2016 Tank & Rebuild Thread: 6 Pts Behind Winnipeg. Tank Chugging Along

[Faltorvo]

How is a team with all of Pitts talent so bad?

Watching Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Letang and Honqvist stumble around on a PP and barely get a shot is sickening.

Ya they are an enigma without a doubt , they have 2 horses up the middle and a very solid tender and maybe a stud on D (depends if letang is your kind of D)
usually that's the foundation of a successful team.

I think their problem is a combination of their supporting cast but also the style of play needed to get the best out of their top players.
A good example would be last years leafs , look what happened when that roster got asked to play a more well rounded game and all their offence dried up when they could not cheat.

This Pitt team reminds me so much of Washington not so long ago.
When they had Ovi,semin,backstrom and green racking up the personal points like mad and yet the team could not get it done.

 

[TLeafsFan]

And so the rebuild as it translates to the Leafs NHL team officially begins.

 

[WTFMAN99]

It was the kids who lead us to victory last night so not as cheesed about the win as I normally would be.

Hopefully Edmonton and Winnipeg undo the damage done and get themselves in the W column tonight.

 

[TLeafsFan]

Great rebuild analysis courtesy of MLHS

The Model Franchise: How Brendan Shanahan’s Leafs tore a few pages from the Chicago Blackhawks playbook

Based on the R2 above, GAR has the ability to predict roughly 72% of how a team will end up in the standings (retroactively). This compares to ~38% predicted by 5v5 Corsi%

 

[theIceWookie]

Ya they are an enigma without a doubt , they have 2 horses up the middle and a very solid tender and maybe a stud on D (depends if letang is your kind of D)
usually that's the foundation of a successful team.

I think their problem is a combination of their supporting cast but also the style of play needed to get the best out of their top players.
A good example would be last years leafs , look what happened when that roster got asked to play a more well rounded game and all their offence dried up when they could not cheat.

This Pitt team reminds me so much of Washington not so long ago.
When they had Ovi,semin,backstrom and green racking up the personal points like mad and yet the team could not get it done.

Is it that much of a mystery though?

Their biggest issue for years has been depth and roster imbalance. Crosby, Malkin, Fleury and Letang is a fantastic core no doubt but they've struggled to give them the proper depth they need to make it far in the playoffs. For all the prominence people put on developing the core and drafting 1C's and 1D's, hockey is still very much a team sport, and your best players can only do so much for you.

There top 6 looks great. Crosby and Malkin down the middle. Kessel and Hornqvist flanking on the right side, Hagelin and Kunitz on the left. But after that it's Bonino (who is decent) and a bunch of 4th liners. They're running a top 6 bottom 6 set up in a league that's moved onto a top 9, bottom 3 set up at worse, but is moving into having four strong lines. Plus their defense after Letang (who spends at least a quarter of the year injured, which doesn't help) is Maata (good), and a bunch of developing players or old players because they don't have the space to add proper depth.

It wouldn't be such an issue if their scouting wasn't as weak as it has been. If it was stronger, they could bring in younger players like Chicago does.

 

[Hero]

Great rebuild analysis courtesy of MLHS

The Model Franchise: How Brendan Shanahan’s Leafs tore a few pages from the Chicago Blackhawks playbook

I love GAR & WAR and it's my favourite stat, BUT it doesn't account for QoC.

That's a huge flaw in the system.

 

[TLeafsFan]

I love GAR & WAR and it's my favourite stat, BUT it doesn't account for QoC.

That's a huge flaw in the system.

It depends on the weight you give to QoC. many put too much in it.

 

[Woll Smoth]

There's nothing interesting to say about this THURSDAY

CAR vs BOS -> Wastes a game for a wildcard threat.
MTL vs BUF -> I feel like Montreal is out of reach at this point. Buffalo is 15th out of 16 teams in the conference.
WPG vs DET -> WPG in OT would be great here. Both picks benefit from it.
OTT vs FLA -> Could help the Pens pick down the road.
EDM vs MIN -> Edmonton in OT would be good for both picks. But I'm not too picky with how Edmonton get their points.
NJD vs SJS -> SJS for the Pitts picks and it also should kill NJs hopes for a wildcard spot.



I'm on my phone so I hope the bolding and italics works, if not could a mod please help me out

 

[Faltorvo]

Actually wookie, yes I find mystery there

for example

from what I hear

they have a hard time finding players that can play with sid

sids game does not seem to "elevate" production numbers , like other elite players have been able to

 

[Faltorvo]

It was the kids who lead us to victory last night so not as cheesed about the win as I normally would be.

Hopefully Edmonton and Winnipeg undo the damage done and get themselves in the W column tonight.

Won't lie

last night royally POd me

the tying goal just happened so late

the kids doing all the heavy lifting does put a smile on my face

I'd rather they just flat out win the damn game, compared to how last night happened.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Won't lie

last night royally POd me

the tying goal just happened so late

the kids doing all the heavy lifting does put a smile on my face

I'd rather they just flat out win the damn game, compared to how last night happened.

why does it piss you off?
the kids scored, and we won a non regulation game. that's a win win in that scenario. it doesn't increase our ROW at all.

 

[Faltorvo]

why does it piss you off?
the kids scored, and we won a non regulation game. that's a win win in that scenario. it doesn't increase our ROW at all.

so close to the -2 points

and EDM bothers me a lot in the standings

I want to "our way, beat those mother fs"

for me it's no different if this was a year where I was cheering for wins and progress,


one way ,the goal is the cup

the other is best shot at 1, guarantee 4th and our other picks getting the highest slotting's. That's this years Stanley cup for me as a fan.

 

[Daisy Jane]

so close to the -2 points

and EDM bothers me a lot in the standings

I want to "our way, beat those mother fs"

for me it's no different if this was a year where I was cheering for wins and progress,


one way ,the goal is the cup

the other is best shot at 1, guarantee 4th and our other picks getting the highest slotting's. That's this years Stanley cup for me as a fan.

you aren't making any sense. you said that you would have rather them flat out win the game. they did. but they won in a shootout.

so why are you pissed off?

we're not going to lose all our remaining games. and the fact that we won based on the kids and on the shootout is the best kind of win

 

[Scion]

I think you mean Toronto will pass them. However for that to happen Toronto needs to keep winning and despite the odd win they will get, I think when it's finished the Leafs will end up 30th overall.

No, I meant Edmonton will pass the Leafs in the reverse standings. Obviously, I hope you are right, but those three GIH (soon to be four) loom large.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Ya they are an enigma without a doubt , they have 2 horses up the middle and a very solid tender and maybe a stud on D (depends if letang is your kind of D)
usually that's the foundation of a successful team.

I think their problem is a combination of their supporting cast but also the style of play needed to get the best out of their top players.
A good example would be last years leafs , look what happened when that roster got asked to play a more well rounded game and all their offence dried up when they could not cheat.

This Pitt team reminds me so much of Washington not so long ago.
When they had Ovi,semin,backstrom and green racking up the personal points like mad and yet the team could not get it done.

Spot on.

Poor coaching and inadequate depth.

Give them Mike Babcock and they'd be a great team. I'm certain of it.

You can just tell while watching them play. It's all loose and there is no rotation on the PP. You can put 5 stars on a PP and it still won't do much if there is no rotation.

 

[Mad Brills*]

wow, I'd rather take development from our best young players than be angrry towards losing a 1/5 chance at matthews at BEST

 

[Kelly]

wow, I'd rather take development from our best young players than be angrry towards losing a 1/5 chance at matthews at BEST

You weren't acting that way yesterday...

I hope this team doesn't piss away their tanking efforts.

2 points that will come back to bite us in april

Nooo, it's starting the winning streak.

hello 10th overall pick

 

[thewave]

Spot on.

Poor coaching and inadequate depth.

Give them Mike Babcock and they'd be a great team. I'm certain of it.

You can just tell while watching them play. It's all loose and there is no rotation on the PP. You can put 5 stars on a PP and it still won't do much if there is no rotation.

Supporting cast has differed to Crosby and Malkin for years. They don't have solid work ethic in the lower ranks and thats why they always fall flat. This is something Babcock is ensuring the Leafs never have.

 

[Faltorvo]

You weren't acting that way yesterday...

Because you are trying to talk to a

R2D2

 

[hockeywiz542]

According to the Toronto Star, Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan won't deviate from the plan, but he wants the team to be good as soon as it can.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2016/03/10/leafs-aim-is-to-be-better-for-centennial-classic.html

The big question about the Centennial Classic is just how good the Maple Leafs will be come Jan. 1, 2017.

The word from team president Brendan Shanahan: better.

“We want to be better,†said Shanahan. “We’re laying down a foundation. Obviously, there were some moves we made that gave some of our younger players opportunities to play. We created some space for them."

“It’s been a bit of a year of growing and a bit of a year of changing. We’re all competitive people.â€

The name Steven Stamkos did not come up. There was no talk of free agents at all. But Shanahan added this:

“Without deviating from our overall plan, we want to be as good as soon as we can,†said Shanahan. “It doesn’t mean you go out and stray from the plan or you do something that you think is not a good decision long term, but we’re competitive people.â€

The NHL is typically loathe to put a bad team in one of its signature outdoor games. The Leafs in 2014 — when they played the Winter Classic in Ann Arbor, Mich., were deemed a team on the rise, coming off a playoff year.

Maybe in the Leafs’ case it doesn’t matter. The fan base will come out no matter what, and it is a special year — the team’s 100th.

And at least the play of the team’s young players so far since the trade deadline passed leaves reason for optimism, the sign of a plan being executed.

 

[MJ65]

Another big night for the tank

1) Buff in OT or SO, 1 point for Mtl
2) Car - Boston, Carolina
3) Wpg - Det, Winnipeg
4) Ott - Florida, Ottawa
5) NJ - SJ, doesn't matter

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Winnipeg vs Detroit's the big one. A Jets win helps both our pick and the Pens shot at making the playoffs. Edmonton's also obviously important but I don't see them winning with that defence minus Nurse lol. Buffalo's a would be nice as well but I'm not too worried about them. Other games don't really matter much.

 

[canadon]

Winnipeg vs Detroit's the big one. A Jets win helps both our pick and the Pens shot at making the playoffs. Edmonton's also obviously important but I don't see them winning with that defence minus Nurse lol. Buffalo's a would be nice as well but I'm not too worried about them. Other games don't really matter much.

The Jets are leading 2-0 after the 1st.... Hopefully they can surprise everybody and win tonight.

 

[Kurisu]

oilers up 1-0

 

[LeafsNation75]

The Jets are leading 2-0 after the 1st.... Hopefully they can surprise everybody and win tonight.

The score is now 2-2 in the 2nd intermission.