Injury Report: Morgan Rielly out 8 weeks with a fractured foot

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

How about over the past 3 games and then going forward? They have given up 18 goals in their last 3 games. It is not all on Andy and Hutch.

They got like .810 goaltending in those 3 games. I feel pretty comfortable blaming the goalies for that

 

[Kazparov]

We were all praising Keef for his ability to adapt and modify his game planning on the fly.

Here's the chance to really prove it.

 

[Notsince67]

Pack in the season boys. Our best LD right now is Dermott.

What has changed?

 

[Suntouchable13]

Somebody can step up into his minutes and be better than him. It's not hard the way he has played this season. Not worried at all. I think Dubas will make a decent trade for another good D. then our D will be that much better when Rielly returns healthy for the playoffs.

 

[ToneDog]

They got like .810 goaltending in those 3 games. I feel pretty comfortable blaming the goalies for that

The buck stops at Andy and Hutch but if the D and forwards are giving the puck away and the goalies are not saving their bacon, I would expect their SV% to drop. Many examples from the recent Oilers, Rangers, Jets, and Panthers games. Tavares for one has been brutal. If the D and F stop making careless mistakes, the SV% should get better.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

What happens to the forwards when Moore returns? Anybody getting sent down? Too busy to check atm.

 

[ToneDog]

Somebody can step up into his minutes and be better than him. It's not hard the way he has played this season. Not worried at all. I think Dubas will make a decent trade for another good D. then our D will be that much better when Rielly returns healthy for the playoffs.

Morgs has a TOI of 24:15. Obviously all those minutes are not going to Sandin so look for some to go to Marinicin and Dermott. I'd be worried.

 

[ToneDog]

What happens to the forwards when Moore returns? Anybody getting sent down? Too busy to check atm.

I'd guess Timo goes down and Brooks sits or also goes down.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Injuries right now:
- Jake Muzzin (Our best D on the team, amazing shutdown pairing with Holl)
- Morgan Rielly (Our 2nd best D on the team)
- Ilya Mikheyev (Had same amount of points as Nazem Kadri before going down)
- Trevor Moore (Good energy depth guy)

I think Rasmus Sandin is going to surprise a LOT of people. He's going to be used a lot by Keefe IMO, as Keefe has always relied on Sandin a LOT. I'm expecting 14-16 minutes a night, but wouldn't be shocked if it's more like 18-20 minutes.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

I'd guess Timo goes down and Brooks sits or also goes down.

That might be what happens, but Timashov would have to clear waivers.

 

[ToneDog]

What has changed?

Marincin's minutes are about to increase. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Morgs has a TOI of 24:15. Obviously all those minutes are not going to Sandin so look for some to go to Marinicin and Dermott. I'd be worried.

On the bright side, all of our LHD right now have been relied on heavily by Keefe in the AHL before. Dermott, Marincin, Sandin. Many were shocked by how much Keefe played Sandin last year, so I wouldn't be shocked if the same thing happens in the NHL sooner or later.

 

[Menzinger]

Over the last 10 games, they're 3rd

They just need goalie who can stop a beach ball type shot

 

[Stephen]

Marincin's minutes are about to increase. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

As much as it's not an option, I'd play the rookie all of Morgan Rielly's minutes before giving Marincin an extra second of ice time. That guy is just a disaster.

 

[ToneDog]

That might be what happens, but Timashov would have to clear waivers.

Good point. Not sure what waiver situation would be. Perhaps Dubas will have make a trade by the time Moore is ready ?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

The buck stops at Andy and Hutch but if the D and forwards are giving the puck away and the goalies are not saving their bacon, I would expect their SV% to drop. Many examples from the recent Oilers, Rangers, Jets, and Panthers games. Tavares for one has been brutal. If the D and F stop making careless mistakes, the SV% should get better.

Over just the last 3 games, Andersen and Hutch are last and second last in the league in goals saved above average. Combined, they let in 9 more goals than you'd expect from average goalies facing the same workload. I do agree the defense has taken a bit of a hit lately, but goaltending is by far my biggest concern

 

[BertCorbeau]

Seems like when someone comes back from injury, another goes down with one.

First time under the Shanny era the Leafs have incurred this many injuries throughout a season

 

[ToneDog]

They just need goalie who can stop a beach ball type shot

Hard to do when everything looks like a pea to Andy.

 

[saffronleaf]

Never want to see anyone get hurt and I hope he makes a full recovery quickly.

That said, I don't think it's a big deal for the team given how he's been playing. And even beyond that, even if we had Lidstrom and Pronger in their primes it wouldn't matter with our putrid "goaltending" duo of Ander5en and Hutch.

 

[ToneDog]

As much as it's not an option, I'd play the rookie all of Morgan Rielly's minutes before giving Marincin an extra second of ice time. That guy is just a disaster.

That would be a big ask of a rookie. I doubt Keefe does that. Dermott needs to step up.

 

[ToneDog]

Over just the last 3 games, Andersen and Hutch are last and second last in the league in goals saved above average. Combined, they let in 9 more goals than you'd expect from average goalies facing the same workload. I do agree the defense has taken a bit of a hit lately, but goaltending is by far my biggest concern

No doubt. Andy has not looked comfortable/confident lately.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

No doubt. Andy has not looked comfortable/confident lately.

The good news is that as far as problems go, it should be something that just fixes itself. Andy always bounces back. The defense without Rielly and Muzzin is a different story, but I trust Keefe to figure it out. He's always seemed good at that sort of thing

 

[Clark4Ever]

Over just the last 3 games, Andersen and Hutch are last and second last in the league in goals saved above average. Combined, they let in 9 more goals than you'd expect from average goalies facing the same workload. I do agree the defense has taken a bit of a hit lately, but goaltending is by far my biggest concern

Our goaltending (or lack thereof) as of late has been a far greater concern than our defensive play in my opinion.

If that doesn't change very soon, we are going to be in danger of missing the playoffs, with or without injuries on our blueline.

 

[93oilerfan93]

For a year and a bit of Larsson? No thanks.

How about Nurse?

Darnell nurse probably not, that would look like a different deal anyway involving different players of leafs

I think a defense next year of

Rielly X
Sandin larsson
Dermott holl
Marincin

Would be okay no?

 

[saffronleaf]

The good news is that as far as problems go, it should be something that just fixes itself. Andy always bounces back. The defense without Rielly and Muzzin is a different story, but I trust Keefe to figure it out. He's always seemed good at that sort of thing

No doubt that he'll bounce back at some point but it's also inevitable that he'll have another lull in April during the 1st round, sealing our fate.