GDT: Maple Leafs vs Avalanche | 7PM | SN

[burpsalot]

Komarov is trending towards Ruuttu territory. Doesnt hit anymore, is anemic offensively and struggles to keep up. He's a penalty kill specialist at this point in his career. Far cry from 2013 Komarov.

Number 4 in hits in the league.

 

[Mitchy]

The Leafs had 56(!) scoring chances and 16 high danger scoring chances tonight. This game was complete robbery by Varlamov. I've been saying this way too often lately, but we deserved better.

 

[BWDude]

JVR-Matthews-Marner-Nylander-Gards/Zaitsev/Rielly?

Yes. And play that for like 1:20.

 

[Purity*]

We seriously need to start stacking a PP unit. I can't stand this spread-out nonsense.

 

[Nithoniniel]

I get what he's pointing at though. Not that it's bad to have those three. But we legit need a top 6 veteran winger who can play on that Matthews line. Hyman hasn't been bad, but he's being miscast and maybe we could balance the lines more with a guy who is more offensive minded.

Ideally I'd like to see these lines:

JVR - Matthews - Marner
Kapanen/Vet top 6 Winger - Bozak - Nylander
Hyman - Kadri - Komarov
Leivo/Martin - Gauthier - Soshnikov/Brown

Like I said in the other thread. I don't understand how people work who watch a line absolutely dominate a game, after doing the same over and over before, and coming to the conclusion that it should be broken up?

Whatever shortcomings he has, he's part of a line dynamic that allows it to absolutely dominate possession, stifle teams on the breakout and create a ton of chances. However you change it, chances are the overall dynamic won't be as good even if the individual player is.

For example, a ton of their best plays have come from Hyman hustling in early to disrupt and rush a breakout, allowing Matthews and Nylander to pressure hurried passes, which gains us the puck in a situation when defense isn't set. That's a go-to play for that line. JVR won't give you that.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

I was baffled at how little nylander and matthews were out there at the end. I would have put them ahead of bozak jvr and marner.

Matthews, nylander, bibeau were great. Bozak, jvr, komarov, hunwick, polak were the exact opposite.

Agreed.

And honestly you could repost those players having a bad game every game and you'd be right most of the time. Sometimes Bozak and JvR decide to show up.

 

[Purity*]

Like I said in the other thread. I don't understand how people work who watch a line absolutely dominate a game, after doing the same over and over before, and coming to the conclusion that it should be broken up?

Whatever shortcomings he has, he's part of a line dynamic that allows it to absolutely dominate possession, stifle teams on the breakout and create a ton of chances. However you change it, chances are the overall dynamic won't be as good even if the individual player is.

For example, a ton of their best plays have come from Hyman hustling in early to disrupt and rush a breakout, allowing Matthews and Nylander to pressure hurried passes, which gains us the puck in a situation when defense isn't set. That's a go-to play for that line. JVR won't give you that.

It works both ways.

A lot of their great offensive plays haven't been finished because Hyman lacks offensive skill. And you cannot count on this guy to make any sort of pass.

Try look at both sides of the story.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Having Hyman, Brown, and Soshnikov is like having 3 Daniel Cleary's on your team. Feels bad man.

Soshnikov has displayed flashes of offensive skill unlike the other two

 

[PromisedLand]

Ya, they really need to strip the A off Blowzack, ****wick and Komorov. It's an embarrassment to the organization really.

It baffles me that these three morons wear the "A" on their jerseys but I do not see them lead on ice with example.

It is an insult to the jersey and what is the signal being sent to the youth? we give "A" to folks we want there doesn't need to be on-ice leading by example day in and day out?

Rielly's offence needs to improve. Fires weak wristers into shin pads, or carries the puck around the net only to give it away; that's the entirety of his offence. If his D is going to be as bad as it has been (see MacKinnon goal), he needs to at least produce at the other end of the ice.

I am not really sold that Rielly is a #1D. Rielly could be good if he had a real #1D (like: Weber, Pronger, etc...)

and you are right; Rielly's lame wristers that hit the shin pads or are 5 feed wide of the net are really getting on my nerves.

Rielly needs to start practicing hitting the net.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Like I said in the other thread. I don't understand how people work who watch a line absolutely dominate a game, after doing the same over and over before, and coming to the conclusion that it should be broken up?

Whatever shortcomings he has, he's part of a line dynamic that allows it to absolutely dominate possession, stifle teams on the breakout and create a ton of chances. However you change it, chances are the overall dynamic won't be as good even if the individual player is.

For example, a ton of their best plays have come from Hyman hustling in early to disrupt and rush a breakout, allowing Matthews and Nylander to pressure hurried passes, which gains us the puck in a situation when defense isn't set. That's a go-to play for that line. JVR won't give you that.

It goes both ways with Hyman, There have been moments when a good play just immediately dies on his stick. If only he had a top 6 skillset, He would be perfect for that line.

 

[Cor]

Why did Cor have to make the GDT

 

[Kelly]

Soshnikov has displayed flashes of offensive skill unlike the other two

What would you call Connor Browns 4 point night?

 

[Pi]

Babcock on why he put Marner on the fourth line: "Well I've been watching the games." *silence*

Babcock seems to be turning into a power hungry dictator right now. What a smug answer. I'd expect something like this from Wilson not Babcock.

If you have been watching the game, why is Hyman still with Matthews, why are Polak and Hunwick still playing, why is Bozak not getting any flak for being a passenger, same for JvR, why is Connor Brown out there in the last minute over Matthews etc?

I like Babcock but putting Marner on the fourth line is in a long list of terrible moves by him. It doesn't even crack the top 10.

 

[realgoodleafs]

Our defence is so badly hobbled together:

- the second pair can't play on the PK
- our third pair can't play at even strength
- 1 player can get a shot from the point through and it isn't a very hard shot so it gets blocked a lot

The Leafs front office has a lot of work to do.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

I was baffled at how little nylander and matthews were out there at the end. I would have put them ahead of bozak jvr and marner.

Matthews, nylander, bibeau were great. Bozak, jvr, komarov, hunwick, polak were the exact opposite.

I am convinced that neither Hunwick nor Polak can complete a feathered, clean breakout pass. Especially Polak and his inaccurate cannon passes that usually go the length of the ice. This experiment needs to end if we are not tanking lol

 

[Wafflewhipper]

We seriously need to start stacking a PP unit. I can't stand this spread-out nonsense.

The sheep say different.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

What would you call Connor Browns 4 point night?

A flash. Have not seen much from him otherwise.

Soshnikov's zone entry and puck management is ahead IMO

 

[Nithoniniel]

It works both ways.

A lot of their great offensive plays haven't been finished because Hyman lacks offensive skill. And you cannot count on this guy to make any sort of pass.

Try look at both sides of the story.

I do. One side of the story has tangible results which are absolutely great. The other relies on the hope that while most lines, no matter how good players are on it, won't be that effective, this particular change will trump it.

That's also ignoring that you are also moving our leading scorer away from the situation in which he became the leading scorer, and replace him with a less talented player. There's more than one line to take into account.

 

[Purity*]

The sheep say different.

Oh I know don't worry.

You must not criticize lord Babcock in any fashion or else you will pay for your sins.

 

[ECanuck]

Oh I know don't worry.

You must not criticize lord Babcock in any fashion or else you will pay for your sins.

Repent before it's too late!

 

[PromisedLand]

Babcock on why he put Marner on the fourth line: "Well I've been watching the games." *silence*

Babcock seems to be turning into a power hungry dictator right now. What a smug answer. I'd expect something like this from Wilson not Babcock.

If you have been watching the game, why is Hyman still with Matthews, why are Polak and Hunwick still playing, why is Bozak not getting any flak for being a passenger, same for JvR, why is Connor Brown out there in the last minute over Matthews etc?

I like Babcock but putting Marner on the fourth line is in a long list of terrible moves by him. It doesn't even crack the top 10.

Marner had been cherry picking ala JVR-Bozak-Kessel line for the past few games. I knew putting Marner with those to losers would impact Marner's game.

Marner came in playing London Knight Hunter hockey and then started playing Bozak-JVR hockey.

What is with your hate with Babcock? You want Carlyle back or what?

 

[Pi]

Marner had been cherry picking ala JVR-Bozak-Kessel line for the past few games. I knew putting Marner with those to losers would impact Marner's game.

Marner came in playing London Knight Hunter hockey and then started playing Bozak-JVR hockey.

What is with your hate with Babcock? You want Carlyle back or what?

I like Babcock as a coach but when he consistently goes after the rookies and doesn't care what the vets do, it gets a little tiring.

If he's been watching the games, he should correct half his line up decisions. Give a proper answer, don't just give a blanket statement and be smug about it.

Babcock >>> Carlyle or Wilson. It doesn't mean he can't be criticized.

 

[Kiwi]

You can't be serious.

Varlamov stole the game. Period

Seems to happen to us a lot
Bar JVR and Mathews sometimes we don't have enough guys who can live around the net and score
Most of the guys who live around the net just are not skilled enough to make good things happen when they get there

Inconsistent effort
Inconsistent goal scoring
Bad backup goalies
Poor defense and that's the whole team by the way
All adds up to about a 80ish point team

 

[ECanuck]

Over 50 shots again and no dice. Tap tap taparoo

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Why did Cor have to make the GDT

What is your loss to win ratio anyways. I hope your laptop blows up or you get banned from doing them. Hate to say it but you are bad karma when you do GDT. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if you were to never do another. You like rubbing it in or something. It gets you attention though and thats allthat matters.