GDT: Detroit @ Toronto - 7pm

[Le Magnifique]

Leafs are going to score 387 goals. Tonight.

 

[IPS]

I really think they're just resting Holl, this isn't a preview of our playoff D with Muzzin healthy.

Holl is 100% going to be a starter come playoff time.

 

[riffle]

Let’s just win, and get Matthews 60, so we can rest guys against Boston. The Bruins always play dirty against us, injury risk in that game is real, but can easily be avoided by essentially wrapping up the season tonight.

I'll take getting to 59. If he doesn't get to 59, tonight, that means 6 games without a goal. His longest previous drought was 4, this season, and only once.

Bad omen if he heads into Round 1 in a funk.

 

[Martin Skoula]

It's the same haters who had problems with Bogosian and Polak. They can't wrap their head around coaches valuing these types of players because it contradicts their list of fancy defensive stats.

Ok Polak was actually bad though, don't lump Bogo and Boosh in with him. I can count on one hand the amount of times I saw Polak make a clean breakout pass.

I don't care how good Polak is in front of the net or on the boards if he ices the puck or gives it away every time he interrupts the cycle. It is directly his fault we're in the D-zone for 2 minutes instead of 30 seconds. He's great on the PK where there's no icing, but he will force a tired unit to stay on for 3 or 4 icings at ES if you pressure him.

 

[DarkKnight]

It's the same haters who had problems with Bogosian and Polak. They can't wrap their head around coaches valuing these types of players because it contradicts their list of fancy defensive stats.

To be fair, Polak only played 800 NHL games.

It also interesting that Dubas has iced the most physical, “gritty” lineup as we sit right now, just like TB before after failing, understanding it isn’t all fancy stats and pretty things, it still the NHL. You’re going nowhere without skill, but it can’t exist in isolation to succeed. Excel files aren’t sport, they’re a good tool.

 

[DarkKnight]

Ok Polak was actually bad though, don't lump Bogo and Boosh in with him. I can count on one hand the amount of times I saw Polak make a clean breakout pass.

I don't care how good Polak is in front of the net or on the boards if he ices the puck or gives it away every time he interrupts the cycle. It is directly his fault we're in the D-zone for 2 minutes instead of 30 seconds. He's great on the PK where there's no icing, but he will force a tired unit to stay on for 3 or 4 icings at ES if you pressure him.

And yet he played 13 years in the best league in the world, for multiple teams and a myriad of coaches. Try cold water.

 

[Aus34Matt]

You're free to watch as many Marlies games as you want. No one is stopping you. You can make your own informed opinions too.

Keyword: Marlies.

There I've made it.

 

[Gallagbi]

Game 1 pairings will be really interesting. We're LH and LD heavy. You could argue our best 5 are all LH and only Brodie can play RD effectively.

 

[keonsbitterness]

I'll take getting to 59. If he doesn't get to 59, tonight, that means 6 games without a goal. His longest previous drought was 4, this season, and only once.

Bad omen if he heads into Round 1 in a funk.

Means squat for the playoffs.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Why?

I respect Spezzas desire but it all depends on marchups. Leafs need a hard, physical fire hero ng presence on the 4th line is going to make a difference in a long series.

Spezza cares and that is admirable and I hope he comes back for another year, but, he isn't a forechecker and we need at least one such line.

Unless he replaces another offensive player, he is best used during the regular season or in particular matchups. I don't see Boston or T.B as good scenarios but that's just me.

Last year we had Thornton playing as high up as the first line and he was in the playoff lineup. Meanwhile FLA has him a healthy scratch most of the season.

Depth is important. It's up to the coach to make the difficult decisions that place the team as a wnole in the best position to succeed. Balance is key.

He's not been a liability in the playoffs. I'd rather a player like Spezza out there as opposed to Clifford. We'll need depth anyways, the last few years we've taken injuries in the first round.

Thorton isn't really a good example, he wouldn't be playing in the lineup for us either this year.

 

[VanW27]

Game 1 pairings will be really interesting. We're LH and LD heavy. You could argue our best 5 are all LH and only Brodie can play RD effectively.

1. Rielly
2. Brodie

3. Gio
4. Lily
5. Holl

6. Bush
7. Sandin

8. Muzzin

Brodie is LH but prefers the right so for me our 1 is a LD, 2 is RD. Then 3/4/5 are 2 RD and 1 LD, 6/7 are 1LD and 1RD and 8 is LD.

Right now I'd argue the RD is deeper than the LD, the fact we've been using a RD as a LD (Brodie) only cements that belief. If Muzzin can turn back the clock to and play like a top 4 D again that changes things but as far as his play this year goes he's our #8 and it's not even that close for me.

 

[Macallan18]

I really think they're just resting Holl, this isn't a preview of our playoff D with Muzzin healthy.

Holl is 100% going to be a starter come playoff time.

unless he gets fired into the sun

 

[Gallagbi]

1. Rielly
2. Brodie

3. Gio
4. Lily
5. Holl

6. Bush
7. Sandin

8. Muzzin

Brodie is LH but prefers the right so for me our 1 is a LD, 2 is RD. Then 3/4/5 are 2 RD and 1 LD, 6/7 are 1LD and 1RD and 8 is LD.

Right now I'd argue the RD is deeper than the LD, the fact we've been using a RD as a LD (Brodie) only cements that belief. If Muzzin can turn back the clock to and play like a top 4 D again that changes things but as far as his play this year goes he's our #8 and it's not even that close for me.

I've got Sandin in the 4/5 area for this year with Lilj. Muzz's been the worst, with only Boosh as a comparable IMO, but I doubt they sit him in playoffs.

We've been healthier on RD, but deeper

 

[Burnie97]

These were their lines the other night but yeah I think Bertuzzi can't play still.

They have a lot of guys out plus Larkin is done for the season. No reason not to wipe this team. Doesn't mean they will but they should.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

Once healthy for game one

Replace Kerfoot with Bunting
Replace Abruzzese with kerfoot
Replace Spezza with Kase

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Robertson - Tavares - Mikheyev/Nylander
Mikheyev/Nylander - Kampf - Engvall
Kerfoot - Blackwell - Kase

Though I assume they may take NR out for one of the vets. Hopefully NR has a strong two games here and forces them to play him in the playoffs.

lol, robertson on the 2nd line in round 1 vs def champs? lol lol

 

[Rude Dog]

I heard all we need is a point to secure home ice. But not sure how? If Leafs lose one in OT and the other in regulation...while Tampa wins their final three games they would be tied in points. But TB could have one more ROW if they win all three in regulation. What am I missing?

 

[keonsbitterness]

unless he gets fired into the sun

Elon Musk is buying MLSE?

 

[ACC1224]

Elon Musk is buying MLSE?

Lol.....that guy is like a real life Bond villain.

 

[ponder]

2 games and no travel this week gives lots of down time before the start of the Playoffs Monday. No travel next Monday because we will have home ice...(I believe.)
Also they are resting Simmonds and Clifford tonight. They'll be ready for Friday night.

The point isn't tiredness, it's injuries. Any game carries injury risk - a game against the Bruins, who easily play the dirtiest game against us of all our opponents, even more so. If we can win tonight and make the Bruins game meaningless, I'd definitely sit our key players out. How much would it suck to lose a key player because they were injured in a meaningless last game of the season?

IMO "momentum" going into the playoffs isn't very real, but injuries certainly are. 5 days off (where they'll still be practicing, just not playing games) isn't going to make these guys rusty.

 

[IPS]

I heard all we need is a point to secure home ice. But not sure how? If Leafs lose one in OT and the other in regulation...while Tampa wins their final three games they would be tied in points. But TB could have one more ROW if they win all three in regulation. What am I missing?

Regulation wins are #2 on the tiebreaking procedure.

ROW is #3. It's impossible for Tampa to catch us in RW.

 

[Mitch nylander]

These were their lines the other night but yeah I think Bertuzzi can't play still.

They have a lot of guys out plus Larkin is done for the season. No reason not to wipe this team. Doesn't mean they will but they should.

Yea they'll be weak.

Out - Dylan Larkin, Robby Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi (vaccine), Filip Zadina, Givani Smith, Marc Staal, Carter Rowney...

This will be their lineup,

Hirose - Veleno - Raymond
Vrana - Suter - Gagner
Erne - Rasmussen - Sundqvist
Elson (if they get registration in time)- Stephens

Dekeyser - Seider
Walman - Hronek
Juolevi - Lindstrom
Oesterle

This is a game to blow them out of the water and clinch home ice.

Would be nice to win and rest a bunch of players vs the bruins - ie: Tavares, Giordano, Brodie etc.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Folks our game 1 playoff defense/tender is starting tonight .. let da grind begin boys .. it is exactly what I was told it would be .. Sandin will play for Gio on Friday night as they are giving him a rest to get playoff ready .. Sandin, if he plays well, will be da #7 in event of injury

 

[Suntouchable13]

I heard all we need is a point to secure home ice. But not sure how? If Leafs lose one in OT and the other in regulation...while Tampa wins their final three games they would be tied in points. But TB could have one more ROW if they win all three in regulation. What am I missing?

To simplify things, how about Leafs just win the game? Let's clinch home ice by winning.

 

[TorMapleJays]

I'll take getting to 59. If he doesn't get to 59, tonight, that means 6 games without a goal. His longest previous drought was 4, this season, and only once.

Bad omen if he heads into Round 1 in a funk.

I’m the opposite. If he goes 0 fer he will regress for the mean.

 

[Aus34Matt]

Yea they'll be weak.

Out - Dylan Larkin, Robby Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi (vaccine), Filip Zadina, Givani Smith, Marc Staal, Carter Rowney...

This will be their lineup,

Hirose - Veleno - Raymond
Vrana - Suter - Gagner
Erne - Rasmussen - Sundqvist
Elson (if they get registration in time)- Stephens

Dekeyser - Seider
Walman - Hronek
Juolevi - Lindstrom
Oesterle

This is a game to blow them out of the water and clinch home ice.

Would be nice to win and rest a bunch of players vs the bruins - ie: Tavares, Giordano, Brodie etc.

Auston gonna hit 'em with a 60