Toronto Maple Leafs 2014/15 Season

[Ironhead]

It hasn't worked in Edmonton why do you think it will happen with Toronto?

It has not paid dividends yet in Edmonton because they have had some bad luck.

Other then Darnell Nurse 6' 4" look at the size of the other players they drafted.
Taylor Hall 6' 1"
Hopkins 6' 1 "
Eberle 5' 11"
Yakupov 5' 11"

They drafted the top player every chance but none were named Toews or Crosby ... or Gretzky or Messier for that matter.

 

[saxon]

Leafs lose again and a report on the Score that Franson turns down multi year offer worth $4.6 million a year.

 

[tml]

For those who suggest the Leafs should tear it down and rely on the draft to rebuild remember some of their highest picks in recent memory: Schenn, Kadri, and Rielly------all busts.

 

[Polaris]

Is this analytics all bullshit?

Tonight, only watched the 3rd period. A 1-0 game, Leafs need a goal (sounds familiar).

Leafs were getting a lot of shots compared to the Flyers, but really only two good chances the entire period for the Leafs, one was Riley which was an individual effort Mason made a good save, the the other chance I thought was Lupul in the shot fanning on the quick pass from Kadri. The Flyers had a couple of good chances too, but as chances, very few for both teams and no scoring.

However, if I understand the analytics right, possession, and attempts at the net count as good stats.

Here is where the bullshit part comes in I am thinking.

There were shots on goal, but really it was only Riley and Lupul that probably had the best chances. You need to create more offense than two chances in the whole damn period when you are behind a goal. But the analytics will probably say Leafs better that Flyers in 3rd period because more shots, but really same number of real scoring chances.

Then the part about possession of the puck. That advance stat, clearly has gone up for the Leafs, because the entire team comes back into their zone for the puck. That is why this advance stat should go up, because since they outnumber the forecheckers down low, the Leafs have the puck. But there is where the problems start. Sure, the Leafs may have the puck more often in their own zone, but they do not have that long in the offensive zone. If you pass the puck around a few times in your own zone while the other team waits in the neutral zone with the trap, sure your advanced stats will go up.

In the third period, when the Leafs tried to attack, damn, they looked exactly like how they played under Carlyle, but in reverse. Leafs try to get the puck to the net, the Flyers block out the wingers, try to get the puck out, rely on the goalie to make the save. That is how the Leafs played defense, exactly how the Flyers, and a lot of other teams play defense, and they vilify Carlyle and fire him.

A good team, will naturally produce good advanced stats I think. The chicken definitely comes before the egg. To believe otherwise, may be total bullshit. Peter Horavchek, is completely in over his head. He may never get another NHL job after this.

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

:deadhorse:

 

[smuddan]

For those who suggest the Leafs should tear it down and rely on the draft to rebuild remember some of their highest picks in recent memory: Schenn, Kadri, and Rielly------all busts.

How else would you suggest that a team should be built ? Trades ? Free agents ? Show me which perennial contending teams are not built with primary their own drafted players ? The only exception I can think of is Boston, but chances for getting players like Chara and Rask through trades are rare.

You can always cite Edmonton as example how high drafts don't guarantee success, but if you look at teams like Chicago, Pittsburg, LA, Anaheim, four teams that have won the cup recently, I'm sure you'll find that their core groups of players were drafted through accumulations of high drafts when the teams were bad for a number of years.

Sure you can add key pieces to a real contender through free agency or by trades, but without a solid core of drafted players, a team like the Leafs now is just a pretender and no real good free agents would want to play for anyway.

Good scouting is vital to any organization, that's a given, but it's a numbers game that the more high drafts you have, the better chances you'll have to draft franchise players. Of-course there's no guarantee, after all, that's why they call the top picks "lottery", but if you don't have a ticket, you have no chance of winning.

 

[Ironhead]

For those who suggest the Leafs should tear it down and rely on the draft to rebuild remember some of their highest picks in recent memory: Schenn, Kadri, and Rielly------all busts.

Here we have it. It has been posted for all to see.

Thank you TML !


Schenn(was turned into van Riemsdyk via trade).
Kadri is 24. Played in his first full regular NHL season last year.
Rielly is 20 and has not even played 150 NHL games yet.


Yeah the Leafs should just give these players away as throw ins as a part of other trades.

 

[Calgacus]

Geez, I miss Capgeek.

What a shock

 

[SkyRider]

Kadri is 24. Played in his first full regular NHL season last year.
Rielly is 20 and has not even played 150 NHL games yet.

At age 24, I doubt Kadri will get better or much better than he is now. Rielly at age 20 may mature into a better defenseman down the road.

 

[Ironhead]

At age 24, I doubt Kadri will get better or much better than he is now. Rielly at age 20 may mature into a better defenseman down the road.

Alex Steen was 24 when the Leafs gave up on him. He averaged 16 goals in three seasons with the Leafs and had two goals in 20 games when he was traded in '08.
He ended that season with eight goals in eighty games.
Beginning with his first full season in ST. Louis he had career high 47, followed by a 51pt season.
A concussion limited him to 43 games in '11/'12, he managed 28pts.
2012/13 was the lockout shortened season. Steen had 27 pts in 40 games.
In '13/'14 he had his best season yet, 62pts in 68 games. So far this season he has 40pts in 46 games.

 

[K Douglas]

Seriously why can't this team score a friggin goal. 15 goals in the past 11 games, pathetic. That's not a slump that is something seriously wrong with the system the coach has them playing. Carlyle must be sitting in front of his tv at home with a huge grin on his face right now.

At this point I say tank it and get yourself into the lottery for McDavid and Eichel. Trade Kadri, Gardiner, Phaneuf, Lupul if you can get some decent return for them.

 

[saxon]

Leafs can throw in the towel but it won't get them a better shot at the 1st or 2nd pick. Problem is Buffalo, Edmonton, Carolina, Phoenix, are also playing terrible and will finish all lower than the Leafs. In addition the Devils could also finish below the Leafs as well as Columbus who have lost their starting goalkeeper for the next six weeks.

 

[Dawgger]

Don't know who made the call on Randy,is anyone at MLSE ready to admit it was the wrong move? The Leafs weren't great under him but they sure looked better than they do now.
Nonis has to be rewriting his resume. Guess Shanahan is safe for now. That light at the end of a tunnel, is frigging freight train, it ain't gonna git better for a long while!

 

[bullitt]

I think shanny brings in mark hunter to either coach or be gm. I think coach would be more fitting. nonis will be long gone soon enough.

 

[Ironhead]

Yes ! A good night for the Leafs.

Of the eight teams in action yesterday, two were non playoff teams, both won !

 

[Insidious Von]

I'm going to take the silver lining approach to a black cloud. The Leafs are developing a defensive core, they just brought up another lunch bucket defender Petr Granberg (sp). How many times have the Leafs developed a defensive core in the last 40 years?
Here is your answer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwKf0Vmoido

The Leafs are actually in better shape for the long term now, than they were in 2005. And if you're willing to give up on Morgan Reilly, you're knowledge of hockey is a stronzzono (giant shit log).

 

[SkyRider]

The Leafs are developing a defensive core, they just brought up another lunch bucket defender Petr Granberg .

Leafs don't get many goals from their defense so they better be good defensively or otherwise they are useless.

 

[dawk jimmy]

.9% chance of making the playoffs, this team needs a complete makeover only keeper is Reilly

 

[Jennifer_]

I am not a big hockey fan but I listen to sports radio all-day, every day.

I am cheering after every loss now. I think we have the 7th overall pick now. I fully-support tanking for Conner McDavid.

Knowing Toronto fans, after everything they've been through... tanking could get more positive support than actually trying to sneak into the playoffs (and get eliminated in the first round).

 

[Jennifer_]

.9% chance of making the playoffs, this team needs a complete makeover only keeper is Reilly

He had a super-hero-like shift the other night.

I think Kessel should stay too. Blow the rest up.

 

[trtinajax]

This group is so pathetic that they couldn't even tank it properly a couple of years ago when there was a real good draft. They'll play good enough through the final 3 weeks to come within 3 point of making the playoffs. Management will pat themselves on the back and brag they now have the core, just a couple of minor adjustments over the summer and A Leafs Dynasty will be born.


SORRY - That was the 1976, 1977, 1978 .................. quote from Management