From last blog:

And this is why I'm so opposed to throwing huge dollars to get an 'elite' goalie - because Bob's performance is lighting in a bottle. I mean hard to say that the Leafs would have won this year vs Florida with Helly or Saros in net vs Sammy and Woll isnt' it? Boston had elite goaltending all year and lost to Bob. Freddy has been lights out vs Florida and they are about to lose.

I don't think you can have "elite" goaltending, offense AND D in a cap era without one (or 2) of those 3 pieces is players playing way beyond their cap hit due to Entry Level deals or lightning in a bottle.

I feel like good goaltending is enough and you need a good balance of elite of F and D with the POS players sprinkled around the line up to make space for the elite talent.

The Leafs spending a bunch of money on an elite goalie just doesn't feel like it makes the difference to me if they can get a really good tandem with Woll as the back half of it in place.

And your bang on - Florida could very easily have lost in the 1st 2 rounds - they aren't this world beater, their goalie is right now for sure but even the great Jesus Price on a heater couldn't win the cup alone.

Vegas in 5.



It pains me to think either the Vegas or Florida fanbase will get a cup but my dislike for the Panthers > Vegas.
- Cush29

I realize their next contracts will be larger, but Hellebuyck (6.2m), Saros (5m), Sorokin (4m), Shesterkin (5.7m) are all very reasonably priced.

Price (10.5), Bobrobsky (10) and Vasilevskiy (9.5) skew goalie prices high. After those three? Gibson is 4th @ $6.4m.

I like Sammy - but he has never been on fire in the playoffs. It takes a lot of faith to assume you're getting that with no track record. Bob has 2 Vezina trophies. Price, Vasilevskiy, Rinne, Hellebuyck and Shesterkin all have 1. This year it probably goes to Ullmark, even though Saros or Sorokin probably deserve it more.

Basically you shouldn't play craps with your goalie - we know what happens to the bed.

That said, teams with a great structure and proper defensive play usually win out in the end, which is also not something that was emblematic of this team under Keefe at all.

Marner, Samsonov (signed) for PLB and Helly and a 1st.
- gravyface

I do not get the love for Dubois. He's 6'2 and 205 and occasionally shows up. He's never hit 30 goals. He's never been a point / game player. I realize he's 24, but he's not a consistent performer.

"He's an enigma" which is code for he bothers to play when he wants to. The same thing they say about Willy. I don't want two of them.

free boston pizza for all
- TheMussel

the spicy perogy is pretty good.

I do not get the love for Dubois. He's 6'2 and 205 and occasionally shows up. He's never hit 30 goals. He's never been a point / game player. I realize he's 24, but he's not a consistent performer.

"He's an enigma" which is code for he bothers to play when he wants to. The same thing they say about Willy. I don't want two of them.
- Monkeypunk

and he is a UFA next summer, same with Hellebuyck

I realize their next contracts will be larger, but Hellebuyck (6.2m), Saros (5m), Sorokin (4m), Shesterkin (5.7m) are all very reasonably priced.

Price (10.5), Bobrobsky (10) and Vasilevskiy (9.5) skew goalie prices high. After those three? Gibson is 4th @ $6.4m.

I like Sammy - but he has never been on fire in the playoffs. It takes a lot of faith to assume you're getting that with no track record. Bob has 2 Vezina trophies. Price, Vasilevskiy, Rinne, Hellebuyck and Shesterkin all have 1. This year it probably goes to Ullmark, even though Saros or Sorokin probably deserve it more.

Basically you shouldn't play craps with your goalie - we know what happens to the bed.

That said, teams with a great structure and proper defensive play usually win out in the end, which is also not something that was emblematic of this team under Keefe at all.
- Monkeypunk

Sammy came here on a show me deal and he hasn’t yet, or at least not enough where he’s getting real starter $ and term. Give him a year or two or see what he brings in a trade.

I realize their next contracts will be larger, but Hellebuyck (6.2m), Saros (5m), Sorokin (4m), Shesterkin (5.7m) are all very reasonably priced.

Price (10.5), Bobrobsky (10) and Vasilevskiy (9.5) skew goalie prices high. After those three? Gibson is 4th @ $6.4m.

I like Sammy - but he has never been on fire in the playoffs. It takes a lot of faith to assume you're getting that with no track record. Bob has 2 Vezina trophies. Price, Vasilevskiy, Rinne, Hellebuyck and Shesterkin all have 1. This year it probably goes to Ullmark, even though Saros or Sorokin probably deserve it more.

Basically you shouldn't play craps with your goalie - we know what happens to the bed.

That said, teams with a great structure and proper defensive play usually win out in the end, which is also not something that was emblematic of this team under Keefe at all.
- Monkeypunk

If the Leafs refuse to get a coach that plays defense or defenders that play defense, the very least they can do is get a goalie who is proven capable of standing on his head.

Hellebuyck is worth the price for stability in net. With Woll playing 30 games, you can also guarantee hes rested for the playoffs unlike how he was overworked in Winnipeg. Despite that, Hellebuyck is tied for 3rd in playoff SV% over the past 6 seasons for goalies who have played more than 40 games.

Hellebuyck should be target #1 for the Leafs this offseason. This team is going absolutely nowhere without above average goaltending and Samsonsov doesn't bring that track record.

I gotta get on the road ...somebody flash jewelsy the Leafs team D stats.

Time to sign Matthews, Nylander, Marner to 30% contract increases!

- Aaron_85

so, that's shared among them ??? Right!!!!





I know it's for each one of them

Scott Mellanby...that's my guess for GM
- Symba007

he's a a 1st time GM ish
so no
well according to Shananahan

I gotta get on the road ...somebody flash jewelsy the Leafs team D stats.
- The Law

I mean. I'm not 100% sure he likes to read the things he doesn't like to read.

I gotta get on the road ...somebody flash jewelsy the Leafs team D stats.
- The Law

.898 SV% 3.13 GAA for Samsonsov. They won in spite of him, not because of him.

Maybe the Leafs "team D" was collapse in front of the goalie because he kind of sucks.

Maybe, having to collapse so hard and getting outplayed most games means it's a lot harder to score goals when it matters most.

If the Leafs refuse to get a coach that plays defense or defenders that play defense, the very least they can do is get a goalie who is proven capable of standing on his head.

Hellebuyck is worth the price for stability in net. With Woll playing 30 games, you can also guarantee hes rested for the playoffs unlike how he was overworked in Winnipeg. Despite that, Hellebuyck is tied for 3rd in playoff SV% over the past 6 seasons for goalies who have played more than 40 games.

Hellebuyck should be target #1 for the Leafs this offseason. This team is going absolutely nowhere without above average goaltending and Samsonsov doesn't bring that track record.
- Rare_Jewel

I will say this - I wouldn't exactly be sad if they got Hellebuyck out of Winnipeg. My buddy is from Winnipeg and a huge Jets fan. God, the sheer harassment capability from that for the next two years would be worth it. But they'd need to be able to extend him.

.898 SV% 3.13 GAA for Samsonsov. They won in spite of him, not because of him.

Maybe the Leafs "team D" was collapse in front of the goalie because he kind of sucks.

Maybe, having to collapse so hard and getting outplayed most games means it's a lot harder to score goals when it matters most.
- Rare_Jewel

I said I'm hitting the road ...

...but before I do - you said the Leafs need a coach that coaches D and defenders that play D ...

Leafs have had very strong defensive numbers under Keefe.

I'm not against improving in net. Although they might have caught some lightning with Woll. The kid looks real good.

I said I'm hitting the road ...

...but before I do - you said the Leafs need a coach that coaches D and defenders that play D ...

Leafs have had very strong defensive numbers under Keefe.

I'm not against improving in net. Although they might have caught some lightning with Woll. The kid looks real good.
- The Law

The leafs are fine defensively and goaltending wise when it comes to playoffs.

It’s the lack of scoring that gets them each year.

They lose 2-1 in game 7’s it seems like. Other then against Boston in 2013.

It’s always 1 bad break here or 1 bad play that they lose on.

Or missed calls or goals called back.

I don’t even know what the answer is anymore, they just can’t catch a break.

Also I haven’t been around so I haven’t back read. Just jumped in eyes closed.

I do not get the love for Dubois. He's 6'2 and 205 and occasionally shows up. He's never hit 30 goals. He's never been a point / game player. I realize he's 24, but he's not a consistent performer.

"He's an enigma" which is code for he bothers to play when he wants to. The same thing they say about Willy. I don't want two of them.
- Monkeypunk

6'4", 215.

JT moves down to 3C or the wing in the top 6, because nobody's taking JT's contract on.

Helly makes us better in net, PLD makes us stronger down the middle, gives us some size and physicality in our top 6.

With Knies and Robertson in the top 6 mix, we could put together some replacement level production for Marner over Bunting, Jarnkrok, Kerfoot.

The Leafs should try to get David Poile our of his short retirement.

I will say this - I wouldn't exactly be sad if they got Hellebuyck out of Winnipeg. My buddy is from Winnipeg and a huge Jets fan. God, the sheer harassment capability from that for the next two years would be worth it. But they'd need to be able to extend him.
- Monkeypunk

If you look at Cup winning teams, they almost always have an above average goalie historically. Here's the list since the lockout.

Kuemper - .902 SV%
Vasi - .937 SV%
Vasi- .927 SV%
Binnington - .914 SV%
Holtby - .922 SV%
Fleury + Murray - .937 SV% + .924 SV%
Murray - .923 SV%
Crawford - .924 SV%
Quick - .911 SV%
Crawford - .932 SV%
Quick - .946 SV%
Thomas - .940 SV%
Niemi - .910 SV%
Fleury - .908 SV%
Osgood - 926 SV%
Giguere - 922 SV%
Ward - .920 SV%

Average SV% - .923 SV%

In the past 6 years, Hellebuyck is tied for 3rd among goalies with 40+ games played with .916 SV%. He's the best available option for the Leafs.

I said I'm hitting the road ...

...but before I do - you said the Leafs need a coach that coaches D and defenders that play D ...

Leafs have had very strong defensive numbers under Keefe.

I'm not against improving in net. Although they might have caught some lightning with Woll. The kid looks real good.
- The Law

The Leafs were routinely outplayed under Keefe. The offense was fine against Tampa Bay but they were very leaky on D against them. Against Florida, they simply refused to do what worked against Tampa Bay: put guys in front of the net and deflect the pucks.

Keefe is a terrible coach.

Woll is a decent prospect but nobody has any idea if he can handle playing 50-60 games. He's still an unknown. If you bring in a proven veteran like Hellebuyck, you get the best of both worlds.

I do not get the love for Dubois. He's 6'2 and 205 and occasionally shows up. He's never hit 30 goals. He's never been a point / game player. I realize he's 24, but he's not a consistent performer.

"He's an enigma" which is code for he bothers to play when he wants to. The same thing they say about Willy. I don't want two of them.
- Monkeypunk

To be fair, he was on track for 30 goals this year as he had 27 in 73. He's got decent size, has scored 27/28 goals 3x, and is still young.

Having said that, I'm not terribly impressed with his offensive output considering his linemates (Connor, Wheeler, and PP1 time) and agree that he's inconsistent.

He could be a reasonable 2C depending on his next salary.

The Leafs were routinely outplayed under Keefe. The offense was fine against Tampa Bay but they were very leaky on D against them.

Keefe is a terrible coach.

Woll is a decent prospect but nobody has any idea if he can handle playing 50-60 games. He's still an unknown. If you bring in a proven veteran like Hellebuyck, you get the best of both worlds.
- Rare_Jewel

7th lowest goals against. 9th highest goals for

The leafs are fine defensively and goaltending wise when it comes to playoffs.

It’s the lack of scoring that gets them each year.

They lose 2-1 in game 7’s it seems like. Other then against Boston in 2013.

It’s always 1 bad break here or 1 bad play that they lose on.

Or missed calls or goals called back.

I don’t even know what the answer is anymore, they just can’t catch a break.

Also I haven’t been around so I haven’t back read. Just jumped in eyes closed.
- bryant

Wondering how good Samsonov would have been if he was 100% healthy.

If you look at Cup winning teams, they almost always have an above average goalie historically. Here's the list since the lockout.

Kuemper - .902 SV%
Vasi - .937 SV%
Vasi- .927 SV%
Binnington - .914 SV%
Holtby - .922 SV%
Fleury + Murray - .937 SV% + .924 SV%
Murray - .923 SV%
Crawford - .924 SV%
Quick - .911 SV%
Crawford - .932 SV%
Quick - .946 SV%
Thomas - .940 SV%
Niemi - .910 SV%
Fleury - .908 SV%
Osgood - 926 SV%
Giguere - 922 SV%
Ward - .920 SV%

Average SV% - .923 SV%

In the past 6 years, Hellebuyck is tied for 3rd among goalies with 40+ games played with .916 SV%. He's the best available option for the Leafs.
- Rare_Jewel

Marner, Samsonov (signed) for Helly and PLD and a 1st.

Move out ~14M, take on ~12.5M, get better down the middle.

6'4", 215.

JT moves down to 3C or the wing in the top 6, because nobody's taking JT's contract on.

Helly makes us better in net, PLD makes us stronger down the middle, gives us some size and physicality in our top 6.

With Knies and Robertson in the top 6 mix, we could put together some replacement level production for Marner over Bunting, Jarnkrok, Kerfoot.
- gravyface

At that height and 215, I seriously doubt he even lifts.

Marner, Samsonov (signed) for Helly and PLD and a 1st.

Move out ~14M, take on ~12.5M, get better down the middle.
- gravyface

Hard pass on trading the leading point producer.

Trade Nylander instead. Dump Tavares on Buffalo. 19 million cleared.

Hard pass on trading the leading point producer.

Trade Nylander instead. Dump Tavares on Buffalo. 19 million cleared.
- Rare_Jewel

Do you think it's realistic that Tavares would consent to be traded to Buffalo?