GDT: Oilers@ LEAFS, 7:00pm, TV: TSN RADIO: TSN 1050

[crump]

5 Things I Think I’d Do

Toronto Maple Leafs Notebook: Will this style of play work in the playoffs?

1. I think what we’re seeing out of Alex Kerfoot (playing with Tavares and Nylander) is something that many people said over the summer – he’s better on the wing than at center. He can use his speed a little bit more, is freed up a bit offensively because he doesn’t have to work defensively, and it definitely helps playing with linemates that can get him the puck the way John Tavares and William Nylander can. In nearly 80 minutes together at even strength, Tavares and Kerfoot have combined for 7 goals for, 1 against, and a corsi-for of over 59%.

2. I think acquiring a defenseman is obviously the most important thing the Leafs can do, but adding a depth center would be a nice move that allows Kerfoot to more permanently play on the wing. It doesn’t have to be a big name or anything over the top, but some sort of bottom-six center is somewhere between a nice-to-have and a need-to-have move.

3. I think calling up Rasmus Sandin only makes sense at this point if Jake Muzzin is going to be out for an extended period of time still or someone else gets hurt. Otherwise, he’s not really going to get in at this point over Rielly, Muzzin or Dermott when they are healthy. If a few more games of Marincin saves burning a year on Sandin’s ELC, that actually is worth it for this team. I think Sandin likely can play in the league at a decent level at this point, but he isn’t sliding right into the top four and the Leafs aren’t exactly in a spot where they can shrug at the financial impact of that move.

4. I think Michael Hutchinson is starting to make a case that he can be the backup for the rest of the season. I’m not convinced just yet, but he’s at least making it a conversation.

5. With only two games this week, I think it’s easy to give Frederik Andersen both starts, even though it’s two games in three days. The following week, the Leafs play four in seven games. The second game — at home against the New Jersey Devils — should likely be Hutchinson’s start again.

Nicely formatted and have to agree on most things there. Sandin I can see getting a few games in near the end of the season, but would like to keep that extra year of ELC. Unless as you say, there is a major injury, best to let him overcook until the ed of this season and try to get him a few games at the end.

It will be hard for Johnsson to just step back in to the Tavares line, Kerfoot had looked good there, but I think you ease him in anyway for a few games on the third line and have Spezza go back to the 4th line with Engvall centering Kapanen and Johnssen.

 

[Cor]

Brooks is in for Timashov as well.

Rielly - Barrie
Dermott - Holl
Sandin - Liljegren

Pump it into my veins

 

[stakesishigh]

Going to the game tonight, hopefully we can keep up our great form.

 

[Apex Predator]

I wish we could see Dermott with a bit more ice time in the Top 4 to see if he can handle it on a consistence basis.

It was good to see him with 17 minutes on Saturday but there are also games where he only plays 11-14 minutes.

 

[Erndog]

Compare and contrast the 2 gameday threads on each board.... both threads are literally entirely about the Leafs lmao.

Oilers fans are so jealous and have such an inferiority complex it's astounding.

 

[napoleon in rags]

Nicely formatted and have to agree on most things there. Sandin I can see getting a few games in near the end of the season, but would like to keep that extra year of ELC. Unless as you say, there is a major injury, best to let him overcook until the ed of this season and try to get him a few games at the end.

It will be hard for Johnsson to just step back in to the Tavares line, Kerfoot had looked good there, but I think you ease him in anyway for a few games on the third line and have Spezza go back to the 4th line with Engvall centering Kapanen and Johnssen.

This cannot be emphasized enough if a team is going to run close to the cap all the time.

 

[Spargon]

Compare and contrast the 2 gameday threads on each board.... both threads are literally entirely about the Leafs lmao.

Oilers fans are so jealous and have such an inferiority complex it's astounding.

Everyone elses GDT are always "wah wah Leafs take over everything, I hate their fans but lets troll them!"

I always love all these Napoleon Complex people who are such obnoxious asshats and then don't have the self awareness to see it and act like they are saints and everyone else is a jerk.

 

[Erndog]

Everyone elses GDT are always "wah wah Leafs take over everything, I hate their fans but lets troll them!"

I always love all these Napoleon Complex people who are such obnoxious asshats and then don't have the self awareness to see it and act like they are saints and everyone else is a jerk.

I actually went to their thread first to check out their lines and how their fans feel about their playoff chances after beating Boston. Literally every response was how much they hate the Leafs and JT isn't "that good" and blah blah.

I came here for my typical look through of the gameday thread and I think I saw 1 post about the Oilers. The rest were focused on our team.

It really is truly astonishing how they (well other fanbases in general) can't grasp this. We don't care about your teams. You clearly have a weird obsession with ours.

 

[Suntouchable13]

If Johnsson is ready, he's likely joining Tavares and Nylander. That would push Kerfoot back to the 3C spot and provide more balance to the top 9.

IMO, Kerfoot is a better winger than he is a centre.

 

[Space Coyote]

Really wouldn't mind Hutch getting another start against these pathetic jokers. It seems like yesterday when the Oilers were cup contenders with Talbot being better than Freddie and now they can't even make the playoffs with two 100 point stars.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Would it though?

Yes it means Spezza off the 3rd line.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Can't wait for game. Always fun to watch McJesus live. But even if he tilts ice for 1 out of 3 shifts it will not be nearly enough.

 

[Cor]

IMO, Kerfoot is a better winger than he is a centre.

I disagree. He's done well on the wing, but he's also been very effective as our 3C

 

[18leafsfan18]

I actually went to their thread first to check out their lines and how their fans feel about their playoff chances after beating Boston. Literally every response was how much they hate the Leafs and JT isn't "that good" and blah blah.

I came here for my typical look through of the gameday thread and I think I saw 1 post about the Oilers. The rest were focused on our team.

It really is truly astonishing how they (well other fanbases in general) can't grasp this. We don't care about your teams. You clearly have a weird obsession with ours.

Everyone hates the team that gets all the spotlight.

Leafs haven't really deserved it before (When they sucked), but now they do deserve it.

Oilers fans I assume are just very upset that they have been in approx 10 year rebuild, and they don't look to be coming out of it quite yet.

 

[ToneDog]

Bobby Mac says Marincin and Holl will be in charge of shutting down McJesus. Yikes.

 

[18leafsfan18]

I disagree. He's done well on the wing, but he's also been very effective as our 3C

Who wouldn't play better with Tavares and Nylander ?

Tavares has proved year after year that he can make players around him better, and Nylander is on fire.

I agree Kerfoot has been great in both roles for the Leafs. Nice to have a "utility" guy that can play up and down the lineup.

 

[mikeyz]

Petrillo on Leafs lunch saying that the Leafs should think of trading Barrie at the TDL! Lol.

 

[mikeyz]

Bobby Mac says Marincin and Holl will be in charge of shutting down McJesus. Yikes.

Holl? Absolutely.

Marincin?

 

[MyBudJT]

Petrillo on Leafs lunch saying that the Leafs should think of trading Barrie at the TDL! Lol.

She ain't wrong

 

[DanM]

Holl? Absolutely.

Marincin?

Marincin has been playing very well....... it's still hard to say! lol

 

[crump]

Compare and contrast the 2 gameday threads on each board.... both threads are literally entirely about the Leafs lmao.

Oilers fans are so jealous and have such an inferiority complex it's astounding.

OK, here is something about the Oilers...

"So, Connor McDavid is the Oilers offence, which I’m sure you knew. Their threat without him is -17%, which is appalling. Part of that is that Leon Draisaitl, while full of individual talent, is not capable of dragging around a coat rack and a umbrella stand as wingers while still being the best offensive player in the NHL.

The trouble is that there’s a price to pay for McDavid’s offensive glory, just as their is with Auston Matthews’ similar team-leading offensive results. McDavid’s defensive threat is +11%, and that’s a very bad number. Add that to the fact that McDavid plays the second most ice time of all forwards at 16:35 per game at five-on-five (Matthews is at 15:55) and you get a situation where, for a lot of the game, the Oilers are pretty easy to score on. And when McDavid sits down, they haven’t got a hope of scoring on you."
~PPP

 

[DanM]

I feel for McDavid a bit. This guy is going to waste every year of his prime not making the playoffs.

Just brutal

He has a chance to be a HOF level (or is) a HOF level player, and this does not help his hockey legacy at all.

 

[ACC1224]

Petrillo on Leafs lunch saying that the Leafs should think of trading Barrie at the TDL! Lol.

They should. What's so funny about that?

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Bobby Mac says Marincin and Holl will be in charge of shutting down McJesus. Yikes.

Bobby Mc just gave an interesting stat...Marincin and Holl have not allowed a 5v5 goal since the Muzzin injury. Is Holl really that good to make Marincin look decent? Lol

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Holl? Absolutely.

Marincin?

Marincin-Holl hasn't let in an ES goal in 4 games. They've been going up against some tough competition too.