Currently, as of today type currently, the Leafs have 3 players resting in the top 35 positions of goal scoring in the NHL. No team has more. If we need a finisher, so too does every other team in the league.
We Need A Finisher
- Thread starter OB34KNH
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Leaftors
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Damisoph
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Of anything in this thread I can agree with this. Not only to keep the goalie honest but to keep the coverage a bit more spread out, giving our forwards more space to do their thing.
zeke
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Leafs' PP
#2 goals/60
#1 expected goals/60
#1 shots/60
#1 unblocked shot attempts/60
#2 shot attempts/60
Leafs PP needs what now?
#2 goals/60
#1 expected goals/60
#1 shots/60
#1 unblocked shot attempts/60
#2 shot attempts/60
Leafs PP needs what now?
7even
Offered and lost
"Get a better goalie," is something I'm all for in theory, and much less convinced about in practice. You just never know how they're gonna play man. You get a 60pt forward, you can be fairly sure he's going to be roughly a 60pt forward. Goalies? Spin the wheel.
SeaOfBlue
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There are certain things you can target. Fundamentally, getting someone who has a level of consistency and technical ability/positioning is one. Athleticism is another. Right now Andersen is definitely lacking in the former two, and the latter has taken a major hit with more injuries as well.
My main concern is that if you do add a 60 point forward, it won't really make a difference if your goalie is not going to make the key saves. We are going to run into hot goalies, or will not be able to score in huge bunches, and our goalie needs to keep us in those games... Especially when we have the momentum and the run of play. That is what Tampa received from Vasilevsky and that helped them weather the same sort of issues we were facing with Columbus and Korpisalo.
7even
Offered and lost
I'm confident our pro scouting department can identify good goalies, I don't think that's a problem. But the baseline uncertainty with goaltenders is higher than other positions and seems to always be there. Are goalies more vulnerable to team composition and systems choice? I don't know. But there's something confounding about the position that makes them riskier and less predictable acquisitions.
Yeah I don't actually have much of an appetite for getting another forward I was just trying to make a point that forwards seem to be a lot more "transferable" between teams. If anything I'd rather target another second pair D as injury insurance. You're definitely right that upgrading goal would make the biggest impact though.
Leaftors
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The Best Leafs Ever
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People who call for Robertson need to calm down big time. Is he good? Of course, is he ready for NHL? Yes and no. Yes in terms of hockey skills, and shot. No in terms of physically ready and on ice awareness. He needs to fill his small frame a tid bit more and develop some good awareness for the plays that's happening on the ice.
Will he help us out this season, yes. There's more to development then throwing in every 18-19 years old out there. Kid is only 5'9 164lbs. You keep him in AHL and have him dominate it while also prepping him for the next step.
Lets be patient here, we are 1 goalie short from winning it all not 1 finisher away. Scoring is least of our problems. I mean we are one of the top teams in GF this season FFS.
Will he help us out this season, yes. There's more to development then throwing in every 18-19 years old out there. Kid is only 5'9 164lbs. You keep him in AHL and have him dominate it while also prepping him for the next step.
Lets be patient here, we are 1 goalie short from winning it all not 1 finisher away. Scoring is least of our problems. I mean we are one of the top teams in GF this season FFS.
613Leafer
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We're 2nd in the league for goals per game and 1st in the North Division for goals per game.
Goal production is NOT a priority. It's literally this teams greatest strength. Our biggest need is probably adding a physical two-way forward, who can help us in the playoffs where rules magically change every year and 75% of the things that were penalties in the regular season are no longer penalties.
Goal production is NOT a priority. It's literally this teams greatest strength. Our biggest need is probably adding a physical two-way forward, who can help us in the playoffs where rules magically change every year and 75% of the things that were penalties in the regular season are no longer penalties.
Larcos_Unal
Registered Nurse
Caroline Says ll
Mmm
One of the funniest aspects of being a fan when a team is great is the roster issues which get focused on.
"Our second line isn't at a PPG level!"
"Why is our third line missing all of their glorious scoring chances"
"We only have one pure goal scorer"
While there are negatives to this team, these aren't them. The Leafs have one the top producing second lines in the league. The fact that the third line is generating so much offence is rare in this league. Two of the Leafs players are 4 goals removed from third in the league in goals.
"Our second line isn't at a PPG level!"
"Why is our third line missing all of their glorious scoring chances"
"We only have one pure goal scorer"
While there are negatives to this team, these aren't them. The Leafs have one the top producing second lines in the league. The fact that the third line is generating so much offence is rare in this league. Two of the Leafs players are 4 goals removed from third in the league in goals.
ICBM
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- Apr 8, 2009
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There is no 'finish problem'. There is a problem with penetration. They get few quality chances. Too soft to storm the crease. They brought Thornton and Simmonds to fill the power forwards roles, but that is not enough.
Plus Rielly can't get the pucks through. Useless vs tight defense.
Plus Rielly can't get the pucks through. Useless vs tight defense.
I would say finishing without penetrating is for sure a problem and you're right, if you're too soft you won't be able to penetrate
zeke
The Dube Abides
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Teeder Keon
Defeat does not rest lightly on their shoulders
Kinds down the road and on a side bar
But .....
This young prospect looks like he could add done finishing down the road for us
Veeti Miettinen
But .....
This young prospect looks like he could add done finishing down the road for us
Veeti Miettinen
ICBM
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Leafs do. When they face teams that play tight defensive game. Football term 'penetration'. describes this problem. Boston and Columbus limited their penetration ability quite well.
Statically, the Leafs ran over Columbus compared to what Columbus was during the regular season as did Tampa in the next round. While Columbus was a top 3 defensive team in the NHL last year, they were well below average in both series they played in. The massive outlier from Columbus in the playoffs was just how hard they were being carried by goaltending, which was unexpected.
The Jackets were awful offensively, disappointingly bad defensively but all world in net.
I really dont think their strategy was "Hey, Lets give the Leafs 30% more scoring chances this series than we averaged during the regular season and hope our keepers become the best in the world". It somehow turned out that way though.
The only reason Tampa didnt suffer the same fate was because they had Vasy in net to hold the fort unitl the Jackets goalies came back down to earth. Part of the reason Korpisalo set the all time playoff saves in a game record.
The Jackets team play wasnt great, their keepers were. It happens.
zeke
The Dube Abides
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well, the BJs needed all sorts of help from their goalie to "limit penetration".
but yes, the elite defenses are tougher to penetrate.
thankfully, the Leafs do it better than most anyone.
Boston playoffs opponents 18-19:
TOR 2.31xgf/60
CBJ 1.95xgf/60
STL 1.88xgf/60
CAR 1.71xf/60
Jackets playoffs opponents 19-20:
TBL 2.18xgf/60
TOR 2.13xgf/60
Its a little head scratching to me. Leaving out the final Tampa game where Korpisalo finally caved, probably due to sheer exhaustion.....
Toronto shooting % vs Columbus: 5.29% in 332:34 TOI (10.3% during the regular season)
Tampa shooting% vs. Columbus the first 4 games: 4.97% in 330:27 TOI (11.17% during the regular season and 1st in the NHL)
Columbus D numbers over this stretch:
Shots Against/60: 4th most out of 24 teams
Scoring Chances Against/60: 2nd most out of 24 teams.
High Danger Chances Against/60: 6th most out of 24 teams
Expected Goals Against/60: 6th most out of 24 teams
Are these the rankings of a good defensive team?
Call me crazy but I think this number is obviously the reason why the Jackets made any noise last year:
Team save%: 94.86
Toronto shooting % vs Columbus: 5.29% in 332:34 TOI (10.3% during the regular season)
Tampa shooting% vs. Columbus the first 4 games: 4.97% in 330:27 TOI (11.17% during the regular season and 1st in the NHL)
Columbus D numbers over this stretch:
Shots Against/60: 4th most out of 24 teams
Scoring Chances Against/60: 2nd most out of 24 teams.
High Danger Chances Against/60: 6th most out of 24 teams
Expected Goals Against/60: 6th most out of 24 teams
Are these the rankings of a good defensive team?
Call me crazy but I think this number is obviously the reason why the Jackets made any noise last year:
Team save%: 94.86
we are probably in the top 3 most offensively skilled teams in the league already, that is not what we need
