Bluelines
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- Nov 17, 2013
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News Article: NHL players view Leafs as one of the favourites for the Cup
- Thread starter PromisedLand
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Bluelines
Python FTW!
- Nov 17, 2013
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Until I see Babcock change his playstyle of our zone exits/entries I am not confident. I hate our chip and chase method. We saw Washington and Boston easily stop the chip and chase and kept bringing the puck back into our zone with possession. We have great puck handlers and yet all I see is chip and chase and failed stretch passes.
ShaneFalco
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Bluelines
Python FTW!
- Nov 17, 2013
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Bluelines
Python FTW!
- Nov 17, 2013
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Someone posted a stat that the guys who left, Leo, Bozie, JVR were among the worst at zone entries and the guys we brought in Tavares, that short guy 4th line center, were among the best.
You might get your wish.
zeke
The Dube Abides
- Mar 14, 2005
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I mean, how can anyone disagree?
They were contenders last year, even without Tavares.
Agree.
You don't add a Tavares to an already solid young core and not get recognized around the league. Media and fans might be stupid -- the players within the game aren't.
You don't add a Tavares to an already solid young core and not get recognized around the league. Media and fans might be stupid -- the players within the game aren't.
DanM
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SprDaVE
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GMs and coaches are also stupid since a lot of them don't agree about the Leafs being going either. Source: LeBruns The Athletic article from a few days ago.
PromisedLand
I need more FOOD
What ticked me off is that we were denied zone entries or at least easy zone entries with possession but Boston kept on getting easy entries in our zone heck at least we should have made their lives a bit harder in terms of zone entries at least
PromisedLand
I need more FOOD
It's Babcock's way or the highway. f*** playing to the strength of your players, right?!
It'll be 70 foot failed stretch passes all day long and we'll lead the league in icings again.
CantLoseWithMatthews
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the good news is that should be the sort of thing Dubas notices and corrects. he's said he wants to be invested in the way the team plays and to fix any inefficiencies like that. Hopefully he meant it
It was so obvious how bad they were. We have some of the best skating defensemen in the league and we're trying to force them to attempt Nicklas Lidstrom-style stretch passes. It's stupid and it doesn't work. Babcock did it that way in Detroit for many years and he utterly refuses to modify his breakout strategy for the Leafs. He was also very critical of playing Komarov over Johnsson, and rightfully so because not only did Komarov look awful, Johnsson combined with Kapanen and Plekanec to make one of the most dangerous 4th lines in the league. Babcock couldn't stomach not having his precious Komarov in the lineup.
The worst part is in the first year with Babcock we never did this. We had quick short passes and brought the puck up with speed and tried to enter the zone and exit the zone with possession. Not sure what happened last year. Hopefully, Dubas can rectify this otherwise Babcock should get more heat for this.
It was a team with 8 rookies and it was likely a compensatory measure until the players can understand the full breakout system. Funny enough, it happened to be way more effective than that garbage we tried last year. I really do have a feeling that Dubas is cracking down on a few Babcock-related things - and it all started with getting rid of Komarov, Martin and Polak.... if it's part-way through the season and we're leading the league in icings again and the breakout looks awful, I'm sure Babcock will get criticized.
Ofcourse we are favourite to win but so are 4 or 5 other teams. They are good and luck will be the factor if they can win it all.
DanM
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