2018-19 Toronto Maple Leafs - General Discussion

[nutman]

I think our Defense will be fine, I see two of our prospects making the defense this season. I also think the leafs will turn out four Defense between this and next year from the Marlies.  A trade to get Defense IMHO is backwards thinking, as the issue will be unloading from our current group.

Oh Also Ozighanov could be an intresting add to the mix.

 

[skrackle]

I think our Defense will be fine, I see two of our prospects making the defense this season. I also think the leafs will turn out four Defense between this and next year from the Marlies.  A trade to get Defense IMHO is backwards thinking, as the issue will be unloading from our current group.

Oh Also Ozighanov could be an intresting add to the mix.

Which two defense prospects do you see making the Leafs? I'd like to see one player make the jump and have a big impact, but I'm not sure who that would be.

Ozighanov? He's 25, but if he can somehow bring his game to an NHL level, he might be an interesting option. From what I've read, he's got size, scoring ability and apparently questionable hockey sense, so who knows?.

Right now, the Leafs have the unknown Ozighanov. They have the Marlies free agents from last year-Borgman and Rosen. They have Jeff Holl, who is a maybe. They have their potentially elite defensive prospects, Liljegren and Sandin, who are one and probably more than one season away from making the team. They've got players like Marincin who have played a bit with the Leafs, but haven't made enough impact. There is potential in that group to improve the Leafs, but I don't feel strongly that it's going to happen this season.

We are now in the dog days of the NHL offseason, so I don't expect any big moves. The Leafs will probably go into camp with what they've got to at least see where they are, but since they've added Tavares, they want to try and win right away. I expect some kind of move to improve the defense during next season.

 

[nutman]

Ozighanov, Holl ,Borgman and  Rosen will all be in the mix, but who wins out.... I wouldn't even try to guess that, but I do have a real gut feeling about two new faces making the jump.

 

[skrackle]

Ozighanov, Holl ,Borgman and  Rosen will all be in the mix, but who wins out.... I wouldn't even try to guess that, but I do have a real gut feeling about two new faces making the jump.

I hope you are right on that. It would certainly be a cap-friendly way of solving the Leafs defense roster issues.

The Leafs are a potentially dominant team at forward position. Goaltending? I put a question mark there, because I'm not sure what to make of Andersen. As much as I would like to, I don't watch the Leafs game-in and game-out. From what I have seen, it seems he showed up for roughly half the regular season and half of the playoff games. What's going on there? Is he over-worked? Loses focus easily? Bad D in front of him? Not that good? I'd go with overworked/defense doing him no favors, but I'm not sure.

My concern is, I can't see the Leafs winning a Cup if the back half of the team is weak, even if the front half is dominant. The Leafs have been mediocre to awful defensively since the Pat Burns era. That's a long time ago and his teams didn't even make the finals.

But hey, GM Dubas thinks the Leafs can solve most of their defensive issues internally, so maybe you are onto something.

 

[Zee]

I think Andersen is a very good goalie but he suffererd a bit from fatigue down the stretch and into the playoffs. If Leafs can get a backup to play 25-30 games it'll go a long way to having Andersen fresh when the games count.

 

[Frank E]

I think Andersen is a very good goalie but he suffererd a bit from fatigue down the stretch and into the playoffs. If Leafs can get a backup to play 25-30 games it'll go a long way to having Andersen fresh when the games count.

I just had a quick glance at NHL.com stats, and according to them, Andersen played the 3rd most games of any goalie in the league at 66.  This was third only to a tie between Hellebuyck and Talbot at 67 a piece.

Also, Andersen's save % took a pretty steep nosedive into .88 territory in March, which was well below the .91-.92 he was maintaining for most of the season, save a garbage October. 

So there might be some evidence of fatigue there, and most of the starters in the league (the good ones anyway) were 50+ games.  Having said that, 12 goalies played 60 or more.

So maybe there is some value in resting Andersen an extra 5-10 games over last season, given his drop off in March.  What kind of surprises me is that Babcock didn't play McElhinney more often, because he was actually pretty damn good.  Maybe he was injured, and they didn't want to aggravate something, I don't know.  It just didn't make much sense to ride Andersen so hard, they were in a comfortable playoff position.

 

[ZBBM]

I think Andersen is a very good goalie but he suffererd a bit from fatigue down the stretch and into the playoffs. If Leafs can get a backup to play 25-30 games it'll go a long way to having Andersen fresh when the games count.

I just had a quick glance at NHL.com stats, and according to them, Andersen played the 3rd most games of any goalie in the league at 66.  This was third only to a tie between Hellebuyck and Talbot at 67 a piece.

Also, Andersen's save % took a pretty steep nosedive into .88 territory in March, which was well below the .91-.92 he was maintaining for most of the season, save a garbage October. 

So there might be some evidence of fatigue there, and most of the starters in the league (the good ones anyway) were 50+ games.  Having said that, 12 goalies played 60 or more.

So maybe there is some value in resting Andersen an extra 5-10 games over last season, given his drop off in March.  What kind of surprises me is that Babcock didn't play McElhinney more often, because he was actually pretty damn good.  Maybe he was injured, and they didn't want to aggravate something, I don't know.  It just didn't make much sense to ride Andersen so hard, they were in a comfortable playoff position.

More than a few of Babcock's lineup choices were inscrutable.

If McElhinney doesn't have his trust, then they need to get someone who does, because I agree, Andersen needs more time off.  I would even venture to say, in the league as it is now, it is more tiring to play goal than it was when Brodeur was playing essentially every game.  The pace is much faster, I'm guessing there is more over-the-royal-road passing, there's more puck-tracking (or whatever that techniques is called) etc.

Would Babs trust Sparks?  Who knows.

 

[Frank E]

I think Andersen is a very good goalie but he suffererd a bit from fatigue down the stretch and into the playoffs. If Leafs can get a backup to play 25-30 games it'll go a long way to having Andersen fresh when the games count.

I just had a quick glance at NHL.com stats, and according to them, Andersen played the 3rd most games of any goalie in the league at 66.  This was third only to a tie between Hellebuyck and Talbot at 67 a piece.

Also, Andersen's save % took a pretty steep nosedive into .88 territory in March, which was well below the .91-.92 he was maintaining for most of the season, save a garbage October. 

So there might be some evidence of fatigue there, and most of the starters in the league (the good ones anyway) were 50+ games.  Having said that, 12 goalies played 60 or more.

So maybe there is some value in resting Andersen an extra 5-10 games over last season, given his drop off in March.  What kind of surprises me is that Babcock didn't play McElhinney more often, because he was actually pretty damn good.  Maybe he was injured, and they didn't want to aggravate something, I don't know.  It just didn't make much sense to ride Andersen so hard, they were in a comfortable playoff position.

More than a few of Babcock's lineup choices were inscrutable.

If McElhinney doesn't have his trust, then they need to get someone who does, because I agree, Andersen needs more time off.  I would even venture to say, in the league as it is now, it is more tiring to play goal than it was when Brodeur was playing essentially every game.  The pace is much faster, I'm guessing there is more over-the-royal-road passing, there's more puck-tracking (or whatever that techniques is called) etc.

Would Babs trust Sparks?  Who knows.

Yeah, that's why I was wondering if McElhinney had some lingering injury issues or something, because his numbers were solid, and so trust really shouldn't have been an issue...especially with where they were in the playoff race.

 

[cabber24]

I think Andersen is a very good goalie but he suffererd a bit from fatigue down the stretch and into the playoffs. If Leafs can get a backup to play 25-30 games it'll go a long way to having Andersen fresh when the games count.

13 back-to-back games so 69 games for Andersen this year.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Yeah, that's why I was wondering if McElhinney had some lingering injury issues or something, because his numbers were solid, and so trust really shouldn't have been an issue...especially with where they were in the playoff race.

The simplest answer is usually the correct one: Andersen played that many games because Babcock wanted him to.

If there were some kind of injury issue Sparks could have been brought up while McBackup went on the IR for general old-person soreness or whatever.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Justin Bourne had an interesting line in an article he wrote the other day about what analytics guys on NHL teams do. The article itself isn't really important to my point so don't worry about not reading it:

"Maybe the data say that a certain two D are best when together, but that coach knows that when they play together, it messes up the personnel groups he prefers on special teams."

He didn't expand on this really, but it made me think of our calls for Gardiner and Rielly to play together and how that probably won't happen as long as they're both anchoring the PP units. If they're both on the ice on a long shift that draws a penalty, then neither of them can start on the powerplay. Sure, you could throw Dermott or Zaitsev or Carrick out there, but it throws things off enough that if it happens consistently it becomes an issue.

 

[Zee]

I think Andersen is a very good goalie but he suffererd a bit from fatigue down the stretch and into the playoffs. If Leafs can get a backup to play 25-30 games it'll go a long way to having Andersen fresh when the games count.

I just had a quick glance at NHL.com stats, and according to them, Andersen played the 3rd most games of any goalie in the league at 66.  This was third only to a tie between Hellebuyck and Talbot at 67 a piece.

Also, Andersen's save % took a pretty steep nosedive into .88 territory in March, which was well below the .91-.92 he was maintaining for most of the season, save a garbage October. 

So there might be some evidence of fatigue there, and most of the starters in the league (the good ones anyway) were 50+ games.  Having said that, 12 goalies played 60 or more.

So maybe there is some value in resting Andersen an extra 5-10 games over last season, given his drop off in March.  What kind of surprises me is that Babcock didn't play McElhinney more often, because he was actually pretty damn good.  Maybe he was injured, and they didn't want to aggravate something, I don't know.  It just didn't make much sense to ride Andersen so hard, they were in a comfortable playoff position.

I know that traditionally the NHL has always liked that true #1 starter who plays 65+ games and the backup only picks up the scraps on back to backs and what not.  There are so many things that are changing with the NHL nowadays though so I wonder if that kind of thinking will eventually go by the wayside.  With all the effort and research that goes into sports science, and how getting enough rest can help athletes maintain peak performance levels when they play, I have to think that they'll be going to a more split approach for goalies playing games in the future.  Not to say it'll be 50/50 split in starts, but instead of having a great #1 goalie and a passable backup, maybe the trend will be to have 2 guys that are above average goalies and will play a more balanced split of games.  Let's say the starter plays 50-55 starts and the backup somewhere between 27-32 starts.

 

[Bill_Berg]

If they cut 10 games from Andersen, and his decline began in March last year. Won't his decline just start in the 2nd or 3rd round of the playoffs? I mean he has to be able to play 75ish games to win a cup doesn't he?

 

[Coco-puffs]

If they cut 10 games from Andersen, and his decline began in March last year. Won't his decline just start in the 2nd or 3rd round of the playoffs? I mean he has to be able to play 75ish games to win a cup doesn't he?

Its a matter of not having enough off days to recover.  Playing 70 games in a 7 month stretch is harder than playing 70 games in a 8 month stretch.

 

[Bill_Berg]

If they cut 10 games from Andersen, and his decline began in March last year. Won't his decline just start in the 2nd or 3rd round of the playoffs? I mean he has to be able to play 75ish games to win a cup doesn't he?

Its a matter of not having enough off days to recover.  Playing 70 games in a 7 month stretch is harder than playing 70 games in a 8 month stretch.

Sure, but if he's getting to the brink and then has to play every other night for 8 weeks with random gaps between series. That's a lot. If he wore out after 60+ games and 20 playoff games it would be one thing. But to wear out with a month left in the season, if wear is the issue, I'm a little concerned.

 

[freer]

I am not sure why Babcock does not play McBackup more often, he is a capable goalie, who in his 18 starts had a better save percentage then Andersen. Give him another 7 starts then Andersen will not have any issue with been tired in late Mar/Apr.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I am not sure why Babcock does not play McBackup more often, he is a capable goalie, who in his 18 starts had a better save percentage then Andersen. Give him another 7 starts then Andersen will not have any issue with been tired in late Mar/Apr.

McBackup might not even be with the Leafs. I don't see Sparks and/or Pickard clearing waivers so unless Dubas trades one of our goalies I think they may expose McBackup instead of trying to slide Sparks through. Like always tho, we'll see.

 

[Zee]

I am not sure why Babcock does not play McBackup more often, he is a capable goalie, who in his 18 starts had a better save percentage then Andersen. Give him another 7 starts then Andersen will not have any issue with been tired in late Mar/Apr.

McBackup might not even be with the Leafs. I don't see Sparks and/or Pickard clearing waivers so unless Dubas trades one of our goalies I think they may expose McBackup instead of trying to slide Sparks through. Like always tho, we'll see.

If all 3 can't be slid through waivers how do they keep 2?  Let's say Sparks stays up as the backup, they put both McBackup and Pickard on waivers to send down to the Marlies?

 

[princedpw]

I am not sure why Babcock does not play McBackup more often, he is a capable goalie, who in his 18 starts had a better save percentage then Andersen. Give him another 7 starts then Andersen will not have any issue with been tired in late Mar/Apr.

McBackup might not even be with the Leafs. I don't see Sparks and/or Pickard clearing waivers so unless Dubas trades one of our goalies I think they may expose McBackup instead of trying to slide Sparks through. Like always tho, we'll see.

This is certainly what I hope they do -- keep Sparks. McBackup and Pickard to the Marlies.  McBackup was great last year, but my guess is that it was a bit of fluke.  Goalies are unpredictable but he certainly should be on the downside of his career -- a career that outside last year was generally below average.  The league is awash with backup goaltenders.  It is unlikely both are snapped up.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

If all 3 can't be slid through waivers how do they keep 2?  Let's say Sparks stays up as the backup, they put both McBackup and Pickard on waivers to send down to the Marlies?

I expect this to be the plan. Pickard likely clears, his body of work in the AHL last season wasn't large/impressive enough for someone to think he's a massive upgrade over their current back-up. I'd say it's probably 70/30 that McBackup clears waivers too. You look at the goalie depth charts from around the league and it's very difficult to find too many teams who would take McBackup over their current backup. There's 5 or 6 that I'd say are maybes but all of them have younger guys who could definitely be ready to fill that role. If they implode during training camp though it could open up a spot.