The Fantastically Beautiful Joyously Superfun 22-23 Season Celebration Thread

[Wayward DP]

There's no other injury type of his which would explain the pretty obvious decline from his peak.

this assumes his decline can be explained by injury alone

I'd say that we have a preponderance of evidence councillor.

I'd argue that the stats do bear this out. Early career he was an obvious stud, and a collection of head injuries later, he's a below average goalie despite being at an age where more goalies are just reaching their primes.

[emphasis added]

his career arc is completely unconventional. his best seasons were his first two. then he had some injuries, a down year, and then another very solid season. again, that season followed what you identified as his first 2 (of 4-5) concussions.

then he mostly sucked through a bunch of other injuries over a couple years. then he was in Ottawa where he was mostly actually solid before he suffered another concussion, and then same story with Toronto.

I'm not arguing that's his only injury related issue, but it's absolutely his most serious and chronic injury issue by a lot.

I'd be inclined to agree with this on its face

You know that this is where I'm going to mention the knockon effects of head injuries often include significant increases in mental health issues and substance abuse, right?

you're making a whole lot of inferences and deductions based on very limited information. it may be the case, sure. that's all I've said all along. may, not definitely is.

Honestly, I think you're trying to not see it. He's pretty clearly cooked as anything more than a backup that you can't rely on, and his head injury record looks really fucking similar to guys who had their careers cut short by them.

I mean you're coming out with this take like a day after he smacked his head. Earlier in the season I don't think you, or anyone else, were saying these kinds of things. We were all concerned he was cooked, either in terms of ability to play, or ability to stay healthy. He proved us wrong on the first, but so far, correct on the second.

 

[hockeylover]

Not that it means much, but I think if ROR plays on the Tavares line, he's the center. The JT line historically hasn't been the best defensively so I don't hate the idea tbh. As zeke said if they push Bunting or Nylander down a line it could work just fine.

I mean they probably are.

And if ROR and JT are on the same line eventually, it's gonna be ROR at C. today he was just filling in for willy.

Also, Acciari probably rates out very well defensively at C too.

I won't complain too much as long as the 3rd line works offensively but I think my preference is still ROR 3C.

 

[zeke]

I mean you're coming out with this take like a day after he smacked his head. Earlier in the season I don't think you, or anyone else, were saying these kinds of things.

some posters here may even be on record as commending Murray's huge playoffs dick swinging play.

 

[zeke]

I won't complain too much as long as the 3rd line works offensively but I think my preference is still ROR 3C.

it may be a home/road thing tbh. Tavares could be vulnerable at C in some matchups.

 

[leafman101]

Yeah just looked up that dumb stat on EV and Acciari is near the top of the league in his 17 games as a Leaf.

they have lots of good defensive centers. JT isn’t one of them though.

 

[Wayward DP]

some posters here may even be on record as commending Murray's huge playoffs dick swinging play.

November 5, 2022

I still wouldn't be surprised if Murray comes back and looks like a good NHL goalie again. He's never been durable though, so we absolutely need a 3rd stringer than can give .900ish play.

Still don't believe we didn't get more retention though...

August 8, 2022

I mostly care about Murray being not shit and getting him to the dance healthy.

We just need a heater and he's got 2 of note on his record already. He's not going to be rattled by the pressure of the playoffs.

Samsonov I'm not expecting much from. 910 would be bonus from him.

July 15, 2022

Yeah, that's where I'm at with it. We have actual upside in net this season (with a large side order of risk). I wanted Murray, but I wanted him with double unicorn retention as our 1B. The reasons I wanted him haven't changed. There's good bounce back potential there.

 

[hockeylover]

Thinking about it more, my only actual complaint would be if any of ZAR, Lafferty or Kampf are above the fourth line.

Everything other combination still results in three decent lines I think.

And if Schenn is #7, I think I'm feeling fairly good.

 

[Wayward DP]

Thinking about it more, my only actual complaint would be if any of ZAR, Lafferty or Kampf are above the fourth line.

Everything other combination still results in three decent lines I think.

And if Schenn is #7, I think I'm feeling fairly good.

this is the best that I think we can realistically hope for. agreed on all the above though.

 

[CH1]

Fans tend to conveniently jump the gun when it comes to LTIR for guys they don’t like

 

[zeke]

Yeah just looked up that dumb stat on EV and Acciari is near the top of the league in his 17 games as a Leaf.

they have lots of good defensive centers. JT isn’t one of them though.

i don't really understand their RAPM page (are all the stats listed there different than the ones with the same names on other pages), but if we look at Cs over the last 2yrs min 1000min with that xga/60 on the rapm page....not including the nominal Cs that actually play mostly W....


1. Bergeron -.259
2. Ryan -.185
3. Cirelli -.181
4. Dowd -.165
5. Staal -.163
6. Faksa -.151
7. Barkov -.146
8. Compher -.134
9. Ek -.126
10. Bonino -.126
11. Kotkaniemi -.123
12. Beniers -.117
13. Kampf -.112
14. ROR -.112
15. Hischier -.112
16. Acciari -.105

With all three of those leafs getting heavy dzone starts and at least ROR and Kampf getting a ton of elite matchups too (not sure about Acciari there but he's probably faced decent comp too).

Matthews only grades out as good not great defensively at -.026, while surprisingly Tavares comes out as averge at -.002.

 

[zeke]

Like a Bunting-Acciari-Nylander line would be cool too.

ideally we wouldn't have Acciari in a top-9 role but with the 12 guys it looks like we're going with then he'd be my preference there, and it might be wise to use him at C if so.

 

[Jeremy]

zeke zeke zeke zeke zeke zeke

 

[hockeylover]

It's a pretty big ask for a sophomore right outta college but it'd be pretty cool if Knies was ready.

 

[Wayward DP]

It's a pretty big ask for a sophomore right outta college but it'd be pretty cool if Knies was ready.

I’d be shocked if he can hold his own in our top 9

 

[zeke]

 

[axlsalinger]

 

[worm]

You know why.

Because ROR is injured?

 

[leafman101]

 

[leafman101]

Its only 5 games, but Woll has been our best goalie this year. If anyone is going to have a Pens Murray cup run its Woll.

 

[hockeylover]

Certainly the Jesus I got duped into thinking was a good dude and loved everybody as a kid would be on board. They sure switched it up on me as I got older.