Was the Leafs Good Health last season overhyped?

[Kamiccolo]

I'm not saying it's a negative, it's just mostly luck.

Ok but why stop at injuries then? The game of hockey has tons of areas of luck. I mean the game is decided based on a few inches every night, or the way a puck bounces off the boards, or how the refs decide to make calls, etc.

Not to mention the Leafs have the highest pay role for a sports science department whose job is to ensure the players stay healthy. Look at the minutes they play, Matthews plays games less of minutes over a full season than someone like Eichel because they limit ice time to prevent injuries. So I am not sure how you can call this luck when the game itself is all about luck.

 

[LeafFever]

Not a single poster who stated the Leafs were lucky and the stars aligned would ever comment on them being last in the shootout. I never saw it. It did not fit the narrative.

 

[sharks9]

"Other Than Matthews"...And BTW, you forgot their#1 D missing time, as well as Zaitsev who was healthy all last season.
Can you guys just admit the Leafs are good and deep? Is that possible?

Yes, Matthews missed 20 games. If you ever paid attention to a team other than the Leafs you'd know that's not a big deal when the rest of your team is perfectly healthy. Rielly missed 6 games, that's nothing.

Can you admit that Toronto was once again one of the healthiest teams in the league and didn't have to overcome significant adversity with injuries?

 

[LeafFever]

Yes, Matthews missed 20 games. If you ever paid attention to a team other than the Leafs you'd know that's not a big deal when the rest of your team is perfectly healthy. Rielly missed 6 games, that's nothing.

Can you admit that Toronto was once again one of the healthiest teams in the league and didn't have to overcome significant adversity with injuries?

Can you admit I was right about the shootout since I was the only one bringing it up? And the Leafs had more injuries, including Matthews. You saw this coming did you?
You guys need to stay away from Leaf analysis. You are biased.
Oh and Leaf fans are overrating their players like Morgan Rielly and Mitch Marner

 

[sharks9]

Ok but why stop at injuries then? The game of hockey has tons of areas of luck. I mean the game is decided based on a few inches every night, or the way a puck bounces off the boards, or how the refs decide to make calls, etc.

Not to mention the Leafs have the highest pay role for a sports science department whose job is to ensure the players stay healthy. Look at the minutes they play, Matthews plays games less of minutes over a full season than someone like Eichel because they limit ice time to prevent injuries. So I am not sure how you can call this luck when the game itself is all about luck.

A sports science department can't prevent a slapshot breaking someone's hand, or a hit to the head, or a skate cutting an achilles tendon, or a check from behind into the boards, etc. Player injuries are often luck and sure maybe good trainers can prevent less muscle strains that cause players to miss a game here and there, but when you look at the most injured and least injured teams in the league over the past several years, it's mostly random who finishes where.

 

[sharks9]

Can you admit I was right about the shootout since I was the only one bringing it up? And the Leafs had more injuries, including Matthews. You saw this coming did you?
You guys need to stay away from Leaf analysis. You are biased.
Oh and Leaf fans are overrating their players like Morgan Rielly and Mitch Marner

NHL Injury Viz: 2017/18 team injury breakdowns (through 1 April)

Cold hard facts. The Leafs were incredibly healthy, end of story.

 

[LeafFever]

NHL Injury Viz: 2017/18 team injury breakdowns (through 1 April)

Cold hard facts. The Leafs were incredibly healthy, end of story.

More injuries than last season. Fact. This includes Auston Matthews.
It's ridiculous you are still clinging to this narrative.
Are the Leafs in the playoffs because of health? Or perhaps it's because of a good shootout record. Nah, you guys don't want to go there

 

[Pookie]

An example of gas lighting

There's quotes on here saying they are screwed if Matthews goes down.

Examples of quotes that don't say that:

The simple and undeniable fact across ALL sport is that the most important factors to team success are Talent and Health.

Period.

The Leafs benefited from both last season.

The 3-0 stretch, against the 26th and 27th best teams in the NHL , without Matthews is nice to see. But the team is not just Matthews.

If Matthews is gone long term and we lose a top D, goalie or another top end forward, this team plummets over the course of a season. Like any team would.

There are exceptions of course. Like when we beat the Senators in the playoffs with our Marlies roster but that's a small series vs an 82 game haul.

 

[Pookie]

But yet the shootout stats from last season was never discussed. Only the one that can be turned into a reason why the Leafs made the playoffs.
Maybe the Leafs are healthy because they signed an UFA that is never injured and the fact they spend more on keeping their players healthy than any team.
The fact is, they had more injuries and were better, so maybe you guys did overrate what that meant?

I should know better... but what's your point regarding the shootout from last year?

 

[Pookie]

LOL,No counter point, right? Just an insult.

I seriously do want to apologize for the insult. I forget sometimes that we have people from all age groups on these boards.

 

[Whileee]

Missing your better players reduces the quality of your roster which affects team success. I'm not sure why that concept is hard to grasp.

 

[LeafFever]

I should know better... but what's your point regarding the shootout from last year?

They had the least amount of points as any team in the shootout. All year you were saying the Leafs made the playoffs because of the "Loser Point: without realizing the two go hand-in-hand.

 

[Kamiccolo]

A sports science department can't prevent a slapshot breaking someone's hand, or a hit to the head, or a skate cutting an achilles tendon, or a check from behind into the boards, etc. Player injuries are often luck and sure maybe good trainers can prevent less muscle strains that cause players to miss a game here and there, but when you look at the most injured and least injured teams in the league over the past several years, it's mostly random who finishes where.

So with two seasons of sample size, if it was luck based, what are the odds of what you are saying? What if they are relativity healthy again next year? At what point do you say okay maybe it isn't luck?

Not to mention that it is not normal for a team to lose all their star players for months at a time. If there are injuries, maybe you lose a star and maybe some depth, but the Leafs did have that and they have tons of organizational depth to handle it. Matthews for 20 games, Rielly lost 6 games, Zaitsev was out for half the year, Dermott is out not after blocking a shot.

They have had injuries, and have tons of NHL ready guys either on the 4th line or sitting or in the AHL just waiting so I am not concerned. It seems you have made up your mind on this so I won't keep arguing but I just wanted to voice my thoughts on this.

 

[AppsSyl]

NHL Injury Viz: 2017/18 team injury breakdowns (through 1 April)

Cold hard facts. The Leafs were incredibly healthy, end of story.

Lol. Interesting how you choose to use cap hit of injured players as your measure, when our best player (Matthews) who missed 1/4 of the season is still on his elc.

 

[sharks9]

So with two seasons of sample size, if it was luck based, what are the odds of what you are saying? What if they are relativity healthy again next year? At what point do you say okay maybe it isn't luck?

Not to mention that it is not normal for a team to lose all their star players for months at a time. If there are injuries, maybe you lose a star and maybe some depth, but the Leafs did have that and they have tons of organizational depth to handle it. Matthews for 20 games, Rielly lost 6 games, Zaitsev was out for half the year, Dermott is out not after blocking a shot.

They have had injuries, and have tons of NHL ready guys either on the 4th line or sitting or in the AHL just waiting so I am not concerned. It seems you have made up your mind on this so I won't keep arguing but I just wanted to voice my thoughts on this.

If their sports science approach is so amazing, how come they couldn't prevent Matthews being injured for 20 games?

Every year there are teams that lose multiple top-6 and top-4 players at the same time. Every team has enough depth to deal with losing a defenseman for 6 games, that's why you carry a few spare forwards and defense at all times, the Leafs aren't special in that regard.

And I don't see why Leafs fans feel the need to ignore facts and pretend that they were horribly injured, when you yourself are admitting that losing one guy for 6 games was one of your most significant injuries this year.

 

[Pookie]

They had the least amount of points as any team in the shootout. All year you were saying the Leafs made the playoffs because of the "Loser Point: without realizing the two go hand-in-hand.

Of course they go hand in hand.

The Leafs played many games with the goal of not losing. Keep the score close and hang on for the single point. I'm not sure if they led the league in blown leads last year but I'd wager it was close.

They played the gimmick point system the way it was meant to be played. Got the most number of OTLs. To do that, you have to play conservative enough to get to OT.

Not sure what you are debating.

 

[Pookie]

Lol. Interesting how you choose to use cap hit of injured players as your measure, when our best player (Matthews) who missed 1/4 of the season is still on his elc.

No one else has ELC players?

 

[LeafFever]

Of course they go hand in hand.

The Leafs played many games with the goal of not losing. Keep the score close and hang on for the single point. I'm not sure if they led the league in blown leads last year but I'd wager it was close.

They played the gimmick point system the way it was meant to be played. Got the most number of OTLs. To do that, you have to play conservative enough to get to OT.

Not sure what you are debating.

Oh I am sure that was Babcocks goal. No other team did that BTW. I am sure you have inside knowledge.

 

[LeafFever]

If their sports science approach is so amazing, how come they couldn't prevent Matthews being injured for 20 games?

Every year there are teams that lose multiple top-6 and top-4 players at the same time. Every team has enough depth to deal with losing a defenseman for 6 games, that's why you carry a few spare forwards and defense at all times, the Leafs aren't special in that regard.

And I don't see why Leafs fans feel the need to ignore facts and pretend that they were horribly injured, when you yourself are admitting that losing one guy for 6 games was one of your most significant injuries this year.

LOL you downplay Matthews injury when it comes to the discussion of the Leafs health, but now use it to debate another point about their health science.

 

[sharks9]

Lol. Interesting how you choose to use cap hit of injured players as your measure, when our best player (Matthews) who missed 1/4 of the season is still on his elc.

Toronto's still bottom-5 just going by purely man-games lost

 

[sharks9]

LOL you downplay Matthews injury when it comes to the discussion of the Leafs health, but now use it to debate another point about their health science.

Because I'm making different points, try to keep up.

 

[Pookie]

Oh I am sure that was Babcocks goal. No other team did that BTW. I am sure you have inside knowledge.

defense first? trading for a goalie?

clearly, trying to keep the score close.

 

[justafan22]

Imagine putting your self worth into the opinions of strangers over the internet. Just laughable

 

[LeafFever]

defense first? trading for a goalie?

clearly, trying to keep the score close.

All we heard was how bad they were defensively. What are you talking about? Defense first?
And trading for a goalie to upgrade your position is "proof" of trying to keep it close and get to OT. Come on Pookie, that's ridiculous. (And that goalie was horrific in the S/O last year BTW)

 

[bionic]

I think this thread bumb has gotten a lot of people up in arms because of some of their past comments comming back and biting them in the butt.
The leafs were healthier last year, yet this year they are a better team. Pretty much proves that the idea of the leafs only making the playoffs because they were healthy was just dumb at best.
Good bump