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Leafs Vs Panthers

BeLeafer said:
There's no way a team with this much talent should be so mediocre across a range of metrics. But Mike insisted on dispensing with a possession monster, plays top two defensive pairings with boat anchors every game, gives Marleau way too much ice ... this all goes a long way to producing those metrics.

We're now almost half way through the season and, despite Zaitsev's and Hainsey's shitty play, Holl sits welded to the pressbox. Would he really be any worse than those two? We'll never know.
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I know it was just one game, but I'm not sure Holl is the answer. He seems like a bit of a mess himself. I'm mostly frustrated that dermy and/or Ozzy don't get a chance in the top four. Hainsey sucks but I don't hate him defensively. Zaitsev is the guy that should be nowhere near any teams top four. On a team like this, where you want your mega skilled talent up front to have the puck, he just kills things on the breakout. It hurts them so ****ing much.
 
Yeah, I don't think Holl is the answer either. But he's there and he can skate and pass at the same time -- something the other two can't. I mean, how can you look at those pairings and not think ... hmm, maybe I should try something different? Maybe give old Ron a rest?
 
Again, I don't think Ron is a major problem. Having him and Zaitsev on the ice for the majority of the game is, absolutely. But Ron himself? He does something well that Zaitsev doesn't: defend. I can appreciate that.

Drop Zaitsev to the bottom pair and put anyone with Jake in the second pair. Ozzy or dermy, I don't care. You'll see Jake's corsi suddenly skyrocket, like it does anytime he doesn't play with grenade chucker.
 
But to me the real issue is the bottom half of the forwards really labouring. They could really use a cheap possession monster to make the fourth line somewhat playable. Not sure where they can find one.
 
The problem with Ron is that he can't skate any longer. That makes it real hard on his partner. Strictly sheltered minutes at this stage, but I think he needs to be rotated. His skating might not be so sluggish if he's given more time to recover.
 
Dubas knows the numbers better than any of us. These absolutely can't be the type of results he was expecting this season after signing JT, and now watching the 4th line get repetitively caved in (Ennis had a 12.5 CF% tonight, Brown & Lindholm were 36-40%) on top of that, after giving his coach the lineup he wanted has to frustrating.

I don't expect him to sit on his hands and watch this team be mediocre looking analytically all season.
 
Dubas knows the numbers better than any of us. These absolutely can't be the type of results he was expecting this season after signing JT, and now watching the 4th line get repetitively caved in (Ennis had a 12.5 CF% tonight, Brown & Lindholm were 36-40%) on top of that, after giving his coach the lineup he wanted has to frustrating.

I don't expect him to sit on his hands and watch this team be mediocre looking analytically all season.
 
He had to have an idea this would happen to his fourth line after trading Leivo. We all knew this, outside of LOF, and I'd like to think dubas and his team of nerds are smarter than any of us.

And he still made the trade. It kills me.
 
Neither do I. He's not a stand pat type.

Big problem is they gave Babcock a say in personnel decisions. I'm not sure how that works contractually or otherwise, but it's a serious problem. He overplays guys he went after (Hainsey, Zaits, Hyman, Marleau). Not sure how a GM does anything about that short of trading over Cock's objections or just firing the dumbass.
 
He might have a say but when guys babs loves haven’t done the job Dubas has gotten rid of them. Gudpros like Polak and Leo were Babs godsons.
 
ExceptionallyDumb said:
Again, I don't think Ron is a major problem. Having him and Zaitsev on the ice for the majority of the game is, absolutely. But Ron himself? He does something well that Zaitsev doesn't: defend. I can appreciate that.

Drop Zaitsev to the bottom pair and put anyone with Jake in the second pair. Ozzy or dermy, I don't care. You'll see Jake's corsi suddenly skyrocket, like it does anytime he doesn't play with grenade chucker.
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Gardiner is a legitimate grenade chucker. Hell, he is one of the worst on this team.
But zaitsev is a mystery. Maybe a seasoned veteran who has defensive capabilities ( gardiner is a mess out there and I will be thrilled when he is finally gone).
Remember, that zaitsev's still a fairly inexperienced player at the nhl level.
Reilly has been prone to cough up the blunders too. And he has 3 more years experience in the league.
Give zaitsev more time with a stable partner cause who the hell ever knows what gardiner is doing out there.
Someone mentioned here before that gudas would be a nice acquisition for the defense. And philly might be looking to make a change for the sake of change.
Some of you are funny about this leivo thing .... we should have this and we should have that, but here is the thing, when jvr was here alot of you would get on him because of his defensive effort or even his puck pursuit effort. Yet jvr would score and play the front of the net with great success. Leivo has the same effort and hasnt the same tool box as jvr. Leivo is a dime a dozen player.
 
"since getting Nylander back in the lineup the Leafs have 55% score adjusted Corsi and have 57% of the goals at 5v5."
 
Nylander's conditioning is disappointing. he's looked really gassed out there trying to keep up a number of times later in games.

however yeah, his ability to move the puck through the neutral zone and also his takeaways defensively were sorely missed and instantly noticeable on his return.

his playmaking is simply a sweet bonus on top of the ton we already have, but he's one of those guys who turns the play back the other way regularly as well. invaluable.
 
JT Line: 13:30, 60cf%
AM Line: 13:00, 66cf%
NK Line: 12:00, 58cf%
4th Line: 6:30, 30cf%
 
MindzEye said:
Dubas knows the numbers better than any of us. These absolutely can't be the type of results he was expecting this season after signing JT, and now watching the 4th line get repetitively caved in (Ennis had a 12.5 CF% tonight, Brown & Lindholm were 36-40%) on top of that, after giving his coach the lineup he wanted has to frustrating.

I don't expect him to sit on his hands and watch this team be mediocre looking analytically all season.
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So you dont expect dubas to be sitting on his hands.....
Tell me what do you expect?
His trade of leivo has everyone in an uproar
His signing of nylander is question
able, and I mean why not earlier, or just let him sit.
Dubas has done nothing to write home about .... oh yea, he signed tavares. I think that Shanahan and others had more to do with it.
Dubas wont do anything, he will use the term " stay the course" and let the youngsters develop.
For all the comments about lou, I have to smile because Lou has the big prize, and has repeatedly ran successful organizations.
What has dubas done?
 
What has Dubas done?

*checks notes*

- Dubas is the youngest GM in the NHL

- Dubas has been an NHL GM for less than half a season

- Lou's NHL GM career is three decades long
 
Volcanologist said:
Nylander's conditioning is disappointing. he's looked really gassed out there trying to keep up a number of times later in games.

however yeah, his ability to move the puck through the neutral zone and also his takeaways defensively were sorely missed and instantly noticeable on his return.

his playmaking is simply a sweet bonus on top of the ton we already have, but he's one of those guys who turns the play back the other way regularly as well. invaluable.
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I feel like Nylander has looked better than Matthews.
 
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