Line Combos: Playoffs: Leivo or Soshnikov and why?

[JonnyMacAwesome]

Hyman fanboys feel threatened by Leivo.

I'm not a Hyman fanboy. I like him but sure I can definitely admit he is not in the right spot of our lineup.

I'm just not a fan of Leivo at all.

Pylon in there just to show that I wouldn't put Leivo in the lineup unless absolutely no other option existed...I'd trade him for anything.

 

[Battle Lin]

man people always bring up leivo in hyman threads and hyman in leivo ones...hyman brings more value and plays before brown, leo, martin, boyle, and sosh, hes our best defensive forward and PKer...leivo has quite a few players to get through before he even reaches hyman

 

[Cams]

And if Fehr is healthy, I'd go with him. He has the experience (won the Cup last year), and has size and no real issues getting around the ice. This is the most sensible choice.

If the choice is Leivo or Soshnikov only (for the purpose of this thread)......tough call really, I would rather neither and leave it between Fehr and Kapanen

 

[Battle Lin]

but babs already had a healthy sosh, leivo and fehr a few weeks ago with one open spot...and he gave it to sosh every game before he got injured

 

[Unbiased]

Sharks basically said they lost because of the Pens speed.

Go with the Speed.

 

[burpsalot]

Is there any news on Leivo's injury? When can we expect him healthy enough to be an option?

He's good to go, but has been locked in the broom closet again.

 

[Ryan Michaels]

People saying Kapanen has been great so far really need to raise there standards I know he's been on the forth line but he hasn't done anything with the puck yet, he's been okay on the pk and he skates fast but we definitely should want more from him, you look at a guy like Leivo who took his opportunity and put up some points with it or Sosh who plays more of a grinder type role and shoots the puck more and I just don't see how Kapanen is the best option even tho he hopefully will be going forward.

 

[thewave]

Leivo busts his butt and has top 6 points posted and is looked at as junk by Bobcat it seems. Sosh Boyle Goat Martin have just been avg and smith was trash. Guy just doesn't get any love, I almost feel like he should have campaign to show him support started in his honour. We believe in you Leivo!

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

KK. Speed, talent, plays the PK, and is the best option to move up in the lineup for mid-game injuries.

 

[Battle Lin]

its not even a debate really if all 3 are healthy...coaches seem to love sosh's speed and his physicality, hes pretty much been a regular this whole season, and the other 2 have less than 20 games combined

 

[The CyNick]

Easy call, it's Sosh.

 

[Myopic]

Babcock wants the best PKer and that's Sosh. He's also the best banger of the three. If Sosh was on the third line it would be interesting to see if he could get as many points as Uncle Leo.

The 4th line just works better with Sosh. They seem to cycle better with him in the lineup. Kaps hasn't has many scoring opportunities and he doesn't retrieve the puck as well as Sosh.

I love Leivo's shot and he can fight better than those other two which might come in handy in the playoffs. But Babs wants a good PKer and who can blame him? They are top 10 PK in the league which has helped them become a good team.

 

[Morgs]

Leivo. He absolutely deserves it.

Throw him on the top line and Hyman onto the 4th.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I know who I'd pick
I know who babcock will pick

 

[indigobuffalo]

IMO Kapanen needs to be moved up the roster. He's too fast for Martin and Boyle.

IMO it'd make more sense to move Komarov down there even though he's been doing well lately. But his skill set is more compatible with Martin and Boyle. Bang around and generate turnovers.

Heck, even moving Nylander down to 4C, putting Kapanen on 1RW, then moving Boyle to the press-box till he's 100% and putting Sosh in at 4RW seems better than demoting Kapanen. Oh, and moving Leivo to 4LW, too.

 

[WilliamNylander]

Move Kapanen up, move Hyman down.

If Boyle is out, Hyman at 4C and Leivo in as the other winger.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Hyman - Matthews - Kapanen
Komarov - Kadri - Brown
van Riemsdyk - Bozak - Marner
Leivo - Nylander - Soshnikov

I think that's a balanced 4 scoring lineup. #top12bottom0

 

[thewave]

Move Kapanen up, move Hyman down.

If Boyle is out, Hyman at 4C and Leivo in as the other winger.

Komarov is a good C. Just move him back and Kappy up. Hyman just doesn't get moved.

 

[WilliamNylander]

Komarov is a good C. Just move him back and Kappy up. Hyman just doesn't get moved.

I am fine with this too.

Anything but Ben Smith coming back in. Komarov can win faceoffs too.

 

[Jeypic]

Kapanen has not shown he deserves to move up to the first line. If anything, he's shown he could still benefit from a solid ahl playoffs and a good offseason before he's ready to help our team.

No knock against kap, he's good, but he's been playing barely good enough for the leafs since called up.

 

[Menzinger]

Kapanen has not shown he deserves to move up to the first line. If anything, he's shown he could still benefit from a solid ahl playoffs and a good offseason before he's ready to help our team.

No knock against kap, he's good, but he's been playing barely good enough for the leafs since called up.

Some players perform better in different roles, Kapanen seems like the player whose going to perform best given more minutes and offensive zone usage.

 

[Joedoggy]

man people always bring up leivo in hyman threads and hyman in leivo ones...hyman brings more value and plays before brown, leo, martin, boyle, and sosh, hes our best defensive forward and PKer...leivo has quite a few players to get through before he even reaches hyman

Your statement is because of one reason Babcock, you cannot compare Hyman with the 3 NHL players listed...lets say he is being sheltered. Against NHL competition straight up he gets eaten alive. Does he try/work hard yes but there is a pecking order in place take a good look.

 

[Joedoggy]

Hyman - Matthews - Kapanen
Komarov - Kadri - Brown
van Riemsdyk - Bozak - Marner
Leivo - Nylander - Soshnikov

I think that's a balanced 4 scoring lineup. #top12bottom0

You like soft hockey for sure , you list shows me #1 real soft #2 pesky yet smallish vs heavy teams #3 20% less grit than #2 now #4 is the kicker here if you even attempted that against any NHL lineup teams will use them as their ******es.

You Watched the Caps the other night..get it? There was not a rook player that was not in fear of corners. Playoffs are a different beast, sorry not enough men with man strength bodys in your lineup, call it a house of cards.

Better build a beefed up line with extra grit for playoffs, and you better not worry about rough penalties either...These playoff teams respect who can cause havoc thru physicality, all players require self preservation, Martin on the front end had played in every Battle and opposing teams understand his battle level but more TOI is required to soften the bad guys up. Polak on the backend is the physical backbone on defence but requires a mate who can clear the front when he is handling the board work

Next up Komorov but his physicality drops off drastically from the two previous mentioned, Boyle is big and can lean on people also but he is not a dominant checker nor fighter.

Kadri is more a Rat player yet will stir the pot effectively till he gets carried away, after that ZERO Physicality with size...if anyone says Boo they will fold.

Remedy? Your out gunned physically, you do have the big Hammer in Martin upfront/polak on the back but there is no support toughness, Martin can change a series just Hitting he did it every year the Isles were in the Playoffs but he also had support checkers and timed dump ins, but due to numbers teams have many willing to hit/fight leafs have few.
Until the Leafs learn to dump a puck timed so you can pick apart the opposing d-men you got nothing.

If you cannot control your own corners you cannot win/if you cannot control their corners you cannot win against heavy teams, Finally don't send a puck hound to stick duel for pucks, send the crushers and opposing. d-men will cave with turnovers and bad exit passes due to hearing footsteps.

 

[burpsalot]

Kapanen has not shown he deserves to move up to the first line. If anything, he's shown he could still benefit from a solid ahl playoffs and a good offseason before he's ready to help our team.

No knock against kap, he's good, but he's been playing barely good enough for the leafs since called up.

Aww, merit.

Yet the anointed one has been attached to Matthews all year long while pretty well sucking for the last 30+ games.

Best two forwards on Marlies last playoffs, Kapanen & Leivo. Kapanen was probably the best player in the AHL prior to his injury, he has earned an opportunity here & Babcock should give him the opportunity for success. Move the real 4th liner down to the 4th line. That's merit.

Kapanen isn't best used in a 4th line role & I had previously suggested that if Babcock isn't going to put him in a top 9 role, leave him down with the Marlies.

 

[Joedoggy]

Aww, merit.

Yet the anointed one has been attached to Matthews all year long while pretty well sucking for the last 30+ games.

Best two forwards on Marlies last playoffs, Kapanen & Leivo. Kapanen was probably the best player in the AHL prior to his injury, he has earned an opportunity here & Babcock should give him the opportunity for success. Move the real 4th liner down to the 4th line. That's merit.

Kapanen isn't best used in a 4th line role & I had previously suggested that if Babcock isn't going to put him in a top 9 role, leave him down with the Marlies.

Your Para #3 is somewhat true, he is not a physical force by any means and hears footsteps but unlike 2 of his three predecessors that have played the wing before he, none can make the simple board play to chip the puck in so a physical forecheck can occur.

He is at least getting that done. It comes down to knowing your role and doing it, but you also have to have the make up. Lets not forget Babcock does not play physical hockey nor has had physical teams. Frankly i believe he keeps his physical players toned down to keep his lightweights from retaliation since as you seen in the Caps game they are not able to play Physically. He likes open ice skate where no one goes type game and hopefully you find a seam or two.