Speculation: Playoff Lineup

[Marshy]

Our pp needs to be at 100% to win this series

Scoring on every PP would definitely put us over the top this year.

 

[supermann_98]

Holland Schenn in while Lili sits is not a surprise. Keefe is loyal to Holl and Kerfoot to a fault and hopefully it doesn’t cost us again this year.

 

[Jojalu]

Holland Schenn in while Lili sits is not a surprise. Keefe is loyal to Holl and Kerfoot to a fault and hopefully it doesn’t cost us again this year.

Kerfoot is always going to be a coach's favourite no matter where he plays.

You can put him on any line and ask him to do anything and he will give you 100% effort.

He never complains, doesn't sulk when asked to play on the 4th line and is respected and liked by his teammates.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

Schenn and Lafferty have been the two worst regular players on the team since the TDL so of course Keefe is going to play them both despite the abundant evidence that Rielly-Schenn are a disaster together.

 

[horner]

Scoring on every PP would definitely put us over the top this year.

We needs lots of traffic in from of vasi and move the puck in close side to side.

One reason I would like knies on the 2nd pp big boy go to the net.

 

[Macallan18]

I can see Lili requesting a trade if he's sat again this year....

Nope.
Holl is gone next year and Lili steps up.
He showed his patience with this years contract, accepting immediately.
He is a keeper.

Schenn and Lafferty have been the two worst regular players on the team since the TDL so of course Keefe is going to play them both despite the abundant evidence that Rielly-Schenn are a disaster together.

Laffery has had one good game, rest of the time he skates around pretty aimlessly.

 

[QJo]

I like this lineup with the only change being putting Knies with Marner and O'Reilly/Tavares. I want to see if he can put up some points playing with an elite passer like Marner.

As for defense I'd rather have Liljegren in than Holl or Schenn and given the choice I'd take Holl out to start. I like Holl, but at this point I think Liljegren is better and deserves a chance to start in the playoffs. Think he played pretty decent in the 2 games he got last playoffs and then got taken out so I don't know why Keefe keeps playing Holl over him when he doesn't bring anything special to the table.

I had the same thought about Knies but went this way so you could safely give that line the hard match-up against Tampa's and then Boston's and then New York's and then some western team's top line.
Maybe for the handful of away games we'll have we can swap Knies and Bunting and play less of the match-up game. I'd like that to give Knies his best chance at performing and helping the team.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Sounds like Game 1 forward lines will be

Bunting Matthews Marner
Tavares ROR Nylander
Jarnkrok Accari Kerfoot
ZAR Kamph Lafferty

Havn't heard much about the D pairings

That's what Keefer is practicing with .. Knies in grey jersey .. we will see tomorrow night .. I like Jankrok up with ROR and JT for his speed .. and Willy with Lafferty and Kerfoot as Willy will add more playing game at speed on 3rd line .. Accari down with Kampf and ZAR for a killer energy line .. but either way I don't think it matters much up front .. we have enough grit grinders in lineup to take down Tampa

 

[The Iceman]

I can't decide if Nylander on PP2 is a waste. They will get maybe 20-30 seconds.

McCabe has a pretty good shot and he might be able to play a limited role.

With Nylander on PP2, at least he and Kerfoot have some chemistry

I am not endorsing this without trying it, but it makes you wonder if they be stronger going 5F on PP1 (Add Willy), and slide Reilly to partner with Gio on PP2.

 

[The Iceman]

Schenn and Lafferty have been the two worst regular players on the team since the TDL so of course Keefe is going to play them both despite the abundant evidence that Rielly-Schenn are a disaster together.

You must have missed the games where we beat a desperate Florida team and TB back to back with Schenn mashing guys, stopping the cycle, clearing the net, fighting the other teams enforcer.

Look it up, all Leaf fans should see it.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Don't hate the projected lines. I think they are as good as they can be without Matthew Knies in the lineup TBH.

I wanted Knies in the G1 lineup, but I completely understand why he is likely not. I do believe having him be our ace in the hole is probably the right call. For a number of reasons. I think it's a really tough spot to put the kid in to begin with, and secondly you just never know how he will react to that increased intensity. He played 3 very solid games against 3 playoff teams and faired well, but the playoffs is a whole new animal. I am sure he will check in at some point, but it might be best to wait on that.

I think the D pairings are exactly what I would do as well. Holl has been playing his best hockey in the last couple months and is the far safer option over Lilly at this point. I love Lilly, and like Matt, He will check in at some point, but he hasn't earned that G1 start as of late.

 

[Notsince67]

We dressed Blackwell, Kase, Clifford and Simmonds to start the playoffs last year. Also Engvall.

I‘m not complaining.

Had Kerfoot on the Matthews Marner line too.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Holland Schenn in while Lili sits is not a surprise. Keefe is loyal to Holl and Kerfoot to a fault and hopefully it doesn’t cost us again this year.

Liljegren's play over the past month+ has Holl and Schenn in the lineup, not loyalty.

He simply hasn't been good enough.

For Game 1 it's the correct call.

 

[QJo]

(1) Reilly - Brody
(2) McCabe - Schenn
(3) Giordano - Liljegren

(2) primarily takes defensive zone faceoffs where there speed isn't as easily taken advantage of but their strength is used in net front clearing. The other two pairs don't need specific usage after the d-zone faceoff time is already reduced.

 

[TIGERCOOL]

What's the "killer pairing" in the second line?

Tavares - 36 goals, 80 points in 80 games played
Nylander - 40 goals, 87 points in 82 games played

that was easy

 

[notDatsyuk]

Tavares - 36 goals, 80 points in 80 games played
Nylander - 40 goals, 87 points in 82 games played

that was easy

18 of Tavares' 36 goals and 39 of his 80 points have come on the PP. So if we are talking about a PP unit, yes: if about a regular line, no.

Also, If you watch them play, you know they don't pair well at all, and Nylander in particular performs better away from JT.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

You must have missed the games were we beat a desperate Florida team and TB back to back with Schenn mashing guys, stopping the cycle, clearing the net, fighting the other teams enforcer.

Look it up, all Leaf fans should see it.

I saw them both. One timely goal (his only point in 15 games!) doesn't make him a second pair defenseman. Mashing guys and giving the puck right back accomplishes nothing. He's constantly getting hemmed in his own zone and contributes negatively in the other two zones.

Schenn 5v5 has: 42% CF%. 43.6% FF%. 45.5% GF%. 46.5% xGF%. Those ratios are all propped up on the offensive side by playing with top tier forwards; his defensive numbers are crap. Only Gustafsson has worse and he is getting scratched for good reason. And you'll never guess who's second worst of the regular D... hint, it's his D partner. If you're that convinced he's a great physical D then at least stick him on the third pair like when we had Bogosian (who was twice the player and actually could play within his limits).

It's genuinely baffling what Keefe sees with this pairing. It was a funny retro joke experiment for a game or two but should have been tossed in the trash immediately after that.

 

[Zybalto]

Playoff penalty kill rankings for current Leafs with over 40 min PK played over the last 3 years (66 dmen total):

Fewest xGoals Against:
1. Holl: 4th out of 66
2. Muzzin: 23rd out of 66
3. Giordano: 41st out of 66
4. Brodie: 47th out of 66

Fewest goals against/60:

1. Holl: 7th out of 66
2. Muzzin: 21st our of 66
3. Giordano: 28th out of 66
4. Brodie: 56th out of 66

 

[Byron Bitz]

What are the latest practice lines?

 

[banks]

Sounds like ROR and Tavares will both be in the top 6 for game one. I like that. Stack the lines when you have the last change, then you can throw out the better scorers when the opportunity comes.

On the road, I hope they spread things out more. A 3rd line with ROR on it would be a nightmare for Tampa when they're trying to get their top line a favorable matchup.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Jonas Siegel

@jonassiegel


Leafs Game 1 lineup today:
Bunting — Matthews — Marner
Tavares — O’Reilly — Nylander
Aston-Reese — Kämpf — Lafferty
Kerfoot — Acciari — Järnkrok

McCabe — Brodie
Giordano — Holl
Rielly — Schenn

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

Jonas Siegel
@jonassiegel


Leafs Game 1 lineup today:
Bunting — Matthews — Marner
Tavares — O’Reilly — Nylander
Aston-Reese — Kämpf — Lafferty
Kerfoot — Acciari — Järnkrok

McCabe — Brodie
Giordano — Holl
Rielly — Schenn

Really loading up the top 6, we'll see how that goes.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Really loading up the top 6, we'll see how that goes.

They should still win .. i don't think it matters .. i would do it a little different but Keefer is da coach and this is his last hurrah if they lose

 

[ACC1224]

Jonas Siegel
@jonassiegel


Leafs Game 1 lineup today:
Bunting — Matthews — Marner
Tavares — O’Reilly — Nylander
Aston-Reese — Kämpf — Lafferty
Kerfoot — Acciari — Järnkrok

McCabe — Brodie
Giordano — Holl
Rielly — Schenn

Surprised Jarnkrok isn't with Matthews.
I'd switch him and Bunting.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

Does this mean that B-M-M matches up with the Point line? And if so, do you think they can handle it alright?