GDT: Maple Leafs (15-8-1) vs Capitals (13-10-1) | 7:00 PM EST | Hockey Night In Canada!

[X66]

I don't get to overworked about shots against, because most of the time the shots are garbage and we out chance the team by the end of the night.

But last night, we not only gave up a lot of shots, we gave up a **** ton of scoring chances as well, I hate those games.

Have to get away from those moving forward.

 

[member 262271]

This is true.

Making the playoffs and having home ice advantage in round 1 seems like an impossible feat this year.

Always next year!

Yep, cause thats what we've been saying. Please refrain from putting words in mouths of people who are understandably worried about this teams play.

 

[Marshy]

To me it's time to trade Bozak and slot Nylander in at centre on a sheltered 3rd line with JVR and and Marner.

Trade for the best pick you can (2nd? ) use as asset currency at the TDL to upgrade the most pressing need at that time.

I don't want Bozak being a matchup nightmare in the playoffs. Come on Lou it's time.

For those that don't think 42 is worth much right now. You're not wrong. Wade Redden him if you have to. Addition by subtraction.

 

[Kiwi]

Not opposed to this honestly. After the way we've played the last few games I'm hoping any changes will make this team start playing better before it snowballs out of control.

I don't know man, Polak hasn't looked like an NHL caliber player anymore

Babcock loves the guy and has been healthy scratching him

That's not a good sign

 

[Gary Nylund]

People love to be negative. It consumes them.

This seems like a really shallow take.

Playing as horribly as we have and still being 3rd in the league is a testament to how loaded our lineup is with talent. It's been awhile since we've had the team firing on all cylinders, but it will happen eventually. This isn't like the Carlyle teams where being outshot horribly and having JVR-Bozak-Kessel score a bunch of goals off the rush was the team firing on all cylinders.

Yeah hopefully it happens eventually, tons of talent here, nothing like the Carlyle teams at all.

This is true.

Making the playoffs and having home ice advantage in round 1 seems like an impossible feat this year.

Always next year!

This seems like another shallow take. If you don't think we could be playing a lot better than we are most nights good for you. keep making sarcastic comments towards everyone that does I guess if that makes you feel good.

I guess we could take a similar approach and say things to you like: Well, if you're happy with where we are good for you, must be nice to have low standards. I guess after all these years of being just terrible, any success at all must seem to you like a lottery win. Please forgive us for mistakenly thinking we're capable of more.

I'd rather we stay civil and respect each others opinions whether we agree with them or not. I like to think that most people would agree with me, maybe even you? I recall reading a post you made not long ago where you were complaining about how the quality of posts here has gone downhill and so on, can you honestly say that these were quality posts by you?

We're a good team but considering how loaded we are with talent, many of us think we can be better and were expecting to be better by now. I would like to overachieve myself, that probably means winning at least two playoff rounds. And the way we look now we're more likely to go out in the first round but that's OK, a long way to go still and I'm an optimist so I expect to see a lot of improvement.

And for those saying we're 3rd overall or whatever, looking at points makes no sense, points percentage is the way to go and by that I think we're 7th or something like that. And that's not bad at all, I still think our record flatters us and we can be better, here's hoping we get to top 5 status before Christmas.

 

[Cor]

Yep, cause thats what we've been saying. Please refrain from putting words in mouths of people who are understandably worried about this teams play.

“We’ve been playing bad hockey for the majority of the season”

“We need to be better if we want to be a really good team this season”

Words like pathetic, and terrible have been used around here about the teams play.

The Leafs are on the right side of the numbers. Both basic “we’re tied for 3rd in the NHL” and the underlying advanced numbers

Last night we deserved to lose. We won. That happens in hockey. That doesn’t mean some massive collapse is happening.

But keep on not enjoying things!

 

[member 262271]

“We’ve been playing bad hockey for the majority of the season”

“We need to be better if we want to be a really good team this season”

Words like pathetic, and terrible have been used around here about the teams play.

The Leafs are on the right side of the numbers. Both basic “we’re tied for 3rd in the NHL” and the underlying advanced numbers

Last night we deserved to lose. We won. That happens in hockey. That doesn’t mean some massive collapse is happening.

But keep on not enjoying things!

Just being realistic about how the leafs have been playing man, keep on being smug though.

 

[Budsfan]

This is true.

Making the playoffs and having home ice advantage in round 1 seems like an impossible feat this year.

Always next year!

Oh nuts Cor lets just forgo making the playoffs and go into Tank mode, mind you we will have a problem with Edmonton but if they can go for it with McDavid why can't we with Matthews....Dahlin and lots of tasty picks available....LOL

 

[ToneDog]

Mismatch in goal. We'll need Matthews to score a couple to have a chance.

 

[justafan22]

Polak. Yikes. This why I need a girlfriend and better hobbies so I don't watch this game on my phone at the gym again tonight haha

 

[Cor]

Just being realistic about how the leafs have been playing man, keep on being smug though.

I’m mean, you aren’t being “realistic” because reality completely differs your opinion with the exception of last night.

The rest of the season overall? Has been pretty good. Sure, Andersen’s poor start wasn’t pretty, but the Leafs got through it and won most of the games.

This team has and will continue to win games. There’s 0 indication otherwise

 

[ToneDog]

To me it's time to trade Bozak and slot Nylander in at centre on a sheltered 3rd line with JVR and and Marner.

Trade for the best pick you can (2nd? ) use as asset currency at the TDL to upgrade the most pressing need at that time.

I don't want Bozak being a matchup nightmare in the playoffs. Come on Lou it's time.

For those that don't think 42 is worth much right now. You're not wrong. Wade Redden him if you have to. Addition by subtraction.

They won't send him down. Trade him in a package for a decent dman. Gives Willie some added incentive. If he fails move him to wing and bring in Moore as your 4th C.

 

[Cor]

Mismatch in goal. We'll need Matthews to score a couple to have a chance.

A rested Holtby will be tough to beat

 

[Nithoniniel]

“We’ve been playing bad hockey for the majority of the season”

“We need to be better if we want to be a really good team this season”

Words like pathetic, and terrible have been used around here about the teams play.

The Leafs are on the right side of the numbers. Both basic “we’re tied for 3rd in the NHL” and the underlying advanced numbers

Last night we deserved to lose. We won. That happens in hockey. That doesn’t mean some massive collapse is happening.

But keep on not enjoying things!

I don't think anyone is not happy with the season so far, despite a number of things not having gone as expected. And people are not getting bent out of shape over one game either. They are worried about a trend over a number of games now where we are playing a kind of hockey that isn't a recipe for sustainable success. I'm pretty sure our xGF% over this stretch is sub-45%, so while we might be on the right side of the numbers over the course of the season, that won't continue unless we rectify issues in our game. That's what people are worried about.

 

[ToneDog]

A rested Holtby will be tough to beat

Agreed. We should be able to get at least two by him but can we keep the puck out of our net?

 

[rent free]

Polak. Yikes. This why I need a girlfriend and better hobbies so I don't watch this game on my phone at the gym again tonight haha

you should watch it on the tv's at the elipticals. which gym go you go to?

 

[member 262271]

I’m mean, you aren’t being “realistic” because reality completely differs your opinion with the exception of last night.

The rest of the season overall? Has been pretty good. Sure, Andersen’s poor start wasn’t pretty, but the Leafs got through it and won most of the games.

This team has and will continue to win games. There’s 0 indication otherwise

I agree with you regarding differing realities, poor choice of words on my part. However I view your confidence as pretty blind considering the circumstances, it's already been stated that the way the leafs are playing is not a recipe for success, not sure why you seem to think it's otherwise.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Let me guess these are the lines

Hyman Matthews Nylander
JVR Bozak Marner
Marleau Kadri Komarov
Martin Moore Brown

 

[Budsfan]

 

[dimi78]

I dont get it. Why bring out Leivo? Just trade him already please.. I cant take it anymore. What more does he have to do to remain in the line up

Excellent question! I pretty much always defer to Babcock's judgement but this is starting to really get on my nerves.

Who's in charge of roster moves? Leivo to stay full time in the line up a trade has to happen. This isn't Babcock's call it's managements call to make the room for him. This is why Babcock says that Leivo "has to take someone's job"

To play the youngster you have to move the guy who has his spot first. Who's that player and has Leivo taken the job from that player who currently holds that spot?

Unfortunately the guy who holds Leivo's spot wont be taken out of the line up so that means spot duty here or there until management acts or they trade Leivo.

His time is next season. Leivo know's this that's why he re-signed.

 

[Nithoniniel]

you should watch it on the tv's at the elipticals. which gym go you go to?

That's what I do, but at home. Good way to get your cardio in, I do 90 minutes and time flies while there's a Leaf game on.

 

[rent free]

That's what I do, but at home. Good way to get your cardio in, I do 90 minutes and time flies while there's a Leaf game on.

holy shit 90 minutes. i do 30 minutes, sometimes 60 minutes and then do bicep curls and tricep curls for about 30 minutes

 

[Rare Jewel]

Let me guess these are the lines

Hyman Matthews Nylander
JVR Bozak Marner
Marleau Kadri Komarov
Martin Moore Brown

Flip Nylander and Marner and that's likely it.

 

[Budsfan]

Capitals at Maple Leafs preview

Washington goes for third straight win; Toronto turns to backup McElhinney in goal

by Dave McCarthy / NHL.com Correspondent

Capitals at Maple Leafs preview

CAPITALS (13-10-1) at MAPLE LEAFS (15-8-1)
7 p.m. ET; NHLN, CBC, NBCSWA+, NHL.TV
The Game

The Washington Capitals will try to match their season-high three-game winning streak when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre on Saturday.
Braden Holtby will start for the Capitals, who defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 on Friday and are 3-1-0 in their past four games.
Backup Curtis McElhinney will start for the Maple Leafs, who defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 on Friday and are 1-1-1 in their past three games after winning six straight.
Players to watch

Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin scored the 573rd goal of his NHL career on Friday tying him with Mike Bossy for 21st on the all-time list. He leads the Capitals with 15 goals and is tied for second in the League with John Tavares of the New York Islanders, two behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.
Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri had an assist against the Hurricanes to extend his point streak to a career-high nine games (five goals, five assists).
They said it

"I don't know if it's mental fatigue or physically guys can't get themselves going that second night. I don't know what the issue has been so far but we're going to try and fix it. Really there are no excuses, everybody has to do it so we'll try to play smart if you don't have your legs but mentally we just have to get ourselves ready to go." -- Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen on the team's 0-4-0 record in the second of back-to-back games
"These games are tough when you play last night, travel and get in late. You come to the rink this morning, just want to get your head right, get ready physically and mentally and it's just a matter of experience. The more of these you play, the more comfortable you become." -- Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly on playing back-to-back games
Capitals projected lineup

Alex Ovechkin -- Nicklas Backstrom -- Tom Wilson
Jakub Vrana -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- T.J. Oshie
Brett Connolly -- Lars Eller -- Devante Smith-Pelly
Chandler Stephenson -- Jay Beagle -- Alex Chiasson
Brooks Orpik -- John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov -- Matt Niskanen
Taylor Chorney -- Madison Bowey
Braden Holtby
Philipp Grubauer
Scratched: Nathan Walker, Tyler Graovac, Aaron Ness
Injured: Andre Burakovsky (broken thumb), Christian Djoos (upper body)
Maple Leafs projected lineup

Zach Hyman -- Auston Matthews -- Mitchell Marner
Patrick Marleau -- Nazem Kadri -- Leo Komarov
James van Riemsdyk -- Tyler Bozak -- William Nylander
Matt Martin -- Dominic Moore -- Connor Brown
Morgan Rielly -- Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner -- Nikita Zaitsev
Andreas Borgman -- Roman Polak
Curtis McElhinney
Frederik Andersen
Scratched: Josh Leivo, Nikita Soshnikov, Connor Carrick
Injured: None
Status report

Polak will play after missing the past 10 games as a healthy scratch. ... Moore and Martin will each return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch against the Hurricanes.
Stat pack

Oshie has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his past six games. … Kuznetsov has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his past six games. … Orlov has three points (one goal, two assists) in his past four games… Van Riemsdyk has eight points (six goals, two assists) in his past seven games.

 

[member 262271]

Let me guess these are the lines

Hyman Matthews Nylander
JVR Bozak Marner
Marleau Kadri Komarov
Martin Moore Brown

Seems like the likeliest lines. Not much choice with combinations but I think it's a shrewd move to being in fresh guys on a back to back.