LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
Rigged from the start.
GDT #1: 12/10/2022, 7:00 PM (SNO) - No more Soups, it's Geno and Murr-time
- Thread starter BG
- Start date
LeafOfFaith
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Who ever said being a coke junkie and jail bird was a bad way to start out in business anyway?
trujaysfan
Well-known member
So is this the game day thread?
leafman101
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leafman101
Well-known member
What was the Leafs "healthy" opening night roster last year?
Ritchie-Matthews-Marner
Bunting-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kampf-Kase
Engvall-Kerfoot-Spezza
Rielly-Brodie
Muzzin-Holl
Sandin-Dermott
Something like that?
This years team is significantly better.
Ritchie-Matthews-Marner
Bunting-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kampf-Kase
Engvall-Kerfoot-Spezza
Rielly-Brodie
Muzzin-Holl
Sandin-Dermott
Something like that?
This years team is significantly better.
zeke
Well-known member
Engvall was actually on the verge of being cut and waived. IIRC to start it was Kerf-Kampf-Kase 3rd line with Mikky getting a chance on line w but then he busted his hand early on. Bunting would probably have started on the 4th line if mikky was healthy.
But yeah all of Ritchie Bunting Kampf Kase Engvall were big unknowns for their roles at the start of the year. And of course Spezza and Simmonds were always at the risk of aging out.
This year most every forward spot is filled with a guy you can expect to be quality+ for that roster slot except for maybe 2 gambles - whether malgin/Robertson can be quality scoring wingers, and whether Kerfoot can be a quality 3C, and neither of those gamble seem to have huge downside tbh.
And of course on D, heading into the year with Gio added and both Sandkn and Lilly coming off excellent first full seasons, I'm not sure our defense has even looked quite as good as this.
Preston
MBow30 alt account
Goaltending is obviously gonna be a larger question mark but I would be surprised if they don't at least put up similar numbers in net as last year. Which isn't acceptable or anything, but I have a hard time calling it a downgrade compared to last year just for that reason.
But I've got lowkey/highkey Presto hope for Murray to be Murray again if he stays healthy. Guys got a huge horn in key moments which may be exactly what this team needs to get over the hump.
But I've got lowkey/highkey Presto hope for Murray to be Murray again if he stays healthy. Guys got a huge horn in key moments which may be exactly what this team needs to get over the hump.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
Hmm. Is it “significantly” better? Not sure I’d say that. Will have to see ZAR and NAK in action but I’m not expecting them to be top six quality in the bottom six or anything. So it’s really just Ritchie out Jarn in, and Dermott out Gio in. Both nice upgrades but not huge changes (and we had Gio in the playoffs anyway).
Muzz and Kerf out and major forward in, and both Lilly and Sandin penciled in, those would’ve made it significant. Maybe ends up being that we keep them all and add a major forward at the deadline, but I thought that’d happen at last deadline and last off-season and it didn’t.
hockeylover
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leafman101
Well-known member
Gio >>>>>>>>> Dermott
Anyone (Malgin) > Ritchie
Jarnkrok = MIkheyev
ZAR > old Spezza
NAK >>>>>>>> Simmonds
Anyone (Malgin) > Ritchie
Jarnkrok = MIkheyev
ZAR > old Spezza
NAK >>>>>>>> Simmonds
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
This sums it up well, but yeah, I don’t see a sizable aggregate improvement there. I think we’re better, but really only just a bit. And then we have to see what these goalies will be.
Frankly, G is by far the biggest potential upgrade. The other stuff is minor.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
Trade Muzz and Kerf and sign a top UFA forward? Yeah.
Preston
MBow30 alt account
Sounds like a lateral move at best to me!
leafman101
Well-known member
I think the impact of the new 4th line is being overlooked.
We are going from one of the worst 4th lines in the league that had to be sheltered and was basically unplayable, to one of the best, that can play in any situation against anyone, and shut things down.
Thats only 8-10 mins a game, but its 8-10 mins a game that nothing will happen and Keefe doesn't have to worry about, as opposed to the Leafs getting destroyed.
We are going from one of the worst 4th lines in the league that had to be sheltered and was basically unplayable, to one of the best, that can play in any situation against anyone, and shut things down.
Thats only 8-10 mins a game, but its 8-10 mins a game that nothing will happen and Keefe doesn't have to worry about, as opposed to the Leafs getting destroyed.
zeke
Well-known member
yeah i would just replace that 2nd one with Malgin/Robertson replacing Ritchie/Kase.
but even then it doesn't quite capture the change. the biggest move is moving Kampf to a 4th line where he can be a true asset, and flanking him with two quality defensive players who can skate and play with physicality, giving us a 4th line that we actually want to use against anyone, rather than a weird mishmash line that needs to be heavily sheltered. especially since what was supposed to be a strength of our 4th liners last year - offense - never really happened. That frees up the 3rd line to have more of an offensive identity too.
leafman101
Well-known member
Last year in the playoffs, the bottom 3 Leafs forwards in GA/60 were Simmonds, Kase and Blackwell. The 4th line was brutal. 3 goals against is a lot in a series we lost by 1 game.