mackinnon: rookie forward

gardiner: 3rd year pro defenseman

there's a difference.
- Dozzer

Gardiner was doing it back as a rookie as well...and yes, back then he was great when he did it...but not so much now...

doesn't change the fact that the guy did a lap while the leafs stood there shaking their heads thinking, go round and round all you want buddy...we can do this all night.

MTL 27-18-5 59pts
TOR 27-20-5 59pts
NYR 27-22-3 57pts
PHI 25-20-6 56pts
CLB 25-20-4 54pts
DET 22-18-10 54pts

So, from all I've read/seen/listened to the Leafs are "lucky" and only in the position they're in right now due to "lucky October streaks"...at what point is the sample size large enough to say that maybe, despite their brand of play at times, the Leafs are simply as good or better than the teams around them in the standings?

So they got off to a good start, faltered and have now regained some momentum...what's the fancy stat to explain "ups and downs of an 82 gm season"?

Coincidence the downturn occured around the start of shooting for 24/7 and the resurgence coincided with cameras being gone?
- Deeps27

I have watched 80+% of the games. and my eyes saw the leafs being "outplayed" is most of those game. Outplayed meaning I thought the other team played better and should have won.

The leafs survive on high PDO .. the shooting % has come down..but it climbing again

mackinnon: rookie forward

gardiner: 3rd year pro defenseman

there's a difference.
- Dozzer

And Gardiner keeps going round and round and round.

Like a (frank)ing puppy chasing his tail

Who sucks more?

Leafs?

Habs?

I say Habs, have since last year. Not sure how they keep getting so high in the standings?

Damn refs? Or some good luck?
- Garnie

the habs are starting to leaf it up in regards to adv stats


Andrew Berkshire ‏@AndrewBerkshire Jan 20
2012-13 (blue) vs 2013-13 (red) cumulative raw Corsi close differential for the #Habs. Unbelievable collapse. pic.twitter.com/q2S9NsegMC

I have watched 80+% of the games. and my eyes saw the leafs being "outplayed" is most of those game. Outplayed meaning I thought the other team played better and should have won.

The leafs survive on high PDO .. the shooting % has come down..but it climbingagain
- senstroll

Isn't that to be expected with highly skilled forwards, though?
Being able to put the puck in the net on fewer tries?

Let's downplay statistics and what we see on the ice, and let's say the Leafs are camera shy and that's why they sucked for 2 months.

Sounds good?
- Pecafan Fan

What's Montreal's excuse for the same record then?

the habs are starting to leaf it up in regards to adv stats


Andrew Berkshire ‏@AndrewBerkshire Jan 20
2012-13 (blue) vs 2013-13 (red) cumulative raw Corsi close differential for the #Habs. Unbelievable collapse. pic.twitter.com/q2S9NsegMC



- senstroll

When will Corsi die? Am I going to have to kill it myself?

the habs are starting to leaf it up in regards to adv stats


Andrew Berkshire ‏@AndrewBerkshire Jan 20
2012-13 (blue) vs 2013-13 (red) cumulative raw Corsi close differential for the #Habs. Unbelievable collapse. pic.twitter.com/q2S9NsegMC



- senstroll

And it shows on the ice and in the results.

Reality finally setting in.

What's Montreal's excuse for the same record then?
- Deeps27

They suck.

That is all.

Let's downplay statistics and what we see on the ice, and let's say the Leafs are camera shy and that's why they sucked for 2 months.

Sounds good?
- Pecafan Fan

You know what - I think that's how teams should qualify for the playoffs from now on, players win awards, Olympic teams picked. Lets see what we see on the ice and results be dammed. That would be fun. Why keep score even? Just give players how many points they should have based on a past performance formula. That will make sports fun.

Isn't that to be expected with highly skilled forwards, though?
Being able to put the puck in the net on fewer tries?
- Feeling Glucky?

No not really

Kessel 12.3% shooting
Tyler bozak 23.7% highly skilled forward?

an extreme example.

You know what - I think that's how teams should qualify for the playoffs from now on, players win awards, Olympic teams picked. Lets see what we see on the ice and results be dammed. That would be fun. Why keep score even? Just give players how many points they should have based on a past performance formula. That will make sports fun.
- Deeps27

Hey man relax....this is sports for people who've never played sports.

Let them have their fun too!

Who sucks more?

Leafs?

Habs?

I say Habs, have since last year. Not sure how they keep getting so high in the standings?

Damn refs? Or some good luck?
- Garnie

Allowed to skate around. Shut down hockey in playoffs. Game over for them everyday. Little (frank)ing female doges.

When will Corsi die? Am I going to have to kill it myself?
- The-O-G

no idea.. why dont you just ignore the posts. like i do when beiber is talked about for 10 pages

Isn't that to be expected with highly skilled forwards, though?
Being able to put the puck in the net on fewer tries?
- Feeling Glucky?

I'd say it takes skill to even get a shot on goal.

We know who is starting yet?

We know who is starting yet?

Gardiner was doing it back as a rookie as well...and yes, back then he was great when he did it...but not so much now...

doesn't change the fact that the guy did a lap while the leafs stood there shaking their heads thinking, go round and round all you want buddy...we can do this all night.
- vermie22

thats how the leafs play D.. stand in a box and let the other teams cycle.. so long as they stay in said box they're alright.. but while they were doing poorly they constantly opened up to chase a guy.

coaches have been employing this tactic against the leafs.

We know who is starting yet?
- Bigzby

id bet $ its Bernier.

We know who is starting yet?
- Bigzby

does it matter? Both our goalies have outplayed all of the Olympic bound goalies they have faced over this streak. Same thing is going to happen tonight....

6-1 Leafs!

I have watched 80+% of the games. and my eyes saw the leafs being "outplayed" is most of those game. Outplayed meaning I thought the other team played better and should have won.

The leafs survive on high PDO .. the shooting % has come down..but it climbing again
- senstroll

So when fans/media complained about poor goaltending and the Leafs goalies never "stealing a game for them"...that was rhetorical? I'm legitimately confused about this...yeah, they get outplayed alot of times, are scrambly in their own end...more of a willow tree thank an oak...not sure that bending but not breaking more times than not (ie. 27-20-5) is something to hammer a young developing team on regularly, especially in comparison to their conference.

How is their success this year against Western Conference teams explained? How can a team be so flukey going on the last 2 seasons and somehow have success?

Hey man relax....this is sports for people who've never played sports.

Let them have their fun too!
- The-O-G

LOL - Under Armour should make keyboards, mouses and pocket protectors for these guys.

does it matter? Both our goalies have outplayed all of the Olympic bound goalies they have faced over this streak. Same thing is going to happen tonight....

6-1 Leafs!
- vermie22

I think it does matter, Reimer couldn't possibly have done more to earn another start.

no.. i should get banned... please? please ban me?!?!


- Dozzer

I for one found it to be in poor taste. Sets of rules I guess...

thats how the leafs play D.. stand in a box and let the other teams cycle.. so long as they stay in said box they're alright.. but while they were doing poorly they constantly opened up to chase a guy.

coaches have been employing this tactic against the leafs.
- Dozzer

yes i know, not my point. I was just laughing at the fact that there was so much praise for what MacKinnon did, when in reality the Leafs were happy to let him do it, and didn't try to stop him.

Don't get me wrong, the kid has a great shot and skating ability, but they over hyped that play too much imo. Think there was even a full article in one of the papers or one of the sports sites about it.