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Could The Leafs Have the Leagues First Zone Applied D?

Aug. 29, 2018 at 6:01 p.m.
#1
Burla
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"The Leafs Defence is awful!"
Okay, first I challenge you to go to dailyfaceoff, look at their line combos, look at their standing in the league and then reply in this forum.
Babcock is the leagues most line matching obsessed coach, except it might work with this Elitie Offensive team.

There are 4 Zones in the league where faceoffs are taken, I could see the Leafs deploying their D completely depending on the Zone, while having the forwards do their work.

DEFENSIVE ZONE.

HAINSEY-ZAITSEV 100%
Nikita can rush the puck better than people think, but we remember this pair because of the PK. I think they get zone starts in the Defensive Zone. They go on the ice when there is a Faceoff in the Leafs zone. If there is an Icing with another pair, first whistle these 2 come on the Ice.

Defensive Neutral Zone.
Reilly-Gardiner 75%
Both great skaters to get the puck up, both great vision to make passes, Gardiner has the net when needed and Reilly takes the man, good communication and great passers.

Dermott-Carrick 25%
They are similar to Reilly-Gardnier, only more likely to get caught in their own Zone, Neutral Zone draws with the 3rd and 4th line of the ice, these guys can make Deadly passes to Tavares, Marner, Nylander, Matthews. Defense is easy when your team has the puck.

Offensive Neutral Zone.
Dermott-Carrick 75%
Reilly-Gardnier-25%
This is a more likely opportunity to score, if the top 6 is on, R+G if the bottom 6 is on D+C.

Offensive Zone
Reilly-Gardnier 60%
Dermott-Carrick 40%

You are trying to score, all 4 of these players can both score and set others up.

When you deploy your defense correctly suddenly the team looks better.

I think Ultimately the minutes will look like this.
Reilly 25-27 mins Gardnier 23-25 mins
Hainsey 14-17 minutes Zaitsev 18-20 mins
Dermott 16-20 minutes (depends the team they play) Carrick 14-16 minutes (strictly offensive)

This does not bring Ozzi or Holl, but I do not think I can make a call until I watch them both in pre-season and see how they play. Point being, Karlsson, Doughty, OEL, it's true we don't have a number 1 defensman. But with 2 #1 centers and 2 #1 right wings, if you have defense that are good at doing their job, you will have a good team.

This is a great team.
Daryl liked this.
Aug. 29, 2018 at 7:58 p.m.
#2
get ur corsi up
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Pretty solid breakdown of the Leafs defense.

So many people call for a Nylander trade to bring in someone like Jacob Trouba or Colton Parayko or Matthew Dumba, when in reality if your D-men can adequately do the tasks that you outlined we don't need to waste a valuable forward asset like Nylander on another D-man. Our defense isn't flashy or elite like Nashville or Winnipeg but it can get the job done, and with the level of offence we have, and then the game stealing skill of Andersen, we'll be fine.
burla13 liked this.
Aug. 29, 2018 at 8:49 p.m.
#3
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Burla
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Quoting: Daryl
Pretty solid breakdown of the Leafs defense.

So many people call for a Nylander trade to bring in someone like Jacob Trouba or Colton Parayko or Matthew Dumba, when in reality if your D-men can adequately do the tasks that you outlined we don't need to waste a valuable forward asset like Nylander on another D-man. Our defense isn't flashy or elite like Nashville or Winnipeg but it can get the job done, and with the level of offence we have, and then the game stealing skill of Andersen, we'll be fine.


Thank you for the response!
My friends and I all summer talked about how the Leafs have 2 defensive D and 4 Offensive D, the the DD play in that Zone, let the other 4 OD play everywhere else. Hainsey could even resign 1 year 650K to play in the D-zone. slow down the minutes of Liljegren in 19/20.
Their defense is fine, let the forwards do their thing, this team will be dominating!
Daryl liked this.
Aug. 29, 2018 at 9:50 p.m.
#4
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Burla
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Quoting: burla13
Thank you for the response!
My friends and I all summer talked about how the Leafs have 2 defensive D and 4 Offensive D, the the DD play in that Zone, let the other 4 OD play everywhere else. Hainsey could even resign 1 year 650K to play in the D-zone. slow down the minutes of Liljegren in 19/20.
Their defense is fine, let the forwards do their thing, this team will be dominating!


By he way "game stealing skill" I think that isn't talked about enough. Sure Freddy has had some rough patches, but he makes tough saves, and with this team, if he is just solid he would win 50 games.

Great point, I have to say Dubas has done a great deal. Lou, thank you for the goalie, and for taking Matt Martins contract. for those 2 things you deserve a Leafs ring, and I am not being sarcastic there, the first cup the Leafs win, for getting rid of contracts to make it possible, Lou deserves a ring.
But it's Kyle's Cup.
 
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