tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610527122550067891.post4818082767349588683..comments2023-07-25T11:40:43.810-04:00Comments on Blue Chip Prospects: Can the Leafs be this Season's Coyotes?Curt Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10817914669452185454noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610527122550067891.post-80922418327040020952010-09-23T15:19:26.663-04:002010-09-23T15:19:26.663-04:00@Oakley
Thanks for the comment. Although I loathe...@Oakley<br /><br />Thanks for the comment. Although I loathe Trap-style hockey, I do find myself wondering what most Leaf fans would answer if asked the following question:<br /><br />"If you had to choose between the Leafs playing open, exciting hockey and missing the Playoffs, or the Leafs playing the Trap and making the Playoffs, which would you prefer?"<br /><br />I know how I would answer, but five years without making the Playoffs is a long time. I wonder whether Leaf fans would take making the Playoffs any way they could by now....Brendan Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06368264632639484014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610527122550067891.post-51689967710242584472010-09-23T13:33:50.376-04:002010-09-23T13:33:50.376-04:00I guarantee you that the Leafs won't play like...I guarantee you that the Leafs won't play like the New Jersey Devils of 1994-2000. Ron Wilson was asked a question around those lines and said it goes against his and Brian's beliefs of how a team should play. Toronto has a shot this year to make the playoffs because they have good goaltending for once in the last 5 years.Oakley8https://www.blogger.com/profile/00642406349332968948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610527122550067891.post-55244262673146282472010-09-23T11:29:32.415-04:002010-09-23T11:29:32.415-04:00@Editorinleaf
Thanks for the comment.
I actually...@Editorinleaf<br /><br />Thanks for the comment.<br /><br />I actually had a discussion surrounding that point yesterday with our resident troll, Destroyko. His contention is that Tippett's defensive system makes counting shots allowed misleading - his feeling is that the Coyotes allowed poorer-quality shots on average than the Leafs did, which he says explains the disparity in goals allowed despite the similar shots allowed totals. <br /><br />Destroyko concluded that the Leafs' best chance this year would be to emulate the Coyotes' "bend but don't break" defensive style rather than place our hope in a breakout goaltending performance. I hope it doesn't come to that personally - who wants to watch a Blue and White version of the New Jersey Devils circa 1994-2000?Brendan Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06368264632639484014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610527122550067891.post-88942746649806270182010-09-23T10:05:27.580-04:002010-09-23T10:05:27.580-04:00That's a very interesting point you mentioned ...That's a very interesting point you mentioned about the Leafs giving up the same amount of shots per game as the Yotes, because it reflects a bit more of last season's struggles towards the goaltending and not the defense. As much as everyone's worried about the offense, I gotta think the biggest X factor will be the play of Giguere/Gustavsson on a nightly basis. Getting a couple of quality starts from both of them when the season begins would go a long way to easing my mind.Editorinleafhttp://editorinleaf.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2610527122550067891.post-14199514981403613942010-09-22T22:33:17.110-04:002010-09-22T22:33:17.110-04:00Yes, when reading your post, I can see how they ar...Yes, when reading your post, I can see how they are comparable circumstances. Some people may question the scoring comparison/prediction. <br /><br />However, all of the key scorers you listed are hitting their peak scoring years (ages 24 to 26). Last year, one 30 goal scorer and two 20 goal scorers (if you count Hagman and Ponikarovsky).<br /><br />Scoring may be a significant area of improvement.Leafschatterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15672123104356293648noreply@blogger.com