How much faith do you have in the core 4?

[Gabriel426]

I don't think Spezza would be able to handle those minutes.

I think he can. Beside, he could be the first one on and off the line.

 

[ACC1224]

I think he can. Beside, he could be the first one on and off the line.

Possibly, be worth a look. He hasn't been facing the players Matthews has, it won't be as easy as playing against 4th liners.

 

[egd27]

If you "shut down" the four best forwards on any team in the league - including Tampa - that team will struggle to win a series against any other playoff team.

They are paid $40M to not to be shut down.

Tampa's top 4 weren't, that's what is needed to win the Cup.

 

[Racer88]

If Spezza couldn’t handle first line minutes he would fit right in with the other 2 because as we all seen they couldn’t even break loose to score more then 1 goal in 7 games.
This isn’t even me trying to insult them, it’s just a fact

 

[Racer88]

They are paid $40M to not to be shut down.

Tampa's top 4 weren't, that's what is needed to win the Cup.

This is so true. 4 forwards being paid 50% of the cap changes everything. You can even just get average out of that package.
The reality is Tavares was hurt so he gets a pass for this playoffs, Nylander lived up to his pay scale and I know this is not what some want to hear but the M&M show badly failed to carry their own weight.

 

[Aashir]

I don't think Spezza would be able to handle those minutes.

For a regular season. I don’t think it’s possible for spezza to play more than 12minutes

however, he was going this playoffs, had more points than anyone in the top 6 not named Matthews and nylander. If we were to put him on the Mathews and Marner line and put Hyman mikheyev engvall back together than maybe we get some more offence. The point is we really need to try different things when the same thing isn’t working.

this sounds a lot like Babcocks problem too. His stubbornness and unwillingness to change. It’s either his way or the bench is waiting

 

[egd27]

This is so true. 4 forwards being paid 50% of the cap changes everything. You can even just get average out of that package.
The reality is Tavares was hurt so he gets a pass for this playoffs, Nylander lived up to his pay scale and I know this is not what some want to hear but the M&M show badly failed to carry their own weight.

4 es goals in 5 games last post season (1 for M&M)

Not nearly good enough

 

[Gabriel426]

Possibly, be worth a look. He hasn't been facing the players Matthews has, it won't be as easy as playing against 4th liners.

No question about it. I think Keefe needs to be smart with Spezza deployment if plays with AM. I just don’t see why Keefe or any other coaches can’t do that, afterall, if they can shelter Dman like Barrie, don’t see why they can’t do that with Spezza.
Beside, AM will most likely be facing the opposing team shut down line and there are really only a few shut down lines that are also dangerous going the other way. Unfortunately for the them, two of those lines belong to Bruins and TB.

 

[Gabriel426]

They are paid $40M to not to be shut down.

Tampa's top 4 weren't, that's what is needed to win the Cup.

TB top four play on three diff lines. Actually, who is TB 4th best? Kilhorn, Palat or Cirelli or Coleman or Goodrow?
And that’s probably the problem. There is a clear drop off after Willie in forward’s quality.
Anyhow, if three of the top 4 forwards play on one line, it is not that hard to shut them down.

 

[Racer88]

4 es goals in 5 games last post season (1 for M&M)

Not nearly good enough

Agree 100%

 

[Mess]

Well, the core four could split up and spread the offence. Then one of them will definitely be match up against 3rd pairings Dmen.

I always thought Keefe would try new things but man he is such a fair weather coach, when things are going, he is great but the moment that the team is not doing well, he either don’t do anything or just press the panic button.

That was my solution as well if you are dead set on keeping the core 4 and spending 1/2 your cap on 4 forwards then at least be smart enough to spread that cost and wealth throughout your top 9. I suggest 1 X $11 mil on each line and build a line around them. I would move Nylander to C and play him as Marner centre and then have 3 core players in your #1-#3 centre positions giving you strength down the middle.

Each of the $11 mil players have to be able to carry their own lines otherwise it really points out how overpaid they are if they can't. IMO

Sadly Keefe is an all your eggs in one basket kid of guy and can only think more ice-time is the solution when things get bogged down.

 

[Gabriel426]

That was my solution as well if you are dead set on keeping the core 4 and spending 1/2 your cap on 4 forwards then at least be smart enough to spread that cost and wealth throughout your top 9. I suggest 1 X $11 mil on each line and build a line around them. I would move Nylander to C and play him as Marner centre and then have 3 core players in your #1-#3 centre positions giving you strength down the middle.

Each of the $11 mil players have to be able to carry their own lines otherwise it really points out how overpaid they are if they can't. IMO

Sadly Keefe is an all your eggs in one basket kid of guy and can only think more ice-time is the solution when things get bogged down.

Exactly. I really don’t see why 10mil plus players need other 10mil plus players to make themselves look good.
I never think about Willie and MM together as a line and that’s very interesting. Bc the last time Willie play with a playmaker he either won MVP for Sweden while playing with Backstorm or scored over 30 goals with JT.

 

[Mess]

Exactly. I really don’t see why 10mil plus players need other 10mil plus players to make themselves look good.
I never think about Willie and MM together as a line and that’s very interesting. Bc the last time Willie play with a playmaker he either won MVP for Sweden while playing with Backstorm or scored over 30 goals with JT.

JT and Matthews are also goal scorers and Marner is a playmaker so giving him Nylander as his finisher at C is already 2/3rds a solid line.

Then you don't have to play Matthews and Marner together for 24 minutes you can roll 3 more balanced 18 minute ice-time lines and on any given night one could get hot and NO team has enough checker and shutdown D to match against 3 lines like that. Nightly you have created mismatches and just role your lines against the opposition and now its not 1/2 your cap highly concentrated but strategically balanced throughout your top 9.

Then you could even use some of your older depth players to fill in the top 9 .. ie like toss young Nic Robertson out their with vet JT and add Spezza on the wing as their playmaker, and toss Wayne Simmonds on the line to ride shotgun with Mitch and Willy to crash and bang and make sure nobody is taking any liberties with his linemates, but creating more time and space for them to operate.

Robertson -- -Tavares -- Spezza
Simmonds -- Nylander -- Marner

I'd try and re-sign Hyman with the money hoping Seattle took Kerfoot, and then then its Hyman -- Matthews -- XXXX and your shopping for a complementary playmaking winger to round out that line with you free cap space.

PS. You can still stack a PP unit if need be to reunite players and generate offense when needed.

 

[makbeer]

So basically everyone is now clamoring to go back to what Babs did with Matthews and Marner?

Is it a possibility that Babs is a better coach than Keefe but the entitled core couldn't handle a hardass coach who demanded certain things of them and held them accountable with ice time, and now they are just happy to have a nice guy pal coach?

 

[makbeer]

JT and Matthews are also goal scorers and Marner is a playmaker so giving him Nylander as his finisher at C is already 2/3rds a solid line.

Then you don't have to play Matthews and Marner together for 24 minutes you can roll 3 more balanced 18 minute ice-time lines and on any given night one could get hot and NO team has enough checker and shutdown D to match against 3 lines like that. Nightly you have created mismatches and just role your lines against the opposition and now its not 1/2 your cap highly concentrated but strategically balanced throughout your top 9.

Then you could even use some of your older depth players to fill in the top 9 .. ie like toss young Nic Robertson out their with vet JT and add Spezza on the wing as their playmaker, and toss Wayne Simmonds on the line to ride shotgun with Mitch and Willy to crash and bang and make sure nobody is taking any liberties with his linemates, but creating more time and space for them to operate.

Robertson -- -Tavares -- Spezza
Simmonds -- Nylander -- Marner

I'd try and re-sign Hyman with the money hoping Seattle took Kerfoot, and then then its Hyman -- Matthews -- XXXX and your shopping for a complementary playmaking winger to round out that line with you free cap space.

PS. You can still stack a PP unit if need be to reunite players and generate offense when needed.

Marner and Willy both excel carrying the puck and let's face it that line would not win many board battles or puck retrievals...I like the overall concept but not too sure about those guys together.

Why not go Robertson / Nylander / Spezza and then Simmonds Tavares Marner

edit: or keep robertson with marner if you are liking that shot with mitch

 

[Stonehands1990]

Exactly. I really don’t see why 10mil plus players need other 10mil plus players to make themselves look good.
I never think about Willie and MM together as a line and that’s very interesting. Bc the last time Willie play with a playmaker he either won MVP for Sweden while playing with Backstorm or scored over 30 goals with JT.

I’ve seen this amazing suggestion by multiple fans but Keefe is a moron so let’s just wait it out until he gets fired

 

[The Masters]

none. dubas has work to do and if he doesnt fix it, he'll be canned