Pre-Game Talk: Game #7 Leafs (2-3-1) vs. Canes (4-0-0), 7pm Mon

[SprDaVE]

finally the right lineup.

Ritchie is a failed signing and was never good enough to pay on the top line. Matthews now has another shooter on his line so they can't double team him knowing Muffin Marner has no shot.

I did not like that signing from day one... but he did look solid in pre-season. But that obviously hasn't translated at all of course.

 

[Gary Nylund]

They don't appear to be. Looks like they feel the same way the fans do.

What are you basing this on?

Honestly why not atleast start the game with blended lines. Have Spezza higher, Marner lower.

This loyalty to line combos when chemistry vanishes is asinine.

I'd like to see the lines thrown in a blender as well.

 

[SprDaVE]

Bunting with Matthews should do wonders. Someone that can make plays and forecheck, and not just stand around the net and not do anything.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Willy deserves the promotion.

The rest obviously comes down to chemistry but it's a good change.

 

[Zybalto]

finally the right lineup.

Ritchie is a failed signing and was never good enough to pay on the top line. Matthews now has another shooter on his line so they can't double team him knowing Muffin Marner has no shot.

I wouldnt call him a failed signing but more mismatched as he couldn't keep up with the pace of those two. So frustrating to watch him kill the play over and over. He'll be far more effective in a 3rd 4th line role and will maybe even put up a good amount of goals as his shot does look good. Just need to give time for all the line shakeups to gel and hopefully no more overreactions around here (who am i kidding lol)

 

[Ziggdiezan]

Bunting with Matthews should do wonders. Someone that can make plays and forecheck, and not just stand around the net and not do anything.

Agreed but that is also concerning. You shouldn't have to have a perfect 3rd linemate on a 23 million dollar line. That line should be able to carry a borderline AHLER. However as we have seen in the past they need a Hyman type player to do the dirty work.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Asked one of my buddies if it makes me a bad person to wanna see this happen just to see leafs nation burn more just for entertainment reasons...

But then go back to cheering on wins after.

I actually want to see Freddy burn. I think he contributed to our mediocrity with his laid-back, no intensity attitude. I would be really glad if we light him up.

 

[ACC1224]

Bunting with Matthews should do wonders. Someone that can make plays and forecheck, and not just stand around the net and not do anything.

Man, I was delighted with the Ritchie signing but he's been pretty much useless.

 

[zeke]

Chin up boys.

One thing we know for sure is that the Leafs won't embarass us again.

Thank christ he's trying some new lines. Keefe is worse than Babcock when it comes to line stubbornness. Never understand why these guys don't want to see as many different combos as possible in the regular season. Especially when they're always forced to try new combos in the playoffs that they've never tried before.

Anyways, here we go...

 

[Ziggdiezan]

I wouldnt call him a failed signing but more mismatched as he couldn't keep up with the pace of those two. So frustrating to watch him kill the play over and over. He'll be far more effective in a 3rd 4th line role and will maybe even put up a good amount of goals as his shot does look good. Just need to give time for all the line shakeups to gel and hopefully no more overreactions around here (who am i kidding lol)

Always find you are an informed and good/logical poster on here. Are you honestly not concerned with what you have seen this season? Obviously it is just a few games but the concerning trend from previous years is very evident once again and I'm worried that the same thing will happen in the playoffs.

When this group faces adversity they don't rise to the occasion, they collapse and use the adversity as an excuse for their poor performances. You can tell from the interviews after the playoffs that they haven't learned anything from that horrible collapse nor the previous year

 

[123offtheglass]

Hallelujah Matthews + Nylander, Tavares + Marner finally...

Pumped to see Bunting - Matthews - Nylander

 

[PromisedLand]

I think the Canes are going to pump them and they'll see Hawks and Wings as easy opponents and we all know what happens when they think that way.

It’s like you read my mind man

 

[Bomber0104]

We've come full circle back to Babcock's combos

 

[Ziggdiezan]

Chin up boys.

One thing we know for sure is that the Leafs won't embarass us again.

Thank christ he's trying some new lines. Keefe is worse than Babcock when it comes to line stubbornness. Never understand why these guys don't want to see as many different combos as possible in the regular season. Especially when they're always forced to try new combos in the playoffs that they've never tried before.

Anyways, here we go...

View attachment 473920

How is that game scored added calculated for goalies.... because I see 4.57 GAA and 0.857 sv% Hutchinson far too close to 1.75 GAA and 0.944 sv% Andersen who is 4-0-0. Is it including last years stats or something?

 

[Carltons Cup]

That 4th line might as well have 3 Jason Allison's there....That is a painfully SLOWWWW line.

 

[Nylander88]

Man, I was delighted with the Ritchie signing but he's been pretty much useless.

I picked him up in my fantasy league. Disappointed is an understatement thus far lol

 

[PromisedLand]

Frederik Andersen is back on his game after a rough season with the Leafs. The Hurricanes pretended it never happened | The Star

Frederik Andersen had the worst season of his five as a Leaf, with injuries a big factor. He lost his job to Jack Campbell because of them.

“The pandemic was tough on everyone, but I think that that year was extremely difficult for me personally,” said Andersen, who had career worsts in goals-against average (2.96) and save percentage (.895).

His career resumé, however, is impressive: 230 wins vs. 100 losses and 48 loser points, with a 2.64 average and .916 save mark.

“I know it wasn’t a great year for him, but if you look at how he played over the last four or five years you get a lot of good things coming out of that,” said Waddell. “We just felt he was a good fit with our defence, with our team, the way we played.”

And he’s six-foot-four and 238 pounds in a league that increasingly values big goaltenders. Waddell’s Canes lost in the second round of the playoffs last year to Tampa Bay with goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, six-foot-three and 225 pounds. Robin Lehner of the Golden Knights and Anthony Stolarz of the Ducks are the only netminders who weigh more than Andersen.

“We love the size,” said Waddell. “We haven’t had big goalies in the past. So we noticed that last year, we played Tampa in the second round, their goalie is a monster. So we made a decision early this summer as a team that we were going to make changes, try to do something different with our goaltending."

“We had a lot of guys on the list — not only free agents, but through trades. But at the end of the day, we felt Freddie was one of our best (options) and that’s why we went that direction.”

The Canes also signed Antti Raanta to back up Andersen. The Leafs would go on to sign Petr Mrázek, who played for Carolina last season, to form a tandem with Campbell. Mrázek is out with a groin injury, but travelling on this trip.

So, Monday’s night’s game could well be billed as a grudge match for Andersen against Campbell and his old team. After all, Andersen seemed to be painted as the villain in the Amazon series “All or Nothing” — the subject of a shouting match between coach Sheldon Keefe and goalie coach Steve Briere, and his health status questioned at one point by assistant coach Paul MacLean.

“I feel like shows like that would tend to play a little bit on the drama and then over-exaggerate that stuff a little bit,” said Andersen. “I don’t think there was any (acrimony) on my end. I was doing what I could to get healthy. It was a frustrating period for me personally, not being able to figure out what was wrong.”

Healthy now and off to a good start in Carolina, he’s too nice a guy to say he’s holding a grudge.

“You play them as hard as you can and hopefully it plays out,” the goalie said. “But I think overall, I enjoyed my time there."

“It’s an amazing city with amazing people. I have a lot of friendships that I made there and that I’m going to cherish for a long time. We had some success, but not obviously the ultimate success.”

Just goes on to show the “the special kinda suck” talent you need in a GM to produce a shit show that has been orchestrated by Dubas

 

[Zybalto]

Always find you are an informed and good/logical poster on here. Are you honestly not concerned with what you have seen this season? Obviously it is just a few games but the concerning trend from previous years is very evident once again and I'm worried that the same thing will happen in the playoffs.

When this group faces adversity they don't rise to the occasion, they collapse and use the adversity as an excuse for their poor performances. You can tell from the interviews after the playoffs that they haven't learned anything from that horrible collapse nor the previous year

Theres concern yes about the recent lack of finish TBH but I can understand the feeling from the players as they are working hard out there and if you outplay the other team it's hard to take questions on why you performed so poorly. Feels like 1/4 of the goals against this year have gone in off funny bounces and skates while the Leafs have been fighting and scratching for each goal and even after doing a great job getting traffic to the net, they are still getting unlucky hitting bodies or a goalie waves out his hand and it miraculously gets a piece. Top 5 team for scoring goals the last few years and just going through one of those stretches.

If they were getting outplayed I would be all in on the pile-on but they just haven't been. Most of the season they have been out working the other teams and if they keep it up, good things will happen. I cant imagine Matthews will sit on 0 goals very long as he gets into better game shape.

 

[Nineteen67]

...and yet to be at the top of the league for all of these things are a clear indication they are working hard.

So either the stats are so completely misleading that they are broken or a narrative cooked up by jaded fans could be wrong.

Personally, if you are outshooting/outplaying your opponents despite being on a much tougher schedule, you may be working hard but maybe it's just me. The Leafs/Knights/Avs and Bolts have all got off to roughish starts but I expect all 4 to go on runs soon and it's the Leafs that have, by far, the best underlying numbers of the bunch.

Tougher schedule? C’mon that’s ridiculous to even broach after 5 games in 13 days. Don’t forget they got spanked by a SJ who played less than 18 hours earlier.

 

[93gilmour93]

Reunited and it feels so good……

 

[ryno23]

I wouldnt call him a failed signing but more mismatched as he couldn't keep up with the pace of those two. So frustrating to watch him kill the play over and over. He'll be far more effective in a 3rd 4th line role and will maybe even put up a good amount of goals as his shot does look good. Just need to give time for all the line shakeups to gel and hopefully no more overreactions around here (who am i kidding lol)

So if what you are saying is true then $2.5 mil for a 4th liner in today's NHL is an abuse of cap space. They signed him for that money hoping he can play top line when he never has in any stop in the NHL.

 

[zeke]

How is that game scored added calculated for goalies.... because I see 4.57 GAA and 0.857 sv% Hutchinson far too close to 1.75 GAA and 0.944 sv% Andersen who is 4-0-0. Is it including last years stats or something?

yes its based on multiple years of weighted and regressed stats.

also, these numbers are specific to their projected roles - so the number for a projected starting goalie isn't directly comparable to that of a projected 2nd or 3rd stringer.

 

[Leafslet]

Agreed but that is also concerning. You shouldn't have to have a perfect 3rd linemate on a 23 million dollar line. That line should be able to carry a borderline AHLER. However as we have seen in the past they need a Hyman type player to do the dirty work.

imagine crosby completely unable to produce without a hyman/bunting/etc type player.

 

[zeke]

So if what you are saying is true then $2.5 mil for a 4th liner in today's NHL is an abuse of cap space. They signed him for that money hoping he can play top line when he never has in any stop in the NHL.

wasn't everybody complaining the the leafs don't spend enough money on depth players?

 

[BrannigansLaw]

What are you basing this on?



I'd like to see the lines thrown in a blender as well.

I'm assuming he's basing that on the past 4 years.