GDT: Flames @ Leafs - HOF Game - 7pm TSN

[Legion34]

So when will the game start like 730?

 

[ACC1224]

So when will the game start like 730?

7:15 - 7:20 as I recall. This and opening night are the longest pre-game ceremony of the year.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Player	GF/60	GA/60
David Kampf	1.1	2.6
Jason Spezza	1.3	2.1
Nick Ritchie	0.4	2
Ondrej Kase	1.6	2.7
Pierre Engvall	1.2	2
Wayne Simmonds	1.4	2.3

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

At the moment, they aren't status quo.

For reference sake, this is the Islanders... though the strange thing is, they only seem to be dressing 11 forwards on many nights.

Casey Cizikas	10:53	1.5	1
Cal Clutterbuck	11:04	1.5	1
Matt Martin	11:15	1.8	0
Oliver Wahlstrom	11:19	2.4	2.4
Jean-Gabriel Pageau	12:54	2.3	1.8
Josh Bailey	14:01	2.3	3.5

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Here is where we were last year...

Alexander Barabanov	13		8:36	0.2	1.6	1.1
Travis Boyd	20		8:46	-6.9	3.4	3.1
Jason Spezza	54		8:53	-0.2	3.1	2.5
Jimmy Vesey	30		10:00	-5.5	2.4	3.2
Adam Brooks	11		10:06	-2.1	3.2	1.1
Wayne Simmonds	38		10:11	-1.1	1.4	1.6
Pierre Engvall	42		11:17	-0.3	2.4	2.2
Joe Thornton	44		11:47	4.8	3.1	2.4
Alexander Kerfoot	56		12:19	-3.9	2.2	2.2
Ilya Mikheyev	54		12:28	-3.4	2.1	1.7

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Our bottom six held their own last year.. the main difference is mostly the lack of production so far... and chances are that will improve over time. This group's shooting percentage is well below any of their career norms this year. It's early in the season, small numbers sometimes distort. I think it's safe to say, our bottom six needs to be better, than they have been so far.

Oh... and there is a hockey game tonight, so Go Leafs Go.

I am assuming you are using the "on ice" tool at 5v5?

if those numbers are in fact 5v5 numbers, which I think they are after looking at naturalstattrick, they can be better illustrated with +/- essentially.

of which we only have Mo (+1), Kerf (+3), Brodie (+1), Lilly (+1), and Amadio** now VGK (+1) as plus players.

It can be a bit misleading of a statistic IMO, because a neutral zone turnover during a change can give someone a dash without any impact of their own.

It's not entirely negligible IMO. I usually look at the top and bottom's of those lists and clearly there is a story to tell. In our case, Muzz being -7 and Holl being -5 seem to be a bit of a red flag. Something that aligns very well with what I see when I watch the games. Ritchie -4, same story.

Kampf at -4, I'll give him a bit more of a pass on this given his higher than average defensive zone starts. But only a slight pass.

Needless to say, we've actually not been as good of a 5v5 team as we were last year as a whole. That needs to improve top to bottom really.

Also, being that we are still so early into the season, these type of stats can be skewed by 1 poor game or 1 outrageously good game.

I am not trying to deflect the lack of production from the bottom 6, I just think we need to look at what we are seeing on the ice, couple that with what their expected outcomes should have been, and make a judgment call on what's working and what's not. IMO, I think the 4 forward lines are playing well, and I think the secondary scoring will come in due time. That's just my opinion. I don't expect everyone to agree.

 

[kb]

I've noticed that Ritchie has a nice touch on his passes. The backhand pass to Nylander wasn't the first time I had seen that.

I think Ritchie will play his way back into favour.

 

[Menzinger]

I've noticed that Ritchie has a nice touch on his passes. The backhand pass to Nylander wasn't the first time I had seen that.

I think Ritchie will play his way back into favour.

He definitely has more skill than people give him credit for.

His problem is he has trouble using it sometimes.

Imo he just needs a few puck bounces to go his way and he'll get going

 

[GBLeaf]

I politely request Canada moves it's clock forward, just a couple of hours.

I've had a long ass day at work and it's still 2hrs till puck drop, and it's already 2210hrs here.

 

[yubbers]

I'm watching so we'll lose. Sorry in advance.

 

[Polaris1010]

I'm watching so we'll lose. Sorry in advance.

The Leafs have a shot to win every game they play.

They kind of know themselves, that there are two scoring lines, and two lines that are black holes for offense.

The scorers must score, and the bangers must bang along with keeping the puck out of the net.

If the bottom six do not get scored upon 5 on 5, the Leafs have a chance to win the game on any night. The bottom six plays that way now, to not get scored upon.

This strategy is only possible with the emergence of Sandin and Liljegren on the back end. They look like a top 4 pairing.

The bottom six forwards and the top 4 defensemen are able to play air tight hockey.

Go Leafs Go!

 

[AvroArrow]

I've noticed that Ritchie has a nice touch on his passes. The backhand pass to Nylander wasn't the first time I had seen that.

I think Ritchie will play his way back into favour.

He's just slow and doesn't play with maximum effort. The latter being the most frustrating part. That "backcheck" a couple games on against Tampa I believe ? That was embarrassing.

 

[Polaris1010]

The reason the Leafs under Babcock kept losing to Boston was the defense got out-muscled and the offense could not compensate for that.

Rielly and Hainsey was kind small, and real slow.

Gardiner looked like Phil Kessel in the Boston Garden. Zaitsev always was getting pounding behind the net.

The Leafs almost beat the Bruins when they got Muzzin, a far more physical player, but fell just short again.

This Leafs defense is different this year. It is bigger, and it is faster than what Babcock ever had. Although Muzzin and Brodie do look kind of slow, they still are not as slow as Hainsey or Pollock. The latter two guys survived on their experience.

LOL.

 

[Racer88]

I'm watching so we'll lose. Sorry in advance.

I’m expecting a win but then again I expect it every game

 

[Aus34Matt]

This Leafs defense is different this year. It is bigger, and it is faster than what Babcock ever had. Although Muzzin and Brodie do look kind of slow, they still are not as slow as Hainsey or Pollock. The latter two guys survived on their experience.

LOL.

Wut. Have you checked Sandin and Dermott size? We don't even have Bogosian anymore I'd say our D are much softer.

 

[Mr Papagoergyo]

Muzzin sets Tkachuk off , wouldnt mind that again.

 

[Twine Tickler]

He definitely has more skill than people give him credit for.

His problem is he has trouble using it sometimes.

Imo he just needs a few puck bounces to go his way and he'll get going

Honestly I think Ritchie has just been exposed by overall play by the 5 man unit. He gets a lot of attention on goals against because he is slow as shit haha. I can think of one goal in particular, Patty Maroon's against us, where Muzz made the dumbest f***ing play trying to thread a pass to....nowhere, and had 3 guys below the dots.

Ya Ritchie should have been able to go stride for stride with Patty, and Maybe you could make the case for him needing to cover Muzz on the pinch, but he was tied up with his guy in the middle of the ice by the time Muzz was past the hash marks. Muzz needs to be more aware in that situation. The broadcast just keyed in on Ritchie's pathetic backcheck, but that play doesn't even happen if Muzz just uses his head.

I will say that's not the first time he's been caught not covering for a pinching D, and his defensive zone instincts just aren't where they need to be. But they are getting better.

Offensively I think he's been OK to be honest. He's actually generated a decent amount of Grade-A looks for himself by going to the right areas, and He's set up his line mates for chances as well.

I know it may come as a shock to some, but he's actually 2nd on the team behind Simmonds for 5v5 HDCF/60. So it really is just a matter of time before that puck crosses the line for him.

I would love to see him and/or Simmonds get one tonight, I think it will go straight to their legs and confidence going forward.

 

[MSZ]

He's just slow and doesn't play with maximum effort. The latter being the most frustrating part. That "backcheck" a couple games on against Tampa I believe ? That was embarrassing.

And he also takes dumb penalties at the absolute worst time, he has also been suspended before in Anaheim. Boston clearly have seen enough of him, they decided not to give him any offers.

 

[crump]

I've noticed that Ritchie has a nice touch on his passes. The backhand pass to Nylander wasn't the first time I had seen that.

I think Ritchie will play his way back into favour.

I think he should be playing with Kase. He had a lot of assists on his 20 goal season. Switch him with Engvall.

 

[TheBigFour]

prediction for tonight.
if leafs win, only 6 pages of post game thread.
if leafs lose, 15 pages of post game thread.

 

[Mr_Fun]

still bugs me that we started Hutch in the first game of the back to back last time. I don't care the opponent really play the starter in game 1. Hutch ended up sucking in very winnable game 1 and then the whole team sucked in game 2 making Campbell irrelevant. And then we had to play a red-hot Carolina team and suddenly we were in a tailspin and Leafs Nation shat themselves.

Absolutely. Also, by playing Hutch in that first game, you send a sort of message that this should be an easier game, therefore Hutch starts.

 

[Confucius]

Did the flames sign anybody of significance since last year? If not this should be a win for us.

 

[Burnie97]

prediction for tonight.
if leafs win, only 6 pages of post game thread.
if leafs lose, 15 pages of post game thread.

Agreed but more of a given lol

 

[Ziggdiezan]

evolving hockey has them at 8.98xgf/60 (#1) in the first 36gms last year, and 8.77xgf/60 (#5) in the last 20gms.

10.56xgf/60 (#2) so far this year.

IMO theres great chances and then there's GREAT chances. Too few of the kind of chances Willy got last game imo - and those kinds of chances where the D is sucked in leaving one of our snipers alone on the wing was something I thought for sure Mitch at bumper would create more of.

Definitely, not all scoring chances or even high danger chances are created equally. Especially a cross seam pass to player who is wide open or a nice little bump back to a wide open player like Ritchie did.

 

[Burnie97]

Let's f***ing go

Let's run circles around these fools like Engvall in the o zone

 

[notbias]

I think he should be playing with Kase. He had a lot of assists on his 20 goal season. Switch him with Engvall.

The line is tasked with defending, will be hard for them to get going.

Roll something like this if you want a scoring line and defensive line

Engvall - Kampf - Simmonds
Ritchie - Spezza - Kase

Think Simmonds has looked great this year

 

[Burnie97]

Hey Matty... keep this going eh

 

[Ziggdiezan]

prediction for tonight.
if leafs win, only 6 pages of post game thread.
if leafs lose, 15 pages of post game thread.

Its a weekend and people are drinking, I expect at least 25 if its a loss