Leafs @ Capitals - Mar. 16th, 3:00pm - SN, TSN 1050

[bustaheims]

Yes, we need Clarkson to be our Ward.  Or to be our Bodie, whichever he thinks is easier.

I think I'd be happy if Clarkson could at least be what Clarkson was early in his career.

 

[mc]

2 shots sums it up. its not like it was a tight game cause washington got 12 shots. pathetic effort. lucky that floater from Bodie went in.

edit: spelling

 

[bustaheims]

Yeah, but it has to go both ways though. So Carlyle deserves some credit for beating two of the best teams in their home barns last week too, right? Or is he only a factor when they lose?

Does Carlyle really deserve a lot of credit for the team getting exceptional goaltending and winning despite allowing 40+ shots in all 3 games on the West coast?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Even the teams that are low in SF/SA tend to outshoot the Leafs badly too.

It's almost mind boggling. I get that they don't have great defensive talent on the roster, but, they're not this bad.

It's Carlyle.  Someone on Twitter was talking about it, and Mirtle discussed it earlier in the season - their Corsi % was about league average or close to it before Carlyle was hired, and since he's been hired the CF% for every player has gone down.  You could see it in Anaheim too - was around 50% when they had Pronger/Niedermayer, when Pronger was gone it went down a bit, then when Niedermayer was gone it went down even more.  Players like Grabovski/MacArthur etc have seen their's increase after leaving the Leafs.

Since it's basically just measuring chances that's a good indication of where the issue lies.  It's systemic.

Carlyle is the main problem with this team. There is no way we should get outplayed as much as we do, 2 shots!!!!!. Most 3rd period blow leads. Pk is a mess.

Yeah, but it has to go both ways though. So Carlyle deserves some credit for beating two of the best teams in their home barns last week too, right? Or is he only a factor when they lose?

You always say this as if those games were radically different than when they lose - in both situations they get heavily outchanced, both of those wins they were heavily outchanced, and they rely on getting elite goaltending to win.

But you're free to describe from those wins which of Carlyle's strategies paid off, other than having the goaltending step up and bail the team out again.

Basically if they don't receive great goaltending they don't win because they give up too many shots to not have great goaltending - and that's not the case for every team in the league.

 

[Strangelove]

Troy Bodie - twice 9x the Clarkson, ~1/9 the price.

Clarkson is really beginning to piss me off.  It's one thing to suck.  It's another to make those around you suck more.

And yet Randy cuts Holland from the lineup so that Clarkson HAS to play on the second line. It boggles the mind.

Clarkson is incapable of playing with Kadri and Lupul. That has been shown conclusively all year long. They are almost astonishingly bad together, particularly when you compare the second line's play without Clarkson bogging them down. So what is Randy thinking?

 

[bustaheims]

You always say this as if those games were radically different than when they lose - in both situations they get heavily outchanced, both of those wins they were heavily outchanced, and they rely on getting elite goaltending to win.

But you're free to describe from those wins which of Carlyle's strategies paid off, other than having the goaltending step up and bail the team out again.

Basically if they don't receive great goaltending they don't win because they give up too many shots to not have great goaltending - and that's not the case for every team in the league.

Yeah. I mean, the biggest difference between the wins on the West coast and the game against San Jose and tonight is that, in the two wins, they played well in the 1st period and then held on for dear life.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

You always say this as if those games were radically different than when they lose - in both situations they get heavily outchanced, both of those wins they were heavily outchanced, and they rely on getting elite goaltending to win.

But you're free to describe from those wins which of Carlyle's strategies paid off, other than having the goaltending step up and bail the team out again.

Basically if they don't receive great goaltending they don't win because they give up too many shots to not have great goaltending - and that's not the case for every team in the league.

Yeah. I mean, the biggest difference between the wins on the West coast and the game against San Jose and tonight is that, in the two wins, they played well in the 1st period and then held on for dear life.

And it's not even the fact they get outshot, I could handle getting outshot but it's the degree to which they get outshot game in game out.

 

[bustaheims]

And it's not even the fact they get outshot, I could handle getting outshot but it's the degree to which they get outshot game in game out.

Yup. If we were talking getting outshot by 2 or 3 a night, it wouldn't really be worth bringing up, but, they were outshot by 10+ in all 3 games out West, and by an average of close to 9 per night this season. With average or worse goaltending, that really is worst team in the league bad.

 

[Redleaf]

Even the teams that are low in SF/SA tend to outshoot the Leafs badly too.

It's almost mind boggling. I get that they don't have great defensive talent on the roster, but, they're not this bad.

It's Carlyle.  Someone on Twitter was talking about it, and Mirtle discussed it earlier in the season - their Corsi % was about league average or close to it before Carlyle was hired, and since he's been hired the CF% for every player has gone down.  You could see it in Anaheim too - was around 50% when they had Pronger/Niedermayer, when Pronger was gone it went down a bit, then when Niedermayer was gone it went down even more.  Players like Grabovski/MacArthur etc have seen their's increase after leaving the Leafs.

Since it's basically just measuring chances that's a good indication of where the issue lies.  It's systemic.

Carlyle is the main problem with this team. There is no way we should get outplayed as much as we do, 2 shots!!!!!. Most 3rd period blow leads. Pk is a mess.

Yeah, but it has to go both ways though. So Carlyle deserves some credit for beating two of the best teams in their home barns last week too, right? Or is he only a factor when they lose?

You always say this as if those games were radically different than when they lose - in both situations they get heavily outchanced, both of those wins they were heavily outchanced, and they rely on getting elite goaltending to win.

But you're free to describe from those wins which of Carlyle's strategies paid off, other than having the goaltending step up and bail the team out again.

Basically if they don't receive great goaltending they don't win because they give up too many shots to not have great goaltending - and that's not the case for every team in the league.

But goaltending isn't the only reason they're winning games this year. The offense has been pretty good too. So, at what point do we say they aren't playing all that terribly?

 

[bustaheims]

But goaltending isn't the only reason they're winning games this year. The offense has been pretty good too. So, at what point do we say they aren't playing all that terribly?

If it wasn't for the goaltending, the offence wouldn't have much chance to make an impact. And, really, it's the top line that's been pretty good. The rest of the lineup has really just been okay.

But, to answer your question, we can say they're not playing terribly when they stop playing terribly on both sides of the puck, not just one.

 

[ZBBM]

Halak looks about as bad as Reimer.  I predict we pull this one out 8-7.

 

[bustaheims]

Traffic in front. Whoddathunkit?

 

[lamajama]

I think part of the problem is that Clarkson has to be played and he needs to play him on the 2nd or 3rd line only. Can't do 1st obviously and would be embarrassing Nonis if it was a 4th or scratch.

He's trying to fit a square head into a round hole.

 

[Redleaf]

But goaltending isn't the only reason they're winning games this year. The offense has been pretty good too. So, at what point do we say they aren't playing all that terribly?

If it wasn't for the goaltending, the offence wouldn't have much chance to make an impact. And, really, it's the top line that's been pretty good. The rest of the lineup has really just been okay.

I think it just gets to a point where people are reaching for the negatives. If it wasn't for the goaltending, or the offense, or the first line, or secondary scoring, etc, etc. the team would suck.

While all that may be true, the fact is we 'have' those things.

The defense has been an issue, but really there are way more positives to take note of than negatives....

 

[ZBBM]

Good grief!

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Phaneuf's got a decent amount of points in the last few games.

 

[barney_rebel]

We rule man...

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Phaneuf's got a decent amount of points in the last few games.

I swear right around the time Gleason came over he started pushing offensively a lot more.  Which doesn't really make sense because I don't think Carlyle has taken him and Gunnarsson off the tough assignments, but it sure feels that way.  Like he's been 'unchained' from his defensive defenseman role and is free to attempt more offense.

 

[drummond]

Just shoot the puck

 

[bustaheims]

I think it just gets to a point where people are reaching for the negatives. If it wasn't for the goaltending, or the offense, or the first line, or secondary scoring, etc, etc. the team would suck.

While all that may be true, the fact is we 'have' those things.

The defense has been an issue, but really there are way more positives to take note of than negatives....

People are hardly reaching for anything. It's been the same two things going for the Leafs all season. Goaltending and the first line are the only things that have been consistently good for the Leafs. In fact, other than the PP (who has seen a lot of success largely because of the 1st line), nothing else has worked out well for the Leafs on a regular basis. Take away either of those things, and the Leafs are on the outside, looking in.

And, sure, the Leafs have those things, but, that's what middle of the pack, going nowhere teams have - a couple things that work and major deficiencies elsewhere.