Line Combos: Andreas Johnsson on Tavares line.

[hobarth]

When healthy, I'd like to see:

Mikey/AM/Ny-two players that can enhance AM while also being productive
Johnsson/JT/Mitch-Johnny is defensively diligent and should be offensively able, a super defensive line
Engvall/Spezza/Kerfoot-3 not quite top 6 quality players but probably productive as a 3rd line, d would be the issue
Moore/Hy/Kappy-loads of hustle just what a 4th line should be

 

[hobarth]

I was one of the few Brown fans on here but lets not pretend he's better than he is. He's at best a 3rd line player with decent offensive upside. If you really want to compare the 3, Brown has 2 goals while Johnsson and Kapanen both have 7 while averaging 4 more minutes of ice time than them . Kapanen and Johnsson are simply better offensive threats than Brown is, that's why he kept falling down the pecking order in Toronto. Brown has the most ice time in Ottawa because there aren't many better players but once they start bringing in more talented players, he'll be right down to the 3rd and 4th line minutes again . He's a good player in the right role, but he's not better than Kapanen or Johnsson.

Mostly I agree with what you're saying, Brown is more productive because of his icetime but at the same time his linemates aren't anywhere close to the quality that Kappy and Johnny get. I thought Brown was overpaid based on too little a sample size when he signed his 2nd contract and I feel the same about Johnny and Kappy. I wonder, did TO give Brown away so that Johnny and Kappy could be overpaid. I hope not.

I also have had an issue with the coach that doled out the icetime last year, he favored Kappy and Johnny but the he also preferred OZ over Holl. That wasn't his only decision I questioned, sometimes a coaches' favorites make no sense.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Moore/Hy/Kappy-loads of hustle just what a 4th line should be

I need more Moore than the 4th line affords.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

I mean Brown has a better pts/60 and primary points/60 than either AJ or Kap at 5 on 5 so he is producing better than AJ or Kap with far worse linemates.

He has also had (as usual) good defensive numbers and much better than AJ or Kap as was shown.

However like others have said I think he may slow down offensively but he has certainly had a good start in Ottawa

 

[zeke]

However like others have said I think he may slow down offensively but he has certainly had a good start in Ottawa

I mean.....

First 13gms: 12pts
Last 12gms: 2pts

 

[Ziggdiezan]

I mean.....

First 13gms: 12pts
Last 12gms: 2pts

While I dont expect that low of production to continue I think his average will level out.

Still doesnt discount the fact it isnt his ice time that is resulting in better production than AJ or Kap so far this year.

Not saying this wont change as the leafs have just had a massive coaching change that looks like it will positively impact most if not all players on the team.

 

[CelticDruid]

I need more Moore than the 4th line affords.

View attachment 283935

My wife loves that scene.

SNL

 

[Jozay]

Why move Johnsson off our best line?

 

[Teeder Keon]

Why move Johnsson off our best line?

I would just like to try , that’s all , try , I’m not sour on him , but I think there may be more from that line with a bigger winger ???
Just to try ..
Korsakov ???
Engvall ??
Soup ??

 

[Jozay]

I would just like to try , that’s all , try , I’m not sour on him , but I think there may be more from that line with a bigger winger ???
Just to try ..
Korsakov ???
Engvall ??
Soup ??

Line is doing really well right now, wouldnt make the switch. Once things slow down for the line, I wouldnt be opposed to switching him off the line.

 

[Havoc]

Based on what exactly? Matthews and Nylander have terrific chemistry. As do Tavares and Marner. I don't get why we have people here clamouring to re-invent the wheel when we already have two combinations that have proven to be among the league's upper echelon.

No need to get so dramatic over shuffling a foursome of matthews, marner, nylander and tavares. It's not like I said try Nylander with Kerfoot. Nobody is clamouring anything. It was my own personal thought based off their style of play. I didn't even advocate for the lines to change. I also am of the opinion Matthews / Nylander combo is one of the best combos in the league. That doesn't mean I can't think perhaps Nylander and Tavares has a chance of having even better chemistry. If you have an issue with that, I find that very odd.

 

[Mitch nylander]

Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander
Mikheyev - Tavares - Marner
Hyman - Kerfoot - Kapanen
Moore - Spezza - Engvall
Extra Timashov

Rielly - Holl
Muzzin - Ceci
Dermott - Barrie

Three balanced defence pairings.
Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander line has been doing very very well as of lately, I don't think that can be changed.
Mikheyev can add a different element to Tavares and Marner. Also Mikheyev has looked good with Tavares lately.
Kerfoot and Kapanen work well together, Hyman adds constant pressure and hustle.
I can't see how spezza comes out of the lineup based on recent play. Engvall has been a burst of energy, him and Moore can be a lethal forecheck combo.
Timashov is my favourite out of Gauthier, Shore and Petan. Timashov, has great vision and can hit. He can sub in and out for engvall or whoever hasn't been great.

That's what I would like to see, once everyone returns.


----------------------

If things aren't working out with this lineup, that I really like you do a true shakeup. Something Babs would never do.

Try different things.
Timashov/Engvall - Matthews - Marner.
Johnsson - Tavares - Kapanen.
Mikheyev- Spezza -Nylander
Hyman - Kerfoot - Moore

This gives you 4 legit solid lines. First Line you've got an elite scorer, an amazing passer, and either a great hustler in engvall who can score. Or A hitting playmaker in Timashov.
Second Line - Tavares, gets two speedy wingers who can play with an edge.
Third Line - Mikheyev/Nylander are very skilled and fast. Spezza has been playing well, and his reach and playmaking is still there.
Fourth Line - Unmatched fourth line, constant hustle, constant pressure, hitting, speed.

 

[Battle Lin]

i dont love johnsson and kapanen's defense against top 2 lines, i want one of hyman and mikheyev each with matthews and tavares cause they will be facing a lot of stars...imo they are our best defensive forwards, have size and give you effort, and their offense is pretty dam good too

one of marner or nylander with tavares or matthews, and one of hyman or mikheyev to fill in the rest of our top 2, any combos will do imo

 

[Kurtz]

While I dont expect that low of production to continue I think his average will level out.

Still doesnt discount the fact it isnt his ice time that is resulting in better production than AJ or Kap so far this year.

Not saying this wont change as the leafs have just had a massive coaching change that looks like it will positively impact most if not all players on the team.

We've seen Brown long enough to know the limits of his skill-set, I think. He simply doesn't have the hands or creativity to be more than a ~40 point guy over a course of an entire season, even if given over 20 minutes per game, as he is now. (Not that there's anything wrong with that with a 2-way guy on his salary)

I think Kap and AJ have the chance to be more.

 

[zeke]

I would love to see brown rebound after babcock crushed his career. He was good when he first came up, before babs ground him down.

Similarly, I hope moore rebounds from mike grinding him down, too.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I would love to see brown rebound after babcock crushed his career. He was good when he first came up, before babs ground him down.

Similarly, I hope moore rebounds from mike grinding him down, too.

well, it's a good thing we now have a coach who wants our players to be as good as possible as opposed to as safe as possible

 

[willmma]

Here it is boys and girls.
You read it here first

Nylander - Matthews - Marner
Hyman - Tavares - Mikheyev
Johnsson - Spezza - Kapanen
Moore - Gauthier - Engvall

 

[Kurtz]

Here it is boys and girls.
You read it here first

Nylander - Matthews - Marner
Hyman - Tavares - Mikheyev
Johnsson - Spezza - Kapanen
Moore - Gauthier - Engvall

Love it. That second line can really develop chemistry...or look awful...either way, I'd love to find out.

 

[deepthoughtsleafs]

Honestly, first line should be

Moore - Taveres - Matthews

Followed by

Marner - Nylander - Kapanen
Johnsson - Spezza - Mikheyev
Hyman - Gauthier - Engvall

This would maximize our offense and optimize our defensive backchecking with these combos

 

[stewpac]

What's great about our roster is the amount of depth through all 4 lines. We have plenty of guys you can move up and down the line up or in and out without changing the identity of the team. We might be tight against the cap but we can handle almost any injury with little effect to the balance of the team. Not many rosters throughout the league have this ability if any.

 

[Sypher04]

No need to get so dramatic over shuffling a foursome of matthews, marner, nylander and tavares. It's not like I said try Nylander with Kerfoot. Nobody is clamouring anything. It was my own personal thought based off their style of play. I didn't even advocate for the lines to change. I also am of the opinion Matthews / Nylander combo is one of the best combos in the league. That doesn't mean I can't think perhaps Nylander and Tavares has a chance of having even better chemistry. If you have an issue with that, I find that very odd.

Who's being dramatic? I countered your point. No drama included at all.
The point you made is one that's echoed here constantly, that somehow Nylander and Tavares should be together so Matthews and Marner can be put together. Could Nylander/Tavares work? sure, it could, but we know it works the way it is and works very well.

 

[ToDavid]

2 years ago Babs and Matthews discussed Hy while Babs was visting Matthews in Pheonix, general knowledge is that Matthews doesn't/didn't want Hy on his line. There's no reason to think that Matthews has changed his mind, there's no reason to think that he should.

It is now believed that Matthews had an agreement with Babs that Kappy wouldn't be put on his line, another reasonable request.

You're confusing "general knowledge" with complete speculation.

The Kapanen thing in particular comes from comes from Simmons which should tell you all you need to know. It is not "now believed". It was reported and everyone correctly took it with a massive grain of salt.

 

[93LEAFS]

That's a line you might see if we are down by 1 late in the 3rd.

More likely Matthews-JT-Marner to be honest.

 

[frizzer1]

Ok...when (if) the Matthew/Nylander duo slows up..

mikheyev. Matthews Marner
Johnsson. Tavares Nylander
Engval. Keefoot. Kapanen
Moore. Spezza. Hyman

 

[hobarth]

This loss against Buffalo isn't Hy's fault but TO is going to win by outscoring the opposition and HY isn't the right person for that job so he shouldn't be on a scoring line.

I like what I'm seeing from Engvall so I'd like to see them switched.