Pre-Game Talk: Canes@Leafs, Tuesday Dec.19th, 2 PM ET

[Cleetus]

I think I’ll be sick that day

cough cough think you gave me a cold it should kick in on tues morning! lol

 

[PuckMagi]

Iffy on the d-pairs but the forwards is pretty much my ideal lines, except for switching Leivo & JVR as Kadri's shown chemistry with JVR, while Matthews has looked magic with Leivo.

For D, I think our current top pair with Gardiner-Carrick and Borgman-Zaitsev filling the bottom 4. Gardiner-Carrick has looked great in the minutes they've gotten surprisingly, and then you have to hope the other pair isn't a travesty.

But man does the LD depth point to a Gardiner trade in the offseason..

Ya, switching JVR and Leivo might be better. I would just like to see JVR play with either Matthews or Kadri and see how he performs away from Bozak.

I think Dermott is a huge upgrade over Polak (and still a big upgrade over Carrick). Yes, then we'd have 4 left handed D... but Rielly has shown that he can play on the right. I don't think Gardiner, Borgman, or Dermott have much experience on the right.

So I would rather have Dermott and move Rielly to the right, than to have Polak/Carrick on the right instead. But doing this means you pretty much have to blow up the defensive pairings. I think they need a shake up too actually. Rielly - Hainsey have been great, but I think Hainsey is being overused. He's playing too many minutes and playing very difficult minutes. I think he should be on the 3rd pair if he's going to play so many PK minutes. Hainsey looks like he's starting to burn out by being asked to play a bit above his head.

I'm also not crazy about the Gardiner - Zaitsev pairing. Both players seem a bit prone to silly mistakes, and I think they would both benefit from a more responsible defensive partner.

 

[Brown Dog]

Did we win that first game against the Hurricanes 100 years ago?

 

[stickty111]

Lets hope this so called "defensive style" is just an experiment that Babcock is doing. Cause if its permanent, well umm...

 

[mapleleaf979]

Lets hope this so called "defensive style" is just an experiment that Babcock is doing. Cause if its permanent, well umm...

An experiment? Id call it a coach on a power trip.

Did u see JVR stop skating on 2 goals against last game? Literally quit on the play. Will JVR be cemented to the 4th line ? Doubt it. But Marner, Willy would be etc.

Bozak and JVR have had how many different wingers to help boost them? Why the double standard? They dont compete, Bozak can not skate, JVR is the softest 6-3 guy in the League. Kapanen's work ethic and potential need to replace him ASAP.

Breaking up Nylander and Matthews hurts them both clearly. Yet Babcock must punish Nylander and the line juggling starts. Time to have a look at Aaltonen and bench Bozak or put him on IR for 10 days for a phantom injury.

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Kapanen-Aaltonen-Marner
Marleau-Kadri-Brown
Leivo-Moore-Komorov

Marner has no home on any line, time for a shake up. Play Martin only vs physical teams, dead end when he has the puck.

 

[Polaris1010]

I don't believe I will make an effort to watch this game.

Forget it. Life/work is more important than one game.

Enjoy the game for those who want that luxury.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Seriously the most random opponent to mark a 100 year anniversary game.

I could be wrong but I think it's because the Montreal team we faced eventually ended up in Carolina

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

If Matthews is back and Nylander is one the 4th line while Kappy is benched I expect a loss due to terrible asset management, any other situation I’m thinking is a win.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Lets hope this so called "defensive style" is just an experiment that Babcock is doing. Cause if its permanent, well umm...

Babcock says he wants to win every night. Do you really think he wants to throw away wins by treating games as practices to test strategies? This is exactly how he wants to play, he's praised the way we've played in his post game interviews

 

[ACC1224]

I don't believe I will make an effort to watch this game.

Forget it. Life/work is more important than one game.

Enjoy the game for those who want that luxury.

Pulling my daughter out of school at noon and heading down.
Sad you think life = work.

 

[SweLeafsFan]

Great time to start the game for us euros. Let's just hope the team shows up this time.

 

[SprDaVE]

If I was to guess, Matthews will be back. Kapanen and Leivo will sit. Polak stays in.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

This is not a great game to be on the west coast for. Who doesn't love starting hockey before lunch.

 

[DarkKnight]

I look at the young Leaf core like a golf swing. There's some bad mechanics, so the coach is redefining the swing to make it more reliable, which means you take a step back before getting comfortable then you put it all together and come out the better for it. There is an end game here, these aren't stupid people running the show in Toronto.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I look at the young Leaf core like a golf swing. There's some bad mechanics, so the coach is redefining the swing to make it more reliable, which means you take a step back beforegetting comfortable then you put it all together and come out the better for it. There is an end game here, these aren't stupid people running the show in Toronto.

If you're trying to teach someone to golf, do you have them swing a club or do you have them sit around and watch a significantly worse golfer?

The reason this doesn't hold up to me is that first of all, giving our young players like Kapanen and Carrick no minutes does not help them at all in that way. Giving Nylander and Marner 4th line duty and minimal minutes doesn't help them in that way.

Babcock claims he wants to win every night. You can't try to win and also be treating the game as an experiment while benching your best players

 

[Al14]

Just another game, and, likely another regulation loss! Anything better will be most acceptable!

 

[Cor]

If you're trying to teach someone to golf, do you have them swing a club or do you have them sit around and watch a significantly worse golfer?

The reason this doesn't hold up to me is that first of all, giving our young players like Kapanen and Carrick no minutes does not help them at all in that way. Giving Nylander and Marner 4th line duty and minimal minutes doesn't help them in that way.

Babcock claims he wants to win every night. You can't try to win and also be treating the game as an experiment while benching your best players

When you are trying to teach someone to chip out of bunkers, you are going to show them examples using golfers that are great at getting out of bunkers.

If you are trying to teach a hockey player proper positioning, you are going to have them watch a player that is good at proper positioning.

Babcock isn’t telling Nylander and Marner to watch everything Komarov does, or Marleau does, or JVR does, because Marner/Nylander are better, if not significantly better than those players at some things.

However, there’s some aspects, that those players are better at than they are as well, probably away from the puck.

Overall, should Nylander or Marner be on the 4th line? No. But studying even minor aspects of another players game can only help you.

Heck, look at Mark Schiefele. He says he’s watching hockey whenever he’s away from the rink. He says it’s not only for when he faces other teams/players, but he learns things. He called out Josh Bailey, saying he loves watching him play.

So are Nylander/Marner better than Komarov? Without a doubt. Are there things those two can learn by watching Komarov? Also yes.

Does that mean they need to be played with Dominic Moore and Matt Martin in order to watch and learn? No.

 

[Al14]

Babcock says he wants to win every night. Do you really think he wants to throw away wins by treating games as practices to test strategies? This is exactly how he wants to play, he's praised the way we've played in his post game interviews

Babcock's decisions and actions say otherwise!

 

[ShaneFalco]

If I was to guess, Matthews will be back. Kapanen and Leivo will sit. Polak stays in.

Of course. Babcock will feel "safe" that way

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

When you are trying to teach someone to chip out of bunkers, you are going to show them examples using golfers that are great at getting out of bunkers.

If you are trying to teach a hockey player proper positioning, you are going to have them watch a player that is good at proper positioning.

Babcock isn’t telling Nylander and Marner to watch everything Komarov does, or Marleau does, or JVR does, because Marner/Nylander are better, if not significantly better than those players at some things.

However, there’s some aspects, that those players are better at than they are as well, probably away from the puck.

Overall, should Nylander or Marner be on the 4th line? No. But studying even minor aspects of another players game can only help you.

Heck, look at Mark Schiefele. He says he’s watching hockey whenever he’s away from the rink. He says it’s not only for when he faces other teams/players, but he learns things. He called out Josh Bailey, saying he loves watching him play.

So are Nylander/Marner better than Komarov? Without a doubt. Are there things those two can learn by watching Komarov? Also yes.

Does that mean they need to be played with Dominic Moore and Matt Martin in order to watch and learn? No.

yeah I obviously agree that watching tapes and stuff are important for development, but as I said, sitting on the bench so that Komarov can get his 20 minutes is not important for development. Nylander sitting on the bench for the whole 3rd period against Pittsburgh is what I'm talking about. Doing something like that does nothing to help a player improve his game

 

[Cor]

yeah I obviously agree that watching tapes and stuff are important for development, but as I said, sitting on the bench so that Komarov can get his 20 minutes is not important for development. Nylander sitting on the bench for the whole 3rd period against Pittsburgh is what I'm talking about. Doing something like that does nothing to help a player improve his game

Yeah, we’re all on the same page.


I do wonder how much of it is managing the kids ice time though.

 

[ToneDog]

This team is a work in progress. I have faith that Lou, Babs and his coaching will right the ship in time for the playoffs. Once the playoffs start nobody will remember or give a crap that they pooped the bed this past week.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Yeah, we’re all on the same page.


I do wonder how much of it is managing the kids ice time though.

even if that were the case, it doesn't explain why Kapanen/Leivo don't get more games. They're young players who might have a future on this team, isn't it important for them to get their games shaped by Babcock? Carrick is our 2nd youngest defenseman and he can't even crack the lineup no matter how many poor games Polak has. I think what we're seeing here is Babcock is genuinely thinks that the way he creates the lineup and allocates ice time is what gives us the best chance to win every night rather than any kind of developmental thing. To me that's an issue.

That all said, I have faith in the talent of this team and in the upper management/scouting and Babcock for the most part. Our team will be defined by the time Matthews' career is at an end, not through this stretch of games in November/December while he's not even healthy

 

[shaner8989]

Let's hope my cousin doesn't kill us again.

Our whole fam with be there again

 

[DarkKnight]

This team is a work in progress. I have faith that Lou, Babs and his coaching will right the ship in time for the playoffs. Once the playoffs start nobody will remember or give a crap that they pooped the bed this past week.

Yes, if early season performance was important, the Habs would have won the last two cups. It's all about positioning right now, and I love the fact we are where we are in the standings despite key players not firing.