CH1
The Artist Formerly Known as chiggins.
After the Sandin trade, I was pretty sure Dubas was going to go for FOR IT -- ALL IN TYPE OF WAY...but in the end, he was only able to take one eye off the future
Around the League 2019-2024 Edition
- Thread starter LeafGm
- Start date
After the Sandin trade, I was pretty sure Dubas was going to go for FOR IT -- ALL IN TYPE OF WAY...but in the end, he was only able to take one eye off the future
Preston
MBow30 alt account
I'm comfortable in saying that they're better than Tampa in all areas but goaltending, and in a 7 game series the amount of variance in goaltending can be substantial.. And tbh Samsonov has been every bit as good as Vas this year anyway.
TLDR: I can be frustrated with the direction of this team and what management values while still believing they're good enough to beat a largely mediocre Tampa team, by comparison.
JackBurton
Well-known member
My take exactly. They'll beat Tampa, but I'm still pissed. The goal is the cup.
leafman101
Well-known member
They can beat any team as long as the coach doesn’t change the way they play to negate their biggest strengths. Shouldn’t be so scared of giving up scoring chances that you don’t let the big guns play offense.
Preston
MBow30 alt account
Assuming Knies is ready to contribute (major assumption and optimistic thinking, but hey why not):
Jarnkrok— Matthews — Marner
Bunting — Tavares — Nylander
Kerfoot — ROR — Knies
McMann — Kampf — Acciari
I don't think I have much interest in seeing both Lafferty and ZAR continue to plug away in the lineup as they have. This would work for me I think.
Jarnkrok— Matthews — Marner
Bunting — Tavares — Nylander
Kerfoot — ROR — Knies
McMann — Kampf — Acciari
I don't think I have much interest in seeing both Lafferty and ZAR continue to plug away in the lineup as they have. This would work for me I think.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
The Knies stuff for this year is pure wishful thinking. Just like the big LW add that was coming just before the deadline clock ran out. There’s a better chance Simmonds plays there than Knies.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
He never sat down. Always awesome.
Preston
MBow30 alt account
Don't worry, the 14.5% on-ice S% will come back down to earth. He is what he is. Real nice player that dominates possession in tough usage and replacing him with Lafferty is a crazy downgrade for this teams depth... But he's not gonna put up 55 points all year playing under 14 minutes with no PP time.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
Only people with unrealistic expectations could have been disappointed by Engvall.
Have to recognize why a player can be an amazing third liner, even if he’s not able to cut it as a top 6. That said, I think he’d have been as good as any non-elite LW for that second line.
Have to recognize why a player can be an amazing third liner, even if he’s not able to cut it as a top 6. That said, I think he’d have been as good as any non-elite LW for that second line.
Preston
MBow30 alt account
I get his limitations and why coaches find him frustrating.. The issue for me is that he has quietly been the glue guy for their bottom 6 for a couple years now.. the guy that consistently kept his line from every being under water and a line you can play in any situation. Without replacing what he brought, we are now seeing that a lot of their depth guys suddenly look a lot worse without him on their wing. I don't think the Leafs quite appreciated the safety net that he provided to several iffy players on their 3rd and 4th lines. It's the last guy I would have traded.. But maybe Keefe and Dubas are right that you can't win with him and the Lafferty's are the guys you win with.
Though it is interesting that Joey Anderson is providing exactly what Lafferty provided in Chicago in his time there. It's almost like there's no difference between them but the Leafs have a habit of glorifying gudpros on other teams and not appreciating their own.
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