Ianturnedbull
Registered User
- Jun 11, 2022
- 6,416
- 5,929
Speculation: Elite things will come...
- Thread starter Ianturnedbull
- Start date
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Larcos_Unal
Registered Nurse
We need elite secondary scoring & healing powers please and thanks 
We have one of the highest PDOs at 5v5 and are playing close to 50% hockey at 5v5 by expected stats.
I think whatever issues we've had has been offset by great goaltending.
I like the optimism but nothing points to what you are saying.
Our record is likely about where we should be even if we were fully healthy.
And before anyone complains about expected stats, this whole thread is built on "don't believe reality, we expect to be better", which I think is a valid thread, just don't want to hear people complain about play driving stats.
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
- 83,052
- 61,963
Great goaltending is a part of the game, and so are special teams, so you can be down on their skaters and 5 on 5 play, it doesn’t mean the other factors that drive them to success aren’t real or sustainable over 82 games.
I see the goaltending cooling down a little, but I think we have 2 good ones. We do need to get back to star driven success at the top.
And we need to purge a lot of dead wood at the bottom 6. Guys like Holmberg who play the game like it’s Monday morning at the office should really get the boot. They are energy sucks at the bottom of the roster.
I see the goaltending cooling down a lot.
I agree they have good goaltenders though.
Star driven success is what they've had this year, but the lack of secondary scoring was propped up by arguably the best goaltending in the league so far.
I think the current pace for the Leafs is sustainable, I just think how they are winning will change, I think their goaltending will cool off and the scoring will improve, especially secondary scoring, when they get healthier.
They are on pace for their second worst point total in the last 5 years (last year was #1), so I'd hope they can maintain this pace, don't want them to regress more.
Yes, Holmberg is the issue, not guys like Reaves................ Also, Holmberg has more fights than Reaves this year, one of our "energy guys" seems to have no energy.
1specter
Registered User
- Sep 27, 2016
- 12,904
- 19,565
We'll have a good idea by this end of this month. Supposed to get a lot of bodies back over the next little bit and they play a ton this month.
Fogelhund
Registered User
- Sep 15, 2007
- 24,302
- 29,395
17 games by January 14th... halfway through the month.. 44 games played on the season... I think we should know by then, and while that's a bit of an artificial date, it still gives plenty of time to make moves, and acclimatize new players in necessary.
As it stands, Minten, McMann and Domi aren't very far off collective paces to equal the 7-9 scorers of the Stanley Cup finalists of the past two years.
BallardEra
Leafs&Caps Since 1982™
4-5-2 on the road is not elite.
They need to start working on that .
They need to start working on that .
1specter
Registered User
- Sep 27, 2016
- 12,904
- 19,565
It is pretty surprising how bad they've been there. In years past their road record was very strong while their home record was mid.
Aashir
Backcheck, Forecheck, Paycheque
- Apr 19, 2019
- 13,821
- 14,908
look at the bright side, maybe this time we won't lose every home game in the playoffs?
kevsh
Registered User
- Nov 28, 2018
- 3,882
- 5,497
They also have played 5 more home games (12-4 at home) than road, so if their road record doesn't improve expect they'll slip a bit in the standings.
Which means -- you guessed it -- 3rd in the Atlantic.
Maple Leaf
VIP
- Sep 18, 2009
- 10,187
- 5,419
This team finds a way to win when it really matters. Go leafs GO!
Buds17
Registered User
- Nov 29, 2015
- 8,590
- 3,623
They have arguably done rather well to navigate the boatload of injuries they've had.
HockeyVirus
16/34/88/91/44 - Pathetic losers
- Nov 15, 2020
- 21,205
- 32,383
Thankfully none of our D were picked for four nations so us asking a lot of them, they at least get 2 weeks off to recover before the last stretch of the season.
I personally don't see how anybody can ever be optimistic about this team, honestly this year has been more of the same, some good (Marner-Tavares-goalies-D), some bad (no show games, losing to bad teams yet again, Matthews, Domi).
They currently sit 10th in the league which is where they finished last year, despite fantastic goaltending, a new coach and obvious upgrades of D, they are no better than they were last year.
In the Matthews-Nylander-Marner era, they've finished, 7/7/13/6/4/4/10. As a whole, the finishes are a good look at the team; sky high potential that is mostly wasted. If they had gone to the ECF (or imagine the finals, but we gotta be realists here), at least we had somewhat of a "run" to hope about, but that isn't the case.
They currently sit 10th in the league which is where they finished last year, despite fantastic goaltending, a new coach and obvious upgrades of D, they are no better than they were last year.
In the Matthews-Nylander-Marner era, they've finished, 7/7/13/6/4/4/10. As a whole, the finishes are a good look at the team; sky high potential that is mostly wasted. If they had gone to the ECF (or imagine the finals, but we gotta be realists here), at least we had somewhat of a "run" to hope about, but that isn't the case.
Evilhomer
Registered User
- Oct 10, 2019
- 6,401
- 6,319
I think it's just a quirk of the schedule to this point. By the end of the season I think the Leafs will have a pretty dominant road record, as well.
Gary Nylund
Registered User
- Oct 10, 2013
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HolyCrap
Team before player
- Oct 2, 2015
- 5,391
- 6,364
I think he’s referring to his 14 million dollar contract extension us fans will be blessed with. I kid but it wouldn’t shock me either. Hahaha.Elite things will come? Strange prediction considering Marner's already here.
conFABulator
Registered User
- Apr 11, 2021
- 1,919
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Isn't the hope that healing will help secondary scoring? Paccioretty was scoring, so was McMann. I really think we need to put Domi back with Matthews and we have to start rolling three scoring lines.We need elite secondary scoring & healing powers please and thanks
Knies Matthews Domi
Paccioretty Tavares Nylander
McMann Minten Marner
Lorentz Dewar Holmberg/Kampf/Grebenkin/Steeves/Reaves/Jarnkrok/Robertson/Nylander or TDL pickup.
We should role that top nine for 42 ES minutes per night. Get them all going and we will have our secondary scoring. If Minten turns out to not ready we may have to acquire a 3C but I really hope we don't have to.
Larcos_Unal
Registered Nurse
You'd think so, however we're very top heavy and even with a fully healthy lineup it's the big boys doing the heavy lifting.
conFABulator
Registered User
- Apr 11, 2021
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Jimmy Firecracker
Backcheck, Forecheck, Paycheque.
Mirtle took a deep dive into our lack of offence. To make a long story short it’s a mix of a new system, injuries, and poor shooting luck.
What I found real interesting is that while our expected goals under Berube has dropped, it’s not massively so.
What I found real interesting is that while our expected goals under Berube has dropped, it’s not massively so.
Racer88
Registered User
- Sep 29, 2020
- 13,143
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Larcos_Unal
Registered Nurse
Under no circumstance is it a viable option to have Mitchell Tyberious Marner on line 3, especially when he's been our best skater all year...not happening.
