the leafs are a bottom 5 shots against team. some games their d looks super ugly.

toronto's PK and lack of penalties in general props of their GA numbers. 4th least amount of 4 on 5 goals against last year. 5 on 5 no doubt tampa and washington play better d
- daeth

You are making some pretty hefty excuses for the GA.
If you examine their shots against, they allow very few "High Danger" shots/chances. The shot total includes a lot of easy saves for Freddie. (And his save % wasn't great last season).

If their D was anywhere as bad as most think they would not have that low GA.

You are making some pretty hefty excuses for the GA.
If you examine their shots against, they allow very few "High Danger" shots/chances. The shot total includes a lot of easy saves for Freddie. (And his save % wasn't great last season).

If their D was anywhere as bad as most think they would not have that low GA.
- RogerRoeper

they still likely spend more time in their own end than in the offensive end. that's not great.

their offense is elite and will always outscore their troubles but there's no doubt their d isn't good. you can win it all without good d so how much we should care about it is another story.

they still likely spend more time in their own end than in the offensive end. that's not great.

their offense is elite and will always outscore their troubles but there's no doubt their d isn't good. you can win it all without good d so how much we should care about it is another story.
- daeth

They are trying to correct that. Moving on from the likes of polak who aren't that great defensively and can't get the puck out help a lot.

They want to be quicker and have guys that can retrieve pucks and move it to the skilled forwards.

Playing defense isn't as improtant as it once was. Getting the puck and moving it is becoming more important, spend less time in your zone.

looking at washington's numbers from last year even closer i would now say it would be irresponsible to claim they definitively played better D last year. impressively bad possession numbers in the regular season and not even that great in the playoffs.

looking at washington's numbers from last year even closer i would now say it would be irresponsible to claim they definitively played better D last year. impressively bad possession numbers in the regular season and not even that great in the playoffs.
- daeth

Here's why Washington won the cup: for the first time, their best players played their best in the playoffs. If the Leafs get that, they can win the cup. Kuznetsov was an embarrassment in the playoffs 2 years ago. He played like an elite star in the playoffs this year and should have won the Conn Smythe.

Imagine if both Matthews and JT play great and FReddie plays good? We are in great shape.

Almos everyone played like crap and Kadri got suspended and we still lost in the 3rd period of game 7. And that's with .896 save % goaltending.

Here's why Washington won the cup: for the first time, their best players played their best in the playoffs. If the Leafs get that, they can win the cup. Kuznetsov was an embarrassment in the playoffs 2 years ago. He played like an elite star in the playoffs this year and should have won the Conn Smythe.

Imagine if both Matthews and JT play great and FReddie plays good? We are in great shape.

Almos everyone played like crap and Kadri got suspended and we still lost in the 3rd period of game 7. And that's with .896 save % goaltending.
- RogerRoeper

you don't have to sell me on their ability to potentially go on a long run. they have enough depth that a line can go cold for a few games without sinking them, but if they have every line going at the same time only a hot goalie could stop them imho.

the thing nobody talks about when mentioning the leafs d is that non of the teams with great d can even come close to toronto's offensive depth. the gap defensively is smaller than the gap offensively.

the thing nobody talks about when mentioning the leafs d is that non of the teams with great d can even come close to toronto's offensive depth. the gap defensively is smaller than the gap offensively.
- daeth

I am of the opinion a team like Nashville, despite the great D simply does not have the talent upfront to win a cup. Their goalie also is aging and has been crap 2 years in a row in the playoffs.

Offensive talent is being underrated. Teams need 2 star C's, not just one to win a cup.

Morgan Rielly is also painfully underrated. Top 20 D and moving-up fast. And unlike a John Carlson, he isn't sheltered and plays against the best everynight.

I am of the opinion a team like Nashville, despite the great D simply does not have the talent upfront to win a cup. Their goalie also is aging and has been crap 2 years in a row in the playoffs.

Offensive talent is being underrated. Teams need 2 star C's, not just one to win a cup.
- RogerRoeper

nashville didn't even have a single 30 goal scorer last year. toronto will have one on their 3rd line.

can't help but chuckle at that.

nashville didn't even have a single 30 goal scorer last year. toronto will have one on their 3rd line.

can't help but chuckle at that.
- daeth

And yet no one says that about Nashville. Their D is great, so they are better than the Leafs and a true contender.

Turris and Johnson as the 2 top c's? Yawn.

the thing nobody talks about when mentioning the leafs d is that non of the teams with great d can even come close to toronto's offensive depth. the gap defensively is smaller than the gap offensively.
- daeth

Agreed

the thing nobody talks about when mentioning the leafs d is that non of the teams with great d can even come close to toronto's offensive depth. the gap defensively is smaller than the gap offensively.
- daeth

Nobody talks about it because they're smart enough to know that defense wins championships. Washington use to lead the league in scoring by giant margins and they'd lose in the 1st round. Winning takes a lot more than having guys who can score goals. Defense and goaltending are giant parts of that and the Leafs don't have that yet.

nashville didn't even have a single 30 goal scorer last year. toronto will have one on their 3rd line.

can't help but chuckle at that.
- daeth

Leafs lost in the 1st round two years in a row playing "offense first", Nashville went to the 2nd round and the Cup Final before that on the back of great defense. Chuckle?

k

Nobody talks about it because they're smart enough to know that defense wins championships. Washington use to lead the league in scoring by giant margins and they'd lose in the 1st round. Winning takes a lot more than having guys who can score goals. Defense and goaltending are giant parts of that and the Leafs don't have that yet.



Leafs lost in the 1st round two years in a row playing "offense first", Nashville went to the 2nd round and the Cup Final before that on the back of great defense. Chuckle?
- Unholy_Goalie

Washington's D was not good last year. They won because guys like Kuznetzov and Ovy played their best ever in the playoffs.
The 3 last years it's clear having 2 elite centres wins championships.

Washington did not lose because they were offence-first previously. All their offensiev stars stopped scoring in the playoffs. That's why they lost.

Again, you get a star centre like Kuznetzov go from a playoff disappearing act to playing like an elite superstar, that will make a massive difference in a cup run.

And who cares if Nashville won 1 round? They were supposed to win the cup.

Washington's D was not good last year. They won because guys like Kuznetzov and Ovy played their best ever in the playoffs.
The 3 last years it's clear having 2 elite centres wins championships.

Washington did not lose because they were offence-first previously. All their offensiev stars stopped scoring in the playoffs. That's why they lost.
- RogerRoeper

and the preds played the avs round 1 lol

Washington's D was not good last year. They won because guys like Kuznetzov and Ovy played their best ever in the playoffs.
The 3 last years it's clear having 2 elite centres wins championships.

Washington did not lose because they were offence-first previously. All their offensiev stars stopped scoring in the playoffs. That's why they lost.

Again, you get a star centre like Kuznetzov go from a playoff disappearing act to playing like an elite superstar, that will make a massive difference in a cup run.

And who cares if Nashville won 1 round? They were supposed to win the cup.
- RogerRoeper