That’s cool but do you think marner is the best option on the team ?I’m not sure what you’re arguing? The leafs don’t run a dman on their power play. They run 5 forwards. One of them has to assume the roles or responsibilities that a defenseman would have on that unit. That’s why Marner is back there.
Keefe has spoken about this before;
It’s also why they have him back there on other man advantage situations. I’m sure another part is he is more comfortable on the perimeter with time and space, I don’t think anyone can deny that either. But his role is there because of the coaches belief in his two way game. Maybe Berube has a different reasoning himself.
Why the Maple Leafs will try Mitch Marner as a defenceman
And now for something completely different: The Toronto Maple Leafs are toying with the idea of turning Mitchell Marner, the NHL’s First Team All-Star right wing, into a defenceman. Seriously.www.sportsnet.ca
Mitch Marner, Yet Again
- Thread starter SoupNazi
- Start date
Nylander played down low marner played the half wall til Boucher realized that was wrong and switched him and marner problem is Knies is our best net front and jts probably best for the bumper spot which leaves nylanders spot Matthews spot and the dmans spot I’m saying Hes a better fit for the half wall but shouldn’t replace dual threats in those positions so by default he has to play the point he shouldn’t though like nylander a couple years ago he should be on pp2
thewave
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At the end of the day that's the question. Is the 13m better spent elsewhere or spread for better depth.
Stringer Bell
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In the same amount of playoff games, Morgan Rielly and Mitch Marner have the exact same goal total.
That is not good enough. Not nearly good enough.
That is not good enough. Not nearly good enough.
Especially when rielly cant shoot at all at some point you gotta put the disc in the net
Well, to be fair, Rielly has been one of the best D in the playoffs as of late (trailing only Makar in goals per game the last 3 years). I'm sure he gets huge praise around here for that considering how many posters think playoffs are everything, plus hes on a great contract for what he has brought in the post season.
Is he though? We’ll find out after this playoffs cause he doesn’t look anywhere near his peak I hope he’s just saving it for the playoffs cause that’s crazy
In the 5 forward configuration, yes. Maybe Nylander could be up there as well. I think Nylander and Marner are really the only two options to be on the point. Nylander and Matthews both are catch and release shooters, so having them on the point is useless. They love being in the seams and receiving passes. We want both closer to the net for prime shooting chances not farther. Marner likes time and space, so him on the point makes sense. He does have a good and accurate long range shot for tips as well. It might not be powerful but he’s able to get it through traffic and in areas to create havoc.
Who would you like to see on the point?
I think he's the best option there. It would be nice to have OEL's shot back there but it's not enough to overturn Marner's distribution, creativity and zone entry.
Agreed 100%. I guess we could flirt with two even units like the Babcock days. I’m not sure what people are unhappy about with the pp. isn’t it clicking at 30% for March and 26% over the season?
Top 5 in the league all of a sudden and it was underperforming when we had Rielly at the point for the first half ish of the season.
Taking away the teams special teams woes (which may or not be corrected with the coaching change), Here are Riellys ES numbers and his ranking among all 82 dmen with 20+ games the last 4 playoffs (per quant):
Goals per 60: .639 (2nd out of 82)
Points per 60: 1.827 (3rd out of 82)
Converting his plus minus to a full season for those games: +41
When it comes to the question of who has been the best ES dman over the last 4 playoffs, its Makar, Reilly or Slavin IMO.
ZEBROA
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Personally i dont care. I want them to pass the puck fast and switch positions more. They should be able to. But as long as it works, let it be.
It is amusing that only the playoffs matter, until the Leafs lose a regular season game. Then it's a predictor of what will happen come playoff time.
It's never indicative when the Leafs are playing well. Then it shifts to "Let's see it in April"
All fair I guess. They have proven to us all that for whatever reason, they fail to win the big games.
Zone entry? Honestly the excuses sound nice but I’m thinking oel is perfect for there I’d even rather mccabe there someone who can play defence when teams play us aggressive and end up rushing the other way Florida will burn us the teams in our division in playoff spots will burn us for that matter waaay to risky
Don’t really care about the last four years when you can look at rielly this year and not know who the hell he is history counts for something but at the expense of ignoring the eye test no chance in hell….he looks like a new player nothing like he did previous
Not dissing on Reilly, but Makar usually played more than 6-7 games in the playoffs?
Leaf Fans
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Special teams, depth and especially goaltending going to be crucial. Stolarz seems a step above Campbell/Samsonov as a starter and special teams and depth can not be much worse right?
I've posted this before but it's just so telling.
Rielly, Marner and Matthews 5v5 over the last 3 playoffs:
Rielly 5v5:
Goals for/60: 3.07
Goals against/60: 1.55
Marner 5v5:
Goals for/60: 3.08
Goals against/60: 1.72
Matthews 5v5:
Goals for/60: 2.81
Goals against/60: 2.06
The entire rest of the team without them:
Goals for/60: 1.57
Goals against/60: 3.14
If depth, especially the bottom 6, can just play closer to a standstill 5v5, this team is going on a run. Hell, they would have gone on mulitple runs if they wernt getting run over by the Perrys of the league (caphits of other teams bottom 6ers are not far off ours). It;s why the argument about spreading out cap hits dont hold much water with me considering managements lack of actually picking the right depth options. Even the teams of the past had big goals from the Bergs on the team. Every successful team has it. Tampas big stars took a back seat in many of their cup runs to guys like Goodrow and Coleman scoring huge goals. Can anyone th think of a big goal scored by a depth Leafs forward? It hasnt happened.
It's goals per game the last 3 years. Makar has had the better team around him of course which is why he has had more team success.
Leafs 5v5 without Marner/Matthews/Rielly the last 3 playoffs:
Goals for/60: 1.57
Goals against/60: 3.14
Avs 5v5 without MacKinnon/Rantanen/Makar the last 3 playoffs:
Goals for/60: 2.28
Goals against/60: 2.32
Would love the Leafs to have that Avs number. Would have won a bunch more even with the poor special teams.
Gary Nylund
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Strange question - in the post you quoted I said I missed the game so ...
Leaf Fans
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GoonieFace
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Yup. It’s true for pretty much all cup winners actually. For the Pens they got big SCF goals from guys like Eric Fehr, Maxime Talbot, Tyler Kennedy, Bryan Rust, Nick Bonino, Carl Hagelin, Conor Sheary. Technically even Kessel as he was a bottom 6 forward for them.
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