Playoff Roster

[HolyCrap]

Just admit you have no idea what you’re talking about man. You faked inside knowledge (yet again) and stepped in it. Just own it

I don’t know who your are quoting but I bet I can guess. Lol.

 

[LeafGrief]

If I am being objective, I am oddly more optimistic than most this upcoming post season even as the competition is fierce.

The reason? I've seen over the last two weeks Marner throw checks and flatten players in open ice, Matthews do the same, Tavares throw SEVEN in one night. I'm seeing a more comfortable team in the face of physical play. A team that can dish it out as well. THIS will be how they are succeed. Conviction.

The addition of the Russian Bear, competitive Giordano, with Muzzin hopefully returning, a potential rat pickup in Blackwell who can produce energy and bring some fresh looks in this lineup.

No team was ever going to be an easy mark in the playoffs . The Leafs D top to bottom is as good as any in the league now and our top 5 or 6 forwards just as well.

They need to look at some of the wins this year, especially some over the last two weeks and replicate it. Throw checks, play two way hockey and don't back down.

I am far more optimistic today than before this season began and Hyman and Bogosian walked. The season began with far more uncertainties than today and even through a bad stretch, Leafs are still a top 5 or 6 team.

This Leafs team has beaten Tampa Bay, Boston, Carolina, Colorado, Vegas, Calgary, Rangers this season.

Yes, the playoffs are a different beast, but this team has shown it can play a harder more stifling game. So, just do so when the big chips are in the middle. I look for Matthews to lead by example and the defense to hunker down and play with a mission. 20 Games to go.

They've shown real flashes of being a top team with the conviction to win it all. They've also shown plenty of that old Leafs collapse still runs in their veins. This team has got more than enough skill, they just need the will. The good thing about willpower is that sometimes it shows up when the time is right. If these guys really find their guts, they could go all the way.

Will they find their guts? We shall see!

 

[SoftDumpNtheCorner88]

What's can't we call up Curtis Douglas on our 4th line and give him a look.

The guys a monster in the A and beats up everyone he drops the gloves with. Also I hear he isn't that bad at hockey either with a .5 ppg and the AHL playing with other grinders...

Have him on the 4th line to police things.. adding Gio makes us abit tougher in the backend but not by much... Considering the rosters other teams are putting together, we are the softest... Try out a crusher and see how he keeps up.

 

[Griffin76]

Was that the 'space jam' reference?
Wouldn't it have been easier to just explain yourself instead of getting upset?

In the movie Space Jam NBA players had their basketball talents stolen by aliens. Zapped them of every skill they had.

 

[ACC1224]

In the movie Space Jam NBA players had their basketball talents stolen by aliens. Zapped them of every skill they had.

Thank you

 

[SeaOfBlue]

No, it's not certain. Possible, yes... so is Campbell finding his form again, ya the form that had him in discussions for the Vezina at one point.

Even Mrazek is going to bounce back. His 2021 was pretty much a write-off, only playing in 3 games that were like weeks apart from each other and suffering injuries. Didn't do well in any of them as you could probably guess.

In 2022, it is a different story though. .911 in his first 6 2022 games. A little bit rocky in some but there were some games where he came in and bailed out Campbell.

Then there was that really bad MTL effort. He didn't have a great game, but that was awful from the Leafs too. However, followed that up with an amazing game against MIN and a solid game against WSH. Both games he won. He also bailed out Campbell in that tirefire DET game (even though he gave up 2 goals on 8 shots, he made some huge saves and came in ice cold). Even with that terrible MTL game and the DET game in there, he still was above .900 in his first 10 appearances in 2022. Undoubtably inconsistent, and even marred a little bit by some of the performances in front of him, but significantly better than Campbell in that stretch of games and promising if he had a chance to get into a little bit more of a rhythm.

It was the last 4 games (2 games against BUF, one against CBJ, and one against ARI) where it has dropped him down a lot. 17 goals in 4 games and an .853 save percentage. Obviously not pretty. The first BUF game was a lot like the MTL game. We sucked. The others were more on him.

I said it for weeks; he is going to bounce back. It is a matter of when more than if, and whether it will be enough regardless.

 

[Griffin76]

Thank you

You're welcome.

 

[Damisoph]

They tried to get Fleury and struck out ... can anyone truly say the other goalies out there would have been an improvement over Campbell?? Call me crazy but I'd have no more confidence in Reimer or Holtby or Varlamov.

 

[Nylanderthal]

If I'm not mistaken the cap vanishes in the playoffs. If Campbell goes down, they likely bet it all on a Mrazek call-up

Mrazek is already re-called. Dubie said on OD they sent him down exclusively to create cap room for a big move today if it materialized

 

[riffle]

I hate that 3rd line and feel its gonna get eaten alive in the playoffs. You already have Engvall and Mikheyev who have combined for like 1 point in 15 playoff games. At some point were gonna need those guys to chip in, and I dont think they will. I hope I'm wrong.

When you look at Tampas back to back wins, their 3rd line was crucial for when the top lines negated eachother. Mikheyev has played a lot better this season but he can't go 0/7 on break always in the playoffs, he needs to bury those

If all 7 are against Vasilevskiy, I'll take Vasilevskiy to shut him out. Sadly, the reverse for a 3rd liner would not be 0-7 against Jack, Petr, or Erik.

 

[riffle]

Mrazek is already re-called. Dubie said on OD they sent him down exclusively to create cap room for a big move today if it materialized

To me, that's GM speak. He, like most of us, were praying someone would claim him. The fan base was more upset that he didn't get claimed than they were Sateri did, although both were disappointing.

This is where I find Kyle disingenuous and I wonder how it plays with players. Mrazek knows he wasn't just sent down for cap space purposes even though that's what he was told. He knows because of his play he's persona non grata and Kyle was crushed to see him not get claimed. Curious what effect that has on him. When the Canes didn't want him he came here and has been awful. Now, he has to stay here knowing he's not wanted. It can't get worse, can it?

 

[Captain Crunch]

Tavares and Nylander need to step the fk up.

Or maybe Matthews and Marner could allow to be put on different lines for the betterment of the team.

 

[Duffman955]

I'd like to see some Marlies get a shot before playoffs to see who does well

Anderson, Steeves, Douglas etc.

Try them out

 

[Sypher04]

To me, that's GM speak. He, like most of us, were praying someone would claim him. The fan base was more upset that he didn't get claimed than they were Sateri did, although both were disappointing.

This is where I find Kyle disingenuous and I wonder how it plays with players. Mrazek knows he wasn't just sent down for cap space purposes even though that's what he was told. He knows because of his play he's persona non grata and Kyle was crushed to see him not get claimed. Curious what effect that has on him. When the Canes didn't want him he came here and has been awful. Now, he has to stay here knowing he's not wanted. It can't get worse, can it?

I think you’re making a bigger deal of this than necessary. Petr Mrazek is a pro, who has been around the league a long time. He understands what today was, and he no doubt is fully aware of how far below expectations his season has been so far. Even if Dubas had hoped he would get claimed, doesn’t really make it disingenuous to say he was placed on waivers for cap flexibility to make a deal today. That’s just obvious frankly

 

[LeafGrief]

Even Mrazek is going to bounce back. His 2021 was pretty much a write-off, only playing in 3 games that were like weeks apart from each other and suffering injuries. Didn't do well in any of them as you could probably guess.

In 2022, it is a different story though. .911 in his first 6 2022 games. A little bit rocky in some but there were some games where he came in and bailed out Campbell.

Then there was that really bad MTL effort. He didn't have a great game, but that was awful from the Leafs too. However, followed that up with an amazing game against MIN and a solid game against WSH. Both games he won. He also bailed out Campbell in that tirefire DET game (even though he gave up 2 goals on 8 shots, he made some huge saves and came in ice cold). Even with that terrible MTL game and the DET game in there, he still was above .900 in his first 10 appearances in 2022. Undoubtably inconsistent, and even marred a little bit by some of the performances in front of him, but significantly better than Campbell in that stretch of games and promising if he had a chance to get into a little bit more of a rhythm.

It was the last 4 games (2 games against BUF, one against CBJ, and one against ARI) where it has dropped him down a lot. 17 goals in 4 games and an .853 save percentage. Obviously not pretty. The first BUF game was a lot like the MTL game. We sucked. The others were more on him.

I said it for weeks; he is going to bounce back. It is a matter of when more than if, and whether it will be enough regardless.

We only need one of Campbell or Mrazek to bounce back. Campbell looked like a great goalie for a moment there, and Mrazek has been a solid goalie in the league for a long time. Throw in the wildcard of Kallgren or Woll being a Binnington, you add up to an okay chance of having one goalie who can at least not suck in the playoffs.

Nothing will change the fact that Mrazek's last few starts were heinously bad. Toskala, Hutchinson, and Sparks bad. But all we need is one guy, and we're due some luck at some point. One of them will bounce back, let's go.

 

[crump]

just to mix things up a bit.

Bunting - Matthews - Marner - can't break up our best line
Nylander.- Tavares - Blackwell - Maybe Knies if he can think the game at this level
Kase. Kerfoot. Mikheyev speed and more finish from Kerfoot (assuming Kase will be back)
Engvall - Kampf - Spezza - Can still play a shutdown role.

 

[BTP]

I don’t know man, I think the fact that Dubas didn’t really beef up this forward group by trading away any 1sts means he doesn’t really have faith in us doing anything in the playoffs.

Our 1st round opponent won back to back cups and added a gritty 30 goal scorer.

We’re f***ed. Hope I’m wrong

 

[A1LeafNation]

Or maybe Matthews and Marner could allow to be put on different lines for the betterment of the team.

Bunting Matthews and Marner have been one of the best lines in the league.

You would be crazy to mess with that. It's equivalent to tinkering with Marchand Bergeron Pastrnak or Landeskog MacKinnon Rantanen

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

Bunting Matthews Marner
Kerfoot Tavares Nylander
Engvall Kampf Mikheyev
________ ______ Kase

Spezza Robertson Simmonds Blackwell Clifford

Rielly Bush
Giordano Brodie
Muzzin Holl
Sandin Liljegren

Campbell
Mrazek
Kallgren
Woll

Still need to figure out our 4th line.

lol, its obv. spezza and blackwell.

 

[Fogelhund]

When is Knies eligible to join the Team?

I would think after Frozen Four tourny. That's finishing April 9th

He should be eligible, as soon as his team is eliminated. That could be as soon as this weekend, as they have two games

 

[Fogelhund]

What's can't we call up Curtis Douglas on our 4th line and give him a look.

The guys a monster in the A and beats up everyone he drops the gloves with. Also I hear he isn't that bad at hockey either with a .5 ppg and the AHL playing with other grinders...

Have him on the 4th line to police things.. adding Gio makes us abit tougher in the backend but not by much... Considering the rosters other teams are putting together, we are the softest... Try out a crusher and see how he keeps up.

He doesn't have a NHL contract as of yet, and it's probable that the remaining two contract spaces, will be used by Abruzzese and Knies (If they choose to sign). I really like Douglas, but I'm not sure he's quite NHL ready yet... give him a shot next year though, and in particular work on his skating this off season... which isn't bad for his size, but it could be better.

 

[Fogelhund]

Even Mrazek is going to bounce back. His 2021 was pretty much a write-off, only playing in 3 games that were like weeks apart from each other and suffering injuries. Didn't do well in any of them as you could probably guess.

In 2022, it is a different story though. .911 in his first 6 2022 games. A little bit rocky in some but there were some games where he came in and bailed out Campbell.

Then there was that really bad MTL effort. He didn't have a great game, but that was awful from the Leafs too. However, followed that up with an amazing game against MIN and a solid game against WSH. Both games he won. He also bailed out Campbell in that tirefire DET game (even though he gave up 2 goals on 8 shots, he made some huge saves and came in ice cold). Even with that terrible MTL game and the DET game in there, he still was above .900 in his first 10 appearances in 2022. Undoubtably inconsistent, and even marred a little bit by some of the performances in front of him, but significantly better than Campbell in that stretch of games and promising if he had a chance to get into a little bit more of a rhythm.

It was the last 4 games (2 games against BUF, one against CBJ, and one against ARI) where it has dropped him down a lot. 17 goals in 4 games and an .853 save percentage. Obviously not pretty. The first BUF game was a lot like the MTL game. We sucked. The others were more on him.

I said it for weeks; he is going to bounce back. It is a matter of when more than if, and whether it will be enough regardless.

As long as one of them does.

Also, let's keep in mind that we are going to add TWO top four D, come playoffs. Adding Giordano, AND a healthy Muzzin, is going to make a huge difference on our defensive game, and this cannot be understated. Muzzin was OUR main defensive guy, and since the start of the season, we've added Lyubushkin AND Giordano, plus Liljegren is getting some experience now too. I expect Muzzin and Liljegren to be quite good together, while Bush/Rielly have been decent, and we know Giordano and Brodie have chemistry. This much stronger D core, is going to make the world of difference for our goalies.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

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

Rielly - Lybushkin
Giordanon - Brodie
Muzzin - - - Holl

 

[McSnypsky]

On Kyper and Bourne Dubas really mentioned Lilly a lot when talking about the defense.

 

[The Podium]

This is the year the Leafs go deep

People are afraid of other teams loading up, the Leafs didn’t have to!

We’re going to WIN IT ALL BABY!