Ice time distribution for next season

[IPS]

How would you like to see it done?

Personally, with 2 elite centers, I'd like to roll their ice-time similar to how Pittsburgh and Washington rolls theirs. Crosby averaged 20:41 and Malkin averaged 19:00. As for Washington, Backstrom averaged 19:40 and Kuznetsov averaged 18:49. Matthews and Tavares averaging in the 19:00-19:30 range would be optimal IMO. It'll only leave Kadri with around 15:00-15:30, but you gotta play your best players a little more.

As for wingers, we ran a very committee-style distribution of ice time there last year. All top-9 wingers were in the 15-16 minute range with the top-6 guys getting a bit more time naturally, JVR averaged the lowest with 14:54. I wouldn't mind Marner and Nylander jumping into the 17-18 minute range but I highly doubt that's happening under Babcock. Hyman and Marleau likely get more ice-time than them again.

Defense is where I imagine things will stay largely similar. Gardiner and Zaitsev was essentially used as our top-pairing at ES whereas Rielly and Hainsey played more of a role on the special teams. Dermott-Carrick likely stays around the 16-17 minute range. I don't expect much to change here.

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[SHANNYPLAN]

Matthews - 19:00
Tavares - 19:00
Kadri - 17:00
Lindholm - 5:00

 

[Leafs1993]

Matthews - 19:00
Tavares - 19:00
Kadri - 17:00
Lindholm - 5:00

This is ideal. Stacked PP too please

 

[jrgtml67]

That's kind of a hard one. First off we know who normally gets them.

Depends who is hot, who deserves them. Hainsey needs to be brought down a peg, depends if Dermott can take those or say Igor Oz, Borgman etc.

Forwards depends on what our 4th line is. We know the top 3 will be even, but then depends what poison the other team picks...Matthew's JT or Kadri

 

[PromisedLand]

Matthews - 19:00
Tavares - 19:00
Kadri - 17:00
Lindholm - 5:00

This!

I assume on average it should work out to this after 82 games (no injuries )

but on a day to day I would assume depending on which line might be hot may end up getting more ice time in a game

 

[Kurisu]

doesn't matter what I want, coaches' call. He'll distribute it depending on how the player is playing, matchups and game situations.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Lines 1&2 remain unchanged, Tavares takes Bozak's 5v5 & PP spot. Run those three lines roughly equal at 5v5.

 

[IPS]

doesn't matter what I want, coaches' call. He'll distribute it depending on how the player is playing, matchups and game situations.

So why even come here and read a discussion then? I never understood these types of replies.

 

[IPS]

That's kind of a hard one. First off we know who normally gets them.

Depends who is hot, who deserves them. Hainsey needs to be brought down a peg, depends if Dermott can take those or say Igor Oz, Borgman etc.

Forwards depends on what our 4th line is. We know the top 3 will be even, but then depends what poison the other team picks...Matthew's JT or Kadri

I'm worried about Hainsey. He can't keep going forever, and if we're stuck with a declining Hainsey beside Rielly it's not going to look good all around. You get stuck really hoping Liljegren and Dermott can develop quicker and at the same time know that defensemen require extensive development.

 

[Kurisu]

So why even come here and read a discussion then? I never understood these types of replies.

Because if you've watched Babcock coach the last 3 years, you should already know how he distributes ice-time unless if you've been living under a rock. I don't know why posters make threads like this when the answer is so obvious.

 

[IPS]

Because if you've watched Babcock coach the last 3 years, you should already know how he distributes ice-time unless if you've been living under a rock. I don't know why posters make threads like this when the answer is so obvious.

I asked in the OP for people to provide their opinions on the matter. Not rehash what Babcock does/going to do. What exactly is your problem here?

 

[MJ65]

I am not too concerned about ice time as our 4th line is only going to get 5 - 7 minutes and the rest is distributed among top 3 lines

 

[jrgtml67]

Because if you've watched Babcock coach the last 3 years, you should already know how he distributes ice-time unless if you've been living under a rock. I don't know why posters make threads like this when the answer is so obvious.

That was before John Tavares walked into our lives

 

[Boutette]

Its likely that the 4th line will get 8-10 minutes on average over the course of the season as babcock runs things. Firstly, they're 3rd line calibre players playing against other teams 4th lines, at least a couple will play on the PK and probably one on the PP, and they will also be potential trade bait, as opposed to plugs many other teams stick on their 4th lines. Secondly, the team will also likely run up the score in the first 2 periods a lot, which will give the opportunity to keep our top players rested and fresh for the regular 3 games in 4 nights teams have to play over the NHL season. When the team is winning games 5-1, which will likely be a semi-regular occurance, will we really want or need the likes of Matthews and Taveres out there to play against other teams plugs, who's #1 job will be taking runs at them during the third periods of blowouts?

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

It might be a little more meaningful to break the conversation down into ES/PP/PK?

2017-18 ES TOI/60 (OZS%):
1st Line (Matthews): 15:51 (50.3%)
2nd Line (Kadri): 14:34 (41.3%)
3rd Line (Bozak): 13:20 (57.2%)
4th Line (Plekanec/Moore): 9:31/9:01 (24%/37.3%)

1st line gets 50% more time than 4th -- not really that distributed. When Babcock is distributing ice time, he's looking for distributing shifts that even out overall heavy shifts in a game, which primarily happen on the PP and PK. That said, I could see us try and optimize Matthews/Tavares between ES+OZ/PP, optimize Kadri on ES+DZ, and optimize 4th line C on ES+DZ/PK, which could lead us to a ES distribution of:

1st Line (Matthews): 16:30 (52%) PP2
2nd Line (Tavares): 16:00 (50%) PP1
3rd Line (Kadri): 13:00 (40%) PP2/PK2
4th Line (Lindholm): 8:00 (20%) PK1

PP1 is good for 2:10-2:30/gm
PP2 is good for 2:00-2:10/gm
PK1 is good for 2:30-2:40/gm
PK2 is good for 1:30/gm

Which, assuming similar ES/PP/PK distribution AND OZS distribution as last season, gives us a centre ice-time distribution of:

Matthews: 18:40/gm
Tavares: 18:10/gm
Kadri: 16:40/gm
Lindholm: 10:40/gm (or more if he gets the PK pounding that players like Fehr or Hainsey got)

If Leafs play an overall better possession game this season, I wouldn't be surprised to see Matthews and Tavares' overall ATOI go up to 20:00-21:00/gm and loads of OZS%.

I'm making an assumption about Lindholm making the team as 4C there, but if he flops then we need to sign or promote someone who can eat up those tough 4C minutes so they don't leak into Tavares/Matthews ice time.

 

[Griffin76]

I would guess

Matthews 18
Tavares 18
Kadri 16
4th 8

Of course it all depends on if we are blowing teams out, number of PP and PK have and so on, but I would think on average it will probably be close to this.

 

[ULF_55]

Tavres 21
Matthews 20
Kadri 19

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Tavres 21
Matthews 20
Kadri 19

Has there ever been a team that has had 3 centres combine for 60min on average?

 

[Menzinger]

I doubt any forward gets over 18 min a night.

 

[Mess]

Matthews line 18 minutes
Tavares line 18 minutes
Kadri line 16 minutes
4th line : 8 minutes

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

I am not too concerned about ice time as our 4th line is only going to get 5 - 7 minutes and the rest is distributed among top 3 lines

This is my thought as well. This team is now so stacked up front they basically can't go wrong. I don't even know if Babcock will bother with a shut down line anymore. "Oh, you want your top line against Matthews or Tavares? Happy to oblige."

The key will almost certainly be sheltering whatever 4th line they cobble together. Coaching this team next year is going to be a delight. Almost as delightful as watching them will be.

 

[Garthinater]

It's funny, with the acquisition of Tavares it's made me realize there aren't enough minutes in a game!

Ideally I'd like both Matthew's and JT to get 20 minutes but that leaves very little for kadri and 4C.

Feel like, on average, no line will see more than ~18:30. That way ice time is very spread out. No one will get fatigued and less risk of injury (looking at you matthews).

Also will keep individual scoring down which may help with the cap in the future.

 

[moon111]

At any time, players might be called upon to jump on the penalty-killing or power-play.
Personally I would role 'regular' lines. And sometimes throw out a 'stacked' line just
for an element of surprise or when losing. The Leafs have depth, use it.