Line Combos: Komarov Watch

Kiwi

Registered User
Mar 5, 2016
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The Naki
Komarov is a middling 4th liner at this point whose fine in the PK.

Having him on the first line makes them worse. Really hard to grasp the logic of this move.

Yeah I'm of the opinion that trying to keep the puck away from Bergeron when he's on the ice is a better option than trying to stop him with the puck on his stick

My idea would be Kapanen or Johnsson with Matthews, forecheck the living **** out of the Boston D and try to stop Bergeron getting the puck in the first place
 

Whaleafs

“The Leafs are mulch again”
Mar 24, 2017
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It's the game as a whole.

Johnsson is possession friendly. Leo banks it out the zone right back to the other team. False sense of progress.

If only we swapped out Leo for a rookie 4th liner, then all the top scorers on the team not showing up to play wouldn’t even have mattered.
 
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ErnieLeafs

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Apr 7, 2009
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Remember that time I said Koma and Marchand would be in each other's faces somehome this series.... and Babs would find a way to make sure of it?

Voila.
 
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Kiwi

Registered User
Mar 5, 2016
20,979
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The Naki
Remember that time I said Koma and Marchand would be in each other's faces somehome this series.... and Babs would find a way to make sure of it?

Voila.

Don't be to happy Ernie

I thought Komarov looked good in the 1st last night but it wasn't pretty after that

He's going to need more than just pissing Marchand off he's got to find a way to stop him somehow, not an easy thing to do
 

GodEmperor

Registered User
Oct 12, 2017
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If only we swapped out Leo for a rookie 4th liner, then all the top scorers on the team not showing up to play wouldn’t even have mattered.

If only we played guys with zero offense on our top pp because of grit.

You know because having a useless plug out there who scored .07gpg this past season totally helps the guys score.

Maybe we can bring back Clearly and play him on the top line and then if Willie and Auston don't light it up, blame them for not making the plug look better.
 

Suntouchable13

Registered User
Dec 20, 2003
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Toronto, ON
Remember that time I said Koma and Marchand would be in each other's faces somehome this series.... and Babs would find a way to make sure of it?

Voila.

Bergeron and Marchand shit all over Koma and Plek last night. Koma can't shut down anybody let alone some of the best players in the league. Prepare for him to get shit on more tomorrow by that line while shutting down 2 of our best players in the process.
 

ErnieLeafs

Registered User
Apr 7, 2009
11,981
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Don't be to happy Ernie

I thought Komarov looked good in the 1st last night but it wasn't pretty after that

He's going to need more than just pissing Marchand off he's got to find a way to stop him somehow, not an easy thing to do

Basically everyone took a dump after our power plays in the 2nd period. That's not specific to Leo. He was solid in the 1st. Did his job. He will be expected to play in Hyman's role, something he's accustomed to, so we'll see how it turns out. If he brings the same level as the 1st period last night, he'll be just fine.

Bergeron and Marchand **** all over Koma and Plek last night. Koma can't shut down anybody let alone some of the best players in the league. Prepare for him to get **** on more tomorrow by that line while shutting down 2 of our best players in the process.

He's not being tasked with shutting them down. He's playing the Hyman role. He can do that, while also providing a distraction to Marchand, lining up against him.

We'll see how it turns out after a few shifts.
 

Suntouchable13

Registered User
Dec 20, 2003
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Toronto, ON
Basically everyone took a dump after our power plays in the 2nd period. That's not specific to Leo. He was solid in the 1st. Did his job. He will be expected to play in Hyman's role, something he's accustomed to, so we'll see how it turns out. If he brings the same level as the 1st period last night, he'll be just fine.



He's not being tasked with shutting them down. He's playing the Hyman role. He can do that, while also providing a distraction to Marchand, lining up against him.

We'll see how it turns out after a few shifts.

He is going to do a great job shutting down Matthews and Nylander tomorrow.
 

2 Slick

Registered User
Oct 23, 2017
6,598
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Toronto, Ontario
So, go from having stonehands Hyman, who at least has SOME offensive abilities to putting an offensive slow blackhole on the first line? Ridiculous.
 

PromisedLand

I need more FOOD
Dec 3, 2016
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if babcock is hell bent on playing komarov i hope next time marchand tries to kiss komarov; komarov smooches the hell out of him and throws him off his game
 

Whaleafs

“The Leafs are mulch again”
Mar 24, 2017
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If only we played guys with zero offense on our top pp because of grit.

You know because having a useless plug out there who scored .07gpg this past season totally helps the guys score.

Maybe we can bring back Clearly and play him on the top line and then if Willie and Auston don't light it up, blame them for not making the plug look better.

The discussion was about the 4th line not power play time. That is a poor coaching decision. You mouth breathers don’t seem to understand that a 4th liner doing exactly what he’s done all year is not the same as Matthews, Nylander & Marner having their pictures on milk cartons for a playoff game.
 
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FabledKnight

Registered User
Feb 20, 2008
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Without Kadri

Marleau Matthews Marner
Hymen Nylander Johnsson
JVR Bozak Kapanen
Komarov Plekanec Brown

With Kadri

Marleau Matthews Marner
Hymen Nylander Johnsson
JVR Bozak Kapanen
Komarov Kadri Brown
 

GodEmperor

Registered User
Oct 12, 2017
2,919
3,168
The discussion was about the 4th line not power play time. That is a poor coaching decision. You mouth breathers don’t seem to understand that a 4th liner doing exactly what he’s done all year is not the same as Matthews, Nylander & Marner having their pictures on milk cartons for a playoff game.

I'm glad you realize playing Komarov on the PP is a horrible decision, the guy is a bum that needs to be off the team, glad you at least have a few brain cells left.
 
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May 2, 2005
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Niagara Falls
I've been fine with Babcock's mantra that if you do good stuff, you get rewarded. If you play the right way, you get good stuff.

What was there last game from Komorov that showed he deserves to get rewarded playing with Nylander and Matthews? People claim he is good at penalty killing and he starts every single one, yet it failed with him on the ice. People claim he is a big hitter, yet I saw other Leafs players playing the body who don't regularly do such as JVR, yet where was Komorov? It is spouted that Komorov is a shut down forward, yet all I saw was him being shut down in his own zone. Komorov has this reputation of getting under opponents skin, yet all I saw last game was Marchand doing what ever he wanted to Komorov both physically and on the scoreboard.

I understand that the Komorov of previous seasons was a useful player. What I don't understand is how anyone based on statistics and just watching him play can see anything but one of the worst players in the NHL. He is literally bottom of the barrel in offensive statistics among all NHL players despite playing on a second line for half of the season. He is at the bottom of defensive statistics such as zone exits and entries, and spends most of his time on ice being hemmed in his own zone. All this nonsense gets spouted about his grit and able to irritate opponents, yet not at a single point this season did any of that get shown.

While last night's loss falls on every single players, this move will kill the top line. Stats show Komorov cannot exit his zone via passing, stats show he can't pass in the offensive zone. Matthews and Nylander are going to have dead weight with no offensive capability and no vision and capability defensively.
 

Havoc

Registered User
Jul 25, 2009
7,271
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If only we swapped out Leo for a rookie 4th liner, then all the top scorers on the team not showing up to play wouldn’t even have mattered.

Don't understand why people think putting labels on players is sound evidence for their point.

Unless you disagree that Johnsson will increase our possession better than Leo, I don't understand your comment. Because he's a rookie 4th liner means he doesn't increase our possession numbers?
 

SHANNYPLAN

Registered User
Nov 24, 2016
5,208
2,592
I've been fine with Babcock's mantra that if you do good stuff, you get rewarded. If you play the right way, you get good stuff.

What was there last game from Komorov that showed he deserves to get rewarded playing with Nylander and Matthews? People claim he is good at penalty killing and he starts every single one, yet it failed with him on the ice. People claim he is a big hitter, yet I saw other Leafs players playing the body who don't regularly do such as JVR, yet where was Komorov? It is spouted that Komorov is a shut down forward, yet all I saw was him being shut down in his own zone. Komorov has this reputation of getting under opponents skin, yet all I saw last game was Marchand doing what ever he wanted to Komorov both physically and on the scoreboard.

I understand that the Komorov of previous seasons was a useful player. What I don't understand is how anyone based on statistics and just watching him play can see anything but one of the worst players in the NHL. He is literally bottom of the barrel in offensive statistics among all NHL players despite playing on a second line for half of the season. He is at the bottom of defensive statistics such as zone exits and entries, and spends most of his time on ice being hemmed in his own zone. All this nonsense gets spouted about his grit and able to irritate opponents, yet not at a single point this season did any of that get shown.

While last night's loss falls on every single players, this move will kill the top line. Stats show Komorov cannot exit his zone via passing, stats show he can't pass in the offensive zone. Matthews and Nylander are going to have dead weight with no offensive capability and no vision and capability defensively.
its more about adding grit to that line than anything imo..
 

The Podium

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
22,846
10,014
Toronto
My thinking is that Babs expects the Bergeron line to be matched up against Matthews. Bergeron is a selke C, so he should be able to neutralize Matthews, which leaves the two wingers on Boston's line with the freedom to go offensive. This is where Komarov comes in.

Tactically, it would even make sense to take Nylander off that line on the road, and put Brown there. Sure, the line won't score much, but it will be able to neutralize the Bruins top line also.

I expect that this will change when we get home and will be able to put our checking line on the Bruins 1st and get Matthews away from Bergeron more often.

I doubt Cassidy would match Bergeron to a Komarov - Matthews - Brown line. At least keeping Nylander there makes them a bit of a threat offensively, enough so that there would have to be an effort to shut them down. But overall I agree, this is a tactic for the Bergeron line to come out of the game net neutral.

Also for the fans sake, if Babs is going to play Komarov 20 minutes a game anyway, at least Matthews will get the same minutes.
 

TIGERCOOL

Registered User
Sep 29, 2014
2,122
1,038
I'm tired of our coach reacting all the time. Lets dictate the matchups for f***'s sake. Lets set the lineup to emphasize our strengths. We need an edge on Boston, we can't win if we just play to survive. Take the training wheels off. Get creative and find a way to give our best players more ice time and the linemates they need to be at their best.

Babcock claims to love winning, but his actions suggest that he is simply terrified of failing.
 

david999

Registered User
Jan 21, 2011
1,197
331
I believe Babcock should be optimizing speed and skill, not trying to play Boston’s game which is an advantage for them. I would definitely be double shifting Matthews between Kap and AJ, while also playing him between Nylander and JVR. Babcock has to change the game plan since we know his original strategy was a disaster in game 1.
 

drewjenks

Registered User
Oct 1, 2017
1,176
713
Canada
Just checked TSN boys & tonights lineup is up....

Komey - Matthews - Martin
Hyman - Plekanec - Mueller
Marlo - Gauthier - Brown
J.V.R - Bozak - Moore
-----------------------
Hainsey - Polak
Marincin - Zaitsev
Borgman - Carrick
----------------
McElhinney
Anderson
---------
Marner
Nylander
Kapanen
Johnsson
Gardiner
Dermott
Rielly


Looks like we got some men playin tonight. Gud pro's all around.



 

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