Pre-Game Talk: Flyers @ Leafs - must watch TV

[Knies iT]

Keefe has no idea how to handle young players. Rushes Sandin, who's probably the worst of the bunch, and sits overcooked guys like Liljegren and Robertson for no logical reason.

He's become a watered down Babcock with some of his stubborn decisions.

 

[1specter]

I see the Philly game as more rock bottom for now. They’re going to come home, try to take a breather and see if things are better just being off the road. The Flyers are going to get the jump on them in a hurry and the home crowd will be all over them. What happens next probably determines the course of the rest of the month (and probably season).

I imagine the Bruins game being the deciding game. They're steamrolling the league right now and there's a heated rivalry there.... If you can't motivate the team to get up and give their all for a game like that then there's really no hope.

 

[Stephen]

I imagine the Bruins game being the deciding game. They're steamrolling the league right now and there's a heated rivalry there.... If you can't motivate the team to get up and give their all for a game like that then there's really no hope.

Yep. That’s the start of the redemption arc or the back breaker.

 

[ponder]

Last year the Leaf were #2nd overall in Goals for with a rate of 3.8 GF/g and this year they sit #27th overall with a 2.7 GF/g.

This years teams scores at -1 goals for per game on average.

With each passing year the depth gets weaker and weaker.

Has it really been the depth though? I think its mostly been the Bunting/Matthews/Marner line.

This year Matthews has 3 goals in 10 games, Marner has 2 goals in 10 games, Bunting has 2 goals in 10 games.

Last year Matthews averaged 8.2 goals per 10 games, Marner averaged 4.2 goals per 10 games, Bunting averaged 2.9 goals per 10 games. So that's 15.3 expected goals vs. 7 actual. That's a difference of 0.83 fewer goals per game from just Bunting/Matthews/Marner.

IMO that's the main issue this year - Bunting/Matthews/Marner were a dominant goal-machine line last year, they've been a lot less strong so far this year. But they also started slow last year, took some time to get going, so hopefully that happens this year.

In terms of depth:
- Forwards we had for 30+ games last year, that we don't have this year: Mikheyev, Spezza, Kase, Ritchie
- Forwards we have this year that I'd expect to play 30+ games, that didn't play much/at all last year: Jarnkrok, Robertson, Malgin, Aube-Kubel, ZAR

Slight depth downgrade (Mikheyev the biggest loss by far IMO), but not major, a much bigger factor has been the performance of the top line.

 

[notbias]

Last year the Leaf were #2nd overall in Goals for with a rate of 3.8 GF/g and this year they sit #27th overall with a 2.7 GF/g.

This years teams scores at -1 goals for per game on average.

With each passing year the depth gets weaker and weaker.

Or, a far more likely scenario, we will end up closer to that GF/G by the end of the year and go on a run.

 

[ULF_55]

Keefe has no idea how to handle young players. Rushes Sandin, who's probably the worst of the bunch, and sits overcooked guys like Liljegren and Robertson for no logical reason.

He's become a watered down Babcock with some of his stubborn decisions.

Liljegren was sat in the playoffs, and hasn't been available this year.

Robertson has been okay when he plays.

 

[Knies iT]

Liljegren was sat in the playoffs, and hasn't been available this year.

Robertson has been okay when he plays.

Talking about the year+ it took for Liljegren to break into the lineup and the cushy promotions Sandin got despite being a worse AHL player.

 

[Nineteen67]

Must watch? Opposite Pitt and Buffalo so it better be good.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I think the expectation is the Leafs will work their out of this funk but their underlying numbers look below par. This is a much different situation than last season and they have some serious work to do.

 

[Pebble live]

Hoping for a loss.

Long term this team is not sustainable. Changes need to be made NOW. To save the season. A win or two over the next 5 games will be enough for ownership and Shanahan to keep watching.

But it's a back to back for the flyers after the rangers tonight. So I expect a win.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Game isn't until tomorrow, 7pm FYI.

Carter Hart is currently in the Vezina convo. Let's hope we put a dent in that.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

General feeling that Philly will be able to play a style we don't particularily enjoy playing against and we will struggle

 

[Nineteen67]

This is game #10 after Matt Murray was placed on LTIR, so he has now qualified to be taken off injury reserve any time he is ready.

Has there been any news at all of his return to the ice and Leafs practice?

10 games and 24 days.

Game isn't until tomorrow, 7pm FYI.

Carter Hart is currently in the Vezina convo. Let's hope we put a dent in that.

He plays tonight against the Rangers and the back up plays tomorrow.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Last year the Leaf were #2nd overall in Goals for with a rate of 3.8 GF/g and this year they sit #27th overall with a 2.7 GF/g.

This years teams scores at -1 goals for per game on average.

With each passing year the depth gets weaker and weaker.

For now, that goals for differential can be attributed to the lack of production from the top line.

Oh God what is Keefe doing?

Seriously. WTF is he thinking?

 

[fischi]

Being a Flyers fan I can say obviously the Leafs have the massive edge in talent. Hard work beats talent when talent is not working hard. This is how the Flyers have been successful so far this season. Also Wayne train should be in the lineup Wed. One thing the Flyers will do is throw down and mix it up all game. With that said its a 5-2 Leafs win. Flyers come off a game against NYR and they will probably start Sandstrom in net. They play horrible with him in net for whatever reason.

 

[Leaf Fans]

I am looking forward to it!

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Oh God what is Keefe doing?

 

[Nineteen67]

Being a Flyers fan I can say obviously the Leafs have the massive edge in talent. Hard work beats talent when talent is not working hard. This is how the Flyers have been successful so far this season. Also Wayne train should be in the lineup Wed. One thing the Flyers will do is throw down and mix it up all game. With that said its a 5-2 Leafs win. Flyers come off a game against NYR and they will probably start Sandstrom in net. They play horrible with him in net for whatever reason.

The Flyers don’t have a Matthews or Marner, but, like every other team, they stack up pretty good after that.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

The Flyers don’t have a Matthews or Marner, but, like every other team, they stack up pretty good after that.

We don't have a Matthews or Marner this year either.

 

[Nineteen67]

We don't have a Matthews or Marner this year either.

In a week everything will open up and they’ll be back and be terrific for 5 months.

 

[leafsfan5]

This will be interesting, Torts is going to make sure his guys are up to play and work hard for a full 60. Will we match it?

 

[ACC1224]

Game isn't until tomorrow, 7pm FYI.

Carter Hart is currently in the Vezina convo. Let's hope we put a dent in that.

Yes, Wednesday.
Philly play the Rangers tonight.

 

[notDatsyuk]

What?

They were the best line in the first period against the Ducks, and scored the ES goal, but then were virtually benched for the rest of the game (with Nylander stuck beside JT again).

Can you think of any other reason why?

 

[ACC1224]

They were the best line in the first period against the Ducks, and scored the ES goal, but then were virtually benched for the rest of the game (with Nylander stuck beside JT again).

Can you think of any other reason why?

If you're believing management contacted the bench because they want to lose instead of whatever it is was happening, I doubt you'll believe any other reasons we could come up with.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

This version of our defence is the best it can get with current personnel. It’s obviously a risk, but pairing Rielly and Liljegren would allow Sandin to shelter with Brodie, and hiding Holl on the third pair will hopefully mitigate his awfulness alongside steady Giordano. Of course this would require Keefe cutting Holl’s minutes which he seems to be allergic to doing.

Yeah Liljegren and Sandin will likely still struggle with top 4 minutes but at least they’ve got potential and could be learning and improving. Holl is what he is, terrible.

Rielly-Liljegren were actually fantastic last year together as well, just had awful goaltending behind them with low danger shots squeaking in all the time. Our offense was ridiculous during that stretch