2019-2020 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

[bustaheims]

6 points behind Boston now. And the Leafs are actually tied with them in wins and just one ROW behind.

Not surprisingly, once Marchand and Pastrnak's shooting percentages started to regress to more realistic levels, the Bruins started to struggle. 15 games ago, those two were shooting 25.7% and 22.5% respectively, and Boston was 20-3-5. Since then, they've shot 4.7% and 10.2%, and the Bruins have gone 4-5-6.

The Bruins are basically a one line team - it's just that that line was the best in the league for the first two months. They rely so heavily on their first line for offence, they were always due to fall back to the pack. The trio of Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak have combined for 68 goals. The rest of their forward group has 53, while the blue line has chipped in 19.

 

[princedpw]

6 points behind Boston now. And the Leafs are actually tied with them in wins and just one ROW behind.

Not surprisingly, once Marchand and Pastrnak's shooting percentages started to regress to more realistic levels, the Bruins started to struggle. 15 games ago, those two were shooting 25.7% and 22.5% respectively, and Boston was 20-3-5. Since then, they've shot 4.7% and 10.2%, and the Bruins have gone 4-5-6.

The Bruins are basically a one line team - it's just that that line was the best in the league for the first two months. They rely so heavily on their first line for offence, they were always due to fall back to the pack. The trio of Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak have combined for 68 goals. The rest of their forward group has 53, while the blue line has chipped in 19.

If we have to play them again the playoffs (assuming we make it!), I will so dread their power play.  I don?t know how to improve our PK but if we don?t, we?d need to go penalty-free ...

 

[princedpw]

https://twitter.com/PR_NHL/status/1213659797226176512

6 points behind Boston now. And the Leafs are actually tied with them in wins and just one ROW behind.

If they lose next game, it is your fault.

Knock on wood.

 

[disco]

This team is 15-4-1 in their last twenty games (Keefe's tenure).
GF/G 4.10
GA/G 2.70
PP 36.6%
PK 80.0%
GF 82
GA 54

Six games left before the 8-day all-star break:

Edmonton
Winnipeg
@ Florida
New Jersey
Calgary
Chicago

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1213871541731102721

Johnsson and Moore are both skating at practice, which is obviously a good first sign in their potential return.

 

[dekedastardly]

What goes on when those two are ready to return? Engvall should stay with the big club. Moore's had an awful season. What do you do with Timashov? Gauthier still sucks.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

What goes on when those two are ready to return? Engvall should stay with the big club. Moore's had an awful season. What do you do with Timashov? Gauthier still sucks.

The one silver lining to Mikheyev's injury is that it's opened up enough cap space for Engvall to stick with the team for the season (they have the same AAV). So he's safe now. Brooks and Marchment will go back down and that will leave us with 13 forwards.

 

[Hobbes]

What goes on when those two are ready to return? Engvall should stay with the big club. Moore's had an awful season. What do you do with Timashov? Gauthier still sucks.

The one silver lining to Mikheyev's injury is that it's opened up enough cap space for Engvall to stick with the team for the season (they have the same AAV). So he's safe now. Brooks and Marchment will go back down and that will leave us with 13 forwards.

It would be criminally unfair to Engvall to send him down. His play says he's perfectly ready for the NHL. I hope like heck when the dust settles he's still in the regular line-up

 

[CarltonTheBear]

It would be criminally unfair to Engvall to send him down. His play says he's perfectly ready for the NHL. I hope like heck when the dust settles he's still in the regular line-up

He's literally just replaced Mikheyev in almost every way. When healthy the Leafs will run a 21-man roster that looks something like this:

Hyman-Matthews-Marner
Johnsson-Tavares-Nylander
Engvall-Kerfoot-Kapanen
Timashov-Spezza-Moore
Gauthier

Rielly-Barrie
Muzzin-Holl
Dermott-Ceci

Andersen
Hutch

Forward lines could obviously be scrambled depending on who gets scratched on the 4th line that day or if the Leafs decide to keep Kerfoot on the wing, but the point stands Engvall should consider himself safe to play in the NHL for the rest of the season. The only scenario I could see him getting sent down is the same one that Mikheyev faced: if the Leafs need to quickly call up a 7th defenceman in case of injury as he would be the only waiver-eligible player.

 

[Hobbes]

...The only scenario I could see him getting sent down is the same one that Mikheyev faced: if the Leafs need to quickly call up a 7th defenceman in case of injury as he would be the only waiver-eligible player.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it won't come to that.

 

[princedpw]

A bottom 6 of

Johnsson - Engvall - Kapanen
Timashov - Spezza - Moore

Could be pretty good

 

[CarltonTheBear]

...The only scenario I could see him getting sent down is the same one that Mikheyev faced: if the Leafs need to quickly call up a 7th defenceman in case of injury as he would be the only waiver-eligible player.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it won't come to that.

I mean it wouldn't even be a big deal if it were to happen. That would just mean there's a minor day to day injury (something that isn't eligible for LTIR) so he wouldn't be down long.

 

[Guilt Trip]

When totally healthy, that includes Mikheyev, he or Engvall will go to the Marlies. There's no choice because they both make over 900k. In order to keep both in the lineup, Dubas will have to trade someone making Hyman money plus. Doesn't look like we'll have to worry about it this year though. Mikheyev isn't close to playing for a long time and guys keep getting hurt.

 

[Hobbes]

When totally healthy, that includes Mikheyev, he or Engvall will go to the Marlies. There's no choice because they both make over 900k. In order to keep both in the lineup, Dubas will have to trade someone making Hyman money plus. Doesn't look like we'll have to worry about it this year though. Mikheyev isn't close to playing for a long time and guys keep getting hurt.

Salary cap doesn't apply during the playoffs so if worst came to worst I guess if Mikheyev comes back for the last week or two of the season Engvall could be sent down and then brought back up as soon as they play the final regular season game.

 

[Guilt Trip]

When totally healthy, that includes Mikheyev, he or Engvall will go to the Marlies. There's no choice because they both make over 900k. In order to keep both in the lineup, Dubas will have to trade someone making Hyman money plus. Doesn't look like we'll have to worry about it this year though. Mikheyev isn't close to playing for a long time and guys keep getting hurt.

Salary cap doesn't apply during the playoffs so if worst came to worst I guess if Mikheyev comes back for the last week or two of the season Engvall could be sent down and then brought back up as soon as they play the final regular season game.

Thabsk for the info. I was wondering about playoffs and how the cap works. They could also send Mikheyev down for a conditioning stint.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

When totally healthy, that includes Mikheyev, he or Engvall will go to the Marlies. There's no choice because they both make over 900k. In order to keep both in the lineup, Dubas will have to trade someone making Hyman money plus. Doesn't look like we'll have to worry about it this year though. Mikheyev isn't close to playing for a long time and guys keep getting hurt.

Salary cap doesn't apply during the playoffs so if worst came to worst I guess if Mikheyev comes back for the last week or two of the season Engvall could be sent down and then brought back up as soon as they play the final regular season game.

Thabsk for the info. I was wondering about playoffs and how the cap works. They could also send Mikheyev down for a conditioning stint.

Yeah if Mikheyev does end up being able to play again this season, a quick stint with the Marlies would probably be the best idea.

 

[Guilt Trip]

When totally healthy, that includes Mikheyev, he or Engvall will go to the Marlies. There's no choice because they both make over 900k. In order to keep both in the lineup, Dubas will have to trade someone making Hyman money plus. Doesn't look like we'll have to worry about it this year though. Mikheyev isn't close to playing for a long time and guys keep getting hurt.

Salary cap doesn't apply during the playoffs so if worst came to worst I guess if Mikheyev comes back for the last week or two of the season Engvall could be sent down and then brought back up as soon as they play the final regular season game.

Thanks for the info. I was wondering about playoffs and how the cap works. They could also send Mikheyev down for a conditioning stint.

Yeah if Mikheyev does end up being able to play again this season, a quick stint with the Marlies would probably be the best idea.

It's good to know that we can have both in the playoffs so that'll be really good for us should we make it.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1213874029330882563

 

[Kin]

I know you all really like the guy but man, I am really not excited about reshuffling a lineup that really seems to be clicking for Johnsson.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I know you all really like the guy but man, I am really not excited about reshuffling a lineup that really seems to be clicking for Johnsson.

I'm not excited to move anyone out for Johnsson. I think they should start him on the 3rd/4th line and leave the top 2 alone. I haven't really liked Johnson's game this year and wanted him moved off Matthews' line.