Toronto Maple Leafs

[lucafen4]

It's kind of bugging me that the Leafs are winning even though they are not playing well.
Sends the kids the wrong message.

I smell a nasty losing streak coming.

Did you see Sat night? 2nd 3rd periods, VAn had 1/8 shifts outside of their own zone. That was 40 min of complete domination. It just didn't translate to goals. They didn't play well last night, but Calgary was also massively motivated after getting lit up the past few games - bad combo.

This is when you need your goalie to step up and steal a game for you.. and Andy did. That's how good teams roll. We're getting closer.

[2014olympicgold]

And, seriously Babcock, the Polak over Carrick favouritism has got to stop.

When they play a smaller team Polak will be out and Carrick in I hope. Like Carolina.

[lucafen4]

Can we just trade for Hjalmarsson and bench both ROS?

[2014olympicgold]

Can we just trade for Hjalmarsson and bench both ROS?

He's got a 10-team trade to list he would need to alter I do believe to have Toronto added to it. Plus he's on the IR (upper-body).

[lucafen4]

He's got a 10-team trade to list he would need to alter I do believe to have Toronto added to it. Plus he's on the IR (upper-body).

we have an IR as well.. No need to wait for him to return. One would have to think he'd rather Tor than Arz. ... Komarov can talk to him in his 1st language so there's that.

[2014olympicgold]

we have an IR as well.. No need to wait for him to return. One would have to think he'd rather Tor than Arz. ... Komarov can talk to him in his 1st language so there's that.

I'm not trading for a guy until I know the full extent of his injury. So until I (I as in me, not I as in if I was the GM) know what "upperbody" is, I'm not touching him.

He may not like Toronto/Canada, I dunno. But there's hurdles, big or small, that have to be done before he's traded.

[lucafen4]

I'm not trading for a guy until I know the full extent of his injury. So until I (I as in me, not I as in if I was the GM) know what "upperbody" is, I'm not touching him.

He may not like Toronto/Canada, I dunno. But there's hurdles, big or small, that have to be done before he's traded.

then find us another Hjalm - he's what this D needs

[2014olympicgold]

then find us another Hjalm - he's what this D needs

The D doesn't "need" anything right now. The team has 1 good (incredibly luckily healthy) season and everyone pushes for a cup. Right now, in December, why would you trade for anyone when the Leafs are pretty likely to make the playoffs.

Hjam is a very good player, and would help ease Hainsey's minutes, but right now, when he's on the IR, I wouldn't really be pursuing unless it was a call to see if I could get him at a steal.

I personally rather pay the exact same price as of now in February to know he's healthy.

[Axeman33]

This team is giving up 40+ shots most nights. How can you say this team doesn't need D help? They obviously have issues getting the puck out of their zone. The only reason they are winning most of their games, and in the position they are in today, is because they can score and Andersen is saving their ass.

[2014olympicgold]

This team is giving up 40+ shots most nights. How can you say this team doesn't need D help? They obviously have issues getting the puck out of their zone. The only reason they are winning most of their games, and in the position they are in today, is because they can score and Andersen is saving their ass.

Their top 4 D are positive defensive point shares
Besides Polak, Zaitsev is the only D that has a poor corsi (and it’s massively flawed for D I do know)
I don’t think it’s their top 4 D are the issue in the defensive zone. I think it’s the forwards. But having a player like Hjam take over a top 4 spot could help cover forwards defensive holes. But, with Babcocks RH/LH love it’s going to be a bit odd.

Rielly/Hainsey are together
Zaitsev is the RHD2
So it would be Gardiner/Hjam as D2
So Zaitsev/Borgman?

Babcock has high praise for Zaitsev, and we always thought he was talking Gardiner/Kadri up 2 years ago when Babs talked them up, but turned out he does enjoy them. So would Babcock dabble with:
Rielly/Hjam
Gardiner/Zaits
Hainsey/Polak/Borgman?

Hjam would be replacing a top 4 player, and really it would be Zaits, but could be Hainsey even though he’s played very well with Rielly (especially switching his partner while having such a good yr from Rielly). I don’t think the upgrade from Zaits to Hjalm would help the real issue that is forward defensive zone play.

Right now, I rather try and fix the issue (in my eyes) that is forwards in the defensive zone instead of trying to put a bandaid on it. Come deadline day, and it's not fixed, a bandaid may have to be used. But if we get Hjalm for a good price right now tho, I’d be insane to say no.

[The Black Panther]

Good win tonight. The refs did everything they could to make it close.

Freddie is a top 5 goalie.

[lucafen4]

Their top 4 D are positive defensive point shares
Besides Polak, Zaitsev is the only D that has a poor corsi (and it’s massively flawed for D I do know)
I don’t think it’s their top 4 D are the issue in the defensive zone. I think it’s the forwards. But having a player like Hjam take over a top 4 spot could help cover forwards defensive holes. But, with Babcocks RH/LH love it’s going to be a bit odd.

Rielly/Hainsey are together
Zaitsev is the RHD2
So it would be Gardiner/Hjam as D2
So Zaitsev/Borgman?

Babcock has high praise for Zaitsev, and we always thought he was talking Gardiner/Kadri up 2 years ago when Babs talked them up, but turned out he does enjoy them. So would Babcock dabble with:
Rielly/Hjam
Gardiner/Zaits
Hainsey/Polak/Borgman?

Hjam would be replacing a top 4 player, and really it would be Zaits, but could be Hainsey even though he’s played very well with Rielly (especially switching his partner while having such a good yr from Rielly). I don’t think the upgrade from Zaits to Hjalm would help the real issue that is forward defensive zone play.

Right now, I rather try and fix the issue (in my eyes) that is forwards in the defensive zone instead of trying to put a bandaid on it. Come deadline day, and it's not fixed, a bandaid may have to be used. But if we get Hjalm for a good price right now tho, I’d be insane to say no.

I see this being fixed more in a trade than internally if the goal is to push for a Cup run in the next two years. Gauthier will help moving forward.

[Axeman33]

Hell of a game for McElhinney last night. The posts helped him on a few occasions (as a goalie myself, I always say, that's what they are there for) and the Oilers outplayed the Leafs for the majority of the game but it wasn't meant to be. If the Oilers can ever get that damn PP going, look out. Painful watching them squander so many good chances on the PP to only come up short.

None the less, good game to watch last night.

[lucafen4]

Hell of a game for McElhinney last night. The posts helped him on a few occasions (as a goalie myself, I always say, that's what they are there for) and the Oilers outplayed the Leafs for the majority of the game but it wasn't meant to be. If the Oilers can ever get that damn PP going, look out. Painful watching them squander so many good chances on the PP to only come up short.

None the less, good game to watch last night.

so much fun for a 1-0 game. Not a fan of the leafs getting outshot 2-1 again though. This is getting painful. It seems for them to win consistently, they need to be -10 in shots ... this goes back to the Wilson days

[lucafen4]

The Wilson days? I haven't checked, but I would wager they got outshot more often in the Carlyle era. I recall the Leafs having one of the best possession lines in hockey under Wilson (Mac/Grabbo/Kulie). Wilson had them playing well, more often than not. He just never had Andersen-calibre goaltending.

I agree though, I'm tired of seeing them get outplayed and relying on their goaltending to bail them out. The Oil deserved a better fate yesterday.

It's a tinkering more than overhaul that's needed. things were working well in regard to SOG per game earlier. They're getting away from that.

it's interesting they are 6-0 without AM.