Pre-Game Talk: Caps @ Leafs - Last game before the break

[1specter]

ASB might be the perfect thing for this team right now. Grind out a win against the Caps and hopefully end off on a high note.

 

[Lil Tuzzi Bert]

We don't wake up soon we'll find ourselves checking mock drafts real soon. Playoffs in this division is hard enough as it is. We're making it too easy for Mon, Buff and Boston.

 

[1specter]

I would think that having a young noncontending team of all new young players is exactly when you should be experimenting and learning about your lineup.

Now we're here 3yrs later and we still don't have any idea what our 2 best forwards look like together, and they've had no opportunity to create any type of chemistry.

2010 Blackhawks @ 5v5

Patrick Kane & Jonathan Toews together = 678 minutes

Patrick Kane without Jonathan Toews = 533 minutes

Jonathan Toews without Patrick Kane = 423 minutes

2013 Blackhawks @ 5v5

Patrick Kane & Jonathan Toews together = 99 minutes

Patrick Kane without Jonathan Toews = 648 minutes

Jonathan Toews without Patrick Kane = 563 minutes

2015 Blackhawks @ 5v5

Patrick Kane & Jonathan Toews together = 145 minutes

Patrick Kane without Jonathan Toews = 763 minutes

Jonathan Toews without Patrick Kane = 972 minutes

I dunno @zeke , is it necessary to put them together? You look at the Hawks and the only cup where Kane/Toews played together significantly was 2010. They won 2 cups where they mostly played away from each other at 5v5.

With Nylander, this isn't supposed to be a problem, just like how Toews had Hossa.

 

[stuart5035]

Lol, according to Babs philosophy Gretzky and Kurri should have never played together.

Hull and Oates? Forget it.

Why play Lafontaine and Mogilny together when you could separate them and have 2 balanced lines instead? My head hurts thinking about this

It’s definitely intriguing.
To be fair though, Pittsburgh has done very well for a long time spreading Crosby, Malkin an Kessel out

 

[zeke]

I dunno @zeke , is it necessary to put them together?

no, it's not necessary.

it might not even be the best set up.

but we sure as hell should take a look and see how it works, like the hawks did.

 

[stuart5035]

It’s definitely intriguing.
To be fair though, Pittsburgh has done very well for a long time spreading Crosby, Malkin an Kessel out

My biggest fear on Wednesday is Wilson injuring a Rielly or a Marner type. We have no push back.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Ridiculous.

Nobody would have guessed THIS would be an issue this year.

Safe to predict every year there will be cold streaks.

 

[PuckMagi]

I predict that the MMM line becomes permanent and will be the turning point of our season. We will have a dominant #1 line. Tavares will still be great without Marner, but Matthews will start scoring tons of goals. I expect him to average over a goal per game from here playing with Marner.

Those two are meant for each other. They complement each other's style perfectly imo.

 

[frizzer1]

I think that the prospect of playing them together is killing babcock.
For 3 years he's been telling us that they need balance and so they won't play together..
His whole coaching philosophy is based on that.

So,if they don't score in the first period together and the team as a whole is struggling......bet your house on them being separated to start the next period

 

[nsleaf]

I would think that having a young noncontending team of all new young players is exactly when you should be experimenting and learning about your lineup.

Now we're here 3yrs later and we still don't have any idea what our 2 best forwards look like together, and they've had no opportunity to create any type of chemistry.

Worth a shot, but like chemistry, what reaction will occur, potassium and water or oil and water?

 

[Morbo]

He could put Marner with tavares and Matthews with Nylander and Rielly none of this matters if the way to beat the Leafs is to lean on them because they don't have any push back.

Team needs truculence to compliment and fight for our talent..

The team didn't get anywhere when it had truculence and fighting. They were a significantly worse team.

 

[jimmycarter]

whatever. life is too short to watch bad hockey.

 

[Advanced stats]

I think that the prospect of playing them together is killing babcock.
For 3 years he's been telling us that they need balance and so they won't play together..
His whole coaching philosophy is based on that.

So,if they don't score in the first period together and the team as a whole is struggling......bet your house on them being separated to start the next period

Nope, the addition of tavares changes it, because Tavares is still a Lind driver on line 2. Previously it did make sense to have Matthews and Marner apart, but with the addition of Johnny, it gives some flexibility

 

[Advanced stats]

whatever. life is too short to watch bad hockey.

Good thing your a fan of a great team then

 

[Randy Randerson]

the timing of the Allstar break in relation to our current play kinda sucks. If we win against the Caps, no matter how convincing, we probably all still have an uneasy feeling for like a week and a half minimum and that assume we play very well in the early feb games

 

[BertCorbeau]

This team needs a break to mentally reset.

Find a way to win please.

 

[Drytoast]

The team didn't get anywhere when it had truculence and fighting. They were a significantly worse team.

Surely by now you can see a difference in bite between us and teams better than us?

Winnipeg, Washington, Tampa, Boston...

Then you have teams like Montreal and the Islanders who are playing with grit and teamwork. Vegas last year...

Come on fella. We don't stand up for each other and we fold like a lawn chair when teams lean on us.

 

[PromisedLand]

Thank you Naz; now we won't get even one PP

Refs EGO >>>> everything

 

[jimmycarter]

Caps might be the only team sucking harder than the leafs right now. Think we can squeak one out.

 

[PromisedLand]

Caps might be the only team sucking harder than the leafs right now. Think we can squeak one out.

avs were also sucking more than the leafs when they visited ACC

 

[Mikeyg]

Egocock is at a fork right now, will he put his bullshit ego anchors aside and stack the lines, or will he ego on and pump this “depth” delusion?

 

[Liminality]

The 3M line

I think the Hyman-Tavares-Kapanen line is an extremely hard working and capable line. Marleau hopefully can be a big body in front or something but Matthews and Marner together potentially make tons of magic happen. Brown-Kadri-Nylander has enough porential skill to warrant some attention from the opposition, hopefully they can sneak by and catch them off guard. 4th line is 4th line, Nice to see Moore back in the lineup.

Overall I'd say I like the idea of the lines.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

but there's only one coach in the league who went 3yrs without event trying his 2 best forwards together.

Dubas told him to do that to keep their AAVs down

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Why Holl ?

Fans wanted Moore ?

 

[Liminality]

Why Holl ?

Fans wanted Moore ?

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