Toggle sidebar

This is becoming a team.

  • Xenforo Cloud has upgraded us to version 2.3.6. Please report any issues you experience.
I actually don’t care how they play in terms of strategy.

I’m most interested to see how they can adapt to the same 6 other teams throughout this mini tournament.

this is a season like no other.

it’s about being top 4 out of 7.

earning points (6 of 8 so far) is as important as not giving them away (3 of 8 so far).

every night, points will be given out to teams we are in direct competition with. This isn’t like giving away the gimmick point or a W to a team in another conference.

every game has meaning. Every game played by an opponent against an opponent will bring someone closer to our point total.

If we are to win games, it’s important that the game is won in the first 60 mins. No single points given to opponents.

If we are to lose games, it’s important to claw into OT to pick up that single.

This will be a fantastic lesson in being ready to play. In closing games out. And in competing in every single one.

something that is extremely important for this team to learn.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BAM, leafsfan2point0 and Buds17
I liked how mentally the team seemed to be able to fight back for the win against thr Habs. Structurally I think the teams systems have looked like they're running like a well oiled machine at both ends of the ice during the last couple games.

The overall vibe about the team seems more relaxed/friendly ect. The last couple have had some residual tensions over things like difficult contract negotiations lingering over them but that all seems ancient history at this point. The additions on strong personalities with Simmonds and Thornton have definitely helped on that regard
 
  • Like
Reactions: Twine Tickler
The first couple games were sloppy, but I feel the most confident about our defence that I probably have been since I became a hardcore fan in 2010. Brodie brings some added stability, and there are no weak links. Bogosian would be the weakest link but he's a role player and I'm pretty confident that he'll be fine as our rotating 5/6.

I've really liked the majority of our players so far. Vesey is decent, Thornton is fine (but probably doesn't belong on the first line), and while others haven't liked Simmonds, I think he's played well. Even Kerfoot looks closer to playoff Kerfoot than he does regular season Kerfoot.

It's also nice to have a competent backup so we don't just automatically lose 10% of our games. That's got to be extremely deflating.

Each of the big 4 have looked great.

Overall I'm pretty impressed. Let's see where it goes.
 
IPS said:
As much as I'd love to see Marner and Matthews get 5 points each beating McDavid and Drai, I'd much rather see a defensive lockdown. Everyone already knows the Leafs can win track meets.
Click to expand...
The leafs dont need a track meet to beat Edmonton. They need to play the same style. Let's talk about The Mathews line. All indications is that it is playing pretty good. Marner sits in the top range of forwards in the league, Thornton has scored and isnt terrible and Matthew's, while a bit slower on the scoresheet, isn't too far away from the top range. This has been accomplished with only a 7.1% shooting percentage...which is crazy low. This line is suffering from some low puck luck and should erupt to a baseline increase of more than 50% on the low end. This is bat shit crazy good and will begin lifting impressive wins into blowouts, as long as the defense remains steady and we dont shit the bed behind the net.
All this while the team is still finding chemistry. Keefe needs a steady as you go approach and not make a ton of top line adjustments.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Menzinger
The thing that I personally hated the most about this team was that they stopped playing in the end of the periods for some reason. I don't know who taught them to relax in the last couple of mins of the periods and it was getting frustrating.

It has already happened against Ottawa and Montreal this season where they let the paddle off and get scored on in dying mins. They have to play every shift like it's the first shift of the game. Go out there and get it done. I mean I still believe in them as I'm a hard-core fan and I continue to believe that this might be the year for all of my life, but I feel like this is the team and we will only get better as they all gel in with some time together on and off (oops forgot about COVID-19) the ice.
 
[Friedman] John Tavares yelled, “There you go!” Morgan Rielly gave a look of pleasant surprise. Zach Hyman belted, “We got a f***ing squad now.” And before Auston Matthews hit the dressing room door, ex-NHL star Jeff O'Neill hugged him & said, “Y’all look so different.”
 
  • Like
Reactions: Twine Tickler
It starts with John Tavares, in my opinion. He has been our best player every night. Even when not scoring, he's battling, backchecking, and driving play. Loved seeing him lipping at the Jets after that Pionk cheapshot on Marner.
 
Blue Nate said:
[Friedman] John Tavares yelled, “There you go!” Morgan Rielly gave a look of pleasant surprise. Zach Hyman belted, “We got a f***ing squad now.” And before Auston Matthews hit the dressing room door, ex-NHL star Jeff O'Neill hugged him & said, “Y’all look so different.”
Click to expand...

Nate what was the context for this? What was Mo pleasantly surprised by?
 
This team looks different for sure. The long stretches in the offensive zone is something they have not been able to do for a while. There have been at least 2-3 shifts per game where they have hemmed the opposition in their own end for almost a minute. I think defensively I am witnessing far more support from the forwards, allowing the d-men to make simpler plays exiting the zone. Breakouts have been crisp, and they seem to mix up the entries quite well to keep the opposition guessing. I know historically the formula was to clog up the neutral zone, because the Leafs liked to posses the puck over the far blue. I am noticing a lot more soft dump in's to the corners, followed by decent to good puck retrieval. It seems to be opening up the middle of the ice more when they actually do carry the puck into the zone. Overall, I am just seeing this team compete hard. Which is so refreshing, because I really felt this team did not have that all year last year. With the exception of maybe 5 games, probably less. Of course alot can change, and we have only seen 4 games. But these 4 games have been better than any 4 game stretch from last year, and I don't think its particularly close TBH. They are 3-1 in that stretch, and the offense is not even clicking yet. The best part is, this new found compete level and attention to the defensive side of the game I'd argue has improved their offence. They seemingly possess the puck more, and look to be wearing teams down. They are generating ALOT of high danger looks, just have not finished. This is the one thing we know will not last. I think someone posteed something in the PGT last game that their xGF was over 5G, and they had 1 PP. That is bananas. very happy with the start
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dragao6
The biggest issue with this team has been it's period to period consistency where they look like world beaters, only to not keep up the effort and shoot themselves in the foot the next period.

We saw that in the second game against Ottawa last Friday. Now the following game against Ottawa and Winnipeg appear to show some of the consistency we want to see but I'm going to reserve judgement until I can see them put consistent efforts in. And not just a full 60 minutes though a game, but for stretches of games at a time. Strings multi-game win streaks with controlled play.
 
I love how stubborn some people are with their Objective New Hockey Philosophy. So unwilling to admit that an injection of "Dinosaur Hockey" has improved this team.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cobra777
It’s still really early. Effort is there. Offence looking to break out. Better team d. Team is Still soft.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom