Minor Ex-Leaf News

[Coco-puffs]

So here are a few former Leaf updates:

Connor Brown has stalled at 2 goals 14 points in 24 games. His "hot start" might have been aided by the 20+ minutes he's racking up per game.


Nikita Zaitsev has 0 goals and 6 points this season with a noticeable drop off in Corsi- 42%. Yikes.
Hainsey is marginally better at 44%.


Tyler Bozak has 2 goals and 8 points in 25 games while JVR has potted 4 with 9 points in 25.


And Jake Gardiner has 1 goal, 6 points and is a -14 in 24 games.

And the we should've kept Gardiner crowd quietly backs out of the room. All good moves by Dubas.

Very few people wanted to re-sign Bozak or JVR.  Gardiner is another story.  Walking away from them seems to be good moves by Dubas, BUT, the mistake was probably not trading them before we lost them for nothing.  (Like Colorado has done with Barrie)

I am starting to think this was the opinion of Babcock, Lou and perhaps Shanahan, not Dubas.  The win now mentality of hanging onto Bozak, JVR and even Gardiner (who was injured for a long time last year) were the main culprits in why we got nothing in return.. Unlike Dubas move to get something decent for Kadri (who really did have to go after two consecutive Playoff frik ups)

Oh for sure.  Also, taking away players from the room sometimes backfires as the team thinks management doesn't think they can contend, so lets get assets in return.  That doesn't exactly help the confidence of the team.

That said, if the return includes players that also help or another trade is made to replace said players that can be mitigated.  Ultimately, these are the types of trades you make BEFORE the final season or two of the players deal.  Not in season, for the reason I mentioned above AND because you'll get more in return for a full year or two of a player vs a couple of months.

 

[Guilt Trip]

So here are a few former Leaf updates:

Connor Brown has stalled at 2 goals 14 points in 24 games. His "hot start" might have been aided by the 20+ minutes he's racking up per game.


Nikita Zaitsev has 0 goals and 6 points this season with a noticeable drop off in Corsi- 42%. Yikes.
Hainsey is marginally better at 44%.


Tyler Bozak has 2 goals and 8 points in 25 games while JVR has potted 4 with 9 points in 25.


And Jake Gardiner has 1 goal, 6 points and is a -14 in 24 games.

And the we should've kept Gardiner crowd quietly backs out of the room. All good moves by Dubas.

Very few people wanted to re-sign Bozak or JVR.  Gardiner is another story.  Walking away from them seems to be good moves by Dubas, BUT, the mistake was probably not trading them before we lost them for nothing.  (Like Colorado has done with Barrie)

BUT the mistake could have been the message sent to the kids in the room that we don't think you're good enough to win. They needed the experience, they got it and it was worth more then the draft picks they would have got for those guys. The only reason Col traded Barrie was because they have a kid like Cale Makar and they also filled a void in the 2nd line centre spot. Don't forget that they also are paying a lot of Barrie's salary and we also got Kerfoot, who could turn out to be a real steal.

 

[Highlander]

Zaitzev may have been having family problems the last while.  No excuse for his play but it may have factored into his effectiveness.

https://ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/sens-defenceman-nikita-zaitsevs-accused-of-forcibly-taking-children-from-ex-wife-in-russia

 

[WAYNEINIONA]

Zaitzev may have been having family problems the last while.  No excuse for his play but it may have factored into his effectiveness.

https://ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/sens-defenceman-nikita-zaitsevs-accused-of-forcibly-taking-children-from-ex-wife-in-russia

And the kids lose again.

 

[Arn]

Justin Pogee has signed for my German team, Eisbaren Berlin. Making his debut this evening against Munich, the best team in Germany over the last few years and he?s picked up a debut assist!

 

[Guilt Trip]

Justin Pogge has signed for my German team, Eisbaren Berlin. Making his debut this evening against Munich, the best team in Germany over the last few years and he?s picked up a debut assist!

Fixed that for ya.

 

[princedpw]

What is up with Jake Gardiner? Anyone seen him play?  He is -21 (next worst Cane is -7). 5 even strength points in 41 games. How?  I love that guy.

 

[Guilt Trip]

What is up with Jake Gardiner? Anyone seen him play?  He is -21 (next worst Cane is -7). 5 even strength points in 41 games. How?  I love that guy.

He's terrible in the defensive zone. So glad the Leafs let him go. 9 points and he gets time on their 2nd PP unit.

 

[princedpw]

What is up with Jake Gardiner? Anyone seen him play?  He is -21 (next worst Cane is -7). 5 even strength points in 41 games. How?  I love that guy.

He's terrible in the defensive zone. So glad the Leafs let him go. 9 points and he gets time on their 2nd PP unit.

But so many of the numbers suggest the opposite, that he was best at moving the puck out of his zone and down the ice.  Unless of course he was just the best leaf at it and all of the canes defenders are better ...

 

[Kin]

Yeah, you can't explain a bad +/- with "He's bad defensively" unless you have a good explanation for why his +/- was good a year ago.

Anyways, I watched Canes/Caps the other night and I didn't notice anything particularly out of whack. Maybe he's a little out of sorts with the reduction in his role? I never thought he was a great PP option because his greatest strengths were moving the puck up ice so using him in that role maybe isn't the best choice.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

3 reasons why I'm not buying this whole "Gardiner is terrible now" take:

1. Coming off a very injury plagued season.
2. Playing in a new city/team/role for the first time in his NHL career.
3. An absolutely terrible PDO.

He still has a very good CF (55%) and a very good xGF (54%) so I'm confident he'll rebound, either this season or at least next. That wouldn't do anything to convince the people who still thought he was a bad defenceman as a Leaf though.

 

[Bates]

3 reasons why I'm not buying this whole "Gardiner is terrible now" take:

1. Coming off a very injury plagued season.
2. Playing in a new city/team/role for the first time in his NHL career.
3. An absolutely terrible PDO.

He still has a very good CF (55%) and a very good xGF (54%) so I'm confident he'll rebound, either this season or at least next. That wouldn't do anything to convince the people who still thought he was a bad defenceman as a Leaf though.

Probably just as good of a chance as convincing analytics lovers that everything else just might be correct. Most who watch know that Gardiner is an average at best defensemen and year after year the eye test and the stats continue to prove it despite analytics claim.  I did not hate him but saw little point in keeping him.

 

[Kin]

There are no stats, traditional or analytic, by which Gardiner was bad his last three years as a Leaf.

 

[Bates]

There are no stats, traditional or analytic, by which Gardiner was bad his last three years as a Leaf.

Game 7 stats.

 

[Kin]

There are no stats, traditional or analytic, by which Gardiner was bad his last three years as a Leaf.

Game 7 stats.

I appreciate that reading is tough for you but give it another go.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

If we're cherry picking 2 games of a players last 3 years I guess Andersen's a pretty crappy goalie too.

 

[Bates]

There are no stats, traditional or analytic, by which Gardiner was bad his last three years as a Leaf.

Game 7 stats.

I appreciate that reading is tough for you but give it another go.

That wasn't in last 3 years Professor?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

On January 20th, 2018 Gardiner has a 3-assist night while playing 24+ minutes. Therefore he's a great defenceman.

 

[Hobbes]

There are no stats, traditional or analytic, by which Gardiner was bad his last three years as a Leaf.

Game 7 stats.

I appreciate that reading is tough for you but give it another go.

That wasn't in last 3 years Professor?

"It's snowing today" != "it has snowed every day for the last 3 years"

 

[Bates]

If we're cherry picking 2 games of a players last 3 years I guess Andersen's a pretty crappy goalie too.

Naw, the eye test and history in reg season gives Anderssen the benefit of the doubt but I cant say I would enter the playoffs overly confident in him.