Line Combos: Is it Lindholm's job to lose on our 4th line?

ponder

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Jul 11, 2007
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I think he’s the front runner, but it’ll be a good battle between him and Jooris. I see Goat as more of an outside shot.

It is possible that BOTH Lindholm and Jooris make the team though, Jooris can play any forward position, might end up taking the 4th line LW spot.
 

Boutette

Been there done that
Sep 28, 2017
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I won't be shocked to see Ennis get a shot at it , even though he's not a guy you want ever playing center on a top 3 line.

Ennis hasn't played center for 4 years, and even when he did, he was terrible at it, I mean seariously, do you want a guy with an under 40% lifetime faceoff percentage and a 5% shooting percentage for the last 4 years anywhere near center or on the top 3 lines on any team, let alone the leafs?
 

Boutette

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Sep 28, 2017
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I think he’s the front runner, but it’ll be a good battle between him and Jooris. I see Goat as more of an outside shot.

It is possible that BOTH Lindholm and Jooris make the team though, Jooris can play any forward position, might end up taking the 4th line LW spot.

I see Jooris more as a logical 13th forward candidate. Would rather see Leivo playing regularly.
 

moon111

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Oct 18, 2014
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The Leafs top 3 centers all hit 50% or better in the face-off dot. Everyone else is basically gone from last year or were wingers who filled in. I think Babcock would want someone who can win key face-offs in the defensive end and not have to always rely on another line for these defensive assignments.

"Playing 4C for Babcock involves meeting a certain standard of defensive play, penalty killing contributions, and faceoff ability. As far as the faceoff dot goes, Lindholm finished top five in the SHL with a 58.3% success rate while taking more draws than anyone else in top-flight Swedish hockey."
Source: “One thing that stood out was Mike Babcock’s early interest”: Is Pär Lindholm the solution for the Leafs at fourth-line center? | Maple Leafs Hotstove
 

zeke

The Dube Abides
Mar 14, 2005
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Ennis hasn't played center for 4 years, and even when he did, he was terrible at it, I mean seariously, do you want a guy with an under 40% lifetime faceoff percentage and a 5% shooting percentage for the last 4 years anywhere near center or on the top 3 lines on any team, let alone the leafs?

you're right I would have no interest in him as C on a real line, but as the #4C behind 3 centers who will take every tough takeoff and matchup all year? I'd be interested in seeing what he can do there.
 

Boutette

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Sep 28, 2017
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you're right I would have no interest in him as C on a real line, but as the #4C behind 3 centers who will take every tough takeoff and matchup all year? I'd be interested in seeing what he can do there.

All indications are at this stage in his career, Ennis would be a poor man's Pleckanec. Not sure I'd want to see that.
 

Boutette

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Sep 28, 2017
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The Leafs top 3 centers all hit 50% or better in the face-off dot. Everyone else is basically gone from last year or were wingers who filled in. I think Babcock would want someone who can win key face-offs in the defensive end and not have to always rely on another line for these defensive assignments.

"Playing 4C for Babcock involves meeting a certain standard of defensive play, penalty killing contributions, and faceoff ability. As far as the faceoff dot goes, Lindholm finished top five in the SHL with a 58.3% success rate while taking more draws than anyone else in top-flight Swedish hockey."
Source: “One thing that stood out was Mike Babcock’s early interest”: Is Pär Lindholm the solution for the Leafs at fourth-line center? | Maple Leafs Hotstove

I'd think a Johnsson-Lindholm-Kapanen line would turn a lot of defensive zone starts into a lot of odd-man rush scoring opportunities.
 

Boutette

Been there done that
Sep 28, 2017
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Thought Gauthier was supposed to get the job. Guess he isn't being considered anymore. Brooks is smart and has skill,but I doubt they see him in that roll.

Interestingly enough, Brady Ferguson is a PK and PP playing center with a decently over 50% FO percentage. While I wouldn't put him in the race at the start of the year, he might do well enough to earn a glance by midseason, not to mention an ELC if he continued to play as well as he did on his ATO and at the prospect camp. He looks to have far more dimension to his game than Gauthier has ever shown.
 

Man Bear Pig

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Aug 10, 2008
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It is his to lose but it is concerning they don't have any good fall back option. N. Shore or Vermette would be smart adds, even on PTOs.
Agreed. At least we know what those guys can do at the nhl level, nobody really knows what Lindholm can do. I've been fooled enough times with these Euro free agent signings to not assume any of them are a lock.
 
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TheScandal89

Registered User
Jun 26, 2016
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Id say so, centre depth is pretty weak outside of our top 3...2 of which (Matthews, Tavares) pretty much fell into our laps.

Id say its between him and the goat. Babcock has never really trusted the Goat though as we've given up consecutive 2nds ( Boyle, Pleckanec).

The faceoff wizard Vermette is still out there I think, but besides faceoffs, I've heard he's declined quite substantially.
 

Menzinger

Kessel4LadyByng
Apr 24, 2014
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All the Leafs need at his point is a guy for 8min a night and not be a defensive liability.

The 4th line wingers will be skilled, so there’s less of a need for the centre here to drive the line.

Shouldn’t be too hard to find that guy
 

hector morrison

Registered User
Apr 1, 2018
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Interestingly enough, Brady Ferguson is a PK and PP playing center with a decently over 50% FO percentage. While I wouldn't put him in the race at the start of the year, he might do well enough to earn a glance by midseason, not to mention an ELC if he continued to play as well as he did on his ATO and at the prospect camp. He looks to have far more dimension to his game than Gauthier has ever shown.
Interesting player,havn't seen him much to say yes/no but ,the job is open and Dubas can sign anyone he thinks has promise,ultimately though we know it's Babs call. Wasn't Trevor Moore centering a line with Marchment and Grundstrom in the playoffs? Maybe they weren't regular line-mates,but I kied what I saw. I would like all 3 to get a shot at least.
 

ottomaddox

Registered User
Oct 31, 2017
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Toronto
In no way is it his to lose.

This is probably the most worrisome position on the Leafs. I think the answer might be none of the above (Lindholm, Jooris, Ennis, Goat). A trade or a PTO might have a better shot then those guys.

Yikes. This needs major improvement.
 

PromisedLand

I need more FOOD
Dec 3, 2016
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Hogwarts
Our forward lines are set imo:

Marleau Matthews Nylander
Hyman Tavares Marner
Johnsson Kadri Kapanen
Leivo Lindholm Brown
Jooris

Lindhilm is an unknown here, but he is also the olympian.

Gauthier Grundstrom Ennis etc. have to steal spots if they want to be on the team, otherwise they will have to wait for injuries to play this year.

just read an article that said Babcock thought out loud that lines would be

Marleau-Matthews-Nylander
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
XXX-Kadri-Brown
XXX-Lindholm-XXX

XXX are the ones Babs is still thinking about
 

LEAFANFORLIFE23

Registered User
Jun 17, 2010
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It is his job to lose and i think eventually he will, I think a Veteran will be brought in, not a rental either, a real veteran that can fill that spot
 

lifelonghockeyfan

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Dec 18, 2015
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Ennis isn't really a centre, so it's Lindholm, Guathier and Jooris .
Grundstrom might be most deserving over Ennis and Leivo but might Grundstrom avoids waivers and maybe the Leafs want him to play some bigger minutes in the AHL right now.
 

MJ65

Registered User
Jul 12, 2009
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Toronto
He is certainly not a lock but seem to be the best option with our current situation, as I said in my opening post "Can he really adjust to NHL style / rinks" that's the real question
 

LEAFANFORLIFE23

Registered User
Jun 17, 2010
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All the Leafs need at his point is a guy for 8min a night and not be a defensive liability.

The 4th line wingers will be skilled, so there’s less of a need for the centre here to drive the line.

Shouldn’t be too hard to find that guy

They have tried multiple times to find that guy and failed every time
 

MJ65

Registered User
Jul 12, 2009
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Toronto
They have tried multiple times to find that guy and failed every time

The problem is there is not much available and usually players you invite on PTO usually do not work out (but then again you don't lose any thing with those contracts)
 

The CyNick

Freedom of Speech!
Sep 17, 2009
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Lindholm has the inside track heading into camp, but he's by no means a lock. He needs to win the job in camp.
 

WTFMAN99

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Jun 17, 2009
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Agreed. At least we know what those guys can do at the nhl level, nobody really knows what Lindholm can do. I've been fooled enough times with these Euro free agent signings to not assume any of them are a lock.

Pretty much. Who knows how Lindholm adapts? After seeing us deal 2 2nd round picks for 4th line centres at the deadline I would rather address the issue now.
 

hector morrison

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Apr 1, 2018
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Ennis hasn't played center for 4 years, and even when he did, he was terrible at it, I mean seariously, do you want a guy with an under 40% lifetime faceoff percentage and a 5% shooting percentage for the last 4 years anywhere near center or on the top 3 lines on any team, let alone the leafs?
What da heck? Why was he signed?
 

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