Speculation: Does Nick Robertson make the roster for return to play?

[smitty10]

He looked very good, but also very junior at times. He might make the team out of camp next year. This is a good opportunity for him to practice and train with the Leafs. He's not ready to hop into a playoff series though.

 

[saffronleaf]

He looked very good, but also very junior at times. He might make the team out of camp next year. This is a good opportunity for him to practice and train with the Leafs. He's not ready to hop into a playoff series though.

I think he should play. Reevaluate after each game. I haven't seen our third line look that good in a long while. I wouldn't break that up.

 

[Havoc]

Looked like Hyman-lite on puck retrieval. Imagine him at 25. This guys a keeper for sure.

 

[Rob Brown]

He had some great plays and sequences. I don't see why they wouldn't play him on Sunday. Give him Game 1 and reassess from there.

 

[ACC1224]

He had some great plays and sequences. I don't see why they wouldn't play him on Sunday. Give him Game 1 and reassess from there.

Going to be a tough call for sure.
Guessing it's down to him or Engvall?

 

[Rob Brown]

Going to be a tough call for sure.
Guessing it's down to him or Engvall?

I'd rather see Engvall on the fourth line with Spezza and Clifford, but I guess him and Gauthier are fairly interchangeable.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Gotta keep that 3rd line together. It is all about chemistry now. Kappy and Kerfoot played awesome. Who knows if they play like that with Engval?

 

[Mad hatter]

I'd rather see Engvall on the fourth line with Spezza and Clifford, but I guess him and Gauthier are fairly interchangeable.

I’d like to see Robertson get in the first game and see where it goes from there. The way he played last night he definitely deserves a shot I think. I personally would rather see the goat play 4th line centre though, defensively he is a very good player, good size (although he doesn’t use it properly) and looked good yesterday when on the ice. You’re definitely right where really it doesn’t matter either way though, they are interchangeable. Engvall definitely is more offensive so maybe if leading or trailing the series could factor in as well.

 

[Northernguy10]

I can't see them playing him in the only game before the play-in and then not using him in the first game. If they planned on using Engvall he would have played to get as ready as possible for Sunday's game.

 

[ACC1224]

I can't see them playing him in the only game before the play-in and then not using him in the first game. If they planned on using Engvall he would have played to get as ready as possible for Sunday's game.

Engvall played as well.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Engvall played as well.

To me it is either Engval or Goat you pick em ... my gut says they will pick Goat as more experienced at centre ... but glad we have a choice

 

[HellasLEAF]

I think we should keep Gaut for playoffs. Big body, defensive presence, face-off ability and pk. I would take Gaut over Engvall and Robertson this time around.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

If I'm Columbus, I am hoping the Leafs play Gauthier over Robertson

 

[ACC1224]

If Robertson doesn't play will this change peoples impression of Keefe?

 

[Northernguy10]

Engvall played as well.

Oops..I was responding to an earlier post and "assumed" he didn't play..I guess I should have watched more of the game...

 

[ACC1224]

Oops..I was responding to an earlier post and "assumed" he didn't play..I guess I should have watched more of the game...

No one would fault you for missing him. He was pretty much invisible.

 

[Morgs]

I think we should keep Gaut for playoffs. Big body, defensive presence, face-off ability and pk. I would take Gaut over Engvall and Robertson this time around.

Engvall is:

a) just as big (6'5" to 6"5)
----
b) much better offensively (they actually played almost identical 5v5 minutes this season):
Points - 15 to 12
ixG (individual expected goals created) - 8.91 to 4.2
rel.TM xGF/60 (relative to the team, expected goals for - minus is bad) - -0.17 to -0.58
----
c) better defensively:
GF% (Goals for %) - 52.94% to 44.67%
rel.TM xGA/60 (relative to team, expected goals against - minus is good) - -0.29 to -0.16
----
d) worse on faceoffs:
Engvall - 39%
Gauthier - 54.7%
Spezza - 54%
----
e) much MUCH better on the PK:
FA/60 (unblocked shot attempts against per 60 minutes) - 55.24 to 83.47
xGA/60 (expected goals against per 60 minutes) - 4.59 to 7.66
GA/60 (actual goals against per 60 minutes) - 4.93 to 11.77
----

Gauthier is a net negative player 5v5, that is also one of the worst penalty killers in the league. Engvall arguably the best penalty killer in the entire league this past season, while being a net positive 5v5 player. If you'd like to keep Gauthier in due to faceoffs, that's your own perogitive, but lets not pretend like he's going to give us anything positive outside of that.

 

[Morgs]

If Robertson doesn't play will this change peoples impression of Keefe?

Nah. It's the wrong move, but it's understandable to not play an 18 year old who has never played a professional game over a guy that actually has a positive defensive impact. It's not like we're really hoping for any offensive contribution from our 4th line anyway.

 

[mikeyz]

Engvall is:

a) just as big (6'5" to 6"5)
----
b) much better offensively (they actually played almost identical 5v5 minutes this season):
Points - 15 to 12
ixG (individual expected goals created) - 8.91 to 4.2
rel.TM xGF/60 (relative to the team, expected goals for - minus is bad) - -0.17 to -0.58
----
c) better defensively:
GF% (Goals for %) - 52.94% to 44.67%
rel.TM xGA/60 (relative to team, expected goals against - minus is good) - -0.29 to -0.16
----
d) worse on faceoffs:
Engvall - 39%
Gauthier - 54.7%
Spezza - 54%
----
e) much MUCH better on the PK:
FA/60 (unblocked shot attempts against per 60 minutes) - 55.24 to 83.47
xGA/60 (expected goals against per 60 minutes) - 4.59 to 7.66
GA/60 (actual goals against per 60 minutes) - 4.93 to 11.77
----

Gauthier is a net negative player 5v5, that is also one of the worst penalty killers in the league. Engvall arguably the best penalty killer in the entire league this past season, while being a net positive 5v5 player. If you'd like to keep Gauthier in due to faceoffs, that's your own perogitive, but lets not pretend like he's going to give us anything positive outside of that.

Well said.

 

[dubplatepressure]

Engvall is:

a) just as big (6'5" to 6"5)
----
b) much better offensively (they actually played almost identical 5v5 minutes this season):
Points - 15 to 12
ixG (individual expected goals created) - 8.91 to 4.2
rel.TM xGF/60 (relative to the team, expected goals for - minus is bad) - -0.17 to -0.58
----
c) better defensively:
GF% (Goals for %) - 52.94% to 44.67%
rel.TM xGA/60 (relative to team, expected goals against - minus is good) - -0.29 to -0.16
----
d) worse on faceoffs:
Engvall - 39%
Gauthier - 54.7%
Spezza - 54%
----
e) much MUCH better on the PK:
FA/60 (unblocked shot attempts against per 60 minutes) - 55.24 to 83.47
xGA/60 (expected goals against per 60 minutes) - 4.59 to 7.66
GA/60 (actual goals against per 60 minutes) - 4.93 to 11.77
----

Gauthier is a net negative player 5v5, that is also one of the worst penalty killers in the league. Engvall arguably the best penalty killer in the entire league this past season, while being a net positive 5v5 player. If you'd like to keep Gauthier in due to faceoffs, that's your own perogitive, but lets not pretend like he's going to give us anything positive outside of that.

package that up and send it home. As far as I'm concerned you've just answered this question. Engvall >> Gauthier.

 

[bbgobie]

Pretty sure he's made the team. He obviously has the skill.

I think the only argument for him not making it is: In the playoffs especially against a tight checking team, its not your offensive talent that wins you games, its the mistakes that break games. And I'm not sure what would happen if he makes a mistake that costs us an early game. Whether you leave him in or out after that the fans could get in his head. Its more likely he makes a mistake that costs us than he wins us the series.

 

[ACC1224]

Nah. It's the wrong move, but it's understandable to not play an 18 year old who has never played a professional game over a guy that actually has a positive defensive impact. It's not like we're really hoping for any offensive contribution from our 4th line anyway.

and if Engvall sits instead of Gauthier?

 

[Morgs]

and if Engvall sits instead of Gauthier?

I think that would be an even bigger lapse in judgement, especially with how on the same page I believe Dubas and Keefe are (and how big a proponent in advanced stats we think Dubas is).

I'd be unhappy about it, as I'd probably rank them Engvall >= Robby >> Gauthier, but my opinion on Keefe wouldn't change. He hasn't made enough "bad" decisions for me to think it's a pattern, and it's not like Engvall tore the world apart in scrimmage/exhibition for me to even believe he's the identical player he was during the regular season.

 

[ACC1224]

I think that would be an even bigger lapse in judgement, especially with how on the same page I believe Dubas and Keefe are (and how big a proponent in advanced stats we think Dubas is).

I'd be unhappy about it, as I'd probably rank them Engvall >= Robby >> Gauthier, but my opinion on Keefe wouldn't change. He hasn't made enough "bad" decisions for me to think it's a pattern, and it's not like Engvall tore the world apart in scrimmage/exhibition for me to even believe he's the identical player he was during the regular season.

That’s fair.
Really not sure what they will do and I’m betting they change their minds a few times before Sunday.

 

[Morgs]

That’s fair.
Really not sure what they will do and I’m betting they change their minds a few times before Sunday.

Who would you pick?