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GDT: Minnesota @ Toronto - Wednesday 7pm

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Minnesota is below .500 (11-12-1) at home but they're road warriors (18-5-3).

Don't know how that happens unless Minnesota is even worse than Fargo makes it out to be?
 
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ACC1224 said:
That's a win on it's own!
Sold this one, excited to watch from the couch and laugh at the GDT overreactions.
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Nothing better than overreacting after every loss or crappy effort! It's all part of the fun... and really, we won't know if we are overreacting or not for a while yet lol

Enjoy!
 
wingman75 said:
I never really understood the 'we need better defence' mantra. The Leafs have played excellent defence in the playoffs for the past 4-5 seasons... maybe longer.

The issue has always been an inability to generate enough scoring chances. I love Tanev, but he does little to fix that despite his excellent outlet passing.

I believe we'd need peak Rielly and another passing forward who could help generate chances off a pass. Outside Marner, we really lack in that area, meaning the big dogs have to create themselves while carrying the puck, which is what goes away in the playoffs more than anything else.

As far as the Wednesday games goes, I'd expect this to be a closely checked game and physical. Hopefully it displays more skill than the game from the weekend, which was awful to watch.

Woll is on a bit of a good run, looking for that to continue. Boys will be looking ahead to the big roadtrip and break on the flipside. Lets hope they haven't overlooked this one.
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They can’t afford depth scoring because 61% of their cap is going to five players so they decided to focus on defending by adding goaltending and defense. To be fair, it was working until Stolarz got injured. The other issue is their star players tend to disappear when the going gets tough in the playoffs so you can’t count on them scoring enough to beat deeper teams in a seven game series. It’s a fair point to say they don’t score enough from the back end especially with Rielly falling off but scoring defenseman are tough to find and expensive and the Leafs don’t have the cap space or trade capital to acquire them anyways.
 
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Ports said:
They can’t afford depth scoring because 61% of their cap is going to five players so they decided to focus on defending by adding goaltending and defense. To be fair, it was working until Stolarz got injured. The other issue is their star players tend to disappear when the going gets tough in the playoffs so you can’t count on them scoring enough to beat deeper teams in a seven game series. It’s a fair point to say they don’t score enough from the back end especially with Rielly falling off but scoring defenseman are tough to find and expensive and the Leafs don’t have the cap space or trade capital to acquire them anyways.
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I feel other teams are looking at the Leafs cap model and are quickly assessing that it cannot work. Regardless of how good that top end talent is, the significant cap hits cannot all be focused on the same spot in the roster. Colorado is a prime example of this where it looks like they want to keep some cap flexibility.

Your assessment rings true, for sure. Which is why so many look at guys on low value contracts who HAVE to over-contribute based on their salaries. McMann, Knies, Robertson for example.

If we are in the Stolarz or bust game, we'd better hope he stays healthy from here on out. That is a spicy meatball ⚠️
 
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wingman75 said:
I feel other teams are looking at the Leafs cap model and are quickly assessing that it cannot work. Regardless of how good that top end talent is, the significant cap hits cannot all be focused on the same spot in the roster. Colorado is a prime example of this where it looks like they want to keep some cap flexibility.

Your assessment rings true, for sure. Which is why so many look at guys on low value contracts who HAVE to over-contribute based on their salaries. McMann, Knies, Robertson for example.

If we are in the Stolarz or bust game, we'd better hope he stays healthy from here on out. That is a spicy meatball ⚠️
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It would be a huge and welcome surprise if their depth scoring shows up in the playoffs but they get so little from them now that I’d be shocked if it did when the games are tighter. The goalies may need to steal a series or two and then hope the momentum encourages the other players to put their balls on the line and play like they really want it.
 
Ports said:
It would be a huge and welcome surprise if their depth scoring shows up in the playoffs but they get so little from them now that I’d be shocked if it did when the games are tighter. The goalies may need to steal a series or two and then hope the momentum encourages the other players to put their balls on the line and play like they really want it.
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Sadly agree.

I think we are deep enough into the season now where what you see is what you get.
 
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i'd like 88 to start producing a little bit

i'd like 44 to stop being super useless

but most importantly, I want a win. Idgaf how, 6-4 2-1 1-0 it can be anything just win
 
Aashir said:
i'd like 88 to start producing a little bit

i'd like 44 to stop being super useless

but most importantly, I want a win. Idgaf how, 6-4 2-1 1-0 it can be anything just win
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From here to the break, wins are what matter, not style of play imo.

We can solidify the style and consistency starting Feb 22nd.
 
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Ports said:
They can’t afford depth scoring because 61% of their cap is going to five players so they decided to focus on defending by adding goaltending and defense. To be fair, it was working until Stolarz got injured. The other issue is their star players tend to disappear when the going gets tough in the playoffs so you can’t count on them scoring enough to beat deeper teams in a seven game series. It’s a fair point to say they don’t score enough from the back end especially with Rielly falling off but scoring defenseman are tough to find and expensive and the Leafs don’t have the cap space or trade capital to acquire them anyways.
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It also can't be overstated what a disaster their pp is. Part of the "top-heavy" model, to cope with the lack of depth, is at least having a hugely expensive top-end pp, but it just always seems to lose them games in the playoffs and has been a total clownshow for almost a year now. What's the excuse, is the "checking too tight" when you have the extra man?
 
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Suntouchable13 said:
Tanev is a really good D, but is it really the guy we needed? Scoring was the issue in the past couple of playoffs. I guess they are just hoping the big guns figure it out.
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Scoring was not an issue. Keeping the puck out of the net when the Leafs can only muster 1 or 2 goals is the issue.

The popular media spin is annoying, and it's another hot take scapegoating propaganda against Marner, etc.

Tanev is what you need to win games in the playoffs.
 
Ianturnedbull said:
Scoring was not an issue. Keeping the puck out of the net when the Leafs can only muster 1 or 2 goals is the issue.

The popular media spin is annoying, and it's another hot take scapegoating propaganda against Marner, etc.

Tanev is what you need to win games in the playoffs.
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hmm.. I may just be reading this wrong but you say scoring is not the issue but keeping the puck out of our net when we score 1 or 2 is the issue. Which means scoring is the issue does it not?

Berube Bunker hockey is designed to win 2-1 or 3-2.. Will we be able to score 2 or 3 in a big game? Which would lead me to believe scoring is the issue. This is not aimed at 1 player... it is roster construction.
 
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wingman75 said:
Nothing better than overreacting after every loss or crappy effort! It's all part of the fun... and really, we won't know if we are overreacting or not for a while yet lol

Enjoy!
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The PGTs after a loss have been pretty good lately, not the 20 pages of whining there was just last season. Now the G D T’s are funny as hell during a loss.
 
The very best use of this lineup is one that everyone here has admitted... having Marner, Willy and Matty seperated. Matty was working great with Domi on his wing feeding him pucks last year while Marner was out, and Domi had the best success and numbers there. Solves the Domi problem, and keeps Matty going. Marner and JT always put up good numbers together, and that's a very good second line. You hate to have an 11 million dollar winger in Willy on the third line, but it could be the second line on any given night. Just GET WILLY A DECENT CENTER THAT'S NOT HOLMBERG, and we'd have 3 good lines working. On the left between Knies McMann and Patches that's 3 decent lw's to interchange on any line. Would be tough keeping all 3 lines off the scoresheet, even in the playoffs.

Maybe add a rental top 4 offensive d at the deadline (I know big ask) to push Reilly down to 3rd pair once and for all. Add those 2 pieces with the lineup we have and everyone healthy and that would be a solid playoff team IMO.
 
Howdy Ho's !!

Facing a good team tonight I expect us to come out and play well.

Was hoping for a Murray start tonight, I get the feeling we are going to need him at some point.
 
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