• For users coming over from tmlfans.ca your username will remain the same but you will need to use the password reset feature (check your spam folder) on the login page in order to set your password. If you encounter issues, email Rick couchmanrick@gmail.com

2016-17 Centennial Leafs General Team Discussion

bustaheims said:
Makes sense. I really wouldn't read much into what anyone says about the team in the near future. Any comments being made are going to be based on the situation as it is, not as it will be.
Click to expand...

What am I going to do this off-season then?
tenor.gif
 
Nik the Trik said:
herman said:
What am I going to do this off-season then?
Click to expand...

Get really excited about player comparisons in draft profiles?
Click to expand...

You're right!

Can't wait for the draft profiles to start saying, "Incredible vision, gifted skater, and NHL ready shot. Still needs work on his flo' though. Comparables: William Nylander, but with Alex's hair."
 
herman said:
You're right!

Can't wait for the draft profiles to start saying, "Incredible vision, gifted skater, and NHL ready shot. Still needs work on his flo' though. Comparables: William Nylander, but with Alex's hair."
Click to expand...

Pros: Been described as a cross between Zdeno Chara and Nik Lidstrom
Cons: Only 5'9, makes terrible decisions with the puck
 
bustaheims said:
herman said:
What am I going to do this off-season then?
Click to expand...

There's so much armchair GMing to be done, herman. So much. So many potential acquisitions to debate endlessly!
Click to expand...

RIP Stamkos thread

* creates Tavares thread

Edit: Nylander won't be playing centre next season...!
 
ICYMI: MLHS has the transcript from today's end of season press conference.

Lou's
Babcock's

Change is inevitable, but how much change do you think this team will undergo this summer? One or two players? Four or five?

Lamoriello: You do whatever you can to get better, but you do not do things for the sake of doing them. If you can?t, for example, bring in the right type of player like Brian Boyle, then you do not. We don?t know what is going to be available. This is a unique year with expansion. We don?t know what can and can?t be done. It?s a very difficult question to answer. You can always get better. You never get satisfied. Once you get satisfied, complacency sets in. Once complacency sets in, you?re in trouble. You?re going in a different direction. What we did is we took a step forward. We took a step forward this year at the experience end of it, and players believing they can do certain things, but it?s only a step.
Click to expand...
 
We?re not good enough. I?ve said it before ? if you look at Tampa, and the quality organization they are, they still almost got in the playoffs with the injuries we had. That wouldn?t have been possible for us. We?re not at that level yet where that?s possible.

Babcock's on the money here.  As others have pointed out, we were incredibly lucky with injuries this year and still only barely made it in.

I interpret this as meaning we are still 2 rungs away from being a perennial contender, a top team: (1) need to develop more depth, and/while (2) strengthening the D.
 
This was a really enjoyable season.

They went neck to neck with Washington, and a couple more bounces their way and they could be facing the Pens. And I was on the "another top 5 pick bandwagon".

I do agree that depth wise they are thin, and this was a relatively injury free season.

But they are very fun to watch now, would love to see Joe Bowen and Jim Ralph back on TV next season, to make it extra fun.

Is it late September yet? Go Leafs Go!
 
Babcock did a follow up interview with the Overdrive guys, and it has a lot of money quotes (for me to over read and conflate to expectations).

MLHS with the transcription goods as usual:
https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2017/04/25/mike-babcock-auston-matthews-ive-never-seen-young-guy-quick-fast/

You mentioned a similar sentiment for Nazem Kadri today and the expectation for him to get stronger and keep growing this summer. He had 32 goals this year, a career-high for him, but a lot of guys would define him as a shutdown guy or a pest guy who gets in the head of the opposition. How would you define his role? Is he more skill? Is he more pest or shut down? How would you break down what you hope to see out of Kadri going forward?

Babcock: He?s got great edges. He?s got good offensive skill. We moved him from the half wall to the man in the middle on the power play and it really helped. He doesn?t have a big shot, but he has courage and he finds the loose pucks and he can get it in the back of the net. That helps him score. He relishes playing against the best guys. For Naz to be as good as he?s capable of being? I consider Naz, same with van Riemsdyk too, young in their development. They can still get better. Naz really committed to fitness last summer. We need him to do it again and find another level. If you?re going to play head to head in a series against Backstrom for six or seven games, and you want to win in the end, you?ve got to be able to outdo that guy. He needs another level there. We?ve talked about that. He knows that now, too. Until you live it and you understand it, I don?t think you can really know. He?s committed to doing that for himself, obviously, and that?s a big situation for the Leafs as well.
Click to expand...
 
herman said:
Babcock did a follow up interview with the Overdrive guys, and it has a lot of money quotes (for me to over read and conflate to expectations).

MLHS with the transcription goods as usual:
https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2017/04/25/mike-babcock-auston-matthews-ive-never-seen-young-guy-quick-fast/

You mentioned a similar sentiment for Nazem Kadri today and the expectation for him to get stronger and keep growing this summer. He had 32 goals this year, a career-high for him, but a lot of guys would define him as a shutdown guy or a pest guy who gets in the head of the opposition. How would you define his role? Is he more skill? Is he more pest or shut down? How would you break down what you hope to see out of Kadri going forward?

Babcock: He?s got great edges. He?s got good offensive skill. We moved him from the half wall to the man in the middle on the power play and it really helped. He doesn?t have a big shot, but he has courage and he finds the loose pucks and he can get it in the back of the net. That helps him score. He relishes playing against the best guys. For Naz to be as good as he?s capable of being? I consider Naz, same with van Riemsdyk too, young in their development. They can still get better. Naz really committed to fitness last summer. We need him to do it again and find another level. If you?re going to play head to head in a series against Backstrom for six or seven games, and you want to win in the end, you?ve got to be able to outdo that guy. He needs another level there. We?ve talked about that. He knows that now, too. Until you live it and you understand it, I don?t think you can really know. He?s committed to doing that for himself, obviously, and that?s a big situation for the Leafs as well.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Heard the interview.  Not sure about Kadri and JVR being "young in their development".  In terms of actual age they'll be 27 and 28 respectively before next season begins.  I understand what he's saying, they're altering their game to play how Babcock wants them to play so in that aspect their "young" in learning, but in terms of on-ice performance and where they are at their careers, I think they're pretty much at the top end of what you can expect from them in terms of production.  I can't see Kadri topping the 32 goals he scored this season or JVR being much better than a 30 goal man.  I suppose Kadri can always improve upon his shut-down capabilities and play away from the puck, same goes for JVR.
 
Zee said:
Heard the interview.  Not sure about Kadri and JVR being "young in their development".  In terms of actual age they'll be 27 and 28 respectively before next season begins.  I understand what he's saying, they're altering their game to play how Babcock wants them to play so in that aspect their "young" in learning, but in terms of on-ice performance and where they are at their careers, I think they're pretty much at the top end of what you can expect from them in terms of production.  I can't see Kadri topping the 32 goals he scored this season or JVR being much better than a 30 goal man.  I suppose Kadri can always improve upon his shut-down capabilities and play away from the puck, same goes for JVR.
Click to expand...

He addressed it in another part of the interview. The development measure isn't raw production, but completeness of the player's game and maximization of his potential and talent. Those things lead to overall production for the team, but not necessarily the individual.

It's also a bit of a shot at the previous regime's philosophy around development.
 
cabber24 said:
I know Reilly is not playing for Team Canada but was he even asked too?
Click to expand...

He played last year so we can only assume he would have been asked back.  I don't think he would have come out and said he's not going if he didn't have some indication that they wanted him there.
 
Zee said:
cabber24 said:
I know Reilly is not playing for Team Canada but was he even asked too?
Click to expand...

He played last year so we can only assume he would have been asked back.  I don't think he would have come out and said he's not going if he didn't have some indication that they wanted him there.
Click to expand...
I just haven't seen anywhere that he was asked to go. If a reporter asked him if he was going and he answered "no" that doesn't mean he was asked to play for Team Canada.
 
cabber24 said:
Zee said:
cabber24 said:
I know Reilly is not playing for Team Canada but was he even asked too?
Click to expand...

He played last year so we can only assume he would have been asked back.  I don't think he would have come out and said he's not going if he didn't have some indication that they wanted him there.
Click to expand...
I just haven't seen anywhere that he was asked to go. If a reporter asked him if he was going and he answered "no" that doesn't mean he was asked to play for Team Canada.
Click to expand...

That's true enough, but since he was part of Canada last year that won gold, I don't see why they wouldn't want him back.  Generally you like to go with players that have been there and done it before.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

About Us

This website is NOT associated with the Toronto Maple Leafs or the NHL.


It is operated by Rick Couchman and Jeff Lewis.
Back
Top