Playoff Roster

[BTP]

We need to avoid Tampa at all costs in round 1 lol.

Their 4th line of Maroon - Belmare - Perry is going to eat us alive, I can feel it.

 

[Contenderorpretender]

Anyone think Knies or Abruezze could steal a spot in the line up?

I'd really like Abruezze or Steeves to play 3C to slide Kampf to 4C and Spezza to 4RW.

I'm personally disappointed we didn't deal Engvall, now we're gonna be forced to play him

Was just going to post this. Knies could be an x factor

 

[IrishInOntario]

If the second line is struggling I'd like to see Bunting on it with JT and Willy. Makes the 1st line worse but if it can help the 2nd line a lot why not. Bunting could really help that line. Insert whoever with Matthews/Marner honestly, Blackwell/kerf/knies/Robertson etc...

For me it always comes back to Willy and Matthews playing well together and Marner getting the most out Tavares when they play together. For the sake of balance I've always preferred the way the Blackhawks did it by splitting Kane and Toews and how the Penguins did it with Crosby and Malkin. Sometimes balance is better. With what we have I think I'd go...

Bunting-Matthews-Nylander
Kerfoot-Tavares-Marner

Then get the band together on the powerplay.

 

[Nylander88]

Anyone think Knies or Abruezze could steal a spot in the line up?

I'd really like Abruezze or Steeves to play 3C to slide Kampf to 4C and Spezza to 4RW.

I'm personally disappointed we didn't deal Engvall, now we're gonna be forced to play him

Tbh I don't see the fit for Spezza and it's sad cuz he's a great dude it seems. Without Knies or Abruzzese even in the picture, we still stack up (at full health):
Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kase-Tavares-Nylander
Engvall-Kampf-Mikheyev
Blackwell-Kerfoot-???

So that spot at full health comes down to potentially Robertson, Simmonds, Spezza, Clifford, Anderson. Would have to think with a lineup like that, a guy like Simmonds or Clifford would have the inside edge, as we essentially have nobody to answer the bell if things go sideways, which they will.

 

[McSnypsky]

Agreed on the goaltending, time will tell, but the 2nd line, though not producing, isn't a liability. They still push the play away from our net and create chances for.
I might be in the minority here but I'm thinking Blackwell will be tried I. That line too. If he has the bunting effect on that line our 1 2 3 pinch becomes very potent

I think the biggest thing about the 2nd line looking awful is that the 1st looks godly! It's like when the Bruins had the perfection line going, do you remember who else even played for them?

That's a fair assessment. That 1st line is the lynch pin for the playoffs. If they can dominate in the playoffs the way they have in the regular season, we should win a couple rounds at least.
Imo all they need is that killer instinct. The 3-1 series lead seems to lull them into the "we got this" mindset and that don't jive in playoffs.

For sure I hope the added experience of Gio and the younger guys simply getting older will hep with that.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Was just going to post this. Knies could be an x factor

I think we're deeply over-emphasizing the impact Knies would / could have as a 19 year old, getting his first NHL experience. If this was two years from now, I'd probably be on that train, but how many 19 year olds understand the intangibles, such as the speed of the game, enough, to make a significant difference against the type of teams we're going to see in the playoffs?

 

[fahad203]

Was just going to post this. Knies could be an x factor

Lets not get carried away here. Knies could play but we are not talking about Eric Lindros here going to come out of JR and be an x factor

The fact we are kinda hoping few college kids are going to steal a spot, tells you the state of this team. That's asking too much from a kid

 

[Suntouchable13]

Timing is everything in sports. When the Raptors won, yes the got Kawhi but LeBron had also just left the East, making the Conference wide open.

Sure, the Leafs could’ve blown through assets to get another goalie and/or forward, but as they stand they are a strong team with what we had and the recent additions. Goaltending is a massive question mark but that position is rarely filled mid-season.

After all the assets Florida and Tampa spent this season, it’s unlike they’ll be able to be big buyers next year, which means the Leafs could outbid them on any available players next year.

I don’t agree with that at all. If Leafs can’t make noise this year, Dubas should definitely lose his job. One of the core guys will have to be moved as well. How are you going to get an elite goalie and actually keep him anyway with the overpaid stars still around that can’t deliver in the clutch?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Need Knies to be our “18 year old Sam Bennett” for us these playoffs.

 

[notbias]

For me it always comes back to Willy and Matthews playing well together and Marner getting the most out Tavares when they play together. For the sake of balance I've always preferred the way the Blackhawks did it by splitting Kane and Toews and how the Penguins did it with Crosby and Malkin. Sometimes balance is better. With what we have I think I'd go...

Bunting-Matthews-Nylander
Kerfoot-Tavares-Marner

Then get the band together on the powerplay.

I think splitting up Tavares/Nylander so they can drive their own line is more beneficial than giving Tavares Marner.

Matthews/Marner is arguably the best duo in the league, I'd be really hesitant to split them up, does the team actually get better or does the scoring just get spread out?

I've said this a lot and I still believe it, Nylander needs to be the guy on his line and Tavares works better with hard-working players.

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

 

[saltming]

I think Blackwell will see time on the second line. It's dubas' MO: finding that deficiency in the market. He did it with bunting and Blackwell gives me the same vibe
Bunting Matthews Marner
Blackwell Tavares Nylander (or he can play left)
Mik Kampf Engvall
Kerfoot Spezza Kase (if healthy)/Simmonds (if back)/call up

 

[PromisedLand]

Leafs have to spread out offense IMO

Bunting-Matthews-Marner (takes tough match ups)
Engvall-Kerfoot-Nylander
Mikeheyev-Tavares-Kase/Blackwell
Robertson/Blackwell-Kampf-Spezza

Rielly Brodie (top pair)
Gio Lyuebushkin
Muzzin/Sandin Liljegren/Holl

Campbell
Mrazek/Kallgren

(pray it works!)

 

[Contenderorpretender]

Lets not get carried away here. Knies could play but we are not talking about Eric Lindros here going to come out of JR and be an x factor

The fact we are kinda hoping few college kids are going to steal a spot, tells you the state of this team. That's asking too much from a kid

He's coming from college not jr. He's playing against older bigger players. Nobody is asking him to be a lindros, matthews or even a kerfoot. It's can you play your game for 9 minutes a night and be a better option than a Simmonds.

 

[Nylander88]

We need to avoid Tampa at all costs in round 1 lol.

Their 4th line of Maroon - Belmare - Perry is going to eat us alive, I can feel it.

Maybe they won't be able to catch our 4th line of Blackwell-Kerfoot-Kase lol but seriously I'm terrified but the physical games to start. Simmonds is going to have to play by default...but that's still only one guy. It's gonna be a bumpy ride lol

 

[saltming]

He's coming from college not jr. He's playing against older bigger players. Nobody is asking him to be a lindros, matthews or even a kerfoot. It's can you play your game for 9 minutes a night and be a better option than a Simmonds.

It's a big jump from NCAA hockey to the AHL, so to jump right into the NHL is extremely hard and to do it in the playoffs?
Hard odds to get there.
His current level of competition is against far less skilled players, though older, in general that jr players

 

[Contenderorpretender]

It's a big jump from NCAA hockey to the AHL, so to jump right into the NHL is extremely hard and to do it in the playoffs?
Hard odds to get there.
His current level of competition is against far less skilled players, though older, in general that jr players

Have you seen the lineup of Michigan? I'd bet they'd crush any jr. Team.

Knies went from college to the Olympics and I'd vet the competition is strobger at the Olympics than the ahl. Even though he didn't play against elite nhl players, he played against former nhl'ers and men. I don't think it's a stretch at all to think he can play under 10 minutes a game.

 

[Vaive50]

I'm happy with what Dubas did. I think a lot of teams bought pieces today, without a real chance to win it all in reality.

I think Kyle looks around and knows that this just isn't are year. If we can win a round and get over that hurdle, that's probably a small victory.

Some might think that's a loser's attitude, but I just think it's realistic. This team just needs some more tinkering, whether we like it, or not.

Of course winning only the first round sounds like it should be satisfactory enough, but when you think about it, if they win round 1 this year, it'll be against either the Bolts, Panthers or the Hurricanes (slight chance of Bruins), if they can beat one of those teams, then us Leaf fans will be expecting them to win the next round and more.

 

[666]

For me it always comes back to Willy and Matthews playing well together and Marner getting the most out Tavares when they play together. For the sake of balance I've always preferred the way the Blackhawks did it by splitting Kane and Toews and how the Penguins did it with Crosby and Malkin. Sometimes balance is better. With what we have I think I'd go...

Bunting-Matthews-Nylander
Kerfoot-Tavares-Marner

Then get the band together on the powerplay.

Not this season. Keep Nylander away from Matthews.

5v5	GF/60	GA/60	GF%
Matthews with Marner	5.12​	3.44​	59.80​
Matthews with Nylander	2.21​	3.34​	39.81​
Tavares with Marner	2.66​	3.19​	45.45​
Tavares with Nylander	3.33​	4.05​	45.07​

 

[BackPassChampions]

Let’s hope we maintain a playoff spot lol.

At the end of the day, our core guys have to come out to this playoffs with the mentality to give it absolutely everything they got.

Leave it all on the ice, show us that “KILLER INSTINCT”. Hit, score, defend, make the necessary saves, block shots, and stand up for themselves and one another at all times.

If we saw a huge mental shift from all of our core guys to be absolute fighters and fight for their lives, we would see an insanely dangerous team.

It’s up to them to lock it in.

 

[BackPassChampions]

Not this season. Keep Nylander away from Matthews.

[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD]5v5[/TD]
[TD]GF/60[/TD]
[TD]GA/60[/TD]
[TD]GF%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Matthews with Marner[/TD]

[TD]

5.12​

[/TD]

[TD]

3.44​

[/TD]

[TD]

59.80​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Matthews with Nylander[/TD]

[TD]

2.21​

[/TD]

[TD]

3.34​

[/TD]

[TD]

39.81​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tavares with Marner[/TD]

[TD]

2.66​

[/TD]

[TD]

3.19​

[/TD]

[TD]

45.45​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tavares with Nylander[/TD]

[TD]

3.33​

[/TD]

[TD]

4.05​

[/TD]

[TD]

45.07​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

What’s the sample size of games for each category though?

 

[robertmac43]

Good thing about our second line was last year Tavares didn't play and Nylander and Kerfoot weren't good in the regular season but stepped up in the playoffs.

Was coming into to say exactly this. I'm always kind of underwhelmed with Kerfoot's regular season play, but to his credit, he was great in the bubble and last year against the Habs.

 

[666]

What’s the sample size of games for each category though?

Nylander has played about 22% of his time with Matthews and Marner has played about 30% of his time with Tavares.

 

[wingman75]

Agreed on the goaltending, time will tell, but the 2nd line, though not producing, isn't a liability. They still push the play away from our net and create chances for.
I might be in the minority here but I'm thinking Blackwell will be tried I. That line too. If he has the bunting effect on that line our 1 2 3 pinch becomes very potent

Fair point... I think part of the problem is that because of how dominant the first line is, it makes everything else seem 'pathetic'. Our first line is just super elite right now. And, you are right when you say the 2nd line is still pushing the play away from our net. Maybe they throw Blackwell there, but seems too high.. our problem is that we have openings on the 2nd and 4th and nothing else... so we are going to have guys perhaps playing too high in some cases. I say give it whirl... lets see what impact it has. We have 20 games to figure some of this shit out.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Let’s hope we maintain a playoff spot lol.

At the end of the day, our core guys have to come out to this playoffs with the mentality to give it absolutely everything they got.

Leave it all on the ice, show us that “KILLER INSTINCT”. Hit, score, defend, make the necessary saves, block shots, and stand up for themselves and one another at all times.

If we saw a huge mental shift from all of our core guys to be absolute fighters and fight for their lives, we would see an insanely dangerous team.

It’s up to them to lock it in.

Gave you post a like, because what you say is true, in that "if" our top players have the mental shift that you speak of then this team is almost unbeatable.

Unfortunately, that's not who they are.

 

[McSnypsky]

Fair point... I think part of the problem is that because of how dominant the first line is, it makes everything else seem 'pathetic'. Our first line is just super elite right now. And, you are right when you say the 2nd line is still pushing the play away from our net. Maybe they throw Blackwell there, but seems too high.. our problem is that we have openings on the 2nd and 4th and nothing else... so we are going to have guys perhaps playing too high in some cases. I say give it whirl... lets see what impact it has. We have 20 games to figure some of this shit out.

Does Blackwell seem too high when we had Hyman there? Give the guy a shot it's the style of play I think they need not necessarily the talent level.