Speculation: I need elite speculation on Josh Leivo

[ottomaddox]

I'd like to see a Hyman-Gauthier-Brown shutdown line and then set these 3 loose on the rest of the league:

Grundstrom-Matthews-Nylander
Johnsson-Tavares-Marner
Marleau-Kadri-Kapanen

-Grundstrom plays the same game as Hyman with MUCH better hands, and he was our second best forward after Johnsson in the Calder Cup playoffs.

What does Marleau have to do to convince people that he's a top 6 forward? Why does Johnsson get to play with Tavares?

A hall of famer has to take a back seat to Johnsson?

Grundstrom on the top line? How do you figure that's going to happen?

I hear some people saying that Grundstrom still might have to spend part of the season on the Marlies, and you're saying he should be right there beside Matthews on the top line?

I suppose it's possible, but unlikely.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

What does Marleau have to do to convince people that he's a top 6 forward? Why does Johnsson get to play with Tavares?

A hall of famer has to take a back seat to Johnsson?

Grundstrom on the top line? How do you figure that's going to happen?

I hear some people saying that Grundstrom still might have to spend part of the season on the Marlies, and you're saying he should be right there beside Matthews on the top line?

I suppose it's possible, but unlikely.

I wouldn't say Marleau is taking a back seat at all. He had great chemistry with Kadri last uear regardless of who was on the RW. We have the potential for 3 elite forward lines so lets not nitpick.

I put Grundstrom and Johnsson up top because they play hard and have more skill to their game than Hyman. Johnsson worked his way into the lineup and then dominated the Calder Cup playoffs. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see him work his way to Tavares line.

Grundstrom is another guy that Babcock will fall in love with. He may start on the 4th line but he has that Holmstrom/Abdelkader quality that can have him move up pretty quickly for Babcock. Plays similar to Hyman but has much better hands. If you watched the Calder Cup you could see that he is ready to push for a job here.

Honesty it doesn't really matter who we have at LW on our top 3 lines. We have 2 elite combos and up top and a 3rd line that could be the one that burys teams.

 

[ottomaddox]

I wouldn't say Marleau is taking a back seat at all. He had great chemistry with Kadri last uear regardless of who was on the RW. We have the potential for 3 elite forward lines so lets not nitpick.

I put Grundstrom and Johnsson up top because they play hard and have more skill to their game than Hyman. Johnsson worked his way into the lineup and then dominated the Calder Cup playoffs. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see him work his way to Tavares line.

Grundstrom is another guy that Babcock will fall in love with. He may start on the 4th line but he has that Holmstrom/Abdelkader quality that can have him move up pretty quickly for Babcock. Plays similar to Hyman but has much better hands. If you watched the Calder Cup you could see that he is ready to push for a job here.

Honesty it doesn't really matter who we have at LW on our top 3 lines. We have 2 elite combos and up top and a 3rd line that could be the one that burys teams.

I respect your opinion. The only thing I'll say is that AHL success doesn't always translate into NHL success. I watched the finals. There was a lot of sloppy play (even for a final). I watched Johnnson blow by a Texas defender by banking it off the boards and skating by him. This is something you rarely (almost never) see in the NHL. There are plenty of players who have had great success in the AHL and then remain in the AHL.

It would be nice to see: a need for a power forward, Grundstrom makes the team and fills that need, and then has great success with Matthews and Nylander.

All I care for is TOR's every success, but I just don't see Hyman being supplanted that easily. He might not be the best, but he is a likely guy to play with Matthews and Nylander.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I respect your opinion. The only thing I'll say is that AHL success doesn't always translate into NHL success. I watched the finals. There was a lot of sloppy play (even for a final). I watched Johnnson blow by a Texas defender by banking it off the boards and skating by him. This is something you rarely (almost never) see in the NHL. There are plenty of players who have had great success in the AHL and then remain in the AHL.

It would be nice to see: a need for a power forward, Grundstrom makes the team and fills that need, and then has great success with Matthews and Nylander.

All I care for is TOR's every success, but I just don't see Hyman being supplanted that easily. He might not be the best, but he is a likely guy to play with Matthews and Nylander.

I agree that Hyman is more likely to play with Matthews than Johnsson, he's a very good hockey player despite the fact that many like to dump on him.

With respect to Marleau, him playing with Kadri is not a sign of disrespect either. The pairs of Kadri/Marleau and Matthews/Nylander have worked well so it seems likely they'll be kept together, then Tavaress/Marner seem like a logical choice for a 3rd pair. Hyman with Matthews as before and then it's just a matter of who fills out the other two "top 3" lines (and who else makes the team on the 4th line).

I rarely speculate on line combos but the above seems quite likely to me anyway.

 

[Battle Lin]

what makes you think johnsson, kapanen, or grundstrom has the forward defensive ability to play on the 1st or 2nd line already

 

[hockeywiz542]

If the inevitable July departures of three veteran left wings — James van Riemsdyk, Leo Komarov and Matt Martin — cracked another window for Josh Leivo, well, the July 7 UFA signing of Tyler Ennis may have filled that crack with 492 games and 258 points of NHL experience.

“Even if I wasn’t playing, the guys kept me positive,” said Leivo, smiling between a mid-July workout session at MasterCard Centre and a round of charity golf.

“This summer, hopefully it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m optimistic about it, and I’m just thinking: ‘Make the team and I won’t have to worry about it.’

“I’m just working hard and staying on my training and making sure I don’t miss the opportunity.”

Leivo is a right shot who prefers patrolling his off wing. In a competition this thick, however, the 13th man with 12th man dreams knows he’s in no position to get picky.

“When I was with the Marlies I played a lot of left wing,” Leivo says. “I actually like it better. I’m able to handle it on my backhand. It’s nothing hard for me.”

A forward moving up the Maple Leafs’ organizational depth chart, however? That’s another matter.

 

[Muston Atthews]

I’d love to see a Leivo-Tavares-Marner line. Slower paced and we have a pure shooter with some great playmakers

 

[Duckrider]

I respect your opinion. The only thing I'll say is that AHL success doesn't always translate into NHL success. I watched the finals. There was a lot of sloppy play (even for a final). I watched Johnnson blow by a Texas defender by banking it off the boards and skating by him. This is something you rarely (almost never) see in the NHL. There are plenty of players who have had great success in the AHL and then remain in the AHL.

It would be nice to see: a need for a power forward, Grundstrom makes the team and fills that need, and then has great success with Matthews and Nylander.

All I care for is TOR's every success, but I just don't see Hyman being supplanted that easily. He might not be the best, but he is a likely guy to play with Matthews and Nylander.

You are right in regards to AHL Players, but not in regards to NHL prospects that play in the lower league. Both Kadri and Nylander both had a great amount of success. Question is which is he?

 

[IPS]

I’d love to see a Leivo-Tavares-Marner line. Slower paced and we have a pure shooter with some great playmakers

I would too but it likely won't happen unless injuries occur.

 

[al secord]

If josh leivo plays any significant minutes, that means we're in some serious injury trouble. The only trade I see him in is for AHL depth.

 

[cupcrazyman]

Trade Hyman & move Leivo to the top line where he belongs.

 

[Nylander88]

Hope he gets a shot this year or gets moved if he doesnt crack the roster. Feel bad for the guy

 

[X66]

Babcock hates leivo because he gets injured often.

That’s it.

Which sucks because he’s a solid player.

 

[Battle Lin]

i mean we're missing some size and physical play badly, and you only got to beat ennis at this point

how you dont make opening night again is your own dam fault, hopefully the 8th times the charm

 

[moon111]

Babcock wants a combination of speed and puck control. If Ennis is healthy, playing in a Babcock-system, he has tremendous potential. I don't think Ennis should be judged because he was hurt and playing on a team that stylistically doesn't cater to his game. Josh Leivo has his work cut out for him. I don't think there's ever been a time in his career he should of been focusing on making the NHL on his offense alone. If he doesn't make the club, he's had time to develop his defensive game. Having failed that, has no one to blame, certainly not Babcock.

 

[AppsSyl]

I like Leivo, but I think he is a case of a man without a home or a role in our line up.
He doesn't fit a 4th line role, and is more of a top 9 guy, but Babcock doesn't trust him on the match up line with Kadri, and the top 6 winger slots are spoken for with Marner, Nylander, Hyman and Marleau.
I would hate to see him in the press box another season, because I think he is good enough to be in the NHL in most line ups, just not ours due to its depth. Personally I would trade him to a team like Chicago for a prospect like Jake Wise (who was their 3rd rd pick).

 

[ottomaddox]

Gone?

 

[therealkoho]

so did anyone ever figure out what "elite" speculation is?

 

[AreBe]

Trade Hyman & move Leivo to the top line where he belongs.

Brilliant! Maybe we can trade Nylander for a guy who is top 3 in fights!