TSN: Gally/Tavares/Willy line makeup interesting...

[Gabriel426]

Gally sure has an engine these first 2 games.

I'd like to see Tavares with Mikheyev and Engvall because that worked last year.

Let Willy and Gally play with Kerfoot for a bit. Because unless that 2nd line gets going were not going deep and so far they haven't really taken off yet.

I would let Jumbo between Willie and Gally and see how that goes.
But JT will either be with AM and Mitch or Spezza and Kerfoot

 

[81Leafs50]

I acknowledge that there is a contingency of people who exaggerate nylander’s flaws, but that doesn’t mean he’s *good* defensively. He just isn’t. We’ve had two head coaches now who both see the game differently yet both didn’t like playing nylander often in hold lead situations.

He’s a good player, I’m glad he’s on the team but he’s not someone I’d characterize as being good defensively.

Nylander is good defensively.

 

[The Iceman]

Absolutely.

If I am being honest, I expect him to come out positive... this is the kind of stuff Dubas gets my votes for. Zero risk with potential huge upside.

Malgin ceiling is the Galy floor comparing a Dubas project from last year.

 

[Cecithepylon]

Galy seems ok in my opinion I’m fine with him. We’re the land of broken toys who all want to win a cup. Let’s do it who cares

 

[Teeder Keon]

Galy seems ok in my opinion I’m fine with him. We’re the land of broken toys who all want to win a cup. Let’s do it who cares

We are like the old Raiders
Take every reclamation project
Sometimes that works if you can get them all thinking that way in the dressing room

 

[Teeder Keon]

Nylander is good defensively.

I thought he was last night by the way

 

[Teeder Keon]

I would let Jumbo between Willie and Gally and see how that goes.
But JT will either be with AM and Mitch or Spezza and Kerfoot

Wait for the playoffs, to judge JT

 

[Teeder Keon]

Gally sure has an engine these first 2 games.

I'd like to see Tavares with Mikheyev and Engvall because that worked last year.

Let Willy and Gally play with Kerfoot for a bit. Because unless that 2nd line gets going were not going deep and so far they haven't really taken off yet.

No thank you, away from Kerfoot
He looked his best last night on the 4th line

 

[ER89]

I acknowledge that there is a contingency of people who exaggerate nylander’s flaws, but that doesn’t mean he’s *good* defensively. He just isn’t. We’ve had two head coaches now who both see the game differently yet both didn’t like playing nylander often in hold lead situations.

He’s a good player, I’m glad he’s on the team but he’s not someone I’d characterize as being good defensively.

You don't have to characterize him as good but you called him weak. He isn't weak. Now you are shifting goalposts. He is above average defensively and you don't need him to be much more than that.

 

[ER89]

Wait for the playoffs, to judge JT

Well I hope his performance is a whole lot better because a sub ppg 11 m contract is an albatross.

 

[Teeder Keon]

Well I hope his performance is a whole lot better because a sub ppg 11 m contract is an albatross.

We shall see ?

 

[moon111]

Well he's already out-scored Barabanov who had what seems like a million chances. And of course there was Vesey. Although after that last game Galchenyuk's pt/60 on the Leafs is higher than Marner or Matthews. Galchenyuk (Sorry can't say Gally... makes me think Gary Galley) is 3rd on rate of hits, behind Simmonds. To me some of the criticism feels like I just bought my son an old Iroc Camaro and he's complaining. If we do the right things, this could turn out quite nice. Just because some previous owners took it out and it didn't work right doesn't mean the potential isn't there. Maybe other's didn't have the ability to drop the transmission and replace that worn-out clutch. We need to think what does Galchenyuk need before we can ask what we need.

 

[Faltorvo]

Well he's already out-scored Barabanov who had what seems like a million chances. And of course there was Vesey. Although after that last game Galchenyuk's pt/60 on the Leafs is higher than Marner or Matthews. Galchenyuk (Sorry can't say Gally... makes me think Gary Galley) is 3rd on rate of hits, behind Simmonds. To me some of the criticism feels like I just bought my son an old Iroc Camaro and he's complaining. If we do the right things, this could turn out quite nice. Just because some previous owners took it out and it didn't work right doesn't mean the potential isn't there. Maybe other's didn't have the ability to drop the transmission and replace that worn-out clutch. We need to think what does Galchenyuk need before we can ask what we need.

The line i bolded is exactly it,,the key point

and we don't need him to be what other teams wanted/needed

IF we get what we got these last 2 games, great/solid that works BUT the sweetness is in the fact that with his pedigree and linemates,,there is a chance for even more.

our top 6 winger hunt is done and the media will hate that

 

[Buds17]

Well,,, my mind is already made up,,we don't need to winger shop

time for D/C shopping

Makes sense. We'd essentially be talking about player for player trades for forwards and d-men with the extras now either out of the lineup or off of the team (Boyd, Vesey, Lehtonen).

 

[Iapyi]

I'm on record as saying I did not like the Galchenyuk acquisition. I've never been a believer in his game.

I will say though that I thought he did very well in these last 2 games.

Frankly I was shocked at how well he looked and I saw some potential in his effort. If he is going to consistently play like he has the 2 games he's played I will breath a lot easier.

He proved he can be more than the AHL level player I thought he was.

 

[Teeder Keon]

I'm on record as saying I did not like the Galchenyuk acquisition. I've never been a believer in his game.

I will say though that I thought he did very well in these last 2 games.

Frankly I was shocked at how well he looked and I saw some potential in his effort. If he is going to consistently like he has the 2 games he's played I will breath a lot easier.

He proved he can be more than the AHL level player I thought he was.

Like I’ve said
He at least showed emotion and a will to do something out there unlike , Vesey , Barb , Boyd , Pierre , and on and on
He looked like he was fighting for his career
Good on him

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Gally looking crisp in his game is good .....

 

[OB34KNH]

We still haven't got to see that shot of his in action .... Wait till he gets more comfortable with JT/Willie than the goals will start to come.

Also, put JT/Willie/Gally on the PP2 unit together.

 

[BlueForever75]

We still haven't got to see that shot of his in action .... Wait till he gets more comfortable with JT/Willie than the goals will start to come.

Also, put JT/Willie/Gally on the PP2 unit together.

I agree with this. I like what I have seen of Gally so far. He skates hard, and with speed. Give him some more practice with JT and Willy, you will see this guy will be the diamond up our sleeve come playoff time. The guy can play and finally playing with skillful players instead of 3rd and 4th liners as he has the past 2 years.

 

[Farsailor]

Tbh feels like Willie is held back playing with whom ever on the second line at the moment. It's almost like he's teleporting himself along the offensive boards. Two seconds after he has lost a battle he shows up on the other side of the opponent winning the puck back.. Idk feel like he should be getting more minutes..

 

[hockeywiz542]

Maple Leafs' unique approach with Galchenyuk could be key to his revival - Sportsnet.ca

TORONTO -- The plans were set in motion right from the first phone call.

Kyle Dubas told Pat Brisson that the Toronto Maple Leafs intended to help Alex Galchenyuk rebuild his shaken confidence when first they spoke about Brisson’s client coming to Toronto, and everything that’s unfolded in the five weeks since has been done with that in mind.

It has included a healthy dose of 1-on-1 skills development time, like the session Galchenyuk put in with skating coach Randi Milani on Monday morning. There was a six-game stint in the American Hockey League where he was given the chance to play huge minutes. And when Galchenyuk finally stepped into the Leafs lineup for a back-to-back against Calgary over the weekend, he did so alongside John Tavares and William Nylander.

Sheldon Keefe is notorious for his line juggling, but he stuck with that trio even after they were scored on twice in three shifts to begin Friday’s game. And he acknowledged the role he needs to play in helping create the conditions where Galchenyuk can thrive.

“You know I think we recognize there’s more to this player here in terms of what he has to offer,” said Keefe. “I think the first thing is give him a chance to play with good players.”

Viewed from 10,000 feet, it’s an undeniably sensible approach to dealing with an asset that carries asymmetrical upside. Galchenyuk was acquired for a negligible cost (the Leafs actually freed up a contract slot by sending Egor Korshkov and David Warsofsky to Carolina for him) and could conceivably become a cap-friendly contributor if able to regain only a fraction of his previous form.

Brisson says Galchenyuk endured an emotional toll while bouncing from Arizona to Pittsburgh to Minnesota last season. Then he signed in Ottawa as a free agent, started this year as a healthy scratch, and spent all of 48 hours on the Hurricanes' roster as a salary throw-in to a trade before getting flipped to the Leafs.

It’s certainly possible that each of those organizations made the right call by moving on from a former third-overall pick who has battled injuries and had his hockey sense questioned. Where Toronto veered from industry convention was deciding to step back and show patience rather than trading for him on a Monday, throwing him in the lineup on a Wednesday and starting to make immediate judgments.

In a typical year, things may not have played out this way. The Leafs jumped at the chance to trade for Galchenyuk in part because he was already in Canada and didn’t need a 14-day quarantine like a player arriving from the U.S. would.

“It was just really convenient that we could have him drive from Ottawa, test a couple times and be a part of our group,” said Dubas. ”He was obviously a player that had a great stretch in his early 20’s and has now bounced around for a few teams. So what we wanted to do was stabilize him, get him working with our development staff and then get him in and rolling with games with the Marlies."

“It was just really fortunate how it all worked out.”

 

[Stephen]

Tbh feels like Willie is held back playing with whom ever on the second line at the moment. It's almost like he's teleporting himself along the offensive boards. Two seconds after he has lost a battle he shows up on the other side of the opponent winning the puck back.. Idk feel like he should be getting more minutes..

Nylander needs some Matthews time.

 

[Stephen]

Maple Leafs' unique approach with Galchenyuk could be key to his revival - Sportsnet.ca

TORONTO -- The plans were set in motion right from the first phone call.

Kyle Dubas told Pat Brisson that the Toronto Maple Leafs intended to help Alex Galchenyuk rebuild his shaken confidence when first they spoke about Brisson’s client coming to Toronto, and everything that’s unfolded in the five weeks since has been done with that in mind.

It has included a healthy dose of 1-on-1 skills development time, like the session Galchenyuk put in with skating coach Randi Milani on Monday morning. There was a six-game stint in the American Hockey League where he was given the chance to play huge minutes. And when Galchenyuk finally stepped into the Leafs lineup for a back-to-back against Calgary over the weekend, he did so alongside John Tavares and William Nylander.

Sheldon Keefe is notorious for his line juggling, but he stuck with that trio even after they were scored on twice in three shifts to begin Friday’s game. And he acknowledged the role he needs to play in helping create the conditions where Galchenyuk can thrive.

“You know I think we recognize there’s more to this player here in terms of what he has to offer,” said Keefe. “I think the first thing is give him a chance to play with good players.”

Viewed from 10,000 feet, it’s an undeniably sensible approach to dealing with an asset that carries asymmetrical upside. Galchenyuk was acquired for a negligible cost (the Leafs actually freed up a contract slot by sending Egor Korshkov and David Warsofsky to Carolina for him) and could conceivably become a cap-friendly contributor if able to regain only a fraction of his previous form.

Brisson says Galchenyuk endured an emotional toll while bouncing from Arizona to Pittsburgh to Minnesota last season. Then he signed in Ottawa as a free agent, started this year as a healthy scratch, and spent all of 48 hours on the Hurricanes' roster as a salary throw-in to a trade before getting flipped to the Leafs.

It’s certainly possible that each of those organizations made the right call by moving on from a former third-overall pick who has battled injuries and had his hockey sense questioned. Where Toronto veered from industry convention was deciding to step back and show patience rather than trading for him on a Monday, throwing him in the lineup on a Wednesday and starting to make immediate judgments.

In a typical year, things may not have played out this way. The Leafs jumped at the chance to trade for Galchenyuk in part because he was already in Canada and didn’t need a 14-day quarantine like a player arriving from the U.S. would.

“It was just really convenient that we could have him drive from Ottawa, test a couple times and be a part of our group,” said Dubas. ”He was obviously a player that had a great stretch in his early 20’s and has now bounced around for a few teams. So what we wanted to do was stabilize him, get him working with our development staff and then get him in and rolling with games with the Marlies."

“It was just really fortunate how it all worked out.”

The Galchenyuk experiment reminds me of when a baseball team will send a pitcher back to AA ball or something and rebuild mechanics and confidence.

 

[Thornbury]

I agree with this. I like what I have seen of Gally so far. He skates hard, and with speed. Give him some more practice with JT and Willy, you will see this guy will be the diamond up our sleeve come playoff time. The guy can play and finally playing with skillful players instead of 3rd and 4th liners as he has the past 2 years.

I would also point out that we now actually have a pretty big group of forwards. Should be better suited to playoff hockey.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Gally is having fun. Feeling safe place. Playing good because of these thing’s. The human touch, well what do you know eh, that works