2018-19 Toronto Maple Leafs - General Discussion

[herman]

I'd like to see Babcock give up on the checking/match-up line and just roll trios that have talent enough to score and enough defensive acumen not get burned going the other way.

So gimme:

Hyman - Tavares - Marner (it's working so far, Hyman's speed and ability to disrupt defensemen is all Tavares and Marner seem to need to work)

Marleau - Matthews - Kapanen (Mathews can do a lot on his own, including (this season) get through the NZ and into the OZ; Kapanen has skill and speed enough to do that, plus the wheels to get to and hands to recover the puck; and Marleau's a fine secondary scoring threat and responsible winger)

Johnsson/Lindholm - Kadri - Nylander (LW options, at least when/if Johnsson gets going, are good without the puck and defensively responsible, while both Kadri and Nylander can enter the zone, pass, and shoot -- a good rush combo)

And a 4th line that can do what the one we had in Dallas did in the 3rd period -- keep it a cycle going in the offensive zone and eat time. Between Lindholm (positionally sound), Ennis, Brown (quick, tenacious on the puck, though not great hands), Gauthier and Leivo (big bodies who showed they could sustain pressure), the Leafs have the players to do that.

I'm largely in agreement (roll them 4 lines because we're the scary ones). However, I do wonder about playstyle chemistry (lol).

It is oft-said that great players make the players around them better (Babcock recently said this of Toews, Crosby routinely elevates randos into household name status, the Islanders paid Tavares' linemates as if they were unaware of this effect...); I think there is also a case to be made that there are times when players are too great for their linemates and it hinders the whole line when the styles are too offset by that talent differential.

It works for the likes of Crosby and Tavares because their game and playstyle is largely lunchpail hockey, with dialed up puckhandling and finishing ability. It's easy to play with them if you're already a grinder who can skate and can just get to certain spots regularly.

With Matthews, it's very different. Even with Nylander when he was on the Marlies, there are highlight reels of players missing what Nylander was dishing because it was too fast, too slick, too unexpected. The pair of them gestaltly elevate one another like no one else on the team can, except maybe Marner. Kapanen is a very capable substitute on Matthews' wing (fast, right spots, plenty of skill, Euro-hockey style), but right now you're seeing him through the direct contrast to Tyler Ennis at an extremely small sample size to boot. I think this is a great opportunity for Kapanen to show the coaching staff what the Marlies already know, and that he's the real deal, but I think we're underselling Nylander's effect. Speaking from a 4D salary cap chess perspective, Kapanen is due for a raise and when Nylander's back, he's cost controlled.

Kadri-Nylander hasn't worked in the past that we've seen, although how much of that was Komarov on the opposite flank it's hard to say. I just think that if Nylander is not centering a line, the team is best served with him pseudo-centering Matthews. I like the eventual Johnsson - Kadri - Kapanen approach, as they're all going to get special teams minutes to offset being third fiddle to Matthews/Tavares.

Something extra weird to try if we want Matthews - Kapanen to live on:

Kadri - Tavares - Marner (Mark Hunter Special - shutdown + score a crapload)
Marleau - Matthews - Kapanen (working so far)
Johnsson - Nylander - Hyman (sheltered scoring, with the bonus of putting Hyman on his strong side = 20 goals probably)
Gauthier/Leivo - Lindholm/Gauthier - Brown

 

[herman]

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2018/10/10/ken-hitchcock-on-the-toronto-maple-leafs-they-get-credit-for-how-fast-they-play-offensively-but-their-strength-is-how-fast-they-play-defensively-they-are-way-more-accomplished-on-the-200-foot-g/

Shining Babcock's shoes aside, Ken Hitchcock delivers some good coach's insight.

He has an interesting suggestion on how to defend against a PP like the Leafs: essentially just give up defending the point/Rielly and play 4-on-4 down low. Makes sense. As good as Rielly is he's clearly the least dangerous offensive weapon out there, both in terms of pure talent and position on the ice. Generally speaking most PKs do keep all their defenders down low, but when the puck goes to the point one guy will usually go out to chase, and that spreads everyone out and opens up lanes.

Another thing I liked about Hitchcock's remarks here was that he called Toronto's powerplay design a 'downhill' strategy, which is very Ender's Game.

That first power-play unit is at about 50% so far. Put your PK hat on. What are you trying to do besides not take penalties to slow the Toronto power play down?

Hitchcock: The new power play, there are about seven or eight teams that use power plays like this. The term I use is, ?downhill.? This is a downhill power play that is very hard to defend, so you have to make a decision on what you are going to give up.

 

[disco]

Great analysis Herman. I, as well, would like to gestaltly elevate others.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Proud stats:

[tweet]1050570003651522561[/tweet]

 

[leafsjunkie]

Proud stats:

[tweet]1050570003651522561[/tweet]

They have the league's top 4 scorer's....

 

[hockeyfan1]

Even though the Leafs have not played any top team yet, still, the team is making headlines in more than many categories:

- excellent scoring

- imoroved possession ratings

- improved PK

- excellent PP

- fair goaltending

[tweet]1050756066420506625[/tweet]

 

[herman]

Matthews' powerplay proficiency is papering over some drab results at 5v5. His defensive game is naturally not as insane as his offensive capabilities, and those extended shifts in his own zone are holding back his 5v5 scoring. You'll see this more obviously as we hit this next stretch of playoff caliber teams (and as they get their reps with systems work in) as they hard match Matthews when he has nominal support.

Marleau and Kapanen are good defensive presences generally and hella fast, but neither of them really think the game the way Matthews does, so he's often going solo with the occasional bump around the defense. It's a testament to the skating and strength work Matthews has put in that they've created what they have so far.

Alec @ MLHS puts it best here:

Matthews line?s 5v5 possession numbers have been poor in their own right. There have been brilliant moments where they?ve looked lethal in transition and created offence in a flash with the two speed demons on Matthews? wing in Marleau + Kapanen, but this line absolutely does need Nylander, no matter what the media narratives might suggest based on the simple goals for and win/loss numbers.

Nylander?s talent for lugging the puck, weaving through neutral ice and setting up his line in the offensive zone has always been a major driver for his group (that?s not Marleau or Kapanen?s game). Nylander?s also a better forechecker than he gets credit for, in addition to his knack for puck thievery when tracking defensively. Matthews and Nylander controlled 52% of the shot attempts and 54% of the 5v5 scoring chances together last year, compared to Matthews? 47% and 51.6% numbers apart from Nylander.

 

[disco]

Your current NHL point leaders:
1st - Auston Matthews - 12 pts
2nd - Morgan Rielly - 12 pts
3rd - John Tavares - 10 pts
4th - Mitch Marner - 10 pts

 

[Zee]

Wonder if Johnsson can work his way back into the lineup. If he can play like last year he'd be an upgrade over Leivo. Mirtle & Siegel in their latest podcast mentioned he went through a tough time in the summer with personal issues but they didn't elaborate on it. I wonder if that's why Johnsson had looked off in preseason and the first couple of games of the season. Hope it comes together for him.

 

[Highlander]

Personal issues can range through so many things, perhaps a Parent or sibling has been diagnosed with something, perhaps a split up from one you love. His mojo seem to be missing this season.  He needs to get his head together as he certainly has the wheels and shooting skills necessary to be a very good player in this league.
Our best thoughts go out to him.

 

[princedpw]

Matthews' powerplay proficiency is papering over some drab results at 5v5. His defensive game is naturally not as insane as his offensive capabilities, and those extended shifts in his own zone are holding back his 5v5 scoring. You'll see this more obviously as we hit this next stretch of playoff caliber teams (and as they get their reps with systems work in) as they hard match Matthews when he has nominal support.

Marleau and Kapanen are good defensive presences generally and hella fast, but neither of them really think the game the way Matthews does, so he's often going solo with the occasional bump around the defense. It's a testament to the skating and strength work Matthews has put in that they've created what they have so far.

Alec @ MLHS puts it best here:

Matthews line?s 5v5 possession numbers have been poor in their own right. There have been brilliant moments where they?ve looked lethal in transition and created offence in a flash with the two speed demons on Matthews? wing in Marleau + Kapanen, but this line absolutely does need Nylander, no matter what the media narratives might suggest based on the simple goals for and win/loss numbers.

Nylander?s talent for lugging the puck, weaving through neutral ice and setting up his line in the offensive zone has always been a major driver for his group (that?s not Marleau or Kapanen?s game). Nylander?s also a better forechecker than he gets credit for, in addition to his knack for puck thievery when tracking defensively. Matthews and Nylander controlled 52% of the shot attempts and 54% of the 5v5 scoring chances together last year, compared to Matthews? 47% and 51.6% numbers apart from Nylander.

I think it would be nice to get Kadri on Matthews left wing to improve his line?s transition game and get Kadri more ice time.

 

[disco]

https://twitter.com/TheFlintor/status/1050854459356717056

 

[herman]

I think it would be nice to get Kadri on Matthews left wing to improve his line?s transition game and get Kadri more ice time.

That's a very fun option for those games where we're chasing the score and we're down to two lines. Kadri's already being used that way for the occasional post-PK shift when Tavares and Marner are closing out the final seconds.

 

[herman]

I was going to do this big post about how the Leafs could start maybe helping out on the goals against (it's improving already), but Gus went and talked about it on TSN1200 already, so here.

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2018/10/14/gus-katsaros-discuss-toronto-maple-leafs-defensive-structure-forechecking-scheme-on-tsn1200/

Gus on how he apportions responsibility for the defensive issues between the perceived personnel weakness on defense ? particularly the right side ? and the overall team structure as a five-man unit:

The first object is not really about the defense or the defensive side ? the right or the left. The forwards just aren?t good enough [defensively]. They don?t properly support. They don?t put themselves in positions to help their defensemen with support. They don?t do the things to help the team get back the puck. We can kind of harp on the hole on the right side ? and there is ? and the defense is not necessarily Stanley Cup calibre ? it probably isn?t ? but on the whole, there is a disconnect between the forwards and the defense that is causing a lot of the weakness that is appearing in the defensive zone.

It is one thing to say that players can backcheck and easily provide support in that regard, but the Leafs don?t do that very well. It is still stemming from last year and it still hasn?t improved. The Leafs still have to do something to be able to be more in sync between the blue liners and the forwards. You could put any player, it seems, on the Leafs right now and they?d still perform just as well.

Scoring goals is exciting and they have every opportunity to be able to generate lots of scoring chances on almost every shift, but generating a scoring chance to the detriment of not playing proper defensively and not getting pucks back? in the early season, that is fine. You can get away with it. There is a lot of leeway presented. But the things that Boston exposed last year ? the defensive elements that they still didn?t work on by the time the playoffs hit ? are still not addressed today.

That stems from the disconnect between the forwards and the defense. That has to be addressed. If it isn?t addressed, the Leafs could have a fantastic regular season, but when it comes to the playoffs and things start to tighten up, you might have the ability to score from 1-2-3-4 lines, but if you don?t have the puck, your skill doesn?t mean very much. The reality is the Leafs need to really tighten up and do something to sync up their forwards and their defense.

 

[dappleganger]

https://twitter.com/TheFlintor/status/1050854459356717056

LOL.  ;D

Good gosh.

 

[disco]

We have the NHL's top-3 superstar just entering his prime and arguably three in the top-15. Leafs have never had that post-1967. People say hysteria. After years of desolation I think we're entitled to a little

 

[hockeyfan1]

We have the NHL's top-3 superstar just entering his prime and arguably three in the top-15. Leafs have never had that post-1967. People say hysteria. After years of desolation I think we're entitled to a little

Absolutely! 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Leafs having a bit of fun (at the expense of Gardiner and his wallet):

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1052238917431382016
https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1052245558398730240
https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1052249857736478721

 

[herman]

I want to see that heli-celly in game.

Edit:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-skate-ruled-auston-matthews-vs-jake-gardiner-bet/

Apparently, this celebration was Matthews mocking Gardiner for the thing that he does with his stick to celebrate stopping an attack. This is so cute.

MATTHEWS: ?Jake just never stops talking about how the forwards should score on every 2-on-1 and how easy it is? how we?re always trying to make the extra pass and the D do a good job of taking it away. So, we let him be the forward today, and he can see how easy it is for himself.?

McADAM: ?I don?t know what was going on. I heard there was something about money going to charity. They just said, ?Stop the puck. Good luck!??

Also a really attractive quality in Babcock's eyes is when players treat making defensive stops as goals. Gardiner should have picked Dermott or Rielly to partner with instead.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I want to see that heli-celly in game.

Edit:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-skate-ruled-auston-matthews-vs-jake-gardiner-bet/

Apparently, this celebration was Matthews mocking Gardiner for the thing that he does with his stick to celebrate stopping an attack. This is so cute.

MATTHEWS: ?Jake just never stops talking about how the forwards should score on every 2-on-1 and how easy it is? how we?re always trying to make the extra pass and the D do a good job of taking it away. So, we let him be the forward today, and he can see how easy it is for himself.?

McADAM: ?I don?t know what was going on. I heard there was something about money going to charity. They just said, ?Stop the puck. Good luck!??

Also a really attractive quality in Babcock's eyes is when players treat making defensive stops as goals. Gardiner should have picked Dermott or Rielly to partner with instead.

If they would of scored I would of went upstairs for a review. Zaitsev was 2 feet offside.