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Official New Year Training Camp thread

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Good to see Keefe shake things up on lines. Last year was terrible and we need to try something else to make group better. and gives Vesey and Jumbo Joe a chance to show if they can make it happen.
 
zeke said:
Tough to leave out Dermott to start but Lehtonen might just be that good, especially on the 2nd PP unit, to make it an easy call.

Still, even if Lehtonen is that good, that leaves both Holl and Bogo on clear notice that they'll have to play damn well to keep their spots over Dermott.
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Yeah I'm optimistic and excited about Lehtonen. I think Dermott will certainly play on opening night, but right now it's just experimentation. Agree as well that Holl and Bogosian need to play well to keep their place. No guarantees for those 2.
 
LeafChief said:
Anderson might be a nice piece at some point but if we're going to be regularly scratching Dermott, it would have been nice to go through with that Weegar for Dermott + Johnsson trade.

Weegar in Holl's spot would be something.
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I can see Dermott being on the outside looking in for the opener just because Lehtonen is new to the league and Bogosian is new to the team. Considering the back-to-backs/consecutive games against the same team though, I don't think the spare will be idle for too long. Dermott/Bogosian/Lehtonen will probably form a rotation of sorts.
 
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I was thinking about the 4 spare / Uber Squad forwards last night and I can kinda see what Keefe's plans are for them.

Roberston --> gets in some games when Jumbo needs a night off (especially B2B games). Rests up Joe and eases Robertson into the lineup on a line where he's not expected to drive offence and can get some points which will help his confidence.

Anderson --> same thing. The next guy you think of needing games off is Simmonds. Either because he needs a rest in a B2B or because let's face it he's gonna get hurt a few times. I think 40 games for Simmonds is his ceiling at this point in his career.

Engvall --> Versatile guy can slide in on lines 3 or 4. If Soupy is out of the lineup he's a great guy to slide in on 3LW with Kerf and Hyman. Can also sub in for Barabanov on occarsion if needed and take those PK mins. Can even take 4C in a pinch for Spezza but not the first choice for that.

Boyd --> First choice to sub in for Spezza who probably should only be counted on for 40-45 games this season. Good insurance for 4C if Spezza is out for an extended period of time.

If any of the other top 9 forwards are hurt we've got guys who can move up a line. Really good depth which we are going to need this year big time.

The way I see it we are going to need 16 F and 8 D this year. History says Dell will even be called upon for a few starts (hopefully not more than that).
 
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Buds17 said:
I can see Dermott being on the outside looking in for the opener just because Lehtonen is new to the league and Bogosian is new to the team. Considering the back-to-backs/consecutive games against the same team though, I don't think the spare will be idle for too long. Dermott/Bogosian/Lehtonen will probably form a rotation of sorts.
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I think people are throwing Dermott under the bus based on a single training camp lineup. I personally don't think he's on the outside looking in.
 
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zeke said:
more of a smaller skilled puck carrier tbh.
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Fair enough, at the end of the day it doesn't matter what styles players are, as a coach you test it and see what happens and if it doesn't work you change it. Pretty simple really. Keefe doesn't have to lock in his lines for the entire season on day 1.
 
LeafChief said:
'Nowhere near the shooter that Matthews is, Joe Pavelski had consecutive seasons of 41, 37, and 38 goals playing primarily with Thornton, including a whole bunch on the power play. Jonathan Cheechoo famously had a 56-goal season thanks to Thornton.

The risk is assuming that that Thornton, a 26-year-old who won the Hart Trophy, is this Thornton. He’s not. But that doesn’t mean the passing ability has disappeared. Far from it. Thornton had Kevin Labanc and Marcus Sorensen on his wings last season and still finished with the same number of 5-on-5 assists (18) as Sidney Crosby, Anze Kopitar, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Jack Eichel.'

Joe Thornton, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner: Analyzing the Leafs new top line
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I remember a long time ago when Setagouchi left San Jose, Joe saying something like "just give me a right handed shot" I guess he thinks he can feed a shooter to that hand better that's why I think Nylander ends up with Jumbo.
 
Mugzy97 said:
Fair enough, at the end of the day it doesn't matter what styles players are, as a coach you test it and see what happens and if it doesn't work you change it. Pretty simple really. Keefe doesn't have to lock in his lines for the entire season on day 1.
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For the record, a Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Hyman 3rd line resembles a Goodrow-Gourde-Coleman 3rd line quite strongly.

Thornton-Matthews-Marner vs. Palat-Point-Kucherov
Johnson-Cirelli-Killorn vs. Vesey-Tavares-Nylander
Goodrow-Gourde-Coleman vs. Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Hyman
Verhaeghe/Stephens-Paquette-Maroon vs. Barabanov/Robertson/Engvall-Spezza-Simmonds
 
PromisedLand said:
why is Jumbo on the 1st line? jeez.....

Also, they need to revert back to Matthews-Nylander duo and Tavares-Marner duo;

hyman on third line? why?
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Looks like Sheldon wants a defensive-minded shutdown 3rd line. Hyman gives him the best chance to have success with that.

It's going to be an audition for that 1LW and 2LW. Jumbo and Vesey are up first. Who wants it boys?
 
Marshy said:
Looks like Sheldon wants a defensive-minded shutdown 3rd line. Hyman gives him the best chance to have success with that.

It's going to be an audition for that 1LW and 2LW. Jumbo and Vesey are up first. Who wants it boys?
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fair enough; i just hope it doesnt turn into the Randy Carlyle show where the third line being matched against opposition topline was getting a lot of minutes
 
zeke said:
For the record, a Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Hyman 3rd line resembles a Goodrow-Gourde-Coleman 3rd line quite strongly.

Thornton-Matthews-Marner vs. Palat-Point-Kucherov
Johnson-Cirelli-Killorn vs. Vesey-Tavares-Nylander
Goodrow-Gourde-Coleman vs. Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Hyman
Verhaeghe/Stephens-Paquette-Maroon vs. Barabanov/Robertson/Engvall-Spezza-Simmonds
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Yeah it definitely looks promising, I hope you don't think I'm trying to argue about it, just sharing my opinion.

Even though the lines you shared above have similar play styles, they are all different people and players so this algorithm may or may not lead to success.
 
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PromisedLand said:
fair enough; i just hope it doesnt turn into the Randy Carlyle show where the third line being matched against opposition topline was getting a lot of minutes
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I think it's probably going to be more of a thing at home where you get last change and you need a big shift in the D-zone against the other team's top line. Who knows though just a guess.

Edit: Forget who on the Athletic also said the the Jumbo-Auston-Mitch line was going to be used 60% or more for offensive zone starts - along the lines of the Boson top line. Gives Joe the easier shifts where he can use more of his energy to cycle rather than zone entries. Save those 41 year old legs a bit more.
 
PromisedLand said:
fair enough; i just hope it doesnt turn into the Randy Carlyle show where the third line being matched against opposition topline was getting a lot of minutes
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imo keefe will continue to play the hell out of the stars up top.

but even if he does rely on the 3rd line more than usual, at least this time he has a fast defenisvely sound positive possession 3rd line to rely on, unlike Randy's AHL 3rd lines.
 
Marshy said:
I think it's probably going to be more of a thing at home where you get last change and you need a big shift in the D-zone against the other team's top line. Who knows though just a guess.
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fair but i still trust tavares, matthews, heck even spezza and jumbo more than kerfoot to win the defensive zone face ofs and play defense lol
 
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