2019-2020 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

[Kin]

Oh Nik, I'm not even going to bother with you any more if you can't come up with something better than playing dumb coupled with ignoring what I've already posted about benching him being fine with me too.

If you're ok with benching him then why would you suggest something that has the same effect but costs the Leafs a draft pick as the smart course of action?

Call it playing dumb all you like but I 100% have no idea what you're talking about with that "absolutely no" thing. What is the tangible benefit of trading him vs. benching him if it costs the team a pick? I don't think for a second you've even put that case forward.

I really don't think I'd be alone in saying that you've generally been incomprehensible in this thread.

 

[ZBBM]

Of course you aren't going to. 

 

[Kin]

Of course you aren't going to.

Sorry for not indulging your frantic goalpost shifting once a half dozen posters have called out your nonsense, I guess.

 

[Andy007]

So is the argument for using a 3rd to move Ceci out salary cap-based? And, if not (which seems to be my understanding of this discussion), again I would ask, why in the world would the Leafs ever consider giving up a 3rd round pick when it literally doesn't benefit them in any way, shape or form?

 

[Arn]

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1224706718447407104

Ok...

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Maybe it's to replace Hutch and Freddy is fine... that's a possibility... r-r-right??

 

[Zee]

Maybe it's to replace Hutch and Freddy is fine... that's a possibility... r-r-right??

Time for Kaskisuo to have his Hamburgler moment and carry this team!  Make it so!!!

 

[bustaheims]

Maybe it's to replace Hutch and Freddy is fine... that's a possibility... r-r-right??

Better safe than sorry?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Maybe it's to replace Hutch and Freddy is fine... that's a possibility... r-r-right??

Better safe than sorry?

Well it almost certainly means that he's sitting out of practice today, which is a bit of a bummer since yesterday Keefe said it was a possibility he'd be there.

But yeah fingers crossed that they're just being ultra-safe here with a potential concussion. Even if they sat him on Wednesday it wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Leafs still have the 3rd best points percentage in the NHL since Keefe's hiring. If you want to point the finger at one individual for their current playoff predicament it's not Ceci, Hutch, or Dubas I'll tell you that much.

 

[Bender]

 

[Guilt Trip]

Leafs still have the 3rd best points percentage in the NHL since Keefe's hiring. If you want to point the finger at one individual for their current playoff predicament it's not Ceci, Hutch, or Dubas I'll tell you that much.

And that's the unfortunate part that may haunt Shanny over the summer if they don't make it. Babs should have been gone after last year but since he wasn't, they've wasted 1/4 of the season with his same old crap that could end up biting them in the ass.

 

[Zee]

Leafs still have the 3rd best points percentage in the NHL since Keefe's hiring. If you want to point the finger at one individual for their current playoff predicament it's not Ceci, Hutch, or Dubas I'll tell you that much.

 

[KadriFan]

Leafs still have the 3rd best points percentage in the NHL since Keefe's hiring. If you want to point the finger at one individual for their current playoff predicament it's not Ceci, Hutch, or Dubas I'll tell you that much.

The Leafs have ONE defenseman who actually knows how to defend.  That's ALL Dubas. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The Leafs have ONE defenseman who actually knows how to defend.  That's ALL Dubas. 

That defence, which has had to withstand a couple major injuries, has still been good enough to make us the 3rd best team since November 20th.

 

[Guilt Trip]

The Leafs have ONE defenseman who actually knows how to defend.  That's ALL Dubas. 

That defence, which has had to withstand a couple major injuries, has still been good enough to make us the 3rd best team since November 20th.

Exactly. They're not ideal but they're not the worst in the world either. The Leafs have locked up their forward core and now go to work on the D. That was the plan. Most people thought this team would take a step back this season. Let's see what Dubas does going towards the trade deadline and in the summer. I think those issues will be addressed. I think it was almost impossible to do it last summer with all the signings they did up front.

 

[bustaheims]

The Leafs have ONE defenseman who actually knows how to defend.  That's ALL Dubas. 

That defence, which has had to withstand a couple major injuries, has still been good enough to make us the 3rd best team since November 20th.

They've also been among the better 5-on-5 possession teams, have one of the best rates in terms of 5-on-5 scoring chances for and high danger scoring chances for (though, the raw total of high danger changes against is lower-middle of the pack), and basically every other 5-on-5 metric, except one - save percentage, which has actually been near the bottom of the league in that stretch. They've been outscoring some below average goaltending. While no one would argue they're an elite defensive team, that part of their game hasn't actually been that significant a detriment. They more than make up for it by simply controlling the puck more.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

They've also been among the better 5-on-5 possession teams, have one of the best rates in terms of 5-on-5 scoring chances for and high danger scoring chances for (though, the raw total of high danger changes against is lower-middle of the pack), and basically every other 5-on-5 metric, except one - save percentage, which has actually been near the bottom of the league in that stretch. They've been outscoring some below average goaltending. While no one would argue they're an elite defensive team, that part of their game hasn't actually been that significant a detriment. They more than make up for it by simply controlling the puck more.

Right. Basically all the information that we have shows that the team Kyle Dubas built, with the coach he wanted, playing the style of game he's always envisioned for us has absolutely been one of the best teams in the league this season.

 

[ZBBM]

KadriFan nailed it.  Dubas got the wrong defensemen last summer and didn't get a decent backup. He did other good things and of course put together or locked in a superb forward corps.  But he failed to do what needed to be done to fix the defense, which is what is standing between the team and being a real contender.  I don't buy for a second that it was "impossible" for him to do better than he did. They could have walked away from Ceci, for starters.

Babcock held them back, it's now beyond a doubt.  But they still have the same structural flaws.  And, as I have argued, they could have taken a different approach entirely.

 

[Andy007]

They've also been among the better 5-on-5 possession teams, have one of the best rates in terms of 5-on-5 scoring chances for and high danger scoring chances for (though, the raw total of high danger changes against is lower-middle of the pack), and basically every other 5-on-5 metric, except one - save percentage, which has actually been near the bottom of the league in that stretch. They've been outscoring some below average goaltending. While no one would argue they're an elite defensive team, that part of their game hasn't actually been that significant a detriment. They more than make up for it by simply controlling the puck more.

Right. Basically all the information that we have shows that the team Kyle Dubas built, with the coach he wanted, playing the style of game he's always envisioned for us has absolutely been one of the best teams in the league this season.

And all while never icing a fully healthy team and receiving average goaltending.