New goal song finally dropped.



And I hate it.
- RickJames77

this new goal song ensures another season of bitter disappointment and soft as slime defense 🤦‍♂️

i have it on good authority that the grim reaver was advocating for this rail of coke in a speaker 👊🏿:

https://youtu.be/F_6IjeprfEs?si=qp2g2I1yfOW5oCUi

No I was talking about the Leafs’ goal song. I didn’t think it could get much worse than Hall & Oats, but poop, someone cracked the code.
- RickJames77

Guys....a Bruins fan hates it. Result!

this new goal song ensures another season of bitter disappointment and soft as slime defense 🤦‍♂️

i have it on good authority that the grim reaver was advocating for this rail of coke in a speaker 👊🏿:

https://youtu.be/F_6IjeprfEs?si=qp2g2I1yfOW5oCUi
- Skalapy

You know, for kids!

Guys....a Bruins fan hates it. Result!
- Zezel

People thinking their taste in music is somehow the best always makes me chuckle.

In no particular order, teams with what I think is a strong defense:

Boston
Vegas
Carolina
Rangers
Colorado
Dallas
Columbus (big improvement over last year, on paper at least)


Consideration must be given to the following but they have some holes:

Blues
Seattle
Preds

No stats to back it up, just how I feel.


- Scabeh

I'll take a shot at this one as well.

Going by my own perception over the last several seasons : Bruins and Carolina in the East. I won't get into the West because I don't watch the west much at all.

I would have put the Lightning up there in previous years, but the last two not so much. They are trending in the wrong direction.

this new goal song ensures another season of bitter disappointment and soft as slime defense 🤦‍♂️

i have it on good authority that the grim reaver was advocating for this rail of coke in a speaker 👊🏿:

https://youtu.be/F_6IjeprfEs?si=qp2g2I1yfOW5oCUi
- Skalapy

Sepultura goal songs. I'm on board.

I'll take a shot at this one as well.

Going by my own perception over the last several seasons : Bruins and Carolina in the East. I won't get into the West because I don't watch the west much at all.

I would have put the Lightning up there in previous years, but the last two not so much. They are trending in the wrong direction.
- GalacticStone

Well they still have elite players on defense and I think Cernak is underrated.

But that bottom 3 guys are... yikes! Losing McDonagh was a bigger deal than people expected, I think.

People thinking their taste in music is somehow the best always makes me chuckle.
- Santo_44

Not at all what I was doing, but carry on.

That's fair enough. That's been my perception as an outside fan looking in. It's a narrative pushed by some in the local Toronto media, pushed by national writers (often reflexively), and parroted by some posters in this forum. If that perception is wrong, then I am happy to learn more context around it. I don't get bent out of shape by being wrong and getting called on it.

It's no secret that the Leafs strengths are firepower and skill. They have multiple elite players on their roster, but all of them are forwards. It would be nice to have a real #1 back there. The Leafs manage to get by just fine in the regular season with the system and defense they have, but they don't make it very far in the postseason that counts. It's easy to lay some of that blame on the defense (either the system or the players), but is it correct? I'm not so sure. But, I don't believe in curses, so something is rotten in Denmark somewhere.

Leafs don't have the luxury of an elite goalie to make their defense look better like Vasi did in Tampa.
- GalacticStone

Recognizing it was one game…..

I was happy with Klingberg, based on everything I had heard about his defensive suckage and considering he only had one preseason game. I’m more concerned about Brodie’s play since they need him to be good defensively and keeping in mind a less than great playoffs. Overall, the group seems somewhere between ok and a bit less than ok and I worry a bit about what they look like with Benoit subbing in for one of them.

The top line will improve as Bertuzzi gels with the other two. You could see it happen over the course of the game. Matthews did superstar stuff - 8 shots, 3 hits, blocked shots and time on the PK.

Second line was up and down. They had some nice moments with Nylander and Domi playing well off each other and a few problems.

The third line got caved.

I was very happy with Reaves. Unlike Simmonds and Cliff he doesn’t trail each play and he really hits. Gregor looks like a good add.

I'm getting super stoked about getting back on skates again soon. I made good progress last year. My goal is to get good enough to play shinny for the first time since I was a kid. I'm cheering for a solidly subzero winter.
- Zezel

After about a dozen years, I'm not coaching this year.

And I haven't played on a team in about five years.

So I'm now dying to get back on skates - even if it is just for shinny.

Hell, I might just start showing up at my local outdoor municipal rink for shinny on weeknights - I'll be the oldest guy there by at least 20 years.

Not at all what I was doing, but carry on.
- RickJames77

Your football teams sucks.

Your football teams sucks.
- Atomic Wedgie

Factual

In no particular order, teams with what I think is a strong defense:

Boston
Vegas
Carolina
Rangers
Colorado
Dallas
Columbus (big improvement over last year, on paper at least)


Consideration must be given to the following but they have some holes:

Blues
Seattle
Preds

No stats to back it up, just how I feel.


- Scabeh

The reason I ask is that I think we can statistically back up the Leafs' have a good defense narrative with the numbers, but the conversation isn't necessarily in good faith. The Leafs allowed the 7th fewest shots against and the 11th fewest HD shots against last season. They allowed the 2nd fewest HD Goals against and the 7th fewest goals against due to excellent goaltending from Samsonov and Woll, and honestly average goaltending from Murray. Without intending the shade I'm throwing - all three goaltenders exceeded expectations.

But I would posit that really we're looking at team defense, not the defensive core, which is what people talk about when they say we have weak defense. We have above average team defense because we have Matthews, Marner and a solid puck possession structure that is enhanced by those guys as well as Nylander, Rielly and so on.

A better example of team defense is probably when a team is short-handed because then it's not style of play nor is it puck possession keep-away, it's actual defense: positioning, checking, covering, gap control and so on - in a heavily disadvantaged situation because you're typically facing the opposition's best offense. Last year the Leafs' were 12th, which is a little above average, but probably in that range where you'd perceive that a team's defense could use improvement.

Of note - the Leafs' defense in the first half was worse, holding the league's 15th best penalty kill, but in the second half - buoyed by defensive additions, it rose to 4th best.

I think there's merit to the argument that our defense needs more defensemen, but you're not going to find a lot of takers for that argument here.

You know, for kids!
- Zezel

lololo🤣

You know, for kids!
- Zezel

Not enough people appreciate that movie

Of note - the Leafs' defense in the first half was worst, holding the league's 15th best penalty kill, but in the second half - buoyed by defensive additions, it rose to 4th best.

- Monkeypunk

I'm really looking forward to seeing Marner and Matthews killing penalties together this year.

I noticed last night they were throwing them out there as the 2nd unit - meaning they were going up against the 2nd unit PP. That's almost unfair.

After about a dozen years, I'm not coaching this year.

And I haven't played on a team in about five years.

So I'm now dying to get back on skates - even if it is just for shinny.

Hell, I might just start showing up at my local outdoor municipal rink for shinny on weeknights - I'll be the oldest guy there by at least 20 years.
- Atomic Wedgie

I go out and skate laps on lunch, or me and mz z go do the ice track at Sam Smith Park. But man I didn't retain my skating ability from youth. I think I can still pass and shoot from road hockey, but doing it on skates is a ways off.

I know some old guys that play hardcore all year. They take pucks in the face, tear their miniscus in their knees and poop. Not sure why I want in on it, but I'm (frank)ing stupid like that.

Not enough people appreciate that movie
- Monkeypunk

It's true. It's considered one of their missteps but I actually love it. And Jennifer Jason Leigh, oh lordy lordy.

I'm really looking forward to seeing Marner and Matthews killing penalties together this year.

I noticed last night they were throwing them out there as the 2nd unit - meaning they were going up against the 2nd unit PP. That's almost unfair.
- Atomic Wedgie

They're gonna score a lot of shorties. A lot.

Hellebuyck should be first by default imho.

It's close between Demko and Markstrom. They can either be great or terrible.

The rest is close to a crapshoot where they'll have good games and bad games.
- Scabeh

It's not close at all. Demko was terrible while playing through an injury, that's about all. Markstrom is terrible 1/3 of the time.

I'm really looking forward to seeing Marner and Matthews killing penalties together this year.

I noticed last night they were throwing them out there as the 2nd unit - meaning they were going up against the 2nd unit PP. That's almost unfair.
- Atomic Wedgie

I get the idea of using them as a pair but the cost of turning them into the second unit means Marner doesn’t get used against the top PP. Maybe with more time they can go out against top guys but I don’t like underusing Marner

I'm really looking forward to seeing Marner and Matthews killing penalties together this year.

I noticed last night they were throwing them out there as the 2nd unit - meaning they were going up against the 2nd unit PP. That's almost unfair.
- Atomic Wedgie

I do think it's long overdue - but we'll have to see how it works out. I love Matthews, but I'm not sure I've ever liked how our PK plays into everyone's wheelhouse.

Systemically speaking a team like Boston or Carolina tends to try and isolate the puck and close off avenues - forcing a team to make a high risk play through closed lanes which generally forces a turnover - which Matthews and Marner are quite good at, but our system tends to collapse to the middle and send out mini-forecheck forays that force movement, but don't necessarily create turnovers. This type of system, which I watch it, seems to benefit faster skaters because their job seems to be to pop out of the middle, create movement - possibly an error, and either capitalize upon it or return to the middle. The more teams move the puck, the more they open up the collapsed middle formation - but I don't find there's enough pressure.

I note that bit because I don't think Matthews is an explosive skater, but he's an excellent skater. That super-fast first step or two isn't really in his toolkit, so his positioning will be more useful than his ability to strip pucks, or effectively read the play because he might not be that close to the puck carrier - but I think he can be very effective at prevention in the slot.

Leafs are undefeated and in 3rd place in the division
sounds about right

I note that bit because I don't think Matthews is an explosive skater, but he's an excellent skater. That super-fast first step or two isn't really in his toolkit, so his positioning will be more useful than his ability to strip pucks, or effectively read the play because he might not be that close to the puck carrier - but I think he can be very effective at prevention in the slot.
- Monkeypunk

His hockey IQ is off the franking charts. He's just always in the right position.

I know I say this every week, but the guy makes everything look so franking easy.

Think about his three goals last night - just got the puck and shot it in the net. Nothing wild, just collected it and shot it in the net. Tying goal needed incredible patience, but he just calmly pushed to the left to get around the goalie and shot it in an open net.

Compared to what Marner does, Matthews is kinda boring to watch. I'm honestly not sure if I'm joking here or not.

Leafs are undefeated and in 3rd place in the division
sounds about right
- senstroll

Habs hold the first wildcard.