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Playoff Roster

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Need to figure out something with the 4th line. I've liked Blackwell's compete but simmer and Spezza are leaving a lot to be desired. Just seems like that line lacks a lot of energy, they're trying to make cute plays resulting in turnovers. You cant have that happen with the amount of experience on that line.

They have to be better.
 
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Goaltend will be a question of all the playoff teams in the east outside of the Bolts.
TB is the only team that i wouldn't want to face in the first round.
 
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Leaffan1991 said:
This is the winner right here
Click to expand...

My reason was that the 4th line hasn't brought anything for a long time, therefore I rather have another line that can hopefully be what that HBK line was for the Pens.

In saying that, I wouldn't mind if Spezza was in the line-up, but with different players than Simmonds.

I also wouldn't be opposed to resting Simmonds a ton before the playoffs and hoping that helps him get back to who he was earlier in the season.
 
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riffle said:
You asked to check question marks on other contenders...plural. I kind of hate this kind of posting from me, but you did just say contenderS so it can't be just the Bolts.
Click to expand...

I did say contenderS, and you responded by replying "TAMPA WON THE CUP" so i concluded that you thought the only contender was the defending champs.
 
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Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Knies - - - Tavares - - - Kase
Robertson - Kerfoot - Nylander
Mikheyev - Kampf - Engvall
Clifford - Spezza - Simmonds

Rielly - Lyubushkin
Giordano - Brodie
Muzzin - - Liljigren
Sandin - - - - Holl
 
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forwards
Bunt- AM - MM
mik - tav - kase
robertson - kerfoot - nylander
knies/CB - kampf/spezza - douglas/simmonds

dcore
MR - brodie
gio - lily
MUZZ - LYB
sandin - holl

you know i just want to see a muzzin, lyb pairing togther.
It would make foridas' version of charriot and gudas seem "cute".
 
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Welp, after seeing in recent games, and especially last night, that the Leafs suddenly possess the ability to be "team tough", and stand up for themselves & one another....and watching our 4th line be hemmed anytime they were on the ice (not Blackwell's fault)....I think I'd be okay coming at teams in waves, and not worrying about having a Wayne Simmonds in the lineup unless it feels absolutely called for. I have high hopes for Knies, but to pencil him in right now isn't fair. I have high hopes for Abruzzese, but same story as Knies. I don't think Robertson can be/has been effective without top 9 minutes...and we have a good two way winger who can play the fourth line and bang around a bit in Joey Anderson. Tavares looked much better without Willy, and playing with workhorse type guys, so I'd stick with that. Thought it made JT play harder and faster, and not just try and skill around with Willy. My lines I'd like to look at, when healthy are:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Mikheyev
Nylander-Kampf-Kase
Blackwell-Engvall-Anderson
Rielly-Lyubushkin
Muzzin-Brodie
Giordano-Liljegren

Blackwell & Engvall have both played C before. Let one of them handle that assignment. Having two guys with C experience on the same line should help too. Obviously there's a chance that Knies, Abruzzese, or Robertson can take a roster spot instead of Anderson...but I think those guys would be better suited higher up. Anderson can bring a solid checking 2 way game to that line without needing 15+ mins a night
 
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If Abruzzese and Knies hit the ground running, I could see a scenario where one of Simmonds/Spezza isn't starting game 1.

I can't see any scenario where both of them aren't - I'd guess Spezza is in, purely because of his faceoff / PK role.
 
Bunting - Matthews - Nylander
Mikheyev - Tavares - Marner
Engval - Kampf - Kase
Clifford/Knies - Kerfoot - Blackwood
Spezza - Simmonds
 
I don't particularly want to split Bunting from the top line, and Kase is injured for now anyway, but with Nylander and Tavares not really clicking right now, and not wanting to waste Nylander's talents or break up the 3rd line, part of me really wants to try:

Nylander - Matthews - Marner
Bunting - Tavares - Kase
Mikheyev - Kampf - Engvall
Kerfoot - Spezza - Blackwell
 
Dekes For Days said:
I don't particularly want to split Bunting from the top line, and Kase is injured for now anyway, but with Nylander and Tavares not really clicking right now, and not wanting to waste Nylander's talents or break up the 3rd line, part of me really wants to try:

Nylander - Matthews - Marner
Bunting - Tavares - Kase
Mikheyev - Kampf - Engvall
Kerfoot - Spezza - Blackwell
Click to expand...
I would love to see that. Our first line is outstanding already but with Nylander in Buntings spot it would be unstoppable. Bunting and JT would have great chemistry no doubt on the 2nd line
 
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Bunting. Matthews. Marner
Kerfoot. Tavares. Kase
Mikheyev. Kampf. Nylander
Engvall. Blackwell Spezza

Rielly. Lyubushkin
Muzzin. Brodie
Giordano. Lily

Hutcheson :(
Kallgren
 
I was starting to think we have no choice but to split Matthews-Marner since JT-Nylander was just not working, but it’s great seeing by flipping Mikheyev and Nylander, we actually look solid all the way through with right balance of offence and defence on each line! So here’s what I think could be ideal come playoff time:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Mikheyev
Nylander-Kampf-Engvall
Spezza-Blackwell-Kase

x -Robertson,Knies,Abruzzese,Clifford,Simmonds

Rielly-Brodie
Giordano- Lilijgren
Muzzin-Holl

x-Sandin-Lybushkin

Forwards- I might have slotted Kase higher but given how he plays, i almost think giving him less mins is a better way of managing his propensity to get injured.

Defence - This is tough when all 8 of our D men are healthy, not sure there is a clear answer, but the way Liljgren is playing I find it Very difficult to take him out
 
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glue said:
I was starting to think we have no choice but to split Matthews-Marner since JT-Nylander was just not working, but it’s great seeing by flipping Mikheyev and Nylander, we actually look solid all the way through with right balance of offence and defence on each line! So here’s what I think could be ideal come playoff time:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Mikheyev
Nylander-Kampf-Engvall
Spezza-Blackwell-Kase

x -Robertson,Knies,Abruzzese,Clifford,Simmonds

Rielly-Brodie
Giordano- Lilijgren
Muzzin-Holl

x-Sandin-Lybushkin

Forwards- I might have slotted Kase higher but given how he plays, i almost think giving him less mins is a better way of managing his propensity to get injured.

Defence - This is tough when all 8 of our D men are healthy, not sure there is a clear answer, but the way Liljgren is playing I find it Very difficult to take him out
Click to expand...

love all of that - still not sure that those middle two lines are settled though.

for example I could still see

Mikheyev - Tavares - Engvall
Kerfoot - Kampf - Nylander

and some other combos. also could see Blackwell and Kase on either of those lines too.
 
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For everyone who want to see knies in the line up on playoff, hes not NHL ready and hes probably 2 season away of playing in the NHL.

I think to start the playoff you need to start with your veteran and if youre veteran didn't get the job done, you can go with the young player.

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Mikheyev
Nylander-Kampf-Engvall
Spezza-blackwell-kase

Muzzin-Holl
Giordano-Brodie
Rielly-lyubushkin
 
Dekes For Days said:
I don't particularly want to split Bunting from the top line, and Kase is injured for now anyway, but with Nylander and Tavares not really clicking right now, and not wanting to waste Nylander's talents or break up the 3rd line, part of me really wants to try:

Nylander - Matthews - Marner
Bunting - Tavares - Kase
Mikheyev - Kampf - Engvall
Kerfoot - Spezza - Blackwell
Click to expand...
If we are going super line put JT there

Nylander has shown to produce well with kerfoot in a secondary matchup role

Bunting - Kerfoot - Nylander could be a low end 1st line quality playing against 2nd/3rd lines and giving us a HBK type run.

Playing Nylander top line seems risky as I don't see JT working well in that same role not to the extent Nylander did vs MTL
 
I think everything is set except for one spot on the fourth line and the third pairing RD

battling for the last spot up front:
Spezza, Simmonds, Clifford, Abrusseze

on defence:
Holl, Liljergren, Sandin (if healthy)
 
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BUNTING - MATTHEWS - MARNER
ENGVALL - TAVARES - NYLANDER
KERFOOT - KAMPF - MIKHEYEV
CLIFFORD - SPEZZA - SIMMONDS
ROBERTSON - BLACKWELL

RIELLY - - BEAR
MUZZIN - BRODIE
GIORDANO - LILJIGREN
SANDIN - HOLL​
 
Assuming Mrazek and Sandin are injured

I think they just go back to the well

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Nyalnder
Mikheyev-Kampf-Kase
Engvall-Blackwell-Simmonds/Spezza (two vets rotate in and out)

Rielly-Brodie
Giordano-Holl
Muzzin-Lyubushkin
Liljergren

Campbell
Kallgren

If Knies wants to sign after the frozen four, I think he slots in.
 
Mo-Holl (38min): 5.03xgf60, 2.30xga60 --- 68.6xgf%
Mo-Lilly (113min): 4.91xgf60, 2.59xga60 --- 65.5xgf%
Mo-Boosh (109min): 3.18xgf60, 2.53xga60 --- 55.7xgf%

TJ-Holl (256min): 2.80xgf60, 1.92xga60 --- 59.4xgf%
TJ-Lilly (25min): 2.37xgf60, 2.30xga60 --- 50.8xgf%
TJ-Boosh (13min): 2.01xgf60, 2.53xga60 --- 44.3xgf%

Muzz-Holl (439min): 2.62xgf60, 2.23xga60 --- 54.0xgf%
Muzz-Lilly (117min): 2.37xgf60, 2.53xga60 --- 48.4xgf%
Muzz-Boosh (---)

Gio-Lilly (53min): 3.58xgf60, 0.75xga60 --- 82.6xgf%
Gio-Holl (12min): 1.91xgf60, 3.83xga60 --- 33.3xgf%
Gio-Boosh (---):

Ras-Lilly (242min): 3.67xgf60, 1.86xga60 --- 66.4xgf%
Ras-Boosh (56min): 1.74xgf60, 1.51xga6p --- 53.4xgf%
Ras-Holl (134min): 2.87xgf60, 2.58xga60 --- 52.7xgf%

Derm-Lilly (118min): 2.86xgf60, 1.71xga60 --- 62.6xgf%
Derm-Holl (55min): 2.88xgf60, 2.61xga60 --- 52.5xgf%
Derm-Boosh (65min): 2.16xgf60, 1.98xga60 --- 52.1xgf%
 
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