Pre-Game Talk: Maple Leafs @ Blue Jackets, October 4th

[Eye Test]

Mikheyev is quickly rising as one of my favorite Leafs. I think he would be amazing on a line with Tavares and Marner.

Marner and Tavares passing to a guy who can shoot is a dream come true.

Give Hyman back to Matthews and Nylander and then have a crazy fast and skilled third line with Kerfoot Johnsson and Kapanen.

It’s his hands and his thinking/positioning that would make me Put him there over hyman. His shots a bonus.great scouting job so far on him

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I'm not one to look at the number of shots against, and say they played well defensively or not. Shot quality, legit chances....

I don't think there were a ton pf those either, there were a few early but not a ton.

I'd be more concerned with Freddie he wasn't bad but he wasn't good.

That 1st goal was on Marner and hi, Marner wasn't good. But Freddie's lehgs were WIDE open.

The Hainsey goal was called back but it can't go in especially not from Ron Hainsey.

And Ryan scored off a giveaway. By Freddie.

I'm not concerned about Freddie he will get it going but I would suggest to you he didn't have best against Ottawa

 

[Coachcorner]

There is no guarantee in the razor-thin NHL.
You absolutely start Freddy tonight and get the points that are directly in front of you.

True sire. That the way they finna go I'm sure.

 

[BlueForever75]

I too believe that Micheyev will eventually be on Tavares wing with Marner. If his play continues as it has through pre-season and 1st game of the season, there is no reason to not assemble that line once Hyman comes back. I have stated this in the pre-season, I would like to see the following 4 lines once everyone is healthy:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Micheyev-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson-Kerfoot-Kapanen
Spezza-Gauthier-Moore

That is a balanced lineup.

 

[Havoc]

Timashov had the team's 2nd worse possession numbers against Ottawa, FYI. Yeah, he is going full Soshnikov to prove his worth. But where is Soshnikov today?

I will be interested in seeing what the possession numbers are tonight for Petan and Spezza.

Goat's always going to have bad possession numbers. If Timashov was second last I'm going to guess Shore was last.

Pretty hard for Timashov to have good possession stats with Goat and Shore no? Petan is guaranteed to beat Timashov in possession playing with Spezza.

Whoever does end up with the 4th line spot will deserve it in the end since Babcock is letting them go head to head but as of now I think Timashov's game is better suited to what we need from the 4th line.

Petan is an offensive first player who hasn't been able to put it all together. For him to be more valuable than Timo he needs to produce like Ennis did.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Me too

 

[Once]

I just watched the Mikheyev interview and his English is great tbh. Absolute missile.

 

[Black hat blue eyes]

So no GDT?

 

[fahad203]

I am ok with the changes. I mean he has to give Petan an opportunity to prove himself.
He did have few good games during pre-season

If anything, Kapanen needs to be sent a message. He was horrible last game. I know it's only one game but if you are going to be on the 2nd line, you better do a bit more

When Hyman gets back ,that 4th line is going to look really good. Except Mike will put him on 2nd and move Kapanen or Moore to 4th

 

[Boutette]

Me too

Only Leaf center I've ever seen close to as dominant as him was Darryl Sittler at his peak and that's just so far.

 

[ACC1224]

So no GDT?

What's the difference?

 

[supermann_98]

I am ok with the changes. I mean he has to give Petan an opportunity to prove himself.
He did have few good games during pre-season

If anything, Kapanen needs to be sent a message. He was horrible last game. I know it's only one game but if you are going to be on the 2nd line, you better do a bit more

When Hyman gets back ,that 4th line is going to look really good. Except Mike will put him on 2nd and move Kapanen or Moore to 4th

Kappy has been pretty bad all pre-season too, not just bad last game. He and Moore should switch roles as he's much better on the RW, not to mention Moore has been fantastic and I'd really like to see him on the LW with JT and Money

 

[Black hat blue eyes]

What's the difference?

I like to be fancy.

 

[supermann_98]

100%, I don't know why people overthink this. You always play the backup on the second night of a back to back unless it's some crazy 4 point scenario for the last playoff spot against that team or something.

Why though? I'm legit curious.

It makes sense to me that you would start your starter against the weaker opponent to give yourself a better chance to win both games ... or you would play the starter on the second night, when the team would theoretically be tired and would more likely to need their goalie to bail them out.

I'm not trying to argue or play devils advocate, but it just seems like an old-school 'traditional' way to do things, rather than an evolution of statistical evidence using the wealth of analytics now available.

 

[NoTouchIcing]

Why though? I'm legit curious.

It makes sense to me that you would start your starter against the weaker opponent to give yourself a better chance to win both games ... or you would play the starter on the second night, when the team would theoretically be tired and would more likely to need their goalie to bail them out.

I'm not trying to argue or play devils advocate, but it just seems like an old-school 'traditional' way to do things, rather than an evolution of statistical evidence using the wealth of analytics now available.

In the NHL, you take the points that are in front of you. That means tonight, they play Freddy.
Hedging your bets and picking spots with your goaltenders is not a great strategy in a league that is extremely tight.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Goat's always going to have bad possession numbers. If Timashov was second last I'm going to guess Shore was last.

Pretty hard for Timashov to have good possession stats with Goat and Shore no? Petan is guaranteed to beat Timashov in possession playing with Spezza.

Whoever does end up with the 4th line spot will deserve it in the end since Babcock is letting them go head to head but as of now I think Timashov's game is better suited to what we need from the 4th line.

Petan is an offensive first player who hasn't been able to put it all together. For him to be more valuable than Timo he needs to produce like Ennis did.

If not for any reason than Petan and Spezza will likely be fed offensive zone starts.

Timashov/Gauthier did not start in the offensive zone for any of their shifts. Literally zero. Yet they still scored our first goal and generated 7+ scoring chances in 8:30 of ice time (all ES). It's just they also gave up around 10 scoring chances against for their low-mid 40's Corsi rating... But when you are always starting in your own zone, do you seriously expect to get a high Corsi?​

 

[Mitch nylander]

Columbus's Lineup for tonight

Texier - Dubois - Atinson
Foligno - Jenner - Anderson
Nyquist - Wennberg - Bjorkstrand
Lilja - Nash - Bemstrom

Murray - Jones
Werenski - Savard
Harrington - Nuutivaara

Korpisalo
Merzilkins

Scratches: Kukan, Gavrikov, Lilja,
Injuries: Dubinsky
-------
Our Lineup
Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander
Kapanen - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Moore
Petan - Gauthier - Spezza

Reilly - Ceci
Muzzin - Barrie
Sandin - Holl

Andersen
Hutchinson

Scratches: Marincin, Shore, Timashov
Injuries: Dermott, Hyman

Lets win this one boys. Keep it rolling.

 

[Stamkos4life]

Me too

Barkov just had a 96 point season and the best pace auston has ever had is 88 over 82 games.

I can see auston ending up better offensively than barkov but I doubt he'll ever be as good defensively.

It would be cool to see a leaf win the selke though.

 

[54thecup]

Don’t understand these comments. Petan was much better in the pre season than Timashov. And I like Timo and am pulling for him.

But I honestly find it fascinating how we can all watch the same players play in the same game and yet have such different opinions. To me there is no comparison between Petan Spezza Goat versus last nights line. Guess my opinion will be tested soon enough.

You comment got me thinking about what it takes for an undersized winger to make the jump to the NHL. Some are just skilled enough to do and learn the 200 foot side of the game as they go. Clearly, Petan didn't do that in Winnipeg!

I'm a big fan of his going back to his world jr days and whl accolades. I've thought Petan has looked engaged at both ends of the ice.

Unfortunately, he's been loosing a lot of those battles and is often on the ice vs. having possession. His last game (the underdogs vs: the Sabres) was his best IMO.

So IF Petan wants to make the NHL , he doesn't have to look very far to see the path:

Player	Age	Height	Weight	Draft
Trevor Moore	24	5-10"	185	-
Nick Petan	24	5-9"	179	2nd in 2013, Wpg
Timoshov	23	5-10"	192	5th in 2015, Tor

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

He can look across the dressing room at Moore.

Win more puck battles, work at both ends of the ice, finish!!! when you get your chances.

I think he can and he's got secure (1 way) contract so he has 2 years to prove it.

Who doesn't love competition for that ice time on the 4th line? Timoshow has improved, Agostino is close and Korshkov will only get better!

Just play like Moore, all 5-10" and 185 lbs of him!

 

[Advanced stats]

Columbus's Lineup for tonight

Texier - Dubois - Atinson
Foligno - Jenner - Anderson
Nyquist - Wennberg - Bjorkstrand
Lilja - Nash - Bemstrom

Murray - Jones
Werenski - Savard
Harrington - Nuutivaara

Korpisalo
Merzilkins

Scratches: Kukan, Gavrikov, Lilja,
Injuries: Dubinsky

Waittt a minute... Two Lilja's?

 

[cbjgirl]

Waittt a minute... Two Lilja's?

One of those Liljas should be a Milano

 

[ACC1224]

I like to be fancy.

Start one up!

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Why though? I'm legit curious.

It makes sense to me that you would start your starter against the weaker opponent to give yourself a better chance to win both games ... or you would play the starter on the second night, when the team would theoretically be tired and would more likely to need their goalie to bail them out.

I'm not trying to argue or play devils advocate, but it just seems like an old-school 'traditional' way to do things, rather than an evolution of statistical evidence using the wealth of analytics now available.

I believe it's actually decided via statistics, you have a the best chance of getting the most points statistically by starting your starter.

 

[Clark4Ever]

eeesh - some pretty harsh comments

He had it coming. That was an awkward publicity stunt.

 

[stickty111]

eeesh - some pretty harsh comments

He might have tried to get some love back, but too bad for him it didn't seem to work. He doesn't deserve to get it back either yet.