2020-21 Maple Leafs Thread

[superstar_88]

The way Sandin is playing explains more fully now why Leafs let Lehtonen go for more or less nothing. They play the same game but Sandin plays it so much better. That hit on Wheeler was supreme. That breakout pass to Nylander for the 2 on 1 with Tavares was sneaky good.
He made a little turn back to lull Conner. The poise with the puck is the anti Marincin.
Impressed with Brooks as well. For a 4th liner he can make plays, skates well, looks defensively sound. Explains why they were comfortable letting Boyd go on waivers.
Looking at the hit count for the season Foligno is the clear leader in that category on the Leafs now. He was also the hit leader in Columbus.

 

[K Douglas]

I thought the Leafs played a dominating game last night. So much so that they didn't really have to rely on Campbell much. That said when tested Campbell looked much more confident in the net than he had for the past few games.
Bottom line is this. When the Leafs put in the effort instead of just relying on their talent level, they can be as dominating as any team in the league.
Foligno-Matthews-Marner
Galchenyuk-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Hyman
Thornton-Spezza-Simmonds
Brooks. Robertson. Engvall.

There isn't a team in the league that can roll out that amount of quality forward depth.

 

[Sonic Temple]

AB77 and NR89 have impressed me as well - they have played amazing. Creating opportunities and digging deep. Love the play, need this team to get hot and be ready for the payoffs.

 

[K Douglas]

AB77 and NR89 have impressed me as well - they have played amazing. Creating opportunities and digging deep. Love the play, need this team to get hot and be ready for the payoffs.

Robertson is going to be a very good NHL player you can see glimpses of what he can do.

 

[glamphotographer]

When Montreal challenged Toronto for 1st early in the season Leafs brushed them off.
When Edmonton challenged Toronto for 1st mid season Leafs brushed them off.
When Winnipeg challenged Toronto for 1st late in the season Leafs brushed them off.

Finishing 1st in the division isn't going to mean much if the Leafs can't make it to the final 4.

 

[gcostanza]

Fred speaks!

Andersen confirms it was a knee injury which was causing related issues.
Says he's not sweating that his setbacks came in a contract year.
"I know what I'm worth."

 

[shack]

Fred speaks!

Andersen confirms it was a knee injury which was causing related issues.
Says he's not sweating that his setbacks came in a contract year.
"I know what I'm worth."

Love the confidence.

Rest up Freddie. We're going to play you pretty much every game of the playoffs. That'll be your chance to really prove what you're worth.

 

[glamphotographer]

Leafs magic number is 7. Ottawa and Calgary can't catch the Leafs, they have to eliminate Vancouver. So any combination of Leafs points gained and Canucks points not gained that total 7, the Leafs clinch a playoff spot.

 

[gcostanza]

Leafs magic number is 7. Ottawa and Calgary can't catch the Leafs, they have to eliminate Vancouver. So any combination of Leafs points gained and Canucks points not gained that total 7, the Leafs clinch a playoff spot.

You may be correct at 7, but I heard from a hockey talking head yesterday (can't recall who) that it is either 4 or 5.

 

[superstar_88]

Finishing 1st in the division isn't going to mean much if the Leafs can't make it to the final 4.

Sure, but that wasn't the point.
I've said it many times before.
Once playoffs start regular season means nothing.
Weren't you the one who is shouting fire Dubas when Leafs were still in 1st place?
I'm sure you'll be the first to post fire Dubas if they don't make the final 4.

The point was when the Leafs were met with a legit challenge they succeeded.
That's a good thing, no?

If the Leafs make it to the final 4 the elite teams in the other Divisions look scary good.
Teams like TB, Vegas, and Colorado.

 

[glamphotographer]

Sure, but that wasn't the point.
I've said it many times before.
Once playoffs start regular season means nothing.
Weren't you the one who is shouting fire Dubas when Leafs were still in 1st place?

I question if Shanny fires Dubas if the Leafs exit the 1st round again. Sadly it's not the Leafs year to win the cup. I see Vegas, Carolina or Colorado winning the cup.

 

[superstar_88]

Then what should Shanny and Dubas have done to guarantee a first round win 100%
There are no guarantees in sports.
They're also managing for the long term so getting Foligno is sacrificing a bit of the future for the now.
If Leafs make the final 4 it'll be interesting how they stack up.
Clearly this is the best team the Leafs have put together for the playoffs in a long while.
The core is in their prime. Tavares is not yet over the hill. They have Brodie who can play defense.
Every other time they've lost in the 1st round they were clear underdogs. Well, ok aside from Columbus but that was a pick'em.
Now they are clear favourites. In the Division at least.
That's really all you can ask of management.
To put the team in the best position to win.
If they were still in the old Atlantic Division I would still consider Leafs as underdogs to TB and Boston although this year the gap has definitely narrowed.

 

[shack]

I see Vegas, Carolina or Colorado winning the cup.

Leafs' point totals are comparable to the other division leading teams.

With zero inter-divisional games it is absolutely impossible to produce any statistical evidence to prove which divisions are the strongest let alone which teams. It is all pure speculation. The viewer can have a subjective opinion depending on what catches his eye but the fact is there are no games of the top teams head to head or even against common opponents.

In the final 4 it may come down to which coaches and teams make the best adjustments during those 7 game series. Aside from relying on scouting, the first couple of games will be strictly learning about an opponent that you haven't played for at least a year and in some cases 2 years and most teams have had significant roster changes in that time. Nobody stands still.

It'll be a total crapshoot in terms of handicapping.

 

[glamphotographer]

Leafs' point totals are comparable to the other division leading teams.

With zero inter-divisional games it is absolutely impossible to produce any statistical evidence to prove which divisions are the strongest let alone which teams. It is all pure speculation. The viewer can have a subjective opinion depending on what catches his eye but the fact is there are no games of the top teams head to head or even against common opponents.

In the final 4 it may come down to which coaches and teams make the best adjustments during those 7 game series. Aside from relying on scouting, the first couple of games will be strictly learning about an opponent that you haven't played for at least a year and in some cases 2 years and most teams have had significant roster changes in that time. Nobody stands still.

It'll be a total crapshoot in terms of handicapping.

During this stay-at-home order, I've been watching a lot of hockey, I base on what I've seen and Vegas, Carolina, and Colorado look primed for a deep playoff run, of course, it's speculation. Those are just IMHO.

 

[shack]

During this stay-at-home order, I've been watching a lot of hockey, I base on what I've seen and Vegas, Carolina, and Colorado look primed for a deep playoff run, of course, it's speculation. Those are just IMHO.

Just as I said. Without stats on matchups, all you can go by is what catches your eye.

 

[gcostanza]

....all you can go by is what catches your eye.

Ah yes, 'The Eye Test'

 

[glamphotographer]

Just as I said. Without stats on matchups, all you can go by is what catches your eye.

We all know regular-season matchups don't mean anything in the playoffs. We've seen teams dominate other teams in the regular season only to lose to them in 7 game playoff series. I rather look at teams that have the fewest injuries, how well they are playing going to the playoffs, hot goaltending, PP and PK.

 

[superstar_88]

It could very well be Foligno on the 3rd line and Hyman with Matthews/Marner. Leafs this year right from the outset made it be known they wanted a true checking 3rd line. That's something they've never had before in the Matthews era. The 3rd line cannot be a weakness. It was last year. The 4th line of Engvall/Spezza/Clifford more or less took over the 3rd line duties. It was also a weakness both times Kadri was suspended.

 

[smuddan]

Then what should Shanny and Dubas have done to guarantee a first round win 100%
There are no guarantees in sports.

For the longest time I’ve been very critical of how soft this team was under Dubas’s management and somehow fans like you seemed to think I was such a dummy just because Dubas wanted it that way it must be the right style to win the championship. Somehow Dubas’s light bulb seemed to get turned on and started to add the grit, size, truculence and toughness (Bogosian, Simmonds, Thornton and Foligno) and now you think that’s the best team put together ? Dubas is such a genius!

As you say there’s no guarantee that they’ll go all the way, goaltending and team defence will dictate how har they’ll go, but at least the most glaring weakness has now been addressed and I can finally say that this team is on the right path.

 

[glamphotographer]

For the longest time I’ve been very critical of how soft this team was under Dubas’s management and somehow fans like you seemed to think I was such a dummy just because Dubas wanted it that way it must be the right style to win the championship. Somehow Dubas’s light bulb seemed to get turned on and started to add the grit, size, truculence and toughness (Bogosian, Simmonds, Thornton and Foligno) and now you think that’s the best team put together ? Dubas is such a genius!

As you say there’s no guarantee that they’ll go all the way, goaltending and team defence will dictate how har they’ll go, but at least the most glaring weakness has now been addressed and I can finally say that this team is on the right path.

No doubt this is a better Leafs team in the past 5 seasons but to me, goaltending remains suspect in the playoffs.