Am I the only one not worried? Andersen stinks every October and they played exactly like this to start the season.
Our secondary scoring has not even kicked-in yet.
- RogerRoeper

Andersen was great the 1st game, wasnt his best the 2nd.
Not worried about andersen.

Two things the Leafs need to fix/change is not have our wingers collapse so low in our own end when we don't have possession. It's WAY to easy for the opposition to get their defense involved and get pucks to the net.

The other, is our forwards have to stop leaving our zone early when we do get possession of the puck, these stretch passes are not working, and never have. So why are they consistently trying what hasn't been successful. We have plenty of players who are capable of carrying the puck, friggin do it!

Wtf are they doing in practices? How are they not addressing these issues in them.. These are real easy to fix.

Andersen was great the 1st game, wasnt his best the 2nd.
Not worried about andersen.
- Fakepartofme

I agree.

Freddy is gonna Freddy. Not worried about him in the slightest.

Yes, and we need a team committed to playing defense even more than that. Everyone on the ice has a roll on defense. Our wingers have been horrendous covering the points. Defensemen are being given literally 15' of ice to work with.

Players are doing fly-bys on their checks, and even a team as poopty as Ottawa had the Leafs running around confused. I am actually starting to wonder about coaching at this point.
- NightTrain_AlMo

I completely agree. Patrick Kane's goal to tie it at 5, was way too easy.. Both Hyman and Zaitsev were puck watching, not one of them moved. We need to improve our team defense.. I said it before, and I will say it again.. We need more than 1 guy to help us.

Two things the Leafs need to fix/change is not have our wingers collapse so low in our own end when we don't have possession. It's WAY to easy for the opposition to get their defense involved and get pucks to the net.

The other, is our forwards have to stop leaving our zone early when we do get possession of the puck, these stretch passes are not working, and never have. So why are they consistently trying what hasn't been successful. We have plenty of players who are capable of carrying the puck, friggin do it!

Wtf are they doing in practices? How are they not addressing these issues in them.. These are real easy to fix.
- LeafGuy89

I'm with you. Babcock has never been a proponent of the stretch pass, it's usually the center supporting the D and swinging it, but I think this has more to do with personnel (Gardiner) and poor decision-making in-game.

We don't collapse down low nearly as much as with Carlyle which left the points wide open, but they should be in a support position to help get it out.

It's all about quick transitions and not spending time in their D zone because this team is not equipped to play for long periods of time in their own end.

I completely agree. Patrick Kane's goal to tie it at 5, was way too easy.. Both Hyman and Zaitsev were puck watching, not one of them moved. We need to improve our team defense.. I said it before, and I will say it again.. We need more than 1 guy to help us.
- PatC80

That said, Sparks needs to have that one from that angle.

I blame the shoulder pad reduction a bit there though; lots of guys finding that the pucks are squirting through and not understanding why.

Its early in the season, most teams D are shaky right now, theyll eventually tighten up. The leafs wont score at this pace all season.
- Fakepartofme

neither will our opponents.

I completely agree. Patrick Kane's goal to tie it at 5, was way too easy.. Both Hyman and Zaitsev were puck watching, not one of them moved. We need to improve our team defense.. I said it before, and I will say it again.. We need more than 1 guy to help us.
- PatC80

Amen.

Ive been preaching this exact same point. We need to fix the d as a team not hope one guy fixes eveything via a trade.

Discussion:

When Nylander resigns, does he immediately play on Matthews' wing or do we roll something like this:

Marleau-Matthews-Kapanen
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson Kadri Nylander
Plays-8-Minutes

That said, Sparks needs to have that one from that angle.

I blame the shoulder pad reduction a bit there though; lots of guys finding that the pucks are squirting through and not understanding why.
- gravyface

Kane shot it as Sparks tried peeking to his right around the player screening him. It was good timing to shoot on Kane's behalf and unfortunate for Sparks. For sure it was a weak goal to allow but it happens.

Discussion:

When Nylander resigns, does he immediately play on Matthews' wing or do we roll something like this:

Marleau-Matthews-Kapanen
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson Kadri Nylander
Plays-8-Minutes
- gravyface

Ya i think it'll look like that, at least for a few games. I can't see Babs throwing Nylander with Matthews right away. It wouldn't be good for the dressing room, and the players that have been busting their ass. We'll see though.

Discussion:

When Nylander resigns, does he immediately play on Matthews' wing or do we roll something like this:

Marleau-Matthews-Kapanen
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson Kadri Nylander
Plays-8-Minutes
- gravyface

I say healthy scratch him for 5 games to teach him a lesson!

Ya i think it'll look like that, at least for a few games. I can't see Babs throwing Nylander with Matthews right away. It wouldn't be good for the dressing room, and the players that have been busting their ass. We'll see though.
- LeafGuy89

Also I think the matchup game would be a lot harder with nylander on the 3rd line, and Babs was saying that Kadri doesn't necessarily always have to play a shutdown role.

Matthews seems to be doing OK without Nylander at least for the time being.

I say healthy scratch him for 5 games to teach him a lesson!
- Scabeh

He should be allowed to fail for a whole season before getting the Karl Alzner treatment

Ya i think it'll look like that, at least for a few games. I can't see Babs throwing Nylander with Matthews right away. It wouldn't be good for the dressing room, and the players that have been busting their ass. We'll see though.
- LeafGuy89

Kapanen is obviously a downgrade in the playmaking/vision/shot categories, but not by a ton; he can play a heavier game than Nylander and I think is a better skater, at least in a straight line.

Putting Nylander on Kadri's line would really give us three balanced lines of attack and I think Johnsson (whenever he decides to get going) is an upgrade on Leivo, who's only hope in hell is to develop a 200' game and play heavier to win some PK time.

Kapanen is obviously a downgrade in the playmaking/vision/shot categories, but not by a ton; he can play a heavier game than Nylander and I think is a better skater, at least in a straight line.

Putting Nylander on Kadri's line would really give us three balanced lines of attack and I think Johnsson (whenever he decides to get going) is an upgrade on Leivo, who's only hope in hell is to develop a 200' game and play heavier to win some PK time.
- gravyface

I think Leivo has looked better than Johnsson so far.

Also I think the matchup game would be a lot harder with nylander on the 3rd line, and Babs was saying that Kadri doesn't necessarily always have to play a shutdown role.

Matthews seems to be doing OK without Nylander at least for the time being.
- TheMussel

Yeah, and honestly at this point, I'd rather Leivo playing his off-wing than another look of Ennis the Menace up there doing nothing well.

He should be allowed to fail for a whole season before getting the Karl Alzner treatment
- TheMussel

With some luck, Alzner will be benched for way longer than that.

I think Leivo has looked better than Johnsson so far.
- TheMussel

I agree, but he kind of disappeared in CHI (although that whole line did outside of Brown's backchecking heroics).

Consistency is always going to be Leivo's problem, because he's not a standout in any of the top 9 winger categories you look for (speed/heavy/skill/shot, the latter being hard, but not deceptive/quick released).

So he kinda needs to be a bit of a banger, so what can we do to make these kids angrier? Coke? 'roids? Gauthier could use some rage too.

Yeah, and honestly at this point, I'd rather Leivo playing his off-wing than another look of Ennis the Menace up there doing nothing well.
- gravyface

Unfortunately I think Tyler Pennis will be getting some play time... Leafs have 5 games in 8 nights, I can see people getting swapped in and out.

Kapanen is obviously a downgrade in the playmaking/vision/shot categories, but not by a ton; he can play a heavier game than Nylander and I think is a better skater, at least in a straight line.

Putting Nylander on Kadri's line would really give us three balanced lines of attack and I think Johnsson (whenever he decides to get going) is an upgrade on Leivo, who's only hope in hell is to develop a 200' game and play heavier to win some PK time.
- gravyface

Kapanen is definitely a better skater than Nylander. How often would you see Nylander try to cut inside and blow a tire? Too often!

With some luck, Alzner will be benched for way longer than that.
- Scabeh

Looks like you might fish your wish

Looks like you might fish your wish
- TheMussel

Amen.

Ive been preaching this exact same point. We need to fix the d as a team not hope one guy fixes eveything via a trade.
- systemtool

Exactly. Hopefully, other posters on here see that and finally put an end to all that Erik Karlsson talk.

Kapanen is definitely a better skater than Nylander. How often would you see Nylander try to cut inside and blow a tire? Too often!
- bartsch

Both great skaters but yeah you'll never see Nylander cut towards the net to try and beat a defender, he always fish hooks back with the puck, its so frustrating lol. Kapanen isn't a wussy and has no problem driving the net.