Pre-Game Talk: Knock on wood...

[Thornbury]

That's ridiculous

Did you not see how Simmonds stood up for Kase after that dirty hit he took, and absolutely pounded the Cane?! Can't put a value on what that does for a team.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Really? I thought he looked good to start the year but has been completely invisible for a while outside that fight last game

That's what I've seen too. And agreed - I like Wayne but he shouldn't be in the lineup every night

 

[SeaOfBlue]

View attachment 505824
View attachment 505826

These are 5v5 numbers with Spezza and Simmonds on the ice together. I'd say that is relatively good for a 4th line, if not great.

This idea that they've been shit is only recency bias IMO. They have not been great since the restart of the season. Nor has JT or any of our elder statesmen of the team. I imagine this stop and start shit is very challenging for them specifically.

But by in large they have performed very well as a 4th line duo. Especially when you consider they've had a rotisserie of players on their line (Anderson, Clifford, Ritchie, Engvall, Steeves....am I missing anyone? Seymonov?)

Pierre Engvall brings them up a lot, which is exactly what I said.

Eye-test matches it too. They generally do not look good at ES, and in fact, recency bias has worked a lot more in their favour as the last 5 games or so have been arguably the best stretch of games they have had this season (mostly because they have played with Engvall).

The Leafs would probably benefit from adding a versatile 4th liner who can win draws, and then rotating Spezza/Simmonds in the playoffs. Someone like Brooks, but better at draws.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Great news! Maybe let him skip the Calgary game then!

Edit alter says he might join the team tomorrow or Leafs might go 11/7 with muzzin back.

Probably a good idea to give Spezza and Simmonds the odd game off here and there during the stretch run.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Not sure about reuniting Muzzin-Holl. They looked better separated.

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Liljegren
Sandin Holl

Looks better to me.

 

[TMLAM34]

View attachment 505850View attachment 505851

Pierre Engvall brings them up a lot, which is exactly what I said.

Eye-test matches it too. They generally do not look good at ES, and in fact, recency bias has worked a lot more in their favour as the last 5 games or so have been arguably the best stretch of games they have had this season (mostly because they have played with Engvall).

The Leafs would probably benefit from adding a versatile 4th liner who can win draws, and then rotating Spezza/Simmonds in the playoffs. Someone like Brooks, but better at draws.

Nick Paul would be a nice addition to the bottom six. Big body, plays with an edge, can play in any game situation, solid in the face off circle and a local boy who would probably re-sign here in the off-season. Wouldn’t cost a ton to acquire either.

Engvall - Paul - Simmonds/Spezza

 

[Aus34Matt]

Dermott would probably be an upgrade over Simmonds on the 4th line anyways.

Eek.. sometimes you just gotta know when to pump the brakes.

 

[Kiwi]

Not sure about reuniting Muzzin-Holl. They looked better separated.

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Liljegren
Sandin Holl

Looks better to me.

If rather play Holl and Muzzin together

If it's still **** we know we need a top 4RD at the TDL

 

[Antropovsky]

Did you not see how Simmonds stood up for Kase after that dirty hit he took, and absolutely pounded the Cane?! Can't put a value on what that does for a team.

It was great to see... he really destroyed Smith and a good message to teams of what happens when you run the Leafs.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

If rather play Holl and Muzzin together

If it's still **** we know we need a top 4RD at the TDL

Management should know by now we need a top 4 RHD.

 

[zeke]

If rather play Holl and Muzzin together

If it's still **** we know we need a top 4RD at the TDL

Since Jan 1, all D pairings, minimum 50 minutes played:

 

[TMLAM34]

Since Jan 1, all D pairings, minimum 50 minutes played:

View attachment 505873

Muzzin has also played in 6 games from January 1st. I wouldn’t put too much stock in those numbers as if Muzzin wasn’t injured on January 15th…

 

[zeke]

Muzzin has also played in 6 games from January 1st. I wouldn’t put too much stock in those numbers as if Muzzin wasn’t injured on January 15th…

If you need a larger sample size we could look at the last 2-3 years instead.

 

[TMLAM34]

If you need a larger sample size we could look at the last 2-3 years instead.

Sure. Can you pull those numbers up?

 

[zeke]

Sure. Can you pull those numbers up?

My pleasure.

Last 3 years, minimum 750 minutes (48 pairings total, muzz-holl over 1600 minutes):

Note: many of these pairings get secondary matchups (like the Mo-Brodie pairing), and not primary matchup duty (like Muzz-Holl do):

 

[Isaac Nootin]

The ones crying about Simmonds will be the same ones losing it when we play a game like we did against Winnipeg, but with no one to answer.

 

[zeke]

The ones crying about Simmonds will be the same ones losing it when we play a game like we did against Winnipeg, but with no one to answer.

Maybe next time we try to actually win the game instead of giving up and gooning it up.

 

[Kiwi]

Management should know by now we need a top 4 RHD.

Holl has been better lately, if he continues that we can use our resources somewhere else

Since Jan 1, all D pairings, minimum 50 minutes played:

View attachment 505873

That isn't much of a sample size but if we keep them together and they continue like that we could shop for something else at the TDL

 

[Coachcorner]

Like we are SO BOUT OUR MONEY(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) We HARD! And we got the money, the power, and the personel. Our suckas is HEALTHY!!! Their AIN'T!!!!!!! We love LIFE and still WIN ALMOST ERRRRTIME!!!!

Lets get it again tomorrow! Lets see if our current thug simmonds is also back then of having the new born baby. That makes him even more harder now.... imagine THAT.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Maybe next time we try to actually win the game instead of giving up and gooning it up.

Not all wins/losses are created equal.

I'm sure Matty and the boys love having Simmonds on the team, just like the other night when he was the only one with the sack to have Kase's back. Sure that was appreciated too.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

If rather play Holl and Muzzin together

If it's still **** we know we need a top 4RD at the TDL

We know we need that regardless

 

[authentic]

That's awesome news for Matthews and the Leafs. Missing him for any period of time when we're in a race for home ice throughout the playoffs and to avoid a Florida/Tampa matchup in round 1 would have sucked.

Also not seeing him reach the 50 goal and 100 point plateaus he so rightfully deserves after all this time.

 

[Stonehands1990]

We have insurance already. Dermott is an experienced versatile quality bottom pair+ dman himself.

Rookies do play in the playoffs. They don't just get benched.

Nobody is implying to bench them. The initial suggestion was to ride the top horses harder and shelter the bottom guys more

Similar to what every good NHL team does in the playoffs.

 

[zeke]

Nobody is implying to bench them. The initial suggestion was to ride the top horses harder and shelter the bottom guys more

Similar to what every good NHL team does in the playoffs.

The ducks had to ride those guys 30 minutes because their bottom pair were junk gritty vet plugs.

 

[aingefan]

Not sure about reuniting Muzzin-Holl. They looked better separated.

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Liljegren
Sandin Holl

Looks better to me.

Agreed. And go to the vets as a pair in a pinch as needed, if at all.