2020-2021 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion
- Thread starter herman
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OldTimeHockey
Active member
herman said:
I don't know why anyone would want to use a stick with a whip effect like you've seen some people try thinking their shot would improve.
I think you need the right flex and the right technique. Kessel has the right technique.
7:58 in ice-time for Dermott tonight, a season low. He didn't get a shift in the 2nd half of the 3rd period. The Leafs generally speaking don't play him when trying to hold leads late in games, they don't play him much late in games when they need a goal, he doesn't PK, he doesn't PP.
If the Leafs can't get something done with a big winger, or they feel comfortable now with Hyman and Galchenyuk playing well in the top-6, they might be better off refocusing their efforts on finding another option for the bottom pairing and a more capable 3C to round out the line-up better.
edit: There's not a single puck moving defenceman that's a UFA and might be available at the deadline that I'm interested in. That's a bummer.
If the Leafs can't get something done with a big winger, or they feel comfortable now with Hyman and Galchenyuk playing well in the top-6, they might be better off refocusing their efforts on finding another option for the bottom pairing and a more capable 3C to round out the line-up better.
edit: There's not a single puck moving defenceman that's a UFA and might be available at the deadline that I'm interested in. That's a bummer.
ZBBM
Active member
CarltonTheBear said:
As soon as Sandin is healed up and gets a few reps with the Marlies bring him up for good. They should have done that last year IMO but whatever, it's time.
He's not an instant answer or anything but he's the future and it's time to get on with it. And then decide what the deal is with Liljegren.
Highlander
Active member
Should we have a Power play woes thread, (until it hopefully gets fixed)?. Don't care what anyone says, if we don't start scoring some PP goals and soon, we cannot expect to advance anywhere in any playoff scenario.
It's downright terrible, the pass back set up takes way to much time allowing the D to set their 4 guys across the blueline, like a wall. When they do enter they pass it around looking for the "perfect opportunity", which then gets intercepted and we end back up in set up pass back mode.
Reset.
I am not saying abandon the pass back set up, but mix it up with a few dump ins or spontaneous carry ins. When you do gain the zone, (like Azzuri says), shoot the frikken puck, be ready to jump on rebounds, create some havoc. We have become completely transparent and when the other team knows what we are doing makes it a lot easier to defend.
Try to mix it up a bit more and be unpredictable is where we should be going. Oh and Simmonds has not been the same player he was before his injury, which is not helping either.
It's downright terrible, the pass back set up takes way to much time allowing the D to set their 4 guys across the blueline, like a wall. When they do enter they pass it around looking for the "perfect opportunity", which then gets intercepted and we end back up in set up pass back mode.
Reset.
I am not saying abandon the pass back set up, but mix it up with a few dump ins or spontaneous carry ins. When you do gain the zone, (like Azzuri says), shoot the frikken puck, be ready to jump on rebounds, create some havoc. We have become completely transparent and when the other team knows what we are doing makes it a lot easier to defend.
Try to mix it up a bit more and be unpredictable is where we should be going. Oh and Simmonds has not been the same player he was before his injury, which is not helping either.
https://twitter.com/Account4hockey/status/1377665182550388746
Leafs checking out goalie options, just in case.
Also if you told me that Linus Ullmark, a goalie fom the 2020/21 Buffalo Sabres, had a .920 Sv% this season I would have called you a liar and a fool.
Leafs checking out goalie options, just in case.
Also if you told me that Linus Ullmark, a goalie fom the 2020/21 Buffalo Sabres, had a .920 Sv% this season I would have called you a liar and a fool.
bustaheims
Active member
CarltonTheBear said:
If Ullmark hadn't missed a month with an injury, the Sabres would only be bad, rather than absolutely terrible. They still wouldn't be able to score, but they would at least be able scrape out a few more Ws. The losing streak started in the game he got hurt, and ended with his 3rd start after coming off the IR.
L K
Active member
CarltonTheBear said:
Just on a hypothetical but what kind of contract do we think Ullmark gets next year. He has a career high of 37 games and some decent stats playing for awful Sabres teams but nothing that really has indicated that he is or isn't a definite starter. He's certainly an interesting guy in a tandem split if the Leafs are replacing Andersen next year.
Although I guess if you traded for him this year you wouldn't both signing him to an extension due to the expansion draft.
L K said:
$3-4mil for 2-3 years seems like a standard number for goalies like him (Greiss, Khubobin, Bernier, Mrazek).
Frank E said:
There's a lot more goalies available right now than there are teams looking for a goalie.
Frank E said:
Yeah, the report is clear they're only checking on him in case the news on Andersen is bad.
My point was more about what it would cost to acquire him in the event the news is bad. If the Sabres decide to trade him the price to acquire him wouldn't be very high (and they might be better off just keeping him just so the rest of their season isn't a complete embarrassment).
bustaheims
Active member
CarltonTheBear said:
Sounds about right. If the Leafs can get him on the cheaper side, he could make for a decent platoon-type partner for Campbell - which may be the route the team needs to take. I'm not sure they'll have cap room to bring in a full-time starter.
bustaheims said:
Him or Driedger could be good options in that price range in the summer. I'd consider Bernier too but I know that won't get good reactions from some people. Or maybe Rittich, if he's as good with the Leafs as against them he'd be solid.
L K
Active member
bustaheims said:
Even at 3M that's probably tight for them next year?
Spezza back on his freebie contract, Galchenyuk back at somewhere between 1-1.5M, promote Liljegren + Sandin to fill out the bottom of the defense, Hyman at 4.5? and have Robertson and Anderson join the forwards and we probably have about 3M left for a goalie.
Kerfoot has to be gone I'm assuming next year.
L K said:
Just as a quick illustration, let's say Hyman comes back at 4.5, Galch 1, Spezza 750, and we sign Ullmark for 3. Dermott goes in the expansion draft. This roster comes in at $81.4mil:
Hyman-Matthews-Marner
Galchenyuk-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Anderson
Robertson-Engvall-Spezza
Brooks
Rielly-Brodie
Muzzin-Holl
Sandin-Liljegren
Kivihalme
Campbell
Ullmark
Brooks and Kivi just thrown in as extra bodies, any league minimum player could replace them. Or they could go with a smaller roster for more room.
So it's possible to do that without trading Kerfoot, but if they wanted to make other moves him or Engvall could get traded to create a bit of extra space.
I'd also add that I don't really think it's a guarantee that Seattle takes Dermott over Kerfoot anymore, so we'll have to see about that. Would depend on what other defence options are available to them.
Guilt Trip
Active member
If I'm Seattle, I'm leaning towards taking Kerfoot. I like him as a player and he makes things happen out there. It will be interesting to see who is exposed and who they take.CarltonTheBear said:
herman said:
@LeafsPR didn't have any shuffling to announce today so instead they tweeted out the practice line-up from their account for the first time in over a month:
https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/1377698720075161601
Campell practicing is a good sign.