Maple Leafs 2017-2018 Season Thread
- Thread starter smuddan
- Start date
Unless something has changed in the last couple of hours I heard he is a game time decision.
The team is going through probably the worst part of the schedule right now, playing 8 games in 13 days including a west coast trip against the toughest teams. Teams are playing the Leafs tough and the young guys are likely feeling the stress of the cramped schedule, the main issue imo though is the veterans have not played well. Moore took a dumb penalty that costed the Shark game and was benched for a couple of games after. Kadri turned the puck over numerous times and the entire defence played soft and didn't react well to heavy forechecking.
Other than Matthews, Hyman, Martin and Marleau, every one is struggling including Babcock who for reason unknown to most didn't challenge an apparent goalie interference call when the score was 5-1 against the Blues as it could have made it 5-4 with a minute to go. It might not have mattered but you just can't give up with so much time left.
Hopefully they're well rested tonight and turn things around with a win.
Other than Matthews, Hyman, Martin and Marleau, every one is struggling including Babcock who for reason unknown to most didn't challenge an apparent goalie interference call when the score was 5-1 against the Blues as it could have made it 5-4 with a minute to go. It might not have mattered but you just can't give up with so much time left.
Hopefully they're well rested tonight and turn things around with a win.
FA gave up a really weak tying goal, wrister from top of circle. Seems many teams are aiming for the top shelf against him and scoring in the past two weeks.
But the bigger problem is the defense. We have too many offensive minded D who just stick check rather than take the body and clear the zone.
As smuddan says we prob need to trade one of Reilly, Zaitsev or Gardiner, preferably the latter, and maybe one of our forwards and get a top Dman.
But the bigger problem is the defense. We have too many offensive minded D who just stick check rather than take the body and clear the zone.
As smuddan says we prob need to trade one of Reilly, Zaitsev or Gardiner, preferably the latter, and maybe one of our forwards and get a top Dman.
Agreed. Certainly a tough part of the schedule. And yes, that was odd that Babcock didn't challenge the goaltender interference. He did admit to screwing up. FA is so calm, had he made a scene it may have caught the coach's attention.
Nice to see Marner win it last night in the shootout!
That tying goal was a real stinker that could have easily deflated the team. The good sign was Andersen really toughened up and shut the door the rest of way for the win. He's still young and has a lot to prove but for now and the foreseeable future, he's the best they've got.
As for teams aiming for the high sides, I think that seems to be the tendency of today's sharp shooters. He's a big goalie so there really isn't much room elsewhere. Matthews and Nylanders have scored a few high shots themselves.
As for upgrading the defence, the market was screwed by the Hall for Larson trade. It's near impossible to get significant improvement without touching the core. Gardiner is the darling of the analytic guys but I'm not a fan of his. He reminds me of Inge Hammerstrom and the Leafs can never be a serious contender with him being one the top pairs playing 20+ minutes a game.
It's still far from being good enough and if we fans can see it, I'm sure LL knows better. Maybe he's still trying to assess what he's got and from now till the trade deadline, something big will happen. The abundance of NHL ready prospects and the pending ufa's (JVR/Bozak/Komarov) will be the chips to play with.
Babcock also screwed up last year when he forgot to put a man in the penalty box.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/mike-babcock-takes-blame-leafs-extended-penalty-kill/
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/mike-babcock-takes-blame-leafs-extended-penalty-kill/
The Leafs are a work in progress, this is not their year. You can't undo decades of incompetence in three years.
He may look invincible but Matthews is just a teenager, I won't be surprised if he sits out the Boston home/home. It's November, no need to panic.
And it's good for the team, it will toughen them up. They've been riding their Secretariat too much lately.
He may look invincible but Matthews is just a teenager, I won't be surprised if he sits out the Boston home/home. It's November, no need to panic.
And it's good for the team, it will toughen them up. They've been riding their Secretariat too much lately.
Great to see Marner making huge contributions in Matthews absence. The shoot out winning goal and tonight's setting up both the tying and winning goals. To those experts who think Marner should shoot more, I don't care if he takes another shot ever if he can continue to make plays like he did tonight.
Also stepping up huge is Marleau. Another game winning goal and that play he made to break up an icing by out skating two defenders in the last game was a great display of leadership by performance. Kadri also bounced back nicely from a couple of bad games in the road trip.
Last but not least, tonight's game has to be Gardiner's best game of the year!
Also stepping up huge is Marleau. Another game winning goal and that play he made to break up an icing by out skating two defenders in the last game was a great display of leadership by performance. Kadri also bounced back nicely from a couple of bad games in the road trip.
Last but not least, tonight's game has to be Gardiner's best game of the year!
Last year after 18 games, the Leafs were 1-3 in overtime/shootout games. This year they are 4-0. Hopefully they can continue to be successful when games cannot be settled in regulation time. They have already matched the number of shootout wins this year then they had last year when they went 1-8.
That was the most physical game the Leafs have played this year and they came out ok. Komarov, Kadri, Hyman and Martin responded well and the Bozak/Marner/jvr line has played really good since they were reunited.
It'll be interesting to see how they play New Jersey after the mini break. Apparently Soshnitkov has an out clause that he can return to the KHL if he's not called up by Nov 16 which happens to be the Devils game. Other than Matthews who should be ready by then, everybody seems healthy and something has to give. Maybe a trade is in the work ?
It'll be interesting to see how they play New Jersey after the mini break. Apparently Soshnitkov has an out clause that he can return to the KHL if he's not called up by Nov 16 which happens to be the Devils game. Other than Matthews who should be ready by then, everybody seems healthy and something has to give. Maybe a trade is in the work ?
Mike Babcock may miss the occasional called, but his skills as a coach are beyond question.
Whatever happens The Leafs came together without their Franchise. This is how a Stanley Cup contender is done! As for Shoshnikov, he's a good player to have but he's brittle. Like Komarov he wont want to stay in the KHL for long, I'm willing to take that risk.
A song for last week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OagFIQMs1tw
Whatever happens The Leafs came together without their Franchise. This is how a Stanley Cup contender is done! As for Shoshnikov, he's a good player to have but he's brittle. Like Komarov he wont want to stay in the KHL for long, I'm willing to take that risk.
A song for last week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OagFIQMs1tw
It happens a lot of times teams would over perform after their best player went down to injury. I remember a series against the Hurricanes a few years ago during Sundin's era, the team rallied to go ahead in the series after Sundin was sidelined due to injury, but then went on to lose 3 straight and the series after Sundin came back. Don't kid ourselves though, we're going to need Matthews healthy and play well to keep our position in the standings.
We've been getting great goaltending from both Andersen and McElhinney along with great leadership from Marleau, Kadri, Martin, JVR and Reilly. Marner has also stepped up but Nylander and Gardiner are floating around too much.
Matthews battling back issues. Worse injury for professional athletes you never know when it’s going to flare up. Just ask Clayton Kershaw.
Matthews just doesn't look healthy, for someone so young, I've noticed (nothing to do with the current injury, of course). Maybe it's the insomniac's bags under his eyes. They better win the Cup, soon.
I remember that well. Even if Matthews is healthy, they should keep him out of the lineup until they lose a couple.
Just kidding.
You must have some kind of God given ability to diagnose a person's health by just looking at pictures and videos ?
He had some back issues while playing in Europe but didn't miss a game the whole last season. My guess is that although he doesn't hit or get hit often, opponents are checking him much tighter and the cramped schedule and playing hard every shift have taken a toll on him. Fortunately he's in very good hands as the Leafs have all the resources for modern medical science care.
What did I diagnose him with? I just commented on his general appearance. He looks worn for someone so young.
