Line Combos: Matthews-Nylander

[hotpaws]

You can cheap shot anyone to be honest. Size hardly matters. Just look at Lindros, one of the biggest guys to step on the ice in height and build.

Lindros liked to carry the puck with his head down and not every hard hit is a cheap shot.

 

[deletethis]

They will have sheltered ES minutes then get generous PP time.

 

[Billerdzzz]

So, a 60 point two-way player is now a "third line pest"?

Naz has never had 60 points in the NHL.

39 2 11 3 7 10 6
2012-13 Toronto Marlies AHL 27 8 18 26 26 -- -- -- -- --
2012-13 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 48 18 26 44 15 7 1 3 4 10
2013-14 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 78 20 30 50 -12 -- -- -- -- --
2014-15 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 73 18 21 39 -7 -- -- -- -- --
2015-16 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 76 17 28 45

He had 50 pts one year, which isn't shabby.

Brad's numbers are much better. Granted though he plays for a better team.

2012-13 Boston Bruins NHL 45 18 18 36 22 4 9 13 21
2013-14 Boston Bruins NHL 82 25 28 53 12 0 5 5 18
2014-15 Boston Bruins NHL 77 24 18 42 -- -- -- -- --
2015-16 Boston Bruins NHL 77 37 23 60

To me, Brad and Naz's games are very similar. Both can be agitators and both are good at drawing penalties. Also both are good at taking penalties.

 

[LeafsRReady]

You can cheap shot anyone to be honest. Size hardly matters. Just look at Lindros, one of the biggest guys to step on the ice in height and build.

Disagree and Lindros is not a good example. He was a physical specimen who thought he could run over or through any other NHL player and often he did. He played with reckless abandon which was what really shortened his career in the long run. That is hardly Matthews style. Players would quite often take runs at Mats Sundin with little effect. Same with Jagr. While not as big Sundin, Matthews already has enough weight to hold his own out there. Leipsic, on the other hand, is a water bug out there, but he's just waiting to get crushed like Brandon Kozun used to.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Naz has never had 60 points in the NHL.

39 2 11 3 7 10 6
2012-13 Toronto Marlies AHL 27 8 18 26 26 -- -- -- -- --
2012-13 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 48 18 26 44 15 7 1 3 4 10
2013-14 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 78 20 30 50 -12 -- -- -- -- --
2014-15 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 73 18 21 39 -7 -- -- -- -- --
2015-16 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 76 17 28 45

He had 50 pts one year, which isn't shabby.

Brad's numbers are much better. Granted though he plays for a better team.

2012-13 Boston Bruins NHL 45 18 18 36 22 4 9 13 21
2013-14 Boston Bruins NHL 82 25 28 53 12 0 5 5 18
2014-15 Boston Bruins NHL 77 24 18 42 -- -- -- -- --
2015-16 Boston Bruins NHL 77 37 23 60

To me, Brad and Naz's games are very similar. Both can be agitators and both are good at drawing penalties. Also both are good at taking penalties.

First, when I mention a 60 point player, I probably mean the 60 point player and not Naz.

Second, Marchand 1) produces like a 1st liner 2) has an impact on possession as a 1st liner 3) has contextual factors on a 1st liner level 4) actually plays on a 1st line.

So I don't think "3rd line pest" is an accurate description no matter how you cut it.

 

[TLeafsFan]

This comment seems to come up a lot and it concerns me, the world cup may prepare him for fast paced international hockey, but it wont prepare him for 3rd/4th line plugs with mature strength finishing their checks.

Only a small point but one i feel is missed, and one of the reasons id consider putting Martin with Nylander and Matthews for a few months. I know its an old school mentality but screw it, id want guys to know if they take a run they will have to answer for it

He already knows that game per this year's IIHF World Championships.

The World Cup is an NHL event on NHL ice surfaces.

 

[93LEAFS]

Disagree and Lindros is not a good example. He was a physical specimen who thought he could run over or through any other NHL player and often he did. He played with reckless abandon which was what really shortened his career in the long run. That is hardly Matthews style. Players would quite often take runs at Mats Sundin with little effect. Same with Jagr. While not as big Sundin, Matthews already has enough weight to hold his own out there. Leipsic, on the other hand, is a water bug out there, but he's just waiting to get crushed like Brandon Kozun used to.

You can cheap shot anyone, size doesn't matter if the offender is intent on breaking the rules. Brasher and Worrell are too of the biggest players to step on the ice, and were yet victims of extreme on ice violence. Chris Prongers career ended due to multiple concussions, some suffered on what would now be illegal hits. Big difference between illegal play, and in game hits. Obviously Matthews is more built to take a pounding in the corners than Leipsic, but if someone decides to go high on either of them, they will go down the same.

 

[crump]

Martin St. Louis rarely didn't play a full season. A lot of quick smaller players avoid injury through elusiveness. Awareness and smarts play more into it than size. Hopefully Nylander learned a lesson last season after that hit.

 

[Kubus]

I can see Babcock wanting to use Nylander and Matthews as a line, but we'll see what transpires at camp. I personally think it's a good idea to get our kids playing together and building chemistry. But for all we know the line might be Matthews and Marner, or Nylander and Marner.

Nothing is set in stone but I do expect Babcock checks how the kids to with each other.

 

[saltming]

Martin St. Louis rarely didn't play a full season. A lot of quick smaller players avoid injury through elusiveness. Awareness and smarts play more into it than size. Hopefully Nylander learned a lesson last season after that hit.

MSL was a fire hydrant.

 

[TOGuy14]

Weird. I expected a line of JVR - Matthews - Marner. Seemed like a good mix of speed, size, skill.

 

[Mr Hockey*]

Weird. I expected a line of JVR - Matthews - Marner. Seemed like a good mix of speed, size, skill.

You are trying to make the NHL version of Tkachuk - Dvorak - Marner Tkachuk has a defensive game like JVR too

 

[Billerdzzz]

First, when I mention a 60 point player, I probably mean the 60 point player and not Naz.

Second, Marchand 1) produces like a 1st liner 2) has an impact on possession as a 1st liner 3) has contextual factors on a 1st liner level 4) actually plays on a 1st line.

So I don't think "3rd line pest" is an accurate description no matter how you cut it.

3rd line pest wasn't the best way to describe Marchand. I wasn't aware he was even on the first line for the Bruins last year. I was just alluding to Naz's and Marchand's styles being similar.

Kadri has improved defensively. I'll give him credit for that. He is not 1c material however. As a 3rd, I'd say he fits the bill.

 

[Mr Hockey*]

3rd line pest wasn't the best way to describe Marchand. I wasn't aware he was even on the first line for the Bruins last year. I was just alluding to Naz's and Marchand's styles being similar.

Kadri has improved defensively. I'll give him credit for that. He is not 1c material however. As a 3rd, I'd say he fits the bill.

You can win the Cup with Naz as your 3rd line center but not your 2nd line center.

 

[Billerdzzz]

You can win the Cup with Naz as your 3rd line center but not your 2nd line center.

You're probably right, Mike. I could see Naz alternating between 2c and 3rd C, if Babs wants to juggle the lines for a specific reason. But yeah, Kadri would most likely be suited for an almost continual 3rd line role.

 

[Mr Hockey*]

You're probably right, Mike. I could see Naz alternating between 2c and 3rd C, if Babs wants to juggle the lines for a specific reason. But yeah, Kadri would most likely be suited for an almost continual 3rd line role.

Babcock has options on how he wants to form his forward lines, he can actually build #1a,#1b,#1c lines with Matthews, Willie and Kadri. We have a lot of skilled wingers.

 

[BigWilly]

Babcock has options on how he wants to form his forward lines, he can actually build #1a,#1b,#1c lines with Matthews, Willie and Kadri. We have a lot of skilled wingers.

This.

I think the Leafs are ahead of the curve in that they understand the NHL is becoming a "4 line" league.
The teams that win are the teams that kill you with their depth. The ridiculous amount of forward prospects we have in the system will eventually allow us to run something like:

Line #1: Led by Matthews
Line #2: Led by Nylander/Marner
Line #3: Led by Kadri?
Line #4: Shutdown line (probably featuring Komarov)

Give the 4th line 10-12mins a game, roll the other 3 lines evenly.

 

[Mr Hockey*]

This.

I think the Leafs are ahead of the curve in that they understand the NHL is becoming a "4 line" league.
The teams that win are the teams that kill you with their depth. The ridiculous amount of forward prospects we have in the system will eventually allow us to run something like:

Line #1: Led by Matthews
Line #2: Led by Nylander/Marner
Line #3: Led by Kadri?
Line #4: Shutdown line (probably featuring Komarov)

Give the 4th line 10-12mins a game, roll the other 3 lines evenly.

That is how the Pens did it last year. They had 3 lines playing like a #1 line and the other teams 2nd/3rd pairing d'men were getting overwhelmed... my opinion

 

[Menzinger]

I expect the Leafs to eventually do the same: three balanced scoring lines with relatively balanced ice time.

You can win the Cup with Naz as your 3rd line center but not your 2nd line center.

Kadri would have easily been the Hawks 2nd line centre.