Training Camp Thread - First round of Cuts Made (10 players)

[Territory]

James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 20m
Goodbye swarm. RT @globehockey Leafs make defensive-zone changes at start of training camp http://*******/1sL8kPq

 

[BertCorbeau]

@HennyTweets: Day 1 of drills and scrimmages in the books. Thought Stuart Percy and Jake Gardiner looked so smooth. Morgan Rielly too. #TMLtalk

There's a name not many people have been talking about recently .. Quietly going about his business I remember he had a great season in the AHL last year, another dark horse to get some playing time this year with the Leafs

 

[Leafidelity]

James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 20m
Goodbye swarm. RT @globehockey Leafs make defensive-zone changes at start of training camp http://*******/1sL8kPq

 

[Daisy Jane]

is the swarm thingy what we tried to do last year?

 

[Leafidelity]

Swarm was the reason we set the NHL record for most shots against. The wingers collapse low and allow point shots. So as soon as other teams picked up on it, they started riffling shots from the blueline all night.

 

[leafstilldeath*]

According to the interviews I saw the changes is not too big; they are keeping the swarm so to speak with minor changes.

Source:
Kadri, Franson and Bernier interview

 

[Daisy Jane]

Swarm was the reason we set the NHL record for most shots against. The wingers collapse low and allow point shots. So as soon as other teams picked up on it, they started riffling shots from the blueline all night.

ohoo
i didn't know it actually had a name.

i always assumed it was called duck and cover.

 

[Mystifo]

is the swarm thingy what we tried to do last year?

I am not 100% sure our system actually had a "name" but this seems to be what they are calling it.

 

[The Jersey Number]

Anyone happen to have a numerical listing of the Leafs training camp roster?

 

[mikebel111*]

There's a name not many people have been talking about recently .. Quietly going about his business I remember he had a great season in the AHL last year, another dark horse to get some playing time this year with the Leafs

I will be doing a write up on Stuart soon. I agree he is getting not mentioned. Had a great season last year and will get an increased role this year.
I expect him to get a few games this season and battle for full time spot next season

 

[dimi78]

James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 20m
Goodbye swarm. RT @globehockey Leafs make defensive-zone changes at start of training camp http://*******/1sL8kPq

According to the interviews I saw the changes is not too big; they are keeping the swarm so to speak with minor changes.

Source:
Kadri, Franson and Bernier interview

As usual the media has no clue about the game yet we take their opinions of what they see as fact. Media says no swarm players say still their.

Swarm was the reason we set the NHL record for most shots against. The wingers collapse low and allow point shots. So as soon as other teams picked up on it, they started riffling shots from the blueline all night.

No it wasn't. It was the lack of an offensive zone puck possession game that was responsible for that. When you play the game for more than half the game without the puck this is the cause & effect.

There's a reason why the Leafs were outshot every game and no it wasn't the SWARM we didn't generate anywhere near respectable offensive zone time #PuckPossesionHockey

That 5min clip did you guys see much of stretch pass chip & chase? That's the big change I got was the players were holding on to the puck and skating with it using there speed to create passing lanes with players in close support.

 

[Cor]

The swarm is actually an effective style, but only if it's done right.

 

[dimi78]

The swarm is actually an effective style, but only if it's done right.

The swarm works best when the other team gets position on you with their cycle. It's designed to keep perimeter shots. Our issue was when we got the puck there was very little in PMD play. You know hold the puck skate with it suck a forchecker too you opening up a short pass. We were guilty of stretch pass chipn & chase predictable hockey from our damn D zone breakout.

This is why I suggested the team forget about the floating center ice line and breakout like the 2 line offside was in place like the game was played long time ago.

#FreeJakeGardiner & FreeMorganRielly

 

[sda]

The swarm is actually an effective style, but only if it's done right.

I agree what the leafs played last year was not even recognizable as a swarm system.when I heard that the leafs were playing a swarm I didnt believe it because it was the poorest executed swarm I have seen. What they played was the exact opposite of a succesful swarm

 

[leafstilldeath*]

As usual the media has no clue about the game yet we take their opinions of what they see as fact. Media says no swarm players say still their.

Just posting the videos in case some posters start pointing fingers without putting an effort to prove their point. They made some minor tweaks to the "swarm" system from last season its not a "good-bye" as some dumb reporters are suggesting. This post is not directed @dimi78.

[nhl]631306[/nhl]

[nhl]631283[/nhl]

[nhl]631278[/nhl]

 

[dimi78]

Just posting the videos in case some posters start pointing fingers without putting an effort to prove their point. They made some minor tweaks to the "swarm" system from last season its not a "good-bye" as some dumb reporters are suggesting. This post is not directed @dimi78.

[nhl]631306[/nhl]

[nhl]631283[/nhl]

[nhl]631278[/nhl]

I knew you weren't directing that towards me... FYI More than half the league use the swarm when defending off the cycle do to man coverage has been limited with the rules of no clutch & grab. Carlyle isn't wrong when he said if a goalie gets beat from the outside where the swarm gives up shots that they would go and find another goalie. More than half of those record breaking shots the Leafs gave up last year were routine saves. We didn't really play horrible defensively last season we just spent too much time defending where breakdowns are inevitable. We could have used some better shot blocking prowess but our lack of an offensive puck possession game from the breakout into the offensive zone left the team sitting ducks in the D zone cause the puck just came back in easily time & time again.

 

[leafstilldeath*]

I knew you weren't directing that towards me... FYI More than half the league use the swarm when defending off the cycle do to man coverage has been limited with the rules of no clutch & grab. Carlyle isn't wrong when he said if a goalie gets beat from the outside where the swarm gives up shots that they would go and find another goalie. More than half of those record breaking shots the Leafs gave up last year were routine saves. We didn't really play horrible defensively last season we just spent too much time defending where breakdowns are inevitable. We could have used some better shot blocking prowess but our lack of an offensive puck possession game from the breakout into the offensive zone left the team sitting ducks in the D zone cause the puck just came back in easily time & time again.

BINGO!

PMDs/Centers if they cannot drive the possession especially when breaking out well good luck getting out lol.

someone has to skate the puck out or have good short-passes.

 

[BigWilly]

Kadri is looking awesome...

Frattin, Holland, Nylander looked good.

Just for fun...

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Holland - Frattin
Leivo - Kadri - Santorelli
Komarov - Kontiola - Winnik

 

[Cor]

It appears Nylander is off to a terrific start.

How many times have I said I wouldn't be surprised if he made the team?

 

[Menzinger]

James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 20m
Goodbye swarm. RT @globehockey Leafs make defensive-zone changes at start of training camp http://*******/1sL8kPq

Thank god.

The 'swarm' failed here. It had also failed when he tried to implement it with a much stronger roaster when Carlyle was with the Ducks (one of the reasons he was fired).

 

[Center Ice Scrum*]

Kadri is looking awesome...

Frattin, Holland, Nylander looked good.

Just for fun...

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Holland - Frattin
Leivo - Kadri - Santorelli
Komarov - Kontiola - Winnik

What happened to booth?

 

[Menzinger]

There's a reason why the Leafs were outshot every game and no it wasn't the SWARM we didn't generate anywhere near respectable offensive zone time #PuckPossesionHockey

It can be hard to develop breakouts when you have your wingers so deep in your own end - which is a direct product of the 'swarm'. The lack of offensive zone time, in my view, is directly correlated to our ineffective defensive system.

 

[King85Kong]

Hopefully the swarm goes away. We are not the right team for it. When the other team has the puck deep in our end and faces pressure they know that they can throw it back to the point as the player will be wide open to continue the play. And its also hard to break out when your wingers are so deep, lack of outlet pass options. If a team constantly gives up 40+ shots a night, some will bound to go in from goalie mistakes, rebounds or deflections. No goalie is perfect despite what our coach says. A major problem as mentioned by another poster is our weak offensive pressure numbers. We usually skate the puck down, take a shot and are immediately back on the defense. Need more players that are comfortable with carrying the puck in and setting up the play. Its a whole lot easier playing defense when you got the puck.

 

[dimi78]

It can be hard to develop breakouts when you have your wingers so deep in your own end - which is a direct product of the 'swarm'. The lack of offensive zone time, in my view, is directly correlated to our ineffective defensive system.

Slap happy stretch pass off the wall was our break out. What happen when the team was down and our 2 excellent PMD had the ball and chain lifted? You have it backwards. Our puck possession game the lack of it left this team sitting ducks. We didn't just stink with a puck possession game from the breakout. We sucked in the cycle as well. Stationary, not skating, trying to work the wall these were all cuprits that killed us. We have speed and skill yet we rarely used it with short passes in the cycle. Montreal ran the warm why were they able to breakout and work the cycle with not a team built with size & grit? PMD were used right and they used there strength of speed & skill. Even Chicago ran the swarm but that team is a puck possession machine.... That's what we should be striving for not play the grind off the wall stationary game when we lacked those players. Adjust, adjust adjust.

There's more ways than just size to run the cycle we never adjusted in any of it both from the breakout to sustain puck possession nor within the cycle. We weren't perfect no team is thus this quote once again from Sutter who wait for it runs the swarm when defending the cycle LA KINGS

"The big thing in today’s game is you have to be able forecheck and backcheck, and you have to have the puck," Sutter said over the weekend (h/t Ryan Lambert). "You can’t give the puck up. We don’t play in our zone, so there’s not much defending."

With the rules in place to eliminate the clutch & grab this what teams that play defense are all about in todays game and again a Sutter quote sound familiar?

"The game’s changed. They think there’s defending in today’s game. Nah, it’s how much you have the puck. Teams that play around in their own zone (say) they’re defending but they’re generally getting scored on or taking face-offs and they need a goalie to stand on his head if that’s the way they play,†said Sutter.

These are quotes from a coach who utilizes a form of the swarm It's not the swarm neither the team defense. It's our offense that's brutal but people turn a blind eye to it cause we have individual players that can score goals.

 

[Kbs]

1:06.. that was awesome.

That was a ridiculous pass lol.