that "smaller" and "soft" players aren't great of penalty killers.

If anything, I've really liked his 2-way game a lot more than I thought I would. He's been really good there.

He is being moved to the wing. Keefe does not share your confidence.

 

[SprDaVE]

He is being moved to the wing. Keefe does not share your confidence.

Not sure what that has to do with being good 2-way. Center isn't the only role that works in being able to be considered good in your own zone.

 

[Sypher04]

I get we weren't playing so great right before the break and we've slipped out of a playoff spot. I get all that. But you'd think the sky was absolutely falling by the way people talk around here. In the 26 games since Sheldon Keefe took over, this team has the 5th highest win percentage in the league at .673. Our struggles directly coincide with losing our top 2 defensemen, but more specifically Muzzin who is maybe the most irreplaceable player on our backend.

 

[Warden of the North]

We need a win

 

[Marshy]

We need a win

Some games feel more like must-win than others. Agreed this does seem like one of those.

 

[BlueBaron]

Playing at home always helps, that's why NSH is a slight betting favourite in this one.

OTT is the only game that should be relatively easy. Our only other home game in the next 5 is FLA which will be a tough one but we'll be at home, we'll be substantial underdogs on the road against DAL and odds in NY will likely be similar to what there are tonight - roughly even chances, neither team should be more than a very slight favourite.

So one game (OTT) where we'll be big favourites, one game (DAL) where we'll be substantial underdogs and 3 games where neither team is a big favourite. Based on that, I'd say that the schedule is far from easy and our projected outcome is 6 points out of a possible 10. We need to start out-performing expectations at this point if we're to make the playoffs and every game is huge. With that in mind, winning tonight would be a good start.

GLG!!

Preds, NYR, and OTT should all be two points. Dal is tough, Florida is a 4 point game. I'm circling Florida on my calendar.

 

[BlueBaron]

Yeah I'm pretty much agreeing with what you said... but I guess I should of worded it better. They are all winnable games... Dallas will be tough though.

If they want to seriously make a run at the playoffs and a divisional spot they need to go about 4-1 here.

Leafs when they're on... are better then all these teams ... at least I think so

Like always though... until they get 1 or 2 more actually talented d man... or freddy gets back to playing lights out... all they can do is outscore their problems... which I think most of the time we'll have to happen.

Yeah we can afford to lose to Dallas, Florida is must win.

 

[dangomon]

He is being moved to the wing. Keefe does not share your confidence.

Isn't he also being moved up a line? Maybe Keefe's confidence exceeds ours.

 

[tmlms13]

hopefully Andersen has gotten himself right.

Because all star games are the perfect place for goalies to get themselves together.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Because all star games are the perfect place for goalies to get themselves together.

He gets some rest, some relaxation, some time for his struggles to not be so recent and in his head. He played well in the final of the all star game, so that shouldn't hurt him.

 

[IPS]

I think the Kerfoot experiment is near the end he is either a winger or traded

Kerfoot was at his best when he was lined up with Engvall and Mikheyev. Unfortunately, we don't have the option of running that line anymore. That line of Johnsson-Kerfoot-Kapanen wasn't anywhere near as effective.

 

[SwissLeaf]

I'll dislike my favorite non-Leafs player for 60 minutes! Please have a quiet game, Mr. Josi!

GO LEAFS GO!

 

[Erndog]

Because all star games are the perfect place for goalies to get themselves together.

The guy hasn't played since Jan 18. He's had enough time, whether with the all-star game or not, to regroup and reset.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Isn't he also being moved up a line? Maybe Keefe's confidence exceeds ours.

No idea

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Kerfoot was at his best when he was lined up with Engvall and Mikheyev. Unfortunately, we don't have the option of running that line anymore. That line of Johnsson-Kerfoot-Kapanen wasn't anywhere near as effective.

Keefe I am sure has a good handle on all of it. Personally I thought AJ-Kerfoot-Kappy would work great. So much speed I thought it could not be stopped. But as you say results were not effective. To me Engval has been a massive surprise. One of those guys who when you watch night in night out on Marlies you say ok he is a decent player. But his game has really translated much better at NHL level. I was shocked on that one. But that's hockey. Let's hope he can make it as a 3rd line centre. I wish him all the best.

 

[supermann_98]

Leafs tend to play very poorly when they come back from a break, expecting a poor showing

Sad but true, and that is unfortunately my expectations

 

[1specter]

He has some of the best defensive underlying numbers out there. I think there's some form of perception that "smaller" and "soft" players aren't great of penalty killers.

If anything, I've really liked his 2-way game a lot more than I thought I would. He's been really good there.

Yeah, if anything Kerfoot's defensive skill is probably the best and most consistent part about his overall game. He hustles hard and his positioning is very sound.

 

[supermann_98]

Nice so that means he’s pretty much staying right?

Once Reilly is back he'll be back with the Marlies. Still gives him a LOT of time to win a job and force the team to make a trade to get him into the top 6 permanently

 

[WTFMAN99]

Hoping Muzzin stabilizes the back end.

 

[al secord]

Back to life. Back to reality.

Hanta Yo!

 

[Gary Nylund]

Yeah I'm pretty much agreeing with what you said... but I guess I should of worded it better. They are all winnable games... Dallas will be tough though.

If they want to seriously make a run at the playoffs and a divisional spot they need to go about 4-1 here.

Leafs when they're on... are better then all these teams ... at least I think so

Like always though... until they get 1 or 2 more actually talented d man... or freddy gets back to playing lights out... all they can do is outscore their problems... which I think most of the time we'll have to happen.

I'd be happy with 7 points, as long as we beat FLA in regulation.

He has some of the best defensive underlying numbers out there. I think there's some form of perception that "smaller" and "soft" players aren't great of penalty killers.

If anything, I've really liked his 2-way game a lot more than I thought I would. He's been really good there.

That's interesting. I see no reason to think that whatsoever, in fact I'd guess the opposite is true as physicality doesn't play a big role on the PK, speed on the other hand is very important and smaller often means faster.

Preds, NYR, and OTT should all be two points. Dal is tough, Florida is a 4 point game. I'm circling Florida on my calendar.

I think beating those 3 teams should be the goal but 5 points also would be good. 4 would be the minimum I'd consider (barely) acceptable, anything below that would definitely be bad news.

The FLA game is circled, no doubt about that.

 

[ACC1224]

Score 6 and they should be ok.

 

[Marshy]

Score 6 and they should be ok.

Somehow convince Matthews it's a home game and we got a shot.

 

[Bedards Dad]

Leafs tend to play very poorly when they come back from a break, expecting a poor showing

How many players on this team were in the Blue and White after the last break, or the break before, or event the one before that? What some players in a blue and white sweater did in previous seasons has little to no barring on this team. Predicting them to have a poor showing based on what Ron Hainsey, Josh Lievo, Nazem Kadri, Par Lindholm, Patrike Marleau, Nikita Zaitsev, Tyler Ennis, Jake Garinder or Connor Brown did is pretty ridiculous.

They are no more likely to play poorly then any other team in the league.