Injury Report: Joe Thornton to miss "some time" | Update Jan 22; out 4 weeks (rib fracture)

[jaric1862]

Wonder who they move up to play with Matthews-Marner. I honestly could see them sticking with Hyman on that third line and making Mikheyev the guy that moves up.

 

[Al48]

Looked like a spleen to me

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

The oldtimer seemed to hobble his gitalong there...

 

[Dave92]

Keefe must be so disappointed. Whoever can fill that hole on the first line and 1st pp.

 

[FlareKnight]

Definitely rough for Thornton and certainly Keefe must feel down since he really liked that mix.

Shouldn't lose any potency to the line if you just move Hyman up there. Just have to find a way to make the third line work in that case.

 

[cesareborgia]

Too bad, he’s been good.

I imagine we will get the Hyman promotion everyone has been clamouring for.

Makes no sense. Hyman playing on the first line for most of the seasons vs the third line would likely be a 1.5 mil difference on his next contract. He's good on the third line.

 

[Notsince67]

Move Willy the left side of the first line. He can play left pretty well.
Drop Vesey way down.
Hyman is a natural rh shot. Move him to the right of Tavares and soup to the left. Run these 2 lines hard.

 

[Faltorvo]

Hopefully this forces Keefe to put PP1 back into play
Mitch, Matthews, JT, Willy, Reilly.

Cobble together PP2
Spezza, Kerfoot, Simmonds, Muzz and Lehtonen. The new NHL fad making a come back of using 2D on the PP

what in gawds name are you going on about? our PP is 37.5% ATM

that is bloody outstanding,,,,,hell drop 8.0% OFF of that and it's still unreal

 

[Bluelines]

I think Simmonds is a better fit on the top line than Thornton. With both Robertson and Thornton out, we will need more forwards.

Simmonds Matthews Marner
Vesey Tavares Nylander
Mikheyev Kerfoot Hyman
Barabanov Spezza Anderson

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Holl
Dermott Bogosian

Campbell
Andersen

No please no, the guy is a one man offence vacuum... he's past the days where his hands can score.

 

[ToneDog]

Move Willy the left side of the first line. He can play left pretty well.
Drop Vesey way down.
Hyman is a natural rh shot. Move him to the right of Tavares and soup to the left. Run these 2 lines hard.

Who on a line of Willie, Matty and Mitch is going to go into the corners and get the puck to Matty ?? It is like loading up the #1 PP with JT in the pivot position doing virtually nothing. We need balance IMO. Unfortunately there are not enough good foot soldiers like Hyman to go around thanks to Shanny and Dubie. And you do not find them in the dumpster.

 

[The Iceman]

what in gawds name are you going on about? our PP is 37.5% ATM

that is bloody outstanding,,,,,hell drop 8.0% OFF of that and it's still unreal

So your plan is........?

 

[ToneDog]

Keefe must be so disappointed. Whoever can fill that hole on the first line and 1st pp.

What are you talking about? I was told we have so much depth up front.

 

[hockeynorth]

Next game I want to see:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Vesey-Tavares-Marner
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Anderson
Engvall-Spezza-Simmonds

Rielly-Brodie
Muzzin-Holl
Sandin-Dermott

Campbell
Andersen

Why:
- Get Anderson/Sandin into games to see what they've got, sliding Dermott over gets Sandin in and Bogo a rest, while Anderson fills the Hyman role on L4
- Nylanders zone entries could help get Matthews open more
- Vesey has been mostly fine with Tavares and Marners vision could help get pucks onto Veseys stick for easy tap ins
- Engvall wheels could help give L4 some juice and provide a more serious breakout threat to L4
- Campbell gets the start to keep Freddys games down a bit, and I'd like to see a goalie switch if a goalie loses

 

[Faltorvo]

So your plan is........?

promote someone who was not getting PP time to fill in for Jumbo

kerf/hym/spez/miky/barb,,,,lots of options that have offensive upside

 

[Once]

We still have some decent options. Engvall, Boyd, Anderson. Of the three I’d like to see Anderson but he isn’t on the taxi squad so I imagine they go with the former two first.

 

[Bluelines]

What are you talking about? I was told we have so much depth up front.

Right? If losing Joe and the kid mean we don't win the cup, that kinda tells you just how poorly built this team was.

Matthews and Marner should be a one man (two man?) wrecking crew, who plays RW should be immaterial... you could put Manny Malhotra out there with them and they should still be 100 point guys over 82 games.

 

[ShaneFalco]

A shame - but will give someone else a shot. I'd like to see Boyd in or Anderson

 

[ToneDog]

Right? If losing Joe and the kid mean we don't win the cup, that kinda tells you just how poorly built this team was.

Matthews and Marner should be a one man (two man?) wrecking crew, who plays RW should be immaterial... you could put Manny Malhotra out there with them and they should still be 100 point guys over 82 games.

As much as many hated Babcock's good pro shtick, that is exactly what our top 2 lines need. Hyman has been a beast so far and he would ignite either line but at the cost of virtually having nothing in your bottom 6. How did we get here Shanny?

 

[Bluelines]

As much as many hated Babcock's good pro shtick, that is exactly what our top 2 lines need. Hyman has been a beast so far and he would ignite either line but at the cost of virtually having nothing in your bottom 6. How did we get here Shanny?

I will give you a video hint...

 

[ToneDog]

Has anybody mentioned Barabanov? Seems to me he would be the next man up if he is healthy.

 

[Notsince67]

Who on a line of Willie, Matty and Mitch is going to go into the corners and get the puck to Matty ?? It is like loading up the #1 PP with JT in the pivot position doing virtually nothing. We need balance IMO. Unfortunately there are not enough good foot soldiers like Hyman to go around thanks to Shanny and Dubie. And you do not find them in the dumpster.

Did you think Thornton had that role?

 

[Critical13]

Hopefully this forces Keefe to put PP1 back into play
Mitch, Matthews, JT, Willy, Reilly.

Cobble together PP2
Spezza, Kerfoot, Simmonds, Muzz and Lehtonen. The new NHL fad making a come back of using 2D on the PP

I like this, but holy shit are we ever shallow if we have Spezza, Kerfoot and Simmonds as our 2nd PP unit.

I look at this and can't help but wish we could get Sandin into some games.

 

[ToneDog]

Did you think Thornton had that role?

Absolutely not and it is why I cannot see this collection going very far. Keefe has moved Hyman up to the top two lines sporactically and when he has you can see the impact.

 

[Mess]

I suspect Barabanov replaces Thornton.

and our top 2 lines go back to normal again.

Hyman --Matthews -- Marner
Mikheyev -- Tavares -- Nylander

 

[banks]

Jumbo was a passenger on the top line. He was a very decorated and respected passenger, and he was doing better than I expected at it. But it shouldn't be difficult to replace. Hyman will likely move up.

The bigger problem is how to fix the 3rd line now that Hyman is off of it. He wasn't a passenger on that line, he was the driver. So Keefe needs to find an element that will make that line work. Try for more scoring, like Barabanov, similar to how the Kerfoot unit was made up last year? Or move in some more grit, like Simmonds or Joey Anderson, to try and keep the same style on the line?