Rank the Leafs D

[Morbo]

gee, I wonder why this was started this morning....

 

[yegoldboysclub]

Bottom 5 in league.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Yes, let's rank their completely revamped defense 5 games in when everybody's defense is wonky, after their worst game of the season against a highly motivated powerhouse coming off their best that featured a ton of fluky goals, while their goalie has a 0.876 save percentage on the season. That's sure to provide accurate results.

 

[BeingTheThunder]

No idea. It's early going. Tough schedule. Things will get better.

2 out of the 5 games so far have included Ottawa and Montreal. That's 40% of the schedule up to this point. I wouldn't really call that a tough schedule but it IS way too early to judge how they will be once they mesh.

 

[Flyers1928]

they have some names back there but team D is brutal. "play the right way" their fans tell me.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Andersen has really struggled to start the year, so it's hard to say exactly right now. But as the season goes on, they'll prove to be good some nights, bad other nights, really good offensively, not too special defensively. Getting Dermott back soon will help.

So middle of the pack.

 

[tucker3434]

It’s going to be a high GF and GA unit. I think the GF is going to be better than the GA more often than not and would have them just inside the top half.

 

[LeafsNation149]

Great timing on this thread.

 

[BostonBruins11]

They have no shutdown D and only one 2-way D(Muzzin)
that's a recipe for a disaster

offensively top 5
defensively bottom 5

 

[Tralfamadore]

They've got great transition defenceman. From what I've seen the back end is not getting a lot of help from the forwards. Forwards aren't coming back strong to block lanes/sticks. They'll need to tighten things up if they want to go deep this year.

One thing is for sure, and to an extent I can speak from experience as an Avs fan, you don't want to be the team that has to score 4+ to win hockey games. It's not sustainable and will get you no where in the playoffs.

 

[HockeyDBspecialist]

When I called their Defense worst than last year I got laugh at, who's laughing now...
They are the worst D team atm, it's a joke to look at them apart from Rielly

 

[razkaz]

Too many Leafs threads on the main boards, move this to the Leafs forums- oh wait, is this a bashing thread? Carry on then

 

[Hunter368]

A bit surprised how the D hasn’t been better with the changes over the summer. They have looked poor defensively at times and lost in the defensive zone. Andersen has been just average to-date vs his normal outstanding self so combine weak defensive performance with average goaltending and you get what the Leafs have gotten so far which isn't good.

I expect the new additions to pick up the new systems & linemates/partners soon and Andersen to return to MVP level performance soon......likely a short term issue only.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Slightly above middle of the pack. A really strong group offensively and a pretty mediocre group defensively. It seems like losing Gardiner hurt them defensively as Barrie is a downgrade in the D zone. However he’s an upgrade offensively.

Having said that, it’s still too early to accurately assess a group with three new players. I’d just be surprised if Ceci, Barrie and a rookie Sandin result in better play in the D zone. But I also think they need the forwards to make more of a commitment to the D zone.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

A bit surprised how the D hasn’t been better with the changes over the summer. They have looked poor defensively at times and lost in the defensive zone. Andersen has been just average to-date vs his normal outstanding self so combine weak defensive performance with average goaltending and you get what the Leafs have gotten so far which isn't good.

I expect the new additions to pick up the new systems & linemates/partners soon and Andersen to return to MVP level performance soon......likely a short term issue only.

I feel like they are pretty strong offensively, prob top 5.

Defensively, they are very suspect tho.

Rielly is average defensively
Ceci is pretty much Zaitsev 2.0 (granted I felt like Zaitsev got too much blame)
Barrie is slightly below rielly defensively
Muzzin is solid, but cant do it all himself

Sandin could be the savior... but right now hes still raw.

Andersen will have to play elite level hockey for the leafs to succeed with that defense, and he hasn't done that right now. I still think at some point they move some offensive depth for a more help on the back end.

 

[Hunter368]

I feel like they are pretty strong offensively, prob top 5.

Defensively, they are very suspect tho.

Rielly is average defensively
Ceci is pretty much Zaitsev 2.0 (granted I felt like Zaitsev got too much blame)
Barrie is slightly below rielly defensively
Muzzin is solid, but cant do it all himself

Sandin could be the savior... but right now hes still raw.

Andersen will have to play elite level hockey for the leafs to succeed with that defense, and he hasn't done that right now. I still think at some point they move some offensive depth for a more help on the back end.

Totally agree.....I’ve said this before a million times Andersen has been the Leaf MVP for at least two of the last three years.

 

[um]

No idea. It's early going. Tough schedule. Things will get better.

Tough schedule? You've played Ottawa, Columbus and Montreal.

 

[Nizdizzle]

A bit surprised how the D hasn’t been better with the changes over the summer. They have looked poor defensively at times and lost in the defensive zone. Andersen has been just average to-date vs his normal outstanding self so combine weak defensive performance with average goaltending and you get what the Leafs have gotten so far which isn't good.

I expect the new additions to pick up the new systems & linemates/partners soon and Andersen to return to MVP level performance soon......likely a short term issue only.

A big part is Rielly has looked completely lost in his own zone this year. No idea whats going on with him, but he is missing coverages left and right and hasn't looked good at all in the Leafs end.

 

[wintersej]

I feel like they are pretty strong offensively, prob top 5.

Defensively, they are very suspect tho.

Rielly is average defensively
Ceci is pretty much Zaitsev 2.0 (granted I felt like Zaitsev got too much blame)
Barrie is slightly below rielly defensively
Muzzin is solid, but cant do it all himself

Sandin could be the savior... but right now hes still raw.

Andersen will have to play elite level hockey for the leafs to succeed with that defense, and he hasn't done that right now. I still think at some point they move some offensive depth for a more help on the back end.

How much better can Sandin get though? He had very good IQ already. And his physical tools are below average in every aspect. Where does his getting much better come from?

 

[Hunter368]

A big part is Rielly has looked completely lost in his own zone this year. No idea whats going on with him, but he is missing coverages left and right and hasn't looked good at all in the Leafs end.

Agreed.

We’ve seen that from him in the past at times, but I thought he had crossed that bridge last year and gotten that out of his game. But he looked comically lost especially on the one goal last night. Hopefully he gets it figured out soon.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

It's not a secret that the Leafs D is the biggest concern. Us Leafs fans have been well aware of it. At best it's average, AT BEST.

This doesn't seem to be a common view among the Leaf fans I've discussed their D with.

In any case, I think the Leafs' defense is a case of a tale of two teams. If we're talking about offense/transition, I'd say the Leafs are top 10. But if we're talking about defending, I'd say they're bottom 10.

 

[weaponomega]

It doesn't matter a whole lot who the leafs employ on defense - its about the system they play. They give up a ton of high danger scoring chances but also generate a ton of high danger scoring chances. They rely on their offense and Andersen to win games and less so on defense.

 

[BostonBruins11]

you can't blame Babcock when he doesn't have the proper tools.

No 2 way center
No shut down center
No Shut down D

 

[6ix]

Weak, they weren't the only team in this position. Actually, there are teams who have 3+. Not to mention they weren't of Barrie'a caliber, plus Sandin is the only rookie D-man.

Wtf are you going on about? Where did I say they were the only team with 3+ new dmen? I said they were middle of the pack right now and still gelling, with a chance to improve that ranking.

 

[Skolman]

Wtf are you going on about?

Uh, that you think the Leafs are in the minority when it comes to having new defenseman on their team this year?

It's a weak excuse, especially when one of them is of Barrie's caliber.