Pre-Game Talk: Winnipeg Jets @ our Toronto Maple Leafs, March 31st 7pm

[inthe6ix]

Honestly I'd be hesitant to play him in a game like this. Winnipeg routinely takes dirty runs at our players, I 100% expect Pionk to take another dirty run at someones head or knee this game again.

I forgot about that punk Pionk.

Maybe that is why Simmonds in drawing in.. to keep him in check. He hasn't been doing much else out there recently.

 

[SprDaVE]

Muzzin not quite ready to be back I suppose. I wish they played Kral over Dahlstrom.

 

[inthe6ix]

Muzzin not quite ready to be back I suppose. I wish they played Kral over Dahlstrom.

Yeah Kral needs to get a look. Any word on Sandin?

 

[AvroArrow]

 

[SprDaVE]

Yeah Kral needs to get a look. Any word on Sandin?

Sandin is out long-term. Back for maybe the playoffs.

 

[inthe6ix]

Sandin is out long-term.

yeah but any recent news.. does that mean he's not even an option for the post-season?

 

[X66]

The reason Simmonds/Clifford are in is probably to deliver a beat down from last game's antics.

 

[tmlfan98]

Splitting up the Gio-Liljegren pair makes no sense considering how much they have dominated together so far (in admittedly a small sample size).

 

[inthe6ix]

The reason Simmonds/Clifford are in is probably to deliver a beat down from last game's antics.

with the smaller blackwell out, for sure

 

[Buds17]

A day early with some of these lineup decisions?



I'd be a bit disappointed to see Blackwell potentially scratched though coming off of a strong effort with good ice time.

 

[TMLAM34]

You need Clifford and Simmonds both in tonight’s lineup so that’s a good call. I’d probably keep Muzzin out of tonight’s game with the amount of dirty hits Winnipeg always throws.

 

[VanW27]

with the smaller blackwell out, for sure

Blackwell played centre last game anyway though. Why not have him do it again, while not big he's certainly a pest/energy guy who isn't afraid to get his nose dirty.

Give Spezza a night off and run an old school 4th line.

 

[tom leafers]

Honestly I'd be hesitant to play him in a game like this. Winnipeg routinely takes dirty runs at our players, I 100% expect Pionk to take another dirty run at someones head or knee this game again.

Maby not with hitman Spezza out there lol. Pionk knows now if he does anything dirty, theres going to be revenge. and i love how it was the man you would least suspect in Spezza

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Breaking up Gio and Liljegren is moronic.

 

[SprDaVE]

Blackwell played centre last game anyway though. Why not have him do it again, while not big he's certainly a pest/energy guy who isn't afraid to get his nose dirty.

Give Spezza a night off and run an old school 4th line.

Don't you remember what happened last game with Spezza and the Jets? He probably wants to play. He needs to play.

 

[AvroArrow]

Breaking up Gio and Liljegren is moronic.

I don't like it either, but with so many D-men hurt I think we'll be ok for 1 game. Winnipeg on a back to back, no Helly no Kyle Connor. Good game to see what we have in Dahlstrom and Lily without Gio.

 

[Scion]

Splitting up the Gio-Liljegren pair makes no sense considering how much they have dominated together so far (in admittedly a small sample size).

It speaks to the fact that Lilly is still 5th on the depth chart in terms of ES minutes. I know everyone hates Holl, but it's obvious that the coach trusts him more.

 

[kb]

It speaks to the fact that Lilly is still 5th on the depth chart in terms of ES minutes. I know everyone hates Holl, but it's obvious that the coach trusts him more.

Here is the thing, and how the narrative goes.

When the Holl-Gio pair struggle tonight, people will be saying that Holl was put with Gio because Keefe thought that Liljegren couldn't handle the assignment, and the proof that Liljegren couldn't handle the assignment it is because the Holl-Gio pairing struggled.

Basically people have to twist themselves into knots to not see the obvious.

 

[fahad203]

Muzzin not quite ready to be back I suppose. I wish they played Kral over Dahlstrom.

This is exactly what I want to see more out of Keefe. Game to game management. Not just an overall strategy

Your team roaster should be based on who you are playing against. Good on him to include Simmonds and Clifford in the same game. I hope he'll do the same when we play Boston again

Some teams needs to be reminded that this is still a league of accountability. If NHL isn't going to do anything about Hall sucker punching Boosh or Dubois cheapshotting Matthews, well then it's on us

But I fully expect a game management from officiating tonight. SImmonds and Clifford will most likely be tossed out early to avoid any non Disney behaviour

 

[Fogelhund]

yeah but any recent news.. does that mean he's not even an option for the post-season?

If he's healthy for the playoffs, he will be an option.

 

[Twine Tickler]

I have such a distaste for so many teams right now. Winnipeg being one of them. Just tired of the non-stop anti Leaf shit coming out of some of these fanbases. Would love nothing more then for us to absolutely smack the Jets in the mouth tonight.

The Jets really should have handled their victory in December with a bit more humility. That type of arrogance usually comes back to bite you at some point. I don't think there will be any reason for our boys to not get up for this game.

Play that dumbass clip of Schiefle saying "is there anything better than beating the Leafs?" right before you take the ice, and remind him exactly why that statement is the way it is. We are the superior franchise in every way and guys like him are just jelly that they are stuck in a second grade organization, dump of a city and going absolutely nowhere anytime soon. It's time to show him and the rest Jets that the only thing better than beating the Leafs is actually to be a Leaf.

Dress Simmer tonight, I don't think he was in for the last game against them. They caught us on the second half of a B2B and played with their chests puffed out all game long. Time to return the favor.

 

[VanW27]

Here is the thing, and how the narrative goes.

When the Holl-Gio pair struggle tonight, people will be saying that Holl was put with Gio because Keefe thought that Liljegren couldn't handle the assignment, and the proof that Liljegren couldn't handle the assignment it is because the Holl-Gio pairing struggled.

Basically people have to twist themselves into knots to not see the obvious.

Not that I agree with the move to split them up but, Holl has been very good whenever he hasn't played with Muzzin. Good with Brodie, good with Sandin.

In fact everyone who's played with Muzzin has struggled, Holl, Lily, Brodie. Muzzin has been awful and has dragged everyone he's played with down with him, unfortunately for Holl he played with him more than anyone else.

 

[crump]

Maby not with hitman Spezza out there lol. Pionk knows now if he does anything dirty, theres going to be revenge. and i love how it was the man you would least suspect in Spezza

Spezza has some unfinished business.

 

[Sypher04]

It speaks to the fact that Lilly is still 5th on the depth chart in terms of ES minutes. I know everyone hates Holl, but it's obvious that the coach trusts him more.

That’s one way to read it. Another would be that Keefe liked the idea of Liljegren carrying Dahlstrom on the third pairing better than Holl

 

[zeke]

Here is the thing, and how the narrative goes.

When the Holl-Gio pair struggle tonight, people will be saying that Holl was put with Gio because Keefe thought that Liljegren couldn't handle the assignment, and the proof that Liljegren couldn't handle the assignment it is because the Holl-Gio pairing struggled.

Basically people have to twist themselves into knots to not see the obvious.

It's funny that people still don't realize how good Holl is.

Gio-Lilly has been awesome for sure, at around 80xgf% as the lightest used pairing. But the #1 pairing since the deadline, in all of TOI and quality of competition and dzone starts, has been Brodie-Holl....and they've been arguably even more impressive given that tougher usage - at around 65xgf% and 65gf%.