Kamiccolo
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State of the Franchise: Maple Leafs step undeniably into...
Pay wall but I figured you guys might enjoy the article as I know a lot of you are subscribed. I think it does a generally decent idea of breaking down the roster and doing analyze that is not the lazy "do something with that defense" we've come to expect from most sources. For example when breaking down the defense
It’s been a bit odd trying to chronicle it all with an unbiased, critical eye. The Leafs went from making a host of ill-advised decisions over and over between 2008 and 2014 to making mostly smart, sane ones again and again, abruptly reversing course.
They haven’t been perfect. But they’ve been savvy enough — and fortunate enough — to emerge out of the JFJ/Burke/Nonis ashes as one of the best teams in the NHL, one full of the high-end, young talent necessary to win in today’s league. And they’ve done so without hardly any of the eyesore contracts that are holding back a lot of their competition.
For all their warts on the ice, the Leafs were the seventh best team in the league last year — tied in points with the eventual Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals — and they added John Tavares on July 1.
It’s not a stretch to say that this very well could be their year. (Or years, should they succeed in keeping the core together long term.)
Pay wall but I figured you guys might enjoy the article as I know a lot of you are subscribed. I think it does a generally decent idea of breaking down the roster and doing analyze that is not the lazy "do something with that defense" we've come to expect from most sources. For example when breaking down the defense
I’ve argued this in the (recent) past, but sometimes the analysis of Toronto’s defence core that’s out there paints too dire a picture. This isn’t a bottom five or a bottom 10 blueline. And there’s a reasonable argument to be made they’ll be better than last season thanks to (a) Roman Polak no longer playing 18 minutes a night and (b) some internal development from players like Travis Dermott. There’s reason for optimism.
I’m very intrigued to see how the fact that Kyle Dubas is now general manager impacts things, too. We know he believes in brains over brawn philosophically and has pushed to have skilled puck-movers on the back end everywhere he’s been.
We also know he loved several of his unheralded Marlies defencemen — and that worked out pretty well for the AHL club last season.
The Leafs have kicked tires on some outside options on D in trades and free agency. But they may well end up going with what they have, believing a cast of relatively unknown commodities at the NHL level — Justin Holl? Calle Rosen? — can push for jobs and improve their depth.
Whether that can work isn’t Toronto’s only question heading into camp. But it’s definitely the biggest one.