Pre-Game Talk: Leafs vs Lightning-well lets see what we have

horner

Registered User
May 22, 2007
7,832
4,337
That bottom 6 is horrific

Kerfoot, Spezza plus a bunch of replacement level dudes
If those lines can survive without getting curb stomped I'd be beyond surprised and would call it a massive win

I would double shift Mathews and Nylander on the third line.

Engvall Mathews kerfoot
Then
Engvall kerfoot Nylander
 

BertCorbeau

F*ck cancer - RIP Fugu and Buffaloed
Jan 6, 2012
55,037
35,304
Simcoe County


Like: Nylander back with Matthews
Dislike: Kapanen with JT and Marner. Kap has not been an effective LWer

I would have tried Spezza on that wing, kept Kap on the third line and bumped Malgin to the 4th line.

Also swapping Marner and Barrie on the PP is at least a change but it's less about personnel and more about how they decide to move the puck. They need better coaching on that front to get the PP unit moving around to open up lanes.
 
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Pookie

Wear a mask
Oct 23, 2013
16,172
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Islanders are on a 6-game losing streak while Martin plays like a man.

I’ve got 2 Comebacks for you. Can’t decide which one I like best. Here are your choices:

1. Are you referring to the 2018-19 Second Round Islanders?

Seems weird seeing the words “Second Round.”

We haven’t seen a printed Leafs Second Round ticket in 16 years.

OR

2. Just so I understand your point, you are saying that...

Matt Martin plays like a man (and like a penalty killer) on the team that despite a 6 game losing streak, also has 79 points and 2 games in hand on us?

 
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Advanced stats

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May 26, 2010
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I would LOVE Martin instead of Engvall/Kerfoot/Malgin/Johnsson/Kapanen/Petan/etc...
Martin instead of any of our soft unproductive one demensional pretty boys would be a big upgrade.
At least Martin plays like a Man.
Hold on...you'd take Martin over Kapanen Kerfoot or Johansson? :laugh:
 

filthyMitz

Registered User
Feb 5, 2018
347
303
Indiana
Malgin and Engvall are replacement level players and that's 2 3rds of our 3rd line

2 injuries, that's all it takes for our bottom 6 to become AHL quality

Tampa pays their stars significantly less money than we have at similar places in their careers, that's an out and out fact

You cheerleaders are starting to get annoying, Dubas ****** up and he got rolled by our RFA'S so we have no money for boring stuff like depth
Yes two injuries puts us at 1 third liner instead of 3. Absolute f***ing shocker.
 
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Rogie

ALIVE
May 17, 2013
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Good to see Matthews Marner split up, we don't need that kind of style of play Marner sometimes gets carried away with, so, if we get a small change in the style of play, that could be small by-product, less cutesy stuff, esp. back passes, and bit more straight ahead north south play.
 

Pookie

Wear a mask
Oct 23, 2013
16,172
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We'll see what this team is made of

Whether it’s a dominating win or an embarrassing blow out, this game won’t be of any significance in defining the team.

They have shown us all season what they are. Through 2 coaches.

An inconsistent, extremely talented bunch of individuals that have an issue with self motivation.

A roster that is skewed towards offence at the expense of defence.

A roster that can dominate a team and can be horribly outworked the next time.

And a style of play that can be extremely free wheeling and exciting but does not have an effective answer for the decades old Trap.
 

filthyMitz

Registered User
Feb 5, 2018
347
303
Indiana
We got Mitch and his muffin shot on the left boards while the Bruins, Bolts and Caps have Pasta, OV and Stammer. Why it took the coaches 69 games to see this beats me.
We have our version of that on the right boards though. Coaches fault that our sniper is a lefty for sure
 
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BlueForever75

Registered User
Oct 4, 2017
5,691
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I would break up the PP1 as well. Nylander should replace Marner on side boards with Hyman in front of net. So PP1 should be Barrie-Nylander-Tavares-Matthews-Hyman.

PP2 should be Reilly-Marner-Spezza-Kapanen-Kerfoot

Give Marner a wakeup call. He needs one, money has gotten to his head.
 
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Rogie

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May 17, 2013
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Whether it’s a dominating win or an embarrassing blow out, this game won’t be of any significance in defining the team.

They have shown us all season what they are. Through 2 coaches.

An inconsistent, extremely talented bunch of individuals that have an issue with self motivation.

A roster that is skewed towards offence at the expense of defence.

A roster that can dominate a team and can be horribly outworked the next time.

And a style of play that can be extremely free wheeling and exciting but does not have an effective answer for the decades old Trap.

I agree Pookie. I just look for small small gains in effort, starting on time, responding after they score a goal, at the start and end of periods, critical points in the game. They have lots and lots of chances to start over and decide, okay, we're going to start NOW and work a bit harder. They FAIL miserably at being consistent, one game they come out for 5 minutes and look like they're the hardest working team in the NHL, the next 5 minutes, the opposite.

Again, the beauty of the game, they constantly get new opportunities, and, so, look for the little improvements: also, a bit more hitting, a bit less hope and poke, and little more going into traffic areas, a little harder back-checking even if looks like we've recovered the puck already.

Yeah, a little bit more effort in every area of the game, and then try to do it over and over and over again, we hope....
 

JT AM da real deal

Registered User
Oct 4, 2018
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No such thing as an easy win with our Leafs. If it existed, our Leafs should have come home from their California road trip with at least 5 points!
They don't know how to play big trap teams who force them to the wall outside. It has been an issue now for 3 years late in season and playoffs. The formula to beat Leafs is actually pretty easy. But Tampa has same issues as us. They want to outduel us up/down da ice. Let speed and skill rule. Then tending becomes the difference maker. These type of games can go anyway. Tampa win big. Leafs win big. or higher scoring close games like last one. So far we had a Tampa blowout. and a close high scoring one. I think this one is Leafs pretty easy. and then last game of year another close one.
 

pylon17

Registered User
Jan 19, 2017
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I would break up the PP1 as well. Nylander should replace Marner on side boards with Hyman in front of net. So PP1 should be Barrie-Nylander-Tavares-Matthews-Hyman.

PP2 should be Reilly-Marner-Spezza-Kapanen-Kerfoot

Give Marner a wakeup call. He needs one, money has gotten to his head.

Please no Kerfoot on the PP. Would rather have Sandin or even Liljegren in that spot.
 
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BlueForever75

Registered User
Oct 4, 2017
5,691
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Please no Kerfoot on the PP. Would rather have Sandin or even Liljegren in that spot.

True Sandin would be good. Just looking for someone willing to get garbage goals in front of the next on second unit. Kerfoot is the guy for me. Unless you try Engvall there with his height.
 

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