Pre-Game Talk: Pens at Leafs

[13pacheco31]

Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - Holmberg - Nylander
Pacioretty - Domi - Robertson
Lorentz - Kampf - Reaves

And the defensive pairings:

Rielly - Tanev
Ekman-Larsson - McCabe
Benoit - Timmins
Liljegren - Myers

Love it except Timmins

I seriously don't get his obsession with Timmins, he's terrible

 

[ULF_55]

Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - Holmberg - Nylander
Pacioretty - Domi - Robertson
Lorentz - Kampf - Reaves

And the defensive pairings:

Rielly - Tanev
Ekman-Larsson - McCabe
Benoit - Timmins
Liljegren - Myers

Love it except Timmins

Last game one of Benoit or Timmins (could only see the '2') had the puck in the corner, uncovered in the d-zone and just stood there for a couple seconds and then got swarmed. A couple seconds is an eternity.

It looked like controller malfunction.

Put the Leafs under pressure and I was trying to understand why?

Froze?

 

[Roo]

Liljegren will hopefully get some games in soon

 

[Evilhomer]

Liljegren will hopefully get some games in soon

It's just a matter of time until he is traded.

 

[stickty111]

I seriously don't get his obsession with Timmins, he's terrible

The fact they are using him on the PK isn't good either. He's only a PP guy but he won't get in over Rielly or OEL so whats his use then? At least Lilly is a capable PKer and he doesn't need the PP.

Liljegren will hopefully get some games in soon

His days are numbered and this team will regret it

 

[Clark4Ever]

It's just a matter of time until he is traded.

With a fully healthy blueline, it could very well be that he deserves to be on the outside looking in but for now, I think he is a better option than Timmins.

 

[stickty111]

Last game one of Benoit or Timmins (could only see the '2') had the puck in the corner, uncovered in the d-zone and just stood there for a couple seconds and then got swarmed. A couple seconds is an eternity.

It looked like controller malfunction.

Put the Leafs under pressure and I was trying to understand why?

Froze

Berube when Timmins makes a mistake

Berube when Liljegren makes a mistake

 

[shaner8989]

Last game one of Benoit or Timmins (could only see the '2') had the puck in the corner, uncovered in the d-zone and just stood there for a couple seconds and then got swarmed. A couple seconds is an eternity.

It looked like controller malfunction.

Put the Leafs under pressure and I was trying to understand why?

Froze?

Was likely Timmins. His reaction time is abysmal.

 

[HellasLEAF]

Also, the Nylander @ C idea looks to be officially done as well.

They've stated many times they wanted to give him looks there incase he needed to shift there or take draws. This was always overblown by media.

 

[DarkKnight]

The fact they are using him on the PK isn't good either. He's only a PP guy but he won't get in over Rielly or OEL so whats his use then? At least Lilly is a capable PKer and he doesn't need the PP.


His days are numbered and this team will regret it

No we won't. You've been pumping this guy for years and years, it's never happened. And he's shit on the PK too btw.

 

[Woodman19]

Bet the schedule makers thought they were absolute geniuses making us play NJ and Pittsburgh at the start of the year... Does anyone even care about Keefe and Dubas?

 

[Sypher04]

Also, the Nylander @ C idea looks to be officially done as well.

Perhaps. I just hope people don’t parade around claiming it failed again. Because less than 4 periods, 3 being the first game of the preseason, is so far from a legitimate attempt to make it work it’s laughable.

At this point just say you like nylander the winger and stop talking about C because they’ve created this big narrative that it keeps failing because people can’t use critical thinking

 

[TheDoldrums]

Berube seems to really like Holmberg. Has had a prominent PK role as well.

I actually really like Domi with Patches and Robertson. Domi is better on the wing but you're still putting an elite passer with two great shots.

 

[ULF_55]

They've stated many times they wanted to give him looks there incase he needed to shift there or take draws. This was always overblown by media.

It really has never been attempted.

But I think his record on face-offs is fine.

However, I don't think he thinks a great deal about defending and if he's at center what defensive wingers would you match him up with? Keeping in mind, you want his line to be an offensive line.
So build an offensive line that has defensively capable wingers who can also produce? Make it with available players and not some makebelieveplayerfromanothermother.

I don't see the depth to leave the Matthews line intact and build a 2nd. scoring line with Nylander as the center.

And realistically, Domi isn't a center, nor is he good defensively.

McMann - Nylander - Holmberg (Nylander with 2 players still trying to figure out where they fit in the hierarchy of the NHL).

Sounds like we might see those 3 together tonight, but with Holmberg as the center.

I wish them good luck, but do we consider McMann and Holmberg second liners? Rhetorical question ...

 

[Roo]

It's just a matter of time until he is traded.

If so it will likely be pretty brutal asset management. Not much of a market for trades right now with teams having just set their rosters, and for a player that is in the press box? Pennies on the dollar is all we can expect if that’s the case.

No reason to do it if we aren’t going to use that cap space, and aren’t sold on Timmins.

 

[Evilhomer]

If so it will likely be pretty brutal asset management. Not much of a market for trades right now with teams having just set their rosters, and for a player that is in the press box? Pennies on the dollar is all we can expect if that’s the case.

No reason to do it if we aren’t going to use that cap space, and aren’t sold on Timmins.

It's probably a draft pick and cap space, but those are both important things for a team that wants to add in order to win the Cup this season.

 

[tmlfan98]

Middle 6 changes would have looked a lot better tonight with this slight difference:

Robertson/Patches-Holmberg-Nylander
Patches/Robertson-Domi-McMann

 

[Roo]

It's probably a draft pick and cap space, but those are both important things for a team that wants to add in order to win the Cup this season.

If we can get at least a 2nd round pick, sure, but I can’t see that happening so soon and without him playing.

 

[Burnie97]

Liljegren will hopefully get some games in soon

It's just a matter of time until he is traded.

I'm surprised they're not trying to get him in some games if they are trading him.

3 million is probably the problem for some teams. I can't see them getting more than a 3rd and a prospect or something like that.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Habs… Keefe… Dubas

Schedule makers having some fun

 

[Rare Jewel]

Perhaps. I just hope people don’t parade around claiming it failed again. Because less than 4 periods, 3 being the first game of the preseason, is so far from a legitimate attempt to make it work it’s laughable.

At this point just say you like nylander the winger and stop talking about C because they’ve created this big narrative that it keeps failing because people can’t use critical thinking

I'm not.

How could it have failed if it barely even happened. That said, he's just likely better on the wing.

Mitch is one that should be given a look @ C.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I think this one will be a bit of a laugher. Pittsburgh is horrendous defensively and their goaltending is hope and a prayer level. Lots of goals for the Leafs tonight, but I think they also continue to be defensively sound..

Hope you are right but let's to honest nobody is sold on our goaltending either Although admittedly It's off to a VERY promising start.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Middle 6 changes would have looked a lot better tonight with this slight difference:

Robertson/Patches-Holmberg-Nylander
Patches/Robertson-Domi-McMann

Disagree. Nylander could use a puck retriever/forechecker like McMann, he's better at it then Robertson or Patches.

 

[Evilhomer]

Hope you are right but let's to honest nobody is sold on our goaltending either Although admittedly It's off to a VERY promising start.

I think you are the only one who is wary of the goaltending. I think most of the rest of us think it's been the best tandem the Leafs have had in years.

 

[ACC1224]

Enjoy the game @bax, I’m hoping I’ll get to watch it later