Post-Game Talk: Leafs win 6-3

[Clark4Ever]

Once johnsson and moore come back we dont have the cap space to keep engvall up

someone has to go between johnsson and kappanen

Is it too soon to suggest that Engvall could be more valuable to the team than Johnsson? I think there is a valid argument to be made.

 

[Walshy7]

Once johnsson and moore come back we dont have the cap space to keep engvall up

someone has to go between johnsson and kappanen

Johnsson easily for me

 

[supermann_98]

The move away from Petan and towards Engvall has played a significant move, particularly factoring in the difference in the Leafs outcome recently as Engvall has contributed at ES as well as excellent PKing.

Envall and Mikheyev 3rd line has generated secondary scoring on a consistent basis, as Leafs are able to play a bigger heavy game with those 2 wingers riding shotgun with Kerfoot.

These guys have many of the same skills and for taller guys they are incredibly good skaters, both in terms of straightaway speed but also have really good mobility and balance.

Long reach, speed and mobility with increasing hints of offensive effectiveness ... what's not to be excited about?

Absolutely love seeing them as a tandem on the PK. They're constantly getting their sticks in lanes and causing turnovers leading to rushes in the opposite direction.

They are really making one or both of Kappy and Johnsson expendable for an upgrade on D and a backup G

 

[supermann_98]

Shoulda took the Kap for Pesce deal

I don't remember this one being available, they wanted Nylander for Pesce no?

 

[ULF_55]

These guys have many of the same skills and for taller guys they are incredibly good skaters, both in terms of straightaway speed but also have really good mobility and balance.

Long reach, speed and mobility with increasing hints of offensive effectiveness ... what's not to be excited about?

Absolutely love seeing them as a tandem on the PK. They're constantly getting their sticks in lanes and causing turnovers leading to rushes in the opposite direction.

They are really making one or both of Kappy and Johnsson expendable for an upgrade on D and a backup G

I think they make Johnsson expendable for Cap Space period.

 

[GardinerTheForward]

I don't remember this one being available, they wanted Nylander for Pesce no?

No source just what i read on HF. I do remember hearing something about bring Sami’s heir to Carolina. He would have been the centrepiece of a trade

ah well though

 

[ToDavid]

Will be really interesting to see what they do when everyone is healthy. Engvall has been amazing but he's waiver exempt and as far as I can tell, we're so tight on the cap we can't actually afford his $925k cap hit if we want even one extra skater in the press box. I don't think they'll risk losing both Gauthier and Timashov. So the question is has he played well enough that Dubas swings a bigger move to open up a spot for him, something around Johnsson or Kap?

 

[saffronleaf]

Will be really interesting to see what they do when everyone is healthy. Engvall has been amazing but he's waiver exempt and as far as I can tell, we're so tight on the cap we can't actually afford his $925k cap hit if we want even one extra skater in the press box. I don't think they'll risk losing both Gauthier and Timashov. So the question is has he played well enough that Dubas swings a bigger move to open up a spot for him, something around Johnsson or Kap?

Why not cap dump Ceci and bring up Lily

 

[glue]

He helped setup Nylanders first goal, overall I'd rank him average for the entire game, nothing worth talking about

I like Mikheyev as much as the next guy but all these tweener top 6-9 guys look great in the bottom and often sputter in the top. I'd give him a chance but I wouldn't hold my breath. I think Mikheyev shoots too often, he has a hard shot but not accurate enough to justify taking shots from Matthews or Nylander and I am not sure he can adjust his game to be effective with them, shooters like him often get tunnel vision

Fair point. Just seems Kappy is struggling, would like to try to get that line to click like the JT-Hyman-Marner line. Let’s see how it all shakes out

 

[hobarth]

The further into Keefe's tenure the more I'm seeing the team we were being told we have. For years we were told how fast and talented TO's players were but outside of the outright goal scoring my eyes constantly told me TO wasn't that skilled or fast. For me skill isn't just being able to score but it's also getting and maintaining possession. Speed isn't something that can be utilized if the team is constantly told to advance the puck even if that means giving up possession. Babs' stretch passes and dumping the puck in is a practical approach for a team of at best middlin' talents but a truly talented team needs, craves possession and should do it's best to keep the puck.

Will this always be a winning formula, not always I'm sure but for this team with these players that's how TO needs to roll.
Last night TO played the Rangers and after 2 periods the game was tied. Considering how tenuous TO has looked protecting a lead going into the 3rd period lately there was a foreboding feeling. Surprise, surprise TO played the 3rd like they play the 1st periods lately, the d pressed, the forwards possessed, basically TO dominated. After 4 plus years of Babs wanting them to lock the game down, minimize mistakes, defend essentially TO finally did so by playing the 3rd like they should play the entire game, by pressing not defending. This is also how TO should play the entire game, forget the clock, if the lead is 3 go for 4. I read somewhere that Gretzky would say to his Oiler teamates going into the 3rd period when Edmonton had a serious lead, let's score more!

There is a mindset that's firmly ensconced by Babs and it's going to take some time for TO to free itself of this and realize that Babs' way is one way but probably not the best way for this team.

Now I'm seeing TO's speed and talent!!!