There's always less powerplays in the playoffs which bodes well for us being a dominant team 5 on 5, plus I get the feeling there will be more urgency there when we get one. They are too passive and predictable and I just can't help but think they're aware of that and will look to get some quicker puck movement and different setups.
Series Talk: North Division Round 1: Leafs (1) vs. Canadiens (4)
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There's always less powerplays in the playoffs which bodes well for us being a dominant team 5 on 5, plus I get the feeling there will be more urgency there when we get one. They are too passive and predictable and I just can't help but think they're aware of that and will look to get some quicker puck movement and different setups.
BertCorbeau
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The Leafs are good enough 5 on 5 to win this series. But they can't let Montreals' PP get rolling if their own PP can't score. Need to maintain some even play on special teams if they want to advance.
I've lost hope on the PP heating up and getting right. There has been virtually no improvement since it went cold.
I've lost hope on the PP heating up and getting right. There has been virtually no improvement since it went cold.
BertCorbeau
F*ck cancer - RIP Fugu and Buffaloed
To add - at this point, they should be just trying new set plays or combos that they haven't used during the regular season since they have nothing to really lose with it. Maybe catch Montreal by surprise early in the season to help steal a game or two before the Habs adjust.
Go back to some of last year's setups. Marner/Nylander on the left. Tavares and Matthews in the right.
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I feel like many PP goals happen from broken plays, on both sides of the ice. You need to cause chaos, get the opposition to collapse and then recover. I will say that recovery at the blue line has not exactly been Rielly’s thing this season.
Everyone has an opinion on the PP but what I’ve seen is that when the puck is sent into centre ice we don’t have them outnumbered there, so we quickly lose possession because we optimize for movement around the perimeter but not recovery in the middle.
Looking at his track record, that's probably a good thing for Toronto.
Stephen
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The Leafs often feel very jammed up on the PP with their spacing and JVR was always really good at finding the right positioning around the net to give himself space to operate.
Mess
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Definitely, but I suppose we will be able to judge that based on performance.
If you outwork, outshoot, outplay and the opposition goalie steals the game, then if that happens you could rule out complacency or overconfidence.
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Yup. The biggest issues are zone entry, and a lack of a shot from the right side. Teams all collapse on Matthews, there needs to be a threat from the opposite side. Someone who can score, if not score at least make the defence respect him enough where they have to challenge his shot or move their formation. The puck goes to the point, the pkers collapse towards AM side, the play dies. Marner is a great playmaker but he's not a shooting threat so teams give him that look all day. I'd put Tavares or Nylander permanently on the right side on the PP and have Hyman/Foligno play that bumper spot. Or if the shot isn't there, look for a greasy goal. Get bodies in front of the net, look for screened shots/deflections. They're like forcing the puck to Matthews on the PP every time, it's so predictable. Stop the dumb drop pass when the pkers are all holding the blue line and get a threat on the opposite side of the PP.
HolyCrap
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I keep hearing that the physical Habs are going to use their physicality to try to beat us. They are near the top in hits we are near the bottom.
If that is an advantage for them we should have had the advantage last night as both teams agreed to pitch a no-hitter.
I am not as pissed today at the team going through the motions in their final tune-up for the playoffs - but should we start slowly in the beginning of Round 1 - it will really make me go "hmmmmmm....".
A slow start in the series vs. the Habs, even if we win, will be taxing in a long drawn out series that could affect their 2nd round matchup.
If that is an advantage for them we should have had the advantage last night as both teams agreed to pitch a no-hitter.
I am not as pissed today at the team going through the motions in their final tune-up for the playoffs - but should we start slowly in the beginning of Round 1 - it will really make me go "hmmmmmm....".
A slow start in the series vs. the Habs, even if we win, will be taxing in a long drawn out series that could affect their 2nd round matchup.
Mess
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The 2 biggest factors that can win a playoffs series
1) Strong Specialty teams play
2) Strong Netminding
Leafs playoff round losses in the past can be attributed directly to the opposition and those 2 factors.
SeaOfBlue
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In general I am worried about the PP, but I don't think it will prevent us from winning against Montreal or even EDM/WPG. More of a concern for later rounds if we get there.
Not concerned about our goaltending. More concerned about the other team pulling another Korpisalo and pretty much single-handedly winning a round again. Although it will certainly help that Andersen is not in net giving up back-breaking goals.
Fixing the Maple Leafs Powerplay
I also was thinking that the Leafs should at least swap the side that Marner and Matthews are on so their sticks are facing towards the slot and it opens up Nylander more on the slot. If we are not changing up Marner's role altogether, then he should at least operate on the LW instead of the RW. I know it takes away Matthews' curl and drag, but it is not like he has been using that move even when he has had the opportunity anyways and it opens up the one-timer for him. He is also talented enough to do the curl and drag on the RW and still snipe it short side with little room. I think it is harder to do that on the one-timer.
The rotation and entry idea is not a bad one either. If we are a good rush team, why not try it on the PP once in a while too. We have no problem hounding guys at ES so as long as we make sure the PKers don't have enough time to clear it after the initial rush, then it is better than what we've been doing on entries for the most part.
The main thing is that he is not suggesting taking people off of the PP, because that is not going to accomplish anything unless you are taking Marner off and changing the whole dynamic of the PP.
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Suntouchable13
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My concern is durability, not performance. I think if Campbell stays healthy, we should be fine in net. The team's record and his numbers speak for themselves. Can he handle the grind of the playoffs? Is his leg (or whatever was injured) 100%?
Mess
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Montreal's defense core in particular a big and physical and one should expect them to lay the body early and often on Leafs skilled forwards. A player like Shea Weber is going to play that way to keep the high danger scoring areas clear.
In the past it was Leafs vaulted PP that kept teams in check to avoid being overly physical in fear of getting burned by Leafs formerly dangerous PP, but know running as one of the worst in the league something like 4 goals in last 65 opportunities, that changes if Habs will likely take more liberties.
Leafs will need to expect that and not let it impact their games, because if we start seeing a lot of perimeter play in attempts to avoid contract then the opposition has already gotten in their heads and winning without even needing to continue that intimidation..
We know players like Foligno, Hyman, Simmonds will have no issue playing in traffic, but what about Marner or Nylander etc.
That tweet about Nylander being a righty and Marner's success with Lefty's was something I hadn't thought about but made a lot of sense. It opens up a pass option for Marner that gives a downlow cross crease/backdoor play to keep the D a little more honest.
I actually went back to see the Matthews, Tavares, Marner and Nylander goals from all of last year and some of 2018 the other day to check on the PP. I did notice how much deeper Marner was creating offense on the PP, and how we've basically stopped any attack off the rush. I'm good with omitting the rush chances, but simply going to everyone's off wings and leaving Rielly in the middle will open up a lot more and allow them to go across the seams.
A proper side setup for a Marner with a righty has never worked. He's always had an outlet infront to create downlow when he's been successful. With Nylander and Simmonds being our netfront guys, we need to go offwings
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Nylander88
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SeaOfBlue
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Bogo won't be back for the 1st round more than likely.
It will likely be Sandin-Dermott unless they want Hutton on the PK.
Stephen
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I haven't gone through that kind of legwork on all the goals, but I saw that comment earlier in the GDT and it made a lot of sense.
Summarizing overall, it feels like the plumbing on the right hand side has been a problem in a couple of ways. Rielly isn't strong being able to walk the line to control the center of the ice in an umbrella formation or to slide it over to the right wing wall with any speed. He also hesitates to dish cross ice to the RD. On the occasion that the RD has the puck, you probably want a LH LW at the bottom of the circle who can be facing the blueline and receive the puck towards the outside towards the boards which gives him the choice to either dish it back to the RD, across to the LD or rotate and create a cross crease pass or a shot or a jam play. We don't really see that action very cleanly.
It really doesn't have much to do with Rielly, but I also focused on Marner.
Basically when Marner has the puck, which is most of the time, it allows the D to eliminate anything on the right side and completely focus on the middle of the ice. This blocks the lane to Matthews/Tavares and basically forces Marner to shoot (meh) or outlet to Rielly who isn't a shooting threat on his proper side. Even the shot option isn't as good as expected because the D can cheat and are already clogging the middle.
A lefty in the position you state opens up a dump if the middle us clogged (usually is) and that leaves you with 3 prime options (Marner, Matthews and Nylander) driving the net with Rielly as an outlet.
Easiest fix is to alternate the screen depending on the side of the ice instead of parking Nylander/Simmonds there
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