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The Great Leafs Centennial Goaltending Debate

T

TBLeafer

New member
Every debate has a beginning.  Might as well start this one off now.

All new tenders, all new issues.

They know they need to improve.  Here's the latest after last night's game and 2nd lead blown in as many games:

Mike Babcock: "I like our back end, I like the depth we have up front, so we've got to keep the puck out a little better."

Auston Matthews: "They were able to capitalize on the very few that we gave them."

Jhonas Enroth: "In a perfect world I would have liked to get at least one or two of those goals."

With all our offence, we will be a highly competitive in-season team if we could a mere league average SV% from our goalies this season.

They are already starting to feel the heat.  Because .876 from your starter and .889 from your backup just won't cut it.  :(
 
Premature.  The gestation period for legit goalie debates is at least the same as that for, say, rabbits.
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
Premature.  The gestation period for legit goalie debates is at least the same as that for, say, rabbits.
Click to expand...

Basically. You need at least a month or so until you can get a solid grasp of the caliber of the team, the goaltending, etc. - and, even then, things have a tendency to change somewhat significantly as the season goes. The first week or so? Individual games carry way too much weight, and early season weirdness is also a significant factor.
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
Premature.  The gestation period for legit goalie debates is at least the same as that for, say, rabbits.
Click to expand...

We all know it's the precocial nature of hares that matters, not those blind begging aholes.
 
I'd be more concerned if this team was expected to do more than just take a few steps forward from last year.

I fully expect an adjustment period for Andersen to get used to his new team, a new system, and also the role of being the clear-cut #1. 
 
We need to work on 3rd period goals against.  The first two periods seem to be fine but holding the league has been frustrating.  I could smell the comeback coming in the Jets game.
 
Whether this is premature or not, I came across something that matched my eye test when I looked up some stats.

Everyone knows what a scoring chance is.  A legitimate, high danger chance a the net.

So far this season, believe it or not the Leafs are 3rd in the NHL in scoring chance for %.  So what that means is, other teams goalies we play against face much more high danger attempts at the net, than ours do, who have it relatively easy.

That means the forwards and defence for the most part, save Hunwick, are all doing their jobs well on a nightly basis so far to be competitive in this league.

The weak link in a successful team mix ATM is most definitely in goal.  Andersen and Enroth need to bear that responsibility and adjust their games' accordingly.
 
I don't really see what sort of heat there is. The Leafs invested too much in Andersen to make a change and trading for an upgrade on Enroth would be ridiculous. We can fret over the first four games if we're inclined, although as mentioned it's insanely premature, but there's not going to be any action on the subject this year.
 
I wonder how James Reimer is playing. What a blunder. I don't remember the Leafs ever handling a player that badly. And now to trade two top draft picks for Andersen is like pouring salt into the wound. Also remember that we could also have Tukka Rask in net if it weren't for management's idiocy.
 
sickbeast said:
I wonder how James Reimer is playing. What a blunder. I don't remember the Leafs ever handling a player that badly. And now to trade two top draft picks for Andersen is like pouring salt into the wound. Also remember that we could also have Tukka Rask in net if it weren't for management's idiocy.
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Don't forget Seguin and Hamilton.
 
After watching for five games it seems to be that Anderson is a blocker, a bit of a rebound machine. Gets exposed easily if D aren't clearing the front of the net or forwards missing their assignments. To get a top ten league goaltender well, we're probably going to have to get lucky in the draft. Good news is Leafs have the time, it'll just be a bit deflating for both the players and fans if Freddie's SV% is still sub .900 at Christmas.
 
I think hes gotten better each game hes played and that we haven't seen how good he is yet.  I think that injury really set him back and he'll be fine long term.
 
Do you guys remember Eddie Belfour's first season as a Leaf?  After 9 games they were 2-6-1, and everyone was calling for Eddie's head and why did we let go of Cujo and so on and so forth...

...he ended up being fine.  Let's hope it's the same with Andersen.
 
louisstamos said:
Do you guys remember Eddie Belfour's first season as a Leaf?  After 9 games they were 2-6-1, and everyone was calling for Eddie's head and why did we let go of Cujo and so on and so forth...

...he ended up being fine.  Let's hope it's the same with Andersen.
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But Belfour's first game was a shutout win, and then Trevor Kidd lost the next 3 straight games, so not really the same situation.
 
Zee said:
louisstamos said:
Do you guys remember Eddie Belfour's first season as a Leaf?  After 9 games they were 2-6-1, and everyone was calling for Eddie's head and why did we let go of Cujo and so on and so forth...

...he ended up being fine.  Let's hope it's the same with Andersen.
Click to expand...

But Belfour's first game was a shutout win, and then Trevor Kidd lost the next 3 straight games, so not really the same situation.
Click to expand...

True, but when Belfour came back he tied Montreal and then lost the next 3.  I distinctly remember all the sports radio shows really raggin' on him at the time.  But you're right - different situations and circumstances, but nonetheless both harping on goalies a bit too soon...
 
Mike Darnay over at SB Nation with a good look at the goals Andersen has allowed this season:

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2016/10/24/13369482/toronto-maple-leafs-frederik-andersen-goals-against-auston-matthews

This was his conclusion after reviewing all the goals against:

sbnationandersen.jpg


I think that's mostly fair. The two Turris goals against Ottawa are a good example of situations where I think Leafs fans were too harsh on Andersen. If you give a top NHL scorer that much time and space from where he took those shots from he's going to have a very solid chance at scoring. I know Turris isn't Kessel but I don't ever remember people blaming the goalie when Phil scored from spots like that.

Anyway I do agree with his comments about Andersen being too aggressive so far. Which is interesting because Anaheim fans have said that that wasn't really something he showed in Anaheim. Marty Biron and others have said that it looks like it's a coaching thing. He said Bernier told him that the Leafs wanted him to be more aggressive and it seems like Freddy was told the same thing.

I don't understand why the Leafs would acquire a 27-year old goalie, sign him to a long-term contract, and then ask him to change the way he plays.
 
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