Line Combos: Kapanen with Matthews

[Fenrirson]

Noticed Babs did a bit of a shuffle last night, finally putting the fastest skater on the team with their best player and it looked pretty damn good if you ask me.

Anyone think it sticks, at least till the Nylander situation resolves itself?

Really liked the dynamic.

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[Iapyi]

How many "best" players do we have? Was Kapanen playing with Tavares? Marner?

 

[I am Canadian]

Yep, I don't understand why this wasn't the set up from the beginning.

Why invest in a free agent project when we could just use the time to develop Kapanen. I don't think its a shock to anyone that he is better than Ennis.

 

[zeke]

Ennis might be a useful 4th liner. even a 3rd liner in a pinch.

playing him on the top line was just stubborn stupidity, when we have so much younger talent to play there instead.

once again babs putting his ego ahead of icing the best team.

 

[Fenrirson]

How many "best" players do we have? Was Kapanen playing with Tavares? Marner?

He was playing with Matthews, our best player.

Sorry, I assumed people watched the game, or at least read the thread title before posting.

 

[LeafShark]

Put Marner with Kadri and Kap with Tavares. Nylander gets the wing beside Matthews. That will create unironically the 3 best lines in hockey on 1 team. Play them all 18 minutes a night. You don't even need a 4th line except for the PK. Babcock I hope you're listening.

 

[Iapyi]

He was playing with Matthews, our best player.

Sorry, I assumed people watched the game, or at least read the thread title before posting.

Oh I get it, you're pretending that you get to formulate everyone else's opinion.

Bottom line is I don't really care who our "best" player is, I'm glad we have the players we have. I do find it rather comical how some people think they get to made these type of declarations for everyone else.

 

[Fenrirson]

Oh I get it, you're pretending that you get to formulate everyone else's opinion.

Bottom line is I don't really care who our "best" player is, I'm glad we have the players we have. I do find it rather comical how some people think they get to made these type of declarations for everyone else.

, oh boy.
Look, its an opinion I share with a lot of people. If you disagree with my presentation of that opinion that's your right. Not really sure what it has to do with the spirit of the topic at hand though, which was to discuss the effectiveness of Kapanen on Matthews wing.

But hey, feel free to get the lead out bud.

 

[FreeBird]

Put Marner with Kadri and Kap with Tavares. Nylander gets the wing beside Matthews. That will create unironically the 3 best lines in hockey on 1 team. Play them all 18 minutes a night. You don't even need a 4th line except for the PK. Babcock I hope you're listening.

Kadri needs Marner no doubt, I wonder how many pts Kadri has had the last two years are directly attributed to Marner's genius. It's certainly apparent that Kadri doesn't make his wingers better by playing with him.

 

[Blanche Blanche]

Ennis might be a useful 4th liner. even a 3rd liner in a pinch.

playing him on the top line was just stubborn stupidity, when we have so much younger talent to play there instead.

once again babs putting his ego ahead of icing the best team.

Lol Babs adjusted 3rd game of the season.
Lets not forget he took half a season for Komorov to come off.

This one isnt worth the foul cry

 

[hockeywiz542]

Leafs Lunch host Andi Petrillo with Mike Johnson and Dave Poulin are joined by TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie to get his take on how Kasperi Kapanen played alongside Auston Matthews and what he needs to do to solidify a place on that line.

https://www.tsn.ca/video/mckenzie-shares-what-kapanen-needs-to-do-to-stick-on-matthews-line~1508913

 

[Goldmember]

Wild fan from Finland here just passing by.Good to see Kapanen getting some success. But to be honest it is almost impossible not to get any points when playing with Matthews. I would say that he is the best player in the world at the moment. You have a really exiting team to watch.

 

[Puckstuff]

In games 1 and 2; we almost looked like a slower team from the years prior. Montreal out skated us, that's for sure. Getting Kapanen on the top line gives that line some needed speed; and it really seemed to work well. I'm not surprised; I just hope Babcock doesn't go back to Ennis because he's the "veteran"

 

[I am Canadian]

Wild fan from Finland here just passing by.Good to see Kapanen getting some success. But to be honest it is almost impossible not to get any points when playing with Matthews. I would say that he is the best player in the world at the moment. You have a really exiting team to watch.

You say that but Ennis has 1 point in 3 games. Kapanen is much better than a 4th liner. He should keep the role and Nylander should start beside Kadri for a few games when he signs.

Marleau - Matthews - Kapanen
Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Leivo - Kadri - Nylander
Johnsson - Lindholm - Brown

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Leafs Lunch host Andi Petrillo with Mike Johnson and Dave Poulin are joined by TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie to get his take on how Kasperi Kapanen played alongside Auston Matthews and what he needs to do to solidify a place on that line.

https://www.tsn.ca/video/mckenzie-shares-what-kapanen-needs-to-do-to-stick-on-matthews-line~1508913

Agree with McKenzie on all points. Kapanen's speed will be a serious asset to Matthews and Marleau. If and when Nylander finally decides to come back might be more prudent to put him beside Kadri to get the third line going and keep Kapanen with Matthews.

 

[egd27]

Yep, I don't understand why this wasn't the set up from the beginning.

Why invest in a free agent project when we could just use the time to develop Kapanen. I don't think its a shock to anyone that he is better than Ennis.

Guessing it was because they thought Nylander would be back sooner than this. Now that he's still sitting, it's time to look at a longer term replacement than Ennis.

 

[Pookie]

Put Marner with Kadri and Kap with Tavares. Nylander gets the wing beside Matthews. That will create unironically the 3 best lines in hockey on 1 team. Play them all 18 minutes a night. You don't even need a 4th line except for the PK. Babcock I hope you're listening.

Not happening. Marner was promised to JT

 

[thewave]

Ennis might be a useful 4th liner. even a 3rd liner in a pinch.

playing him on the top line was just stubborn stupidity, when we have so much younger talent to play there instead.

once again babs putting his ego ahead of icing the best team.

Agreed

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Ennis might be a useful 4th liner. even a 3rd liner in a pinch.

playing him on the top line was just stubborn stupidity, when we have so much younger talent to play there instead.

once again babs putting his ego ahead of icing the best team.

I tend to agree with those that say he was just a placeholder until Nylander joined the team. Probably wouldn't have happened if Babcock knew it would drag out this long. Then again, the man can make some stubborn-perplexing lineup moves (I'm still pissed at what he did with Komorov on the first line and PP in the playoffs last year).

Basically, if Ennis starts on Matthews' line against Dallas, I'm giving up on Babcock but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt until then.

 

[FlyingLeafus]

Oh I get it, you're pretending that you get to formulate everyone else's opinion.

Bottom line is I don't really care who our "best" player is, I'm glad we have the players we have. I do find it rather comical how some people think they get to made these type of declarations for everyone else.

What a weird out of place nitpick. Matthews is our best player full stop.

Seeing Hyman finally dropped from Matthews' wing only to see Ennis elevated to the other side was frustrating to say the least. Hopefully Babcock learns that he can't keep getting away with that type of crap while icing a successful team.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Wild fan from Finland here just passing by.Good to see Kapanen getting some success. But to be honest it is almost impossible not to get any points when playing with Matthews. I would say that he is the best player in the world at the moment. You have a really exiting team to watch.

Shouldn't you be Dutch?

 

[93LEAFS]

When Nylander comes back/signs I expect him back with Matthews. A real issue is our 3rd line is filled with weaker skaters. So one of Nylander or Kapanen need to take Brown or Leivo’s spot if Babs is comfortable playing one of Nylander or Kapanen in their off-wing.

 

[PuckMagi]

Nylander - Matthews - Marner
Leivo - Tavares - Hyman
Marleau - Kadri - Kapanen

 

[Iapyi]

, oh boy.
Look, its an opinion I share with a lot of people. If you disagree with my presentation of that opinion that's your right. Not really sure what it has to do with the spirit of the topic at hand though, which was to discuss the effectiveness of Kapanen on Matthews wing.

But hey, feel free to get the lead out bud.

Oh brother. Pre-supposition lends itself to being questioned. Not sure why you would use such an inflammatory comment if the only purpose was to discuss what you say.

Lead out.

I thought the two of them played well together. What I liked seeing was after the Hawks scored a goal off the Kapanen miscue that we kept going to him. Seemed like he really relished after that.


btw - many others share my opinion as well so that balances that out.

 

[6ix]

Only Mike Babcock would put a guy that was bought out on the top line. I don’t think Ennis is a bad player, but there is no reason he should of been penciled in on Matthews line.

Took an 8 million dollar coach 3 games to realize what we said in pre season.