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The 2019-2020 MotherFucking Season Thread

Evolved smart dude. Love his game, always have. Hang in Toronto for 1 million Canadian. Maybe be part of history. Maybe not.

Still has huge hand skills.
 
trujaysfan said:
Dreger: "are the leafs really a team chasing a cup this year"
Jonas: "they have a top 5 record under keefe, of course they believe they are chasing a cup this season"
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When Dreger gets away from contract and trade talk (And obviously he knows very little about those too) he really gets exposed. This guy knows very little about the actual game. I guess he felt good wasting an entire year just making shit up about offersheets. Now he has to talk more about hockey this year because even he can't create a story about Dermott getting on a plane entertaining offersheets.
 
axlsalinger said:
There tends to be a lot of groupthink on this board
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I agree, and not all of that groupthink is correct. For example, there used to be a consensus here that Hyman was a dime a dozen third liner, and that Kapi and Johnsson were better options for the top six. Now it's tough to dispute that Hyman is the best player of the three.
 
No67 said:
I agree, and not all of that groupthink is correct. For example, there used to be a consensus here that Hyman was a dime a dozen third liner, and that Kapi and Johnsson were better options for the top six. Now it's tough to dispute that Hyman is the best player of the three.
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Agreed. Also not crazy on the frequent mocking of "truculence", I mean sure Brian Burke's use of the word makes it funny, and nobody wants to see Colton Orr back out there, but it's still a physical game. If Dubas can get a "truculent" player who can skate, I don't see how that would be a bad thing. Before adding Clifford, if he'd added Tomas Kaberle instead, he'd be the toughest guy on this team.
 
No67 said:
For example, there used to be a consensus here that Hyman was a dime a dozen third liner, and that Kapi and Johnsson were better options for the top six.
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Here's where I struggle with this assessment though....Hyman is putting more pucks in the net (as in, he's actually doing something other than digging with his opportunity) and earning his spot playing with elite players this season. Now, he's shooting 19.4% (before tonight's 2 goal effort), so don't expect him to continue looking like a 30 goal scorer into the future but no one is complaining that he's getting those minutes with those players anymore...and that's a really important point in regards to this whole "group think" bit. Because pretty clearly the opinion on Hyman wasn't based on orthodoxy or bias, it was purely on performance. He's performing in the role right now, so no one complains. If he stops performing well in the role (considering what the role is and all), then maybe someone else is better suited to it. That's how this whole analysis thing is supposed to work. It's ongoing and variable.

and just to politely correct you. Hyman was never considered a "dime a dozen" third liner here. Even by his biggest detractors in the past (I definitely belong in that group), he was considered an excellent pick and shovel guy and a way above average 3rd liner who probably just didn't have the offensive chops to play with the elite skill players we had. Anyone who wants to do a victory lap on that when the lad is rocking a shooting percentage of about 20% and an on ice shooting percentage around 15% is welcome to.
 
Group think and most of us being on the same page when it comes to the importance of using data to evaluate in todays game are not entirely the same
 
axlsalinger said:
but it's still a physical game. If Dubas can get a "truculent" player who can skate, I don't see how that would be a bad thing.
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latest


That's the problem. For all of the rattling on about physical players, almost nobody has any of them that can actually play. Who is physical and can actually play? Wilson, Benn, the Tkachuks (and they're more pesty than physical)...and I'm spent. I'm as sick of hearing about this mythical beast as I was about hearing of the mythical "#1 defender" before the Toronto media realized 24 months late that Morgan Rielly was one of those. Largely because nobody ever fucking attaches a name this player we're supposed to target.

We just went and got one of those physical grinder bottom line guys who everyone around the league thinks is big and tough, and he's done nothing but take stupid penalties since he got here.
 
I dunno about you Mindz, I am still glowing over seeing a win.

We are in real tough to make the playoffs. Mostly, according to me, cause Shanahan stuck with the cock. way, way, way too long.

But we are fighting our way out of it slightly, but it is still touch and go.

This Clifford guy almost lost us the game with his silly tactics.

On to the next game. Next time we hire a Babcock, fire him early.
 
It's definitely not as important as it once was, but there are lots of guys who are physical but can actually play. I mean everyone from Tom Wilson to Marchand, the Tkachuks, Kassian, the non-corpse version of Simmonds, etc. One thing I miss about Kadri, although as we all know there is a fine line between great physical play and idiotic penalties. I'd love to see the league as a whole get some of that physicality back into the game. I'm talking about bodychecking, not pointless goonery.
 
aniablue said:
We are in real tough to make the playoffs.
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We might be, but I don't really think that we are.

There's still a lot of runway left and we've been the 4th best team in hockey since the coaching change (according to points percentage...real results for the real results people).

We're tied with Columbus for 4th (one of the teams we're "in tough" with) since Nov 20th (Keefe Day) but they're getting .933 goaltending over that stretch to our .902. I could be way off in my read here (I have a blind spot for severe outliers, I'm fine with that) but I'd suggest that regression to the mean is in order for both sets of goalies. Freddy and Campbell should be able to provide us with far better than .902 down the stretch, and Merzlikins & Korpisalo are really unlikely to continue providing pretty much historic level goaltending for the duration of the season.

The other teams we're in the fight with for the 3rd spot in the Atlantic and potentially the wildcard are:

Since Keefe Day
Philly: .625% (8th)
Florida: .557 (18th)
Carolina: .571% (14th)

3 of Toronto, Columbus, Philly, Florida, and Carolina will make it and I don't see the argument for why we're not the best of that bunch. It sucks that the Babcock experience at the beginning of the season even left any lingering doubt, but we've faced adversity and still plowed through it. We're just really good.
 
Analyze this. You go into a corner and there are no webcams no social media and no refs. Hyman and Marchand. And both don't like you.

Hyman intereres with you maybe gets the puck.

Marchand, might take one of your eyes out and skate over it.

Damn, stupid question imo.

Sorry Zeke, you are a genius, but dude, this guy licks peoples faces, cause he knows he cannot just haul off and take their eyes out. Guy is an amazing, player. But bordering on psychopathic imo. Makes the Bruins, a perennial powerhouse.

Clifford has no talent, thing is, Marchand is a phenomenal talent. And a beast, and Chara now? Only wakes up in the playoffs to shut down everyone.
 
axlsalinger said:
but there are lots of guys who are physical but can actually play.
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There really aren't. I mean, when you're using Kassian as an example, it kind of proves my point (look at his numbers away from McJesus...woof)

I guess we're going to have to disagree on the value of face washing in a scrum here.
 
aniablue said:
Analyze this. You go into a corner and there are no webcams no social media and no refs. Hyman and Marchand. And both don't like you.

Hyman intereres with you maybe gets the puck.

Marchand, might take one of your eyes out and skate over it.

Damn, stupid question imo.

Sorry Zeke, you are a genius, but dude, this guy licks peoples faces, cause he knows he cannot just haul off and take their eyes out. Guy is an amazing, player. But bordering on psychopathic imo. Makes the Bruins, a perennial powerhouse.

Clifford has no talent, thing is, Marchand is a phenomenal talent. And a beast, and Chara now? Only wakes up in the playoffs to shut down everyone.
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Yes, Marchand is a horrific cheap shot artist. Is that what we're arguing the Leafs are missing? That's truculent?
 
Never saw the guy play. But from all historic accounts, Bruins have Ted Lindsay playing for them. And Chara? Guy chills into the playoffs and then scares the crap out of anyone who comes near the net, once whistles go silent.

There are two seasons out there. We gotta figure out how to get into the second season, and then teach an old dog(Clifford) to stop taking incredibly dumb penalties.

Holding the stick? In 2020 with three refs on the ice? Foof, that ain't smart.
 
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The difference in opinion on hyman vs the other wingers is that hyman is out producing his skillset while kappy and johanson are under performing.

I dont think anyone here would say that hyman is the most skilled of the 3 but he is currently putting up the best numbers and appears to be a better fit with tavares or matthews than either of them.

Hyman and soup are the reasons why kappy/AJ/kerfoot are expendable.

In terms of physicality we are missing the kadri/in prime komarov type player.

You have the guys listed above but also guys like gallagher, domi, jenner, anderson etc.
 
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