GDT - Auston vs Connor Round 1 | 7:30 TSN4
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Volcanologist
Well-known member
didn't care for Andersen tonight despite the 40 whatever saves. Not that peppering him was a bad gameplan on their part necessarily, but there were a lot of low quality shots against. And those goals, ugh. I think the weak ass wrister from a non scorer bothered me more than his puckhandling mishap. Also some more of the juiciest rebounds in the conference on display tonight. He's got to to at least direct those into the corner or something.
SundinsTooth
Leafs Moderator
Couple of goals this week due to wandering goalies...need to correct that asap. Overall, Andersen did a pretty nice job. That glove hand though...oof.
SundinsTooth
Leafs Moderator
How was it communication when the puck was never legally playable for Andersen? He had no play to make. Do you think he made the bad call to play it?
Leafin'
Well-known member
I'll admit he's been a tire fire this season but goalies sometimes make bad reads or the puck bounces a different way than anticipated. It was a bad play on Andersen as well as the defender. Those plays are a part of hockey both ways. Tough to get too mad considering he's above average in terms of playing the puck imo.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
That was the most exciting regular season game I've seen the Leafs play in years. It was better than the Matthews 4 goal game, better than the Marner 3 point game, and just overall awesome because the stakes were high and pretty much everyone showed up against a strong opponent. And Edmonton is ****ing good, guys. We just played them extremely, extremely well.
Matthews was quietly much more effective and dangerous than McDavid. Nylander is just honestly an unbelievable talent - not sure who can stop this guy. And great, great work from Zaitsev and Rielly. Carrick had a strong game too, as did Brown. And of course, Kadri, who may have hit a turning point in his career tonight. Despite some of the criticisms I'm reading here, full marks to Andersen too - that was a hell of a game he played, and I know I'm encouraged by three strong starts in a row.
Oh, and Sosh is a ****ing monster. For a little guy, he skates into the danger zones, he hits, he hacks and slashes, and he has some awesome moves in tight, not to mention that heavy shot that he let go once tonight. I didn't realize I missed him so much.
Now for the complaints.
Can we please get Hyman off the top line already?? I think we can accept that after 11 games of getting zero points after an assist on the first goal of the season, the guy just isn't a top 6 player. He works hard and can do some dirty work along the boards, but he is a complete dead zone for Matthews and Nylander. He can't shoot or pass. If you can't get at least 5 points so far while playing with these two studs, then you have no business being on that line. Sadly, I think he's at best a 4th liner, as I don't see even the necessary skill to play on the 3rd line, other than as a fill-in.
Poor Marner is getting suffocated playing with Bozak. That guy is just one stage prior to the stage Michalek is in, of being almost completely ineffective. He needs to go, and I don't know that it's worth throwing the season or trashing Marner's play to pump up his points to get a good deal at the deadline. I mean, I guess, what's another 50 games, but it is maddening to watch him out there, other than when he sniffs a chance on net and gives it that extra gear for a few seconds in the offensive zone. Aside from that, he's just unwatchable, and I still have to reserve judgment on JVR until I see him without Bozak. Not that it matters since I don't know that it makes sense to keep him past the deadline either, but it would be good to know how he could play if he had another good player like Marner on his line.
Polak is toast too. He can actually make a decent play like 10% of the time, like he did on the first goal, but the rest of the time he's a total liability. In his defense, he looks exactly like he did when he first got here, so I don't think his play has even regressed all that much. He just sucks, unfortunately. But hopefully someone sees enough value there to give us another good pick at trade time.
Finally, Komarov. I was firmly in the camp of keep the guy and don't trade him last deadline, but I was referring to the guy we had last year, knowing he'd surely drop off to some extent. But he's dropped off the map, playing like he's injured or stupid or something. There was that one play where he went in for the hit and completely missed the guy and just ran face first into the boards. What the **** is going on with him? If he gets back to being a bit of a difference-maker, I think he's good to keep around for the kids, but as it stands, he's stinking up the joint and taking a roster spot away from a deserving kid.
What the hell happened to all our vets this offseason?? While they're all still here, I'd be rolling out these lines:
Sosh Matthews Nylander
JVR Kadri Marner
Hyman Bozak Brown
Martin Holland Komarov
(Smith, Griffith)
Matthews was quietly much more effective and dangerous than McDavid. Nylander is just honestly an unbelievable talent - not sure who can stop this guy. And great, great work from Zaitsev and Rielly. Carrick had a strong game too, as did Brown. And of course, Kadri, who may have hit a turning point in his career tonight. Despite some of the criticisms I'm reading here, full marks to Andersen too - that was a hell of a game he played, and I know I'm encouraged by three strong starts in a row.
Oh, and Sosh is a ****ing monster. For a little guy, he skates into the danger zones, he hits, he hacks and slashes, and he has some awesome moves in tight, not to mention that heavy shot that he let go once tonight. I didn't realize I missed him so much.
Now for the complaints.
Can we please get Hyman off the top line already?? I think we can accept that after 11 games of getting zero points after an assist on the first goal of the season, the guy just isn't a top 6 player. He works hard and can do some dirty work along the boards, but he is a complete dead zone for Matthews and Nylander. He can't shoot or pass. If you can't get at least 5 points so far while playing with these two studs, then you have no business being on that line. Sadly, I think he's at best a 4th liner, as I don't see even the necessary skill to play on the 3rd line, other than as a fill-in.
Poor Marner is getting suffocated playing with Bozak. That guy is just one stage prior to the stage Michalek is in, of being almost completely ineffective. He needs to go, and I don't know that it's worth throwing the season or trashing Marner's play to pump up his points to get a good deal at the deadline. I mean, I guess, what's another 50 games, but it is maddening to watch him out there, other than when he sniffs a chance on net and gives it that extra gear for a few seconds in the offensive zone. Aside from that, he's just unwatchable, and I still have to reserve judgment on JVR until I see him without Bozak. Not that it matters since I don't know that it makes sense to keep him past the deadline either, but it would be good to know how he could play if he had another good player like Marner on his line.
Polak is toast too. He can actually make a decent play like 10% of the time, like he did on the first goal, but the rest of the time he's a total liability. In his defense, he looks exactly like he did when he first got here, so I don't think his play has even regressed all that much. He just sucks, unfortunately. But hopefully someone sees enough value there to give us another good pick at trade time.
Finally, Komarov. I was firmly in the camp of keep the guy and don't trade him last deadline, but I was referring to the guy we had last year, knowing he'd surely drop off to some extent. But he's dropped off the map, playing like he's injured or stupid or something. There was that one play where he went in for the hit and completely missed the guy and just ran face first into the boards. What the **** is going on with him? If he gets back to being a bit of a difference-maker, I think he's good to keep around for the kids, but as it stands, he's stinking up the joint and taking a roster spot away from a deserving kid.
What the hell happened to all our vets this offseason?? While they're all still here, I'd be rolling out these lines:
Sosh Matthews Nylander
JVR Kadri Marner
Hyman Bozak Brown
Martin Holland Komarov
(Smith, Griffith)
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
And once the vets are gone:
Sosh Matthews Marner
JVR Nylander Kapanen
Leipsic Kadri Brown
Martin Gauthier Griffith
There are frankly so many interesting options on the combos that you'd have to try them all out to see what fits.
Sosh Matthews Marner
JVR Nylander Kapanen
Leipsic Kadri Brown
Martin Gauthier Griffith
There are frankly so many interesting options on the combos that you'd have to try them all out to see what fits.
BeLeafer
Well-known member
Wow, brutal comments on Andersen's game. He played very well, despite the gaff behind the net. It was his best game as a Leafs yet. People even going on about his glove hand after he made a bunch of nice grabs.
Second goal wasn't especially weak, in any event, I don't think. Lots of traffic in front and it sure looked like it was tipped by Pouliot on the replay.
Second goal wasn't especially weak, in any event, I don't think. Lots of traffic in front and it sure looked like it was tipped by Pouliot on the replay.
leafman101
Well-known member
Yeah Andersen had a good game. He got an unlucky bounce on the first one, but thats going to happen to a goalie that comes out and plays the puck as much as he does. But his puck handling abiliities help way more than they hurt, so you just have to swallow those.
The second one the puck crosses the golden road, or whatever they call it, and its a screened shot that he saw for less than a second. Thats a good scoring chance. I think it was Steve Valequette doing that scoring chance work, but basically shots where either of those things happen have a very high chance of going in. Nevermind both.
The Oilers and Leafs are in real good shape. Having Kadri and RNH as checking line centers is a luxury, like when the Pens had Staal as their 3rd line center. Those guys are just more talented players than that, but they have bought in 100%. And we have Kadri signed to a bargain deal for a long time. Once Matthews and Nylander get their feet under them its going to be huge.
The second one the puck crosses the golden road, or whatever they call it, and its a screened shot that he saw for less than a second. Thats a good scoring chance. I think it was Steve Valequette doing that scoring chance work, but basically shots where either of those things happen have a very high chance of going in. Nevermind both.
The Oilers and Leafs are in real good shape. Having Kadri and RNH as checking line centers is a luxury, like when the Pens had Staal as their 3rd line center. Those guys are just more talented players than that, but they have bought in 100%. And we have Kadri signed to a bargain deal for a long time. Once Matthews and Nylander get their feet under them its going to be huge.
leafman101
Well-known member
So you are looking at over a 33% chance to score on that shot. Even though it wasn't a hard shot, it was placed well and dangerous.
http://www.msgnetworks.com/2015/03/06/the-royal-road-to-the-future-of-goaltender-analytics/
leafman101
Well-known member
Also Sosh looked real good. He would've made the team if he was healthy. He's better than Hyman.
leafman101
Well-known member
Andersen
First 5 games - 1-1-3, 4.29, .851
Last 3 games - 2-1-0, 2.00, .944
First 5 games - 1-1-3, 4.29, .851
Last 3 games - 2-1-0, 2.00, .944
zeke
Well-known member
33% from the slot, not from the blueline.
no blueline wrister has anywhere close to a 33% chance.
