Pre-Game Talk: Blues vs Leafs

[Nineteen67]

I guess no changes to the lineup....hopefully the Kappy experiment on the Marner JT line finally leads to some dividends today. If not Babcock better atleast 'try' to put someone like Moore on that line going forward.

Sandin and Holl wont see much ice-time

 

[Hustlr]

How is Kapanen still on that line? I swear he better pop off or gtfoff that line real fast!

 

[sparxx87]

Would like to see

65-34-88
42-91-16
18-15-24
33-26-19

Edit: Nylander edited his number

 

[18leafsfan18]

Would like to see

65-34-29
42-91-16
18-15-24
33-26-19

Is that #29 a trade ?

 

[Nineteen67]

It's going to be a very difficult game for the leafs to get any space to play their game. The leafs play much better at high tempo free for all, St.Louis will not
Let that happen.
Tonight should give us an idea if we can win in the playoffs against these kind of teams.

I don’t think you’re going to see playoff mode St Louis tonight. Maybe the first half of the first period....long way to go.

 

[Ratboy]

There are 8 Ontario boys plus Alex Steen and Tyler Bozak on the Blues. They will not mail in a typical October game.

Look for bozak to score. Former leafs always score.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Need a better goaltending Performance than we had last game, they play the same way they did against Montreal for the first 50 minutes but with better goaltending they win.

Also need to get that PP going hoping for a big night from Tavares

 

[supermann_98]

I guess no changes to the lineup....hopefully the Kappy experiment on the Marner JT line finally leads to some dividends today. If not Babcock better atleast 'try' to put someone like Moore on that line going forward.

Babs expects Spezza go change his game to adapt to a different role. Is it too much to expect Babs to adapt and make lineup changes when something isn't working? Or can we just expect the JT line to not change until Hyman is back?

• Kappy has 0 points and is a -3
• Marner has been mostly invisible 5v5 other than his spinorama on Werenski
• JT has done nothing 5v5

I won't sit here and blame Kappy for all the line's problems, but a change should at LEAST be tried, no? Put Moore on that line and watch them explode.

 

[LeafSteel]

Look for bozak to score. Former leafs always score.

I’m hoping for a side by side pic of Bozak with Barrie so we can decide once and for all if they are twins separated at birth......

 

[LeafingTheWay]

I disagree with the majority here. Keep Kapanen on the Tavares-Marner line.

Tavares-Marner were expected to face some regression due to their high oish% last year. It was expected they wouldn't have a crazy hot start like usual. They'll return to their ways soon, you can bet on that (With or without Kapanen).

Once Tavares-Marner start getting their mojo back, Kapanen could be great on that line. He has a good shot, something that Hyman/Mikheyev/Moore are not as good as Kapanen as.

 

[sparxx87]

Is that #29 a trade ?

Nah, Jeremy Bracco

 

[Blanche Blanche]

I disagree with the majority here. Keep Kapanen on the Tavares-Marner line.

Tavares-Marner were expected to face some regression due to their high oish% last year. It was expected they wouldn't have a crazy hot start like usual. They'll return to their ways soon, you can bet on that (With or without Kapanen).

Once Tavares-Marner start getting their mojo back, Kapanen could be great on that line. He has a good shot, something that Hyman/Mikheyev/Moore are not as good as Kapanen as.

Agreed. Its 3 games. Not 20 or 30.

The sample size is wayyyyyy to small to come up with conclusions.

 

[razkaz]

We all know Kapanen is a placeholder for Hyman so no real reason to get him off that line just yet.

The real question is if the current 3rd line continues to produce, where does Kapanen go?

 

[sparxx87]

I disagree with the majority here. Keep Kapanen on the Tavares-Marner line.

Tavares-Marner were expected to face some regression due to their high oish% last year. It was expected they wouldn't have a crazy hot start like usual. They'll return to their ways soon, you can bet on that (With or without Kapanen).

Once Tavares-Marner start getting their mojo back, Kapanen could be great on that line. He has a good shot, something that Hyman/Mikheyev/Moore are not as good as Kapanen as.

It has more to do with getting Kapanen back on RW. Tavares-Marner will be fine with or without him, I agree, but Kapanen just hasn’t looked good on the left so far.

 

[Nylander88]

I think most of us need to stop looking at 3.2mil Kapanen to get 21.893million Tavares-Marner going. Our stars need to be stars.

 

[Legion34]

Don’t they normally have a GDT or am I missing something?

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

Good players work around there situation.
Matthews had kappy most of last year.
Marner and jt can suck it up till hyman gets back.

I think keep moore where he is, the 3rd line has been gold. And they are feasting out there.

 

[Fogelhund]

We need a great all around effort from our Boys tonight. We need to tighten up defensively, limit chances, and take advantage of the little room that they do give us. This should be the first real test of where the team is at.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I’m hoping for a side by side pic of Bozak with Barrie so we can decide once and for all if they are twins separated at birth......

[URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhl.com%2Fplayer%2Ftyson-barrie-8475197&psig=AOvVaw1noZZJfzKn-pW9rvFPsqgM&ust=1570556690549000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCJj_ud_ZiuUCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE'][/URL]

They look pretty different TBH.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Don’t they normally have a GDT or am I missing something?

I mean anyone can make them. Just no one ever wants to. It's kind of funny at this point. We can argue for 40 pages about Jason Spezza but can't make a GDT.

 

[Pinto]

They look pretty different TBH.

First time I saw Barrie I thought he looked just like Bozie as well..... not as much in those two pics.

 

[HomerJLeafs]

I think most of us need to stop looking at 3.2mil Kapanen to get 21.893million Tavares-Marner going. Our stars need to be stars.

Yup
No need to move Kappy if our stars play like crap (5on5).
How about Matthews going: "this is our time" in the pregame interview?
Wow.
I love it.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I mean anyone can make them. Just no one ever wants to. It's kind of funny at this point. We can argue for 40 pages about Jason Spezza but can't make a GDT.

Not that I care much either way but why would we need a GDT when there's still 5 hours until the game starts? This is a pre-game thread, we're pre-game so ...

 

[Apotheosis]

I would like to see Moore or Miky tried on the second line. Moore's assist last game is like Hyman on steroids. All the grit, but the speed to react to immediately pass for a goal. Kapanen's speed would help out the bottom 6 as well. Regardless, I see a HUGE game from Nylander and to a lesser extent, Matthews. Jury is out on the Tavares line though. Need it to get going.

 

[Apotheosis]

One area that stands out to me, despite our relatively weak schedule so far, is:

HDCF%: 43%
High Danger Chances For: 43
High Danger Chances Against: 55
High Danger Goals Against: 7 (14% conversion rate by opponents, 6th worst in the league)

For regular scoring chances we are around even, but we're way behind average in High Danger metrics. Giving up way too many primo chances...if we're going to play like this, we need to create more high danger chances to offset that.

That is mostly brought down by the Tavares line currently. Matthews line has been carrying and the bottom 6 has been pretty good. Once Marner-Tavares get going together again, the Leafs are back in the top 3-5 in the league in HDCF.