• For users coming over from tmlfans.ca your username will remain the same but you will need to use the password reset feature (check your spam folder) on the login page in order to set your password. If you encounter issues, email Rick couchmanrick@gmail.com

2017-18 Toronto Maple Leafs - General Discussion

WhatIfGodWasALeaf said:
With eyes on tomorrow night...

Drouin, Patches and Benn are all out of practice today for the Habs with the flu.
Click to expand...

I don't know about you, but whenever this sort of stuff happens, it seems the Leafs lose.
 
Lines from practice.

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Marleau-Kadri-Komarov
van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Marner
Martin-Moore-Brown
Sosh, Leivo

Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Borgman-Carrick
Polak
 
At what point do we fans become concerned with the slumping possession numbers?  If they stay that way after Matthews comes back?  Right now I have a hard time distinguishing what is happening now from what happened during the Kessel years.
 
Significantly Insignificant said:
At what point do we fans become concerned with the slumping possession numbers?  If they stay that way after Matthews comes back?  Right now I have a hard time distinguishing what is happening now from what happened during the Kessel years.
Click to expand...

Corsi is a proxy for possession, but not necessarily a proxy for how dangerous a team is (see LA Kings last season).

Case in point last Saturday's game vs. Boston, when they shelled us for a bajillion chances and McElhinney stood tall. Watch those shots again, and you'll see McElhinney just playing like a goalie is expected to, and Boston just firing it into the crest or pads from not that close in.

So the similarities with Carlyle's Leafs are that giving up lots of shots, but trying to keep them all to the outside. The Leafs right now are similarly letting some shots attempts through, but largely making sure they're not strenuous to save (a lot fewer rebound efforts lately).
 
herman said:
Significantly Insignificant said:
At what point do we fans become concerned with the slumping possession numbers?  If they stay that way after Matthews comes back?  Right now I have a hard time distinguishing what is happening now from what happened during the Kessel years.
Click to expand...

Corsi is a proxy for possession, but not necessarily a proxy for how dangerous a team is (see LA Kings last season).

Case in point last Saturday's game vs. Boston, when they shelled us for a bajillion chances and McElhinney stood tall. Watch those shots again, and you'll see McElhinney just playing like a goalie is expected to, and Boston just firing it into the crest or pads from not that close in.

So the similarities with Carlyle's Leafs are that giving up lots of shots, but trying to keep them all to the outside. The Leafs right now are similarly letting some shots attempts through, but largely making sure they're not strenuous to save (a lot fewer rebound efforts lately).
Click to expand...

Also, in two of the last 3 games, they were awfully close to 50% at even-strength - which, while not great, also isn't bad considering they've been without their best forward. They're allowing the puck to their goalie more than they're getting it to the other team's goalie, but they're putting roughly the same amount of pucks towards the net - and that's a huge difference from the Carlyle era.
 
herman said:
Significantly Insignificant said:
At what point do we fans become concerned with the slumping possession numbers?  If they stay that way after Matthews comes back?  Right now I have a hard time distinguishing what is happening now from what happened during the Kessel years.
Click to expand...

Corsi is a proxy for possession, but not necessarily a proxy for how dangerous a team is (see LA Kings last season).

Case in point last Saturday's game vs. Boston, when they shelled us for a bajillion chances and McElhinney stood tall. Watch those shots again, and you'll see McElhinney just playing like a goalie is expected to, and Boston just firing it into the crest or pads from not that close in.

So the similarities with Carlyle's Leafs are that giving up lots of shots, but trying to keep them all to the outside. The Leafs right now are similarly letting some shots attempts through, but largely making sure they're not strenuous to save (a lot fewer rebound efforts lately).
Click to expand...

I trust what you are saying Herman, but I remember that being something that the team would point to during the Carlyle years as well.  They would say stuff like "We give up a lot of shots, but we are keeping them to the outside". 

Now that may have just been something that the coaching staff were saying to keep fans happy so maybe it isn't really relevant in this case.  I just wonder how much Matthews contributes to their positive possession metrics over the last couple of years (for example that Chicago game were he was in the 70's against the Kane line).  Even still, the first year Babcock was here, their numbers were good, they just couldn't score.  Now that it seems they can score, it feels like those numbers are starting to tank again.  Also even early in the year, they seemed to be on the positive side of the shot count more often than not. 

Anyways, it may just be an anomaly, but it is something that has been going on in this recent ten game set.  Just seeing if I need to prepare myself for 18 wheeler time.

*EDIT*
Funny just found this:

http://www.tsn.ca/video/without-matthews-leafs-have-been-outshot-in-key-areas-2-1~1263821
 
Leivo signs a one year extension ending UFA fears.

925k

Do they try and squeeze him through waivers?

Teams might be put off by the extra year?

Probably not.
 
While we're all churning the pot of doom and gloom even though the Leafs are on a winning streak, there is a story in numbers, and if it is to be believed, then the question becomes the why & the how.

The link below here attempts to answer the above.  Hint: Connor Brown has highest team minutes in a defensive role; shifting Marleau between Hyman & Brown and placing Nylander with Kadri & Komarov gives Babcock plenty of line fluidity.  Marleau, in Matthews' absence has been the best 5v5 Leaf forward.

While we all know how the Leafs are winning is in all probability non-sustainable, there is another reason.  Name?  Frederik Andersen, goaltender with the best save % in the league right now (during the course of this Leafs winning streak).

Check out Mirtle's review:
https://theathletic.com/158076/2017/11/17/mirtle-why-the-maple-leafs-are-undefeated-without-auston-matthews/
 
How the Leafs stack up in the eyes of the people:  (user's of the report card section of The Athletic app)

[tweet]932726630711140352[/tweet]
 
@jonassiegel
Babcock confirms that Martin is healthy. Stands to be a healthy scratch Friday for the first time as a Leaf.
 
herman said:
Deebo said:
@jonassiegel
Babcock confirms that Martin is healthy. Stands to be a healthy scratch Friday for the first time as a Leaf.
Click to expand...

Sound the celebration alarm! Babcock has caught up to the boards from last year! Numfar! Do the dance of joy!

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/933761145042817024
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure Herman has kidnapped Mike Babcock and taken his place.  That's why he was so snippy to those reporters about the lines question.  It was really Herman, who was afraid of being found out.  (psst Herman, move Nylander to centre).
 
https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/933782364429438976

Josh Leivo:

giphy.gif
 
Significantly Insignificant said:
I'm pretty sure Herman has kidnapped Mike Babcock and taken his place.  That's why he was so snippy to those reporters about the lines question.  It was really Herman, who was afraid of being found out.  (psst Herman, move Nylander to centre).
Click to expand...

When have I ever been snippy*?  ;D

* not counting that time I ran down the hall with scissors on each hand
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

About Us

This website is NOT associated with the Toronto Maple Leafs or the NHL.


It is operated by Rick Couchman and Jeff Lewis.
Back
Top