BeLeafer
Well-known member
What?
With weak goaltending they're almost holding their own. Once the goaltending stabilizes and babs sorts out the best lines and pairings, they'll be a good team. 90 pts minimum.
GDT - Rebound vs. the Wild | 8:00PM EST TSN4
- Thread starter number17
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What?
With weak goaltending they're almost holding their own. Once the goaltending stabilizes and babs sorts out the best lines and pairings, they'll be a good team. 90 pts minimum.
LeafGm
Well-known member
Yeah, while I do agree with the sentiment that we shouldn't get too stressed out about individual losses, or young team things like missed defensive coverage or blown leads, I think a 75-80 point season for this team is setting the sights unrealistically low.
I mean, this team got 69 points last year after almost going O-fer in the month of October, and getting some truly horrific goaltending at the start of the season and down the stretch, after Reimer was traded away. Not to mention the complete lack of offensive talent on last year's team as well.
As long as, for the most part, we get goaltending that's somewhat close to the league average and we don't suffer multiple major injuries, I'd peg this team's floor at about 85 points.
leafman101
Well-known member
Polak should permanently replace Hunwick in the lineup.
Preston_Mizzi
Banned
As much as I'd LOVE to see Zaitsev away from Hunwick, the sample size away from Hunny is a tiny one. It's pretty much the one game where he got hurt against the Sens (in the game where the entire team was like 90% corsi). I don't doubt he's dragging Zaitsev down.. It's just unrealistic that it is a 30% swing. Seems a bit nutso and unrealistic. I know Burtch is spamming stats like that, but HE'S the guy that overvalues small sample sizes.
Plus, if Jake Gardiner has historically brought guys like Polak to even or positive corsi by playing together I'm sure Zaitsev would do a lot better with Hunny if he was that great.
With that said, it really should be:
Rielly-Carrick
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Marincin-Corrado
It's incredibly obvious that this is the best they can do. Offers lhd-rhd balance which will present a possession boost in itself, and it rewards their best d. All 3 can be solid, if not EXCELLENT, possession pairs (except whichever one gets the top matchups of course).
LeafGm
Well-known member
That's ****ing ridiculous.
And yeah, Polak > Hunwick.
Especially when everyone can also play on their natural side when Polak replaces Hunwick in the lineup.
number17
Mod Squad
I think this was a reallly well played game by the buds, and they just lost because of some unreal goaltending by Dubnyk. I'd take these losses all day long because the team played well.
- Polak hasn't played in weeks, but rightaway you can tell as a bottom pair Dman, he is doing his job ... whereas Hunwick isn't. I don't want to make Hunwick the whipping boy of the season, but it is true.
- Artness posted the Zaitsev possession # with and without hunwick and it is no surprise. Hunwick is like a deadweight that just drags down Zaitsev or whoever he is paired with. My biggest beef with him is he is so SLOW, and i don't mean skating, but I mean how long it takes him to process the play, time to take the pass and move the puck along, by the time he finally does something with the puck he's got a man on him already, and he also loses most puck battles so that doesn't help either. With how fast the Leafs play these days, Hunwick's game is helplessly slow.
- As a backup, I think Enroth did his job. I was surprised the 2nd MIN goal went in, cause it was a bad angle shot but other than that, I think he was fine. Still, another game where our SV% is under .900.
- Dubnyk really stood on his head, especially when we were pressing in the 3rd. It's also ironic that Polak, of all people, was the one to score first.
- Leafs scored the 1st goal only 32% of the times last season. This season, we've scored the first goal in 100% of the games thus far in the first 4 games of the season.
- Unlike last game, I felt we played well in the 3rd period with the lead. We didn't have too many breakdowns, we didn't sit back and we didn't get out-possessed either. We played how we should have played in the 3rd, but unfortunately we couldn't score the go-ahead goal to put the game away and they found a way.
- Matthews scored again!
All in all i think the team is taking shape, and other than Hunwick I don't really have too many complaints about the team. Even the 4th line played well. Let's hope goaltending comes around soon and we'll see the young kids play with even more confidence and more creativity!
- Polak hasn't played in weeks, but rightaway you can tell as a bottom pair Dman, he is doing his job ... whereas Hunwick isn't. I don't want to make Hunwick the whipping boy of the season, but it is true.
- Artness posted the Zaitsev possession # with and without hunwick and it is no surprise. Hunwick is like a deadweight that just drags down Zaitsev or whoever he is paired with. My biggest beef with him is he is so SLOW, and i don't mean skating, but I mean how long it takes him to process the play, time to take the pass and move the puck along, by the time he finally does something with the puck he's got a man on him already, and he also loses most puck battles so that doesn't help either. With how fast the Leafs play these days, Hunwick's game is helplessly slow.
- As a backup, I think Enroth did his job. I was surprised the 2nd MIN goal went in, cause it was a bad angle shot but other than that, I think he was fine. Still, another game where our SV% is under .900.
- Dubnyk really stood on his head, especially when we were pressing in the 3rd. It's also ironic that Polak, of all people, was the one to score first.
- Leafs scored the 1st goal only 32% of the times last season. This season, we've scored the first goal in 100% of the games thus far in the first 4 games of the season.
- Unlike last game, I felt we played well in the 3rd period with the lead. We didn't have too many breakdowns, we didn't sit back and we didn't get out-possessed either. We played how we should have played in the 3rd, but unfortunately we couldn't score the go-ahead goal to put the game away and they found a way.
- Matthews scored again!
All in all i think the team is taking shape, and other than Hunwick I don't really have too many complaints about the team. Even the 4th line played well. Let's hope goaltending comes around soon and we'll see the young kids play with even more confidence and more creativity!
90 points minimum....someone has been smoking the good stuff!
number17
Mod Squad
Yes, agreed. Marner's also stuck with JVR and Bozak, who have been very cold offensively early in the season.
zeke
Well-known member
I don’t know what the season holds, but we could easily be undefeated right now with some decent goaltending.
hockeylover
Well-known member
I'm guessing 83 points.
If you're going to mock, you should have to provide your own #.
It's going to be tough thats for sure. Just took a look at our next 10 games and its really really tough to see wins in there. That being said, it's a process and we all knew this year would be tough. I want to see them continue to compete and have a chance to win every night. IF Andersen can turn things around we'll be fine. If not we will certainly be in the bottom 5.
number17
Mod Squad
Yes I think the W and L doesn't matter THAT much this season from a standing perspective.
But if we continue to lose games because of bad goaltending, then the team especially the young guys will develop bad habits, as we all saw in the Raycroft / Vesa era. Instead of allowing the goalie to take a routine shot you may see young Dmen playing the shot instead of the pass as an example. You'll see F's not taking ANY chance offensively all of a sudden because they know every mistake will end up in their net. You really don't want that.
These are all pro athletes, they want to win. When losses pile up, it's not good for their morale even though the standing doesn't matter that much.
But if we continue to lose games because of bad goaltending, then the team especially the young guys will develop bad habits, as we all saw in the Raycroft / Vesa era. Instead of allowing the goalie to take a routine shot you may see young Dmen playing the shot instead of the pass as an example. You'll see F's not taking ANY chance offensively all of a sudden because they know every mistake will end up in their net. You really don't want that.
These are all pro athletes, they want to win. When losses pile up, it's not good for their morale even though the standing doesn't matter that much.
Deckie007
Well-known member
Kids ain't playing this well all year is all I'm saying so temper expectations. They are all gonna stumble.
Could the Leafs get 90-95 points if everything goes well? Sure
They could also get 70-75 points if things go sideways.
Posting 90 points as a minimum is crazy optimism.
JaysCyYoung
Legend
I actually agree, and that's why I think they'll end up between 80 and 90 points at the end of the season. 82-86 seems the most likely range to me. A non-playoff team, but not at all dissimilar to the progression Chicago made in the 2007-08 season.
hockeylover
Well-known member
So a prediction of 70-95 points? So bold of you.
And just to clarify - it's not that I disagree but holy crap is that a wide range for a prediction.
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hockeylover
Well-known member
Seems pretty reasonable. Based on last year's standings that'd put them 5-10th pick.