Pre-Game Talk: Blues vs Leafs

[stickty111]

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.

I think it's fair to say Babcock has changed slightly, but for better or worse is the question?
I still don't understand why you don't call a timeout at 4-3.

 

[Mike Liut]

This won't go over well, but I believe St Louis has become overrated. They've been a fringe team for the longest time and barely squeaked into the playoffs last year. Obviously they won the cup, but they were never expected to, and never seen as one of the elite teams. Probably one of the flukiest cup wins in recent memory. Some regression could definitely be expected for them.
I believe we are more of a contender than they are this year.

Tonight should be a good game though. No doubt we are outmatched physically, but at the same time we definitely have way more skill.

STL has lacked centers and a goalie to become truly elite in recent years. They have added ROR, Schenn, Bozak and goalie Binnington played lights out. Parayko has turned into an elite defender too. This is a different team than in years past where they couldn’t get past rd 1.

 

[Bigmarycombo]

Watch the Tavares line tonight

Kappanen is the left winger on that line but he keeps going back to the right side forcing marner to play left wing.

Kappanen has to play his position or move him to the third line and replaced by Soupy or Moore

 

[Fogelhund]

Watch the Tavares line tonight

Kappanen is the left winger on that line but he keeps going back to the right side forcing marner to play left wing.

Kappanen has to play his position or move him to the third line and replaced by Soupy or Moore

Apologies for being a pedant. Kapanen.

 

[Stamkos4life]

Maybe I underrate the blues but I dont think they are that good of a team. Just managed to get hot at the right time with a goalie on his A game.

Leafs definently missed out last year. If we had beaten the Bruins, imo, we wouldve made it to the finals which I think we couldve won.

 

[Fogelhund]

Maybe I underrate the blues but I dont think they are that good of a team. Just managed to get hot at the right time with a goalie on his A game.

Leafs definently missed out last year. If we had beaten the Bruins, imo, we wouldve made it to the finals which I think we couldve won.

From game 25 to to the end of the season, they won more games than anybody but Tampa. They are a pretty good team.

 

[Gallagbi]

They have to miss a minimum of 10 games and 24 days for LTIR. Otherwise, the league can challenge it.

Curious, does preseason dates/games play in to this at all?

 

[Nylander88]

From game 25 to to the end of the season, they won more games than anybody but Tampa. They are a pretty good team.

This.
It's less of they got hot at the right time, and more of they just had a bad start. They were hot for an awful long time before playoffs

 

[razkaz]

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.

I'd like to see Souperman stay on the third line a bit longer since they have some good chemistry and would be good for his confidence level. Leave Kapanen on the 2nd line for now and maybe re-shuffle lines after this week if the Tavares line stays stagnant.

 

[Ciao]

Watch the Tavares line tonight

Kappanen is the left winger on that line but he keeps going back to the right side forcing marner to play left wing.

Kappanen has to play his position or move him to the third line and replaced by Soupy or Moore

Who the Hell is Soupy?

 

[Ciao]

Watch the Tavares line tonight

Kappanen is the left winger on that line but he keeps going back to the right side forcing marner to play left wing.

Kappanen has to play his position or move him to the third line and replaced by Soupy or Moore

Kappanen once is a typo.

Kappanen twice is a correction.

Not the place for an apology.

Apologies for being a pedant. Kapanen.

 

[McSnypsky]

Kappanen once is a typo.

Kappanen twice is a correction.

Not the place for an apology.

Soupy = Mikheyev loves soup!!

 

[MoreMogilny]

Who the Hell is Soupy?

Mikheyev

 

[kb]

Curious, does preseason dates/games play in to this at all?

Just regular season games. Boston on the 22nd I believe is the earliest they can come off?

But they will keep them out longer. That would be too suspicious.

 

[tom leafers]

They look pretty different TBH.

 

[tom leafers]

Mikheyev

After reading that interview, i really wanted to try his girlfriends soup

 

[Suntouchable13]

They look pretty different TBH.

They look kinda similar when you see them wearing helmets. I definitely thought that Barrie resembled Bozak the other day when they interviewed him rink side during warm up.

 

[IPS]

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.

You're just gonna drive yourself crazy expecting Babcock to change something that's not working. His stubbornness is off the charts.

It's beyond frustrating having a lineup so loaded with offensive talent being managed by a coach who's completely unwilling to be flexible with it.

 

[kb]

You're just gonna drive yourself crazy expecting Babcock to change something that's not working. His stubbornness is off the charts.

It's beyond frustrating having a lineup so loaded with offensive talent being managed by a coach who's completely unwilling to be flexible with it.

Especially when he designs his lines around forward pairs. The third member should be rotated to find the best chemistry.

 

[CelticDruid]

Going to be tough to win face offs tonight as we are playing against one of the better teams down the middle.

 

[Myopic]

Wow, so many games stacked close together to start the season. Pro athletes in any sport aren't usually in the best of condition to start the year. Three games ion 4 nights contributed to the loss vs MTL.

 

[saffronleaf]

You're just gonna drive yourself crazy expecting Babcock to change something that's not working. His stubbornness is off the charts.

It's beyond frustrating having a lineup so loaded with offensive talent being managed by a coach who's completely unwilling to be flexible with it.

The only change you can expect Babcock to make is to put Nylander on the fourth line for some minor mistake.

If Nylander pulled a kapanem he would be playing on the Marlies 4th line.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Going to be tough to win face offs tonight as we are playing against one of the better teams down the middle.

We have the Spezza

 

[saffronleaf]

Especially when he designs his lines around forward pairs. The third member should be rotated to find the best chemistry.

When have appeals to logic and reason ever penetrated Babcocks thicc skull.