Sorry , we are the softest team in the NHL

[AreBe]

I was at Finland-Czech EHT game last weekend, during the intermission i went to take a leak and as i was doing the thing i looked to my right and holy **** it's Kyle Dubas

After we got out at the same time i offered my services if the Leafs needed a tough guy for more grit he just laughed, shook my hand and walked away.

I don't think he appreciates grit at all

I hope you are correct!
If we are lucky he might trade away some good Canadian kids and replace them with skilled Europeans as development of a little Soviet Red Army team is the only chance Canadian teams have in the AAUSIHT

 

[paulhiggins]

To get Red Army performance you need to cut their standard of living down to a few million rubles per year and drive them like soldiers, make them live in one bedroom apartments, sending them to Siberia along with their families if they don't perform. No more 5 star restaurants and hotels, luxury cars, computer games, cell phones, expensive vacations and all that.

 

[AreBe]

To get Red Army performance you need to cut their standard of living down to a few million rubles per year and treat them like soldiers, make them live in one bedroom apartments, sending them to Siberia along with their families if they don't perform.

Right, well, we are going to need a different plan:
1, All analytics all the time #1 for building the team;
2, Three key ingredients: speed, speed and speed.
3, need a power skating coach if they do not have one.
4, need to share sports science division with Raptors- I assume this is done, including nutrition, work outs etc.
5 All Analytics all the time #2- the game plan must be based on whatever "gee whiz" is found by the analytics department and not fluky plus-minus for match ups.
6 Penalty minutes are bad thing and not a strong positive! And sadly, that makes toughness the equivalent of eating Tide Pods.
7 skate so fast and hard, including getting back on defense, that you must roll 4 lines.
8,, Harlem Globe Trotters on ice in the offensive zone, with equally fast staking back and covering -and because of consonant repetition and practice- 2 on 1's properly,
9, Have an analytics department
10, Track HF Boards and seek what Moron Man and Leafs Nation wants done, and do the opposite! (And you will be the best Leafs GM ever on that one alone!)

 

[rumman]

Brilliant, but nope. The goal is fat cat money from American TV, and note the league is American based, and to do so, Canadian teams need to be taken out as soon as possible in the playoffs, to show the American TV networks that the league can be counted on to get, um, 'technical support' 24/7 365 for the American TV networks, just like the NBA does.

Hate to be right, but: Bettman is no fool and he knows full well that strong stable revenue flow comes from bankable TV money, and not fickle or fluke based gate receipts. The other American based professional sports leagues are not as dependent on walk-ups. I understand all NFL costs are covered before a ticket is sold. Hockey is still very dependent on the fluke of being in a playoff race, etc. Ownership may insist their teams are never not all in, as its playoffs or it's highly unpleasant check writing time (Which is not the way things work for billionaires)

All Sunbelt, Dixie and NASCAR country teams need a fat- cat US TV deal. And what is holding that up? A bunch of ruinous to ratings Canadian teams. Winnipeg vs Ottawa? As long as that is on the table, big problems.

So what can the American Association of United States Ice Hockey Teams do? Learn form the NBA, where Betteman cut his teeth. Just take a look at the list of NBA champions, and then take a look at the 10 largest markets.

Note the share of the spoils between TV markets and how TV network friendly they are.

It is true that Bell and Media have paid very, very dearly for the hockey rights, to the point that the thinking is that it has resulted in red ink and on and off air people losing their jobs to stem the losses.

One of the issues is that it is not hockey that is ingrained into Canadian cultural mythology, but winning the Stanley Cup, a very particular brand of hockey and a particular event. And one controlled by the American Association of United States Ice Hockey Teams

The way it really is is that the AAUSIHT has teams in Dixie, NASCRA country and the Sunbelt and ranks up there with high school basketball, but below high school football. They need good and healthy Canadian teams to share the spoils for thier survival in the regular season and elimination of the American ratings disaster of covering a Canadian team in the playoffs.


Concerning Rogers and Bell: Kind of unfair that someone gets canned because no Canadian teams made the playoffs, but that's how it is.

Just remember this: The goal is to get big fat US TV money, and that means Canadian teams do not get the benefit of the whistle in the playoffs, ever.

why would anyone knowingly follow a team let alone a league where the results are rigged?

 

[ACC1224]

why would anyone knowingly follow a team let alone a league where the results are rigged?

Why would anyone read that guys posts?

 

[rumman]

Why would anyone read that guys posts?

I'm not into "self censoring" myself, I'd rather read what others are thinking regardless of how misguided I believe their views to be.

I do find it funny that he believes the leagues rigged, yet the NHL is moving forward with gambling on games, I wonder if these potential bettor's are aware the fix is in?

 

[GoonieFace]

Why would anyone read that guys posts?

Im not sure if its an actual human or some sort of bot. I mean its complete insanity and nonsense.

 

[ACC1224]

I'm not into "self censoring" myself, I'd rather read what others are thinking regardless of how misguided I believe their views to be.

I do find it funny that he believes the leagues rigged, yet the NHL is moving forward with gambling on games, I wonder if these potential bettor's are aware the fix is in?

Im not sure if its an actual human or some sort of bot. I mean its complete insanity and nonsense.

I read a couple and had no idea what they were going on about.

 

[AreBe]

why would anyone knowingly follow a team let alone a league where the results are rigged?

Well we can expect for no broadcaster employed Rogers or Bell would dare mention the fix is in.

Note this: The fix might be in but you can overcome it, just like in the NBA. Sure, the NBA provided technical assistance to the US TV networks by calling phantom fouls to get the less preferred small market team in foul trouble and award free throws when the game is still undecided, and then once the game is over, the small market team gets a bunch of make up calls yet really hard playing teams with great talent, coaching and luck can still win. See the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors.

It gets worse: the AAUSIHT is engraved in Canadian culture and so attacking it really makes people defensive and understandably so. See:

Why would anyone read that guys posts?

I ask you to consider that Bettman is not an idiot and that the Ivy Leaguge MBA lawyer account types running the AAUSIHT are whip smart and know full well that a US TV deal is critical for Dixie, NASCAR county and Sunbelt teams to survive, and that means the Canadian Branch Plant Division pays the bills in the regular season, and gets taken out ASAP in the playoffs.

If I am correct then Boston could run the Leafs but the Leafs could not run Boston in the playoffs last year. Yup. That's what happened. Penalty Box Parade for the Leafs.

The answer: Soviet Red Army Team- and not penalty box sitting toughness.

 

[Pookie]

Just remember this: The goal is to get big fat US TV money, and that means Canadian teams do not get the benefit of the whistle in the playoffs, ever.

Leafs vs Boston
2019 -20 PP Opportunities

Boston 16
Toronto 16

.... it’s a nice conspiracy theory but nope

Regular season, the number one team in the NHL with respect to net PPs (PP - PKs) was Calgary at +39

Worst was Anaheim at -59

This year, Winnipeg leads all teams in +21 PPs vs PKs.

Those Islanders from small market New York are league worst at -19

Small Market Canada ahead of big market California and New York? The housing boom in Brandon, Manitoba must be something.

These refs just aren’t doing a good job at helping your case.

 

[paulhiggins]

Leafs vs Boston
2019 -20 PP Opportunities

Boston 16
Toronto 16

.... it’s a nice conspiracy theory but nope

Comparing the calls against one team with the calls against another doesn't mean anything without considering the non-calls. The league is smarter than that.

And the timing of the calls. Is the game critical or is it pretty much a forgone conclusion when the penalty called?

And the fairness of the calls. Is a trip by a Philly player called excatly the same as a trip by a Leaf?

Home vs. away? In what country do we play most of our away games?

And the country of origin. If Montreal is playing Toronto and the calls are even, does it matter? If San Jose is playing Philly and the calls are even, does it matter? However what if San Jose is playing Winnepeg? There's the difference.

It is a complex topic and the stats you need to know to make a conclusion aren't being kept by the league or published elsewhere. Hope the theory is wrong but things look different now than they used to be.

 

[Pookie]

Comparing the calls against one team with the calls against another doesn't mean a thing without considering the non-calls. The league is smarter than that.

And the timing of the calls. Is the game critical or is it pretty much a forgone conclusion when the penalty called?

And the country of origin. If Montreal is playing Toronto and the calls are even, does it matter? If San Jose is playing Philly and the calls are even, does it matter? However what if San Jose is playing Winnepeg? There's the difference.

Match fixing is real. Happens in all sport either in terms of tanking for an outcome, an opponent or shaving points.

A league wide Ref conspiracy across a season or playoff series is bogus. It’s just too difficult to do successfully with different crews working different games.

The number of people necessary to be in on it and shut up about it would virtually guarantee it could never happen.

Refs don’t call everything. Never have. Fans and owners don’t want them to.

 

[Pilky01]

Unfortunately all of our top talents are incredibly soft, nor are they motivated by winning.

Sometimes you get lucky with your draft picks and you end up with guys who like their teammates and who prioritize winning.

Unfortunately we didn't hit that jackpot of skill+passion. We got some skill, but the players are more concerned with their take home pay.

We get a couple season of middling "success", and then Matthews will bolt to Arizona, a place he wants to be, and in perfect condition since Babcock is keeping him nice and fresh for them.

 

[jaric1862]

I think leafs need more guys like Moore and Hyman, who aren't afraid to throw hits and muck it up in the corners. They aren't necessarily a "small" team in stature, they just don't really prioritize physicality/nastiness, which is something they definitely need more of.

 

[Magic Man]

If you could spin Kerfoot and Bracco for a couple talented bruisers they'd be a lot more competitive physically.

 

[OVO16]

Adam Lowry over Kerfoot as our 3C would be amazing