Injury Report: Frederik Gauthier (Foot) Out Next 2 Games... Will Be Re-Evaluated on Thursday

[Guy Boucher]

Marleau Centering the 4th line please.

Really wish they'd try this. Marleau just isn't bringing value to 3LW any more.

But Babcock is the one who convinced Marleau to join the team, so he isn't going to move him from his top9 spot, no matter how terrible the results are.

 

[Bluelines]

Nope. Not under Babcock. The guy should be playing with skilled players as he's a pure setup man. Instead he plays on the fourth line lol.

OK fair enough he should not be on the 4th line.

What did he do in Winnipeg or Toronto to justify him playing above the 4th line? Who spot does he take in our top 9?

 

[Crysis]

OK fair enough he should not be on the 4th line.

What did he do in Winnipeg or Toronto to justify him playing above the 4th line? Who spot does he take in our top 9?

He hasn't been given the chance to do anything as he played on the fourth line there too.
I'd like to see a Petan - Matthews - Nylander line get a look personally. I like Johnsson but he's no setup man. Someone that can feed both Matthews and Nylander might be interesting.

Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Petan - Matthews - Nylander
Johnsson - Kadri - Kapenan
Moore/Ennis - Marleau - Brown/Goat

Won't happen but I would like to see it for a few games at least see if that second line has some chemistry.

 

[Fogelhund]

Kristen Shilton‏Verified account @kristen_shilton 2m2 minutes ago
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Mike Babcock asked what happened to the

:
B: I guess he got hit. What did the [press] release say?
Everyone: Foot.
B: He got hit in the foot.

 

[ToneDog]

If the two games meant something I would go 11 F and 7 D but since they probably do not it will be business as usual. A 4th line of Moore/Petan/Ennis will be eaten alive by the Preds.

 

[tmlms13]

A LOT of small players dominate junior and do absolutely nothing in the NHL.

Just ask Alex DeBrincat.

 

[deletethis]

Counter the usual babble about Gauthier: the Leafs are actually softer without Gauthier in the lineup.

 

[Mess]

A LOT of small players dominate junior and do absolutely nothing in the NHL.

The problem more than size is usage.

In junior smaller players play in the top 6 and on the PP and get loads of TOI/g and opportunities and pile up the points. Their size not as much an issue when the age group is mainly 16-19, and all teams have smaller players, and physically immature.

However when they get to the pro level they get sheltered due to lack of size and playing against bigger, stronger and older/physically mature players and play on the 3rd and 4th lines.

In order for Petan junior numbers to mean anything, he would have to play in the top 6 and on the PP for the Leafs, but as depth player on the 4th line in limited minutes with lesser linemates its mostly ineffective based on different usage, and unlikely to find his game or make much of an impact beyond an injury substitute. Only the best smaller players make up the depth charts to scoring roles and then excel in the right situations.

 

[Bluelines]

He hasn't been given the chance to do anything as he played on the fourth line there too.
I'd like to see a Petan - Matthews - Nylander line get a look personally. I like Johnsson but he's no setup man. Someone that can feed both Matthews and Nylander might be interesting.

Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Petan - Matthews - Nylander
Johnsson - Kadri - Kapenan
Moore/Ennis - Marleau - Brown/Goat

Won't happen but I would like to see it for a few games at least see if that second line has some chemistry.

You are not given a chance at the NHL level, you earn that chance.

 

[LeafSteel]

Kristen Shilton‏Verified account @kristen_shilton 2m2 minutes ago
More
Mike Babcock asked what happened to the

:
B: I guess he got hit. What did the [press] release say?
Everyone: Foot.
B: He got hit in the foot.

This was awesome.

Thanks for the chuckle.

 

[Menzinger]

Really wish they'd try this. Marleau just isn't bringing value to 3LW any more.

But Babcock is the one who convinced Marleau to join the team, so he isn't going to move him from his top9 spot, no matter how terrible the results are.

Marleau on the 4th line would solve so many issues. But agreed that t would never happen

 

[smitty10]

Our 4th line is a lot worse without the Goat. He's very steady and defensively responsible out there.

Better now than in the playoffs, I guess.

 

[MattySnipes]

Tough loss. Getting all our injuries at the worst time. Good thing Dermott will be back soon.

If we had any semblance of a defensive system I wouldn't be too worried about injuries but sadly, this is not the case. Hope they step it up against the Preds.

 

[rumman]

the Goat's still not getting any love, sad. I think he's a perfect 4th line centre, does his job competently, but 4th line grunts aren't sexy enough for most of Leaf Nation.

 

[Blanche Blanche]

Really wish they'd try this. Marleau just isn't bringing value to 3LW any more.

But Babcock is the one who convinced Marleau to join the team, so he isn't going to move him from his top9 spot, no matter how terrible the results are.

Then we are destined to fail with him at the helm.

Empires have fell and countries have lost wars when they keep an inept commander on their flanks based on name.

Even worse... it causes dissension among the ranks. There will be no trust from those equal, and those who are under will question every move. You wonder why we seem so lost at this stage of the season?

I hope he knows what hes doing at the end of the day... Carolina is on a surge.

We slump and Playoffs are not a gaurantee.
Unacceptable with our roster.

Goat made our 4th line click.
This is not good at all.

 

[deletethis]

Not that I don't get the point of the Petan-Lindholm trade but Lindholm would have been the right guy to fill in as the team's 4th line center.

 

[Bluelines]

Kristen Shilton‏Verified account @kristen_shilton 2m2 minutes ago
More
Mike Babcock asked what happened to the

:
B: I guess he got hit. What did the [press] release say?
Everyone: Foot.
B: He got hit in the foot.

I thought that was really funny, Babcock was smiling the whole time too, that adds context to the "injury".

 

[smitty10]

He hasn't been given the chance to do anything as he played on the fourth line there too.
I'd like to see a Petan - Matthews - Nylander line get a look personally. I like Johnsson but he's no setup man. Someone that can feed both Matthews and Nylander might be interesting.

Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Petan - Matthews - Nylander
Johnsson - Kadri - Kapenan
Moore/Ennis - Marleau - Brown/Goat

Won't happen but I would like to see it for a few games at least see if that second line has some chemistry.

He hasn't done anything to prove he deserves a chance to play higher in the lineup. If you're applying that logic, then Ennis is the guy that should be progressing upwards. Look at the offense he's put up on the 4th line this year. Petan looked awful in his last game and he's in a position where he needs to prove himself every time he steps on the ice. He doesn't have the speed to be an impact player right now and doesn't have the defensive ability to be a good 4th liner.

Petan is rightfully played in the 14th forward slot. That's exactly where he belongs right now.

 

[Crysis]

He hasn't done anything to prove he deserves a chance to play higher in the lineup. If you're applying that logic, then Ennis is the guy that should be progressing upwards. Look at the offense he's put up on the 4th line this year. Petan looked awful in his last game and he's in a position where he needs to prove himself every time he steps on the ice. He doesn't have the speed to be an impact player right now and doesn't have the defensive ability to be a good 4th liner.

Petan is rightfully played in the 14th forward slot. That's exactly where he belongs right now.

Ennis was tried with Matthews and they had no chemistry.
Petan is a pure setup man and he won't do well without goal scorers so why bother having him on the team at all?