24 replies to this topic

[csmith9090]

I've been watching a lot of the kings obviously since they are still alive and killing it but the thing that impresses me the most about them is how easy it is for them clearing the puck. Their defense and forwards clear their zone in two or three crisp passes. This frustrated me the most this year while i was watching the leafs. It always seemed like they just threw the puck around the boards with no real goal of clearing it but just moving it aimlessly. If there is just one huge improvement we could have for next year i hope it can just be getting the puck out of our zone with consistent ease. This way we can get more pucks to phil the thrill to score goals haha

[XamDam]

This topic been beaten to a pulp all year long about the leafs defence and i am sure RC will kick some butt in the camp this coming season..

[jigson]

It's definitely an area that needs to be improved.

I have little doubt that it's pretty high on RC's list of things to do.

[Pick]

What bothers me most is that this has been a problem for the Leafs since the Burn's era. Actually, rarely have the Leafs been able to play solidly in their own zone since expansion (!).

The 1967-68 team, the Nielson team that beat the Islanders in the playoffs and Burns teams were the only Leafs teams since expansion that played adequate defense. Even Quinn's team relied too heavily on Joseph. Does anyone disagree?

[jockdent]

All the teams that have been successful in this year's playoffs have used hard hitting, tough, defence first systems.

I love it.

That's my kind of hockey.

I can only dream of the Leafs having that kind of team

[Euronuck]

All the teams that have been successful in this year's playoffs have used hard hitting, tough, defence first systems.

I love it.

That's my kind of hockey.

I can only dream of the Leafs having that kind of team

You can also add to that the fact that the referees have been absolutely brutal. The clutch and grab and clogging of the neutral zone is getting tiresome to watch.

[jockdent]

You can also add to that the fact that the referees have been absolutely brutal. The clutch and grab and clogging of the neutral zone is getting tiresome to watch.

I'd rather have that, than a game where the refs are calling a penalty every time someone is touched.

Let the teams play; and only call the most blatant penalties.

The best games are the ones where the refs are invisible.

[youngbud]

Amen brother! The referees really need to take a huge step back, and let things play out a little bit more. I mean I've seen penalties called when a guy takes one hand of the stick and just sort of pushes the other guy out of the way kinda like a straight arm in football to get an extra step or pushes off a guy, I mean big deal everyone does it.
Some penalties are the silliest things I've ever seen, I'm surprised diving does not get called more often really. I agree it's the NHL play hard, and only call the stuff that really deserves to be called.

I really do not think the leafs defense is all that bad in theory. I don't know that to say except I have not seen too many leaf teams that play a great game in their own end. I have not seen it for a while. We were lucky when we had cujo and to an extent belfour to bail us out for sure. We don't have that goaltender right now, or YET anyhow.

Carlyle is a defense first guy, I'm confident he will come up with a workable system for sure and try to simplify things a bit. But you are right it's not that our defense is horrible if they were they would not be here at all, they are just very frustrating to watch sometimes. I've never seen a team have that much trouble moving a puck out of their zone sometimes.

Here's the other thing, on that note, why is it that so many times leaf defensemen or who-ever is back there would look up ice assume there is no play see they are under massive pressure and then try to skate the puck out all alone? I mean really? That's just suicidal and asking for it isn't it? So, when they do that, who do you blame for that one? The said player for taking matters into his own hands, (which may or may not work, but usually does not go well), do you blame the coach (surely they couldn;t have coached him to do something that high risk), do you blame the defensive system? What is the answer?

[Topleft11]

We were working the puck out of our zone at the begining of the year, everything was high tempo and clicking, Phaneuf was flourishing. Then when it started getting stagnent Wilson made all the wrong moves and couldnt figure out what to do. Starting with goaltending decisions that seemed to be so obvious to leafs nation. I think Burke did the next best thing to Signing Nash and let Wilson go. I feel more comfortable under Carlyle, hell he even had Connoly playing pretty good on the fourth line at the end of the year. Im hopefull we have what we need in Carlyle, Burke.

[Rollntroll]

You can also add to that the fact that the referees have been absolutely brutal. The clutch and grab and clogging of the neutral zone is getting tiresome to watch.

This years playoffs have been the most entertaining since the 'rule changes' had been implemented. The refs have had some inconsistency but in my opinion, 'minimal'. Disappointing that I don't have a 'team' to cheer for but great entertainment none the less.

[Euronuck]

This years playoffs have been the most entertaining since the 'rule changes' had been implemented. The refs have had some inconsistency but in my opinion, 'minimal'. Disappointing that I don't have a 'team' to cheer for but great entertainment none the less.

They've gone and ignored all the rule changes. Entertaining hockey? Really? Sorry but seeing guys trying to break through a blueline wall and shoot a puck in only to have it dumped back out again and risne and repeat and rinse and repeat is not entertaining in my eyes.

[jigson]

Defense should come from good positioning, hard work, good compete level, good hockey sense, and a good stick.

Not from getting beat by your assignment then clutching and grabbing your way back into the play.

Whatever way they decide to call the game... just be consistent. I can't stand this nonsense of two sets of rules, one for the regular season and another for the playoffs.

[Rollntroll]

They've gone and ignored all the rule changes. Entertaining hockey? Really? Sorry but seeing guys trying to break through a blueline wall and shoot a puck in only to have it dumped back out again and risne and repeat and rinse and repeat is not entertaining in my eyes.

Fast pace, physical, great goaltending, upsets,overtime, coaches hanging off the benches, spectators chanting in harmony. You're right, its 'rinse and repeat'.

[jockdent]

Fast pace, physical, great goaltending, upsets,overtime, coaches hanging off the benches, spectators chanting in harmony. You're right, its 'rinse and repeat'.

LMAO!

[sluggo]

Just wondering, how many soft, one-way players do the Kings have?

The answer is not many. And none of their top players (Kopitar, Brown, Doughty, Richards, Carter) who carry the team and set the tone, play a soft, passive, one-way game.

As I've pointed out, its great to have a a coach who wants a phyislca, defensive style of hockey. But if the players don't, won't and/or can't play that style, you don't see the team play that style. If the Leafs want to play a different style of hockey they need to bring in players who will play that style, and it starts at the top. When your best forward just doesn't give a crap about playing defense (-10 with 82 points reflects that) and jumps intot he 5th row whenever someone says boo, its going to have an effect on the rest of the team.

Its not rocket science, your team will not play physical, defensive hockey with soft, 1-way players.

[AlexanderTheGreatJr]

Just wondering, how many soft, one-way players do the Kings have?

The answer is not many. And none of their top players (Kopitar, Brown, Doughty, Richards, Carter) who carry the team and set the tone, play a soft, passive, one-way game.

As I've pointed out, its great to have a a coach who wants a phyislca, defensive style of hockey. But if the players don't, won't and/or can't play that style, you don't see the team play that style. If the Leafs want to play a different style of hockey they need to bring in players who will play that style, and it starts at the top. When your best forward just doesn't give a crap about playing defense (-10 with 82 points reflects that) and jumps intot he 5th row whenever someone says boo, its going to have an effect on the rest of the team.

Its not rocket science, your team will not play physical, defensive hockey with soft, 1-way players.

We really can't compare anybody to the L.A Kings.
The Kings barely made it in the playoffs, they finished in 8th place.
In the final weeks as i looked at the standings i wasn't even sure they were going to make it.
Luckily they did, the gamble paid off by giving away young and future prospects for Carter and Richards.
If the Kings failed to make the playoffs, then we'd see a different scenario.

The main cause of the L.A KIngs success?
Is Jonathen Quick, plain and simple.

The Leafs still lack a clutch goalie, but once again my argument is defense.
The Leafs play poor in their own end zone, its not the scoreing.

The whole theory behind last season was.
The Leafs needed to score 3 or more goals to win games for the most part.
And not lose more then 2 games.

It almost worked until mid February.
Players stopped working, Bozak waveing his hands in the air by not makeing an effort to block the shot from the blue line and Gustavsson didn't save it.
The team stopped working together.

Another of my argument is who's fault is it?
The captain? the assistant captains? certain uner achieved players like Luke Schenn, can't totally fault the coach's.
Because the Leafs were very dominant at 1 point last season.

[sluggo]

We really can't compare anybody to the L.A Kings.
The Kings barely made it in the playoffs, they finished in 8th place.
In the final weeks as i looked at the standings i wasn't even sure they were going to make it.
Luckily they did, the gamble paid off by giving away young and future prospects for Carter and Richards.
If the Kings failed to make the playoffs, then we'd see a different scenario.

The main cause of the L.A KIngs success?
Is Jonathen Quick, plain and simple.

The Leafs still lack a clutch goalie, but once again my argument is defense.
The Leafs play poor in their own end zone, its not the scoreing.

The whole theory behind last season was.
The Leafs needed to score 3 or more goals to win games for the most part.
And not lose more then 2 games.

It almost worked until mid February.
Players stopped working, Bozak waveing his hands in the air by not makeing an effort to block the shot from the blue line and Gustavsson didn't save it.
The team stopped working together.

Another of my argument is who's fault is it?
The captain? the assistant captains? certain uner achieved players like Luke Schenn, can't totally fault the coach's.
Because the Leafs were very dominant at 1 point last season.

They had problems scoring most of the season, but that roster is very talented and once they changed coachs they started playing a lot better.

But if talking about the wya the Kings play defense, you have to look at the players too.

There is two ways to do it. You either identify the kind of team and style of play you want and you bring in players who can/will/do play that style. Or look at the group of players you have and bring in a coach, other players and a style that will suit their strengths and hide their weakness. With Carlyle being hired, it looks like Burke is going with the former. That means the Leafs need move out quite a few players and replace with them a different kind of player.

[Rollntroll]

Alex.the Grt.Jr said "Luckily they did, the gamble paid off by giving away young and future prospects for Carter and Richards"
Carter and Richards are not exactlly, 'over the hill'. I wouldn't call making the playoffs, lucky, close perhaps but not lucky. Gambling and making moves is what gets you in and thru the playoffs. Our G.M keeps rolling 'craps'!

[csmith9090]

i know the players matter but i would like to think nhl professionals could connect three passes together to get out of the zone consistently

[Alfalfa99]

Well the big problem with the leafs' defense is their obsession with offense; Phaneuf scored quite a few goals as defencemen go, but overall what with 231 goals for vs 264 against, the whole club is basically -33. Putting that another way, the entire club lacks defence of any sort, save for gustavsson periodically pushing nets out of the way. Putting it another way, the club just lacks....well....everything!

The crummy defense.....

The lousy goalies.....

line after LINE of ugly, UGLY players!!!

Can we please get just into the playoffs next year? Pretty please?