Line Combos: Establishing Balance

[Darcy Tucker]

I think re-inserting Lupul and adding a veteran in Booth will make us much better. Leivo and Smith aren't cutting it. Our 4th line looks useless again.

 

[Al14]

Your lines are not balanced.

Komarov Kadri Kessel
JVR Bozak Santorelli
Lupul Holland Panik
Booth Winnik Clarkson

This is fairly balanced.

The triple K line. Cool!

 

[thewave]

The triple K line. Cool!

I could see only in Toronto, management being against a line just because of that lol. That part aside to me it looks pretty solid considering all the penalties Komarov draws, the take always and pass interception, general all around hard work and hitting he does (does the work of 2 NHLers that way) and pretty good passing. He could make a line like that +ES

Randy will never do it. Sad but true.

 

[Dugath]

Well as long as we are doing lines (hockey)..

As the leafs have no clear above all others #1 C I thought what they heck, out Holland there. I think Kadri (If he would suck it up) would make a great winger, perhaps a "Kessel light" less goals but tougher.
(though I doubt re-arranging lines helps much right now)

Lupul-Holland-Kessel
JVR-Bozak-Kadri
Komarov-Santo-Clarkson
Booth-Winnick-Panik (shrug)

 

[WestCoastLeafs]

Just can't seem to remember a period of time in which these two consistently put up points playing with each other?

Wouldn't they need to play together consistently to produce together consistently?

 

[swint]

Probably because Bozak and Kessel and joined at the hip for some reason? Kadri and Kessel played 3.33 games (72:07 toi) together this season (with full center depth in the line up) and recorded 3 points (Kadri) and 5 points (Kessel). Compare this to Kessel and Bozak, with 182:10 toi, with 7 points (Kessel) and 4 points (Bozak).

Pretty easy to see the line was working more then the current line is, even if it is a small sample size. It didn't warrant being broken up so easily for more of the same.

Reasonable, switch Kadri and Bozak then. The way I see it is that we have three offensive minded centers in Kadri, Bozak, and Holland that are interchangeable in the top 3 C spots depending on the production of each guy.

 

[ryno23]

My thoughts on a balanced lineup

Kessel - Kadri - Winnik
Winnik is the smart responsible guy on the line and Kadri sets up Kessel or vice versa. Kadri's is a lefty and his natural pass is to a RW which helps vs Bozak on the backhand
Winnik also plays well along the boards so good for both ends

Santorelli - Bozak - JVR
JVR is the shooter on the ice, Santa can cycle the puck good puck possesion and responsible in his own zone. Bozak is righty so passing to JVR is natural.

Clarkson - Holland - Komorov
Cycle game is what they do and Holland is the finisher while the other 2 create havoc along the wall and in front of the net

Panik - Smith - Leivo/Lupul
yes Lupul on the 4th line which allows Carlyle to play them a bit more. Smith is an all round player who can chip in offence with a good shooter. Panik works the wall.
Lupul will get his PP time and if things work out he can slid up but I don't like his D game to be on the top 2 lines any more.

Polak - Phaneuf
Polak is a better skater than Franson and plays a tougher game him and Dion should be able to play physical hockey and maybe Polak's physical play rubs off on Dion.

Rielly - Franson
Faster player in Rielly playing with Franson to help mitigate Frason slowness.

Gardiner - Robidas
More responsible vet to play with Gardiner and Robidas job is to teach the kids how to play D. Talk to him on the ice, after shifts, in between periods and after games.....me a mentor and also can help with Gardiners blunder and be the defensive guy on that pairing.

To me that is balanced but would Carlyle do it...probably not too simple and smart for him.

 

[swint]

My thoughts on a balanced lineup

Kessel - Kadri - Winnik
Winnik is the smart responsible guy on the line and Kadri sets up Kessel or vice versa. Kadri's is a lefty and his natural pass is to a RW which helps vs Bozak on the backhand
Winnik also plays well along the boards so good for both ends

Santorelli - Bozak - JVR
JVR is the shooter on the ice, Santa can cycle the puck good puck possesion and responsible in his own zone. Bozak is righty so passing to JVR is natural.

Clarkson - Holland - Komorov
Cycle game is what they do and Holland is the finisher while the other 2 create havoc along the wall and in front of the net

Panik - Smith - Leivo/Lupul
yes Lupul on the 4th line which allows Carlyle to play them a bit more. Smith is an all round player who can chip in offence with a good shooter. Panik works the wall.
Lupul will get his PP time and if things work out he can slid up but I don't like his D game to be on the top 2 lines any more.

Polak - Phaneuf
Polak is a better skater than Franson and plays a tougher game him and Dion should be able to play physical hockey and maybe Polak's physical play rubs off on Dion.

Rielly - Franson
Faster player in Rielly playing with Franson to help mitigate Frason slowness.

Gardiner - Robidas
More responsible vet to play with Gardiner and Robidas job is to teach the kids how to play D. Talk to him on the ice, after shifts, in between periods and after games.....me a mentor and also can help with Gardiners blunder and be the defensive guy on that pairing.

To me that is balanced but would Carlyle do it...probably not too simple and smart for him.

I like everything except for Lupul on the 4th line. Guys a 2nd liner on most good teams when he's healthy and playing at his best. Love Komarov but don't think he has what it takes to keep up with Kessel on the first line.

 

[Durkin67]

Your lines are not balanced.

Komarov Kadri Kessel
JVR Bozak Santorelli
Lupul Holland Panik
Booth Winnik Clarkson

This is fairly balanced.

Komarov on the top line suggests a certain kind of imbalance...

 

[Durkin67]

According to Nonis, we're stuck with what we've got. In my opinion, the best way to utilize the mix of players that the Leafs has is to incorporate a balance of offense and defense into every line we ice. I'd roll with something like this when we are healthy:

LUPUL - BOZAK - KESSEL
VAN RIEMSDYK - HOLLAND - CLARKSON
KOMAROV - KADRI - PANIK
WINNIK - SANTORELLI - LEIVO/BOOTH

-1st line is obviously still weak defensively, but I'm curious to see if Lupul/Kessel can recreate the chemistry they had a couple of years ago.
-2nd line, the big boys, with Clarkson (ideally) creating space for soft handed Holland and JVR to play in front of the net.
-3rd line is interchangeable with the second. Kadri plays against weaker competition as he did in 2013. Also interested to see if Komarov and Panik are able to produce more offense with a skilled centre in Naz.
-4th line will serve as a shut down line who can work the cycle down low in the offensive zone but play solid enough defense to play a good amount of minutes per night.

If they are truly "stuck with what they've got", they should slash prices by 50% across the board on tickets, concessions, and team branded merchandise and admit they haven't got a clue what they are doing.

Ive loved my Leafs for 30 years, but Ive had my fill. When does the NHL come to Markham?

Line juggling in this case is puck lingo for turd polishing.

 

[KGL]

I suggested in a couple of other threads they go with something like this when they have their full roster:

Komarov-Kadri-Kessel
JVR-Santorelli-Booth
Lupul-Bozak-Clarkson
Winnik-Holland-Panik

 

[thewave]

Komarov on the top line suggests a certain kind of imbalance...

I don't think it does. He is big, fairly quick, can pass, cycle, forecheck, backcheck, drive possession, get the crowd going, motivate the team, remove rust stains grime and grease, hit. His problem is finishing touch.

Sounds like the defensive touch a weak forward line needs.

 

[HockeyCA]

Booth looks terrible from the video I have seen recently from practice. He also looked terrible in the pre season and training camp.

I dunno, I am not expecting much. He looks a step slow.. his skating looks horrendous. I think he's more likely to become a staple in the press box than on the ice.

Personally, when we are back healthy, I would go with something like this:

Lupul-Bozak-Kessel
JVR-Kadri-Clarkson
Komarav-Santorelli or Winnik-Kozun
Panik-Holland-Santorelli or Winnik

Booth (unless I'm mistaken)

 

[KGL]

Booth looks terrible from the video I have seen recently from practice. He also looked terrible in the pre season and training camp.

I dunno, I am not expecting much. He looks a step slow.. his skating looks horrendous. I think he's more likely to become a staple in the press box than on the ice.

Personally, when we are back healthy, I would go with something like this:

Lupul-Bozak-Kessel
JVR-Kadri-Clarkson
Komarav-Santorelli or Winnik-Kozun
Panik-Holland-Santorelli or Winnik

Booth (unless I'm mistaken)

Don't really remember anything in particular about him from training camp tbh, but if that is the case, I'd go with this:

Komarov-Kadri-Kessel
JVR-Santorelli-Panik
Lupul-Bozak-Clarkson
Winnik-Holland-Kozun
Ex. Booth

Hopefully he's good enough to get into the roster though and provide some extra depth.

 

[Frankiehollywood]

So Obviously Carlyle is too stubborn to really mix it up but if he had some balls why not go this route:

Lupul-Holland-Kessel

JVR-Kadri-Clarkson

Komorov-Bozak-Winnik

Panik-Santorelli-Booth

Extras:Kozun


Franson-Gardiner

Phaneuf-Rielly

Polak-Percy

ex; Robidas

Bernier
Reimer