Toggle sidebar

Potential NEW Leafs Line up:

  • Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
The key for me is Keefe's comments regarding Tavares and how they want him on the wing. I think ideally they wanted this to happen before season started, they just couldnt make a deal for another centre .. until they got the O Dawg 2.0. Keefe is experimenting right now with Marner on top line and ROR on 3rd , just to mix it up to see it which I can understand. When playoffs roll around though, they are going to load those two lines since they have enough depth now in their bottom 6. And marner needs to stay with JT. I also think Knies will somehow get on the 4th line and see how he does.

Bunting - Matthews - Nylander
JT - ROR - Marner
Kerfoot - Kampf - Jancrok
Knies - Acciari - Lafferty

McCabe - Brodie (shut down)
Rielly - Schenn (balance)
Gio - Lily (balance)
 
  • Like
Reactions: HolyCrap
If we drop O'Reilly to 3C for more balance I'd like to see Bunting with Marner as he's virtually the only LW that can put the puck in the net. Jarnkrok see's an uptick in offence in the top 6 but I want a better shooter playing with our biggest weapon, Marner. Neither Kerfoot or Jarnkrok are ideal in the top 6. The LW playing with Matthews and Nylander doesn't need to be a shooter because both Nylander and Matthews are capable of 40 and 60 goals, so a playmaker or puck retriever would be ideal.

XXXXX-Matthews-Nylander
Bunting-Tavares-Marner
Kerfoot-O'Reilly-Jarnkrok
Lafferty-Kampf-Acciari


That leaves a gaping hole at 1 LW. We know Lafferty, Accarai, Kampf, Kerfoot, Jarnkrok are bottom 6 players. I wouldn't mind giving McMann or Steeves a chance up top with Matthews-Nylander. Maybe one of them plays at a 50 point pace. Miraculous things can happen when certain players click and you play with the some of the most elite talent in the game.

XXXX = McMann, Steeves, Knies, next year Robertson.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RunItBackAgain
I don't know what's up with Matthews but something isn't right, his shots went in last year, this year not so much.

I think TO needs a dominate line, a line that can be relied on to score/to puck possess so I think TO should put it's 3 best forwards together and we should get to see the magic.

Nylander/JT or AM/Mitch
JT or AM/O'Rielly/ Bunting

The other 2 lines shouldn't matter, these are the lines that will enable TO to progress, some nights none of TO's top 2 lines are particularly effective.
 
hotpaws said:

Mike Stephens
@mikeystephens81
·
Follow
Leafs added Ryan O’Reilly, Sam Lafferty, Noel Acciari, Jake McCabe, Luke Schenn, and Erik Gustafsson without sacrificing a top prospect. They also somehow recouped a 2023 first. That’s a phenomenal deadline no matter how you slice it.
5:51 PM · Mar 3, 2023 from Toronto, Ontario
https://twitter.com/intent/like?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1631789393336758273|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=&tweet_id=1631789393336758273


Dubie has his boys really working hard pimping him , lol .

''omg , somehow Dubas managed to recoup a 1st'' , it's like a mystery wrapped in a riddle how he acquired a 1st , lol

it's still cup or bust , if we get knocked out early or even late Leaf nation isn't going to give a damn about Dubie trading for ROR and a bunch of depth players
Click to expand...
You might not give a damn, but some of us will appreciate the effort. Each year, only one team wins the Cup and a bunch of very good teams lose. That’s the reality.
 
Cleetus said:
what do you think the percentage is of Knies playing for us this season?
Click to expand...
100%. When he signs, the NHL is the only place he can play. And with the Leafs having 12 forwards and locked into playing TB, he will get ice time in the regular season, if only to load manage forwards who may be dinged up heading into the playoffs.

There is this.....

https://thehockeynews.com/news/real...knies-is-an-nhl-player-playing-college-hockey

It's not only Leaf fans who think he's the real deal. The Hockey News has him ranked 18th out of all prospects from all 32 NHL teams.

Ideally, this is my lineup if Knies shows he can play reliable 2 way hockey. Might even be tempted to flip Kerfoot and Knies.....

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Kerfoot - Tavares - Nylander
Knies - ROR - Jarnkrok
Lafferty - Kampf - Acciari
ZAR
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cleetus
kb said:
100%. When he signs, the NHL is the only place he can play. And with the Leafs having 12 forwards and locked into playing TB, he will get ice time in the regular season, if only to load manage forwards who may be dinged up heading into the playoffs.

There is this.....

https://thehockeynews.com/news/real...knies-is-an-nhl-player-playing-college-hockey

It's not only Leaf fans who think he's the real deal. The Hockey News has him ranked 18th out of all prospects from all 32 NHL teams.

Ideally, this is my lineup if Knies shows he can play reliable 2 way hockey. Might even be tempted to flip Kerfoot and Knies.....

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Kerfoot - Tavares - Nylander
Knies - ROR - Jarnkrok
Lafferty - Kampf - Acciari
ZAR
Click to expand...
This is probably the best and most balanced lineup we can put out for the playoffs.

First line is very good. Ideally Kerfoot wouldn't be the 2LW, which points out the one failure Dubas had this trade deadline, but he does possess speed which helps Tavares, gets in on the forecheck, and Nylander is elite at zone entries. That's a very good 2nd line.

If Knies can tranlate his college play to the NHL, the 3rd line is a good place for him to start next to a former Selke winner who will take him under his wing. Great 3rd line in my opinion.

That is a perfect 4th line with enough grit and speed to cave in other team's fourth line. I'd venture one of the top 4th lines in the league.
 
rojac said:
You might not give a damn, but some of us will appreciate the effort. Each year, only one team wins the Cup and a bunch of very good teams lose. That’s the reality.
Click to expand...
can you help Mike Stephens figure out how Dubas recouped a 1st ? this is going to gnaw at him until we help him solve this mystery
 
Last edited:
Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Jarnkrok - Tavares - Nylander
Kerfoot - ROR - Acciari
McMann - Kampf - Lafferty
ZAR

McCabe - Brodie
Rielly - Liljegren
Giordano - Holl
Gustafsson - Schenn

This would be my top lineup when healthy I think. Seems rather simple. Rotate the bottom 4/5 D and make sure everyone gets some game time in the stretch. Holl and Schenn to me are interchangeable.

I really like Jarnkroks game and I feel like he was very good with Tavares and Nylander. Replace McMann with Holmberg if needed. If/when Knies signs, we'll see how the lineup looks. I can see Knies with ROR and Acciari and Kerfoot dropping back with Kampf and Lafferty.
 
Bunting - Matthew’s - Marner
Jarnkrok - Tavares - Nylander
Kerfoot- O’Reilly- Lafferty
Kampf- Accari - Ashton-Reese
Knies/mcmann

McCabe-Schenn
Rielly-Brodie
Gio-Holl
Gustafson/Lilly

Murray
Samsonov
 
There is likely going to be a lot of experimenting in the next few weeks. I feel like McMann should be given a shot at 2LW after his recent scoring explosion in the AHL
 
Bunting - Matthews - Marner = Number one all matchup line.
Jarnkork - Tavares - Nylander = Shelter a tiny bit, give more Ozone starts.
Kerfoot - O'Reilly - Lafferty = Lots of Dzone starts, should still be solid offensively.
McMann - Kampf - Accari = Dzone, energy/cycle line.

Only problem with the forwards is that we really could have used another top 6 LW. That would bump Jarnkrok down to the 3rd line, and give it a lot more scoring punch as well. Knies can start on the 4th line perhaps, will see how he looks.

McCabe - Brodie = Shutdown/matchup pair
Rielly - Schenn = Don't love this pair, but gives Rielly a babysitter. Schenn played well with Hughes last year.
Gio - Lily = Should be able to dominate 3rd pairing minutes, solid transition and D pair.
Wouldn't be opposed to Holl being in the lineup over Schenn. Would then play Lily with Rielly, and Holl with Gio.
Gus only plays with an injury I think.

Sammy
Murray

Pray goalies are good. :)

All in all as balanced a team as we have had in recent years. Still need another forward, but it is what it is. It will be up to Matthews and Marner to carry us. Marner seems to have found another level lately, crazy good. Hopefully Matthews has a better postseason than regular season though, or we likely are stating at another 1st round exit.

LFG!

SprDaVE said:
Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Jarnkrok - Tavares - Nylander
Kerfoot - ROR - Acciari
McMann - Kampf - Lafferty
ZAR

McCabe - Brodie
Rielly - Liljegren
Giordano - Holl
Gustafsson - Schenn

This would be my top lineup when healthy I think. Seems rather simple. Rotate the bottom 4/5 D and make sure everyone gets some game time in the stretch. Holl and Schenn to me are interchangeable.

I really like Jarnkroks game and I feel like he was very good with Tavares and Nylander. Replace McMann with Holmberg if needed. If/when Knies signs, we'll see how the lineup looks. I can see Knies with ROR and Acciari and Kerfoot dropping back with Kampf and Lafferty.
Click to expand...
Yes I really like this lineup as well. That is what I would do, except maybe swap Acciari and Lafferty, which doesn't matter too much. Would agree with your D pairings if we are playing Holl over Schenn, if not, I would have Lily with Gio, and Schenn with Holl. I tend to agree that Holl/Schenn is quite similiar though. Curious to see how it shakes out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: weems and SprDaVE
Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Jarnkrok - Tavares - Nylander
McMann - O’Reilly - Kerfoot
Acciari - Kampf - Lafferty

McCabe - Brodie
Rielly - Schenn
Giordano - Liljegren
 
Face Of Bear said:
I can assure you I am not Justin Holl. Schenn, Gustafson and McCabe are all depth defenders who may not play every game.
Click to expand...
This is still my favorite post of the trade deadline and I can't stop laughing about it.

Screenshot 2023-02-28 200457.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: leafsfan5, Phion Keneuf and Magic Man
Sypher04 said:
McMann is not an NHLer today.
Click to expand...
My thought process is that McMann has more of a shooters mentality and has been playing really well in the AHL since being sent back down. With O’Reilly and Kerfoot on the same line, you’d want someone who can shoot the puck.

I’d like to see him given a couple games there. Maybe he does well, maybe he doesn’t… Regardless it’s basically an open spot for Knies when he signs.
 
Forwards

Now:

Bunting Matthews Marner
Jarnkrok Tavares Nylander
Kerfoot ROR Acciari
ZAR Kampf Lafferty

When U. Minnesota season is over:

Bunting Matthews Marner
Jarnkrok Tavares Nylander
Knies ROR Kerfoot
ZAR/Lafferty Kampf Acciari

Playoffs - if Knies shows he can provide offence on the 3rd line:

Bunting Matthews Marner
Jarnkrok Tavares Nylander
Knies ROR Kerfoot
ZAR/Lafferty Kampf Acciari

Playoffs - if Knies isn't providing offence but looks like a good energy player

Bunting Matthews Marner
Jarnkrok Tavares Nylander
Kerfoot ROR Acciari
ZAR/Knies Kampf Lafferty

Defence (with minutes)

McCabe (22) Brodie (24)
Rielly (22) Schenn (16)
Giordano (16) Liljegren (20)
X: Gustafsson, Holl

Notes:

- I have zero confidence in a 3rd line of Kerfoot - Kampf - Jarnkrok being able to score, so I'd like to see O'Reilly on the 3rd to stimulate it
- Jarnkrok has only been productive with Tavares so lets keep him there
- Acciari is a much better player than Lafferty and should be higher in the lineup. He is a better scoring option
- I would absolutely love to see Knies make an impact in the playoffs. His speed and size could be a great spark for the team
- Start by sheltering Schenn and giving Rielly reps with Liljegren and Brodie throughout the game
- If Schenn is a liability, you have Holl as a capable #6 despite the hatred we have for him
- Gustafsson is a great option if offence is dry. He could come in for Schenn or roll 11F/7D with Laffery/ZAR/Knies coming out
 
Sypher04 said:
McMann is not an NHLer today.
Click to expand...
I think they could try McMann again before the end of the season and if he can produce he puts himself in the mix.

But, with Knies coming in and Holmberg already there (He isn't being given much chance in here despite having potentially the best case). There are a few (Knies, Holmberg and ZAR) who are ahead of him on the depth chart right now.
 
Last edited:
GAME ONE

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Jarnkrok* - Tavares - Nylander
Knies* - - O’Rielly - - Lafferty’
Kerfoot - - Kampf - - Acciari’

McCabe - Brodie
Rielly - - Schenn
Giordano - Liljegren
 
  • Like
Reactions: RunItBackAgain
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom