Pre-Game Talk: Game 2: Leafs vs Jackets

[ToneDog]

two words...........Edmonton..........Oilers...................

To my knowledge leafs have not missed on a #1 pock yet.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Nylander - Matthews - Hyman
Mikheyev - Tavares - Marner
Robertson - Kerfoot - Kapanen
Clifford - - Spezza - - Engvall

Rielly - Dermott
Muzzin - Holl
Marincin - Barrie

Lol at trying to sneak Marincin in there.

 

[shaner8989]

Sandin in for Holl
Engvall in for Gauthier

instantly better

 

[Buds17]

Basically afforded just the one more strike now. Hopefully Game 2 won't be that. Maybe there's a lineup change. Maybe there's change to a line and/or pairing. Regardless, it's essentially up to this group of players to figure things out.

 

[Stephen]

No but the consellation prize could be in the best interest of the team in the long run. Who was the last franchise player the leafs drafted outside the first round? Doubt they also find a Borge Salming or acquire a Vaive and Derlago for a bag of pucks soon.

In the unlikely situation where we got Lafreniere, it opens the door to trading another of the "Big 4" as soon as he proves he's an NHLer.

 

[Stephen]

Basically afforded just the one more strike now. Hopefully Game 2 won't be that. Maybe there's a lineup change. Maybe there's change to a line and/or pairing. Regardless, it's essentially up to this group of players to figure things out.

Yep. And if they don't, I think I'll be quickly turning off the NHL for the rest of the season.

 

[ACC1224]

It’s a best of 5 right? Even if we lose this one it’s not over. Rattling off 3 straight really isn’t that tough with the firepower we have. Of course we actually have to score so we’ll see what happens

Historically it’s a pretty big uphill battle just losing game one. It would be monumental to come back after going down 2-0

 

[member 300185]

Hyman pissed me off last night. He cycled by himself in the corner, twisting and turning, eventually only to lose the puck...all game long. Put Robertson on that line and bump Hyman down.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Will be interesting to see if Keefe and Dubas can figure out how they can get the Jackets to open up the game. An early cheapie like Anderson gave up last night could do it.

That was such a bad goal

 

[ShaneFalco]

Toronto is going to have a very hard time winning this game or the series if Marner doesn't show up. He's a small winger the team has invested almost $11M in cap space on. When you are eating up that much cap space you don't have the luxury of having off games or not showing up. That is elite level money and if the player isn't living up to that contract it doesn't matter what the rest of the team does.

The team is paying him to be a difference maker and that is exactly what the Leafs need him to be. I noticed Matthews and Tavaras all game. Matthews in particular was everywhere. Marner was a ghost and the only time I really noticed him was when he was floating around or making bad decisions. Until that changes the Leafs are in trouble.

Yup I said a few times last night - where’s Mitch. Not one shot on goal and basically invisible

 

[MapleLeafs77]

Honestly, marner was brutal but tavares was just as invisible to me. Plus he is the captain. He really is just an solid player these days. Nothing more than that.

Matthews and nylander are earning the money they are given. Tavares and marner arent even close. Both probably should be around nylander. Not matthews level.

 

[ACC1224]

Honestly, marner was brutal but tavares was just as invisible to me. Plus he is the captain. He really is just an solid player these days. Nothing more than that.

Matthews and nylander are earning the money they are given. Tavares and marner arent even close. Both probably should be around nylander. Not matthews level.

It doesn’t matter if you make 6 or 10. Nylander and Marner both need to be way better.

 

[ToneDog]

In the unlikely situation where we got Lafreniere, it opens the door to trading another of the "Big 4" as soon as he proves he's an NHLer.

I think 1 or 2 of the big 4 needs to be moved irregardless of whether we got the #1 pick. They are chewing up half the cap and under performing. Until Dubas is proven correct, this team is not built to win a SC IMO.

 

[MikeK]

Honestly, marner was brutal but tavares was just as invisible to me. Plus he is the captain. He really is just an solid player these days. Nothing more than that.

Matthews and nylander are earning the money they are given. Tavares and marner arent even close. Both probably should be around nylander. Not matthews level.

Tavaras was all around last night. I noticed him a heck of a lot more than I did Marner. I get the expectations for Tavaras but I don't think he had as bad a game as some want to believe. He had a few good chances and was backchecking all night. Marner was a ghost.

 

[ToneDog]

That was such a bad goal

Unfortunately they seem to follow him around. Goalies like Fuhr and Cheevers let in many bad goals but not many of them were when the game was on the line.

 

[Stephen]

I think 1 or 2 of the big 4 needs to be moved irregardless of whether we got the #1 pick. They are chewing up half the cap and under performing. Until Dubas is proven correct, this team is not built to win a SC IMO.

Feels like Marner would be the more realistic player to move but I would give Dubas executive of the year if he could move on from Tavares.

The Tavares homecoming is a great story, his captaincy is a storybook finish, but it feels like he's accelerating towards Marleau/Spezza territory faster than we imagined.

 

[MapleLeafs77]

Tavaras was all around last night. I noticed him a heck of a lot more than I did Marner. I get the expectations for Tavaras but I don't think he had as bad a game as some want to believe. He had a few good chances and was backchecking all night. Marner was a ghost.

I honestly keep forgetting he is on our team....I noticed marner more but not always for the better as it was mostly bad plays.

 

[Nylander88]

Things I would change:
- I switch Barrie and Ceci. Not due to anything that happened in game, I just think Barrie needs more icetime if you want him to be the defenceman we hoped we were trading for.
Rielly-Barrie
Muzzin-Holl
Dermott-Ceci

- Up front I put in Engvall for Gauthier. 4th line was certainly not why we lost, but I do think they looked slow and that caused Keefe to practically bench them. Engvall adds more foot speed to that unit and a more offensive guy for Spezza to play off.

-And lastly, i wouldn't be scared to switch Marner and Willy around. Matthews and Marner (maybe due to their bromance) just seem to enjoy playing together. Marner needs a spark big time if we want to go anywhere and we don't have a lot of time to waste

 

[Havoc]

Hyman pissed me off last night. He cycled by himself in the corner, twisting and turning, eventually only to lose the puck...all game long. Put Robertson on that line and bump Hyman down.

no.1 LW on Leafs is one of the hardest jobs in the entire NHL and you want to put Robertson there.

Did you not see the beating Hyman has to take so his line mates get room.

 

[Stephen]

Tavaras was all around last night. I noticed him a heck of a lot more than I did Marner. I get the expectations for Tavaras but I don't think he had as bad a game as some want to believe. He had a few good chances and was backchecking all night. Marner was a ghost.

I think he put in more of an effort than Marner. But if you showed a non fan footage of Tavares and Alexandre Texier, they wouldn't be able to tell you who the superstar making $11 million was.

 

[MapleLeafs77]

It doesn’t matter if you make 6 or 10. Nylander and Marner both need to be way better.

I thought nylander was okay yesterday. Not great but was decent. Marner was no where close to where he should be. Tavares was also completely MIA.

It definitely does matter about the cap as marner affects our depth and especially D corps

 

[stickty111]

Tavaras was all around last night. I noticed him a heck of a lot more than I did Marner. I get the expectations for Tavaras but I don't think he had as bad a game as some want to believe. He had a few good chances and was backchecking all night. Marner was a ghost.

At least with Tavares even when the offense isn't there, he is still a responsible player and won't necessarily hurt you. Marner is practically useless if he isn't providing offense.
This season Tavares seemed a lot better with Nylander beside him.

 

[Cleetus]

no.1 LW on Leafs is one of the hardest jobs in the entire NHL and you want to put Robertson there.

Did you not see the beating Hyman has to take so his line mates get room.

wondering if he watched the game???, Hyman did a fine job, he got drilled all game trying to retrieve the puck, or like you said trying to open space for 34 and 88

 

[Stephen]

Hyman pissed me off last night. He cycled by himself in the corner, twisting and turning, eventually only to lose the puck...all game long. Put Robertson on that line and bump Hyman down.

In those situations, Hyman is trying to create extra space by luring a defenseman out away from the slot so one of his linemates (ahem Nylander) can jump into the danger area and hopefully receive the puck. If your linemates aren't eagerly looking to fill that ice, your cycle game is going to look pretty useless.

 

[ACC1224]

I thought nylander was okay yesterday. Not great but was decent. Marner was no where close to where he should be. Tavares was also completely MIA.

It definitely does matter about the cap as marner affects our depth and especially D corps

Cap is irrelevant in the playoffs
I didn’t see a lot separating the two players.