Pre-Game Talk: Leafs @ Habs - 10/12/2022 SN Opening Night of the Regular season

[1specter]

I love Gio, but I’d also like to limit his minutes. Not giving Sandin a PP opportunity is just plain wrong at this point, you’ll never convince me he’s a downgrade on Gio. Heck, if we’re being honest, the first PP is a good fit for his skill set.

Yeah, I'd keep Gio off the PP. Not really needed for that and he's gonna be most important playing 5v5 come playoffs.

 

[zeke]

Why? Sandin might be the best D for the PP, never mind the second unit, pedigree aside.

it's possible for sure. he has the skills for it. but it's also true that so far in his small sample career he has unfortunately been quite unproductive on the PP (significantly less productive than Lilly, Muzz, and even Brodie on the PP0, while he's up against a couple of guys who have entire careers of being very productive on the PP.


Last 2yrs pts/60 on the PP for the Leafs

1.Giordano 7.74 (32min)
2.Lilly 6.76 (18min)
3.Rielly 5.02 (394min)
4.Brodie 4.52 (53min)
5.Muzzin 3.21 (37min)
6.Sandin 2.17 (83min)

 

[1specter]

I love Mo, but I am not looking forward to another season of him lobbing pucks into shinpads on the powerplay

Leafs were the #1 PP in the league last year, not sure this was really a problem. People make fun of Rielly's shot but ignore the fact that he's a great puck mover and he's actually one of the most effective d-men in the league at getting the puck into the slot. The team itself needs to adjust its schemes for the playoffs though as teams love to collapse and take away the slot, the PP was quite poor against Tampa. They don't know how to get those 'greasy' goals when they're not getting the clean set-ups and space needed for the high skill goals they usually get.

 

[Nineteen67]

I love Gio, but I’d also like to limit his minutes. Not giving Sandin a PP opportunity is just plain wrong at this point, you’ll never convince me he’s a downgrade on Gio. Heck, if we’re being honest, the first PP is a good fit for his skill set.

In my mind, Sandin’s PP QB ability is his strongest attribute. He looked OK against Detroit and let him roll with it and gain experience.

 

[zeke]

Why? I think a lot more plays die on Robertson's stick than on Malgin's and I don't want plays dying with Nylander and Tavares on the ice.

If Robertson was the #1/2 option on the line (maybe if the 3rd line was Robertson - Kerfoot - Jarnkrok), it'd make more sense, but right now he is clearly a #3 on that line if he plays with them, and that seems more suited to how Malgin plays.

I think Robertson was better than Malgin overall. I think Malgin got caught in bad position a little more often.

But that's not to say Malgin didn't deserve a look. he does.

 

[rocketman588]

it's possible for sure. he has the skills for it. but it's also true that so far in his small sample career he has unfortunately been quite unproductive on the PP (significantly less productive than Lilly, Muzz, and even Brodie on the PP0, while he's up against a couple of guys who have entire careers of being very productive on the PP.


Last 2yrs pts/60 on the PP for the Leafs

1.Giordano 7.74 (32min)
2.Lilly 6.76 (18min)
3.Rielly 5.02 (394min)
4.Brodie 4.52 (53min)
5.Muzzin 3.21 (37min)
6.Sandin 2.17 (83min)

He has the skills for the PP but hopefully we can use him only in spots or mitigate the time he's out there.

The long game is more important we hopefully will be able to manage his and Muzzins mins

 

[notbias]

He has the skills for the PP but hopefully we can use him only in spots or mitigate the time he's out there.

The long game is more important we hopefully will be able to manage his and Muzzins mins

I am not 100% sure Gio needs his minutes limited. He will be playing less than in Seattle and he was managing those fine as far as I know.

I think Gio's age gets brought up too much for not showing signs of slowing down.

 

[rocketman588]

I am not 100% sure Gio needs his minutes limited. He will be playing less than in Seattle and he was managing those fine as far as I know.

I think Gio's age gets brought up too much for not showing signs of slowing down.

I don't think it needs to be limited but it's a benefit if we can if you know what I mean. Especially against the good teams what's the point of playing him massive mins vs the Sabers for example when we can keep him fresher for the playoffs

 

[DragoGrizzly]

Leafs were the #1 PP in the league last year, not sure this was really a problem. People make fun of Rielly's shot but ignore the fact that he's a great puck mover and he's actually one of the most effective d-men in the league at getting the puck into the slot. The team itself needs to adjust its schemes for the playoffs though as teams love to collapse and take away the slot, the PP was quite poor against Tampa. They don't know how to get those 'greasy' goals when they're not getting the clean set-ups and space needed for the high skill goals they usually get.

Yeah that’s one of my big worries about the powerplay is that it seems to start off gang busters then fades in effectiveness as the season gets closer to the playoffs. I think other teams learn to adjust and the boys seem to stick with the structures in break-ins. I wondered if it was a lack of creativity on Rielly’s part as he always does the exact same route and drop pass, but then he had that incredible rush up the middle to score last year when recognizing the space so we know he has it in him.
One of the biggest changes I’m hoping to see this year is not consistently taking nights off against weaker competition. Hope it starts tomorrow with a shellacking of the Habs and their rookie 4 d-men.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

I'd play both Sandin and Gio on the 2nd PP. It's good to have 2 dmen out there when the powerplay is set to expire.

 

[1specter]

Yeah that’s one of my big worries about the powerplay is that it seems to start off gang busters then fades in effectiveness as the season gets closer to the playoffs. I think other teams learn to adjust and the boys seem to stick with the structures in break-ins. I wondered if it was a lack of creativity on Rielly’s part as he always does the exact same route and drop pass, but then he had that incredible rush up the middle to score last year when recognizing the space so we know he has it in him.
One of the biggest changes I’m hoping to see this year is not consistently taking nights off against weaker competition. Hope it starts tomorrow with a shellacking of the Habs and their rookie 4 d-men.

Agreed. The regular season success isn't so important, it's more so maintaining the consistency and work ethic, and working on those little habits every day. I want to see Keefe also experiment more with combos, and get the team to adjust to different ways of playing / scoring when needed. They did better against Tampa last year, but there's been a consistent pattern of opponents taking away time and space and running interference in the playoffs to disrupt the Leafs' ability to generate a clean chance.

 

[Beaumaris]

With this goaltending? Also, can you please genuinely answer what makes this team good? Other than the 4 forwards, what do we really have? I still think we have same issues as before, no depth scoring. And the D is one year older and slower. Don't see a Cale Makar or a Victor Hedman on it. So enlighten me, what makes this team a Stanley Cup contender? What do you guys see?

You are so boring bud.

 

[The Iceman]

Josh Anderson checks the schedule, see's a game against Toronto.

Puts on his Superman outfit and plays like he is a re-born Jaromir Jagr

 

[notbias]

With this goaltending? Also, can you please genuinely answer what makes this team good? Other than the 4 forwards, what do we really have? I still think we have same issues as before, no depth scoring. And the D is one year older and slower. Don't see a Cale Makar or a Victor Hedman on it. So enlighten me, what makes this team a Stanley Cup contender? What do you guys see?

"If you take away the 4 best players, this team has nothing".

Two teams have Makar/Hedman, so only two contenders exist?

I swear people have no clue what an average forward group looks like thanks to the amazing talent we have. We have good depth scoring but are just blessed with insane scoring in the top 2 lines.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

It is quite hilarious watching Hab fans try and say our forward group is weak.

 

[CDN24]

Not just contenders. 13 teams have 0 cap space, and 5 others don't have enough to add a league minimum player. The Leafs could be more like Chicago that has 4 million in cap, but I don't think trying to emulate a team that won't remotely be competitive this year is what they should be doing.

I don't really know why anyone would have a problem with the Leafs spending to the cap to maybe avoid a situation where they have to ice a suboptimal lineup. The alternative is to spend less money and ice a suboptimal lineup every night for the whole season

Not all those teams with 0 cap space are in the same boat. Look at the Caps they have 0 cap space too... but they have 23 player on active roster- not 20. They have two guys on Injured reserve (Wilson and Haglin) who are counting against the cap because they are not on LTIR - just IR. So when Wilson gets healthy they don't need to make cap space for him- just free up a roster spot on 23 man roster by sending down someone waiver exempt like Protas or McMichael. Someone else gets hurt they have 3 extra bodies on the roster, 4 more get injured, but not LTIR eligible they are okay they still have 1.8M unused in their LTIR pool and could call up 2 more from AHL.

Leaf's get one guy who can't go they have to play a man down for one game. Liljegren gets healthy they have to trade or waive somebody making at least 1.4M to activate him.

The list of teams in the same boat as the leaf's with a 20 man roster, no cap space and no one they can send down to activate someone on LTIR is much shorter.

Tampa is close at 20 guys currently but they have no one who needs to come of LTIR (Cirelli and Bogosian already count against the cap so no issue when he is healthy)
Philly also has a 20 man roster but their injured guys (couturier and Ellis) are not on LTIR and don't need to make space for them to come back.

The only team in the same boat as the Leaf's is Florida, no cap space, 20 man roster and a player on LTIR who will come back in season with no Cap space for him in Duclair.

 

[Burnie97]

It is quite hilarious watching Hab fans try and say our forward group is weak.

Its really called envy.

 

[AvroArrow]

It is quite hilarious watching Hab fans try and say our forward group is weak.

The Habs roster itself is also pretty hilarious, they give 0 f***s about this year and I don't totally blame em given who the #1 pick is going to be

 

[CDN24]

Florida is in same boat 20 man roster, no cap space and a player on LTIR in Duclair who like Liljegren will need to be activated at some point with no space to do it and no one they can send down.

Tampa has 20 too but they have 2 injured guys in Bogosian and Cirrelli counting against their cap (just regular IR). They don't need to do anything to activate those guys so they do have 2 more bodies than Leafs and Panthers- they just happen to be injured

Boston has 20 and no space but they have 9.5 M of LTIR room from McAvoy they can use if needed. It also means they can activate him when healthy so no issue. also have Marchand on IT but counting against cap so no issue activating when healthy. They were able to be cap compliant with Marchand and before putting McAvoy on LTIR.

2 teams in the league are in true cap hell- Leafs and Panthers. 20 man roster, no spares, no one on IR to become spares when they get back and players on LTIR who will not be out all season with no space to activate them when healthy without exposing someone to waivers who will likely be claimed.

 

[NMacrules]

Its interesting how a lot of stars around the league are injured during pre season and camp, but miraculously heal themselves for the first games. Fact is, this has been happening for 30 plus years. Crosby used to do it yearly. I suppose they earn the right to skip camps when they became vets. I don't believe he was hurt. And I bet he plays in the first game. Any takers?

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Florida is in same boat 20 man roster, no cap space and a player on LTIR in Duclair who like Liljegren will need to be activated at some point with no space to do it and no one they can send down.

Tampa has 20 too but they have 2 injured guys in Bogosian and Cirrelli counting against their cap (just regular IR). They don't need to do anything to activate those guys so they do have 2 more bodies than Leafs and Panthers- they just happen to be injured

Boston has 20 and no space but they have 9.5 M of LTIR room from McAvoy they can use if needed. It also means they can activate him when healthy so no issue. also have Marchand on IT but counting against cap so no issue activating when healthy. They were able to be cap compliant with Marchand and before putting McAvoy on LTIR.

2 teams in the league are in true cap hell- Leafs and Panthers. 20 man roster, no spares, no one on IR to become spares when they get back and players on LTIR who will not be out all season with no space to activate them when healthy without exposing someone to waivers who will likely be claimed.

I reserve the term "cap hell" for teams with no space and a crappy roster.

 

[robertmac43]

Its interesting how a lot of stars around the league are injured during pre season and camp, but miraculously heal themselves for the first games

Pre-season is too long as of right now. If you are the team, there is no reason to risk injury to any of your best players anyways. Make it a 4 game pre-season and have the stars play 2 of those games or something like that.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Its interesting how a lot of stars around the league are injured during pre season and camp, but miraculously heal themselves for the first games. Fact is, this has been happening for 30 plus years. Crosby used to do it yearly. I suppose they earn the right to skip camps when they became vets. I don't believe he was hurt. And I bet he plays in the first game. Any takers?

I mean...they already said today that he is playing tomorrow. So no I am not taking that bet.

 

[aingefan]

Honestly this lineup isn't bad. Bottom 6 might somehow be even better and other teams like TB and Colorado took a hit. If the worst I can complain about is Malgin over Robbie then it's pretty good. All eyes on you Denny Malgin!

I love this guy for even signing here since there’s a fair percentage of the fan base that cannot be happy and most always be oppositional. He’s betting on himself and willingly walking into an inevitable sh!tstorm.
I’m wishing him a great season.
And get well soon Lili; miss you already.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

The Habs roster itself is also pretty hilarious, they give 0 f***s about this year and I don't totally blame em given who the #1 pick is going to be

Is that why they picked Slobkovsky? Pre-tanking.