GDT: Trade Deadline Day

[JKG33]

Match ups are voodoo. The Leafs completely shart against a handful of lottery teams to the point where you want to start your own rebuild and yet the Carolina Hurricanes seem to coax out some excellent team play out of the Leafs. We haven’t played Florida yet, they seem to have a lot more momentum than us in a ramp up to the playoffs but until we see what they’re made of one on one you never know.

I agree with you about waiting and seeing. But based on what we know so far, Florida matches Toronto in skill but blows them away in heart and physicality. I'd expect either of Florida or Tampa to come in and blow the doors off the Leafs with their fast, tough play.

 

[Sypher04]

Dubas' little temper tantrum isn't going to help him out with other GMs

It’s not going to make a lick of difference. Also calling it a temper tantrum is a little much

 

[myleafs]

Instead of asking me, what would be your solution? Thats 3 posts questioning me now, and you havent come up with a single solution or differing opinion.

What should Dubas have done, oh wise one?

Because the solution is not coming thats why. We are talking about what we got and what we need and many around here including me are skeptical about our goalies. I dont have the answer but telling me dont worry our goalies will do fine doesnt make me feel any better about where we are at.

 

[phillipmike]

 

[therealkoho]

I had a feeling Dreger was telling the truth.

there's always a first time for everything

 

[myleafs]

What I find hilarious about all the Florida fear is that Florida has exact as many playoff round wins since '96 as we have since '04. But apparently they're an unbeatable powerhouse and we're easy first round fodder...

I think you are underestimating the Panthers and what they bring to the table.

 

[PromisedLand]

I agree with all your points and easy entry has been a staple of this team for a while now so I dont see that changing. We need average goaltending to compete but we need elite to win it all. We have not been getting even average goaltending for a while now. I just see this as our undoing. At least one1 softy ala our ex goalie per game and we are toast.

We just need to be play more defensive minded and with defense first attitude. Not allow easy entries; force opposition to dump the pucks and then hopefully have clean exits with transition. We have the skill to make it work. We just need the work ethic and attention to detail to go with it.

I am 100% positive if we clean up the mess I talked about and play defense first hockey, with the offensive skills and transition skills we have we should be able to compete well with anyone. But it starts with the big 4 i.e. leaders on the team. They have to commit to it! Of the big 4 the only one that seems to have committed to it this season IMO is Matthews. He is a beast in the d-zone and beast in the o-zone near the boards.

 

[myleafs]

If the cap worked, I wouldn't have minded throwing a late pick for Kessel. Wouldve given us another scoring threat, especially on the 2nd pp and the guy shows up for playoffs.

Bunting Matthews Marner
Nylander Tavares Kessel
Mikheyev Kampf Blackwell
Engvall Spezza Simmonds/Kase(health)/Knies

Rielly Lyubushkin
Giordano Brodie
Muzzin Liljegren/Holl

kessel and Nylander go into the corner for the puck.....nah...thats never gonna happen

 

[Nylanderthal]

Trust me, if this team wins a round nobody will be happier than me. If you feel good about this teams chances against Florida/Tampa/Boston/Carolina, I mean good for you. But from an objective point of view, we are massive underdogs in every single one of those potential matchups.

See you next year as in this years result is already determined with our goaltending issues, I'll still watch the games. Hell I'm going to 2 games this coming week lol, but I have a very difficult time believing this group can do anything with this putrid goaltending.

They’ve outplayed Carolina this season in head to head games aside from the 5th game of the year.
Boston doesn’t scare me anymore and frankly I’m sure the team would welcome that challenge.
They matchup stylistically and skill wise with Tampa pretty well, and Florida has as many questions as this team does. Would they be “favorites” in a series? No, but all four of those are coin flips

 

[myleafs]

And you feel better with a head case like Reimer, who (in pretty much every aspect, from style to numbers to success to injury luck) has had a career identical to Mrazek? Both have had some really low lows, and some really high highs.

Mrazek has had stretches of games where he is virtually unbeatable. If that comes in the playoffs, we are winning a series.

And then there is also Kallgren/Woll. It is not the first time a rookie goalie, behind a high end team (which we are), can go on a hot run. We have had some terrible luck with goaltending, and we have had that with both proven options (Andersen) and unproven options (Campbell) fail to outplay the other guy. Do I expect Kallgren to outplay a guy like Shestyerkin or Vasilevsky? No. I don't expect MAF, Varlamov, etc. to do so either and I also didn't expect Korpisalo to outperform Andersen and yet he did by a fair bit. We will obviously need a goalie who can play above expectations regardless of what happens, and I don't see why our guys can't be the ones who do that.

Maybe waivers is exactly what Mrazek needed to get his **** together.

Not for the leafs he hasn't

 

[Nylanderthal]

We just need to be play more defensive minded and with defense first attitude. Not allow easy entries; force opposition to dump the pucks and then hopefully have clean exits with transition. We have the skill to make it work. We just need the work ethic and attention to detail to go with it.

I am 100% positive if we clean up the mess I talked about and play defense first hockey, with the offensive skills and transition skills we have we should be able to compete well with anyone. But it starts with the big 4 i.e. leaders on the team. They have to commit to it! Of the big 4 the only one that seems to have committed to it this season IMO is Matthews. He is a beast in the d-zone and beast in the o-zone near the boards.

Marner is an elite pk and defensive guy. JT is winning more puck battles than anyone in hockey. Willy needs to engage more.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Till this day...I still relish the fact the bruins had 3 chances to get Barzal and they missed all 3 chances to get him. The Zach Senshyn and Debrusk always reminds me of it

 

[Morgs]

Because the solution is not coming thats why. We are talking about what we got and what we need and many around here including me are skeptical about our goalies. I dont have the answer but telling me dont worry our goalies will do fine doesnt make me feel any better about where we are at.

I don't give a shit about making you feel better. My opinion is that Jack will bounce back and that grabbing guys like Reimer or Georgiev (essentially the only two guys rumored available) may have not even been an upgrade.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Marner is an elite pk and defensive guy. JT is winning more puck battles than anyone in hockey. Willy needs to engage more.

Willy is the classic when is engaged, good lord why isn't he always like this and can be with the best. I can give him a pass and what not if he just does what he did in the playoffs lol

 

[Contenderorpretender]

Marner is an elite pk and defensive guy. JT is winning more puck battles than anyone in hockey. Willy needs to engage more.

I'm not the biggest fan of nylander. But in the playoffs he does turn it up.

 

[myleafs]

Exactly and everybody talk about goalie problem in toronto but bobrovsky amount all active goalie with at least 5 playoff game played, only jonathan Bernier get worst stats than him !!!

Not that I agree with your analysis.....but ....So because maybe another team might have shitty goaltending as well it makes it ok that we do?

 

[TheDoldrums]

I agree with you about waiting and seeing. But based on what we know so far, Florida matches Toronto in skill but blows them away in heart and physicality. I'd expect either of Florida or Tampa to come in and blow the doors off the Leafs with their fast, tough play.

Florida matches Toronto in skill but our PP is #1 and they are #10? Matthews might be the best player in the world right now, do they even have anyone in the top 10? 15?

You can expect all you like but you're acting like we're the Washington Generals going against the Globetrotters ffs

 

[therealkoho]

kessel and Nylander go into the corner for the puck.....nah...thats never gonna happen

and Phil comes out with a hot-dog

 

[Nylanderthal]

Not for the leafs he hasn't

Well then he’s overdue for one of those stretches. That’s as reasonable a bet as it is bringing in one of the available guys aside from MAF

 

[4thline]

Also the most versatile. Plays all three forward positions, PP, PK, faceoffs. We could use another utility forward. Kerfoot is really our only one. Oh well, always the off-season.

Agreed, before we got Blackwell he was my number one target up front. We we only really had room/need for one add at F.

 

[Nylanderthal]

I'm not the biggest fan of nylander. But in the playoffs he does turn it up.

I’m sure you can assume by my handle I’m a big fan and agree with you

 

[JKG33]

Florida matches Toronto in skill but our PP is #1 and they are #10? Matthews might be the best player in the world right now, do they even have anyone in the top 10? 15?

You can expect all you like but you're acting like we're the Washington Generals going against the Globetrotters ffs

Florida's physical players like Bennett, Marchment, and Lomberg are going to have a field day with the Leafs small soft players. They'll force the Leafs to have Simmonds and Clifford in the lineup, who are liabilities.

Also I'd bet the acquisition of Giroux closes the PP gap between the teams at minimum

 

[Peace Frog]

I’m not a huge Giordano fan, but I imagine he is going to be a very big help to this team. He’s still a top four dman and prides himself on his defensive play. That’s an area the Leafs needed to address, and did.

Really would have liked to see us get a big but skilled physical LW’er for our second line, but oh well. Like some have already said, our core 4 have to bring a playoff calibre effort. Being cute and fancy isn’t going to cut it.

Matthews has to bring a more physical element and some more snarl to his playoff game.

Marner just has to be more complete in mixing up his game. He’ll need to be a double threat in shooting and passing. Honestly, I’m not too concerned with him.

JT needs to stay healthy and find ways to stay effective. His lack of speed seems to be a real issue, but he has so much else that he can bring and we’re really going to need it.

Then there’s Willy…. Oh Willy! Yes, he had a real solid playoff against Montreal. I’ll give him that. But good gawd, he better pick up his give a sh!t level this go around. He has so much skill, but his heart and intensity???

Sorry for the long post, folks!

P.S. GO LEAFS GO!!

 

[JKG33]

Do you ever stop?

Do you?

 

[myleafs]

I don't give a shit about making you feel better. My opinion is that Jack will bounce back and that grabbing guys like Reimer or Georgiev (essentially the only two guys rumored available) may have not even been an upgrade.

whoa there big fellow...puffing out your chest...you sure showed me. Relax bud we are just spitballing talking hockey, its not that serious that you need to be aggressive about it.