Pre-Game Talk: Maple Leafs vs Sharks

[Clark4Ever]

How long of a leash do Matthews and Marner have? They've been sub par together thus far.

 

[robertmac43]

How long of a leash do Matthews and Marner have? They've been sub par together thus far.

They were worse to start last year and ended up having amazing years. My guess is the leash is pretty long.

 

[SprDaVE]

How long of a leash do Matthews and Marner have? They've been sub par together thus far.

They will always be part of an elite level combo, so the leash will never be short for them.

With that said, I don't think it's a bad idea to do a big shuffle to perhaps kick start something, and then look at reuniting them when it makes sense.

 

[tom leafers]

The game is tomorrow

 

[Fonzieleaf]

Shaje

Matthews and Marner haven’t been good, both slumping, time to try a shakeup IMO. I’d go:

Robertson - Matthews - Nylander
Bunting - Tavares - Marner
Engvall - Kerfoot - Jarnkrok
ZAR - Kampf - Simmonds

Shake up wouldn’t be a bad idea but it took Matthews a while last year to find his groove and when he did he got 60. Not too worried

 

[ACC1224]

How long of a leash do Matthews and Marner have? They've been sub par together thus far.

They don't have a leash.

 

[Al14]

I have ZERO expectations that our Leafs will win this game! I fully expect them to drop another stinker. Anything better than that, like a loser point, will be a bonus!

 

[ponder]

Shake up wouldn’t be a bad idea but it took Matthews a while last year to find his groove and when he did he got 60. Not too worried

Worth noting that last year, Matthews had offseason wrist surgery, which caused him to miss camp, preseason and the start of the regular season. So a slow start was expected as he got up to speed - every other season, when healthy, he's been a very fast starter. This is his worst goal scoring start ever, even compared to last year's surgery recovery start - here's his goals per season through his first 7 games:
- 2016/17: 6
- 2017/18: 6
- 2018/19: 10
- 2019/20: 7
- 2020/21: 4
- 2021/22: 3 (but offseason wrist surgery, missed camp/preseason/a-few-RS-games)
- 2022/23: 1

I agree that he'll be fine and will get his groove back, but this is one of the weakest 7 game stretches I've seen from him, and he's healthy. Worth trying a shake-up IMO. Especially since we've seen the team consistently struggle in the playoffs when the opposition does a decent job against the Matthews and Marner line, and other lines can't produce enough. Would be nice to see if we have a good "Matthews and Marner apart" lineup, and now (when Matthews/Marner aren't playing well together anyways) seems like a great time to try it.

 

[Cleetus]

Clifford has been placed on injured reserve Filip Kral has been recalled

 

[LeafsandSharksfan]

A Leafs win and more Sharks tank fuel, sounds like a perfect game for me

 

[Fogelhund]

Worth noting that last year, Matthews had offseason wrist surgery, which caused him to miss camp, preseason and the start of the regular season. So a slow start was expected as he got up to speed - every other season, when healthy, he's been a very fast starter. This is his worst goal scoring start ever, even compared to last year's surgery recovery start - here's his goals per season through his first 7 games:
- 2016/17: 6
- 2017/18: 6
- 2018/19: 10
- 2019/20: 7
- 2020/21: 4
- 2021/22: 3 (but offseason wrist surgery, missed camp/preseason/a-few-RS-games)
- 2022/23: 1

I agree that he'll be fine and will get his groove back, but this is one of the weakest 7 game stretches I've seen from him, and he's healthy. Worth trying a shake-up IMO. Especially since we've seen the team consistently struggle in the playoffs when the opposition does a decent job against the Matthews and Marner line, and other lines can't produce enough. Would be nice to see if we have a good "Matthews and Marner apart" lineup, and now (when Matthews/Marner aren't playing well together anyways) seems like a great time to try it.

I would disagree, that Matthews and Marner aren't playing well together. I think they are playing quite well overall. They've had fewer goals scored against them than normal, dominating possession, playing better defensively, and more physical. Matthews is 5th in the league in shots.... and is shooting 3%. The "struggle" is nearly entirely down to shooting percentage. I have no idea what is wrong there, but if he's shooting his career average of 16.2%, he has 4-5 more goals, and we are 6-1, and the entire narrative and story is different.

Where did Matty's shot go? This is only temporary though right?

Funny enough, we are playing the league leader in shots next game. Timo Meier 42 shots in his nine games. he has NO goals. LOL

 

[stickty111]

Looks like some line changes. Malgin and ZAR back in as they should especially Malgin.
Top line broken up which is good. Kerfoot on top 6

 

[Nhlpowerweek]

A Leafs win and more Sharks tank fuel, sounds like a perfect game for me

Having seen a lot of the sharks games this season... I would amazed if they pull even a point here against us. We that much more talented. Matthews and Marner and Tavares should feast on a night like this here. Our own goalie can even get an easy night, pass night. A night off, like that series night off.

 

[stickty111]

Bit of a wierd change but at least it's a change

 

[SprDaVE]

I'd shuffle the forward lines quite a bit.

Robertson - Matthews - Nylander
Kerfoot - Tavares - Marner
Bunting - Jarnkrok - Malgin
Engvall - Kampf - NAK

I was close.

Sounds like the line shuffle will be on. It's 100% deserve and needed.

 

[Fogelhund]

""

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Bunting has 3 points at 5v5, Matthews+Marner have combined for 4. I don't mind a shakeup, but I think Matthews and Marner have been the biggest reason the top line isn't as good as it was last year. Kerfoot isn't the guy who will get them going either.

But on the other hand, the bottom 6 has been borderline unplayable. They need to figure it out too

 

[TheDoldrums]

It's good to get Bunting some games away from the top line. If you're going to extend him, you have to have a sense of what he can do elsewhere in the lineup.

 

[Mess]

San Jose has played 9 games with a record of 2-7-0 for 4 points.

Leafs should not have any real trouble in this game to post a W.

This whole California trip against lower QofC might be a good chance for Leafs to find their rhythm and game.

 

[Fogelhund]

Bunting has 3 points at 5v5, Matthews+Marner have combined for 4. I don't mind a shakeup, but I think Matthews and Marner have been the biggest reason the top line isn't as good as it was last year. Kerfoot isn't the guy who will get them going either.

But on the other hand, the bottom 6 has been borderline unplayable. They need to figure it out too

The Matthews and Marner story basically boils down to Matty's 3% shooting rate YTD. If he's shooting his normal 16.2%, he's probably got 5 goals, and we are having a different discussion.

I think this might be more about getting Kerfoot going, as well, as shuffling the bottom six. I'm happy to see Malgin get a chance there, along with Engvall going to the 4th line. Moving Bunting to the third line, gives that line more grit and compete, than Kerfoot-Jarnkrok-Malgin would provide. Keefe has to try something to shake things up a little.

Also good to see that JT is out there, after the knee issue last game.

San Jose has played 9 games with a record of 2-7-0 for 4 points.

Leafs should not have any real trouble in this game to post a W.

...and yet, that is when it usually bites us in the arse.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Bunting has 3 points at 5v5, Matthews+Marner have combined for 4. I don't mind a shakeup, but I think Matthews and Marner have been the biggest reason the top line isn't as good as it was last year. Kerfoot isn't the guy who will get them going either.

But on the other hand, the bottom 6 has been borderline unplayable. They need to figure it out too

I think they were going to take Bunting off of the top line before splitting up Matthews/Marner TBH.

Especially since the most logical switch up if you split those two up would be splitting up Tavares/Nylander, but they have been carrying this team so why are we sacrificing that line to get Matthews/Marner going?

This is a much better lineup, with NAK and ZAR obviously being interchangeable. I guess they like ZAR's PK experience more than NAK's speed and ES hitting.

 

[bax]

Definitely start Samsonov imo. He’s earned it!

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

How long of a leash do Matthews and Marner have? They've been sub par together thus far.

6 and 5 points in 7 games respectively. I think the alarms are being sounded a little prematurely. Matthews had worse numbers this time last year and won the Hart, Richard and Lindsay. I say these two particular players have earned a LONG leash.

 

[ACC1224]

San Jose has played 9 games with a record of 2-7-0 for 4 points.

Leafs should not have any real trouble in this game to post a W.

This whole California trip against lower QofC might be a good chance for Leafs to find their rhythm and game.

Yep, guaranteed win night.
No way they can lose this one.

 

[Enniskillen]

Yep, guaranteed win night.
No way they can lose this one.

Heard it before lol. 1-3 loss incoming.