Line Combos: Leafs Practice Lines Today

[jrgtml67]

Uh duh. I said that man. But I have watched every game, and been highly critical (more so than usual because of my fantasy team). Some time young guys need a kick in the pants to get moving. Not saying the other 2 have looked really good, I would say Bozak has looked the best if I am looking at both zones. Marner has looked the worst though. He is flying the zone (al la kessel). He has been told to shoot more instead of always passing, and against MTL specifically he had a clear lane to walk down broadway and shoot, instead he made a high risk pass, got picked off for an odd man rush. There comes a time when you need to give the young guy a lesson if the first warnings go as they have. This should wake him up.

 

[The Examiner]

I think this is only fair treatment for Marner after it was done to Nylander last season.

You cant do it to one and not the other. It would set a bad precedent

I swear he did this to Mitch last year, as well.

 

[The Examiner]

Marleau-Kadri-Marner will never happen under Babcock
Babcock likes 2 skilled players on a line with a defensive forward who's solid along the boards

Hopefully Marner wakes up next game then I'm sure his 4th line demotion will be a short one

That line has everything you mentioned.

 

[Glenn Isildur Healy]

That line has everything you mentioned.

Who's the Hyman/Komarov of that line that's willing to do all the gritty work along the boards?

 

[The Examiner]

Who's the Hyman/Komarov of that line that's willing to do all the gritty work along the boards?

Kadri can work the boards and Marleau is under rated when it comes to his board play. Obviously they aren't at the level of Hyman and Komarov but nobody else on this team really is except for maybe Leivo but he's a bad boy.

Who's does the gritty work along the boards for the JVR-Bozak-Marner line?

 

[crump]

Who's does the gritty work along the boards for the JVR-Bozak-Marner line?

Opposing forwards?

 

[ACC1224]

Who's does the gritty work along the boards for the JVR-Bozak-Marner line?

Marner, he's also the first guy in and the first guy back.

 

[The Examiner]

Marner, he's also the first guy in and the first guy back.

So, then a Marleau-Kadri-Marner line has everything the OP said. Now I'm confused.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I must say I'm a little surprised at all the grief Marner is taking here. I really hope he scores tomorrow and shuts people up for a bit. Hey wait, I said the same thing about Hyman before the Rangers game!

 

[biotk]

I must say I'm a little surprised at all the grief Marner is taking here. I really hope he scores tomorrow and shuts people up for a bit. Hey wait, I said the same thing about Hyman before the Rangers game!

Maybe you should say it about Hyman more often...

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I must say I'm a little surprised at all the grief Marner is taking here. I really hope he scores tomorrow and shuts people up for a bit. Hey wait, I said the same thing about Hyman before the Rangers game!

Yeah idk. He's actually been great so far. His PPG this season is the same as Eichel's career PPG, and he's been a good puck possession player. High standards I guess

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Kadri can work the boards and Marleau is under rated when it comes to his board play. Obviously they aren't at the level of Hyman and Komarov but nobody else on this team really is except for maybe Leivo but he's a bad boy.

Who's does the gritty work along the boards for the JVR-Bozak-Marner line?

No one really but it's supposed to be a sheltered scoring line, not a checking or first line.

 

[Buds17]

Still might only end up being a practice move, but even if it's not, I care more about what happens during the game and by the end of the game than I do the start of it.

 

[Kiwi]

I must say I'm a little surprised at all the grief Marner is taking here. I really hope he scores tomorrow and shuts people up for a bit. Hey wait, I said the same thing about Hyman before the Rangers game!

The criticism is fair, Marner is a large part of one of the worst defensive lines in the entire league, it's not fair that he's the only one being demoted but it's certainly not the worst thing for him right now to get off that tyre fire of a line

And couple of games on the 4th line won't hurt Marner, hell it could help him like Nylander

 

[crump]

If Mitch is any kind of man, he'll be on the PP and have 5 points by the third period.

 

[Glenn Isildur Healy]

Kadri can work the boards and Marleau is under rated when it comes to his board play. Obviously they aren't at the level of Hyman and Komarov but nobody else on this team really is except for maybe Leivo but he's a bad boy.

Who's does the gritty work along the boards for the JVR-Bozak-Marner line?

There's a reason why JVR-Bozak-Marner line is the worst of the 3. They don't have anyone who can do the gritty work. Part of it is because they create offensive mostly through transition. Compare that to the Matthews line and they're way more dynamic offensively and having a Hyman there is very helpful.

 

[Kamiccolo]

My question is, why do the reporters here not ask Babs about Bozak and JVR's defensive play, and instead ask the same repetitive softballs every time?

 

[NarcoPolo]

At this point Brown is better defensively and better offensively than Koma. Koma is the perfect shift disturber for the 4th line.

Not true in the slightest

 

[AppsSyl]

The criticism is fair, Marner is a large part of one of the worst defensive lines in the entire league, it's not fair that he's the only one being demoted but it's certainly not the worst thing for him right now to get off that tyre fire of a line

And couple of games on the 4th line won't hurt Marner, hell it could help him like Nylander

It drives me nuts when people talk like Willy is great defensively. Switch Marner and him and see if that line is better defensively. I doubt it. On the other hand, put Marner on Matthews wing for an extended period and see what happens. The main problem on the line is the 2 vets that have been a tire fire in their own end for years.

 

[PromisedLand]

I would love to see a thread about Bozak that isn't filled with people criticizing him. You're not going to win this. Bozak has been a favored whipping boy ever since Kessel was put on his wing.

I am not trying to win an argument. It just irks me that Bozak and JVR are still on the leafs and have yet to show any defensive accumen

 

[PromisedLand]

Mitch's reaction after practice:

@20 seconds into the vid (first one) Mitch basically says he is not happy how his game is progressing defensively;
how about we ask the question to the "vets" who had been playing with him in games;

just makes my blood boil that a kid has to answer the tough questions but the "vets" get a pass....

Come on Lou; lets get going already......

 

[Kiwi]

It drives me nuts when people talk like Willy is great defensively. Switch Marner and him and see if that line is better defensively. I doubt it. On the other hand, put Marner on Matthews wing for an extended period and see what happens. The main problem on the line is the 2 vets that have been a tire fire in their own end for years.

The other two suck defensively, but that doesn't mean Marner isn't playing his part in that lines struggles either, he's turning over the puck in bad areas at an alarming rate and he's not a good defensive player yet

Skating around like a chicken with its head cut off is not a sign of good defensive play, it usually means something has gone seriously wrong

 

[AppsSyl]

The other two suck defensively, but that doesn't mean Marner isn't playing his part in that lines struggles either, he's turning over the puck in bad areas at an alarming rate and he's not a good defensive player yet

Skating around like a chicken with its head cut off is not a sign of good defensive play, it usually means something has gone seriously wrong

Ya, like you are trying to be the defensive conscience for the entire line, as well as drive the line offensively as well.

 

[Glenn Isildur Healy]

I am not trying to win an argument. It just irks me that Bozak and JVR are still on the leafs and have yet to show any defensive accumen

What would you rather they do?
Trade JVR/Bozak for a 6th round pick?
This is probably their last season here anyways. We've already heard the whining for the past 3-4 years about them

They are far from perfect players. Defensively they struggle, offensively they're pretty good. As 3rd line players, the value they bring is far better than most if not all 3rd line players in the NHL

 

[PromisedLand]

Who's the Hyman/Komarov of that line that's willing to do all the gritty work along the boards?

JVR = OUT