As Dozzer notes, there's a little of column A and a little of column B (the below is averaged out to an 82 game season to compensate for shortened seasons):

In Year 1 he had 10 PPG & 9 PPA and 88 Total Points
In Year 2 he had 9 PPG & 18 PPA and 78 Total Points
In Year 3 he had 9 PPG & 9 PPA and 73 Total Points
In Year 4 he had 10 PPG & 17 PPA and 79 Total Points
In Year 5 he had 18 PPG & 22 PPA and 82 Total Points
In Year 6 he had 9 PPG & 11 PPA and 67 Total Points

So this season his overall power play numbers were down a little from his average, but it more often that he had around 20-25 points on the PP than last year's 40 - that was the anomaly.

I think the eye test shows me that he is slower, he is defensively less capable and he is losing more one-on-one battles. I wonder how many of those speed bursts were trying to keep up with the offensive play and how many were trying to get back on defense.
- Monkeypunk

It's absolutely crazy that Tavares has been paid 11 AAV for 6 years and ranged from the 2nd highest paid player to now tied for the 9th highest player and has never scored 50 goals or even broke 90 points.

Year 1 (47 goals) was really the only year he was close to worth it and hasn't come close to that since.

It's absolutely crazy that Tavares has been paid 11 AAV for 6 years and ranged from the 2nd highest paid player to now tied for the 9th highest player and has never scored 50 goals or even broke 90 points.

Year 1 (47 goals) was really the only year he was close to worth it and hasn't come close to that since.
- Rare_Jewel

Thanks Mitch.

Does anyone actually think the Leafs will be better this year?
- Horsey Sauce

Once they rid themselves of Marner they will 100% be better. Worst high end player in the league. Leafs need more Nylanders.

Once they rid themselves of Marner they will 100% be better. Worst high end player in the league. Leafs need more Nylanders.
- moneyballs

Apparently they don’t agree with you

Apparently they don’t agree with you
- Horsey Sauce

One is signed, one isn't, so are you sure using two laugh emojis is the way to go with this statement???

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

One is signed, one isn't, so are you sure using two laugh emojis is the way to go with this statement???

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- underhill14

A.Nylander is unsigned, Mitch has a contract.

2 emojis appropriate. A third one is fine now because you swung and missed. Hehe

This drone scandal is ridiculous.

The only mistake Canada ever makes is they’re always too honest and admit when they cheat. Every other country does this, and probably a lot worse. FIFA/CONMEBOL/IOC love to pick on Canada because they’re polite.

We shouldn’t change, but it’s still ridiculous.

As Dozzer notes, there's a little of column A and a little of column B (the below is averaged out to an 82 game season to compensate for shortened seasons):

In Year 1 he had 10 PPG & 9 PPA and 88 Total Points
In Year 2 he had 9 PPG & 18 PPA and 78 Total Points
In Year 3 he had 9 PPG & 9 PPA and 73 Total Points
In Year 4 he had 10 PPG & 17 PPA and 79 Total Points
In Year 5 he had 18 PPG & 22 PPA and 82 Total Points
In Year 6 he had 9 PPG & 11 PPA and 67 Total Points

So this season his overall power play numbers were down a little from his average, but it more often that he had around 20-25 points on the PP than last year's 40 - that was the anomaly.

I think the eye test shows me that he is slower, he is defensively less capable and he is losing more one-on-one battles. I wonder how many of those speed bursts were trying to keep up with the offensive play and how many were trying to get back on defense.
- Monkeypunk

JT's PP points are down cause, well they sucked in 2024 on the PP.
Say if they, the Leafs scored on every 4th PP, his number would be higher.

Does anyone actually think the Leafs will be better this year?
- Horsey Sauce

drink the blue kool-aid and beleafs
Leafs D is better on paper this year then it was last year.
in goal is a wait and see
we still have the core 4 that work good in regular season.
the playoffs is a different beast, which is sad cause it ain't pretty.

so, drink the blue kool-aid or something blue and beleafs

Once they rid themselves of Marner they will 100% be better. Worst high end player in the league. Leafs need more Nylanders.
- moneyballs

22M expires at the end of the upcoming season and down to the core 2
should be an interesting season with contract year coming up for two of them.

This drone scandal is ridiculous.

The only mistake Canada ever makes is they’re always too honest and admit when they cheat. Every other country does this, and probably a lot worse. FIFA/CONMEBOL/IOC love to pick on Canada because they’re polite.

We shouldn’t change, but it’s still ridiculous.
- Horsey Sauce

No, the problem is stupidity. It should have been obvious that you’re not going to get away with flying a drone in an area with heightened security and the advantages of spying on a closed practice are pretty small. OMG, they're going with a 4-4-2 formation!

22M expires at the end of the upcoming season and down to the core 2
should be an interesting season with contract year coming up for two of them.
- dmnted

Don’t encourage the haters lol

No, the problem is stupidity. It should have been obvious that you’re not going to get away with flying a drone in an area with heightened security and the advantages of spying on a closed practice are pretty small. OMG, they're going with a 4-4-2 formation!
- Chunga’s Revenge

This too.

Just funny how bribery and diving are acceptable.

Does anyone actually think the Leafs will be better this year?
- Horsey Sauce

I do.

Thanks Mitch.
- Horsey Sauce

Not untrue of Tavares' 47 goals, these are the primary assisters:

Mitch Marner: 23
Morgan Rielly: 6
Nazem Kadri: 4
Zach Hyman: 3
Auston Matthews: 3
Jake Gardiner: 3
Ron Hainsey: 1
Andreas Johnsson: 1
Jake Muzzin: 1
William Nylander: 1
Unassisted: 1


These are the secondary assisters:

Morgan Rielly: 10
Zach Hyman: 4
William Nylander: 4
Mitch Marner: 3
Auston Matthews: 3
Travis Dermott: 2
Kasperi Kapanen: 2
Jake Gardiner: 2
Martin Marinčin: 2
Nikita Zaitsev: 1
Pär Lindholm: 1
Ron Hainsey: 1
Nazem Kadri: 1
Connor Brown: 1
Frederik Gauthier: 1

Not untrue of Tavares' 47 goals, these are the primary assisters:

Mitch Marner: 23
Morgan Rielly: 6
Nazem Kadri: 4
Zach Hyman: 3
Auston Matthews: 3
Jake Gardiner: 3
Ron Hainsey: 1
Andreas Johnsson: 1
Jake Muzzin: 1
William Nylander: 1
Unassisted: 1


These are the secondary assisters:

Morgan Rielly: 10
Zach Hyman: 4
William Nylander: 4
Mitch Marner: 3
Auston Matthews: 3
Travis Dermott: 2
Kasperi Kapanen: 2
Jake Gardiner: 2
Martin Marinčin: 2
Nikita Zaitsev: 1
Pär Lindholm: 1
Ron Hainsey: 1
Nazem Kadri: 1
Connor Brown: 1
Frederik Gauthier: 1
- Monkeypunk

lol wut?

Mitch gifted him half those goals.

Some were unassisted.

Others were on the PP.

All you did was prove Mitch was the primary reason for his career high in goals.

Leafs will win it all this year. Book it.

Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria.

So Summer McIntosh just got Canada its first medal, a silver in the 400m freestyle. Glad I was watching that

Does anyone actually think the Leafs will be better this year?
- Horsey Sauce

Out:

Bertuzzi
Gregor
Brodie
Giordano
Samsonov
Jones

Klingberg
Lyubushkin
Edmundson

In:

Tanev
Ekman-Larsson
Stolarz

Hakanpaa


Now if you boil this down to the roles - Matthew Knies should get a much deserved promotion into Bertuzzi's minutes and I think he will do as well, or better. Bertuzzi had more 5v5 time as well as about 80 more minutes of PP time (doesn't sound like a ton, but contextually in a season a guy like Marner or Matthews gets about 250 PP minutes) - and in that extra time, Bertuzzi managed 6 more goals and 8 more points.

Tanev should more than make-up for the waning Brodie's minutes and elevate the top pair on D again, and while OEL isn't going to bring a lot of defensive acumen, he isn't likely to be any worse than Giordano and he will provide an offensive upgrade.


Noah Gregor will likely be filled by one of the Marlies or prospects and no one will notice.

Stolarz should be _way_ better than Samsonov, even without the historical benefit of a heavy workload under his belt. I mean last year there were 72 goalies to face at least 800 Fenwick Attempts - out of those, Stolarz was 3rd in GSAx/60, Woll was 21st, and Samsonov was 62nd with a negative value.

Samsonov finished the year 23-7-8, but his underlying stats note that he was facing much weaker competition as the team tried desperately to rebuild his broken confidence. So while they were winning with him in net, it was in spite of him for the most part.

In other words - the Leafs have improved the defense, they have improved their offense from the defense, and they have improved their goaltending without losing that much out of the offense that won't likely be backfilled by players waiting to step into those roles.

The largest concern you really have is how much will Tavares' decline continue to be? If he's basically the same as last year (which he should be), then the Leafs should be a better team by maybe 6 points.

lol wut?

Mitch gifted him half those goals.

Some were unassisted.

Others were on the PP.

All you did was prove Mitch was the primary reason for his career high in goals.
- Horsey Sauce

Maybe reread what I said instead of leaping to defend Marner. That was my point.

lol wut?

Mitch gifted him half those goals.

Some were unassisted.

Others were on the PP.

All you did was prove Mitch was the primary reason for his career high in goals.
- Horsey Sauce

Or - half of those were basic 3 foot passes that any player could make - and JT did the hard part and put it past an NHL goalie.

Of those apples Mitch was primary on - I would bet 8-10 were probably beauty passes that only a a dozen or so players could make. Mitch does make some great passes for sure.

Maybe reread what I said instead of leaping to defend Marner. That was my point.
- Monkeypunk

You’re asking for a lot from that poster

Maybe reread what I said instead of leaping to defend Marner. That was my point.
- Monkeypunk

Explain it then, what did I miss?

Preferably before Dozzer’s brown shirts arrive.

Or - half of those were basic 3 foot passes that any player could make - and JT did the hard part and put it past an NHL goalie.

Of those apples Mitch was primary on - I would bet 8-10 were probably beauty passes that only a a dozen or so players could make. Mitch does make some great passes for sure.
- Big23Questions

I live for these types of comments

Explain it then, what did I miss?

Preferably before Dozzer’s brown shirts arrive.
- Horsey Sauce

He's proving your point about Marner
helping Tavares getting a career high in goals while playing on the same line.