The teammate the leafs players missed the most this season.

[ElbowLander]

A lot of people think that we lost our chemistry when Nylander came back but it simply coincided with when Leivo was traded for a career minor leaguer. I mean here was a player the team loved especially if social media is any indication. A guy in Babcocks doghouse. A player who had done everything asked of him yet could never get in the lineup. A guy who produced every time he was played in a scoring role. Yet when he was traded the Leafs were never the same. Sure people blamed Nylander who wasnt in game shape who was immediately put with Matthews then taken off when it was evident he wasnt ready. Fans were in Nylander buzz not paying attention to a 3rd liner who had provided an edge to start the season even though he wasnt scoring in his limited mins. So off to Vancouver he went and the Leafs were never the same. Babs wasnt a fan of Leivo but his team mates were. Is it possible they quit on the coach after he was dealt?

Click to read more...

 

[Pookie]

If they quit on the coach and gave up a chance to win a Cup out of spite....

..... we need new players.

 

[bentharbs]

LOL why do leafs fans always want so much drama; I'd rather not be watching the Big Brother: Leafs Edition, thank you.

 

[Fakejake51]

Leivo is barely an NHLer.

 

[rumman]

If they quit on the coach and gave up a chance to win a Cup out of spite....

..... we need new players.

man would a lifetime of regrets not follow you if this was the case?

 

[Kazparov]

People seem to forget Josh Leivo is not the second coming of Cam Neely.

A great feel good story and everyone wanted to see him succeed but his being moved was not the reason the Leafs didn't win the cup.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Is this the same Josh Leivo that put up 18 points in 50 games with Vancouver while playing alongside all time great Elias Petterson? That Josh Leivo? Just checking.

 

[egd27]

And here I thought I'd already read my last Josh Leivo thread. Hey, doesn't Frankie Corrado shoot right?

 

[TOGuy14]

McIllhinney.

Had to be hard watching Sparks throw away all those points.

 

[DarkKnight]

McBackup....obviously.

 

[The Podium]

McIllhinney.

Had to be hard watching Sparks throw away all those points.

As it has been posted in numerous threads, McElhinney would have made a marginal, at best, difference in points.

 

[ShaneFalco]

As it has been posted in numerous threads, McElhinney would have made a marginal, at best, difference in points.

And no difference in the playoffs

 

[ACC1224]

Backup goalie is the obvious answer here.

 

[TOGuy14]

And no difference in the playoffs

As it has been posted in numerous threads, McElhinney would have made a marginal, at best, difference in points.

Leafs finished 7 points Boston

McIllhinney went 20-11 and Sparks went 8-9

Good chance that McIllhinney could have helped us two fold:

1. Rest Andersen a bit more often during the regular season
2. Secure home ice advantage.

 

[The Podium]

Leafs finished 7 points Boston

McIllhinney went 20-11 and Sparks went 8-9

Good chance that McIllhinney could have helped us two fold:

1. Rest Andersen a bit more often during the regular season
2. Secure home ice advantage.

The majority of Sparks losses were on the team, not on him. McElhinney would have to have a 0.710 Win% on the season for the Leafs to have had home ice advantage, which was only done by Vasilevskiy this season.

Now not only would he need a 0.710 Win% but he would have to do it with 10 of his 17 starts being a back to back and 11 of those 17 games the Leafs scored 2 goals or fewer.

The only argument that can be made is perhaps Babcock would have more faith in McElhinney and give Andersen a bit of a break down the stretch. But considering he only played 18 and 14 games in the 2 years prior, I doubt that would be the case.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Leafs finished 7 points Boston

McIllhinney went 20-11 and Sparks went 8-9

Good chance that McIllhinney could have helped us two fold:

1. Rest Andersen a bit more often during the regular season
2. Secure home ice advantage.

Babcock won't rest Andersent
Home ice meant nothing in that series

 

[shortfuze]

Well as such a young team if they quit on their coach they need to be shipped out of town. Stop acting like babies and do your job. Millions of people go to work everyday and don’t like their bosses. The difference is most people don’t make millions to do it.

 

[DarkKnight]

As it has been posted in numerous threads, McElhinney would have made a marginal, at best, difference in points.

Ya ya.

McBackup 11-5 record 17-18 Leafs

Sparks 8-9 record 18-19 Leafs

Just the facts....

You keep telling yourselves whatever you want.

 

[The Podium]

Ya ya.

McBackup 11-5 record 17-18 Leafs

Sparks 8-9 record 18-19 Leafs

Just the facts....

You keep telling yourselves whatever you want.

See below

The majority of Sparks losses were on the team, not on him. McElhinney would have to have a 0.710 Win% on the season for the Leafs to have had home ice advantage, which was only done by Vasilevskiy this season.

Now not only would he need a 0.710 Win% but he would have to do it with 10 of his 17 starts being a back to back and 11 of those 17 games the Leafs scored 2 goals or fewer.

The only argument that can be made is perhaps Babcock would have more faith in McElhinney and give Andersen a bit of a break down the stretch. But considering he only played 18 and 14 games in the 2 years prior, I doubt that would be the case.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Could've used Komorov on that PK. Not at 3AAV though.

 

[ACC1224]

Leafs finished 7 points Boston

McIllhinney went 20-11 and Sparks went 8-9

Good chance that McIllhinney could have helped us two fold:

1. Rest Andersen a bit more often during the regular season
2. Secure home ice advantage.

Also the effect in the room.
McIllhinney was well liked, Sparks is a flake.

Not seeing an issue there is more defending Dubas then admitting the truth.
End of the day it wasn't a huge deal but certainly had more of an effect than Leivo.

 

[Nithoniniel]

On topic: There were no chemistry loss. We came in riding very unsustainable numbers, and when that cooled off we looked like a decisively average team. We started heating up towards the end, despite the losses, and it led to us taking arguably the second best team in the league to seven.

Leafs finished 7 points Boston

McIllhinney went 20-11 and Sparks went 8-9

Good chance that McIllhinney could have helped us two fold:

1. Rest Andersen a bit more often during the regular season
2. Secure home ice advantage.

You can't just use team wins like that. They weren't the only two players on the ice. By using GSAA* there's a 9 goal difference between them. On average, that buys you another two wins. Two wins are inconsequential. Pure backups are pretty inconsequential unless your starter is injured long-term.

*GSAA basically looks at what save percentage you should expect by an average goaltender and compares it to the goaltender in question. The difference is then the amount of Goals Saved Against Average (goaltending).

 

[The Podium]

Not seeing an issue there is more defending Dubas then admitting the truth.

It is not defending Dubas, clearly in hindsight McBackup was the better choice. Rather arguments are made to put things in perspective. Sure McBackup is better than Sparks but in the grand scheme of things it was inconsequential in almost every way.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Matt Martin.

The young guys loved him

 

[yubbers]

Also the effect in the room.
McIllhinney was well liked, Sparks is a flake.

Not seeing an issue there is more defending Dubas then admitting the truth.
End of the day it wasn't a huge deal but certainly had more of an effect than Leivo.

This. Sparks brought nothing but drama.

Agreed Leivo was a good locker room guy too. 2 assets he literally gave away