Line Combos: Should the Leafs Stack the Top 6 in the Playoffs? **Poll Included**

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Just have to laugh at the “fans” who want to spread out the talent across three lines like they’re playing an NHL ‘25 video game.

The top two lines will play somewhere between 40mins and 45mins in the playoffs. The 3rd and 4th lines will split the remaining 15mins to 20mins.

Why would anyone with even the slightest understanding of hockey want to have Marner or Nylander only playing 10mins to 12mins on the 3rd line?

It absolutely defies logic.

Fans not fanning the way other fans think they should fan.

Not sure why you have the word fans in quotes. My interpretation is that you are implying fans who don't agree with you and want to split the talent up aren't real fans. I didn't realize a requirement to be a fan of the team meant being knowledgeable about the game.

Agreeing with you certaintly isn't.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Just have to laugh at the “fans” who want to spread out the talent across three lines like they’re playing an NHL ‘25 video game.

The top two lines will play somewhere between 40mins and 45mins in the playoffs. The 3rd and 4th lines will split the remaining 15mins to 20mins.

Why would anyone with even the slightest understanding of hockey want to have Marner or Nylander only playing 10mins to 12mins on the 3rd line?

It absolutely defies logic.

I agree with not playing Marner and Nylander on the 3rd. Fully completely.

You never miss an opportunity to shit on the fanbase. You never miss. "Fans". Once again, you are the only true fan. All knowing and omnipotent.

 

[Donnie740]

I agree with not playing Marner and Nylander on the 3rd. Fully completely.

You never miss an opportunity to shit on the fanbase. You never miss. "Fans". Once again, you are the only true fan. All knowing and omnipotent.

Why do you suppose the Leafs are the most hated NHL franchise? It’s because the fan base is so delusional and clueless.

Even a hockey neophyte should understand that it makes sense to have your best players on the ice as much as possible.

 

[Puckstuff]

Why do you suppose the Leafs are the most hated NHL franchise? It’s because the fan base is so delusional and clueless.

Even a hockey neophyte should understand that it makes sense to have your best players on the ice as much as possible.

What a terrible take. The irony of you calling others clueless is unreal.

They could put Marner on the third line and he’d still be among the team leaders in ice time—thanks to power play, penalty kill, 6-on-5, and extra shifts with the top six. Try thinking it through next time bud.

 

[mydnyte]

I'd like to see this get a game or 2...
Laughton – Matthews – Marner
McMann – Tavares – Nylander
Knies - Domi - Jarnkrok
Lorentz - Kampf/Holmberg - Robertson

Laughton on the 1st is better 'protection' than Knies and Knies could help when that 3rd line gets penned in the defensive zone more than Laughton
I also really like Robertson on the 4th, as an offensive threat and would move Jarnkrok into his spot on the 3rd

 

[The Shadow]

They always have goal scoring issues in the playoffs. So why not stack the top 6 and as long as the bottom 6 isn’t an issue defensively they can be successful

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Answer depends on opponent, game score, home/away etc .. but we need to have 3 lines who can play 2-way hockey with legit goal threat at various points in time .. we were all hoping Scott Laughton could bring us 3 lines but right now I am not sure we can hang with a healthy Florida with 3 lines

 

[Puckstuff]

Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - Domi - Nylander
Laughton - Tavares - Jarnkrok
Lorentz - Holmberg - Pacioretty

Or

Knies - Matthews - Domi
Laughton - Tavares - Marner
McMann - Holmberg - Nylander

 

[hamzarocks]

This is exactly what it will be. If Patch stays healthy, that is a Cup-winning forward group.

Patches healthy/unhealthy has nothing to do with a series win let alone a cup

Its the 4 guys again. If they give us sub ppg play we arent winning.

They carry the offense, get the minutes and advantages so they will need to produce.

Pacioretty is a non-factor who won't bring much outside a couple gamee here and there if we have a deep playoff run

 

[Nylander88]

As I recently mentioned in another post....I would like to try Laughton on the wing with big time players since we're using him on the wing already, have a defensively responsible 4th line that lets 2 Swedes work together that can create a little offense, and go back to a third line we've seen click time and time again.

Knies-Matthews-Marner
Laughton-Tavares-Nylander
McMann-Domi-Robertson
Lorentz-Holmberg-Jarnkrok

a healthy Patches likely comes at the expense of Lorentz or Robertson in all likelihood.

 

[Donnie740]

They could put Marner on the third line and he’d still be among the team leaders in ice time—thanks to power play, penalty kill, 6-on-5, and extra shifts with the top six. Try thinking it through next time bud.

So you figure Marner is going to kill a penalty then go right back on the ice for his regular shift on the 3rd line. Then later go on the power play followed by a shift with the 2nd line and a double shift with the 3rd line?

This isn’t an NHL ‘25 video game, my friend.

 

[namttebih]

Just trying to think outside the box a bit regarding deepening the lineup, without putting any of the big 4 on line 3.


Robertson Matthews Marner

Give Robertson a real chance to break out with two guys who can cover for defensive mistakes. Especially in offensive draw situations.

Laughton Tavares Nylander

Hopefully give Laughton some confidence. I think that regardless of his showing so far, he's going to be a beast in the playoffs.

Knies Domi McMann

Bash brothers line. Feast on weaker match ups.

Lorentz Kampf Jarnkrok

Classic shut down.

 

[WestCoastLeafs]

I'd like to see the Leafs stick with the forward combos from today's game for the last two regular season games, and stick with them if they work.

I like

• A top line we can match head to head with pretty much any other top line
• Domi having two legit shooters to pass to,
• A third line that has some speed, can forecheck and just play hard, while still not being a complete black hole offensively. (Robbie is fitting in well in the bottom six lately, with a surprising amount of physicality).
• An actual playoff fourth line

For me, Kampf is a healthy scratch when he comes back until someone plays themselves out of the lineup. Patches is trickier - considering how physical the teams in the first two rounds are, having the wrecking ball back in the lineup would be really nice.

On D, I just really hope at least one of McCabe and OEL are back for game one.

 

[Puckstuff]

Domi is very effective as a playmaking winger alongside shooters — like Nylander and Matthews, etc. Putting him at 3C, where he's weakest, makes no sense to me. He’s far more impactful in that wing role, setting up plays with less defensive responsibility.

At center, he's roughly a 30-point player with poor defense — arguably a net negative asset at times. As a playmaking winger, he’s probably a 45–60 point wing contributor and a huge positive asset imo.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Just trying to think outside the box a bit regarding deepening the lineup, without putting any of the big 4 on line 3.


Robertson Matthews Marner

Give Robertson a real chance to break out with two guys who can cover for defensive mistakes. Especially in offensive draw situations.

Laughton Tavares Nylander

Hopefully give Laughton some confidence. I think that regardless of his showing so far, he's going to be a beast in the playoffs.

Knies Domi McMann

Bash brothers line. Feast on weaker match ups.

Lorentz Kampf Jarnkrok

Classic shut down.

You don't use the playoffs to help a 3rd liner get confidence. But I think Nylander could drive a 3rd line. Patches over Jarnkrok, we need goals.

 

[puckie]

Domi is very effective as a playmaking winger alongside shooters — like Nylander and Matthews, etc. Putting him at 3C, where he's weakest, makes no sense to me. He’s far more impactful in that wing role, setting up plays with less defensive responsibility.

At center, he's roughly a 30-point player with poor defense — arguably a net negative asset at times. As a playmaking winger, he’s probably a 45–60 point wing contributor and a huge positive asset imo.

100% agree. I actually think center plays to his weaknesses and wing plays to his strengths. He is a great passer and playmaker. He loves to play on the outside setting people up. In my opinion, he has great vision and can set people up, but needs people who can put the puck in the back of the net. For some reason, he is not a great shooter or does not like to do it much.

On wing it also benefits his speed and puck carrying capability. There are many times when he gets break aways if he is up high. Time after time it shows he can be super productive with people who can score like Matthews, JT, or Nylander.

 

[Puckstuff]

100% agree. I actually think center plays to his weaknesses and wing plays to his strengths. He is a great passer and playmaker. He loves to play on the outside setting people up. In my opinion, he has great vision and can set people up, but needs people who can put the puck in the back of the net. For some reason, he is not a great shooter or does not like to do it much.

On wing it also benefits his speed and puck carrying capability. There are many times when he gets break aways if he is up high. Time after time it shows he can be super productive with people who can score like Matthews, JT, or Nylander.

I honestly think he could be a 0.75 ppg player in a top 6 wing role If we staple him to Nylander or Matthews. He will feed them all day and rack up points like no tomorrow.

 

[tuckerintensity]

Berube coaches this squad to a division title, winning some huge games down the stretch against some of the top seeds in the East, and we got fans clamoring for line combos that have never played together before and players playing positions they don't play. Leafs Nation is wild.

 

[Puckstuff]

Berube coaches this squad to a division title, winning some huge games down the stretch against some of the top seeds in the East, and we got fans clamoring for line combos that have never played together before and players playing positions they don't play. Leafs Nation is wild.

Berube literally just put line combos together that have never been tried last game. So you might want to think that one through one more time champ.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

Balanced by far. We've stacked the lines every year and we know how that went.

 

[Tak7]

Domi is very effective as a playmaking winger alongside shooters — like Nylander and Matthews, etc. Putting him at 3C, where he's weakest, makes no sense to me. He’s far more impactful in that wing role, setting up plays with less defensive responsibility.

It makes no sense to anyone, until you realize they spent a 1st and a prospect on a guy playing 4th line winger, instead of upgrading the 3C position, forcing them to use Domi there because they don't have any other options.

 

[PromisedLand]

balance the 3 lines. spread out offense so you have more cracks at the can

the only time leafs have a series WIN is when Keefe had matthews, marner and nylander all playing on different lines creating match-up headaches for the opposition

we dont have quality depth scoring so we oughtta create it by spreading out the offense.

keep rolling the 3 lines do not stack the lines. One can always stack them as an in game adjustment if we are trailing significantly else roll 3 lines

keep the opposition honest and always on their toes especially on the road. At home you have the last change so you can dictate match ups a bit.

Knies-Matthews-Jarnkrok
Patches/Robertson-Tavares-Nylander
McMann-Domi-Marner
Lorentz-Laughton-Holmberg/Kampf

McCabe-Tanev
Rielly-Carlo
Benoit-OEL

PK1: Kampf-Marner-McCabe-Tanev
PK2: Laughton-Jaronkrok-OEL/Benoit-Carlo

yea i know you don't want Jarkrok on line 1 but gotta find a way to spread out offense and keep the minutes about the same for the 3 lines