Toronto Maple Leafs

[lucafen4]

Babs will have them ready. Only have to point to the first 15 minutes of the 1st vs. Wpg or 2nd period vs. NYR, or 1st period vs Chi - for them to realize they have a lot of work to do to become just a very good team in the NHL. Motivation in game 4 should not be a problem

[Two On One]

Hey Leafs fans, what's going on with their PP so far on the blue line?
Will Babs continue to split time between Gardner and Reilly, or will one of the two emerge as the #1?

[2014olympicgold]

Hey Leafs fans, what's going on with their PP so far on the blue line?
Will Babs continue to split time between Gardner and Reilly, or will one of the two emerge as the #1?

They split PP time very evenly in Toronto it seems, and why wouldn't you when they are both loaded. PPTOI is going to be determined by use during the game. For now, it's too hard to predict.

[blayze]

I'd bet Reilly/Gardiner continue to split for the remainder of the season - much like the two forward units.

Zaitsev gets screwed. I wish they'd give him a shot over Gardiner who is "ok" offensively but is just horrible defensively. Basically cost them the game against the devils on that 5 on 3 short hander.

[2014olympicgold]

The only noticeable difference is that Zaits isn't getting as much powerplay time (shifting to Rielly who now splits it pretty evenly with Gardiner)... I sure hope the stats back me up on that as I haven't looked, lol.
And it's almost always a 4 forward PP unit.
Rielly should eventually be the main guy, as Gards' still (even after all these years) does some strange things out there sometimes. He would drive me nuts if I was his coach. Like a wildflower that can't be contained.

When Gardiner's contract is up, the way he's playing, he's going to Gardiner (tehe) too much of a contract and will likely be a FA. Rielly should by then take 60% of the PPTOI. But that's so far away.

[lucafen4]

When Gardiner's contract is up, the way he's playing, he's going to Gardiner (tehe) too much of a contract and will likely be a FA. Rielly should by then take 60% of the PPTOI. But that's so far away.

by then Liljigren will be entering the picture and the split will begin again

[2014olympicgold]

by then Liljigren will be entering the picture and the split will begin again

I don't think right away. Rielly took 3 yrs to get half PP time. Lily will have to develop his D side of his game before Babcock lets the leash off (likely). But Dermott, Zaits, and any unknown D right now will be the PPD2, and if they do well who knows.

Defense is so hard to predict.

[lucafen4]

I don't think right away. Rielly took 3 yrs to get half PP time. Lily will have to develop his D side of his game before Babcock lets the leash off (likely). But Dermott, Zaits, and any unknown D right now will be the PPD2, and if they do well who knows.

Defense is so hard to predict.

Perhaps, but also perhaps
that has more to do with Rielly & his PP acumen than the norm. for example if in 2yrs Lily is walking through camp as a PP dynamo - Babcock will likely shelter his minutes 5x5 and give him PP1 duties rather than limit his teams offensive abilities and give the time to a less offensively gifted player. Ghost comes to mind as a potential deployment model

[2014olympicgold]

Perhaps, but also perhaps
that has more to do with Rielly & his PP acumen than the norm. for example if in 2yrs Lily is walking through camp as a PP dynamo - Babcock will likely shelter his minutes 5x5 and give him PP1 duties rather than limit his teams offensive abilities and give the time to a less offensively gifted player. Ghost comes to mind as a potential deployment model

As good as a coach Babcock is, he has his way and he doesn't typically stray far from it. He develops slowly and correctly his players, he won't typically ignore a players faults and try and bandaid them.

I believe great coaches can go into a team and change their ways to better fit the players given, and get that team to play "correct" hockey. Trotz is my best example. Coming from the Preds, a defense focus first team, to the Caps, that had tons of offensive force, came to the new team and didn't try to push his system on the team. He made a new system for his team. Babcock doesn't do this. He has his system, and gets players for it (Connor Brown, Sosh for a while) or he transforms a player to fit his style (Kadri, Gardiner), and jettisons players who don't fit it (coffee hasn't kicked in yet, drawing a blank). Lily will likely be "forced" to focus on his defensive skills first, a la Rielly never crossing the opponents blue line with the puck in Babcocks first yr.

Just a hunch, but that's a convo for 2yrs from now really.

[2014olympicgold]

Going to be a fun game tonight!

[2014olympicgold]

Leafs are 1st in the league 7 games in

[Axeman33]

Hehe..

[2014olympicgold]

Hehe..

The pylons are already set up.
https://twitter.com/timandsid/status...754176?lang=en

[havanablast21]

Ok fellow Leaf fanatics, I’m looking looking for a homer perspective.

For fantasy, cats the same as ones I need sig

Laine vs Nylander

Are they that far apart ?

Given I own matthews, i’m eager to unite him with his line mate and capitalize on their chemistry. But I ‘d have to buy high.

Laine could do it. MAYBe MARNER.

I MEAN, AM i crazy? THese two are shaping up to be dominant. WHEN is the right time to jump on him?.

[lucafen4]

if you're offering Laine for Nylander - you should be able to get an add on on-top of Nylander. Trade advice shouldn't be under the team thread though... I'd repost for more well rounded answers