Pre-Game Talk: CBJ @ Leafs (Monday) and Leafs @ Bruins (Tuesday)

[PromisedLand]

basically 4 points up for grabs;
Boston game a 4 point game

We need at least 2 out of potential 4 points.

With JT out and with Mango potentially out too...

Which goalie plays at Boston?
What are the line combinations and strategy for the away game?

Should the Leafs strategy be to play safe and go for 2 points with Freddy in net and hope for the best against Boston or should the Leafs gamble and try to get 4 (or 3) points out of potentially 4 points?

Ohh and by the way f*** the guys who made this schedule; no reason for a divisional rivals to play against each other while one team is rested. That’s not parity!

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[SprDaVE]

Andersen is always going to start the first game of a back to back. I don't know why this is talked about ad nauseam or there is confusion about it.

Johnsson is probable to play. X-rays were negative, so it's likely a bruise.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Andersen is always going to start the first game of a back to back. I don't why this is talked about ad nauseam or there is confusion about it.

Johnsson is probable to play. X-rays were negative, so it's likely a bruise.

It just doesn't make sense to me to just give away that game to the Bruins. It doesn't make sense to start your #1 against Columbus and your crappy backup against Boston. These divisional games are too important. Home ice advantage is important. You have to be flexible, and not so rigid. There could be exceptional circumstances where you have to change your plan.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

It just doesn't make sense to me to just give away that game to the Bruins. It doesn't make sense to start your #1 against Columbus and your crappy backup against Boston. These divisional games are too important. Home ice advantage is important. You have to be flexible, and not so rigid. There could be exceptional circumstances where you have to change your plan.

the problem is it's more likely to lose both games until we get a decent backup

 

[TheBeastCoast]

I would go with Freddie Monday and Tuesday. Give him Friday off and play him Saturday against the Habs. Make that one extra game up by giving him a rest in a non-B2B against a bad team. We play Hutch against Boston we are going to give up 6.

 

[Dayjobdave]

I would definitely play Freddie Monday and if the team keeps his workload down possibly give him Tuesday as well.
This schedule could actually cost us a playoff spot it’s so one-sided against us.
Way too any back to backs and three in fours. Especially early, and the. Rested division opponents on the second night. Seriously.

 

[Vaive50]

the problem is it's more likely to lose both games until we get a decent backup

They gotta figure it out cause the B2B's are not stopping, they have another B2B on Fri/Sat with the Habs again getting us on the back end of the B2B. The goalie rotation should definitely go by the teams that we are playing. Hopefully Babcock will surprise us and do that tomorrow.

 

[MJ65]

Freddie should play against the Bruins and if possible should start both games, we need these points and need to go on a long streak

 

[ZEBROA]

Prefered lines?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

They gotta figure it out cause the B2B's are not stopping, they have another B2B on Fri/Sat with the Habs again getting us on the back end of the B2B. The goalie rotation should definitely go by the teams that we are playing. Hopefully Babcock will surprise us and do that tomorrow.

Yeah, it should have been figured out by now. I think Dubas screwed up the backup spot this year, but hopefully he fixes it soon

 

[Vaive50]

I'm not looking forward to that game on Tuesday. The B's fans are looking forward to embarrassing us and they just might do that (even if Freddy plays that game), it's our 2nd of B2B's, no JT, Hyman, Dermot and now maybe Mango.

 

[PromisedLand]

Glad tampa lost in regulation keeps the atlantic division race close but holy hell did their back-up put up a show in tampa last night. 44 saves with 17 saves alone in the 3rd period.

I miss McBackup so much!!!

 

[PromisedLand]

Prefered lines?

versus CBJ at home

Moore-Matthews-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Marner
Johnsson-Spezza-Kapanen
Timashov-Goat-Shore

against boston (away)

Moore-Matthews-Marner (forece bruins to match bergeron line with this loaded line)
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Kapanen
Johnsson-Spezza-Nylander (soft usage mostly offensive role)
Timashov-Goat-Shore

 

[Cor]

Hutch should get Columbus (need him to get some confidence), Freddy should get Boston (divisional rival. Every game against Boston is super important for home ice reasons).


But it’ll be Freddy against Columbus to get 2 points easy, and Hutch will be tossed to the wolves in Boston

 

[Critical13]

Prefered lines?

Moore - Matthews - Marner
Mik - Kerfoot - Nylander
Johnsson - Spezza - Kapanen
Tima - Goat - Shore

That’s what I want to see upfront.

 

[Mitch nylander]

If Johnsson is out what do we do.

Moore - Matthews - Nylander
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Marner
Timashov - Spezza - Kapanen
Petan - Goat - Shore.

Or do we reward Timo, and make a more balanced lineup.

Timo - Matty - Willy
Soup - Kerfoot - Mitch
Moore - Spezza - Kappy
Petan - Goat - Shore

 

[Judas Tavares]

Tuesday's game will likely be conceeded.

 

[Rogue Leader]

I don't get it. Why can't he even think about it? Like I suspect he is sarcastic, but isn't it something actually worth thinking about?

 

[Cor]

I don't get it. Why can't he even think about it? Like I suspect he is sarcastic, but isn't it something actually worth thinking about?

Im guessing he doesn’t see the need. With Matthews, Kerfoot, Spezza, Shore and Gauthier, we still have a need.

I also imagine that even if the coaching staff discussed it, Babcock wouldn't say so.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Im guessing he doesn’t see the need. With Matthews, Kerfoot, Spezza, Shore and Gauthier, we still have a need.

I also imagine that even if the coaching staff discussed it, Babcock wouldn't say so.

I really think that he has nothing to lose if he tries it. Actually he will increase his standing with fans and it seems like a no lose situation. If Nylander fails as a C - everybody would support playing him at W for all the years up to now. If he actually does well - that means extra job security for him, since we will be winning more games. I guess after JT comes back all of this becomes irrelevant, but in the short term I think such line up switches can only help us and keep the opponents guessing. The other theory would be if Willy specifically said that he doesn't want to play C and will not do it, but I doubt this, since he has done it in the past. I know that his defense is not the best, but could it really lead to such a failure in a single game?

 

[Stand Witness]

We play another back to back already? holy

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

I don't get it. Why can't he even think about it? Like I suspect he is sarcastic, but isn't it something actually worth thinking about?

I’m sure they do think about it and he’s just screwing with the media. There’s isn’t any answer he can give to that question that will make people happy.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Hutch should get Columbus (need him to get some confidence), Freddy should get Boston (divisional rival. Every game against Boston is super important for home ice reasons).


But it’ll be Freddy against Columbus to get 2 points easy, and Hutch will be tossed to the wolves in Boston

While that sounds fine, the idea is to not chance the points the first night. With how inconsistent their play has been, Columbus could possibly win with Hutchinson in net, which would mean Andersen with a tired team in Boston.

Of the many of Babcock quirks, this isn't an issue really IMO. I think with a back-up you have more confidence in it's much less of an issue.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

We play another back to back already? holy

Our schedule to start the season is absolutely brutal.

 

[CelticDruid]

Is Dermott and Hyman cleared to play for Saturday as it's has been 10 games and 24 days (LTI)