Playoff Roster

[The Podium]

Sure 16-18 works fine for me. Having 2 of your defenders playing 16-18 a night means your other 4 defenders are playing 21+ Minutes a night, which is the average time on ice for 3 of our top 4;

Brodie: 21:33
Giordano: 21:29
Muzzin: 21:00

So it’s not a break for a majority of the top 4, it’s their normal usage. No material change.

But that’s not what you said, you said playing 6 D will keep the fresh every night;

I meant relative to league average where #1 guys are playing 24-27 minutes a night.

 

[Avilaj07]

Considering our 4th line has been a non-factor all year, I would love to just sign Knies and Abruzzese and roll these lines in the playoffs,

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

Rielly-Liljegren
Giordano-Brodie
Muzzin-Sandin
Holl/Lyubushkin

 

[phillipmike]

I meant relative to league average where #1 guys are playing 24-27 minutes a night.

That’s fair. But for me, I don’t mind dialing Rielly’s usage back if we were playing well or had good goaltending. We may need his 24+ minutes a night now to get good positioning in the RS and even more from him the playoffs.

I like the Gio add in terms of value and who he is. I’m just not crazy about the fit. Now that could change after a few weeks of games. Maybe the fit is perfect but I feel it may come at the expense somewhere else.

 

[The Podium]

Considering our 4th line has been a non-factor all year, I would love to just sign Knies and Abruzzese and roll these lines in the playoffs,

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

Rielly-Liljegren
Giordano-Brodie
Muzzin-Sandin
Holl/Lyubushkin

Don’t break up the Mikheyev - Kampf - Engvall line

Blackwell - Kerfoot - Kase might work as an energy line that can chip in offensively

 

[Avilaj07]

Don’t break up the Mikheyev - Kampf - Engvall line

Blackwell - Kerfoot - Kase might work as an energy line that can chip in offensively

While I love that current third line, I think Blackwell can bring the same, if not more then Engvall, and he has some edge to his game which is much needed.

 

[Coachcorner]

Really adds to the discussion. Hurt your feelings so much for daring to question the Leafs for level 10 sarcasm. Boo hoo.

No sire. I,m like this IN REAL LIFE. Check my posting history. I'm bout the life, the thug life. We all bout that. Gettting and all. You have made good points here and this is a good discussion. I'm happy bout some dubas moves as well. Entertaining playoffs coming up sire What team do you favour / invest?

 

[Nylander88]

One way or another. One of my favourite parts about this day being over, is getting fully behind all of my boys. For better or worse. I wish we got tougher, yes. But this is the squad. There's no more "Engvall shouldnt be in the lineup, Kerfoot should be traded etc". We all have our own ideas on who should be in or out, or what we shoulda/coulda done differently. But this is it. This is our squad now whether we like it or not. Hopefully our boys just stick up for one another. We have a big solid blueline now when healthy. Engvall and Mikheyev will have to use their size when things ramp up. Kerfoot and Kase will have to be relentless and take a beating without being scared to give a facewash or a hack back. Blackwell will hopefully bring us that Bunting energy of just not going away whether you like it or not. Get all the way behind Campbell if you weren't already, because help isn't on the way. Backs against the wall, the answer has to be within the room. GLG

 

[Buds17]

I'm optimistic that there's enough depth on that blueline to weather any injury storms this time around, and it will be quite deep if health ever fully permits as much. The forward group appears to be solid as well. The biggest question looks to remain unchanged from what it's been for some time now. Have to hope that it can somehow revert back to its previous form.

 

[The Podium]

That’s fair. But for me, I don’t mind dialing Rielly’s usage back if we were playing well or had good goaltending. We may need his 24+ minutes a night now to get good positioning in the RS and even more from him the playoffs.

I like the Gio add in terms of value and who he is. I’m just not crazy about the fit. Now that could change after a few weeks of games. Maybe the fit is perfect but I feel it may come at the expense somewhere else.

Big picture, Reilly will get his minutes on the PP or while trailing late. But having 3 strong pairings that can be put in any situation 5v5 is a huge advantage. They’ll never have to worry about a pair being mismatched against top lines since they are all capable of shutting down any top line.

This may be the best D the Leafs have had in 20 years.

 

[Captain Crunch]

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

Pastrnak is on a line with Taylor Hall, and was doing fine. Matthews will score with just about anybody he plays with. Or at least it would be worth a try, especially if Keefe would stick to it for more than a period. And Tavares is definitely better with Marner. Would we not be a much more dangerous team with two potent lines? I certainly think so.

 

[Duffman955]

The defense looks pretty dam good if Muzzin is healthy.

Rielly - Lyubushkin
Giordano - Brodie
Muzzin - Liljegren
Holl

Excellent even. Great puck movement, got some decent size, steady defender on each pair.

The forward group is way too soft and will get worn down in playoffs.
- 1st line is the best line in NHL
- 2nd line is a disaster
- 3rd line provides 0 offense.
- 4th line got 0 toughness
I would honestly throw the bottom 3 lines in a blender and see what works. Throw in some Marlies too.

Goaltending... disgusting. Not going to comment more.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Pastrnak is on a line with Taylor Hall, and was doing fine. Matthews will score with just about anybody he plays with. Or at least it would be worth a try, especially if Keefe would stick to it for more than a period. And Tavares is definitely better with Marner. Would we not be a much more dangerous team with two potent lines? I certainly think so.

We are talking about when Boston was a relevant team, not now.

 

[The Podium]

The defense looks pretty dam good if Muzzin is healthy.

Rielly - Lyubushkin
Giordano - Brodie
Muzzin - Liljegren
Holl

Excellent even. Great puck movement, got some decent size, steady defender on each pair.

The forward group is way too soft and will get worn down in playoffs.
- 1st line is the best line in NHL
- 2nd line is a disaster
- 3rd line provides 0 offense.
- 4th line got 0 toughness
I would honestly throw the bottom 3 lines in a blender and see what works. Throw in some Marlies too.

Goaltending... disgusting. Not going to comment more.

The 3rd line is one of the best shutdown lines in the league and has 2 30 point and 1 40 point player. What more do you want?

2nd and 4th line need some blending and then a prayer that Campbell comes back to early season form.

 

[Duffman955]

The 3rd line is one of the best shutdown lines in the league and has 2 30 point and 1 40 point player. What more do you want?

2nd and 4th line need some blending and then a prayer that Campbell comes back to early season form.

Kase is a career high 27 points, and is likely to be injured for rest of year or be immediately injured when forechecking increases in the playoffs.

Kampf is a career high 21 points

Actually, none of them have actually hit 30 points in an NHL season.

 

[Nylanderthal]

It's a business. I'm sure the meeting between player, coach, and GM was clear cut that it hasn't been good enough. Hence Dubas said in his interview the Mrazek has a confidence in himself that he'll regain it, implying it hasn't been up to snuff. You think the GM comes out and tells it to the media like it was said behind closed doors? Nobody would want to be here. He's protecting his players in the media the best way he can. Doesn't make him disingenuous.

It’s such a bizzare take. Every indication is guys love playing here and for him.

 

[Captain Crunch]

We are talking about when Boston was a relevant team, not now.

They aren’t very far behind us in the standings, so what does that say about us then?

 

[Nylanderthal]

Big picture, Reilly will get his minutes on the PP or while trailing late. But having 3 strong pairings that can be put in any situation 5v5 is a huge advantage. They’ll never have to worry about a pair being mismatched against top lines since they are all capable of shutting down any top line.

This may be the best D the Leafs have had in 20 years.

This is huge for me, any one of the rielly-boosh Gio-Brodie Muzz-Holl pairings can be out there against the opponents best. The game becomes much easier to play when you’re less concerned about being the right “matchup”
I feel the same way up front and why I want to see Keefe spread out the offensive fire power better. Keep the kampf line together but split kerf/Willy and JT up to try and get favourable matchups the opposition’s chasing. There’s enough skill on this team it should be the opponents priority to get their matchups not the other way around.

 

[A1LeafNation]

They aren’t very far behind us in the standings, so what does that say about us then?

It says we will live and die by our goalies.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I like the defense. Probably the best version they have put together so far.

Rielly-Bush
Gio-Brodie
Muzzin-Sandin/Liljegren/Holl

This group has the experience, physicality, depth, and offensive skill to make things happen in a playoff series. I think they will hold up well against anyone.

The forwards are great on paper too and have enough skill to get the job done. It's more about performing under duress and finishing their chances.

Unfortunately, they have to hope Campbell shows up or it probably doesn't matter who is in front of him.

 

[Captain Crunch]

It says we will live and die by our goalies.

Hopefully Jack can at least come close to where he was before Christmas.

 

[Squiffy]

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

It’s not even a sent down thing, going on waivers doesn’t equal sent to minors. It’s a condition (unless exempt) of being able to be loaned to the A but Mrazek didn’t leave the Leafs.

Good news is if they do need to do any cap gymnastics for any hypothetical college guys he can be loaned instantly for 30 days of cumulatively being on the NHL roster. We might see the Leafs sending him down on paper on off days here for the cap savings, minimal as it is. Frankly I don’t see why not, unless they are positive they don’t need $250000 roughly of space.

 

[Nylanderthal]

Hopefully Jack can at least come close to where he was before Christmas.

Without reasonable goaltending no teams going anywhere in the post season. Aside from the teams with the top guys you know can be relied on (Tampa, rangers, Calgary maybe Nashville) everyone’s looking for that string of good play and good fortune.

 

[Nylanderthal]

I like the defense. Probably the best version they have put together so far.

Rielly-Bush
Gio-Brodie
Muzzin-Sandin/Liljegren/Holl

This group has the experience, physicality, depth, and offensive skill to make things happen in a playoff series. I think they will hold up well against anyone.

The forwards are great on paper too and have enough skill to get the job done. It's more about performing under duress and finishing their chances.

Unfortunately, they have to hope Campbell shows up or it probably doesn't matter who is in front of him.

Unless you’re the rangers bolts flames or maybe the preds this is the case for each of the other twelve playoff teams too.

 

[RunItBackAgain]

Kase is a career high 27 points, and is likely to be injured for rest of year or be immediately injured when forechecking increases in the playoffs.

Kampf is a career high 21 points

Actually, none of them have actually hit 30 points in an NHL season.

Kase has a 38 point season and is on pace for a 40+ season this year.

Kampf is pacing for 29 and Mikheyev is pacing for a 40+ season this year in a full season too. Engvall will also hit 30+.

Everything you said is wrong.

 

[Enniskillen]

Not a single player has any playoff success except concussed Muzzy. Third line will get eaten alive and opponents will feast on some giraffe meat. Thanks Dubas for excellent team construction. Anyway, I will believe in a miracle and core showing up. Not too optimistic though.