so you're saying that the leafs goalies and defense are better then the Devils?
Well I guess everyone is allowed to have an opinion, even if it's a bad one.
Linus Ullmark takes shot at Leafs / Samsonov: I was surprised that they kept [Ilya] Samsonov in for that many games against us
- Thread starter HockeyVirus
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Well I guess everyone is allowed to have an opinion, even if it's a bad one.
HockeyVirus
Woll stan.
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We currently don't even know what the goaltending or defense look like. They need at least 1 goalie and 2 dmen to ice an NHL roster. Have to see who fills those holes first
there aren't many goalies that are on the trade block, Ullmark is really the only one the Leafs can afford as they'd have to give up a lot for Saros. Perhaps this next season is different but the leafs defensive woes have been a thing for years. I don't have much faith in them to change that now
right message. Wrong messenger. He absolutely was in way too long for a ridiculous choke job 2 years ago then got pulled this year.
Leaf Fans
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HockeyVirus
Woll stan.
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No they haven't. This year they were middle of the pack mostly because of the terrible goaltending first half, but they were top 10 in GA and SA the year before and top 10 the year before that in all those categorie
Leafidelity
Existentially Drifting
Im saying the Leafs finished 10th and the Devils finished 23rd. You can continue your mental gymnastics from there
Golden_Jet
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The year before the devils had 112 points, more than the leafs, I’m guessing they can bounce back.
Leafidelity
Existentially Drifting
LouJersey
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Moist ReadOnly
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Could be - though Id think Keefe is in a much better situation this time in NJ
Markstrom-Allen is probably the best duo Keefe has had st the NHL level and the Devils defense is much better than Toronto's
Keefe is very young for a coach but I do believe he has learned a lot from his stint in Toronto and will have an easier time when the roster isnt held down by ~40m in four guys
Moist ReadOnly
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Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec will be more on the defensive-side at ages 21 and 20 respectively than Keefe had to work with his entire tenure in Toronto
Plus not having the cap issues or Shanahan messing with things?
Its going to be a big difference for Keefe and I think it will show in his coaching
SeanMoneyHands
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Linux should be the last guy talking, he was horrible in the playoffs when he won the Vezina 2 seasons ago. Literally crapped the bed in all games he started.
I mean they've accomplished more than the Leafs where they actually win play off series
Keefe is a fine coach don't blame him because you're starts would rather collect paychecks than play off wins
Keefe is a poor coach who failed miserably time and time to adapt when the games mattered most.
Bold of you to assume a team can't have more than one issue, especially being a sens fan.
Keefe is actually a really good coach I'd take him on the Sens over any of the trash we've had
He's had the leafs as one of the best defensive teams since he's been there despite a poor defense and subpar goaltending. How is that a poor coach? And the reason he failed because management didn't supply him with whats needed. Shannahan is the problem is Toronto is was not Keefes fault.
The man had an unwillingness to change the approach of rolling out a terrible fourth line in their own zone, something that ate the Leafs up in multiple playoff games resulting in close losses. The Leafs also came out of the gate and were stuck playing catchup far too often in big games, a common theme in the Keefe era.
The man single handily nearly cost the Leafs the series with his complete and utter refusal to stop playing Justin Holl top pairing minutes against Tampa despite him being repeatedly feast upon game after game, it was one of the most absurd things I've ever seen from an NHL coach.
Here's the thing -- The Leafs defense, especially un 2022-23 weren't poor, they had a quality top 6 and it showed on the ice. That wasn't the case this season when Brodie and Giordano fell off a cliff with no quality replacements, and the results showed.
Cooper had eaten Keefe alive matchup wise in their back to back playoff series', you need to do more than boxscore watch to properly evaluate a head coach, for every bit as you can attempt to praise Keefe as the sole reason the Leafs kept the puck out of their net, you can just as easily flip the script and criticize him, Boucher for their miserable offensive woes and complete and utter failure at producting on the powerplay despite having one of the best top sixes on paper in the league.
Don't let Boston being a mediocre offensive team fool you, the Leafs were a mediocre at best defensive team this season.
Keefe improved as his time went on, but his stubbornness and inability to adapt at key times was a blatant weakness.
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