Sportsnet: Quarter Mark Report....

[Wafflewhipper]

Maple Leafs quarter-mark report: The great, the meh and the questions

Click to read more...

 

[willmma]

"Nintendo Numbers" ha ha.

What's interesting is, as much as Simmonds and Thronton have helped, the leafs have been a powerful offensive team for years now.
We are 1st in the division in GF/G and 3rd in the league.


Defence has been the real problem. I believe signing TJ Brodie and Holl's growth made a real difference.

We are much better defensively than last year.
We are 1st in the division in GA/G and 7th in the league. (last year we were 26th)

 

[The Man with a Plan]

"Nintendo Numbers" ha ha.

What's interesting is, as much as Simmonds and Thronton have helped, the leafs have been a powerful offensive team for years now.
We are 1st in the division in GF/G and 3rd in the league.


Defence has been the real problem. I believe signing TJ Brodie and Holl's growth made a real difference.

We are much better defensively than last year.
We are 1st in the division in GA/G and 7th in the league. (last year we were 26th)

Holl always had the rough skills... he just needed the right guys to learn from imho. Hes not an Offensive Dman we all know this. He was not going to progress and excel learning from Mo whos style and impact is totally different and has its own issues at times. Muzzin first but most of all Brodie have helped the d corps with the knowledge and leading by example not just points.

Watching Brodie play odd man rushes perfectly is a thing of beauty. Sacrifices his body in a heartbeat and knows when to do so. Rarely out of position and beaten. Holl has to be soaking this up like a super grateful sponge. He's finally the gem we hoped he could be

 

[Gallagbi]

"Nintendo Numbers" ha ha.

What's interesting is, as much as Simmonds and Thronton have helped, the leafs have been a powerful offensive team for years now.
We are 1st in the division in GF/G and 3rd in the league.


Defence has been the real problem. I believe signing TJ Brodie and Holl's growth made a real difference.

We are much better defensively than last year.
We are 1st in the division in GA/G and 7th in the league. (last year we were 26th)

Bogosian has really done everything asked of him as well with less mistakes than he's made previously.

The GA stat is interesting given Fred's still well below his career average for save%

 

[Wafflewhipper]

He didn’t mention our even strength scoring in this but we have the most even strength goals in the league presently. Other teams have games in hand that might pass us. We sit 1st in ESGF( even strength goals for) and 20th in ESGA (even strength goals against). The team better in ESGA have all played less games than us but they are very close.
The PK needs work. It’s not good enough. We need 85% and we are around 75% kill efficiency. That to me is a area Dubas can help in trade and should be a priority in any trade. The league/media doesn’t put any credit out for good penalty killing forwards but we need to find them.
Andersen has a .924 sv % his last 10 games.
Campbell has a .923 sv % in his two games.
These two are a solid duo going forward but it looking like Andersen is going to have incredible #’s with improved defense this season. That will likely price him out of Toronto unless he really wants to stay because something crazy happens. Like he wins a cup and doesn’t want to leave.

The big question coming is who comes out for Thornton and who comes out for Robertson. Keefe didn’t get any look at Robertson and then this injury. I think he is going to the Marlies to serve as a training camp with loads of minutes and confidence builder and get him playing. Who knows, maybe they never send Robertson to the Marlies.
I won’t complain-if they get him playing large minutes down there and building confidence. We need a true third line center that has a full tool box and can play any game a team throws at him.
I give the entire team a A+ Freddy is rocking a 2.59 Gaa presently. If that number held it would be his best Gaa on a season as a Leaf. Thats likely not going to hold and will a better number if the defense maintains. The improvements in team play that were needed are improved.
The second Quarter maintaining consistency is the next big goal.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Bogosian has really done everything asked of him as well with less mistakes than he's made previously.

The GA stat is interesting given Fred's still well below his career average for save%

Bogosian has been awesome. He plays a simple game and it’s just steadily been good and helpful

 

[zeke]

He didn’t mention our even strength scoring in this but we have the most even strength goals in the league presently. Other teams have games in hand that might pass us. We sit 1st in ESGF( even strength goals for) and 20th in ESGA (even strength goals against). The team better in ESGA have all played less games than us but they are very close.

It looks a little bit different when you look at scoring per game or per 60min.

Even Strength Goals For per 60min:

1. STL 3.44
2. VGK 3.40
3. PHI 3.36
4. TBL 3.29
5. WPG 3.24
6. TOR 3.23

Even Strength Goals Against per 60min:

1. NJD 1.58
2. TBL 1.85
3. TOR 2.01
4. FLA 2.05
5. VGK 2.08

 

[Wafflewhipper]

It looks a little bit different when you look at scoring per game or per 60min.

Even Strength Goals For per 60min:

1. STL 3.44
2. VGK 3.40
3. PHI 3.36
4. TBL 3.29
5. WPG 3.24
6. TOR 3.23

Even Strength Goals Against per 60min:

1. NJD 1.58
2. TBL 1.85
3. TOR 2.01
4. FLA 2.05
5. VGK 2.08

Nice i like it. Incredible amounts of detail put in to defensive awareness by the entire lineup. I know everyone complains about Vesey but I’m pretty sure they aren’t watching his defensive play. He generally takes good ice on backside pressure and is always keen on what he has to defend. I’m not sure about numbers on him because it’s just not my thing for the most part. He looks good defensively to me. Then when taxi guys cone in they play above the puck without fail. Except for turnovers in the neutral zone of course. Mostly solid awareness defensively is the normal. Amazing job by the team. Coaches included in team when i say that. They are on the same page. I don’t like the penalty kill. It needs to improve a bit

 

[Zybalto]

It looks a little bit different when you look at scoring per game or per 60min.

Even Strength Goals For per 60min:

1. STL 3.44
2. VGK 3.40
3. PHI 3.36
4. TBL 3.29
5. WPG 3.24
6. TOR 3.23

Even Strength Goals Against per 60min:

1. NJD 1.58
2. TBL 1.85
3. TOR 2.01
4. FLA 2.05
5. VGK 2.08

All it took was for Andersen to be an above average keeper instead of a below one and "poof", one of the "best defensive teams" in hockey under Keefe and the media is wondering how it happened. (too easy to predict) It opens up the team to the "in a bad division" attack but no should be accusing the North of being offensively inept so thats a silly argument. Defensively, the Leafs were as good as or better under Keefe last year as they are this year. Its the other half of the goals against stat that was the real worry but looks good atm (once we get Campbell back anyways)

We just need Andersen to sustain his level of play the rest of the year like 2016-2018 Andersen and hopefully into the playoffs. This team is a legitimate Cup contender if that happens.

 

[Confucius]

It's great we are leading the way in the North, but I think we aren't playing as well as we can. Maybe it is a lack of playing great teams, maybe we do play down to our competition.

 

[Not My Tempo]

It's great we are leading the way in the North, but I think we aren't playing as well as we can. Maybe it is a lack of playing great teams, maybe we do play down to our competition.

I feel like the revolving door of wingers on the second line has made it kinda hard to consistency there. They looked really good with Simmonds there but obviously that didn’t last long. Vesey and Mikheyev don’t have the finish to compliment Willy and Tavares. I think Robertson would work so well there but we’ll see once he comes back

 

[Mess]

It's great we are leading the way in the North, but I think we aren't playing as well as we can. Maybe it is a lack of playing great teams, maybe we do play down to our competition.

Its hard to compare apples to apples around the NHL when teams are limited to Div play only, creating this once in a lifetime anomaly situation.

How would our Leafs look if they played in the EAST Div along with Boston, Washington, Philly and Pittsburgh, and had to play them and all their stars 9-10 times in a season?.

I posted in the Around the League thread but you can already see QofC of the CDN div show up in other statistical categories in that the top 8 top goal scorers in the NHL as of today all play in the CDN Div.

Does anyone really believe on merit alone of equality, without adjusting for level of competition that Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, Tyler Toffoli & Josh Anderson & Johnny Gaudreau are all among the best goal scorers in the entire NHL along with Matthews, McDavid and Draisaitl?

Link: 2020-21 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Points - National Hockey League - ESPN

 

[Joey Hoser]

"Nintendo Numbers" ha ha.

What's interesting is, as much as Simmonds and Thronton have helped, the leafs have been a powerful offensive team for years now.
We are 1st in the division in GF/G and 3rd in the league.


Defence has been the real problem. I believe signing TJ Brodie and Holl's growth made a real difference.

We are much better defensively than last year.
We are 1st in the division in GA/G and 7th in the league. (last year we were 26th)

The Leafs have never really struggled to score that I can remember, except for a couple years after Sundin and before Kessel.

 

[zeke]

Its hard to compare apples to apples around the NHL when teams are limited to Div play only, creating this once in a lifetime anomaly situation.

How would our Leafs look if they played in the EAST Div along with Boston, Washington, Philly and Pittsburgh, and had to play them and all their stars 9-10 times in a season?.

I posted in the Around the League thread but you can already see QofC of the CDN div show up in other statistical categories in that the top 8 top goal scorers in the NHL as of today all play in the CDN Div.

Does anyone really believe on merit alone of equality, without adjusting for level of competition that Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, Tyler Toffoli & Josh Anderson & Johnny Gaudreau are all among the best goal scorers in the entire NHL along with Matthews, McDavid and Draisaitl?

Link: 2020-21 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Points - National Hockey League - ESPN

Makes our 7th ranked goals against/gm look even more impressive tbh.

 

[willmma]

It looks a little bit different when you look at scoring per game or per 60min.

Even Strength Goals For per 60min:

1. STL 3.44
2. VGK 3.40
3. PHI 3.36
4. TBL 3.29
5. WPG 3.24
6. TOR 3.23

Even Strength Goals Against per 60min:

1. NJD 1.58
2. TBL 1.85
3. TOR 2.01
4. FLA 2.05
5. VGK 2.08

Can you do a list of Even Strength Goal Difference per 60min?

From your lists, I see the leafs are at +1.22 and Vegas is +1.32.

 

[Zybalto]

Its hard to compare apples to apples around the NHL when teams are limited to Div play only, creating this once in a lifetime anomaly situation.

How would our Leafs look if they played in the EAST Div along with Boston, Washington, Philly and Pittsburgh, and had to play them and all their stars 9-10 times in a season?.

I posted in the Around the League thread but you can already see QofC of the CDN div show up in other statistical categories in that the top 8 top goal scorers in the NHL as of today all play in the CDN Div.

Does anyone really believe on merit alone of equality, without adjusting for level of competition that Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, Tyler Toffoli & Josh Anderson & Johnny Gaudreau are all among the best goal scorers in the entire NHL along with Matthews, McDavid and Draisaitl?

Link: 2020-21 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Points - National Hockey League - ESPN

Sometimes you have to step back and be less self critical.

The Caps and the Pens have given up as many goals as the Oilers and the Canucks this year. I think we would be doing OK against them.

In fact the East has been pretty close to the North in goals given up per game. Do we start calling them a crap D division?

Wood, Verhaeghe, Farabee, JVR, Hornqvist, Marchand are all scoring at a higher rate than Gaudreau, and are all in the top 20 league wide (along with Pasta). Is this a sign their division is a defensive tire fire?

It's this sort of stuff that shows why we should stay away from cross divisional rankings to an extent and with the Covid issues south of the border, it only gives fuel to those who want to use the addition games played in the North to slander the division. I think the divisions are very balanced this year and it's nice for the Leafs to be in that situation for once.

 

[fahad203]

Our D is better than the teams before. But I still don't feel you can do damage in playoffs

There's still major gaps. Games we win, usually one goes really well which hides everything else

Like Vancouver, Andersen stole few games. Yet against the Habs Andersen was horrible

We still haven't pulled few games where end to end was a total team effort

But it's difficult when your entire 3rd line is missing. Current 3rd line is trash
Thornton, Simmonds and Robertsson will be a big boost

 

[fahad203]

Sometimes you have to step back and be less self critical.

The Caps and the Pens have given up as many goals as the Oilers and the Canucks this year. I think we would be doing OK against them.

In fact the East has been pretty close to the North in goals given up per game. Do we start calling them a crap D division?

Wood, Verhaeghe, Farabee, JVR, Hornqvist, Marchand are all scoring at a higher rate than Gaudreau, and are all in the top 20 league wide (along with Pasta). Is this a sign their division is a defensive tire fire?

It's this sort of stuff that shows why we should stay away from cross divisional rankings to an extent and with the Covid issues south of the border, it only gives fuel to those who want to use the addition games played in the North to slander the division. I think the divisions are very balanced this year and it's nice for the Leafs to be in that situation for once.

Verhaege, I am so happy he making a career in NHL. I wrote him off completely

 

[zeke]

Can you do a list of Even Strength Goal Difference per 60min?

From your lists, I see the leafs are at +1.22 and Vegas is +1.32.

GF% is the same thing:

1. TBL 64.0%
2. NJD 62.5%
3. VGK 62.0%
4. TOR 61.7%
5. STL 60.7%

 

[IPS]

Its hard to compare apples to apples around the NHL when teams are limited to Div play only, creating this once in a lifetime anomaly situation.

How would our Leafs look if they played in the EAST Div along with Boston, Washington, Philly and Pittsburgh, and had to play them and all their stars 9-10 times in a season?.

I posted in the Around the League thread but you can already see QofC of the CDN div show up in other statistical categories in that the top 8 top goal scorers in the NHL as of today all play in the CDN Div.

Does anyone really believe on merit alone of equality, without adjusting for level of competition that Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, Tyler Toffoli & Josh Anderson & Johnny Gaudreau are all among the best goal scorers in the entire NHL along with Matthews, McDavid and Draisaitl?

Link: 2020-21 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Points - National Hockey League - ESPN

Agreed 100%.

I'm thinking the Leafs would be a bottom-5 team in the league bare minimum if the divisions were put back as normal.