Puck Pix : Jay on the Leafs. Too many passengers.

Lane Hutson Rookie of the year.

Not surprisingly IMO.

Correct me if I am wrong (I only catch about 5-6 TOR games per year, and whatever they do in the PO's), but isn't another large problem for them a lack of push/transition from the back end. In the games I watched, but D-corps seemed adequate in general (much better at defending in their zone, but pretty much deferred or leaned on the forwards to get the puck out of the zone and into the other end.

It's not without reason, the forwards for the most part are very good, but having a few guys on the back end that know how (and have the ability) to quickly skate or pass the puck out of danger with possession and turn it into a rush the other way seemed to be lacking a lot.

Did I just have too small a sample size?

Lane Hutson Rookie of the year.

Not surprisingly IMO.
- Cush29

Well deserved. One of the best rookie classes in a bit.

Lane Hutson Rookie of the year.

Not surprisingly IMO.
- Cush29

Indeed!

@Chunk - I don't think you're wrong here at all.

The Leafs have an absence of strong puck moving defensemen. Reilly was once decent at this but fell off pretty badly last year. Tanev plays a great defensive game and is a decent passer but can't move the puck. McCabe is pretty much the same with maybe a little more finesse and hitting ability. With Carlo's relatively small sample size I did not see him being a puck mover. OEL was once there and now is not. Myers/Benoit are a no on this.

Unfortunately, any decent puck moving d-men the Leafs have had in recent history have all been traded away or moved on - Barrie, Liljegren, heck even Sandin seems to be rounding into form in Washington. They either weren't given adequate time to develop in Toronto, weren't a fit for the system in Toronto, or just didn't leave up to their draft potential in Toronto.

Leafs do need a couple stronger puck moving d-men. It would be nice to see a little bit of balance with this in the lineup.

@Chunk - I don't think you're wrong here at all.

The Leafs have an absence of strong puck moving defensemen. Reilly was once decent at this but fell off pretty badly last year. Tanev plays a great defensive game and is a decent passer but can't move the puck. McCabe is pretty much the same with maybe a little more finesse and hitting ability. With Carlo's relatively small sample size I did not see him being a puck mover. OEL was once there and now is not. Myers/Benoit are a no on this.

Unfortunately, any decent puck moving d-men the Leafs have had in recent history have all been traded away or moved on - Barrie, Liljegren, heck even Sandin seems to be rounding into form in Washington. They either weren't given adequate time to develop in Toronto, weren't a fit for the system in Toronto, or just didn't leave up to their draft potential in Toronto.

Leafs do need a couple stronger puck moving d-men. It would be nice to see a little bit of balance with this in the lineup.
- Kinger34

it's really noticeable in the PO's. You look at FLA with Jones (as much as it pains me to admit), Ekblad, Forsling, and even Mikkola. EDM has a couple in Ekholm and Bouchard. I keep going back to this point looking at Dallas missing Heiskanen at 100%. That's a huge loss for them.

The Hawks have about four young D-men that seem to have that ability along with some defensive acumen. Fingers crossed they all get close to their ceiling. Gonna be another crazy offseason.

@Chunk - I don't think you're wrong here at all.

The Leafs have an absence of strong puck moving defensemen. Reilly was once decent at this but fell off pretty badly last year. Tanev plays a great defensive game and is a decent passer but can't move the puck. McCabe is pretty much the same with maybe a little more finesse and hitting ability. With Carlo's relatively small sample size I did not see him being a puck mover. OEL was once there and now is not. Myers/Benoit are a no on this.

Unfortunately, any decent puck moving d-men the Leafs have had in recent history have all been traded away or moved on - Barrie, Liljegren, heck even Sandin seems to be rounding into form in Washington. They either weren't given adequate time to develop in Toronto, weren't a fit for the system in Toronto, or just didn't leave up to their draft potential in Toronto.

Leafs do need a couple stronger puck moving d-men. It would be nice to see a little bit of balance with this in the lineup.
- Kinger34

Just bad timing/situations: Sandin was always behind Rielly, etc. and we always had too many lefties for years which didn't help.

Lillybust was just coming into form, but was a cap casualty when we wanted a heavy facelift of the back end.

Can't say I really miss any of those guys though.

Lane Hutson Rookie of the year.

Not surprisingly IMO.
- Cush29

Just bad timing/situations: Sandin was always behind Rielly, etc. and we always had too many lefties for years which didn't help.

Lillybust was just coming into form, but was a cap casualty when we wanted a heavy facelift of the back end.

Can't say I really miss any of those guys though.
- gravyface

I love our defence rn..

Probably more than anytime in the last 35 years.

- Pat1993

I love our defence rn..

Probably more than anytime in the last 35 years.
- Horsey Sauce

Rielly is average offensively, and next to useless defensively.
The rest are all decent Dmen.

Doesn't matter anyway, half the payroll simply doesn't work hard enough in the playoffs. We could have the mid-70's Habs defense there and they still wouldn't win.

I love our defence rn..

Probably more than anytime in the last 35 years.
- Horsey Sauce

Morgan needs to be moved out.
But our D is definitely better than its been in years.....unfortunately they are getting old and will slow down quickly

Morgan needs to be moved out.
But our D is definitely better than its been in years.....unfortunately they are getting old and will slow down quickly
- Fakepartofme

Wait til downtown Danford laces em up!

I hope he can make the jump sometime..

I love our defence rn..

Probably more than anytime in the last 35 years.
- Horsey Sauce

Agreed. Benoit really took a step this year too.

Rielly, would love to move him unless he has a bounceback year. He was a new father and I remember Tavares cratering when that happened. Children should be banned in the NHL!

Jays!

Agreed. Benoit really took a step this year too.

Rielly, would love to move him unless he has a bounceback year. He was a new father and I remember Tavares cratering when that happened. Children should be banned in the NHL!
- gravyface

The succabus strikes again!

Sure wish our Leafs had a good young small PMD like Hitson.

If Lorentz wants to stay he sticks with Laughton. He is such a clutch player I would sign him right away don't know why the evals are taking so long.

Jays!
- senstroll

Agree, Jays!

Agree, Jays!
- senstroll

The Blue Jays.

NA’s second most disappointing franchise behind the Maple Leafs.

The Blue Jays.

NA’s second most disappointing franchise behind the Maple Leafs.
- Horsey Sauce

that def true, if those are the only 2 teams you have ever heard of

that def true, if those are the only 2 teams you have ever heard of
- senstroll

It’s not that they disappoint, it’s how they disappoint.

If Lorentz wants to stay he sticks with Laughton. He is such a clutch player I would sign him right away don't know why the evals are taking so long.
- Tom Dusome

He’s mid.

If he was that important FLA would’ve re-signed him.

He’s mid.

If he was that important FLA would’ve re-signed him.
- Horsey Sauce

He's been a fine Leaf. Panthers just seem to have the ability to plug and play any (frank)er on their 4th line and make it go.