The Leafs' PK: Does it suck this much?
I won't keep you in suspense. Yes, it does. Toronto actually spends a below-average amount of time at 4-on-5, but that's primarily because they give up so many goals that their penalty-kills end early. Their 4-on-5 save percentage tells the story:
| 07-08 | 08-09 | 09-10 | |
| SPCT | 849 | 833 | 708 |
| RANK | 28 | 30 | 29 |
(You can see league-wide data here for 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10.)
It would be nice to blame that all on Vesa Toskala, but he's fundamentally a league-average goaltender, as hard as that may be to accept. No, the problem is with the Leafs PK. Let's take a look at the last two seasons:
| 07-08 | 08-09 | NHL Avg | |
| Shot Distance | 33.7 ft | 31.2 ft | 34.5 ft |
| Rank | 24 | 30 | |
| Shot Volume | 67.3 | 76.9 | 67.4 |
| Rank | 21 | 26 |
So the Leafs weren't great in 2007-08 and they were basically the worst in the league in 2008-09. (In case you were wondering, they've given up 103 shots/60 this season, at an average distance of 28.3 ft. But it's early yet.) It doesn't matter who you have in goal - their stats aren't going to look good when you're this bad defensively. If Toskala had played behind a league-average defense, you'd think he was a league-average goalie, because that's basically what he is. There's no goalie in the entire league - perhaps in history - who the Leafs could have ridden to the 8th playoff spot in the East last year.
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well
that settles that.
Time for Burke to make some changes.
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
by Karina on Oct 14, 2009 11:13 AM EDT reply actions
impressive
This is what I’d suspected for awhile but could never prove. This is great stuff, to be sure.
Hey Gabe
Glad to see you’ve joined SBN!
Request – where could I find the longest winless streak for each of last year’s playoff teams? Umm… it’s for a friend. Yeah, that’s it.

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