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New Line combos and roster thread

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zeke said:
Bunting ---- Matthews ---- Marner
Nylander ---- Tavares --- Ho-Sang
Mikheyev ---- Kampf ---- Kase
Ritchie ---- Kerfoot ---- Spezza
Click to expand...

Pretty pricey 4th line, Lou would be proud of you Zeke.
 
I keep seeing Ritchie pencilled in with matthews and marner...

I just don't think it's gonna shake out that way.
 
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Its interesting how the top line seems to be the question mark. It could be a rotation until they find someone that clicks. I could see a bunch of guys slot in there. Its not like having to carry Thornton caused Matthews to not get the RR.

Whomever hurts the team the least might unfortunately get the spot.
 
Twine Tickler said:
-Kampf and Kase have played together in both of their pre-season games. They've played together in the past in the Czech league, and have shown a really strong chemistry through 2 games. I just can't see them being on different lines

Kerfoot - Matthews - Marner
Bunting - JT - Willy
Micheyev - Kampf - Kase
Ritchie - Spezza - Ho-Sang
Click to expand...
I think Kampf/Kase do make a great 3rd line, the problem really is where does Kerfoot/Mikheyev slot in.
I haven't seen enough of his improved shot to slot him higher and I do like him down in the lineup as he can generate chances on his on from D.

Kerfoot on the top line is a tough one for me. The boards would explode either way with him on the top or the 4th. lol
But all 4 of those LW I could see rotate and move up and down as the season goes, they each bring something slightly different to the game.
 
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I think Keefe will start the season with something like this:

Ritchie-Matthews-Marner
Bunting-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Kase
Simmonds-Kampf-Spezza
 
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bbgobie said:
I think Kampf/Kase do make a great 3rd line, the problem really is where does Kerfoot/Mikheyev slot in.
I haven't seen enough of his improved shot to slot him higher and I do like him down in the lineup as he can generate chances on his on from D.

Kerfoot on the top line is a tough one for me. The boards would explode either way with him on the top or the 4th. lol
But all 4 of those LW I could see rotate and move up and down as the season goes, they each bring something slightly different to the game.
Click to expand...
to me, Micheyev is nothing more than a bottom 6 player. A very solid one though. He looked like he had the raw ability before his injury to be a solid 2nd liner, but his finishing abilities are just not where they need to be. Not even close really. It does suck, because he does everything he needs to do to get an expanded role except put the puck in the net. Which unfortunately is needed in the top 6 and PP. In an ideal world he is a very effective bottom 6 forward, and we really cannot give in to his wishes of being anything more than that. Every hockey player on the planet wants more PP time and more offensive zone starts, unfortunately we don't operate in ideals. I don't mind the idea of rolling 4 lines and putting kerf on the 4th line with Ho-Sang and Spezza. I think that would give us 4 really solid lines. All of which could put the puck in the net. I don't know how kerf would take the "demotion" but if he is given similar minutes + PP2, I'd have a hard time believing he would be upset.

Ritchie - Matthews - Marner (18 mins/game)
Bunting - Tavares - Nylander (16 mins/game)
Micheyev - Kampf - Kase (13 mins/game)
Kerfoot - Spezza - Ho-Sang (13 mins/game)
Simmonds

I think all 4 lines there have a very good compliment of players per line. I think you'd want to roll these lines over to get the most out of that lineup. Only doubling the top line off of icings, after PK, end of period...Situationally. I'll admit, it's hard for me to put Kerf on a 4th line. He's just a way better player than your typical 4th liner. But like my time allocation would suggest, it should be a fairly even usage from lines 3 and 4 with this type of lineup.
 
In year 1 Mikky scored at a 17gl/48pt pace with zero PP time and with totally mediocre sh% and oish% - and he didn't get much time with our stars players, either.

I don't see why we would dismiss his upside to so a bad season post-injury - especially since he's still a chance-creating monster.
 
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zeke said:
In year 1 Mikky scored at a 17gl/48pt pace with zero PP time and with totally mediocre sh% and oish% - and he didn't get much time with our stars players, either.

I don't see why we would dismiss his upside to so a bad season post-injury - especially since he's still a chance-creating monster.
Click to expand...
he creates those chances from anywhere in the lineup. He's not exactly the type of player that compliments our top 6 IMO. Most of his HDCF that he generates are in transition and one and done plays. Very rarely are his chances created off of puck movement, or off of being in a place for a tap-in. I think he is a busy player, who is extremely hard on the puck, tenacious as all hell, but he just lacks the thought process of a goal scorer. Something bunting has in spades. We need someone to find the soft spots in the ice and let JT and Willy find them. I would obviously expect an uptick in Ilya's scoring if he were to play on that second line, but realistically he just not the type of player who has a nose for the net. I think Bunting's 3rd goal is a goal Ilya just would not score. Bunting sat back, and waited for that pressure to ease. He let Zaitsev skate away from him and was literally left all alone as a result. Ilya just doesn't think the game that way. He's just too busy most of the time. It's a benefit most of the time when he is in puck pursuit and anticipating passes on defense, but it's a draw back when it comes to putting him in the right spot to bury a puck IMO. He almost certainly would have gone to the top of the crease, with Zaitsev, to receive the puck from a wrap around pass. Sometimes the less you do in those areas the better off you'll be.
 
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zeke said:
In year 1 Mikky scored at a 17gl/48pt pace with zero PP time and with totally mediocre sh% and oish% - and he didn't get much time with our stars players, either.
I don't see why we would dismiss his upside to so a bad season post-injury - especially since he's still a chance-creating monster.
Click to expand...

because poeple are dumb ......... they hear a player "request a bigger role or a trade" and hes in their doghouse ..
meanwhile he was still the 5th or 6th best forward for the team last year ....

and now we need to watch people make stupid lineups with Mik as the 13th forward or on the 4th line ..
 
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Twine Tickler said:
he creates those chances from anywhere in the lineup. He's not exactly the type of player that compliments our top 6 IMO. Most of his HDCF that he generates are in transition and one and done plays. Very rarely are his chances created off of puck movement, or off of being in a place for a tap-in. I think he is a busy player, who is extremely hard on the puck, tenacious as all hell, but he just lacks the thought process of a goal scorer. .
Click to expand...

Sounds like our last top line winger.
 
zeke said:
Sounds like our last top line winger.
Click to expand...
Yeah, before he became decent. Doesnt mean he will become that. He's got the physical tools, I'm not sure mentally he's there.

Just as players are trying to earn roster spots he hasn't shown top 6 ability enough this TC. And I'm a huge fan of his so I'm hoping he breaks out
 
I just don't see Ritchie playing on a top line all the time. Maybe against teams with a burly shutdown pair where we need him to create space.

Bunting is very intriguing... a rat bag with great instincts... i see him in a top 6 role. I think our final piece to the top 6 is not on the roster right now.
 
Bunting ----- Matthews ----- Marner
Ritchie ----- Tavares ----- Nylander
Mikheyev ----- Kampf ----- Kase
Ho-Sang ----- Kerfoot ----- Spezza
 
Just go all-in for the shutdown line, Engvall-Kampf-Mikheyev. They don't have to score a single goal as long as they're forcing the other top line to back check all night. Hell just tell them they're not allowed shooting, you get a breakaway and you swallow it in the corner and waste 30 seconds.
 
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My guess after tonight:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Ritchie-Tavares-Nylander
Kerfoot-Kampf-Kase
Ho-Sang-Spezza-Mikheyev
Simmonds

Rielly-Brodie
Muzzin-Liljegren
Sandin-Holl
Menell/Biega

Campbell
Mrazek
 
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PanniniClaus said:
I just don't see Ritchie playing on a top line all the time. Maybe against teams with a burly shutdown pair where we need him to create space.

Bunting is very intriguing... a rat bag with great instincts... i see him in a top 6 role. I think our final piece to the top 6 is not on the roster right now.
Click to expand...

Call me crazy, but I see Ritchie as a guy that could be the literal perfect fit for M&M; as long as they've got the patience to do it.

No, Ritchie is not Zach Hyman. He's a lot bigger & stronger, he might have better hands infront of the net. He has nowhere near Hyman's consistency & compete level.

One of the problems with that consistency & compete level; is that it enabled M&M to take a few too many nights, or shifts, off. Matthews & Marner should have a little bit of a fire knowing what another 1st round exit would mean; it might just be a situation where with Hyman gone, these 2 pick up their compete level just a little bit more.

As for the bottom 6... it seems like they view Kampf as more than a 4th line centre with Kase (a fellow Czech with a history of top-6 level production) being a theoretical perfect winger to help get that out of him. Left side you could realistically put any of Mikheyev, Kerfoot or Engvall there. I'd imagine it's Mikheyev's spot to lose given that starting him on the 4th line is going to be counter-productive to his confidence, he's got the best scoring upside, whereas Kerfoot is probably a little less fragile in that regard, would keep Spezza on the wing, and Engvall probably finds himself as the 13th forward.

I guess that leaves us with:
Ritche-Matthews-Marner
Bunting-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kampf-Kase
Simmonds-Kerfoot-Spezza
 
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Martin Skoula said:
Just go all-in for the shutdown line, Engvall-Kampf-Mikheyev. They don't have to score a single goal as long as they're forcing the other top line to back check all night. Hell just tell them they're not allowed shooting, you get a breakaway and you swallow it in the corner and waste 30 seconds.
Click to expand...

Play the two top lines for 19ish mins a game each, give that shutdown line ~15 mins a game (depending on how many PP's in a game), and have some goons on the 4th line you can roll out if the other team wants to get ugly.
 
Have the leafs made their set of cuts yet?

If not, i'd like to see us cut down to 18 forwards, 9 d, 3 goalies.

My 18 - Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares, Ritchie, Bunting, Kase, Kampf, Kerfoot, Mikheyev, Simmonds, Spezza, Engvall, Brooks, Semyonov, Robertson, Ho-Sang + (SDA to reward him)
9 d - Rielly, Muzzin, Brodie, Dermott, Holl, Sandin, Liljegren, Menell, Kral

G - Mrazek, Campbell, Hutch
 
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