Line Combos: Knies and Minten together?

[Fogelhund]

If Klingberg is hurt, but not hurt enough to go on IR, they are going to need to carry and extra D man. This means waiving lafferty,

Klingberg is back skating today.

""

 

[Sypher04]

Knies may start the year in the AHL and Minten returned to junior so that the Leafs keep a player like Lafferty and perhaps an extra goalie in Jones and signing Noah Gregor to a contract after meeting opening night cap compliance limits. With Timmins injury as well as Klingberg's ailment at present Leafs are going to need to carry a 7th Dman also like Simon Benoit on the roster.

There’s virtually zero chance of that

If Holmberg makes the team this year, I’d like him shadowing Kampf and learning as much as possible from him. Ideally then next summer we are in a position to move Kampf’s 2.4m out to help deal with the cap crunch. I like Kampf but that price is too much for a likely 4th liner

 

[A1LeafNation]

Makes no sense to have two rookies on the same line on a contender.

It looks like keeping Knies in college was a good decision. I wonder if Minten makes the team, what happens if/when Minten hits a wall in Januray. Will we feel he still deserved to make the team?

Anyways...

Knies Matthews Nylander
Bertuzzi Minten Marner
Domi Tavares Jarkrok

 

[CincoHolio]

Makes no sense to have two rookies on the same line on a contender.

It looks like keeping Knies in college was a good decision. I wonder if Minten makes the team, what happens if/when Minten hits a wall in Januray. Will we feel he still deserved to make the team?

Anyways...

Knies Matthews Nylander
Bertuzzi Minten Marner
Domi Tavares Jarkrok

The Knies decision to stay in college was entirely his own. If you recall, the Leafs brass wanted him to join the team for the playoffs for the first Lightning series. Is there some kind of evidence that was the correct path?

 

[ToDavid]

Don’t know how credible this is:View attachment 748935

It’s credible in that technically Keefe did imply that but it’s also extremely misleading. Keefe basically dodged the question, like any coach would mid-camp, and said every player still there has a chance to make the team.

Minten has looked good, and the fact that he’s still at camp mostly practicing with the A squad at 19 says a lot. But I don’t take Keefe’s comment to mean anything more.

 

[Leaf Army]

Minten has had a great camp and he’ll be an NHL player.

But he’s not ready yet and should not make this team.

You’d have to think management realizes this. Part of me wonders if they’re not trying to grease his value a bit in case they need him for a deadline deal.

 

[Menzinger]

The Knies decision to stay in college was entirely his own. If you recall, the Leafs brass wanted him to join the team for the playoffs for the first Lightning series. Is there some kind of evidence that was the correct path?

As someone who watches a ton of Gophers hockey, he definitely needed the extra time in terms of development, even though he's still been on a relatively fast path in that regards. His last college season he really rounded out a lot of elements to his game

 

[inxs]

Give 9 games to Fraser Minten. After that, if the chemetry still there. Keeping all the season. Best exemple = Wyatt Johnston

 

[Americanadian]

What a wild turn of events if Minten makes the NHL before Stankoven.

 

[cyris]

If Klingberg is hurt, but not hurt enough to go on IR, they are going to need to carry and extra D man. This means waiving lafferty,

Not necessarily.
Don’t sign Gregor until after the first game. Play the first game short a forward then use emergency recall to sign Gregor.

I’m not saying that is the path I’d recommend but it keeps the team cap compliant allows them to carry an extra Dman until Klingberg could play. And this is something I could see them doing.

 

[Buds17]

Tough to make the team strictly based on one's showing in the preseason (no prior NHL experience). I'm optimistic about Minten having a bright future ahead of him in the NHL though.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Give 9 games to Fraser Minten. After that, if the chemetry still there. Keeping all the season. Best exemple = Wyatt Johnston

I love Fraser Minten, but he's not Wyatt Johnston.

I have had Wyatt in fantasy a year before he made the team and watched him closely. He was playing like Marner's last junior year, all year 2 years ago. He was definitely ready last year.

 

[jaric1862]

Not necessarily.
Don’t sign Gregor until after the first game. Play the first game short a forward then use emergency recall to sign Gregor.

I’m not saying that is the path I’d recommend but it keeps the team cap compliant allows them to carry an extra Dman until Klingberg could play. And this is something I could see them doing.

It's not ideal having to do this all year, especially if there is multiple injuries from the same game.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Like to see Knies Minten Jarnkrok get another look on Saturday against Detroit's full lineup.

 

[djdev]

Like to see Knies Minten Jarnkrok get another look on Saturday against Detroit's full lineup.

i believe thats keefes plan, i think he even said it.

 

[LDN]

Makes no sense to have two rookies on the same line on a contender.

It looks like keeping Knies in college was a good decision. I wonder if Minten makes the team, what happens if/when Minten hits a wall in Januray. Will we feel he still deserved to make the team?

Anyways...

Knies Matthews Nylander
Bertuzzi Minten Marner
Domi Tavares Jarkrok

Oh man that’s sick, but I still say keep bertuzzi and Marner with Matthews

 

[Niagara Bill]

Not necessarily.
Don’t sign Gregor until after the first game. Play the first game short a forward then use emergency recall to sign Gregor.

I’m not saying that is the path I’d recommend but it keeps the team cap compliant allows them to carry an extra Dman until Klingberg could play. And this is something I could see them doing.

So many gyrations to keep the best players and often leads to inferior team to be compliant.
Our problem could be solved if 1 of the young goalies on the Marlies could develop. Samsonov salary with Woll on the team is a problem, OR Brodie has to go.
Watching Keefe once again playing roulette with finding someone to play with Reilly is now a 5 year project. Schenn was the answer in the short term but we stayed with Brodie and inflated salary. Hmmm. This d is weaker than last year...a year older

 

[sxvnert]

Bertuzzi Matthews Nylander
Domi Tavares Marner
Knies Minten Lafferty
Holmberg Kampf Jarnkrok
Robertson/Reaves

 

[justashadowof]

Why I still wouldn't run with Minten: he conserves energy out of the ice by coasting too much at his current stage of development. He will look too slow, out of position or a step behind the play once the NHL vets get their regular season legs. Otherwise I'm super optimistic about this player. He's smart, he's safe, he's wide bodied and he's got a good shot.

 

[fahad203]

Robert Thomas was 19 when he played for the St.Louis Blues and I believe they won the Stanly Cup that year
Bowen Byram was 20 when he started playing for Colorado
David Pastarnak was 18 when he was playing regular with the Boston Bruins

Plenty of positive and good examples around the league when players entered the league at 19

It's a rare occasion now but still happens. What Fraser will learn in NHL he can never learn in OHL now matter how many games he plays
NHL experience is NHL experience

Good thing about the Leafs is that he doesn't have to be a star. He can play 30-40 games as a support role or rotate with Reaves, Lafferty. Even that is massive for 19 year old getting NHL exposure

 

[Budz]

Bertuzzi Matthews Nylander
Domi Tavares Marner
Knies Minten Lafferty
Holmberg Kampf Jarnkrok
Robertson/Reaves

This is pretty close to my desired line up:
I flip Domi/Bertuzzi -Too many shooters on 1 line.

I flip Lafferty/Jankrok-Lafferty is lucky to even make the team.

I personally believe Marner has to play with JT.

 

[djdev]

Robert Thomas was 19 when he played for the St.Louis Blues and I believe they won the Stanly Cup that year
Bowen Byram was 20 when he started playing for Colorado
David Pastarnak was 18 when he was playing regular with the Boston Bruins

Plenty of positive and good examples around the league when players entered the league at 19

It's a rare occasion now but still happens. What Fraser will learn in NHL he can never learn in OHL now matter how many games he plays
NHL experience is NHL experience

Good thing about the Leafs is that he doesn't have to be a star. He can play 30-40 games as a support role or rotate with Reaves, Lafferty. Even that is massive for 19 year old getting NHL exposure

agree with most of this apart from him playing 30-40 games. i mean if hes being sit every other game i would prefer he just go back to junior as opposed to sitting in the pressbox. give him his 9 games and re-evaluate is the best current solution if they believe hes ready. at his age i believe playing everyday trumps everything else. i dont really care about the elc aspect of it, just that he gets to play. i really do want him to make the big club and play everyday though, i belive hes one of those types of prospects that will perform better with more structure, which the NHL has over junior. time will tell though. exciting young player to be sure regardless.

 

[hullsy47]

Minton has pro body .right now he's made the team
Its time for treliving to move some dead weight
The kid has earned it
If nothing else it showed some character lacking in other fringe players

 

[meefer]

One thing I’d love to know is how the inclusion of Knies and Minten might affect the ‘mood’ of the rest of the team. IF, and I believe Knies to be a lock, he and Minten can inject some youthful energy and joy into this line-up I would consider that to be a bonus to whatever ‘hockey’ skills they bring to the team.

While I am concerned about a few things with this team, I think my greatest issue is that come the playoffs, their fear of losing saps their desire to win - if that makes sense. They play a somewhat ‘soulless’ game, they lack passion and stall in big moments. I am not suggesting the two kids would be carrying the team, but perhaps they, simply be being young and talented, would inject some life into a group with too much scar tissue.

We’ve, for many years, looked to veterans for leadership and experience to help us break through. It hasn’t worked. Perhaps some kids unafraid of failure is what might help our best players relax and play to their abilities when it matters most.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

The more I see Knies I realize that Bertuzzi is just keeping the 1st line LW spot warm for him for the time being.

Knies would work extremely well with Matthews, both big and excellent stickhandlers, would be a load in the offensive zone.