No he's not. He was their best shooter in the shootout last year, maybe that's why Babcock used him?

Watch out people who know hockey are talking.
- burn

Good lord man...

Hes 5-12 in the shootout.

Maybe he could have started nylander...but thats why holland
- Fakepartofme

Shootout stats are bull poop.

Put out you most skilled player

Questionable pairing choices at critical times but that's about it for me. I have a lot of faith in babcock
- Yeti1181

I think it was more of a psychological move: put the disposable vets out, if they poop the bed, so be it. Kids keep poopting the bed... starts to wear down their confidence (see, "last half decade of Oilers hockey").

Thankfully Chicago cant seem to shoot the puck tonight, Anderson has a big bullseye right on his chest. He will lose it here in the shootout though
- Leafland

He drops that (frank)ing glove hand way too early, shooters have a field day with that.

Shootout stats are bull poop.

Put out you most skilled player
- Santo_44

HOLLAND!!
- twiztedmike

#freeholland

HOLLAND!!
- twiztedmike

A pretty good shootout percentage

I just don't see these coaching mistakes people are complaining about. Defence, yes.
- BetterCallSaul

Player usage has been questionable.

It's pathetic, bad coaching, bad defence. Garbage.
- LeafMan

I guess at some point soon (20 game mark) the Leafs need to decide if they're gonna try and be a competitive team or tank again.

So we'll probably see a defenseman acquisition or watch the Leafs trade off veterans to give the youth playing time

Questionable pairing choices at critical times but that's about it for me. I have a lot of faith in babcock
- Yeti1181

Leafs have the best shot differential in the league. At least after last game, not sure about now. If the goal is to win now then we will see a trade. If it's not everyone needs to get used to this poop quick. The defense is terrible.

It's remarkable....Peter Holland is probably the worst forward on the team, and he's the first guy out on the shoot out. Do you want to lose? Is that the plan?
- ThePresident

Well, Babcock did say there'd be pain. He didn't say it would be self inflicted though.

Who cares what someone did last season....Matthews, Marner, and Nylander (some games) weren't around last season....we all know, they'd do much better.
- ThePresident

No, you don't. You can't guarantee Nylander would have scored where Holland failed to.

A pretty good shootout percentage
- Yeti1181

Nylander had two goals - I can't believe he didn't let the kid shoot first

I agree. The right players are playing well it's just painful to watch collapses like that
- Santo_44

Specially every game

This.

The kids are awesome, Andersen played great, and the game was entertaining. Great year ahead! (hopefully less Holland moving forward...)
- Hockey_Reverend

I agree with this. Except that blowing leads badly in 4 of your first 5 games is really problematic. It's a thing in their heads surely, now. Not just their heads, but everyone they play knows it too.

Shootout stats are bull poop.

Put out you most skilled player
- Santo_44

Why if he has good shootout numbers he would be one of the skilled shootout guy

Shootout stats are bull poop.

Put out you most skilled player
- Santo_44

Oh ok.

He drops that (frank)ing glove hand way too early, shooters have a field day with that.
- Phenom

Didnt like the last shootout goal - Panerin. The only place he can really shoot beside five hole coming from that angle is glove side - and there was lot of net showing there.

Anyone seen Whipper?

Stron defense will help these kids learn. The leafs have actually played pretty well this year. Just these awful defensive collapses. It's not good to develop in that kind of environment
- Santo_44

This is the kind of adversity that this kids need to be exposed of. This is The Leafs equivalent to Edison's "how not to make a lightbulb" allegory.

They will learn. If this continues to happen in game 55+ there will be problems

Why if he has good shootout numbers he would be one of the skilled shootout guy
- Yeti1181

It was in 12 shootout apperences. That's nothing. Give each player let's say 500 shootout shots the most skilled player will get the most goals.

Leafs have the best shot differential in the league. At least after last game, not sure about now. If the goal is to win now then we will see a trade. If it's not everyone needs to get used to this poop quick. The defense is terrible.
- iTOLDu

Yeah losing leads every game isn't a good thing, learning curve but veterans Re the ones making the big errorz

Whose uniforms are uglier, Vancouver or LA?

Player usage has been questionable.
- ClarksonDavid

I stand by my previous post. Last year was the tear down, this is year one of the rebuild. They need to test what works and what won't, and multiple times. There was no reason to use the Hunwick - Polak pairing in OT other than "Let's see what happens".

Whats the deal with Babcock? Have to make better coaching decisions....Jesus Christ...Peter Holland.
- ThePresident

I didn't see Jesus Christ shoot.....but he'd probably have missed anyway.