Leafs @ Predators - Nov. 12th, 8:00pm - TSN4, TSN 1050

[MetalRaven]

Me too...Ive been quite impressed with the Leafs play in their own zone. Hunwick made a few good moves to cut off chances. Not seeing huge amounts of time scrambling in front of the net either...All good signs

Or them getting hemmed in so much, giving the puck away trying to exit the zone, etc.

It already looks like a completely different team defensively (even with the struggle for a while there)

 

[ZBBM]

I generally defend Polak but that was awful.

 

[Damian]

I would love to see Reimer steal the job back... just sayin'

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

JVR is so weak defensively.

-33 weak? Even Jason Allison was only -18 his final year and we all know how slow he was.

Plus/minus is a largely meaningless stat.

I'm talking about JVR actually trying to make plays in his own end, he is often clueless or flat out unwilling to make the play.

Fortunately in the grand scheme of things he's good enough offensively to have a net positive effect on proceedings.

It's just a chore watching him play defense though.

 

[Sudafederov]

Not when it's -33

 

[ZBBM]

Me too...Ive been quite impressed with the Leafs play in their own zone. Hunwick made a few good moves to cut off chances. Not seeing huge amounts of time scrambling in front of the net either...All good signs

Or them getting hemmed in so much, giving the puck away trying to exit the zone, etc.

It already looks like a completely different team defensively (even with the struggle for a while there)

Which they are, really.  Thank God, because it makes them watchable at least.

 

[MetalRaven]

Me too...Ive been quite impressed with the Leafs play in their own zone. Hunwick made a few good moves to cut off chances. Not seeing huge amounts of time scrambling in front of the net either...All good signs

Or them getting hemmed in so much, giving the puck away trying to exit the zone, etc.

It already looks like a completely different team defensively (even with the struggle for a while there)

Which they are, really.  Thank God, because it makes them watchable at least.

Exactly. Its nice to be able to look at the process and see positive movement.

 

[ZBBM]

Harrington played that like a 10-year vet.

 

[ZBBM]

Me too...Ive been quite impressed with the Leafs play in their own zone. Hunwick made a few good moves to cut off chances. Not seeing huge amounts of time scrambling in front of the net either...All good signs

Or them getting hemmed in so much, giving the puck away trying to exit the zone, etc.

It already looks like a completely different team defensively (even with the struggle for a while there)

Which they are, really.  Thank God, because it makes them watchable at least.

Exactly. Its nice to be able to look at the process and see positive movement.

For sure.  To me, this season is all about the defense.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Not when it's -33

Yes, yes it is.

 

[Sudafederov]

Not when it's -33

Yes, yes it is.

Much respect to a veteran poster, but I guess we'll have to respectfully disagree.

2014 All Players

1.) Yakupov -35
2.) Kessel -34
3.) Bozak -34
4.) JVR -33

If you consider that meaningless out of your top line, then I don't know what to tell you.

 

[ZBBM]

Bah.  That was lucky for the Preds.  Weber fills it after Fisher misses the shot attempt.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Not when it's -33

Yes, yes it is.

Much respect to a veteran poster, but I guess we'll have to respectfully disagree.

2014 All Players

1.) Yakupov -35
2.) Kessel -34
3.) Bozak -34
4.) JVR -33

If you consider that meaningless out of your top line, then I don't know what to tell you.

Thanks for the little nod there, not necessary at all btw.

An excerpt from an article I liked as to why it's largely meaningless.

"Plus-minus is a holdover from a time when hockey statistics were in their infancy. It was a very long infancy, but we really should move past the time where we value it. The reason the statistic is problematic is because it describes team goal-scoring events (both for and against). These events are amazingly rare in comparison to shot attempts. In essence, during the course of a game goals occur randomly, and unfortunately with random events, they won?t be distributed nice and evenly."

I'd add to all of that Ovechkin, -35 one year and +10 the next. Did he transform his game that offseason?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Turn the TV on and Bozak scores. Sorry guys.

 

[ZBBM]

Finally -- that line was a black hole until then.

 

[MetalRaven]

And Bozak evens it!!!!!

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

That was against Weber-Josi too.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I've been watching for 5 minutes and I've already seen like 3 great plays by Kadri, in all 3 zones.

 

[L K]

You can rarely make much of performances in these wasted seasons but I think we can all firmly say that Kadri has scored his last NHL goal of his career.

12 games without a goal.  48 shots over that time period.

 

[ZBBM]

This is one of their best games of the season defensively.  Really limiting the Preds' chances.  Harrington looks great IMO.