GDT: GAME #11 | CANUCKS vs LEAFS | THURS, FEB 4 @ 7PM EST | SCOTIABANK ARENA | TSN

[willmma]

Canucks will have played 5 games in 8 days with west to east travel in the mix. It will be their 6th game in 9 days on Thursday.

Hoping they have some tired legs and the Leafs have some energy to pounce on them.

Exactly.

They played 13 games. If we were tired after Alberta they should be exhausted by now

 

[The Man with a Plan]

Same, my heart is getting too stressed with these 1 goal games. I want a blowout

Especially against the Nuckleheads.
Please Stanley... let it be

 

[Nylander88]

If Kerfy is hurt for Thursday, I don't hate Petan getting a look. Sure he can bring at least as much as Barabonov has. He's a decent hockey player, just needs to learn what to do with bottom 6 minutes

 

[Notsince67]

Petan is the Marincin of forwards. We can never escape.

Never expected to see him again

 

[Notsince67]

If Kerfy is hurt ttor Thursday, I don't hate Petan getting a look. Sure he can bring at least as much as Barabonov has. He's a decent hockey player, just needs to learn what to do with bottom 6 minutes

They will get a real look. The guy is fighting for his nhl career and will likely give it his all.

 

[Suntouchable13]

The fact that Fred is still under .900 is troubling

 

[Nylander88]

They will get a real look. The guy is fighting for his nhl career and will likely give it his all.

Hope you're right. He has NHL skill, but he's struggled to find a role/rhythm in limited minutes. Which is hard for a lot of players. We're seeing a better Wayne Simmonds in 3rd line minutes than we did in 4th line minutes. Its tough on guys who are used to playing a lot, and Petan has always gotten larger roles in the AHL. Hopefully he comes hungry if he gets in tomorrow

 

[Zybalto]

The fact that Fred is still under .900 is troubling

It would be more troubling if he had looked bad recently. He was awful at the start (not surprised) but has settled into a groove since then.

 

[Warden of the North]

How the hell has Van already played 3 more games then us?

 

[Varcus]

Pla

How the hell has Van already played 3 more games then us?

Played 3 games in 4 nights well we had a break

 

[RogerR]

The fact that Fred is still under .900 is troubling

It is. He has bad stats. And quite frankly, the talk of him being real "Good lately"., is not excatly true. He's .907 last 5 games. Still below avg.

 

[Brobust]

Vancouver was not that bad yesterday. They will catch Toronto sleeping.

 

[Cor]

How the hell has Van already played 3 more games then us?

Listen, I prefer to be competing for first in the division while playing the same or less amount of games as others, than the usual scenario where we are in first or second in the division but have managed to play 4 or 5 games more than the Bolts or Bruins like usual

I am personally doubtful that the Canadiens will keep up their 4.4 GF/game average, and their team 12.8% shooting percentage.

Last year, the league leader was the Bolts, at 11.2%. The Habs shot at a 8.6% rate. While there is room for improvement there, and they added Toffoli who is a solid finisher, the Habs will likely settle into the 9%-9..9% range by end of season, which means a shooting regression is almost certain to come. The Habs have 9 players currently shooting at 11.4% or higher, 11 over 9%. That isn't sustainable.

To contrast, among the Leafs regulars, the Leafs have just 5 players above 9%. 2 above 11%. One of those being Auston Matthews who is in that elite category. Nylander and Tavares are both in the 6-6.9% shooting range, which is going to increase soon.

The Leafs and Habs have essentially an identical penalty drawn vs taken differential, so that isn't much of a factor either. Leafs have taken less penalties, but also have drawn less as well.


The Habs will be a playoff team. I am not trying to say that their hot start is all luck, however, they are due for regression soon, and it likely won't be pretty. Their team honestly reminds me of some of our 18 wheeler seasons, where we add a forward and a couple D and get out to a hot start and everyone gets all hyped before it slowly unwinds, because no one cared to look at things.

Not saying they will collapse as hard as we did back then, but you get the point.

Us being right there in the top spots, with the same, or less GP as the other teams, while being due for some progression in terms of shooting and save %, while the Habs are due for some regression, is a pretty promising start for me.

 

[Cor]

 

[TheDoldrums]

 

[supermann_98]

Looks like the Hyman on the 3rd line experiment is over. He's absolutely needed on one of the top 2 lines, and this is coming from a guy who used to rip Babs for having him glued to Matthews hip the first few years

 

[TheGroceryStick]

This break worked out pretty good hopefully means we can ride Andersen without see much,if at all of Hutch.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I don't get the point of Petan. Can he score? No. Can he be a mean mother effer? No. So what is his use?

 

[Critical13]

I like Anderson and Engvall both more than Spezza and Petan.

Coaches see something I don't...

 

[Marshy]

Looks like the Hyman on the 3rd line experiment is over. He's absolutely needed on one of the top 2 lines, and this is coming from a guy who used to rip Babs for having him glued to Matthews hip the first few years

Thornton and Robertson getting healthy later on this month. I would not be surprised if Hyman is back with Kerfoot on the third line to give Keefe another look at his shutdown 3rd line.

 

[Critical13]

I don't get the point of Petan. Can he score? No. Can he be a mean mother effer? No. So what is his use?

Hes pretty good at plying a possession game, which means less time in the defensive zone.

I just wish he could bring more offensively because he’s an awful player away from the puck.

 

[Community]

I like Anderson and Engvall both more than Spezza and Petan.

Coaches see something I don't...

I think Anderson would be playing if he wasnt waiver exempt. I agree that Engvall should probably be playing, but the guy fell off a cliff last year after a promising start and I think that would happen again anyways.

No harm in giving Petan a shot on the fourth line IMO. I like the idea of cycling through our bottom 6 (as we have been doing) unless some combos play really well as it gives them more motivation to fight to keep a spot and giving the older guys appropriate time to rest.

 

[zeke]

Looks like the Hyman on the 3rd line experiment is over. He's absolutely needed on one of the top 2 lines, and this is coming from a guy who used to rip Babs for having him glued to Matthews hip the first few years

the other thing is that Hyman wasn't very good on the 3rd line. complementary player on a scoring line might just be the role he can do, not so much a checking line driver role.

 

[zeke]

I like Anderson and Engvall both more than Spezza and Petan.

Coaches see something I don't...

spezza's been legit good, at least when he's not playing center.

engvall clearly deserves a spot but i think they're trying to milk his remaining 4 games of waiver eligibility for a bit longer just in case some roster moves need to happen.

 

[VanW27]

I get they want Engvall to clean up the turnovers and defensive play in general but his skating and length create such a mismatch when he's on the ice. As soon as the puck ends up on his stick the other team is in immediate retreat mode giving him so many easy exits and entries. Meanwhile the rest of our 4th liners are immediately pressured into a turnover or a clear when they get it.