Jackets - Leafs best of 5 play-in

[Long Live Lyle]

I'm still hoping for the #1 overall.

My preferred order is:

1) Win Stanley Cup
2) Lose play-in, win lottery
3) Lose in SCF
4) Lose in ECF
5) Lose in Second Round
6) Lose in First Round
7) Lose play-in, don't win lottery

It is very unlikely option 1 happens, even if we beat the Leafs. However, given there's only a 12.5% chance of option 2 happening and an 87.5% chance option 7 happens, I'd prefer to beat the Leafs and see how far we can ride this thing.

 

[Viqsi]

I love reading the Leafs board about this series. Since we have no Panarin, Bob, and Duchene, we have no chance. They were the key to beating Tampa, and since they are gone we aren't that good.

Strange, since our injury riddled team finished with the same number of points in the same number of games at Toronto.

Ah, but you see, they had injuries, and those injuries mattered because they were to important players, not to unimportant scrubs like ... (checks notes) ... Seth Jones, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Cam Atkinson.

(Seriously, I've had a couple of Leafs fans (not on this forum, thankfully) actually insist that they had more and worse injuries than the Jackets this year. Even when you show them the numbers.)

I don't think we're going to surprise-sweep them - the departed folks did contribute significantly to that outcome. It should be an interesting contest all the same.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Glad to see hockey is back, but I don’t think this one is going to be pretty for the home team.

It’s been a long lay-off, essentially an entire offseason type of lay-off and the players are going to step into playoff hockey from the getgo. What do we usually see at the start of every season? Lots of sloppy play, bad/inconsistent goaltending and defense, and goals. While some might think this favors the jackets, I don’t think it does. Our best chance to beat anyone comes from structured play, where we tactically slow down teams with more talent than us. I don’t know if that’ll be possible to do from the start with such a small camp and with such high stakes from the very start of play.

I think we’ll win one game but I wouldn’t be surprised if we got swept. They have an overwhelming advantage as far as forwards go, and the ability to score goals. We have a better defense (and it’s not close) and coach, but I think the start of the playoffs will really favor run and gun teams. Plus, added factor is we have two unproven goalies, and whoever gets the start is going to be on a tight leash. It’s going to be interesting to see who the coaches pick, although I think it’ll be elvis.

I’m excited to see hockey return even though I fear for another league shut down. Hopefully the players, coaches, staffs, and everyone else involved get through it with limited injury and illness.

 

[cslebn]

I get they know the rink and etc but I wonder how much pressure they have by being a host and heavy favorite.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I get they know the rink and etc but I wonder how much pressure they have by being a host and heavy favorite.

Well, they are the Maple Leafs and I'm certain they all are told every day in the Toronto media that they haven't won a cup in over 50 years. They've essentially gotten as far as they have on simply the skill of Marner, Tavares, and Matthews. If those guys start rusty the pressure will mount.

Torts might be better off with this type of camp to work on concepts and teamwork. Normal training camps just seem to be conditioning camps which is why we suck to start the year. 2 weeks of actually working on team things versus skating until they puke might mean a world of difference. I think that a lack of exhibition games early will make a difference too.

 

[ViD]

My preferred order is:

1) Win Stanley Cup
2) Lose play-in, win lottery
3) Lose in SCF
4) Lose in ECF
5) Lose in Second Round
6) Lose in First Round
7) Lose play-in, don't win lottery

It is very unlikely option 1 happens, even if we beat the Leafs. However, given there's only a 12.5% chance of option 2 happening and an 87.5% chance option 7 happens, I'd prefer to beat the Leafs and see how far we can ride this thing.

I don’t think there’s a single person that will disagree with your order

 

[koteka]

I don’t think there’s a single person that will disagree with your order

I’d put make it to the finals but lose over winning draft lottery. As long as we didn’t lose to the Preds. I’d love to have all the free agents we lost pissed that we made it to the Stanley Cup Finals without them. I’d love to have everyone that wrote off this team pissed that we made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. I’d love to have veteran free agents look at this team as a team that is only a piece or two away from winning it all. I’d love the young guys to get the experience of a deep playoff run. I’d love to have vets like Cam, Savard, and Figs play for the Stanley Cup in a Columbus sweater. I’d love that the fact we made it to the finals probably means we have found our goalie. I’d love that making it to the finals probably means guys like Bjork and PLD took that next step. I’d love to have this team play in games on NBC with a national audience as defending Eastern Conference champs.

 

[majormajor]

Huh?

There's a game group of 12 forwards and a black aces group.

Torts started Foudy and Robinson in the game group, which makes me happy. I think they add the most to our lineup.

Foudy/Robinson - Dubois - Bjorkstrand
Texier - Foligno - Atkinson
Nyquist - Jenner - Bemstrom
Nash - Wennberg - Foudy/Robinson

Something like that.

 

[majormajor]

I don’t think there’s a single person that will disagree with your order

Don't underestimate my ability to be disagreeable.

I'd rather win. Even a couple series wins would be more than McDavid, Matthews, Barkov, and Mackinnon have ever had. People act like Lafreniere is a savior but the truth is that this ain't a sport for saviors. Winning in the playoffs is really hard to come by and you take those wins whenever you can, get the magic whenever you can.

Fun fact: the last 10 first overall picks have a combined total of three playoff series wins! McDavid and RNH in 2017, and Mackinnon last year.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

There's a game group of 12 forwards and a black aces group.

Torts started Foudy and Robinson in the game group, which makes me happy. I think they add the most to our lineup.

Foudy/Robinson - Dubois - Bjorkstrand
Texier - Foligno - Atkinson
Nyquist - Jenner - Bemstrom
Nash - Wennberg - Foudy/Robinson

Something like that.

Ah. I read "I was just hoping that..." in your first post as saying "I wish he had done this but didn't." And my reaction was because, well, he had.

Gotcha.

 

[EspenK]

Don't underestimate my ability to be disagreeable.

I'd rather win. Even a couple series wins would be more than McDavid, Matthews, Barkov, and Mackinnon have ever had. People act like Lafreniere is a savior but the truth is that this ain't a sport for saviors. Winning in the playoffs is really hard to come by and you take those wins whenever you can, get the magic whenever you can.

Fun fact: the last 10 first overall picks have a combined total of three playoff series wins! McDavid and RNH in 2017, and Mackinnon last year.

And the Jackets have 1. Given that most #1 picks go to a crappy team it isn't surprising that there have only been 3 series wins. While AF is not a savior he would fill a much needed role for the Jackets for years to come. Add in the fact that the Jackets are not a crappy team and I will never think that adding him wouldn't be the best outcome from this ficacta season.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Don't underestimate my ability to be disagreeable.

I'd rather win. Even a couple series wins would be more than McDavid, Matthews, Barkov, and Mackinnon have ever had. People act like Lafreniere is a savior but the truth is that this ain't a sport for saviors. Winning in the playoffs is really hard to come by and you take those wins whenever you can, get the magic whenever you can.

Fun fact: the last 10 first overall picks have a combined total of three playoff series wins! McDavid and RNH in 2017, and Mackinnon last year.

The irony of that last statement since it seems like Edmonton has won 15 of the last 10 first overall picks.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

There's a game group of 12 forwards and a black aces group.

Torts started Foudy and Robinson in the game group, which makes me happy. I think they add the most to our lineup.

Foudy/Robinson - Dubois - Bjorkstrand
Texier - Foligno - Atkinson
Nyquist - Jenner - Bemstrom
Nash - Wennberg - Foudy/Robinson

Something like that.

There's no reason to handcuff Bjork and Dubois with a rookie with little offensive game and a big winger with no offensive game. I'm fine with playing Foudy but he shouldn't be in the top 6.

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

There's a game group of 12 forwards and a black aces group.

Torts started Foudy and Robinson in the game group, which makes me happy. I think they add the most to our lineup.

Foudy/Robinson - Dubois - Bjorkstrand
Texier - Foligno - Atkinson
Nyquist - Jenner - Bemstrom
Nash - Wennberg - Foudy/Robinson

Something like that.

I thought with what we saw the last few games of the season, Bemstrom was coming along very quickly and was developing chemistry with Dubois. It would be interesting to me to continue to try that experiment because you could have Dubois eating up space flanked by two people that can score on their own. Bemstrom was a major liability for a lot of the season but it started to look like he had turned that corner the last 10-15 games. I would love to see him nail down a scoring line spot.

Bemstrom-Dubois-Bjorkstrand
Nyquist-Texier-Atkinson
Foligno-Jenner-Nash
Robinson-Wennberg-Foudy

I’d probably roll with Nuti in the last D spot and Korpi starting game one, with short leashes for everyone, because there are going to be good players that are stuck on the outside looking in.

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

There's no reason to handcuff Bjork and Dubois with a rookie with little offensive game and a big winger with no offensive game. I'm fine with playing Foudy but he shouldn't be in the top 6.

It will be interesting to see what Foudy’s role becomes. When he was up for a couple games he was centering Nyquist and Atkinson. But playoffs will be a different animal, and the rookies might get sheltered a bit. Nyquist, Foligno, Atkinson, and Bjorkstrand may end up being the wings that draw the most minutes, with Dubois and Jenner eating up the most time at center. That leaves a bit of our youth and skill in the bottom 6 (something Torts might try to avoid when Toronto can match up against and exploit that youth). While he didn’t lead London in points, I think Foudy will be taking on a major role in the near future.

 

[majormajor]

There's no reason to handcuff Bjork and Dubois with a rookie with little offensive game and a big winger with no offensive game. I'm fine with playing Foudy but he shouldn't be in the top 6.

Imagine how good Matthews would be if he wasn't handcuffed to Zach Hyman all these years?

You know what I'm going to say. Skilled players sometimes need to play with players with complementary skills. I see Robinson and Foudy keeping the Leafs on their heels and keeping them from transitioning play forward. They can play F1 and fetch pucks for the scorers.

I thought with what we saw the last few games of the season, Bemstrom was coming along very quickly and was developing chemistry with Dubois. It would be interesting to me to continue to try that experiment because you could have Dubois eating up space flanked by two people that can score on their own. Bemstrom was a major liability for a lot of the season but it started to look like he had turned that corner the last 10-15 games. I would love to see him nail down a scoring line spot.

Bemstrom-Dubois-Bjorkstrand

That might work but I see it as potentially a three shooters line, they need a puckhound. And I want more speed and power because they're going to be spending a lot of time against Matthews and Tavares' lines. None of those three are bad defensively but I'm skeptical of how it would work as a trio defensively.

The trios down the stretch were Foligno-Dubois-Bjorkstrand and Wennberg-Dubois-Bemstrom. I liked the first one more, but if people liked Wennberg at 1LW then they shouldn't mind Robinson or Foudy there. Wennberg had 1 assist in 4 or 5 games with those two. Most any 4th liner could top that if they're playing topline minutes.

Realistically the best top line we could come up with is probably Foligno - Dubois - Bjorkstrand, I just want Foligno with Texier more.

 

[thebus88]

I'm f***ing ready. People who don't want hockey back until germs no longer exist are not my type of people.

CBJ in 6.

This will be Korpisalo's "break out" where he shows deserving of his all star selection, and shows that HE is the goalie with the significant "ceiling".

Also, people seem to forget how good the team was actually playing again this year for a stretch, mostly while hurt. That streak that Merzlikins had was 99.9999% on the team.

We shouldn't forget the changes in the roster and strategies that the team clearly had to get uses to at the start of the year.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Imagine how good Matthews would be if he wasn't handcuffed to Zach Hyman all these years?

You know what I'm going to say. Skilled players sometimes need to play with players with complementary skills. I see Robinson and Foudy keeping the Leafs on their heels and keeping them from transitioning play forward. They can play F1 and fetch pucks for the scorers.

I know, right? He'd be insanely higher in peoples lists of best players.

It makes sense, but at the same time if they don't provide any/little scoring threat then they do drag the line down. PLD is a retriever as well.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

CBJ in 6.

This will be Korpisalo's "break out" where he shows deserving of his all star selection, and shows that HE is the goalie with the significant "ceiling".

Also, people seem to forget how good the team was actually playing again this year for a stretch, mostly while hurt. That streak that Merzlikins had was 99.9999% on the team.

We shouldn't forget the changes in the roster and strategies that the team clearly had to get uses to at the start of the year.

It's weird that whenever a goalie plays well that ISN'T Korpisalo it's on the team. But when the team wins WITH Korpisalo it's because of Korpisalo.

Also, round 1 is a best of 5, so you probably mean CBJ in 4? Maybe 5?

 

[majormajor]

It will be interesting to see what Foudy’s role becomes. When he was up for a couple games he was centering Nyquist and Atkinson.

He was on the wing with Jenner and Nyquist. He played after Atkinson got injured.

But playoffs will be a different animal, and the rookies might get sheltered a bit. Nyquist, Foligno, Atkinson, and Bjorkstrand may end up being the wings that draw the most minutes, with Dubois and Jenner eating up the most time at center. That leaves a bit of our youth and skill in the bottom 6 (something Torts might try to avoid when Toronto can match up against and exploit that youth).

I think the veteran / youth dichotomy can be overplayed when it comes to Foudy. I felt better about Jenner and Nyquist's ability to keep the puck out of the net because Foudy was with them. I can't predict how he'll do in the playoffs but we see rookies with breakout performances in the playoffs every year. Sometimes it's veterans that struggle in the playoff checking (Nyquist last year). I'm honestly more confident in Foudy than Nyquist.

While he didn’t lead London in points, I think Foudy will be taking on a major role in the near future.

He didn't lead in points, but interestingly he was London's nomination for OHL MVP, ahead of McMichael who had 100 pts. That shows you how they value his overall game. Foudy was also one of Canada's three named MVP's at this year's World Junior Championship. There were eight players that scored more than him!

I don't know if he'll score much for us, but I don't think we can go wrong with this kid. He's a coach's dream.

 

[Johansen2Foligno]

Jackets are going to win game 5 in OT 4-2

 

[Xoggz22]

As a reminder... Wennberg was playing LW with PLD at the end. He looked comfortable and can contribute. I wouldn't be surprised to see it continue. Or Tex back on the wing with PLD

 

[majormajor]

As a reminder... Wennberg was playing LW with PLD at the end. He looked comfortable and can contribute. I wouldn't be surprised to see it continue. Or Tex back on the wing with PLD

How many games did Wennberg play there? He played 5 games at the end of the season after coming back from injury, and I think it might have been the last four on that line with Dubois and Bemstrom.

Here's his game log. As you can tell the results for Wennberg's lines in those 4 games weren't good. One goal for and five against.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

It's weird that whenever a goalie plays well that ISN'T Korpisalo it's on the team. But when the team wins WITH Korpisalo it's because of Korpisalo.

Also, round 1 is a best of 5, so you probably mean CBJ in 4? Maybe 5?

Tiebreaker. Goes to game 6.

Jackets are going to win game 5 in OT 4-2

J2F on brand. I like it.

 

[Long Live Lyle]