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Line Combos: Opening night lineup / Line combinations - Discussions

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showtime8 said:
Unfortunately, I don't think that Acton will crack the line-up, although I think that the line you have there would be interesting. The only reason is that the Leafs have contracts to pay.
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I agree and it's unfortunate. Will Acton has more than shown that he would be able to handle a full time bottom six role in the NHL.

But it's intriguing because Randy Carlyle himself singled out Acton as a possible player that could secure a spot with the Leafs in a bottom six role in an interview in September. So who knows? Perhaps Randy won't care if the Leafs owe money to Matt Lombardi / Tim Connolly.
 
The Saurus said:
I agree and it's unfortunate. Will Acton has more than shown that he would be able to handle a full time bottom six role in the NHL.

But it's intriguing because Randy Carlyle himself singled out Acton as a possible player that could secure a spot with the Leafs in a bottom six role in an interview in September. So who knows? Perhaps Randy won't care if the Leafs owe money to Matt Lombardi / Tim Connolly.
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I really hope those two are gone.
 
WTFMAN99 said:
Only we have Brown, Steckel, McClement, Lombardi etc to deal with.
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In a bottom six role, there are very few players on the Leafs' roster that are as good as Will Acton. He's much better than Lombardi / Connolly if they are playing in the bottom six and I'd say I'd rather have Will Acton over David Steckel as well. Although he's great on draws, Steckel has average speed and defensive abilities.
 
The Saurus said:
I agree and it's unfortunate. Will Acton has more than shown that he would be able to handle a full time bottom six role in the NHL.

But it's intriguing because Randy Carlyle himself singled out Acton as a possible player that could secure a spot with the Leafs in a bottom six role in an interview in September. So who knows? Perhaps Randy won't care if the Leafs owe money to Matt Lombardi / Tim Connolly.
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And really, you never know about Connolly. Carlyle could plant him as the #1 centre and just ride it out. Noone really knows what he will do with that.

I do remember him saying that Acton could be a guy that plays himself onto the team. If not this year, then possibly next year as a 4th liner.
 
The Saurus said:
In a bottom six role, there are very few players on the Leafs' roster that are as good as Will Acton. He's much better than Lombardi / Connolly if they are playing in the bottom six and I'd say I'd rather have Will Acton over David Steckel as well. Although he's great on draws, Steckel has average speed and defensive abilities.
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I feel like Will Acton would get rag dolled at the NHL, anyways I am not a big Connolly fan or Lombardi but they will be on the team unfortunately.
 
Komarov is a very interesting player. I liked what I saw with the Marlies and he is exactly what our bottom 6 needs. Looking forward to watching him with the big club.
 
The Saurus said:
In a bottom six role, there are very few players on the Leafs' roster that are as good as Will Acton. He's much better than Lombardi / Connolly if they are playing in the bottom six and I'd say I'd rather have Will Acton over David Steckel as well. Although he's great on draws, Steckel has average speed and defensive abilities.
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That's very true.

If you are trying to construct a team where players actually play their roles, you have to think that Acton would have a shot to push Steckl out the door. And if Steckl is only going to be out there to win faceoffs, he's going to be a liability the rest of the time. I would give up a significant percentage on the faceoff dot for a chance to have Acton for a full(ish) season.

The thing that has bugged me the most about this team for the past couple of years is having players play out of position just because they are getting a contract. I would have loved to find out how Lombardi started on the 4th line last year when the main role of a 4th liner is to generate momentum with fighting, forechecking, hitting, etc. and he's coming off a huge concussion. He plays in the top 6 or he doesn't play at all. And the same goes for Connolly. He's either in the top 6, or he doesn't play at all. Players playing out of position are not effective.
 
The Saurus said:
In a bottom six role, there are very few players on the Leafs' roster that are as good as Will Acton. He's much better than Lombardi / Connolly if they are playing in the bottom six and I'd say I'd rather have Will Acton over David Steckel as well. Although he's great on draws, Steckel has average speed and defensive abilities.
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The one problem is Will Acton is only signed to an AHL level contract, so the Maple Leafs would need to sign him to an NHL level contract.
 
people need to realize guys like Lambo/Connolly/Komisarek will be on the 23 man roster. no team is gonna take these guys in a trade. the buyout period is also not till next summer so they wont be bought out.
 
Crispy Crust said:
Komarov is a very interesting player. I liked what I saw with the Marlies and he is exactly what our bottom 6 needs. Looking forward to watching him with the big club.
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I agree. With what the Leafs have on their farm and in Europe, it's very possible to build a formidable bottom six. They've been playing long enough under Dallas Eakins that they know what it takes to be successful in the NHL in terms of work ethic. It would be a seamless transition for most of them, IMO.
 
To add on to my last post, there are a number of candidates on the Marlies that are sound defensively and are able to play a gritty game in accordance with Randy Carlyle's vision for our bottom six:

Will Acton
Jerry D'Amigo
Ryan Hamilton
And questionable: Carter Ashton, Greg Scott
 
The Saurus said:
To add on to my last post, there are a number of candidates on the Marlies that are sound defensively and are able to play a gritty game in accordance with Randy Carlyle's vision for our bottom six:

Will Acton
Jerry D'Amigo
Ryan Hamilton
And questionable: Carter Ashton, Greg Scott
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Greg Scott is garbage...and i've been going to Marlies games all year, D'Amigo isnt there yet.

I can understand the argument for Acton, and I would like Hamilton on our 4th line if brought up his physical game a bit.
 
WTFMAN99 said:
Greg Scott is garbage...and i've been going to Marlies games all year, D'Amigo isnt there yet.
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Yeah, I was debating whether I should put D'Amigo under the questionable list.

Eakins seems to think D'Amigo is ready but that conversation I had with him was back in early September.
 
If there is no expiry, I don't want to buy out Komisarek and JML... better to save both options over the course of the CBA.

JVR Connolly Kessel
Lupul Grabo Kulemin
Komarov Kadri Frattin
Mclement Bozak Steckel

Phaneuf - Gunnar
JML - Franson
Ranger - Komisarek/Holzer

Reimer
Mason
 
dougieg93 said:
If there is no expiry, I don't want to buy out Komisarek and JML... better to save both options over the course of the CBA.

JVR Connolly Kessel
Lupul Grabo Kulemin
Komarov Kadri Frattin
Mclement Bozak Steckel

Phaneuf - Gunnar
JML - Franson
Ranger - Komisarek/Holzer

Reimer
Mason
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Gardiner?
 
randy wants his 3rd line to be a checking line pretty sure

who are the checkers?
kulemin
mclement
connolly
steckel
brown
frattin?
bozak?
komarov?
 
dougieg93 said:
If there is no expiry, I don't want to buy out Komisarek and JML... better to save both options over the course of the CBA.

JVR Connolly Kessel
Lupul Grabo Kulemin
Komarov Kadri Frattin
Mclement Bozak Steckel

Phaneuf - Gunnar
JML - Franson
Ranger - Komisarek/Holzer

Reimer
Mason
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You don't get the 2 buy outs over the course of the CBA, we need to use them next off-season. With a consensus being that Komisarek would be one of them.
 
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