Line Combos: L1 -A line in need of Augmentation?

[CalgaryLeaf*]

Santorelli-Kadri-Kessel
JVR-Bozak-Winnik
Lupul-Holland-Clarkson
Kozun/Booth-Smith-Panik
?




And then obviously back to JVR-Bozak-Kessel on the primary powerplay, I would think.


Let's be honest, as much as I love JVR and Kessel on the rush, that line needs help at even strength. As a team it looks like the Leafs are making good strides towards playing a better defensive/possession game, but that top line is struggling mightily in that regard.

I understand keeping them together should the team need a quick goal, but one would think most of the time the Leafs would benefit from a better balanced lineup?

I'm not sure that having Kessel with Santo & Kadri would work because Nazzy needs wingers willing to dig for pucks along the boards...That's why Komarov worked well with Kadri as well...Phil just doesn't want to engage physically it appears.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I'm not sure that having Kessel with Santo & Kadri would work because Nazzy needs wingers willing to dig for pucks along the boards...That's why Komarov worked well with Kadri as well...Phil just doesn't want to engage physically it appears.

Fair point. You could swap Winnik (or Komarov when he's back) for Santo, and move Santo with JVR and Bozak.

Although like has been pointed out, it might be tough for Randy to mess with a winning formula.

 

[hockeyes]

Santorelli-Kadri-Kessel
JVR-Bozak-Winnik
Lupul-Holland-Clarkson
Kozun/Booth-Smith-Panik
?

I really like those lines and hope we get to see that first line at some point. Only change I'd make is swapping Clarkson with Panik.

It's clear the current 1st line just can't play reliable 5v5 hockey, we get safer minutes from the 4th line. Keep them as #1 PP and split it.

 

[613Leafer]

The armchair GM/coaches in here want drastic changes to a team that is 8-1-1.

Amazing!

Damn, you're right. I forgot that zero teams in the league have gone 8-1-1 and then NOT gone on to become longterm sustainable Stanley Cup contenders. 8-1-1? Pack it in boys, we're on our way to the promised land, guaranteed.

No reason to make any changes at all, analyze the teams weaknesses, analyze which players contribute the most to those weaknesses, analyze who has high trade value despite contributing largely to the teams main weaknesses, etc.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

The armchair GM/coaches in here want drastic changes to a team that is 8-1-1.

Amazing!

We're only 10 games into the season?

If there's anything Leafs fans have taken to heart over the past few seasons, it's that past performance absolutely guarantees future results.

 

[ShaneFalco]

It takes a toll on the defence, the goalie, when your top line is hemmed in it's own zone so many minutes per night

 

[Wafflewhipper]

The armchair GM/coaches in here want drastic changes to a team that is 8-1-1.

Amazing!

The reason for the turnaround was the team is realizing that they had some bad habits that they need to fix on a personal level that if done would impact the overall team success.

They thought scoring but playing a poor team game would come back to bite them. They as a group reasoned that they would have to play better away from the puck.

The poeerplay specialists on the first line (exclude Bozak) he tries, haven't bought in. That's the problem posters are havind and if we are to continue being successful, the top line needs to be better defensively.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I'm not sure that having Kessel with Santo & Kadri would work because Nazzy needs wingers willing to dig for pucks along the boards...That's why Komarov worked well with Kadri as well...Phil just doesn't want to engage physically it appears.

That's right. Simple and right. Putting either winger that is on the Bozak line to any other line ruins the chemistry because they don't compete. Well they don't compete away from the puck.

Either Carlyle rides them hard to pick it up or we might consider trading them. That's a tough ultimatum they seem to be rubbing our noses in. I don't know what other conclusion they would expect if they don't want to pull on the same rope really.

 

[pspot]

I really want to see Komarov with Kessel

both excel in open ice but in two very different manners.

Komarov can create chances by keeping the play live , forcing opponents to make decisions and get on loose pucks

Bozak would work or Santorelli, anyone that can win a face off and keep up

Komarov/Bozak/Kessel
Winnik/Kadri/Lupul
JVR/Sant/Clarkson
Booth/Holland/Panik

 

[Purity*]

The big difference here is Kadri >>>> Grabovski.

Yup. He's a 24 year old center in his 2nd full year in the league.

There's no "lightning in a bottle" being caught, it's just a great young center improving his game and elevating his linemates play. I think Komarov will return to that line once he's healthy.

I am seeing a lot of similarities in the Kadri, Santa, Winnik line this year to the KGM line of 2010-11 season where all had career years.

What similarities??? Is this your way of saying you don't think Kadri will sustain his improved play? [mod]

 

[RLF]

I agree with you but; if you think Kessel taking hits all season long will help us late in the season I think you are wrong, people LOVE to take runs at guys like Phil. It fires the crowd, their team up and in Toronto it makes it into the media. Everyone wants to get famous off that, we don't have the enforcers to fight everyone that would be taking runs at him either. I would rather see our big sturdy JVR do some of the dirty work on that line and allow Phil some time and space to make him look like an ever bigger star than he already does.

If Phil was in as much danger as you suggest, he wouldn't have gone this long without missing a game. I am not suggesting he become Komarov, but he (and JVR) need to compete more on puck battles. Phil bails on getting the puck out most times he thinks he's going to be hit. Phil is a ppg player for 4 seasons now(incl this one), yet still a minus player. He has to start being responsible in both ends...too much floating, fly by's, no compete in his own end. He's too good a hockey player to only compete WITH the puck.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

The big difference here is Kadri >>>> Grabovski.

I'd rather focus on the line for line comparison.

I see a lot of similarities.

Santorelli, Winnik and I suspect when Komarov comes back meshed well with Kadri.

Obviously this is good for the team this season. But the lesson of KGM was it was great for 1 year, the other 2 years not as effective.

We have to be careful of falling in love with lines.

 

[Menzinger]

I'm not sure if Winnik or Santos will be able to sustain this kind of offense long term, but I'm happy to go along for the ride this season.

 

[Kelly]

I'd rather focus on the line for line comparison.

I see a lot of similarities.

Santorelli, Winnik and I suspect when Komarov comes back meshed well with Kadri.

Obviously this is good for the team this season. But the lesson of KGM was it was great for 1 year, the other 2 years not as effective.

We have to be careful of falling in love with lines.

You know what, I agree with this.

I'm enjoying the way their playing, but lets hold off on giving them multi million - multi year contracts., especially Santa and Winnik.

I'd be very happy locking Kadri up for 5+ years this summer, though.

 

[TMLegend]

Grabovski is still better than Kadri is, and will likely continue to be. Too bad Randy Carlyle essenially ran him out of town

 

[ShaneFalco]

Hope_Smoke @Hope_Smoke · 3h 3 hours ago
Nonis "We're going to need them [top line] to get back into their groove & they're capable of doing that"

Hope_Smoke @Hope_Smoke · 3h 3 hours ago
Nonis [RE top line's defensive game] "have to work your way out of it. They're highly skilled players. Never going to be shutdown players"


No but they've been bad defensively for years and not getting any better

 

[ShaneFalco]

http://mapleleafshotstove.com/2014/12/15/leafs-notebook-december-15th/

This is not a knee-jerk reaction to a few poor games, which is compounded by an obvious Phil Kessel injury that is hurting his play. This is based on, now, the third year of data. The line scores a lot, but they generally give up what it produces—if not more. Nightly, they get hemmed in their own zone for long stretches of play, cheat on offense by flying the zone and play three deep offensively—and with regularity.

The trio of JVR-Bozak-Kessel can clearly score, with all of them on pace for at least 30 goals as of this writing and Bozak having the lowest point pace of the three at 68. All three are on pace for career best seasons goals and points wise.

But they get dominated during the run of play. None of the three top scoring Leafs are in the top 14 for corsi or fenwick. This adds to the fact that none of these high scoring players have a positive 5v5 goals for percentage so far this season, as they allow more than they produce. This has been a trend for years now and I wrote about how they routinely get outscored at the end of last season.

 

[AuGsY]

Hope_Smoke @Hope_Smoke · 3h 3 hours ago
Nonis "We're going to need them [top line] to get back into their groove & they're capable of doing that"

Hope_Smoke @Hope_Smoke · 3h 3 hours ago
Nonis [RE top line's defensive game] "have to work your way out of it. They're highly skilled players. Never going to be shutdown players"


No but they've been bad defensively for years and not getting any better

God, Nonis and Carlyle are both idiots. The top line only ever scores off the rush(by cheating defensively) or on the PP; they're practically useless 5v5.

TBH, JVR doesn't deserve top line minutes anymore, he should be moved down the lineup.

 

[Menzinger]

The armchair GM/coaches in here want drastic changes to a team that is 8-1-1.

Amazing!

We've seen before what happens to the team when problems are left to foster. Last year, everyone closed their eyes to the deep problems facing the team, because they manged to edge out a few wins in the shootout to inflate the team's point streak.

If the 1st lines defensive problems aren't fixed, this team is going to hit a wall sooner rather than later.