bustaheims said:
It's weird to say because of his age but this is only really his 4th NHL season, 2 of which have been shortened because of *gestures broadly*.
2021-22 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion
- Thread starter herman
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It's weird to say because of his age but this is only really his 4th NHL season, 2 of which have been shortened because of *gestures broadly*.
bustaheims
Active member
CarltonTheBear said:
Yeah. It took him a while to get here, and there were some bumps along the way. He's played at least 22 games in each season he didn't spend significant time in the minors, and last season was his first crack at a starter role where he had a real opportunity to take the job from the incumbent (LA probably should have let him take the net from Quick in 18/19, but they had too much invested there at the time - and it was really the first season he started to show his decline).
I?m curious about the Leafs 5-on-5 scoring drying up. My understanding is that their offensive fancy stats are tops in the league or near tops in the league (Eg: expected goals) but their actual results are down near the bottom. I recall a while back, the Kings being tops in Corsi but having middling or worse actual goals. Now, it might just be a little luck. But it might also be a lack of rush chances. All the cycling in ozone may produce shots but not shots where the shooter has quite as much time and space, decreasing their quality in ways that are not measured.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
bustaheims
Active member
princedpw said:
A significant portion of it is randomness (which we like to refer to as luck). Someone like Matthews, for instance, isn't going to go the whole season with a shooting percentage of 9.5% when he's never been below 14% in his career. Only 3 ES goals when he's lead the league in that category 3 times in the last 5 seasons? Not going to stay that way. It will all even out in the end.
L K
Active member
5 on 5 the Leafs have 32 goals for and 34 goals against.
Their expected goals for is 53.2 and their expected goals against is 42.14
It's puck luck. I don't think the Leafs deserve to have an extra 20 5 on 5 goals but the team on the whole is all performing below expected goals.
Their expected goals for is 53.2 and their expected goals against is 42.14
It's puck luck. I don't think the Leafs deserve to have an extra 20 5 on 5 goals but the team on the whole is all performing below expected goals.
bustaheims
Active member
There's also some deadweight/guys who have still to find a real role on the team. For instance, the team does not have a single 5-on-5 goal with Ritchie on the ice with Matthews and Marner (which is kinda crazy). Simmonds and Engvall aren't capitalizing on their chances, and they've both had a good number of them (and have largely played well). Not a lot of offence from the blueline, which should pick up some. An uptick in production is coming. Hopefully, it arrives soon.
Kerfoot is tied for the team league in 5-on-5 points (10). Kampf (5) has more 5-on-5 points than Matthews (4). Kase and Bunting have the same amount as Marner and Nylander (7).
It's honestly impressive/surprising that the teams record is as good as it is considering what their 5-on-5 offence looks like so far.
It's honestly impressive/surprising that the teams record is as good as it is considering what their 5-on-5 offence looks like so far.
bustaheims
Active member
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
When they all point in the same direction and, for the majority of teams, line up with results, I'd say that's not the right conclusion. They're not infallible, but they're also not invalid. We're just looking at a smaller sample size, which belies the bigger picture.
Redleaf
Active member
I don't follow stats closely but my eyes are telling me Matthews and Marner haven't found a good enough fit with the new auditions.
They need someone with them on that top line that gels and helps elevate them like they've had in past years. Success came mostly with Hyman in that spot in seasons past.
It doesn't appear they have the answer on the current roster unless they really shake up the lines and try every option available.
Maybe the answer's on the Marlies? I'm not sure but something has to give soon to get the #1 line firing on all cylinders and putting up the points they're accustomed to scoring and were accustomed to seeing.
If that lines going like it can, it trickles down the whole team.
They need someone with them on that top line that gels and helps elevate them like they've had in past years. Success came mostly with Hyman in that spot in seasons past.
It doesn't appear they have the answer on the current roster unless they really shake up the lines and try every option available.
Maybe the answer's on the Marlies? I'm not sure but something has to give soon to get the #1 line firing on all cylinders and putting up the points they're accustomed to scoring and were accustomed to seeing.
If that lines going like it can, it trickles down the whole team.
Heroic Shrimp
Active member
https://twitter.com/jessegranger_/status/1462216057234485254
Okay.
Okay.
Heroic Shrimp
Active member
https://www.nhl.com/news/auston-matthews-to-shave-mustache-if-he-raises-134k-for-movember/c-319601296Joe S. said:
RedLeaf said:
I know Siegel had an article yesterday wondering if they should give the loaded up line of Nylander-Matthews-Marner another shot for a longer period of time. That could also give Kase an opportunity to jump into the 2RW spot alongside Tavares and Kerfoot.
herman
Well-known member
https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1463171544897757203
In the off-season I thought Greg Harden was hired specifically for Marner. Unlocking him and freeing him to play as himself, rather than the Chosen One, was always going to be the key to the Leafs success in this iteration. Looks like it?s working so far!
In the off-season I thought Greg Harden was hired specifically for Marner. Unlocking him and freeing him to play as himself, rather than the Chosen One, was always going to be the key to the Leafs success in this iteration. Looks like it?s working so far!