Line Combos: Leafs roster [Before] & [After] and work in progress

[conFABulator]

I doubt they will do it. When you pay players more they play more.

Don't forget Robertson may challenge for a top 9 spot.

I assume your comment specifically refers to my suggestion to not have Kerfoot in the Top 9?

Kerfoot would get PK time for sure and probably PP time if we take the two even PP units approach. This is 4 to 6 minutes of value special teams time.

Also, and I think this gets overlooked...teams get injuries and good teams have the depth and flexibility to withstand them. Kerfoot can play C or W in our top 9. I think he plays a lot even if he starts the season on the fourth line.

As for Robertson, I don't think they are giving him a Top 9 NHL spot right away. He is young, needs to develop, and last year was a lost year for development. I think he gets the Sandin treatment and we bring him up in the second half if he has earned it and we have an opening.

Do you have a forward lineup that has Kerfoot and Robertson in the Top 9? Sorry if I missed it.

I know they want a defensive line...so this is why I constructed mine the way I did.

 

[ottomaddox]

Ritchie Matthews Nylander
Robertson JT Marner
Bunting Kerfoot Mikheyev
Spezza Kampf Simmonds

Rielly Brodie
Sandin Muzzin
Holl Liligren
Dermott

Why do you have Ritchie on the top line and Kerfoot at Center?

 

[sittler rules!!!]

I like the idea but Dermott is so important to the defence right now imo. If any injury occurs he can fill in the top 4... It's questionable that Sandin or Lily can move up when they aren't even fully adjusted to the NHL yet. If the leafs can get a solid defender with the added cap space it could work.

How long is it going to take Liliy to "fully adjust"

 

[rumman]

The more and more we think about it and talk that talk bout it: It's starting to hear and look like sandin is the man who plays on our first powerplay unit That's hard right thurr for real. Rielly was not good on that role last season. Lost the spot to sandin also.

Sandin proved last playoffs that having him on the D during the power play is good offensively, defensively not so much....................

 

[Gary Nylund]

Sandin proved last playoffs that having him on the D during the power play is good offensively, defensively not so much....................

Maybe he'll be much better this season, maybe not we'll see. Bogosian was solidly our #5 guy (or #4 is you're not a fan of Holl) and losing him will hurt. Maybe he would have been pushed down the depth chart, maybe not but either way, our defensive depth has taken a big hit and we're softer there than we were last season. Hyman's gone, that's bad enough but losing Bogo is a bigger loss then some people think. Some people think we're a better team this season but I'm not seeing it myself.

 

[kb]

So losing Andersen, Hyman, Thornton, Barabanov, Boyd, Vesey and replacing them with Mrazek, Kase, Ritchie, Bunting, Kampf, and perhaps Robertson is a downgrade? The loss of Bogo on the 3rd pair and being replaced by either a UFA, Sandin, Liljegren, or Menell?

Some facts:

The Leafs record without Hyman was 8-3-2.

The Leafs record without Bogo was 8-1-2.

Note that the lone Bogo regulation loss and one of Hyman's regulation losses was the meaningless last game of the season when the standings had been decided, and players were being rested.

The Leafs record with any goalie other than Andersen was 22-6-4, which was a 124 point pace.

I think any talk of the Leafs regressing or losing ground on any team in their division at this point is....premature, and most likely false.

 

[darrylsittler27]

I assume your comment specifically refers to my suggestion to not have Kerfoot in the Top 9?

Kerfoot would get PK time for sure and probably PP time if we take the two even PP units approach. This is 4 to 6 minutes of value special teams time.

Also, and I think this gets overlooked...teams get injuries and good teams have the depth and flexibility to withstand them. Kerfoot can play C or W in our top 9. I think he plays a lot even if he starts the season on the fourth line.

As for Robertson, I don't think they are giving him a Top 9 NHL spot right away. He is young, needs to develop, and last year was a lost year for development. I think he gets the Sandin treatment and we bring him up in the second half if he has earned it and we have an opening.

Do you have a forward lineup that has Kerfoot and Robertson in the Top 9? Sorry if I missed it.

I know they want a defensive line...so this is why I constructed mine the way I did.

 

[darrylsittler27]

I meant 19 minutes for each defense pairing. Also Robertson is cheap and could make the team as a top 9. Bottom line, this team can't win a cup. Their defense is too soft.

 

[ULF_55]

So losing Andersen, Hyman, Thornton, Barabanov, Boyd, Vesey and replacing them with Mrazek, Kase, Ritchie, Bunting, Kampf, and perhaps Robertson is a downgrade? The loss of Bogo on the 3rd pair and being replaced by either a UFA, Sandin, Liljegren, or Menell?

Some facts:

The Leafs record without Hyman was 8-3-2.

The Leafs record without Bogo was 8-1-2.

Note that the lone Bogo regulation loss and one of Hyman's regulation losses was the meaningless last game of the season when the standings had been decided, and players were being rested.

The Leafs record with any goalie other than Andersen was 22-6-4, which was a 124 point pace.

I think any talk of the Leafs regressing or losing ground on any team in their division at this point is....premature, and most likely false.

Would it be going out on a limb to think the 1st. line is going to be on a mission this year?

Additionally, ?-Kerfoot-Nylander looked like a legitimate line without Tavares.
The question is whether it was Nylander stepping up, like in the Euro's, or was it Kerfoot being paired with a top line player?

One might even be able to suggest, Tavares going down showed they can create a 2nd. line without him.

Let's play the games and find out.

 

[Crosscrease14]

How long is it going to take Liliy to "fully adjust"

More than 13 games for sure. Maybe he never does but I like the progress he made in the AHL.

 

[kb]

Would it be going out on a limb to think the 1st. line is going to be on a mission this year?

Additionally, ?-Kerfoot-Nylander looked like a legitimate line without Tavares.
The question is whether it was Nylander stepping up, like in the Euro's, or was it Kerfoot being paired with a top line player?

One might even be able to suggest, Tavares going down showed they can create a 2nd. line without him.

Let's play the games and find out.

I agree.

There is just as much room for optimism as there is for pessimism. And I suspect there will be another move or 2 before all is said and done.

 

[stanleyorbust]

Dubas has assembled a team of miss fits / lottery tickets and he’s hoping some of them hit. It sure is one way to address a weak pipeline of ready prospects.

that said - I think this roster will turn out stronger than last years and I’m excited to see how this all turns out.

 

[ULF_55]

I meant 19 minutes for each defense pairing. Also Robertson is cheap and could make the team as a top 9. Bottom line, this team can't win a cup. Their defense is too soft.

You know what surprised me this playoffs was Sandin catching players off-guard with some physical play. Announcers seem surprised, and it wasn't because he's big and tough it was because of his awareness of what is happening on the play.

I won't discount Liljegren either, he's 22 now, maybe time to give him some real opportunities to make mistakes.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Dubas has assembled a team of miss fits / lottery tickets and he’s hoping some of them hit. It sure is one way to address a weak pipeline of ready prospects.

that said - I think this roster will turn out stronger than last years and I’m excited to see how this all turns out.

I am still hoping for league minium signing ( or PTO) for James Neal, Scotty Sabs being re-signed, and a trade that will shake up the mid-bottom 6

 

[ULF_55]

Dubas has assembled a team of miss fits / lottery tickets and he’s hoping some of them hit. It sure is one way to address a weak pipeline of ready prospects.

that said - I think this roster will turn out stronger than last years and I’m excited to see how this all turns out.

You know Vegas came together because they were considered disposable pieces, perhaps misfits on their old teams.

Leafs have talent, they need cohesion, maybe those misfits can be that cohesion.

 

[ShameOnYouZidlicky]

XXX Matthews Nylander
XXX Tavares Marner
XXX Spezza YYY
Engvall Kampf YYY
Simmonds, Anderson, Brooks, Gabriel, Robertson

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Holl
Dermott Liljegren
Sandin Biega

Mrzaek, Cambpell

XXX= Kerfoot, Bunting and Ritchie
YYY= Whoever of Mikheyev and Kase looks better gets the 3rd line spot

 

[Stonehands1990]

How long is it going to take Liliy to "fully adjust"

8 years of 3rd pair duty and he might be ready for a few top 4 shifts - at the rate we currently develop D men

 

[DueDiligence]

Note that the lone Bogo regulation loss and one of Hyman's regulation losses was the meaningless last game of the season when the standings had been decided, and players were being rested

Yup Hyman was a stiff and Bogo was useless.

 

[jaric1862]

I meant 19 minutes for each defense pairing. Also Robertson is cheap and could make the team as a top 9. Bottom line, this team can't win a cup. Their defense is too soft.

They’re one nasty bottom pairing defenceman away from it being okay though.

 

[kb]

Yup Hyman was a stiff and Bogo was useless.

Didn't say that. I liked both players and wish they could have been retained had finances and situations been better.

But their ultimate importance to the team's won loss record was minimal to non-existent.

 

[ottomaddox]

Dubas has assembled a team of miss fits / lottery tickets and he’s hoping some of them hit. It sure is one way to address a weak pipeline of ready prospects.

that said - I think this roster will turn out stronger than last years and I’m excited to see how this all turns out.

This post has quite the twist to it.

 

[zeke]

2yr Even Strength Scoring Paces, TOR - TB - BOS - FLA

Wanted to look at how they compared just at even strength, to keep it an apples to apples comparison for all the players.

I tried to include everyone that looks like they will be on the rosters and who have played at least 10gms the last 2yrs.

 

[cupcrazyman]

Any UFA 1st line left wingers want to come to Toronto & play for free ?

 

[Gabriel426]

2yr Even Strength Scoring Paces, TOR - TB - BOS - FLA

Wanted to look at how they compared just at even strength, to keep it an apples to apples comparison for all the players.

I tried to include everyone that looks like they will be on the rosters and who have played at least 10gms the last 2yrs.

View attachment 458927

Can you give us the address playoff stats, thanks.

 

[Stonehands1990]

Sandin proved last playoffs that having him on the D during the power play is good offensively, defensively not so much....................

There’s nothing Sandin can do about Thornton turning it over just inside the blue line leaving him flat footed against one of the fastest skaters. Joe F’in Thornton shouldn’t have been on the ice