Speculation: Stop Sign on the defense necessary?

[Wafflewhipper]

Does Keefe have to put the stop sign up on this defense. They don’t take responsible risks nightly. I say it needs to happen and right away. The odd man rushes are out of control. Its disgusting

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[LeafsOHLRangers98]

We're in the top half of the league in terms of expected goals against and high danger chances against since Keefe took over along with being one of the best on the offensive side of things.

Defense is not the problem, we need to get a save once and a while. Our 5 on 5 SV% is horrible.

 

[thewave]

We're in the top half of the league in terms of expected goals against and high danger chances against since Keefe took over along with being one of the best on the offensive side of things.

Defense is not the problem, we need to get a save once and a while. Our 5 on 5 SV% is horrible.

It's not that easy... It's team D. When teams hit that next gear and play hard and fast and pressure us, we fold like a cheap suit. It puts great pressure and Freddy and all tenders. It's always the same, ever game vs robust teams. It's not a resilient group.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

We're in the top half of the league in terms of expected goals against and high danger chances against since Keefe took over along with being one of the best on the offensive side of things.

Defense is not the problem, we need to get a save once and a while. Our 5 on 5 SV% is horrible.

Hutch just got waived yesterday.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

It's not that easy... It's team D. When teams hit that next gear and play hard and fast and pressure us, we fold like a cheap suit. It puts great pressure and Freddy and all tenders. It's always the same, ever game vs robust teams. It's not a resilient group.

Well just look at how many times the defense has no option to outlet a puck because the forwards are gone, long gone. The defense gets pressured and the forwards blow the zone and the passes are right in to coverage. Keefe needs to pull on the reins

 

[Da Cool Rula]

It's not that easy... It's team D. When teams hit that next gear and play hard and fast and pressure us, we fold like a cheap suit. It puts great pressure and Freddy and all tenders. It's always the same, ever game vs robust teams. It's not a resilient group.

Well said

 

[Da Cool Rula]

Well just look at how many times the defense has no option to outlet a puck because the forwards are gone, long gone. The defense gets pressured and the forwards blow the zone and the passes are right in to coverage. Keefe needs to pull on the reins

I think that's basically what he said.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

It's not that easy... It's team D. When teams hit that next gear and play hard and fast and pressure us, we fold like a cheap suit. It puts great pressure and Freddy and all tenders. It's always the same, ever game vs robust teams. It's not a resilient group.

Those teams and style of play will only be more prevalent during the remainder of regular seasons games and in the playoffs.

I'm still leaning towards optimism, but at the same time, know what's coming. I'd guess it won't get any easier.

 

[Blanche Blanche]

Those teams and style of play will only be more prevalent during the remainder of regular seasons games and in the playoffs.

I'm still leaning towards optimism, but at the same time, know what's coming. I'd guess it won't get any easier.

My inner fan says : Leafs will pull it together and we can make the playoffs and play at a higher level.

My realistic side says : This team needs some big moves for some skilled D and maybe even a goalie or its just byebye 2020 season

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

It's not that easy... It's team D. When teams hit that next gear and play hard and fast and pressure us, we fold like a cheap suit. It puts great pressure and Freddy and all tenders. It's always the same, ever game vs robust teams. It's not a resilient group.

The thing though is that we do that to other teams more frequently than it happens to us. We just don't see it that way because we love to be negative about our own team and create narratives that aren't there.

We've been getting out goalied for a long time now and we need them to be better.

 

[7even]

I thought you meant like the stop sign patch on the back of jerseys to remind the other team not to body check you straight in the numbers, which would actually be pretty useful since the league seems fairly ambivalent about enforcing its own rules.

 

[Mess]

You mean like yesterday when the 2nd period starts and Barrie pinches getting caught deep in the Ozone, and then Dermott pinches at the blueline and Radek Faksa scores .24 seconds into the period with no Dman in the picture?

 

[Dekes For Days]

If anything, they need to put the green light out.

This team's strength is not turtling into a shell. It's hard, fast, consistent offensive pressure, and the horrible false narratives about team defense that unacceptable goaltending has spawned, already causes too much hesitancy.

 

[Antropovsky]

It's not that easy... It's team D. When teams hit that next gear and play hard and fast and pressure us, we fold like a cheap suit. It puts great pressure and Freddy and all tenders. It's always the same, ever game vs robust teams. It's not a resilient group.

Agreed... when teams get physical and play desperate our top guys refuse to match oppositions intensity and continue to try to win battles with skill.

If all our guys had the intensity and work ethic of Hyman and Muzzin... we'd be 1st place in the league.

 

[toasterart]

The thing though is that we do that to other teams more frequently than it happens to us. We just don't see it that way because we love to be negative about our own team and create narratives that aren't there.

We've been getting out goalied for a long time now and we need them to be better.

absolutely agree. So many negative narratives against the Leafs that simply are not true.

 

[Pookie]

We're in the top half of the league in terms of expected goals against and high danger chances against since Keefe took over along with being one of the best on the offensive side of things.

Defense is not the problem, we need to get a save once and a while. Our 5 on 5 SV% is horrible.

We are 27th overall in Goals Against.

So was Nonis' 2014-15 team.

Sadly.. Dubas' team has allowed more GA (192) vs Nonis (178) through 58 games.

Defense. Is. A. Problem.

 

[Polaris1010]

We are 27th overall in Goals Against.

So was Nonis' 2014-15 team.

Sadly.. Dubas' team has allowed more GA (192) vs Nonis (178) through 58 games.

Defense. Is. A. Problem.

Yup, agree.

People here see the tree, and only the tree. The forest does not exist.

It is a run and gun team. Okay, they don't call it run and gun anymore, it is a possession team.

Regardless of what this style of hockey is called now, this Maple Leafs team is almost at the bottom of the league goals against, and at the top of the league goals for.

This would suggest to most people, that the stats for the players on the team, will be skewed in a certain direction.

But no, we see the tree, and it's Andersen's fault.

My opinion is that this is what Dubas wanted, and this is what we got.

Guess he succeeded then, lolz!

 

[tmlms13]

Dermott needs a stop sign on the back of his jersey so he doesn't get boarded anymore.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

We are 27th overall in Goals Against.

So was Nonis' 2014-15 team.

Sadly.. Dubas' team has allowed more GA (192) vs Nonis (178) through 58 games.

Defense. Is. A. Problem.

Did you even read my post? We're middle of the pack in terms of expected goals against and high danger chances against since Keefe took over. Those are the two big things that usually lead to goals against as you mentioned us being terrible in.

The defense could always be improved but with the offense we have, being middle of the pack is fine. It's far from the biggest issue.

Our goaltending has been horrible given the amount of chances they've faced, and is a major concern right now.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Yup, agree.

People here see the tree, and only the tree. The forest does not exist.

It is a run and gun team. Okay, they don't call it run and gun anymore, it is a possession team.

A run and gun team is a team that allows a lot of chances + quality chances against, while also producing a lot of chances + quality chances for. That is literally not us lol.

Since Keefe got hired, we are:
- 6th in CF/60, 15th in CA/60
- 1st in xGF/60, 11th in xGA/60
- 2nd in HDCF/60, 15th in HDCA/60
- 22nd in SV% <---- The only thing sticking out like a sore thumb below league-average is our SV%. Hutchinson and Andersen have let us down considerably.

Regardless of what this style of hockey is called now, this Maple Leafs team is almost at the bottom of the league goals against, and at the top of the league goals for.

This would suggest to most people, that the stats for the players on the team, will be skewed in a certain direction.

But no, we see the tree, and it's Andersen's fault.

My opinion is that this is what Dubas wanted, and this is what we got.

Guess he succeeded then, lolz!

Yup. Everything is going according to plan! Management obviously wanted Andersen to have a .893 sv%, 3.75 GAA and play worse than Hutchinson lately (since Jan 1st).

 

[Polaris1010]

A run and gun team is a team that allows a lot of chances + quality chances against, while also producing a lot of chances + quality chances for. That is literally not us lol.

Since Keefe got hired, we are:
- 6th in CF/60, 15th in CA/60
- 1st in xGF/60, 11th in xGA/60
- 2nd in HDCF/60, 15th in HDCA/60
- 22nd in SV% <---- The only thing sticking out like a sore thumb below league-average is our SV%. Hutchinson and Andersen have let us down considerably.




Yup. Everything is going according to plan! Management obviously wanted Andersen to have a .893 sv%, 3.75 GAA and play worse than Hutchinson lately (since Jan 1st).

The chicken and the egg.

How can you guys be so sure?

After all, the only thing presented is data that does not refute the original counter point.

Pointing at one tree does not mean you understand you're in a forest.

 

[Polaris1010]

Yup. Everything is going according to plan! Management obviously wanted Andersen to have a .893 sv%, 3.75 GAA and play worse than Hutchinson lately (since Jan 1st).

There is a simple explanation for that. It is either:-

A) Hutchinson is a better goalie than Andersen.

B) There is something wrong with the methodology that no one thought of, is producing misplaced conclusions.

But not really interested in this topic. Peer review will only lead banishment at this place unfortunately.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

I feel like earlier in Keefe’s tenure the forwards were much more willing to support the D, but have since fallen back into old habits.

Even so, Andersen’s uncharacteristically bad play is screwing the season. We should count our lucky stars that Bobrovsky has been hot garbage for Florida this year as well, otherwise we’d be fighting for the Wildcard.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

The chicken and the egg.

How can you guys be so sure?

After all, the only thing presented is data that does not refute the original counter point.

Pointing at one tree does not mean you understand you're in a forest.

What you're saying has nothing to do with what I said though.

Using all metrics currently available (high-danger shots against, expected goals against, shots against, etc), we're average defensively. The only 'defensive' metric that is way below average is our SV%. There is no chicken and egg situation lol.

There is a simple explanation for that. It is either:-

A) Hutchinson is a better goalie than Andersen.

B) There is something wrong with the methodology that no one thought of, is producing misplaced conclusions.

But not really interested in this topic. Peer review will only lead banishment at this place unfortunately.

Wait what, why even mention Hutch is better than Andersen lol? That's so far off. Andersen and Hutchinson have been both bad since Jan 1st. You can see it just by watching too, not even using stats. But the difference is Andersen is a fantastic #1 goalie, and he WILL return to his normal .917 SV% self sooner or later, while Hutchinson will NOT return to a good SV%. Andersen's hit a bump in the road and needs to come back asap for the sake of the team. I'm not worried because I know he's going to to return to his normal self, and we have Campbell just in case.

 

[Judas Tavares]

On Dermott, yes. He's a dope. On the other dmen, F3 needs to be accountable in this system.