Toronto Maple Leafs: Ridiculous, Horrible Lineup Decisions

Tonight when the Toronto Maple Leafs play Tampa, Josh Leivo will be a healthy scratch.

Which is a terrible decision. Josh Leivo has done everything the Leafs could possible want. When they let him play, that is.

Let’s say you hate stats and rely strictly on what your eyes see:  When he plays, Leivo is a buzzsaw who darts around the ice, is always noticeable, and seems to create offense at will.

Granted, there is some confirmation bias there because when I know he’s playing, I look for him.  Regardless, he’s done well.

By the stats, he is killing it.  A point per game in the NHL is super-rare. Sure, it’s only eight games, but it’s impressive nevertheless.  Even better than the points, and the reason to even give them credit, is the +6.23 relative Corsi rating.

Basically Josh Leivo has been one of the Toronto Maple Leafs best players for every game he’s dressed and Mike Babcock won’t play him.  Overall he has nine points in 12 games played.

Why not?

Me vs the Coach

Without fail, every time I’ve criticized Mike Babcock I get told he’s an NHL coach (and the best one) and he knows what he’s doing.  Conversely, I am an idiot, and I don’t coach in the NHL.

Fair enough.

However, it’s ridiculous to think an expert can’t make mistakes.  Or that he can’t be biased, blind to something, hard-headed or whatever.

I’m not saying Babcock isn’t a good coach. If I could pick anyone to coach my favorite team, I’d pick him.  But not playing one of your team’s best players seems to me to be a bad move.

Perhaps he has his reasons.

But on the other hand, I have hard data that suggest that Josh Leivo has been playing at Super Star Levels when in the lineup.  So, his reasons better be pretty damn good.

And, to further my point, even if Josh Leivo isn’t who the stats say he is, he’s still a 23 year old with size and talent who isn’t getting in the lineup.  A developing team needs to develop it’s players.

So not only is this (from what I can see) idiotic move costing the Leafs in the standings, it’s also hurting their development for the future.

Josh Leivo should be playing. Frankly, he ought to be paired with Matthews and Nylander on what would likely be a devastatingly effective top-line.

I actually Like Zach Hyman and I think he’s had a great season.  But the Leafs have an opportunity to stack their top line without effecting their balance in the lineup below.

It’s unbelievable they aren’t playing Josh Leivo.  It’s also unacceptable.