NHL Thread Because There Isn't An NHL Thread

Mather said:
Back in the summer when all the Marner stuff was happening I stated on here somewhere that I think the Leafs are going to serve as a cautionary tale for years to come about how to NOT build a hockey team. One quarter of the way through the season I'd just like to announce my candidacy for the Leafs GM position effective immediately.
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I'm just gunna leave this here.
 
Mather said:
I'm just gunna leave this here.
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They're 19-8-3 since Keefe took over. Yes, they probably should have tried to find a better backup earlier, and they overpaid Marner, but goalies are voodoo and no one could have predicted Freddy's inconsistency and injuries so far this year. If 90% of NHL teams' starting goalies go down for a prolonged period, they're boned. That's not unique to Toronto. I'm definitely not sounding the alarm yet. They've been incredible to watch, they've dominated on several nights, and if any team has the guns to outscore sub-par goaltending for a while, it's them.
 
These last 30 games are when the real teams emerge. Our defense is atrocious, even WITH Rielly it's awful. We have zero toughness or ability play with any sort physical presence, and we find ways to lose games. I'd also add to that we are completely irresponsible with the puck, don't show up for important games on a regular basis and play like a dumb team. Like this team has very few players who show on ice intelligence. They're skilled for sure, but they don't make the smart plays. Like I said back in September, I think we miss the playoffs. Hope not, but I suspect we do, or squeak in and get pumped in round one again.
 
Eh, I don't totally agree. They've missed some key players throughout the season and have been one of the best teams in the league since November. If they keep winning at the rate they have been they'll make the playoffs. I'm optimistic. They have a better team with better depth this year than last, with a coach who's not going to insist on playing Matthews under 20 minutes in a game seven.
 
BjorgenFjorgen said:
Eh, I don't totally agree. They've missed some key players throughout the season and have been one of the best teams in the league since November. If they keep winning at the rate they have been they'll make the playoffs. I'm optimistic. They have a better team with better depth this year than last, with a coach who's not going to insist on playing Matthews under 20 minutes in a game seven.
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As long as they make the playoffs and don't face Boston in the first round they should be fine .
 
I’ll throw in this guy singing the anthem at the Blackhawks/Bruins tilt. I am genuinely alarmed and unsettled by this guy.
 
BjorgenFjorgen said:
Like I was saying

Fuck the Leafs
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Mather said:
Back in the summer when all the Marner stuff was happening I stated on here somewhere that I think the Leafs are going to serve as a cautionary tale for years to come about how to NOT build a hockey team. One quarter of the way through the season I'd just like to announce my candidacy for the Leafs GM position effective immediately.
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Mather said:
These last 30 games are when the real teams emerge. Our defense is atrocious, even WITH Rielly it's awful. We have zero toughness or ability play with any sort physical presence, and we find ways to lose games. I'd also add to that we are completely irresponsible with the puck, don't show up for important games on a regular basis and play like a dumb team. Like this team has very few players who show on ice intelligence. They're skilled for sure, but they don't make the smart plays. Like I said back in September, I think we miss the playoffs. Hope not, but I suspect we do, or squeak in and get pumped in round one again.
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I'm just gunna leave this right here...
 
BjorgenFjorgen said:
You're needed in net. It doesn't matter how long it's been since you've played. Hutch is abysmal.
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He is, but they've been absolutely abysmal with giveaways and odd man rushes as usual and with 6 minutes left in the 3rd they had 4 shots on net. They're a mess in far more ways than just Hutch.
 
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BjorgenFjorgen said:


Well that was fast!
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Yeah, I don't think it's going to change anything. You could have Patty Roy in his prime in net for us, with the amount of giveaways, defensive zone breakdowns and odd man rushes we give up per game we'd still be losing most of these games.
 
Mather said:
Yeah, I don't think it's going to change anything. You could have Patty Roy in his prime in net for us, with the amount of giveaways, defensive zone breakdowns and odd man rushes we give up per game we'd still be losing most of these games.
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I mean...they aren't losing most of these games. Before last night, from this piece, "Sitting with a 9-10-4 record when Keefe took the reins, the Maple Leafs have rolled to a 19-8-3 record in the 30 games under the former AHL bench boss, good for 41 points. In terms of point percentage, that puts Toronto as the fourth-best team in the league over that span." There are for sure schematic defensive improvements they need to make as a team, but over the last 10, if both goalies hadn't been terrible, they'd be picking up some more points. It's certainly worth a shot. Campbell is an NHL-quality goalie when Hutch most definitely is not, and Clifford is a physical bottom-6 forward with good defensive and possession impacts. Doesn't hurt.
 
So by no means am I ready to celebrate just yet, since the Pacific Division is pretty weak in comparison to every other division and things can change real quick......

But man, it's really great to see my Canucks playing as well as they are. We're getting ready to have back-to-back Calder trophy winners, their depth is suddenly a strength, and Markstrom has turned into an elite-level tender. It was really painful watching their last true rebuild in the early 00's, as they botched a lot of steps along the way. I was expecting something to go awry, and it looked like it was going to when they overpaid Beagle (which I didn't mind too much) and Roussell (which I minded a lot more). Then the Luongo retirement cap hit happened and threatened to take the cart right off the rails.

And then it didn't.

The playoffs aren't a guarantee or anything, but winning the division is looking more like an actual possibility.
 
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