Over everyone's past 25 games the top-4 teams in xGF% are: 1) Florida, 2) Boston, 3) Carolina, 4) Toronto.
2021-22 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
In the last several years in the playoffs, the Leafs top line has been shut down. Matthews-Marner a couple of times and before that Tavares, I believe. They seem so unstoppable in the regular season right now. But its happened before. I guess I'm hoping that the other teams overload on Matthews and he is able to be a distributor and that the other guys on the ice like Marner, Bunting, and Rielly can play the role of distributor.
Matthews offense vs Bergeron's defense (unstoppable force vs immovable object) that may be the determining factor. Let's hope some luck is on our side.
Matthews offense vs Bergeron's defense (unstoppable force vs immovable object) that may be the determining factor. Let's hope some luck is on our side.
princedpw said:
I think this is probably slightly overexaggerated, especially with Matthews. Danault/Weber/Price absolutely were able to neutralize him but before that he's been solid. He was by far our best player in the Columbus series and had 2 goals and 6 points in 5 games, including a monster effort in game 4 to tie the game and then win it in OT. The year before that he had 5 goals in 7 games against Boston. The first series against Boston in 2018 was certainly his most disappointing one with just 1 goal and 1 assist in 7 games, but that was also when Babcock had the galaxy brain idea of playing him under 17 minutes a game a few times. And then in his very first playoff year he started slow going pointless in the first 2 games but then scored goals in 4 straight.
I mean he definitely hasn't had that monster Conn Smyth-like performance that he's probably due for but generally speaking he's been pretty good in the playoffs.
CarltonTheBear said:
My recollection (which could be wrong) was that the Boston year where he had 5 goals in 7 games against Boston, Marner was with Tavares and the Marner-Tavares line was shut down. Is that right?
It's not that a particular person like Matthews has underperformed. Rather, whichever line produced best during the regular season had its production signficantly reduced in the playoffs.
Other NHLers: I spend $75,000 every year getting to and from home games
Nylander:
https://twitter.com/willyscarl/status/1514319644521373699
Nylander:
https://twitter.com/willyscarl/status/1514319644521373699
herman
Well-known member
CarltonTheBear said:
It's the happiest I've seen Tavares (without his kids being directly involved) in quite some time.
full video
bustaheims
Active member
https://twitter.com/friedgehnic/status/1514727674236788737
L K
Active member
I?m a Maple Leafs fan more than a Maple Leafs prospect fan so ultimately I don?t care. I respect his decision. He feels he has unfinished business and the notion that the best team we have dressed is dependent on a 19 year old College kid seems like a bad idea. Hopefully the year goes well for him and he helps the team repeat
I'm fine with that. He certainly seems like a top prospect but his stats this past season don't really pop off the page, so he still has room to grow there. After a year where he's hopefully among the top college goal scorers and nominated for the Hobey he might be in a better position to jump into the line-up and make an impact immediately.
Guilt Trip
Active member
Yup no biggie if Knies wants to stay in school. Leafs can still being up Robertson and some others if need be. Steeves is having a very good year for the Marlies.
Heroic Shrimp
New member
https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1514982655003086848
Whoa, wasn?t expecting this for some time, if ever.
Whoa, wasn?t expecting this for some time, if ever.
So of course with Matthews hitting 100 points, the idiotic hot takes are happening on Twitter, making fun of the leafs as he?s only the 3rd player in franchise history to hit 100 pts. But got me thinking, how often does that happen? There are a group of players for sure that hit 100 points many times, but how many unique 100 point scorers have teams had.
So I just looked quickly, and the habs for example have only had 4 unique 100 point scorers, the last of which was Naslund in 86.
So I just looked quickly, and the habs for example have only had 4 unique 100 point scorers, the last of which was Naslund in 86.
Heroic Shrimp
New member
That?s both surprising and hilarious.Joe S. said:
Heroic Shrimp
New member
https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1514996868773826572
Rubins up, Muzzin absent.
Rubins up, Muzzin absent.
Guilt Trip
Active member
I noted it during the game day thread he took a hit in the 2nd period where he looked off after it. Hopefully it is just a maintenance day. Good to see Kase back. Hopefully he'll be ready and healthy for the playoffs.Heroic Shrimp said:
Guilt Trip
Active member
Not a surprise...hope he's ready to go soon.
https://twitter.com/dalter/status/1515014161989881864
https://twitter.com/dalter/status/1515014161989881864
https://twitter.com/jtbourne/status/1515024771284619266
Leafs, Lightning, and Bruins all have 8 games remaining. Toronto's 7 points up on Boston and 4 points up on Tampa. They also almost definitely (maybe even definitely not doing math/possibilities) have the tie breaker on both teams. So we're pretty comfortably in that 2-3 spot in the Atlantic but still need to finish strong to get home ice.
Leafs, Lightning, and Bruins all have 8 games remaining. Toronto's 7 points up on Boston and 4 points up on Tampa. They also almost definitely (maybe even definitely not doing math/possibilities) have the tie breaker on both teams. So we're pretty comfortably in that 2-3 spot in the Atlantic but still need to finish strong to get home ice.