Guilt Trip
Well-known member
Not good Willy....lol.
Tired of the same forwards too.Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
Devils vs. Maple Leafs - Oct. 10th, 7:00pm - TSN, TSN 1050
- Thread starter CarltonTheBear
- Start date
I know it's early but I'm really liking OEL. Am I the only one who didn't realize how smooth a skater he is? Another great game from the goaltending and yeah, no more PP1 as constructed. Savard needs to get his hands dirty on the powerplay because this is horrible, even by 0 goal standards.
herman
Well-known member
cw said:
Not saying it's a real thing (but it might be a real thing): similar to the last playoffs when the Leafs had to switch game modes (sans Matthews) to a more direct check and chase rather than puck holding for a seam play, it was the newer players like Knies, Bertuzzi, and Dewar who played it better (didn't have the 'loser stink' of previous failures).
Of course, thanks to cognitive biases, I'm going to see what I already believe and want to see, but I don't think it's a big stretch when the coach, who has been very positive about everything so far, keeps remarking that the PP is still too indirect and passing up shots for pretty passes (MarnerPuck TM) resulting in always facing fully set up defenses. They have about 5 years of built-up muscle memory to wean off of and replace with different instincts, so I'm not surprised by the sluggish start. If PP1 doesn't produce in the next week, the coaching staff has the impetus to flip to two competing units to mix in actual puck fetchers.
herman said:
I'm already on record as feeling they've improved the team.
But with all the changes - personnel and coaches/systems, that can take a team 10-20 games to shake out and settle down. My expectations in the next 10-20 games were not high.
I wondered if keeping the top 2 lines and PP1 intact from last year (sort of on the 2nd line as Domi played elsewhere some) was a way of giving them some continuity to help keep things from getting too out of hand while they adjusted. The forwards did score a lot last year and PP1 was pretty successful. Maybe that was part of the Nylander at center thinking - too many changes could get them off to a rough start. To help their playoff chances, finishing higher would help.
From that I've seen of them in these first two games, I think they're going to be fine and improved over last year.
One thing that was a bit of a surprise is I didn't know what kind of OEL were were going to get. The player who struggled in Vancouver? Or something better than 3rd pairing in FL? The early returns are encouraging. If he can handle the 3/4 pairing and Hakanpaa can handle the #6 spot, in front of the improved goaltending, that's big. OEL with his shot may well be the PP1 quarterback they need for a "more direct" PP1.
herman
Well-known member
cw said:
OEL was very nearly a #1 D-man in the league in his heyday, but toiled away in obscurity with the moribund Coyotes. The skills are still there and it's just the footspeed that has diminished a bit with injury and age. Nice to see some early returns for a GM/Coach in sync on some foundational approaches.
I like that Treliving imported some Panthers, even if they hadn't won the Cup. They play excellent off-puck structure, and fassthole offense to just cram pucks into the OZ in uncomfortable ways for defenses to handle. Sam Bennett next year with all that former John Tavares money + rising cap?
herman said:
Treliving knew him from his Coyotes days. His skating was something they looked at when considering him for the Leafs. Treliving felt OEL could still skate well and would be able to in the years to come.
All three of the Panthers they brought in, beyond their ability to play, seem like good characters.
herman said:
Man, OEL was like a top-10 defenceman in the entire league in his prime.
L K
Well-known member
CarltonTheBear said:
Other than Lorentz who has been way better than I expected, OEL is easily my standout performer from the first two games. Having OEL and Tanev on the back end who can actually outlet the puck up the ice is going to be a massive advantage when the Leafs get sorted out.
I haven't liked the top 6 in either game although Matthews and Nylander have three posts already so it could just as easily be Matthews on Goal/Game pace. The Leafs played well enough to win against Montreal. They played well enough to win against New Jersey.