What are the Toronto Maple Leaf's Building Here? Some kind of new analytics?

I will be the first one to say that I am not some new thought analytics giant that develops new, cutting-edge data and models. I pretty much purchase models that anyone can acquire and add a divorce-worthy amount of NHL hockey watching and years of studying the game to build context for the data. There are always going to be shifts in thought on how best to succeed at playing this game, and the data will change with it. That being said, the Toronto Maple Leafs have publicly stated that they are striving to be a data-driven team, and that was a big part of the reason that John Chayka and Jim Hiller were hired as G.M. and coach. However, I look at the additions they made to the roster this summer, and there is some head-scratching going on for me. Let's take a look.

Roslovic is one of those players that entices you with his ability to shoot and begs a team to try to get more out of the rest of his game to have him be an effective top 6 forward. Probably something Carolina was looking at when they acquired him a few two years ago. Carolina is a data driven team as well and they had me scratching my head when they picked him up as his game had not changed from his time in Winnipeg and Columbus. Jack lasted one year in Carolina as they constantly had to put their two best defensively aware players with him in Staal and Jarvis to minimize the negative impact of his overall game. That is not ideal. Roslovic has been a player that is not quite good enough for top 6 play and terrible for the bottom 6 his whole career. His play away from the puck is subpar and his neutral zone play for zone exits is .. well. aggravating. I am not sure I have seen an NHL player not know where he needs to be on the ice as much as Roslovic does and still have as long of a career as he has had.

Sissons was the winner of the prestigious "reach around" award for the player that is best in the room but not so much on the ice. Colton's best days are definitely behind him and his best days were very overrated as well. One of those players that can pop to the eyes with his effort, but what he does with that effort is mediocre at best.  Sissons pretty much has to be deployed in the defensive zone against the weakest players as possible on the other team to be effective, He will win draws which fine I guess, but after that it is best to get him off the ice asap. For some reason he has been considered a good PK guy.. yet he never has been.

I really do not know what has been happening with Paul. The once solid third liner has had dwindling underlying data and weakening coach deployment for three years now. Last year was biggest dip in production of his career and it shows with how John Cooper deployed him. There are still offensive tools there but he has lost his ability to hang with the top players on the other team. Nick's size will always be enticing to teams but his overall play is just not there anymore. Still can have a service as a fourth line player that plays against weaker lines but well overmatched otherwise. Nick is not far removed from being much better than he has shown as of late, so possibly we can see a rebound, however usually when these dips happen around the age he is they remain happening.

Blueger is a pickup that I do like. Teddy did have to play over his head last year and did get crushed quite a bit doing so but given the opportunity to play a third line roll against average competition deployment I think he can be a pretty good 3C that gets mostly defensive zone starts. Vancouver had a terrible PK last year which probably effected his percentage quite a bit as it is difficult for data to account for that. I think Leafs fans will appreciate his dogged work ethic.

On the positive side I did like the Darren Raddysh pickup. Raddysh worked hard in Tampa to improve his game every year to get to where he is now. Darren possibly does not get the point he did last year but is underrated defensively. I like his overall game and compete, and I am one who believes he is not a flash in the pan as I have been high on him for quite some time now. I also liked the Duhaime move for what he is. Duhaime is a solid energy guy that can give you 10 minutes a game and brig some jam when the team needs it, Emil Andrae was a good depth pickup that can move the puck well and has upside. At 900 Grand as a contract I  can see where there could be solid value. 

Overall though I would like to see the data and hear the logic behind much of the moves that were made by Chayka, It is possible that he has more micro stat info than I am privy to and values certain abilities rather than the whole package more. One thing all of the guys here can do is bring room energy and maybe some swagger? Not sure I would want to hang my hat on that is value over on ice performance, but I guess we are about to find out.

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