Is this the turning point???

[nutman]

Well I guess I will just let my head do the talking and not my heart. and yes they are not as good as I say, but also they are not as bad as some say. guess I will just pass on the posts from the crew that belongs to tank nation, and trade nation.

 

[Zee]

What really put this into perspective to a friend of mine... well I described it like this. How bad have the leafs been? *I point to my 9 year old son* I made that since the last time the Leafs have been a playoff team. A half grown up human being who hasn't existed in a time where Toronto had a playoff game.

Yikes.

I've made 3 humans since the last time the Leafs have been in the playoffs.  ;D

 

[nutman]

What really put this into perspective to a friend of mine... well I described it like this. How bad have the leafs been? *I point to my 9 year old son* I made that since the last time the Leafs have been a playoff team. A half grown up human being who hasn't existed in a time where Toronto had a playoff game.

Yikes.

I've made 3 humans since the last time the Leafs have been in the playoffs.  ;D

And I two.

 

[Zee]

What really put this into perspective to a friend of mine... well I described it like this. How bad have the leafs been? *I point to my 9 year old son* I made that since the last time the Leafs have been a playoff team. A half grown up human being who hasn't existed in a time where Toronto had a playoff game.

Yikes.

I've made 3 humans since the last time the Leafs have been in the playoffs.  ;D

And I two.

Hey I look on the bright side.  My oldest is now 7, by the time she starts showing more of an interest in hockey I can watch the games with her and the Leafs will be a good team.  I believe they're building towards something if they stick with the young guys and bring up players through the system.  I've lived through all the pain, I hope that my kids can get to experience the joys of championships.  Maybe when the oldest is 14-15?  Dare to dream...

 

[nutman]

What really put this into perspective to a friend of mine... well I described it like this. How bad have the leafs been? *I point to my 9 year old son* I made that since the last time the Leafs have been a playoff team. A half grown up human being who hasn't existed in a time where Toronto had a playoff game.

Yikes.

I've made 3 humans since the last time the Leafs have been in the playoffs.  ;D

And I two.

Hey I look on the bright side.  My oldest is now 7, by the time she starts showing more of an interest in hockey I can watch the games with her and the Leafs will be a good team.  I believe they're building towards something if they stick with the young guys and bring up players through the system.  I've lived through all the pain, I hope that my kids can get to experience the joys of championships.  Maybe when the oldest is 14-15?  Dare to dream...

Dont hold your breath, I've been waiting since 1967. I was two young to enjoy it back then.

 

[Zee]

What really put this into perspective to a friend of mine... well I described it like this. How bad have the leafs been? *I point to my 9 year old son* I made that since the last time the Leafs have been a playoff team. A half grown up human being who hasn't existed in a time where Toronto had a playoff game.

Yikes.

I've made 3 humans since the last time the Leafs have been in the playoffs.  ;D

And I two.

Hey I look on the bright side.  My oldest is now 7, by the time she starts showing more of an interest in hockey I can watch the games with her and the Leafs will be a good team.  I believe they're building towards something if they stick with the young guys and bring up players through the system.  I've lived through all the pain, I hope that my kids can get to experience the joys of championships.  Maybe when the oldest is 14-15?  Dare to dream...

Dont hold your breath, I've been waiting since 1967. I was two young to enjoy it back then.

Yeah I've been waiting since the 70s.  Was a huge Leafs fan as a kid with the Sittler/Palmateer/Salming team.  I remember trading McDonald, I remember Dave Burrows getting injured blocking shots, I remember Paul Harrison making an incredible split save and hurting his groin.  I wish I could forget the 80s, but alas, I can't.  I just think the Leafs are at a point where we could claw back to being a good team if we stay on the path we're on now.

 

[Redleaf]

What really put this into perspective to a friend of mine... well I described it like this. How bad have the leafs been? *I point to my 9 year old son* I made that since the last time the Leafs have been a playoff team. A half grown up human being who hasn't existed in a time where Toronto had a playoff game.

Yikes.

I've made 3 humans since the last time the Leafs have been in the playoffs.  ;D

And I two.

Me as well. Two future hockey stars.

 

[nutman]

One thing I will say, so far our defensive game looks real good.

 

[Zee]

One thing I will say, so far our defensive game looks real good.

Agreed.  Giving up 2 or fewer goals in three consecutive games is something Ron Wilson's Leafs didn't accomplish last season.

 

[nutman]

One thing I will say, so far our defensive game looks real good.

Agreed.  Giving up 2 or fewer goals in three consecutive games is something Ron Wilson's Leafs didn't accomplish last season.

If they can keep it going the goalies will get confident and hot, this could be a real good thing going forward.

 

[cw]

One thing I will say, so far our defensive game looks real good.

Agreed.  Giving up 2 or fewer goals in three consecutive games is something Ron Wilson's Leafs didn't accomplish last season.

Not a perfect benchmark one can rely on (scoring chances are a better measurement) but:

Averaging 24 shots against per game, Leafs are 3rd in the league and all three teams they faced have offensive ability.

Toronto is 8th with 84.6% PK rate.

Toronto is 9th with .931 save%

Toronto is 5th with 1.67 GAA

Those numbers are way ahead of past post 2005 lockout results for this team.

It's way too early in the season to get very excited about those numbers or put much stock in them because the sampling size/number of games is so tiny.


But the stats do seem to support what most people have observed: they're playing pretty good defense. It's very encouraging.

 

[Boston Leaf]

two things I am excited over. No Ron wilson.. No Keith Acton

 

[Redleaf]

One thing I will say, so far our defensive game looks real good.

Agreed.  Giving up 2 or fewer goals in three consecutive games is something Ron Wilson's Leafs didn't accomplish last season.

Not a perfect benchmark one can rely on (scoring chances are a better measurement) but:

Averaging 24 shots against per game, Leafs are 3rd in the league and all three teams they faced have offensive ability.

Toronto is 8th with 84.6% PK rate.

Toronto is 9th with .931 save%

Toronto is 5th with 1.67 GAA

Those numbers are way ahead of past post 2005 lockout results for this team.

It's way too early in the season to get very excited about those numbers or put much stock in them because the sampling size/number of games is so tiny.


But the stats do seem to support what most people have observed: they're playing pretty good defense. It's very encouraging.

Yeah. I wish these numbers were pulled from a larger pool of games. Still, promising signs. If they can overcome their defensive deficiencies and goaltending issues from years past, this team can finally start to climb the up standings this year.

Edit: 2 key reasons those numbers may stick this year
1) Carlyle and his system
2) Healthy Reimer

 

[Zee]

One thing I will say, so far our defensive game looks real good.

Agreed.  Giving up 2 or fewer goals in three consecutive games is something Ron Wilson's Leafs didn't accomplish last season.

Not a perfect benchmark one can rely on (scoring chances are a better measurement) but:

Averaging 24 shots against per game, Leafs are 3rd in the league and all three teams they faced have offensive ability.

Stop right there cw.  You know I love you, but the Habs with "offensive ability"?  They were 19th in the league in goals per game last season and had a horrible powerplay.

 

[moon111]

Well the Leafs found their turning point.  The wheels fell off one side and they're spinning around in circles.  :'(

 

[Frank E]

Well the Leafs found their turning point.  The wheels fell off one side and they're spinning around in circles.  :'(

It's just a tough game. 

This was expected, at one point or another this year.

Just so you're prepared, it's going to happen again a fair bit this season...unless you thought this team was going deep this year?

 

[sleepyone]

Well the Leafs found their turning point.  The wheels fell off one side and they're spinning around in circles.  :'(

It's just a tough game. 

This was expected, at one point or another this year.

Just so you're prepared, it's going to happen again a fair bit this season...unless you thought this team was going deep this year?

very true if you're a realist


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cw]

One thing I will say, so far our defensive game looks real good.

Agreed.  Giving up 2 or fewer goals in three consecutive games is something Ron Wilson's Leafs didn't accomplish last season.

Not a perfect benchmark one can rely on (scoring chances are a better measurement) but:

Averaging 24 shots against per game, Leafs are 3rd in the league and all three teams they faced have offensive ability.

Stop right there cw.  You know I love you, but the Habs with "offensive ability"?  They were 19th in the league in goals per game last season and had a horrible powerplay.

They were .11 goals/game below the Devils in 15th - very close to average. And a bunch of that was because of a number of key injuries.

I think with the return to health of some of their key players, the improved toughness and some of the changes they've made, they'll be average offensively this season if they stay healthier.

 

[trojanweed]

it was there 4th game in 6 days, the islanders were chilling in there hotel rooms watching the leafs play the pens the night before.  no training camp, guys legs need a rest. it wasnt by chance our two ice time leaders had the worst plus/minus of the night.

saturdays game will be the key, how do they come back is what i would like to see, ussually a game like this starts a 10-15 game loosing streak.  time to bounce back, and not let this game be the norm but the exception.

 

[Zee]

it was there 4th game in 6 days, the islanders were chilling in there hotel rooms watching the leafs play the pens the night before.  no training camp, guys legs need a rest. it wasnt by chance our two ice time leaders had the worst plus/minus of the night.

saturdays game will be the key, how do they come back is what i would like to see, ussually a game like this starts a 10-15 game loosing streak.  time to bounce back, and not let this game be the norm but the exception.

Yeah the schedule really didn't help the Leafs last night, especially considering they're nowhere near top flight shape after only a week training camp.  The Isles hadn't played since Monday night so they obviously had more jump.  Still a bad collapse but I don't think it's the end of the world for the Leafs.  Will be interesting to see if they can bounce back on Saturday.