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Post-Game Talk: Leafs win 4-3 against Rangers

Puckstuff said:
The top six looked good when we stacked it against the Rangers, but it left the third line with a lot of question marks.

Loading up the top six seems to work against weaker opponents or bubble teams, but I’m less confident that the third line will hold against Florida or Tampa.

I have confidence in six of our top nine forwards: Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares, Knies, and McMann.

Domi as the seventh is interesting because I trust him as a top-six winger if paired with Matthews, but I’m less confident in him as a third-line center. So, when we use him in that role, it’s almost like losing a player.

In the offseason, either the Domi money needs to go toward a third-line center, or the Marner money needs to go toward rebuilding the third line—allowing Domi to play with Matthews. Right now, we have one too many wingers and are still short a center. So either Domi or Marner needs to go in the offseason to fix the 3rd line.

Lines:
Knies–Matthews–Domi/Marner (choose 1)**
McMann–Tavares–Nylander
Third Line

For the playoffs, I’m not sure how they’ll approach it, but as currently constructed, that third line has question marks for me.
Click to expand...
What they need to do is now not touch top 6 and make figuring out the 3line a top priority.

Right now, I’d go:
Jarnkrok Laughton Domi
 
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Budz said:
What they need to do is now not touch top 6 and make figuring out the 3line a top priority.

Right now, I’d go:
Jarnkrok Laughton Domi
Click to expand...
I’d rather kampf there but the wingers probably make the most sense id rather even Holmberg instead of Laughton but I guess gotta get our moneys worth right
 
arso40 said:
I’d rather kampf there but the wingers probably make the most sense id rather even Holmberg instead of Laughton but I guess gotta get our moneys worth right
Click to expand...
He needs some runway to get situated… imo

Can’t believe how quickly he is the new official Leafs whipping boy - over really nothing terrible.

Missed getting a puck out
A couple missed d zone reads on the pk leading to goals.

Almost sounds like Marner…minus the points.
 
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Budz said:
He needs some runway to get situated… imo

Can’t believe how quickly he is the new official Leafs whipping boy - over really nothing terrible.

Missed getting a puck out
A couple missed d zone reads on the pk leading to goals.

Almost sounds like Marner…minus the points.
Click to expand...
Hes made some errors he shouldn’t as a veteran player but your right he still has 14 games or so to get ready for what we brought him in for
 
Stephen said:
I love the way the team has rebounded after the slide but if there’s one damn nitpick that’s bugging me it’s the late goals surrendered by Woll late in the Calgary game and the NYR goal on Stolarz late. You want to see a total lock down effort so the team has confidence protecting that one goal game. (Which they did vs Colorado).
Click to expand...

You do, but I think their record in holding 3 period is excellent and maybe even tops in the nhl. Can’t gripe too much about it, imo.
 
Budz said:
He needs some runway to get situated… imo

Can’t believe how quickly he is the new official Leafs whipping boy - over really nothing terrible.

Missed getting a puck out
A couple missed d zone reads on the pk leading to goals.

Almost sounds like Marner…minus the points.
Click to expand...
I still have no confidence in Laughton and Domi getting it done together defensively on the 3rd line. I fear that line will caved in vs a team like Florida in the playoffs. If they do use Laughton at 3c, they need to give him better defensive support on the wings.

Personally I'm on team balance. Balance the top 9 by giving the 3c more support.

Scenario 1: Use Laughton at 3c and give him Knies and Marner who are the 2 strongest defensive wings.

Domi-Matthews-Nylander
McMann-Tavares-Jarnkrok
Knies-Laughton-Marner


Scenario 2: Use Domi as 3C: If they use Domi as a 3c, pair him with Nylander and make it an offensive line.

Knies-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-Domi-Nylander
McMann-Tavares-Jarnkrok
 
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Puckstuff said:
I still have no confidence in Laughton and Domi getting it done together defensively on the 3rd line. I fear that line will caved in vs a team like Florida in the playoffs. If they do use Laughton at 3c, they need to give him better defensive support on the wings.

Personally I'm on team balance. Balance the top 9 by giving the 3c more support.

Scenario 1: Use Laughton at 3c and give him Knies and Marner who are the 2 strongest defensive wings.

Domi-Matthews-Nylander
McMann-Tavares-Jarnkrok
Knies-Laughton-Marner


Scenario 2: Use Domi as 3C: If they use Domi as a 3c, pair him with Nylander and make it an offensive line.

Knies-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-Domi-Nylander
McMann-Tavares-Jarnkrok
Click to expand...
Makes sense
 
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arso40 said:
Agreed and the higher up shouldn’t get the best of everything example being if matthews is the best center and scorer and marners the best right winger and playmaker the left wing shouldn’t be the best pucc retriever and best player at that position the stars get paid to carry not to be catered to
Click to expand...
Example?


Offensive Centers: Matthews, Tavares, Domi
Defensive Wingers: Jarnkrok, marner, ?Knies?
Scorers (goals, in order): Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, Knies, marner, McMann, Robertson

Robertson - Matthews - marner
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Knies - Domi - Jarnkrok

Knies - Matthews - Jarnkrok
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Robertson - Domi - marner


Yeah, just don't see anything like that happening.
 
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Roo said:
You do, but I think their record in holding 3 period is excellent and maybe even tops in the nhl. Can’t gripe too much about it, imo.
Click to expand...

Can’t complain from where they were a week ago but that feeling of not giving up anything to close out a game would serve them well, build the muscle memory and team play to win those 2-1 games later on.
 
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ULF_55 said:
Example?


Offensive Centers: Matthews, Tavares, Domi
Defensive Wingers: Jarnkrok, marner, ?Knies?
Scorers (goals, in order): Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, Knies, marner, McMann, Robertson

Robertson - Matthews - marner
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Knies - Domi - Jarnkrok

Knies - Matthews - Jarnkrok
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Robertson - Domi - marner


Yeah, just don't see anything like that happening.
Click to expand...
Yeah not exactly those lines but something to that effect I used Holmberg as an example Om the first line but you get the gist balancing the top 9 not making us top 6 heavy we’ve had Holmberg on the second line for a bunch of games not sure why he couldn’t play on the top line and yeah dont see it happening either
 
Personally, I'd try for a couple of games the following..

Knies Matthews Marner
Steeves Tavares Nylander
McMann Domi Robertson
Lorentz Kampf Laughton
 
arso40 said:
Why change our best line ? Yet again always Willy that has to sacrifice huh
Click to expand...

I think Steeves could thrive in that spot. He's proven he can score when given the opportunity, top goal scorer in the AHL. He's shown he can play physical when needed. Steeves has never been given a shot on a scoring line with the Leafs. We absolutely know that the first and third lines work together, and I'm just proposing to try Steeves out for a couple of games, against a lesser opponent and see how it works.

It's not sacrificing Willy at all... it's giving Steeves a chance, to prove he can play higher up. If he can, it answers questions for next year, the rest of this year, and solves how to keep lines 1 and 3 that are working very well, together.

Plus, I think Lorentz Kampf Laughton would be an excellent fourth line.

If it doesn't work, we can return to your regularly scheduled program. No harm, no foul. If it works... profit.

Or, if you really like the McMann Tavares Nylander line...

do this instead... Steeves Domi Robertson
 
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Personally I think the lineup should be:

Knies - Matthews - Marner (
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Laughton - Domi - Robertson (Puck retriver/passer/shooter)
Lortenz - Kampf/Holmberg - Jarnkrok/Patches (depends on what you are looking to get in series, defensivly with kampf in lineup, and Jarnkrok, or if ur looking for little more scoring.. Patches & Holmberg)
 
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Torontonian said:
Personally I think the lineup should be:

Knies - Matthews - Marner (
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Laughton - Domi - Robertson (Puck retriver/passer/shooter)
Lortenz - Kampf/Holmberg - Jarnkrok/Patches (depends on what you are looking to get in series, defensivly with kampf in lineup, and Jarnkrok, or if ur looking for little more scoring.. Patches & Holmberg)
Click to expand...

The problem with the current lineup (and the ones many ppl have suggested) is that with McMann on the 2nd line the top scorer in the bottom six is Robertson with 12. No one else has 10.

In the playoffs that lack of depth scoring means the top two lines have to completely carry the offensive load virtually every night or they lose. And based on past history when almost all of them completely disappear in games 6 and 7, it's going to be tough to win 4 that way.

Unfortunately, with the TDL past there's not much Berube can do. The depth problems have been getting worse with each passing year and no GM so far has done nearly enough to address it.
 
Mitch Marner is unquestionably one of the top 10 forwards in the NHL. Not top 10 on the Leafs - - top 10 in the entire league of 32 teams.

John Cooper made the foolish mistake of putting Marner on the 3rd line at the Four Nations tournament, but after he realized what a dumb idea that was and moved Marner back to the 1st line with McDavid, they won the tournament.

Please do not ever suggest putting a top 10 player in the entire league on the Leafs 3rd line. It might work in NHL ‘25 video games, but it’s a terrible idea in real life hockey.
 
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Donnie740 said:
Mitch Marner is unquestionably one of the top 10 forwards in the NHL. Not top 10 on the Leafs - - top 10 in the entire league of 32 teams.

John Cooper made the foolish mistake of putting Marner on the 3rd line at the Four Nations tournament, but after he realized what a dumb idea that was and moved Marner back to the 1st line with McDavid, they won the tournament.

Please do not ever suggest putting a top 10 player in the entire league on the Leafs 3rd line. It might work in NHL ‘25 video games, but it’s a terrible idea in real life hockey.
Click to expand...
Your out to lunch Hes not 10 top forward nothing maybe top 10 winger sure we have 2 of them
 
Donnie740 said:
Mitch Marner is unquestionably one of the top 10 forwards in the NHL. Not top 10 on the Leafs - - top 10 in the entire league of 32 teams.

John Cooper made the foolish mistake of putting Marner on the 3rd line at the Four Nations tournament, but after he realized what a dumb idea that was and moved Marner back to the 1st line with McDavid, they won the tournament.

Please do not ever suggest putting a top 10 player in the entire league on the Leafs 3rd line. It might work in NHL ‘25 video games, but it’s a terrible idea in real life hockey.
Click to expand...

He isn't even close to a top 10 forward. I think there are over 10 1Cs that are better players alone
 
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www.tsn.ca

Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl vaults to No. 1 in TSN's Top 25 NHL Players this season | TSN

Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl earned No. 1 status on the strength of an outstanding first four months of the season after signing an eight-year, $14-million AAV extension that will almost certainly make him the highest-paid player in 2025-26.
www.tsn.ca www.tsn.ca

TSN has him 9th. A goalie and two defenseman ahead of him so 6th for forwards.
For reference Nylander was 20th. I think that’s the first time he’s made the top 25 :thumbu:
 
ACC1224 said:
www.tsn.ca

Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl vaults to No. 1 in TSN's Top 25 NHL Players this season | TSN

Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl earned No. 1 status on the strength of an outstanding first four months of the season after signing an eight-year, $14-million AAV extension that will almost certainly make him the highest-paid player in 2025-26.
www.tsn.ca www.tsn.ca

TSN has him 9th. A goalie and two defenseman ahead of him so 6th for forwards.
For reference Nylander was 20th. I think that’s the first time he’s made the top 25 :thumbu:
Click to expand...
Makes sense tsn had him ranked behind nylander to start the year let’s see where they have him ranked after the playoffs 😆🤣😭😭😭😭😵
 
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