2019-2020 Toronto Maple Leafs Summer Edition
- Thread starter Zee
- Start date
bustaheims
Active member
Frank E said:
He's pretty good with takeaways and breaking up plays in the neutral zone, too. But, like the offensive zone, that's not really an area people focus on when talking about defensive play (except for when players are exceptionally good at it). The criticisms are mostly about how he doesn't look engaged in the defensive zone, which has some merit. He's also not a physical defender, which can be effective - it's just less noticeable, and, therefore, less appreciated. He's not a super strong positional defender, but he can improve there. He'll never be a physical defender, and that's okay. His team still has the puck more when he's on the ice, and that's what's most important.
herman
Well-known member
Komarov might've been our last forward who was actually good positionally in the D-zone.
Matthews and Nylander are 1a and 1b for our forwards in the NZ for defense: takeaways, contesting exits and entries, etc.
Nylander isn't outright bad at DZ play; it's also not the wingers' primary function nor are wingers generally very impactful on defensive metrics. I agree with busta that it has a lot to do with how he looks when he's defending.
These are Nylander's offensive and defensive shot plots this past season. You'll note there wasn't much in terms of shots against coming from his side of the ice, and a whole lot going the other way.
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His net isolated xG% by hockeyviz' model was +20%, just behind Matthews' +23% and ahead of Marner's +19%
Matthews and Nylander are 1a and 1b for our forwards in the NZ for defense: takeaways, contesting exits and entries, etc.
Nylander isn't outright bad at DZ play; it's also not the wingers' primary function nor are wingers generally very impactful on defensive metrics. I agree with busta that it has a lot to do with how he looks when he's defending.
These are Nylander's offensive and defensive shot plots this past season. You'll note there wasn't much in terms of shots against coming from his side of the ice, and a whole lot going the other way.
His net isolated xG% by hockeyviz' model was +20%, just behind Matthews' +23% and ahead of Marner's +19%
Heroic Shrimp
New member
To be honest, if I were another team, I'd complain, too. If the Leafs are paying the refs to be there, there's an obvious conflict of interest in ensuring their future objectivity. And if the team isn't paying them and the refs are volunteering and doing it to stay sharp and in shape, then the officials are interacting with the players in a casual setting that borders on fraternization, which also arguably threatens future objectivity, or at the very least the appearance of objectivity.Bender said:
I get it, but I would hope that refs are professional, and therefore reffing in training camp wouldn't affect their judgment in actual games, but I get it.Heroic Shrimp said:
At the same time I also think if the Leafs have the means to do this then that's the perk of being part of a franchise with a large fanbase.
OldTimeHockey
Active member
bustaheims said:
I think a big thing people take issue with is his back check. Often, when you see a goal scored on the rush by the opposing team, Nylander is seen coasting. I've never really taken issue with it as not everyone should be back checking hard to the net. But, in the least, he should be picking up a man.
OldTimeHockey
Active member
Bender said:
Why couldn't they just hire a couple OHL referees?
Bender said:
If other teams seriously think that refs are this easily influenced then we have a much, much larger issue at hand here.
Zee
Active member
I don't see the point of Leafs hiring actual refs for their split squad scrimmages. You want the games as realistic as possible but you didn't have to go to that extreme. Anyone with hockey knowledge that could skate could have served as the defacto refs for the scrimmages. I get what the Leafs are trying to do just think it's a bit extreme in this instance.
Heroic Shrimp
New member
OldTimeHockey said:
Because there's a pandemic and they'd have to be living within the bubble and abiding by its rules.
https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1284141642472206337
Not that this is a surprise, but the game 1 line-up seems pretty locked in.
I wasn't sure what to make of Nylander being on the left side when the line-ups first started getting posted, but it seems like it's something they're sticking with. I feel like that's more to Hyman's benefit though.
Not that this is a surprise, but the game 1 line-up seems pretty locked in.
I wasn't sure what to make of Nylander being on the left side when the line-ups first started getting posted, but it seems like it's something they're sticking with. I feel like that's more to Hyman's benefit though.