Playoff Roster

[Nylander88]

Engvall-Kampf-Mikheyev is a must IMO.

If we play Boston or Tampa I'd feel VERY comfortable throwing them out there on a D-zone faceoff against Kuch or Berg lines. Which would open up Auston.

Unfortunately not having Kase hurts us there. Because Mikheyev has been playing great hockey on JTs wing, and Engvall-Kampf-Kase I'd be very confident in as well. Or Kerfoot-Kampf-Kase, or Kerfoot-Kampf-Engvall. 3 solid combinations imo without having to move Mikheyev down. Also frees up one of Kase, Engvall, or Kerfoot to do and help that 4th line out. But I'm afraid we might not see Kase in a Leafs jersey again..

 

[Nylander88]

I’m thinking it should look like this:

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

Rielly - Lyubushkin
Muzzin - Brodie
Giordano - Liljegren

Campbell
Kallgren

If Knies comes abord, he goes on L4 in place of Simmonds.

Getting Kase back totally changes our dynamic. Blackwell-Kerfoot-Simmonds is actually a line you could play and not be scared to throw over the board. Kerfoot turns into a beast in the playoffs, and has familiarity with Blackwell from College days. Add in some muscle with Simmonds and that line could really hound an opponent. Gives you a 1A,1B,3A,3B type of lineup....and I really like it. Kampf and Kase are best buds that already have chemistry, and want to battle together. Mikheyev deserves to stay with Tavares. He's been engaged, defensively responsible, and finishing his chances. This is my ideal lineup as well, and something I think Keefe would agree with (other than Keefe likely switches Liljegren out for Holl)

 

[Nylander88]

Bunting - Matthews - Marner <-- Best Line in Hockey
Mikheyev - Tavares - Engvall <-- Matchup Line
Kerfoot - Kampf - Nylander <-- New HBK Line?
Clifford - Blackwell - Simmonds <-- Energy Line***
Spezza Rotates with All 3***

Rielly - Lyubushkin
Muzzin - - - Brodie
Giordano - Liljigren

I like this set up if Kase has played his last game as a Leaf

 

[crump]

Health willing, I want to see Kase in the playoffs. I want him to be safe and healthy first and foremost, but if we are up against the Bruins, I would love to see him score a few on his old team. Not really their fault for not resigning him, he looked pretty much done while there, but to see his face after he scores against them would be incredible.

 

[Clark4Ever]

I don't think Bunting can cut it on the top line in playoff hockey. He has slowed down noticeably, which is understandable considering that this is his first full season in the NHL.

Unfortunately, I don't know if anyone else on the current roster is better suited to fill that role. If Matthews and Marner can maintain their current form in the playoffs, it might not matter that much anyway,

 

[Clark4Ever]

I’m thinking it should look like this:

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

Rielly - Lyubushkin
Muzzin - Brodie
Giordano - Liljegren

Campbell
Kallgren

If Knies comes abord, he goes on L4 in place of Simmonds.

This is the exact lineup I was going to post.

 

[hockeynorth]

I don't think Bunting can cut it on the top line in playoff hockey. He has slowed down noticeably, which is understandable considering that this is his first full season in the NHL.

Unfortunately, I don't know if anyone else on the current roster is better suited to fill that role. If Matthews and Marner can maintain their current form in the playoffs, it might not matter that much anyway,

Interesting, I'm of the opinion that Bunting will thrive in the playoffs, but it's really impossible to say until we see it.

6 points in his last 5 games
16 points in his last 19 games
30 points in his last 31 games

His PIM's have increased though and I'm not sure if that's good or bad yet

 

[A1LeafNation]

Bunting Matthews Marner (money)
Kerfoot Tavares Mikheyev (solid two way)
Engvall Kampf Blackwell (shutdown)
_______ Nylander Kase ...play them as much minutes as they can handle without costing us GAs.

 

[zeke]

So the Mikheyev-Tavares-Kerfoot line seems like it's kicking ass - 61.9xgf%, 80.7gf%.

On the other hand, the Engvall-Kampf-Nylander line is not - 47.1xgf%, 0.0gf%.

and while Blackwell imo has been good none of the 4th line combos is working very well.

I wonder if when Kase comes back it might finally be time to move Kampf down to the 4th line.

Mikheyev - Tavares - Kerfoot/Engvall
Nylander - Kerf/Engvall - Kase
XXXXXXX - Kampf - Blackwell

with XXXXX being any of Simmonds, Spezza, Clifford, Knies, Robertson, Abbruzzese, Steeves, Anderson.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Now we just need a goalie

 

[NinjaKick]

life is about to get serious

 

[francis246]

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Kerfoot - Tavares - Mikheyev
Engvall - Kampf - Nylander
Clifford - Blackwell - Simmonds

Rielly - Lybushkin
Muzzin - Brodie
Giordano - Liljegren

Campbell
Kallgren

I’d start with this and then Liljegren, Holl, Sandin rotate in to play that 6th defense role.

 

[Ropesman]

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Kerfoot - Tavares - Mikheyev
Engvall - Kampf - Nylander
Clifford - Blackwell - Simmonds

Rielly - Lybushkin
Muzzin - Brodie
Giordano - Liljegren

Campbell
Kallgren

I’d start with this and then Liljegren, Holl, Sandin rotate in to play that 6th defense role.

This is exactly what I'd want to see game 1 of the playoffs. Assuming we have seen Kase play his last game of the season that is.

 

[I am Canadian]

Liljegren is better than Holl right now, I don't know why he is sitting

 

[Mickey Marner]

So the Mikheyev-Tavares-Kerfoot line seems like it's kicking ass - 61.9xgf%, 80.7gf%.

On the other hand, the Engvall-Kampf-Nylander line is not - 47.1xgf%, 0.0gf%.

and while Blackwell imo has been good none of the 4th line combos is working very well.

I wonder if when Kase comes back it might finally be time to move Kampf down to the 4th line.

Mikheyev - Tavares - Kerfoot/Engvall
Nylander - Kerf/Engvall - Kase
XXXXXXX - Kampf - Blackwell

with XXXXX being any of Simmonds, Spezza, Clifford, Knies, Robertson, Abbruzzese, Steeves, Anderson.

This seems decent. With Matthews, Tavares and Kampf, the third line doesn't really need to take faceoffs, so we can afford to slot Kerfoot or Engvall in at 3C. Nylander can take strong side faceoffs too.

 

[ZEBROA]

I'd suggest you listen to Kypper and Bourne 1st hour of April 7. Kypper played with him and talked about what he was like as a player and stuff btwI already knew about Michael Nylander. It's definitely not what you're saying here. Cheers

In The national team M Nylander was always better when he was the go to guy. This is True with W Nylander too.

They are wired to play a lot.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

So the Mikheyev-Tavares-Kerfoot line seems like it's kicking ass - 61.9xgf%, 80.7gf%.

On the other hand, the Engvall-Kampf-Nylander line is not - 47.1xgf%, 0.0gf%.

and while Blackwell imo has been good none of the 4th line combos is working very well.

I wonder if when Kase comes back it might finally be time to move Kampf down to the 4th line.

Mikheyev - Tavares - Kerfoot/Engvall
Nylander - Kerf/Engvall - Kase
XXXXXXX - Kampf - Blackwell

with XXXXX being any of Simmonds, Spezza, Clifford, Knies, Robertson, Abbruzzese, Steeves, Anderson.

I love this. What about:

Mikheyev - Tavares - Engvall
Nylander - Backwell - Kase
XXXXXXX - Kampf - Kerfoot

with XXXXX being any of Simmonds, Spezza, Clifford, Knies, Robertson, Abbruzzese, Steeves, Anderson.

 

[CupcakeSprinkles]

This is the exact lineup I was going to post.

Kerfoot sucks on draws though...

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Kerfoot - Tavares - Mikheyev
Engvall - Kampf - Nylander
Clifford - Blackwell - Simmonds

Rielly - Lybushkin
Muzzin - Brodie
Giordano - Liljegren

Campbell
Kallgren

I’d start with this and then Liljegren, Holl, Sandin rotate in to play that 6th defense role.

This is how I would start as well .. to me Sandin is 1st in for Lily if rook can't handle playoff grind but I think he will .. we need both Wayner and Cliffy in lineup as they may need to move around on lines a little if bruins start to try to knock us around like 3 years ago .. we can't let them run over us like 3 years ago in boston .. refs threw away whistle and said boys have at it .. anything goes - elbows to head, boards, knees, charging, head shots etc .. absolutely worst display of reffing I have seen in modern day hockey .. but we must expect it again folks .. Jacobs will demand it

 

[zeke]

I love this. What about:

Mikheyev - Tavares - Engvall
Nylander - Backwell - Kase
XXXXXXX - Kampf - Kerfoot

with XXXXX being any of Simmonds, Spezza, Clifford, Knies, Robertson, Abbruzzese, Steeves, Anderson.

Yeah I like Blackwell too....BUT while he's filling in at C on the 4th line I don't think he's actually a C on a higher line.

And part of the idea of my lines was to reunite the Willy-Kerfoot combo from last year, but in even easier usage as both a Mikky-Tavares-Engvall 2nd line and a Kampf-Blackwell 4th line could both take on heavier loads than the other two lines took on last year.

Maybe it's interesting to compare to the Bolts last year:

1. Matthews/Marner/Bunting vs Point/Kucherov/Palat

2. Tavares/Mikky/Engvall vs Gourde/Coleman/Goodrow

(Rember that the Gourde line was actually their 2nd line in the playoffs by both minutes and QOC)

3. Nylander/Kerfoot/Kase vs Stamkos/Cirelli/Killorn

4. Kampf/Blackwell/XXXXX vs Colton/Maroon/Johnson

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Yeah I like Blackwell too....BUT while he's filling in at C on the 4th line I don't think he's actually a C on a higher line.

And part of the idea of my lines was to reunite the Willy-Kerfoot combo from last year, but in even easier usage as both a Mikky-Tavares-Engvall 2nd line and a Kampf-Blackwell 4th line could both take on heavier loads than the other two lines took on last year.

Maybe it's interesting to compare to the Bolts last year:

1. Matthews/Marner/Bunting vs Point/Kucherov/Palat

2. Tavares/Mikky/Engvall vs Gourde/Coleman/Goodrow

(Rember that the Gourde line was actually their 2nd line in the playoffs by both minutes and QOC)

3. Nylander/Kerfoot/Kase vs Stamkos/Cirelli/Killorn

4. Kampf/Blackwell/XXXXX vs Colton/Maroon/Johnson

Agreed with all of the above, and I love the idea of making the Tavares line the matchup line with those two wingers. It allows us to play them a lot as they now have some finishing power (no offence to Kampf) and means we don't need to hide Tavares.

 

[Machinae]

Knies - Tavares - Mikheyev
Blackwell - Kerfoot - Nylander
Engvall - Kampf - Kase

 

[ER89]

I think i'll get a lot of backlash for this but everytime I've seen nylander with M&M that line has looked stupid dangerous. With bunting missing a few chances maybe we can repurpose him to the second line and take william from the third which would then make our third line a defensive beast. As many have pointed our kampf with nylander makes zero sense.

Go with (wings maybe switched up but essentially)

Nylander-Matty-Mitch
Bunting-JT-Mikh
Kase-Kampf-Engvall
Kerfoot-Spezza-Blackwell

That third and fourth line stack up well and is as good as almost any other contender (spezz being the weak link but I'm sure he will bring it in the playoffs) and bunting is exactly the type of player taveras needs to free him up in front of the net. That first line is just disgusting.

 

[TMLAM34]

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Mikheyev - Tavares - Kase
Kerfoot - Blackwell - Nylander
Engvall - Kampf - Simmonds/Abruzzese

 

[therealkoho]

In The national team M Nylander was always better when he was the go to guy. This is True with W Nylander too.

They are wired to play a lot.

mmmm not to sure about that!

Swede Nats 87 GP 20G 48A 68pts which includes 8 OG 1G 3A 4 pts

good numbers pretty much no doubt, and 20 years service to the National team is to be admired for sure, but the word of a former team-mate means nothing, not to mention the overall circumstances of his career?