you keep yours and we keep ours
aww you will be ok over there cup cake, see you in the finals
News: Leafs cap - Dubas: We can, and we will keep all our 4 top F
- Thread starter MR4
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you keep yours and we keep ours
aww you will be ok over there cup cake, see you in the finals
Liminality
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- Oct 22, 2008
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People are right, the Leafs are not going to be able to get their defense as good as their offense but I think that's not as big of a problem as some fans think. The Leafs are fully committed to their top two lines being their bread and butter and to try and create match up nightmares. I think the plan is to continue with Babcock's style and defenders who can exit the zone and transition to those top forwards.
Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't but I think it's interesting seeing this roster structure. A variant of the Penguins roster, not as good top 2 centers but each of the Leafs centers have a top line winger playing with them.
I think that's a good way of saying it. There really is no need to rush anything. It's a young team with a young core and the team is improving. This doesn't have to be a decision made anytime soon. Other young defensemen might step up this year or next year and fill a void. The players on the team may improve. The team defense as a whole might improve. Or the defense could be in shambles. Opportunities will arise. Either way, there's plenty of time to evaluate and no rush to make a bad decision.
MikeBabcock
real gud pro
If the leafs ever go to a shootout they will probably only get to use 3 of their top 4 generational talents.
I think they'll have issues because they can't add passable D. I have a feeling that players like Zaitsev, Gardiner and Rielly will get exposed next season.
Furthermore, they've been very fortunate with injuries but if they get into significant injury trouble - Especially when it comes to defense - They will be in big trouble.
Furthermore, they've been very fortunate with injuries but if they get into significant injury trouble - Especially when it comes to defense - They will be in big trouble.
CantLoseWithMatthews
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- Sep 28, 2015
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how will Rielly get exposed? He already plays pretty much the toughest minutes a player can. And Gardiner has played 500 games. I don't think he's gotten this far by being a fraud or whatever you think
Holymakinaw
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Holymakinaw
Registered User
If the leafs ever go to a shootout they will probably only get to use 3 of their top 4 generational talents.
lmao ,,oh common now,,,, have a heart
funny but guess what, same thing said about very other single team in the entire league.
No offense but the way you phrased it made it seem like you think the Leafs are in Edmonton's position and are destined down the same road.
The bottom line is, for both our arguments there needs to be someone else that's willing to give up that level of defensemen to be worth it or else I'd personally rather just go with full offense than trade away a star for a #4 defenseman.
Rielly already has some of the toughest matchups and QOC in the entire league, there isn't really anyways for him to get exposed anymore.
Also Rielly and Hainsey both got hurt last season, and thats part of the reason why we called up Dermott in the first place.
How much more can they get exposed? Rielly is playing brutal minutes and showing he is a true #1D.
EdmFlyersfan
Registered User
Leafs fans want to learn the "hard-way" about not having a good crop of blueliners....good luck with the "run & gun" approach, hahahaha
No worries, english is my 2nd language, I'll take the blame. I agree with your opinion, only trade one of them if the return is a legit proven top pairing defenseman.
Placid Perspicuity
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- Apr 19, 2016
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People keep referring to the "Penguins Model" of highly skilled offense coupled with low-cost (perceived as low-skill) defense. I don't think that's what Toronto is using as a template. It's well known that Shannahan is trying to build a puck-possession focused team like his Detroit days. While it's not possible to get the Larionovs, Kozlovs and Konstantinovs to make it happen as well as those teams, I believe that's the style Shanny is envisioning. That's why it was important for him to get Babcock to implement that style. Presumably, that is the vision that Dubas is implementing with his roster. This will result in players that are creative, skilled, and not necessarily known for their bruising ways. This includes the defense, hence the selections of guys like Sandin in the draft when a more defensive D-man is what everyone assumes they need.
Perhaps it is a shortcoming of NHL fans to be caught up in seeing what was successful, and then assuming that if the parts aren't exactly the same, it won't work. (eg. "Crosby/Malkin is way better than Matthews/Tavares," so Leafs can't win.)
There's no fool-proof formula for constructing a winning team. Is every Cup Winner a perfectly constructed team with no faults? Are they all mirror images of past winners? Of course not. It's a question of being able to overcome team weaknesses with strengths; the same for every team. Whether it happens or not is why we watch the games.
Perhaps it is a shortcoming of NHL fans to be caught up in seeing what was successful, and then assuming that if the parts aren't exactly the same, it won't work. (eg. "Crosby/Malkin is way better than Matthews/Tavares," so Leafs can't win.)
There's no fool-proof formula for constructing a winning team. Is every Cup Winner a perfectly constructed team with no faults? Are they all mirror images of past winners? Of course not. It's a question of being able to overcome team weaknesses with strengths; the same for every team. Whether it happens or not is why we watch the games.
3rd best GA in the East. Better than the cup champs and Tampa.
Perhaps Leaf fans know more than you do.
I'll wait for a bit more sustained success by him. The mistakes he frequently makes in the defensive zone are pretty bad.
He's only 24. He's proven a lot for his age. More than many DMen at the same age that you consider really good right now.
Kadri's contract is such a steal. That's a big reason they could get Tavares.So Matthews, Tavares, Marner, and Kadri? Nylander is on the block E4!
Really though is there much separation with Kadri there? He scored 32 goals and was only a couple points total back of Nylander.
Atomos2
Registered User
pabst blue ribbon
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Isn't there a kind of obvious argument for the Leafs being a better defensive team next season?
Heavily sheltered players like JVR/Bozak leave the team and alleviate the burden that other players have to take on for JVR/Bozak getting easier minutes
Heavily sheltered players like JVR/Bozak leave the team and alleviate the burden that other players have to take on for JVR/Bozak getting easier minutes
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