Coach Keefe's line blender thread

[ottomaddox]

I am scratching my head a lot at some of the decisions he makes.

Is there a reason for some of these changes/changes on the fly/ 3 on 3 line moves?

Here's a blender. Tell me what you think.

Galychenuck Matthews Kerfoot
Hyman Thornton Mikheyev
Simmonds Engvall Nylander
Marner Tavares Spezza

Seriously. Does Keefe just think that all NHLers can play anywhere with anyone?

What gives?

Click to read more...

 

[BayStBullies]

Because he lacks experience

 

[IPS]

He's doing a fine job coaching the team...

 

[LeafsNation149]

Keefe has been nothing but amazing since coming in. If he did everything that the fanbase wanted and made the obvious moves, what's the point of having a coach? Just put anyone from HF behind the bench and you get the same result.

 

[Antropovsky]

Not a big fan of how he occasionally blends up the lines for a few shifts or just one shift
I'm no hockey player but I feel it would mess with the consistency of all the lines.

 

[Menzinger]

He seemingly values experimentation and midseason games like this are a better time to see what works than what doesn't.

Imo hen lines/guys are playing stale theres.nonsense on keeping the same units together and hope that somehow things will fix themselves and you're not going to see if different guys can have chemistry with one another without trying it out.

Doesn't always work, but I don't mind it. The pros outweigh the cons imo

 

[Leaftors]

Because he lacks experience

This is a bad take

 

[Leaftors]

I am scratching my head a lot at some of the decisions he makes.

Is there a reason for some of these changes/changes on the fly/ 3 on 3 line moves?

Here's a blender. Tell me what you think.

Galychenuck Matthews Kerfoot
Hyman Thornton Mikheyev
Simmonds Engvall Nylander
Marner Tavares Spezza

Seriously. Does Keefe just think that all NHLers can play anywhere with anyone?

What gives?

do you watch the game and the situations that he puts out lines that are “in a blender”?

like for example: coming off a power play were we have 2 players from line 1, then a player from line 2 and line 3. You’d be stuck to pretty much using a blender to get some guys out there. Especially if the power play was out for 2 minutes?

Do yourself a favour and actually pay attention to what’s going on.

 

[ottomaddox]

do you watch the game and the situations that he puts out lines that are “in a blender”?

like for example: coming off a power play were we have 2 players from line 1, then a player from line 2 and line 3. You’d be stuck to pretty much using a blender to get some guys out there. Especially if the power play was out for 2 minutes?

Do yourself a favour and actually pay attention to what’s going on.

Your answer is to ask questions.

I watch the games so I ask the question.

 

[ottomaddox]

Another blender for you:

Robertson Thornton Marner
Hyman Mattews Mikheyev
Simmonds Tavares Kerfoot
Galychenyuck Spezza Nylander

 

[123offtheglass]

If there's one man I'd trust to make a good smoothie it's Sheldon Keefe.

Don't take away Keefe's blender from him & don't confuse a lack of ego for a lack of knowledge; the guy is smart & innovative, a modern day NHL coach.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Because he lacks experience

Yes experienced coaches like Babcock keep everything as is, no matter what

 

[Leaftors]

Your answer is to ask questions.

I watch the games so I ask the question.

No. You don’t watch the game, if you are asking why lines are occasionally mixed.

 

[unitedstars87]

Not a big fan of how he occasionally blends up the lines for a few shifts or just one shift
I'm no hockey player but I feel it would mess with the consistency of all the lines.

Imagine having to adapt to changes at your job.

 

[Avilaj07]

I think Keefe's biggest flaw is being stuck on the Matthews-Marner pairing. I understand they're best friends and want to play together, but as the coach, your job is to put the best lineup together that wins you games. Nylander and Matthews have proven chemistry, as does Tavares and Marner. My ideal lineup would be,

Galchenyuk-Matthews-Nylander
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Engvall
Thornton- Spezza-Simmonds

If I'm Dubas, I look at improving the 3rd line in moving out Kerfoot/Engvall for a player like Miles Wood or Alex Iafallo. While also adding a tough bottom pairing defenseman. I don't think we have to do anything major.

 

[ottomaddox]

No. You don’t watch the game, if you are asking why lines are occasionally mixed.

No the lines are not occasionally mixed.

Ask other people on this board. I watch the games. It's ok to disagree, but don't be insulting.

 

[ottomaddox]

Yes experienced coaches like Babcock keep everything as is, no matter what

No one is saying you have to be one or the other.

If it's Keefe's M.O. to be the complete opposite of Babcock then I don't like his chances.

 

[TheScandal89]

I think Keefe's biggest flaw is being stuck on the Matthews-Marner pairing. I understand they're best friends and want to play together, but as the coach, your job is to put the best lineup together that wins you games. Nylander and Matthews have proven chemistry, as does Tavares and Marner. My ideal lineup would be,

Galchenyuk-Matthews-Nylander
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Engvall
Thornton- Spezza-Simmonds

If I'm Dubas, I look at improving the 3rd line in moving out Kerfoot/Engvall for a player like Miles Wood or Alex Iafallo. While also adding a tough bottom pairing defenseman. I don't think we have to do anything major.

The only thing wrong with that is the 4th line would be the slowest in NHL history

 

[Leaftors]

No the lines are not occasionally mixed.

Ask other people on this board. I watch the games. It's ok to disagree, but don't be insulting.

You’re right. The lines are occasionally mixed, when there a circumstances where they need to be - or he’s double shifting Matthews or marner to try and get a goal.

I’m not being insulting. You’re questioning a coaches ability without understanding the situation.

 

[Coachcorner]

I think the man has been searching those special energies and chemistries in brothers. Like simmonds with mt and marna. Big Joey with them etc. And big joey twerked with am and marna like for 3 weeks. They scored-a-lot records. But now joey just can't play with them no mo. Now its simmonds turn. That brother is hard as F.

They been trying others as well. That tavares line hasn't looked good in a long while. They not playing good enough ice hockey. Offensively. Defensively they aaaight. But just aaaaaight sire.

We be better when we get the glendeling etc. Even other fools and d's.

 

[ottomaddox]

You’re right. The lines are occasionally mixed, when there a circumstances where they need to be - or he’s double shifting Matthews or marner to try and get a goal.

I’m not being insulting. You’re questioning a coaches ability without understanding the situation.

No. The blender gets turned on before most games.

Where is Joe, Kerfoot, Hyman, Simmonds, etc. going to start next game? Your guess is as good as mine.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Who cares? We are in the middle of the season and offense has been tough to come by lately. Try new things. Good.

 

[Guy Boucher]

With Matthews not being able to shoot much, it makes more sense to pair him with Nylander who is a better shooter than Marner.

Also both pairing (Matthews-Marner & JT-Nylander) have gone stale. Sometimes you need to shake things up to get players out of a funk.

Keefe's a great coach but his hesitancy to break up the Matthews-Marner pairing is weird.

 

[The Iceman]

Keefe is getting pretty good at figuring out who is going on any given night and who to play with who.
I am still haunted by the Columbus series and the game 5 choice to run JT out with Marner and AM. Torts ate that matchup for lunch.

The best Leafs blender coach of my era was Pat Quinn. He always got the best out of the team.

Speaking of blenders with a struggling PP1, I struggle with JT and Willy sitting on the bench watching Jumbo and Simmonds. Yes it worked early but it was probably a lot of puck luck.
Seems pretty simple to me. Put your best guys out there for the most minutes and maximize your potential for success.

Simmonds, Jumbo, Spezza and Hyman/CHUK makes up a good enough PP2

 

[Antropovsky]

Imagine having to adapt to changes at your job.

100% when my boss told my cubicle mate Robert to switch desks with Denise from down the hall... it took us weeks to perfect the the timing of our crinkled up paper to trash can one-timers.