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

[kb]

I don’t have any real issue with Holl but if he was as good as people want you to believe, Keefe would rely on him to anchor a pair tonight, with two rookies in the lineup.

This is my thing. Holl is good.

But it makes little to no sense in having a rookie pairing that we know will get buried the first mistake that happens. Add in the fact that Holl took a puck of the noggin last game and didn't return...yes, I know they said 'precautionary', but it's more than precautionary if you have to run 4D and the risks associated with doing that for close to half the game.

I won't be surprised to see the D come out a little flat to start.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

If Boosh is out tonight is it because like an extenuated dive or will other people actually admit that he was injured by a sucker punch to the jaw? Definitely not that one.

 

[LeafsFan89]

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not, but I've included a couple videos just in case lol.







There is a history between these 2 teams. We are dressing a lineup to address this

That dressing room clip is so cringe. My God.

 

[AvroArrow]

If Boosh is out tonight is it because like an extenuated dive or will other people actually admit that he was injured by a sucker punch to the jaw? Definitely not that one.

Everyone knows it's a real injury and obviously a sucker punch. Trolls are just gonna be trolls

 

[inthe6ix]

wonder if biebs will be at the game tonight

he was chirping mtl fans on tuesday night lol

 

[Twine Tickler]

That dressing room clip is so cringe. My God.

Its a tough look for them TBH.

Scheifele: "is there anything better than being a mediocre team and beating a top team in the league on the second half of their B2B"

Jets Room:

 

[IPS]

and Reimer put up much better numbers on a botom-5 defensive team than he did on that top-3 defensive team.

but again, if we pretend that all goalies are equal, then yes using just goals against as your measure of defense makes sense.

San Jose is a bottom-5 defensive team? Shit they've only allowed 8 more goals than us through the same amount of games.

 

[Fonzieleaf]

Here’s Justin Bieber chirping Montreal

I don't like Bieber but this made me happy lmao

 

[Cams]

Wondering if the Jets put Dubois or Stanley in their opening lineup does Keefe counter with Clifford/Simmonds and "get it over with"?

 

[Leaf Army]

I like the fact that Simmonds and Clifford are both in the lineup tonight because we need more intimidation on this team.

There’s a big difference between players that are simply tough and players that are scary. Like Colin Blackwell might be tough, but no one is scared of him. But other players notice when Simmonds and Clifford are there. It changes the team toughness dynamic.

That being said the Leafs have to learn you can’t take guys like Clifford and Simmonds, play them both together 5 minutes a night on the 4th line and have them make a proper impact. They need to be playing bigger roles on separate lines. And if they’re not good enough for that (and they might not be) you need to get players that can do that and still bring that element to the game.

 

[Leaf Army]

Also it kind of flew under the radar last game against Winnipeg but the Leafs actually tried to initiate a line brawl.

They had Simmonds, Clifford, Ritchie, Muzzin and Holl all out for the faceoff and once the puck was dropped all of the Leafs started looking for a partner.

Winnipeg didn’t engage immediately so it didn’t happen but they scrummed after the whistle.

 

[inthe6ix]

I like the fact that Simmonds and Clifford are both in the lineup tonight because we need more intimidation on this team.

There’s a big difference between players that are simply tough and players that are scary. Like Colin Blackwell might be tough, but no one is scared of him. But other players notice when Simmonds and Clifford are there. It changes the team toughness dynamic.

That being said the Leafs have to learn you can’t take guys like Clifford and Simmonds, play them both together 5 minutes a night on the 4th line and have them make a proper impact. They need to be playing bigger roles on separate lines. And if they’re not good enough for that (and they might not be) you need to get players that can do that and still bring that element to the game.

Although Simmer can move up, Clifford doesn't belong anywhere else apart from the 4th line. Both will be needed tonight to calm things down when the Jets get chippy, which is a given, considering the inferiority complex they have compared to our team and city.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Wondering if the Jets put Dubois or Stanley in their opening lineup does Keefe counter with Clifford/Simmonds and "get it over with"?

I don't think they'll start Simmonds and Clifford TBH for a couple reasons.

1. If they get matched up against skill, we could be down 1 - cobb in less than 30 seconds.

2. I don't think Keefe wants this to become a sideshow. I just think he wants the jets to understand that we fully intend to step up if they want to get chippy.

I do think that 4th line will have a bone to pick at some point, and I would be shocked if there wasn't activity after every whistle with them on the ice. Maybe the Jets get roped into a special teams game, if that's the case we should win. Especially when they don't have Kyle Connor available.

I just think if I were Pionk I might be developing some COVID like symptoms right about now. He is the one that needs to worry the most. I Honestly think Bunts will get into a scrap tonight. Maybe against PLD or Pionk.

I'm fired up for this one

 

[I am Canadian]

Is Sandin's knee injury the same knee from that hit? Not hard to connect the dots to a reagrivated injury

 

[therealkoho]

Jets will be on the back end of a back to back. Some players in Covid protocol (Kyle Connor and defenceman Nate Schmidt) Comrie will be playing against us (Hellebuyck tonight against Buffalo.)
Comrie is on a 5 game winning streak and has yet to give up more than 3 goals a game.

OMG probably going to shut the Leafs out, nothing worse then some emerging star goaltender not only putting up the W but adding the SO designation with it, darn it, darn it all to heck!

 

[Fonzieleaf]

I don't like this

I'd switch Holl with Liljegren

 

[theTTC]

Another goon team, hopefully the refs call penalties early

"Goon team"? Hardly. You obviously have no point of reference for what a goon team is (some here will recall Fred Shero's Flyers submitting Norm Ullman et al with just nasty stares).
This is still a man's game. Except here.

 

[inthe6ix]

Also it kind of flew under the radar last game against Winnipeg but the Leafs actually tried to initiate a line brawl.

They had Simmonds, Clifford, Ritchie, Muzzin and Holl all out for the faceoff and once the puck was dropped all of the Leafs started looking for a partner.

Winnipeg didn’t engage immediately so it didn’t happen but they scrummed after the whistle.

Apart from Adam Lowry on occasion, they don't have any guys who will answer the bell; they have guys who will chirp and throw dirty hits instead.

Sportsnet even did a small bit on Lady Byng Scheifele a few years ago:



Frickin' weird eh?

 

[Cams]

I don't think they'll start Simmonds and Clifford TBH for a couple reasons.

1. If they get matched up against skill, we could be down 1 - cobb in less than 30 seconds.

2. I don't think Keefe wants this to become a sideshow. I just think he wants the jets to understand that we fully intend to step up if they want to get chippy.

I do think that 4th line will have a bone to pick at some point, and I would be shocked if there wasn't activity after every whistle with them on the ice. Maybe the Jets get roped into a special teams game, if that's the case we should win. Especially when they don't have Kyle Connor available.

I just think if I were Pionk I might be developing some COVID like symptoms right about now. He is the one that needs to worry the most. I Honestly think Bunts will get into a scrap tonight. Maybe against PLD or Pionk.

I'm fired up for this one

I was talking depending on who the Jets decide to start

 

[Nylanderthal]

"Goon team"? Hardly. You obviously have no point of reference for what a goon team is (some here will recall Fred Shero's Flyers submitting Norm Ullman et al with just nasty stares).
This is still a man's game. Except here.

Nobody cares about fifty years ago in a sub 20 team league full of plumbers and construction workers when talking about todays game.

 

[zeke]

San Jose is a bottom-5 defensive team? Shit they've only allowed 8 more goals than us through the same amount of games.

If you want to say that Holl is correctly ranked as a top matchup pairing dman on on average defensive team, (and don't want to even consider goaltending while judging team defense solely on goals), that's fine.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Dahlstrom is 27 and has 65 NHL GP. He's really bad, but not a rookie.

I don't agree with it, but he's basically setting up two pairings as his primaries and Liljegren will likely swap in a couple shifts with Rielly/Gio at different times. I dont expect Dahlstrom to play more than 10 minutes and I expect we get our regular 14-16 of Liljegren.

Dahlstrom is not really bad. I wouldn't put him in an every day NHL lineup but in spot duty like this, you are not getting much better to pass through waivers.

I would have been fine with Kral getting a shot though, but maybe not in a game where he is expected to be a key PKer.

 

[IPS]

If you want to say that Holl is correctly ranked as a top matchup pairing dman on on average defensive team, (and don't want to even consider goaltending while judging team defense solely on goals), that's fine.

Can still easily win a cup with an average D, I don't sweat it.

 

[I am Canadian]

"Goon team"? Hardly. You obviously have no point of reference for what a goon team is (some here will recall Fred Shero's Flyers submitting Norm Ullman et al with just nasty stares).
This is still a man's game. Except here.

It's 2022. The way the game was played 40+ years ago is no longer relevant. Sorry to break this one to you.

 

[Marshy]

It's 2022. The way the game was played 40+ years ago is no longer relevant. Sorry to break this one to you.

So pyramid power isn't coming back?