Pre-Game Talk: NYI @ Leafs 7:30 (TSN4) Feb, 14th

[PromisedLand]

Valentines Day special:​

ALL (playoff spots) IS FAIR and LOVE (of Hockey) is WAR.​

So my fellow Leafs Nation peeps. 2 wins in last 8 games.

- Babs has run the same lines (FWDs and Ds)
- Vets (bozak, jvr, polak, hunwick) have not risen to the occasion
- Team defense and goal tending has been shaky

Atlantic division is pretty wide open where anything can happen.

What should the Leafs do?

- Should Lou look to move vets who are mailing it in and gather picks/prospects just incase Leafs do not make playoffs
- Should Lou trade pick/prospect to get help on D while keeping the vets and giving a bit of future away
- Is there Option 3 for Lou
- Should Babs continue to run the same lines (FWDs and Ds)
- Should Babs change the line-up as things are not working even when Babs has last change on home ice

Thing are getting mighty exciting. Time for Leafs management to make smart decisions.

What are your thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[FlareKnight]

We just have to hope they pull themselves out of this funk.

Andersen is playing better which is helpful, but the team has to play better as a whole. Not sure if the solution is to mix it up or to simply put it to the players to up their game. Obviously wouldn't mind a few different lines, but not sure that alone will spark better play.

They have the ability to be better than this. We know that and they know it. So they've just got to work through it and get back to their winning ways.

 

[MapleLeafs9]

We just have to hope they pull themselves out of this funk.

Andersen is playing better which is helpful, but the team has to play better as a whole. Not sure if the solution is to mix it up or to simply put it to the players to up their game. Obviously wouldn't mind a few different lines, but not sure that alone will spark better play.

They have the ability to be better than this. We know that and they know it. So they've just got to work through it and get back to their winning ways.

Debatable.

 

[MapleLeafs9]

Instead of looking at it as we have 2 wins in our last 8...I'd rather look at it as we are 2-1-2 in our last 5, and if we beat the Islanders on Tuesday, we hit 6 points of Babcock's 6 points in every 5 games goal.

Andersen needs to be better. Maybe McElhinney ends up starting a bit more games down the stretch.

 

[Diatomic]

I think the roster is fine we have the firepower to take us to the playoffs even if our goaltending and defense is mediocore, it's up to Babcock to make adjustments to his coaching that will allow our players to generate chances and bury them (*Cough* Hyman *Cough). Should really create 2 scoring lines, a checking line and a 4th line that can kill time instead of 3 scoring lines and a 4th line that gets killed

 

[PromisedLand]

I think the roster is fine we have the firepower to take us to the playoffs even if our goaltending and defense is mediocore, it's up to Babcock to make adjustments to his coaching that will allow our players to generate chances and bury them (*Cough* Hyman *Cough). Should really create 2 scoring lines, a checking line and a 4th line that can kill time instead of 3 scoring lines and a 4th line that gets killed

Suppose Babs was to do that then what would you suggest?

JVR-Matthews-Nylander(scoring)
Kadri-Bozak-Marner (scoring)
Hyman-Komarov-Brown (checking)
Martin-Smith-Leivo (4th line)

 

[Alfie]

Matthews better break out of his funk. We need scoring on all fronts. Tired of being beaten by the likes of Islanders and Sabres. Good teams find a way to beat teams like this to rack up those points.

 

[Glenn Isildur Healy]

Suppose Babs was to do that then what would you suggest?

JVR-Matthews-Nylander(scoring)
Kadri-Bozak-Marner (scoring)
Hyman-Komarov-Brown (checking)
Martin-Smith-Leivo (4th line)

That 3rd line would be awful...teams would feast on that line
Why waste Kadri on the wing and have Komarov as our center?
Kadri is at his best when he's playing center

 

[saltming]

 

[Bloomberg]

I would consider this a big game. Looking forward to it!

 

[Kurisu]

These idiots need to start playing the game when the puck drops. And it would help if we actually took the lead.

 

[Diatomic]

Suppose Babs was to do that then what would you suggest?

JVR-Matthews-Nylander(scoring)
Kadri-Bozak-Marner (scoring)
Hyman-Komarov-Brown (checking)
Martin-Smith-Leivo (4th line)

That 3rd line would be awful...teams would feast on that line
Why waste Kadri on the wing and have Komarov as our center?
Kadri is at his best when he's playing center

I'd have my lines

Brown - Matthews - Nylander
JVR - Bozak - Marner
Hyman - Kadri - Komarov
Martin - Smith - Leivo

I'd want Marchenko to get a game too, I think if he was paired with Gardiner and they were a good fit Carrick could be utilized well on the 3rd pairing

 

[6ix]

We need this one badly. Beating a surging isles team would give this team some confidence to hopefully string some wins together.

Go Leafs Go!

 

[cookie]

Bozak hasn't been too bad: he's gotten a point every game since new year's, except for the Blues game. However, JVR and Brown are scoreless the last 4 games; Komarov in the last 7. One guy plays top line minutes with Matthews (who is looking a little mortal as of late) while the other 2 get their fair share of PP minutes.

Too bad the problem is that we can't keep the puck out of the net.

 

[Cor]

If there was ever a game to call a "must-win" at this point in the season...

 

[FlareKnight]

If there was ever a game to call a "must-win" at this point in the season...

That game was probably the last one we played against Boston .

But this one is pretty darn important as well. Need to start getting some wins strung together and the Islanders are right behind us. I'd still call games against the teams around us in the Atlantic even more must-win, but need to start winning a variety of games.

 

[TMLife*]

Jvr has looked great the past while, looking for another big game from the Marner line

 

[taurine330]

Massive game. Massive!

 

[Pinto]

I'll be at this one, hoping for a much better effort

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

hopefully they actually try this time

 

[al secord]

Playoffs? Playoffs????

 

[Pi]

Still not a must win but if you want to ignore being in high pressure must win games in March and April, you have to bank points right now.

More than a win, we need a better effort. I haven't been happy with their game since the All star break. Andersen isn't playing well. Hope he can get back to playing at his career average.

 

[Goonface2k14]

Leafs are suffering from too much Gardineritis right now

Not sure if there is a readily available cure

18-wheeler getting warmed up

 

[SprDaVE]

Massive game. Massive!

Yuuuuuuge!

 

[1specter]

Leafs need to go about 16-11-1 to get to 94 pts. Tough but doable. Really hope Babcock makes changes to the D though, or Polak is traded away. It's legitimately harming the team right now. Same with the current line combos, need a few shake-ups.