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Sportsnet: Steve Valiquette on the Leafs going into the trade deadline. (Kyper Podcast).

Ianturnedbull

Ianturnedbull

Registered User
Jun 11, 2022
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There's a lot here. Some constructive, some damaging, some advice, and some good news about our goaltending. Many good analytical points with context. He even goes old school and talks plus/minus.

www.sportsnet.ca

Real Kyper and Bourne

Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne talk all things Maple Leafs and NHL! Airing live on Sportsnet 590 The FAN weekdays from 4-6 PM ET.
www.sportsnet.ca

Some good quotes:

"Toronto has 1 playoff win in 8 years - I like to start off with this tone: do you have a number 1 D? Do you have 2 centers? Do you have a starting goalie? Well they don't need a starting goalie. They have the top 2 goalies in adjusted save percentage. And the top 2 most consistent goalies in the league."

Re: primary scoring chances from centermen in the league, primary passes that lead to scoring chances, and secondary passes:

"Offensively John Tavares is 43rd in the NHL"

Plus/Minus

Colorado when they won the cup: top 2 centers are a +32

Florida last year: Barkov, Bennett, and Lundell +35 (Barkov/Bennett +21)

Vegas when they won the cup: +26 among their top 2 centers.

Toronto right now: Matthews +9, and Tavares +2. (+11)

"They are not in the same neighborhood to where nhl Stanley Cup centermen have been."

"I think Toronto needs help there. They need primary assists and playmaking ability from the center position. I know he's injured now, but Sean Monahan fits analytically. Dillon Cozens is not at the level of Tavares, but Kadri is over him and so is Brayden Schenn. Schenn, Kadri, Monahan is a yes from me. John could be a 2A with a 2B. Somebody to share the load with a little bit."

Re: Primary assists 5vs5:

"Right now Tavares is 6th on the team."

"TOR needs more girth down the middle"

"Last year's playoffs was the same as the others: untimely goals against, and not enough scoring."
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Pretty much what the sentiment on this board is. Team is another middle six center, top 4 mobile D and another good top 9 winger away from being a real contender. Low expectations for these playoffs, likely a first or second round exit again and then hopefully can retool with some cap space in the summer, though they will probably blow it all on Marner anyways
 
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If Matthews isn’t giving you a foundational franchise level center performance and forcing the Leafs to go out and get a Tavares equivalent or slightly better or worse center to backfill 3C that just gives you a measure of how far off this team is this year. If the big gun isn’t at the level he’s supposed to be you’re going to throw a lot of assets to chase a long shot.
 
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bax said:
He's a former goalie who played some games with the Rangers. He's a regular on the radio here. Works as an analyst and might do some goalie work too if I remember correctly.
Click to expand...
Thanks, thought I recognized the name but couldn’t place from where.
I don’t listen to the radio.
 
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ACC1224 said:
Thanks, thought I recognized the name but couldn’t place from where.
I don’t listen to the radio.
Click to expand...
You lost your Google too.

Stephen said:
If Matthews isn’t giving you a foundational franchise level center performance and forcing the Leafs to go out and get a Tavares equivalent or slightly better or worse center to backfill 3C that just gives you a measure of how far off this team is this year. If the big gun isn’t at the level he’s supposed to be you’re going to throw a lot of assets to chase a long shot.
Click to expand...
I see your point, but with OEL/Tanev and solid goaltending they must be thinking: go for it. How many cracks at this does Shanny get?
 
They've never been good enough and this year is no different. The team that wins is almost always one of the top 2-3 teams in the league and the Leafs have never been that. Too many holes in the lineup to be a top team and this year, though much closer, still not there yet (the bottom 6 needs at least 2 significant upgrades).

Dubas' philosophy for years was to compensate his inability to bring in the help needed (primarily due to lack of cap space thanks to the Big 4's contracts) by trying to plug those holes at the TDL and no surprise that it didn't work.

Thankfully, Treliving didn't follow that trend last year - perhaps recognizing this team wasn't close enough to give up their dwindling asset pool - so we'll see if continues.

My only hope is that Shanny doesn't pressure him to do something foolish in the misguided belief that a few pick-ups will get this team over the hump; It won't.
 
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Ianturnedbull said:
I see your point, but with OEL/Tanev and solid goaltending they must be thinking: go for it. How many cracks at this does Shanny get?
Click to expand...

I just don't want to over-invest in this group knowing assets have to be paid to compensate for Auston Matthews massive under-delivery this year. If he has a big 4 Nations, comes back and is just consistently destroying the opposition with dominant play and health, okay I can be persuaded to get him some back up. But if he's dragging, inconsistent, up and down, low motivation, hints of health issues, I'm not blowing out all remaining futures to chase a long shot.
 
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Stephen said:
If Matthews isn’t giving you a foundational franchise level center performance and forcing the Leafs to go out and get a Tavares equivalent or slightly better or worse center to backfill 3C that just gives you a measure of how far off this team is this year. If the big gun isn’t at the level he’s supposed to be you’re going to throw a lot of assets to chase a long shot.
Click to expand...

Yep, they need another 2nd. line center.
Been my target all along, part of it is succession planning.

Even if Matthews isn't one of the Top Playoffs centers, their number 2 guy Tavares is 33rd.
Okay, while Matthews is one of the Top Playoff centers, he is keeping company with non-elite centers.
One would think he'd be pushing the top players in the game for chest thumping rights.
To me it indicates he doesn't have the support other centers do.

Leafs need more out of Tavares, or another center.

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NHL Stats

The official source for NHL Stats including skaters, goalies, teams stats and more.
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1739407770024.png
 
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I think we’re so far off from a Stanley Cup team that id rather sit this one out and retool in the summer. We don’t need rentals, we need long term solutions. We arguably went all in the ROR/Schenn/McCabe year and that barely got us to round 2 after trading 2 first rounders (one still hasn’t even been used yet).
 
bax said:
He's a former goalie who played some games with the Rangers. He's a regular on the radio here. Works as an analyst and might do some goalie work too if I remember correctly.
Click to expand...
He owns an analytics based company as well.
 
ULF_55 said:
Yep, they need another 2nd. line center.
Been my target all along, part of it is succession planning.

Even if Matthews isn't one of the Top Playoffs centers, their number 2 guy Tavares is 33rd.
Okay, while Matthews is one of the Top Playoff centers, he is keeping company with non-elite centers.
One would think he'd be pushing the top players in the game for chest thumping rights.
To me it indicates he doesn't have the support other centers do.

Leafs need more out of Tavares, or another center.

www.nhl.com

NHL Stats

The official source for NHL Stats including skaters, goalies, teams stats and more.
www.nhl.com www.nhl.com

View attachment 976353
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You're passing the buck on the 13M man. He had the same support last year and put up a franchise level performance. This year he's bringing everyone he plays with down. He's the problem imo, he needs to be fixed.
 
We haven't been healthy and we do need more out of our bottom 6.

Defensively, Rielly hasn't been good 98% of the year and we probably need one more guy back there.
 
This is his Shanahan's last year hopefully. The next guy will have some huge decisions to make to rectify all the mistakes Shanny/Dubas made in their team building approach. Should Treliving trade the few assets they have for one more run at it with this core group ? With a weaker Atlantic division this year it’s worth considering. I would give up Minten and a second for Brayden Schenn or Kadri and a lower pick for a RD. I want no part of Ryan O’Rielly who’s slower than Tavares. As for the off season, Tavares is apparently asking for $8M x 3 and Marner will be looking for $13M+ so no savings there to pay Knies and bring in the type of players they need as depth scoring a help and on the back end. Unless they go to at least the Conference Final I would let Marner walk and not pay Tavares more than $4M x 4 to play 3C and use the $18M left over to bring in the players they need to build a cup contender.
 
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