Pre-Game Talk: What? Game Day? oh yeah the Habs!

[al secord]

Les Hanta Yo!

 

[HockeyVirus]

Dubas has built the best team we have seen in decades and people still don't trust his scouting and choices.

 

[Not My Tempo]

I really don’t get the logic behind Thornton in the bumper role. He can’t play make from there really, and he doesn’t have the quick shot to catch a goalie off guard.

 

[Confucius]

I can't believe I'm saying this but if I had the choice I would rather see Gally get a Hatrick tonight than Mathews. lol! Ok hope they both get one.

 

[Not My Tempo]

When it’s a 6 on 5 we toss out the big 4, Hyman and Rielly. But on the PP we galaxy brain ourselves to giving Thornton and Simmonds a bunch of ice time.

I’ve been watching a bunch of highlights from last year and I still don’t understand why we changed up our PP from that. They were producing fine.

 

[supermann_98]

I can't believe I'm saying this but if I had the choice I would rather see Gally get a Hatrick tonight than Mathews. lol! Ok hope they both get one.

It would be great, no doubt, to see the Habs fan cry over Gally scoring a hatty against them, but Matthews has a rocket to win so for now at least that takes precedence, at least for me

 

[Confucius]

It would be great, no doubt, to see the Habs fan cry over Gally scoring a hatty against them, but Matthews has a rocket to win so for now at least that takes precedence, at least for me

Matty has a nice cushion, I think its already a lock. Washington scored 8 yesterday but none by Ovi. The hockey Gods could throw me a curve though, so yeah maybe you are right. lol. But if Matty gets one tonight its Chuckees turn nextime for sure.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Happy to see Robertson get a look assuming those lines at the skate hold. Wish he was playing on the third line over Jumbo Joe though. He's a legend but it's clear that he's done. While we're at it put Liljegren in for a game and give Bogo a rest. He's the only prospect on the Marlies that has actually fully deserved a call up.

 

[Burnie97]

Awesome. Looking forward to Robertson being in.

 

[Confucius]

Big Save Dave tomorrow, darn things move fast here.

 

[Maplebeasts]

The 2nd line is very interesting imo. It could potentially be a keeper, opening up some other interesting possibilities.

Don't see how Mikheyev on the second line ahead of Nylander when he gets back makes sense unless you roll the top three lines and sprinkle in the fourth every now and then.

 

[Suntouchable13]

First round preview.

 

[VanW27]

When it’s a 6 on 5 we toss out the big 4, Hyman and Rielly. But on the PP we galaxy brain ourselves to giving Thornton and Simmonds a bunch of ice time.

I’ve been watching a bunch of highlights from last year and I still don’t understand why we changed up our PP from that. They were producing fine.

They have no choice, Simmonds and Thornton are bad ES players and can't defend or PK. They need PP minutes or there's not enough ice time for them.

 

[Gabriel426]

Just Win

 

[Maplebeasts]

They have no choice, Simmonds and Thornton are bad ES players and can't defend or PK. They need PP minutes or there's not enough ice time for them.

The team is not obligated to feed Joe and Simmonds minutes that they aren't suited for. They have absolutely no business being on the first unit. If they want more minutes they should have to earn it just like everyone else.

 

[Not My Tempo]

Relative how amazing they are in general, I don’t think Marner and Matthews are particularly good at entering the zone on the PP. I really don’t think Thornton and Simmonds helps them there either.

My main issue with Simmonds on the PP is he isn’t really a goal line option. Like it’s great that he can stand in front of the net and bang home rebounds, but the thing that made JVR and even Nylander last year so effective was that they were able to be a pass option on the goal line as well. Simmonds can’t do that at this stage of his career. PKers just have to pressure Matthews and Marner and their only outlet is back to Rielly.

 

[fahad203]

The team is not obligated to feed Joe and Simmonds minutes that they aren't suited for. They have absolutely no business being on the first unit. If they want more minutes they should have to earn it just like everyone else.

Exactly. They have been given every opportunity to succeed and do well. The fact is neither has contributed in PP
It's time they try different personnel. Just because they were UFAs and hometown boys means nothing. Teams success comes first

I think Keefe is giving his assistance coach too much leash. He should be on him like a dog on a bone. Malhotra needs to get his S*$& together
Mix it up a bit, try something different and new. Maybe even go with 5 forwards

 

[HockeyVirus]

The team is not obligated to feed Joe and Simmonds minutes that they aren't suited for. They have absolutely no business being on the first unit. If they want more minutes they should have to earn it just like everyone else.

The honest answer is our PP coach is over his head. But at the same time, this is the 3rd PP coach in as many years, and all have seen the PP start hot and fade as the year goes on. At some point, it's on the players.

I think Rielly just sucks at running the unit.

 

[fahad203]

Relative how amazing they are in general, I don’t think Marner and Matthews are particularly good at entering the zone on the PP. I really don’t think Thornton and Simmonds helps them there either.

My main issue with Simmonds on the PP is he isn’t really a goal line option. Like it’s great that he can stand in front of the net and bang home rebounds, but the thing that made JVR and even Nylander last year so effective was that they were able to be a pass option on the goal line as well. Simmonds can’t do that at this stage of his career. PKers just have to pressure Matthews and Marner and their only outlet is back to Rielly.

That game is slowly slowly going away. The game that Dino Cicerilli or Andrewychuck played. Stand front of the net and collect garbage goals
You have to be able to move and rotate

Simmonds simply doesn't have the soft hands for it.

 

[VanW27]

The team is not obligated to feed Joe and Simmonds minutes that they aren't suited for. They have absolutely no business being on the first unit. If they want more minutes they should have to earn it just like everyone else.

Sure, but that's the reality of the circumstances. You need to get some amount of minutes from them and the PP is really the only area of play where you can expect them to be useful.

Hopefully once Foligno arrives Thornton will be out of the lineup and it won't be such an issue.

 

[zeke]

Don't see how Mikheyev on the second line ahead of Nylander when he gets back makes sense unless you roll the top three lines and sprinkle in the fourth every now and then.

its an option.

Tavares has had lots of success in his career with grinders on his wings.

Nylander-Matthews-Marner superline with Tavares centering the 2nd line? (which is what he shiould have done last playoffs if Keefe wanted a superline so badly).

Nylander on a 3rd line with Foligno and Engvall/Kerfoot? could be interesting.

 

[wingman75]

That game is slowly slowly going away. The game that Dino Cicerilli or Andrewychuck played. Stand front of the net and collect garbage goals
You have to be able to move and rotate

Simmonds simply doesn't have the soft hands for it.

To your point, that guy in front of the net has to help with puck recoveries... neither Wayne nor Jumbo are good at that.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Relative how amazing they are in general, I don’t think Marner and Matthews are particularly good at entering the zone on the PP. I really don’t think Thornton and Simmonds helps them there either.

My main issue with Simmonds on the PP is he isn’t really a goal line option. Like it’s great that he can stand in front of the net and bang home rebounds, but the thing that made JVR and even Nylander last year so effective was that they were able to be a pass option on the goal line as well. Simmonds can’t do that at this stage of his career. PKers just have to pressure Matthews and Marner and their only outlet is back to Rielly.

I'm not sure about individual players, but the Leafs are the 2nd best team in the league at setting up on the PP (48.6%). They just don't seem dangerous when they get the setup, as they're very static and predictable

 

[Maplebeasts]

I'm not sure about individual players, but the Leafs are the 2nd best team in the league at setting up on the PP (48.6%). They just don't seem dangerous when they get the setup, as they're very static and predictable

Honestly I think the problem comes down to Rielly not being a good powerplay QB and Marner being used in the wrong spot. Rielly doesn't have a shot that teams respect and he makes so many poor decisions, especially when it comes to his shot selection. Marner on the right point has the same problem where he can't beat goalies from there so you know he's either going for a cross-ice pass to Matthews or back to the point. I'd like to see what the powerplay would look like if Muzzin played the point and Marner was used below the hash marks to give him as many passing options as possible.

 

[DarkKnight]

Robertson in, love it!!