I wouldn't. He doesn't accomplish anything over have any value-added for any particular role.
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I wouldn't. He doesn't accomplish anything over have any value-added for any particular role.
LegChairGM
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- Jun 29, 2021
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How about something radical since Tavares isn't off to a hot start anyways..
Tavares - Matthews - Marner
Micheyev - Spezza - Nylander
Bunting - Kampf - Kase
Ritchie- Kerfoot - Simmonds
If Micheyev doesn't produce swap him and Bunting but I think Bunting is the kind of player that can make something happen on any line, Micheyev isn't that guy.
Tavares - Matthews - Marner
Micheyev - Spezza - Nylander
Bunting - Kampf - Kase
Ritchie- Kerfoot - Simmonds
If Micheyev doesn't produce swap him and Bunting but I think Bunting is the kind of player that can make something happen on any line, Micheyev isn't that guy.
Sign Ho-Sang.
Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Nylander - Tavares - Ho-Sang
Ritchie - Kerfoot - Kase
Engvall - Kampf - Spezza/Simmonds
Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Nylander - Tavares - Ho-Sang
Ritchie - Kerfoot - Kase
Engvall - Kampf - Spezza/Simmonds
Martin Skoula
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- Oct 18, 2017
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Imagine needing a conspiracy theory to explain a coach giving the best goalscorer in the league more than 18 minutes TOI and having him play with his best playmaking winger.
Playing your top forward in the amount of minutes that literally every single other team plays their top forward is now caving in to that star forwards unreasonable demands apparently.
Wow.
Last edited:
Martin Skoula
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- Oct 18, 2017
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RunItBackAgain
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- Oct 14, 2021
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Bunting - Matthews - Nylander
Ritchie - Tavares - Marner
Kerfoot - Kampf - Kase
Engvall - Spezza - Simmonds
Ritchie - Tavares - Marner
Kerfoot - Kampf - Kase
Engvall - Spezza - Simmonds
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hey
you saw the amazon documentary in which Keefe expressed frustration with the way the core was playing and how it would bite them in the playoffs?
you know the same thing Babcock said?
both coaches observed the same thing. One responded by having them earn their minutes. Even putting Nylander on the 4th line for awhile.
the other gives them everything they want.
any chance at all Marner gets demoted to the 4th line for a bit under Keefe?
Babcock was running the show. Players revolted and now we have the opposite.
It’s not that hard.
BlueForever75
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- Oct 4, 2017
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I really think lines need to remain the same for a few games.
Matthews just got back, time is needed for he and linemates to get chemistry in live games.
Its not like the Leafs havent had chances. Marner and Tavares have been having chances all over the place. Whether its snake bitten, rust, or simply the goalies we have played playing lights out. This to me doesnt warrant a lineup shakeup just yet.
Removing Bunting from Nylander would be the most stupid thing Leafs can do. They are gaining chemistry game in and game out. Bunting's tenacity has seemed to rub off on Nylander. I have seen more puck retrieval from Nylander in the first few games this season than in most in his career.
The only changes I would do and its not really that drastic is how the top 2 lines are setup. I still believe Matthews should be with Nylander. Based on my previous point about Bunting and Nylander, that would mean that is one of your lines. Ritchie should be playing with Marner and Tavares. Opens more space for Tavares who isnt as quick as Matthews, but also opens ice for Marner too. 3rd and 4th lines are fine with what they have been doing until we get Micheyev back. At that time you can tinker.
Matthews just got back, time is needed for he and linemates to get chemistry in live games.
Its not like the Leafs havent had chances. Marner and Tavares have been having chances all over the place. Whether its snake bitten, rust, or simply the goalies we have played playing lights out. This to me doesnt warrant a lineup shakeup just yet.
Removing Bunting from Nylander would be the most stupid thing Leafs can do. They are gaining chemistry game in and game out. Bunting's tenacity has seemed to rub off on Nylander. I have seen more puck retrieval from Nylander in the first few games this season than in most in his career.
The only changes I would do and its not really that drastic is how the top 2 lines are setup. I still believe Matthews should be with Nylander. Based on my previous point about Bunting and Nylander, that would mean that is one of your lines. Ritchie should be playing with Marner and Tavares. Opens more space for Tavares who isnt as quick as Matthews, but also opens ice for Marner too. 3rd and 4th lines are fine with what they have been doing until we get Micheyev back. At that time you can tinker.
April 2018
Matthews denies rift with Babcock, wants to play with Marner more
On another note, Matthews acknowledged he doesn't make the lineup decisions but said he'd like to play with Mitch Marner more in the future, per Johnston.
Marner echoed that sentiment, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger.
At least he acknowledged he didn't make lineup decisions under the previous coach.
Now? Well all we know for certain is that they both got what they said they'd like.
He doesn't make lineup and deployment decisions under any coach. Matthews and Marner playing together is just basic common sense, and what's best for the team, and every sensible coach would be doing that. It's not some conspiracy where Matthews is secretly controlling everything.
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Nice job.
I’d add that according to Frozen Tools, Marner played on Matthews wing over 87% of the entire season last year.
Line Combinations - Frozen Tools
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So you think he comments publicly on Keefe’s strategy but doesn’t say a word about his ice time or who he plays with?
wow calling out the coach in public isn't great....for a team that's never won a playoff series. you need to establish winning the right way from the beginning of the season not play pond hockey until playoffs...
on topic i'd like them to try
Engvall - Matthews - Nylander
Ritchie - Kerfoot - Marner
Bunting - Tavares - Kase - really want to see JT in a shut down role and championship teams have that top 3rd line
Simmonds - Kampf - Spezza
He doesn't "comment publicly on Keefe's strategy". He was asked a specific question by a reporter after one game about the team playing too safe during that one game, and Matthews gave his opinion on that question. This doesn't equate to Matthews being coach; if anything, it supports that he's not. This doesn't equate to Matthews deciding lineups. This doesn't equate to Matthews deciding deployment.
There is zero evidence that Matthews makes lineup or deployment decisions for the team. The best goalscorer in the world playing with one of the best playmakers in the world is not unusual. Two of the best players in the world playing big minutes is not unusual. It's something any sensible coach would do all on their own. Stop spreading false rumours about our players.
I didn't say he is secretly controlling everything, did I?
I presented an article that stated Matthews and Marner indicated their desire to play together. That didn't happen under Babcock. Once Babcock was gone, they began playing together.
Nothing but facts.
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I’m trying to figure out what kind of pretzel you are twisting here.
You assert: “He doesn’t comment publicly on Keefe’s strategy”....
As a defence, you assert: All he did was offer a comment to a reporter on Keefe’s strategy
???
You were perpetuating the false claim about Matthews controlling lineup decisions. Good players like to play with other good players. Our coach did what any other sensible coach would do, and played the best goal scorer in the world with the best playmaker on the team.
I'm not twisting anything. You, on the other hand, have taken a player giving his opinion in response to a reporter's question on a particular game, twisted that into claims that Matthews is publicly speaking out on our coach's strategy, and then somehow twisted that into claims that Matthews is the one making lineup and deployment decisions for the team, which is not supported by anything.
I did not do that at all, I quoted an article and made a factual observation for other posters to consider.
You are entitled to your opinion but you continue to struggle to realize that fact and your opinion are not the same thing.
Yeah, you did.
I'm very aware of the difference between opinion and fact. The fact is, the coach makes lineup and deployment decisions for the team.
Matty should keep his trap shut .. he is no coach .. and if Keefer was smart he would tell him to lose 10 lbs before he gets back in lineup .. he looks completely out of shape .. but media in this town never seeks out what real issues are .. even a couple of his team mates have told him to get in shape .. just because you have a wrist injury never come back with flab around your gut .. this is not captain material
Please quote where I did anything other than cite and article and make a couple of factual statements.
And there is no possibility that the coach may be influenced by external factors such as the GM, or star players?
A GM is the coach's boss, so if a GM did intervene, he would have to listen to him, but GMs generally leave those lineup decisions to the coach, who they hired to make those decisions. Coaches are there to get the most out of a team, and playing your best players and putting them in situations to succeed is beneficial to the team, but that does not equate to those players dictating lineup or deployment decisions. There is zero evidence that Matthews or anybody else other than the coach dictates lineup or deployment decisions on the Leafs.
