2020-2021 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion
- Thread starter herman
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Heroic Shrimp
Active member
https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1323288013540130816
I haven't listened to it yet, but I plan to.
I haven't listened to it yet, but I plan to.
herman
Well-known member
https://twitter.com/sports_ledger/status/1323307090308378624
Dubas picked up David Warsofsky in the Kapanen trade to replace the veteran steadiness of Vincent LoVerde (and Andrew Campbell before him). He is unlikely to suit up for the Leafs proper, but will be relied upon to help prepare Sandin, Liljegren, Hollowell, Duszak, etc. for potential forever call ups.
Dubas picked up David Warsofsky in the Kapanen trade to replace the veteran steadiness of Vincent LoVerde (and Andrew Campbell before him). He is unlikely to suit up for the Leafs proper, but will be relied upon to help prepare Sandin, Liljegren, Hollowell, Duszak, etc. for potential forever call ups.
Guilt Trip
Active member
Like his attitude. He knows his role and will be a good addition to the Marlies.
herman
Well-known member
https://twitter.com/jhanhky/status/1323397085065023490
I can see Tavares extending his career the way Thornton has. It?s never been about burning speed, just holding the puck and putting it into the right places over and over and over again, making chances out of semi-broken plays.
I can see Tavares extending his career the way Thornton has. It?s never been about burning speed, just holding the puck and putting it into the right places over and over and over again, making chances out of semi-broken plays.
Guilt Trip
Active member
Not surprising really. He played the game hard and would realize the long term effects playing that way has had on players.
herman
Well-known member
Guilt Trip said:
There is a segment of the fanbase that feels betrayed by this
as it was their belief that Shanahan finally pulled the reins on Dubas and made him pick up gritty guys this offseason.The stoic team style pre-dated Dubas and largely stemmed from Babcock (somewhat obfuscated by Kadri, Komarov, Polak, Martin).
Guilt Trip
Active member
Yeah I've read some of that nonsense about Shanny calling the shots now. People also think that hitting means tough and gritty and Dubas doesn't believe in having either in a line up. Just small skilled players. And the media is all over it too. Just utter BS. Those players mentioned were Babs favs and he used them too much, so Dubas got rid of his toys. You remember Leo and Brown as Matthews' wingers against Boston? What a joke.herman said:Guilt Trip said:
There is a segment of the fanbase that feels betrayed by this
The stoic team style pre-dated Dubas and largely stemmed from Babcock (somewhat obfuscated by Kadri, Komarov, Polak, Martin).
herman
Well-known member
I agreed with then, and still do now, a lot of Babcock's general deployment and strategic philosophies; I am also in favour of stoic hockey.
I do prefer a coach who can build a playstyle that flexes from clockwork puck possession/protection to blitzkrieg mode as the opponent requires. I think we have the players for that range; they have the capacity to handle more than one breakout route.
I'm not a fan of overplaying the stars during the regular season, but come the playoffs, you've gotta stack what you've got for more than 1 shift at the end of the game. I find Keefe overdoes it sometimes, but he generally knows when to hit the gas on key leverage moments.
Not having a hard shutdown centre that's not Tavares might hurt for a bit, but come the trade deadline, there is an opportunity to address that as teams find themselves out of contention (eyeballs on Johan Larsson as Arizona is lolz).
I do prefer a coach who can build a playstyle that flexes from clockwork puck possession/protection to blitzkrieg mode as the opponent requires. I think we have the players for that range; they have the capacity to handle more than one breakout route.
I'm not a fan of overplaying the stars during the regular season, but come the playoffs, you've gotta stack what you've got for more than 1 shift at the end of the game. I find Keefe overdoes it sometimes, but he generally knows when to hit the gas on key leverage moments.
Not having a hard shutdown centre that's not Tavares might hurt for a bit, but come the trade deadline, there is an opportunity to address that as teams find themselves out of contention (eyeballs on Johan Larsson as Arizona is lolz).
Guilt Trip
Active member
I think Kerfoot could be a shutdown guy if he ever got better at faceoffs, which he should with Malholtra on the Leafs now. He'll never get better training. It's going to be interesting to see how Keefe sets the lines up.
herman
Well-known member
herman said:
Re-thinking this one... 14-day isolation required for crossing the border likely still exists at the trade deadline, which may diminish player movement when you don't really get the player into games or even practices for a good chunk of a compressed season.
Guilt Trip
Active member
If that rapid testing works out then there won't be a 14 day quarantine and you're thinking way too far in the future. Let's see what the plan is first.herman said:
bustaheims
Active member
herman said:
Too early to worry about that. The season might not start before February, so, the trade deadline could conceivably fall some time in April. By then, we hopefully have a vaccine or a reasonably effective treatment.
Highlander
Active member
A friend has a company that is selling rapid testing kits in the US. Called Sherlock Crispr Covid 19 kits. Should check it out the technology on Google. Very unique, 100% accurate and only takes 40 minutes for a result. Its a game changer. No need to isolate with these.Guilt Trip said:
herman
Well-known member
princedpw said:
https://twitter.com/JhanHky/status/1324005589362581505
This sent me down the rabbit hole of watching how Matthews (and Nylander, naturally) set (or don't set) their feet when shooting. Note that Belfry is a skills consultant for the Leafs, and Matthews is also one of his clients.
What makes Matthews super dangerous isn't just the toe drag angle change to get around (or through) defenders and mess with goalies: he can fire it seemingly independently of his footwork, which makes it even harder to read his release. Add to that his big frame (leverage), the strength he can impart on his slightly shorter and flexier stick, as well as the accuracy, and it's a recipe for a sniper that doesn't have to overpower goalies with velocity (Ovechkin, Stamkos, Laine), but sneaks through the holes he makes through deception.
herman
Well-known member
https://twitter.com/BillzBeanie/status/1323690458615336961
This was a fun little poll from a couple days ago
Nylander's upgrade: meh that's just Nylander with more PIMs
Marner's upgrade: this makes him Patrick Kane+
Matthews' upgrade: this makes him Connor McDavid+
I would've voted for the Marner upgrade as Matthews and Nylander upgrade gains are decent, but Marner's puts him at a whole new level.
This was a fun little poll from a couple days ago
Nylander's upgrade: meh that's just Nylander with more PIMs
Marner's upgrade: this makes him Patrick Kane+
Matthews' upgrade: this makes him Connor McDavid+
I would've voted for the Marner upgrade as Matthews and Nylander upgrade gains are decent, but Marner's puts him at a whole new level.
Guilt Trip
Active member
Not me. I look at it from a team point of view and what would help the Leafs improve the most.
For me that Nylander upgrade would help the team the most. Could you imagine Nylander and that talent playing like Marchand? He'd be a 90+ point player, would kill penalties....scary good. He would arguably be the Leafs best player with that kind of physicality.
For me that Nylander upgrade would help the team the most. Could you imagine Nylander and that talent playing like Marchand? He'd be a 90+ point player, would kill penalties....scary good. He would arguably be the Leafs best player with that kind of physicality.