2019-2020 Toronto Maple Leafs Summer Edition

[bustaheims]

Everybody will be quick to point out what they did to Tampa last year but that was with Duchene and Panarin leading the charge offensively and Bob putting up a .932 save percentage. Just not the same team.

Yup. They shouldn't be overlooked or anything like that, but the 2019 version of the team is quite different from the current one. Last season, they're goals for vs goals against per game had them with a 0.3 advantage. This year, they're -0.04. That's a pretty substantial shift. Their possession numbers are down virtually across the board - though their 5-on-5 Sv% is higher (though, not a super sustainable rate, considering their goaltenders' previous performances/experience levels - they were probably due for a stretch of poor goaltending).

 

[herman]

Them smoking Tampa (who are Leafs but ++ better) in 4 last season was a huge benefit to us going into this.

1) we're not going to take this lightly
2) they and everyone else like this matchup because defense wins championships, right? lol

Their goalies let in 13 goals in one scrimmage against their own offense. That's waaaaaay sadder than Andersen and our top-4 getting dummied by Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, and Mikheyev.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1287790993572532225

 

[Frank E]

Liljegren is practicing?

 

[Bender]

https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1287790993572532225

I'm liking this.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm liking this.

It's strange to say this about the 3rd highest scoring team in the league, but a lack of goals from our bottom-6 was a real problem this season. If that 3rd line lives up to the hype it could be a massive difference maker.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Their backend mobility and frustratingly heavy and effective 1-2-2 forecheck are the real weapons.

1-2-2 forecheck should be banned. Yawn!

 

[Frank E]

I'm a little concerned about Dermott-Barrie.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/BlueJacketsPR/status/1287819287131037701

I don't want to sound dramatic but if we lose to this we need to trade Matthews.

 

[Hobbes]

I don't want to sound dramatic but if we lose to this we need to trade Matthews.

More than likely if we lose to this it's Freddie who ought to be on his way out of town.

 

[Bender]

I'm a little concerned about Dermott-Barrie.

Sheltered third pair. As long as they don't face top competition I think they should be ok.

 

[Bender]

I don't want to sound dramatic but if we lose to this we need to trade Matthews.

More than likely if we lose to this it's Freddie who ought to be on his way out of town.

I know we haven't played that well defensively in front of him but he's been one of the worst goalies this year in expected SV% vs actual. The fact that we weren't out of a playoff spot was a bit of a miracle.

 

[Frank E]

I don't want to sound dramatic but if we lose to this we need to trade Matthews.

Nah, let's just pin it on Nylander.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/mapleleafs/status/1287835490276847616
Spezza has taken Robertson under his wing

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Spezza has taken Robertson under his wing

Add Rielly and 2 random decoys and you've got a pretty good PP2 right there.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I'm a little concerned about Dermott-Barrie.

Sheltered third pair. As long as they don't face top competition I think they should be ok.

Exactly, as long as they don't play against Foligno's line they should be good for the most part.

 

[ZBBM]

Woof, open the windows somebody, we're getting some overconfidence buildup.  This is a group that has yet to win a meaningful series.

 

[Deebo]

Woof, open the windows somebody, we're getting some overconfidence buildup.  This is a group that has yet to win a meaningful series.

Is anyone saying we will definitely win or anything like that?

 

[Bullfrog]

We're definitely going to win.

 

[disco]

We're definitely going to win.