I don't remember the Leafs playing well and structured like this. Lots of effort too.

All I am seeing in comparisons to last year is much improved actual play, aside from the wins.

I also remember Sammy not being able to stop a beach ball this time last year.
- Santo_44

Martin Jones in Dec: .901sv%
Woll: OCt - Dec .915sv%

Leafs definitely had points in the season last year where both goalies looked really good.

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- Atomic Wedgie

Guys... this year feels different.

Tell me I'm not crazy.

Guys... this year feels different.

Tell me I'm not crazy.
- gravyface

Guys... this year feels different.

Tell me I'm not crazy.
- gravyface

Martin Jones in Dec: .901sv%
Woll: OCt - Dec .915sv%

Leafs definitely had points in the season last year where both goalies looked really good.
- Fakepartofme

In what world is .901 and .915 anything close to .923 and .924

And why just December? Include the first 2 months? Lol

Guys... this year feels different.

Tell me I'm not crazy.
- gravyface

It really does. Despite all the injuries, the team has kept humming along with all it's depth. The people Brad brought in are clicking perfectly, and he filled just about every hole, (that's what she said). Think of what they'll be able to do at the TDL to bolster the lineup, I suspect this year things start to click in the postseason. Still need a lot of luck to go deep, just like every other team, but maybe this is the year things go our way.

In what world is .901 and .915 anything close to .923 and .924

And why just December? Include the first 2 months? Lol
- Santo_44

Because we are only in December. Jones didnt play prior
Point being, we've felt comfortable with our tending before at varuous times over years.

Their game (team and goalies) are different for sure and improved. But its only December.

We've had the "this feels different" before.

Anywho, i know you gotta argue, so go ahead alone.

It really does. Despite all the injuries, the team has kept humming along with all it's depth. The people Brad brought in are clicking perfectly, and he filled just about every hole, (that's what she said). Think of what they'll be able to do at the TDL to bolster the lineup, I suspect this year things start to click in the postseason. Still need a lot of luck to go deep, just like every other team, but maybe this is the year things go our way.
- Whipper

They have a little more picks to use this year.
Im thinking something a little more than last year but similar. Our pick values for 2025 total under 10 (low) with no 1st or 4th.
However, we also have extra bodies to play with, so im hoping a 3rd line center upgrade.
Heres to Robertson going on a bit of a scoring run....and get someone to bite.

It really does. Despite all the injuries, the team has kept humming along with all it's depth. The people Brad brought in are clicking perfectly, and he filled just about every hole, (that's what she said). Think of what they'll be able to do at the TDL to bolster the lineup, I suspect this year things start to click in the postseason. Still need a lot of luck to go deep, just like every other team, but maybe this is the year things go our way.
- Whipper

I am starting to warm up to the idea of renting Brock Nelson for the playoffs, if not too pricey

Oh wait, 8 hits in 25 games…..pass

Willie for a top4 bruiser

I am starting to warm up to the idea of renting Brock Nelson for the playoffs, if not too pricey

Oh wait, 8 hits in 25 games…..pass
- mr.sir

AND to boot he plays for the Islanders who have been notorious for inflating their teams hitting stats at home so if he has 8 total and half their games have been at home he probably only has 2 in reality. lol

Because we are only in December. Jones didnt play prior
Point being, we've felt comfortable with our tending before at varuous times over years.

Their game (team and goalies) are different for sure and improved. But its only December.

We've had the "this feels different" before.

Anywho, i know you gotta argue, so go ahead alone.
- Fakepartofme

Leafs had their starting goalie in last year playoffs on waivers in January last year. I wouldn’t say we were comfortable with goaltending last year. I wanted woll to start but that’s just because I hated Samsonov.

This year does feel different. I’ve said it to my buddies for a bit here and I’m very realistic leaf fan imo. The last 5 years come playoffs I’ve always had that bad feeling. This feels like a deep playoff run this year.

Guys... this year feels different.

Tell me I'm not crazy.
- gravyface

I get the optimism of it 'feeling different'.

I get the pessimism of hearing that before and then being crushed come playoffs.

I do like the style I'm seeing from the Leafs currently and as almost all of us have said I'm fine without them being regular season offensive juggernauts who use that to cover up for poor team Defense, poor goaltending or both IF they can play a better style come playoffs than they have in several of the past few years.

I'm hopefully and cautiously optimistic that they will find more playoff success than they have in a long time this year but there are so many uncontrollable variables like injuries, officiating and just plain puck / good or bad luck that we won't know until we know.

I don't care who the leafs play come post season one bit, never really have to be honest and I don't care if they come into the playoffs as the 1 or 8 seed I just want them to play hard, mean and hopefully have success.

Go MF Leafs Go!

Guys... this year feels different.

Tell me I'm not crazy.
- gravyface

You're crazy.

Unless the Leafs goalies, whom have never played more than 28 NHL games in a season or stayed healthy, maintain their .923 SV% for the rest of the season and 4 playoff series.

Then, you're not crazy.

In what world is .901 and .915 anything close to .923 and .924

And why just December? Include the first 2 months? Lol
- Santo_44

But he's not entirely wrong here. In 2022-23 - AND in 2021-22 after the first two months, the team's goaltending had been superb.



You can see that this year the defense is better - the expected goals against are lower, and the actual goals against are also lower - but in both 2022 and 2021 at this point in the season, the goaltending was still doing very well at 5v5 and the team was winning as a result. The interesting thing is that in the previous 3 years the offense was technically underperforming - having less goals than expected.

The underlying numbers suggest that the Leafs might be as good as we feel they are - but I think the underlying numbers don't know that Auston Matthews isn't playing to his level of excellence yet and we have suffered through a number of injuries and come out ahead.

I think there's a lot to be encouraged about from the backend, but we've had good goaltending in the past between year 1 Samsononv and the start of year 2 Campbell.

But he's not entirely wrong here. In 2022-23 - AND in 2021-22 after the first two months, the team's goaltending had been superb.



You can see that this year the defense is better - the expected goals against are lower, and the actual goals against are also lower - but in both 2022 and 2021 at this point in the season, the goaltending was still doing very well at 5v5 and the team was winning as a result. The interesting thing is that in the previous 3 years the offense was technically underperforming - having less goals than expected.

The underlying numbers suggest that the Leafs might be as good as we feel they are - but I think the underlying numbers don't know that Auston Matthews isn't playing to his level of excellence yet and we have suffered through a number of injuries and come out ahead.

I think there's a lot to be encouraged about from the backend, but we've had good goaltending in the past between year 1 Samsononv and the start of year 2 Campbell.
- Monkeypunk

I do not remember the last time I can say that the first 25 games there has only been one start that has not been good.

I watched Sammy in Buffalo and it was the worst goaltending performance I have seen in my life.

I can think of one season in the last decade where I was close to this confident in the team at this point. They are playing very well and it is very encouraging that they are buying into what Berube is selling.

But he's not entirely wrong here. In 2022-23 - AND in 2021-22 after the first two months, the team's goaltending had been superb.



You can see that this year the defense is better - the expected goals against are lower, and the actual goals against are also lower - but in both 2022 and 2021 at this point in the season, the goaltending was still doing very well at 5v5 and the team was winning as a result. The interesting thing is that in the previous 3 years the offense was technically underperforming - having less goals than expected.

The underlying numbers suggest that the Leafs might be as good as we feel they are - but I think the underlying numbers don't know that Auston Matthews isn't playing to his level of excellence yet and we have suffered through a number of injuries and come out ahead.

I think there's a lot to be encouraged about from the backend, but we've had good goaltending in the past between year 1 Samsononv and the start of year 2 Campbell.
- Monkeypunk

How did those seasons end?

I think many Leafs fans have been deceived into beLeafing the backend was better than it really was early in the season but it didn't work out in crunch time when the goaltending wasn't there to steal games anymore whether it was due to a drop off in SV% or injuries.

The Leafs "being different" also applies to the other teams in the division but in a different direction. The weaknesses of the other teams causing a drop-off in the quality of our competitors will be a big factor.

Boston and Tampa Bay don't look the same and Florida has played two very long seasons, back-to-back. The benefit the Leafs have is their core is younger and might be hungrier than the competition. That's the X-factor to success this season. The Leafs could do better by being exactly the same and everybody else being either hobbled or just worse than previous years.

“The only truth that he spoke was, I go out there to inflict pain. That's a fact, and that's not going to stop. But I'm going to continue to do it legally. I'm going to keep playing hard, if not harder, now, and keep burying guys,” Reaves said Tuesday, permitted by the Leafs to speak for the first time since the suspension.

“The only truth that he spoke was, I go out there to inflict pain. That's a fact, and that's not going to stop. But I'm going to continue to do it legally. I'm going to keep playing hard, if not harder, now, and keep burying guys,” Reaves said Tuesday, permitted by the Leafs to speak for the first time since the suspension.
- systemtool

Hey Fake, you sure guys don't go out to punish other guys?

You sure opposing players wouldn't try to hit Matthews wherever he tells the press his injury is so that he gets re-injured thus increasing the opponents chances of winning???

Hmmm, something doesn't compute.

Hey Fake, you sure guys don't go out to punish other guys?

You sure opposing players wouldn't try to hit Matthews wherever he tells the press his injury is so that he gets re-injured thus increasing the opponents chances of winning???

Hmmm, something doesn't compute.
- underhill14

On a side note I fell for nonsense. I got a Big Mac combo cause the sign said you get Grinch socks with it. Little did I know they up charged the combo price. I basically paid 17 bucks and had a poop lunch just to get socks I probably could have got for 4 bucks at Walmart.

Guys... this year feels different.

Tell me I'm not crazy.
- gravyface

Because it is. New coach. GM finally making his mark on the roster. Depth in all areas. Tavares rising from the grave he never was in but people wanted to play it like he was, Nylander entering beast mode...but why go on. Go Leafs Go!

On a side note I fell for nonsense. I got a Big Mac combo cause the sign said you get Grinch socks with it. Little did I know they up charged the combo price. I basically paid 17 bucks and had a poop lunch just to get socks I probably could have got for 4 bucks at Walmart.
- systemtool

That sounds like an unfortunate series of events Systemsies...Sysies...Systemer...can't figure out the hockey nickname...oh I remember....it's Toolsie.

But I do love a nice Big Mac...and grinch socks.

That sounds like an unfortunate series of events Systemsies...Sysies...Systemer...can't figure out the hockey nickname...oh I remember....it's Toolsie.

But I do love a nice Big Mac...and grinch socks.
- underhill14

Haha cheers Undies...Hillsie!