After 20 games.......

[REALTALK81]

Only 1 team in the entire league with a lower goals against. Can't remember the last time I could say that. Actually... I can't remember the first time being able to say that.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Only 1 team in the entire league with a lower goals against. Can't remember the last time I could say that.

2022-2023.

 

[Niagara Bill]

waive my kampf. no one will claim him so maybe it will wake him up
[UOTE]
Only for a few games

 

[Nineteen67]

It really is as simple as this. It is coaching. It was always coaching. I honestly don't know how anyone can watch the current team and not cringe (or maybe rage) at the years wasted under Keefe.

That was big part of the problem but they’ve never had the horses to be a real contender, in my opinion. I still don’t think they are there yet, but they’ve moved in the right direction.
We still don’t know about goaltending. It’s been good but we still don’t know what they’ll be after 82 games.
We still don’t know if the stars can get it don in the pkayoffs.
We still don’t know about the bottom 6 or the D.

But I do know they’re much much much more entertaining to watch.

 

[Evilhomer]

That was big part of the problem but they’ve never had the horses to be a real contender, in my opinion. I still don’t think they are there yet, but they’ve moved in the right direction.
We still don’t know about goaltending. It’s been good but we still don’t know what they’ll be after 82 games.
We still don’t know if the stars can get it don in the pkayoffs.
We still don’t know about the bottom 6 or the D.

But I do know they’re much much much more entertaining to watch.

I think goaltending and defense have already been answered. Third line center remains the open point for me. I suspect management sees the same issue, but it will be masked by the team's record, especially after an incredibly soft December schedule.

 

[Nineteen67]

I think goaltending and defense have already been answered. Third line center remains the open point for me. I suspect management sees the same issue, but it will be masked by the team's record, especially after an incredibly soft December schedule.

I hope they are fixed. It certainly looks like they’re better, but we don’t know what the goalies will be after 82 games because they’ve never done it.
In previous years we knew after 20 games that neither the D nor goaltending was good enough.

December is not a soft schedule. They play 15 games with 4 B2B that all are require travel.

 

[Zybalto]

2022-2023.

Yea, Leafs were sitting 2nd in GA for a looooong time that season but Samsonov and Murray can only hold up so far. Lets see if this team can maintain that stat into January like 2022/2023.

It feels like the Leafs finally have the solid goalkeeping they have needed for the last few years along with some solid FAs at d but its a little weird how people try to pretend they havnt been one of the better defensive teams the last half decade.

 

[Evilhomer]

I hope they are fixed. It certainly looks like they’re better, but we don’t know what the goalies will be after 82 games because they’ve never done it.
In previous years we knew after 20 games that neither the D nor goaltending was good enough.

December is not a soft schedule. They play 15 games with 4 B2B that all are require travel.

Look at the teams they play in December. It is soft as butter.

 

[Mess]

Yea, Leafs were sitting 2nd in GA for a looooong time that season but Samsonov and Murray can only hold up so far. Lets see if this team can maintain that stat into January like 2022/2023.

It feels like the Leafs finally have the solid goalkeeping they have needed for the last few years along with some solid FAs at d but its a little weird how people try to pretend they havnt been one of the better defensive teams the last half decade.

Look at the mess Treliving inherited last year with Keefe as coach in terms of Goals Against and the goaltending Dubas left him.

 

[Nineteen67]

Look at the teams they play in December. It is soft as butter.

I don’t know the opponent schedules and on paper there are winnable games, but 4 B2B is never soft as butter.

6 games against teams currently in the playoffs and 5 against teams on the door step.

 

[leafsfan5]

Yea, Leafs were sitting 2nd in GA for a looooong time that season but Samsonov and Murray can only hold up so far. Lets see if this team can maintain that stat into January like 2022/2023.

It feels like the Leafs finally have the solid goalkeeping they have needed for the last few years along with some solid FAs at d but its a little weird how people try to pretend they havnt been one of the better defensive teams the last half decade.

I will say a big difference is just how good they are at limiting high danger chances against. Under Keefe the leafs were around 10-15th during the elite years, while now they're 1st as of November 24th. Goaltending is helping, but limiting these high danger chances has been incredibly impressive and the jump is clear

With all this said, people do forget how good the leafs have looked defensively in the past, particularly in November. I remember in 21-22 Campbell basically let nothing in and we were locking it down.

 

[Zybalto]

I will say a big difference is just how good they are at limiting high danger chances against. Under Keefe the leafs were around 10-15th during the elite years, while now they're 1st as of November 24th. Goaltending is helping, but limiting these high danger chances has been incredibly impressive and the jump is clear

With all this said, people do forget how good the leafs have looked defensively in the past, particularly in November. I remember in 21-22 Campbell basically let nothing in and we were locking it down.

From 2020-21 to 2022-23, the Leafs ranked:

6th for fewest high danger chances allowed.
6th for lowest expected goals allowed.

I think Campbell gelled well with the team at that time exactly because we were good at limiting other teams around him and carried him to the all-star game (Campbell was also playing his best hockey of his career too for that stretch). Not too surprised Samsonov also had a career year around that group too. Last year looks like an outlier in which they were middle of the pack for overall D numbers as Brodie's insane fall off among other things really hurt the team. Tre has done a great job getting some seasoned vets in that are gelling beautifully though.

 

[mikeyz]

View attachment 934971
Only 1 team in the entire league with a lower goals against. Can't remember the last time I could say that. Actually... I can't remember the first time being able to say that.

Yeah, I don't even think we accomplished this during the Cujo and Belfour years.

It really is as simple as this. It is coaching. It was always coaching. I honestly don't know how anyone can watch the current team and not cringe (or maybe rage) at the years wasted under Keefe.

I agree with you. But last year you literally kept saying that we would be running away with the Atlantic division by January. Lol