GDT: Panthers @ Leafs - 7pm Tuesday TSN

[Fogelhund]

""

 

[PromisedLand]

 

[Fogelhund]

""

 

[PromisedLand]

 

[PromisedLand]

 

[mikeyz]

The Panthers are complete frauds there isn't an excuse to lose to them especially with them on a back to back. They already lost once this season to them, and I was hoping the Leafs would have found their game by now to give me confidence they would win.

The good news is they have Ekblad back who is a liability defensively. That is a difference from last game. Also likely to avoid Bob who stops looking like an AHL goalie when he plays the Leafs for some reason.

I think the Leafs have in the past not started finding their game until they felt the pressure to do so from the market. I think we are getting there, I am expecting a pretty strong game by our guys. Start Woll, maybe knock Bennett's head against the boards a few times, should be an easy win.

You mean “starts” not “stops” right?

 

[PromisedLand]

Its happening people. I hope

 

[egd27]

Guess AM34 doesn't like it when JT's wingers outperform his.

Sheldon still thinks the answer lies in some magical set of line combinations.

 

[arso40]

Guess AM34 doesn't like it when JT's wingers outperform his.

Sheldon still thinks the answer lies in some magical set of line combinations.

Say what you will about his methods but babs knew what he was doing he wanted to make them compete against each other on other lines and push the team that way keefe let them get comfortable

 

[egd27]

Say what you will about his methods but babs knew what he was doing he wanted to make them compete against each other on other lines and push the team that way keefe let them get comfortable

If only he hadn't made Mitch cry.

 

[Stephen]

Guess AM34 doesn't like it when JT's wingers outperform his.

Sheldon still thinks the answer lies in some magical set of line combinations.

I never understood why they didn’t just mix and match the Big 4 depending on the opposition, have multiple separate game plans to keep teams pro scouting a little off balance. If they’re planning for Matthews and Marner, give them a little Matthews and Nylander. Or slip in a Marner and Nylander shift. Or go Marner Nylander and Tavares and sneak Matthews onto another mismatch. You know, coaching.

The same coaching staff that will give you a Sandin Rielly D pairing just to check it out but won’t try different looks with their biggest stars.

 

[PromisedLand]

Thought this was a pretty good article unlike siegel, johnston and mirtle trash

Maple Leafs Quarter Report: Grading all positions, asking big questions

New GM, new role players, new mandate. Same coach, same nucleus, similar slot in the standings. The Maple Leafs enter the 20-game mark looking like a flawed group carried by spurts of the fantastic.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Kind of wished they gave Marner a third line spot for a game or two just to see if he can crush the match up. I suppose in this market though it would be a colossal story if he went to third line to get it going for a bit. I’d love to have three potent offensive lines.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Samsonov is terrible. It's end of November and he is still at .878. I have seen enough. Woll should get this start.

 

[ToneDog]

Jeez Louize Keefer! Don’t hurt yourself with these wild adjustments that we’ve been screaming for since last season? These mental gymnastics may be exhausting for you…..

@PromisedLand : how dare you post such gratuitous violence here with no Warning? Now all the Jennifer Boterill shrinking violets of the Leafs Forum may go cross eyed and the risk of trauma is real. We are hockey players, dammit! We aren’t built for this kind of violence…..

Panthers played a heavy game the last time I saw them play. Ekblad, Bennett, and Montour were all back. I'm hoping they bring it and the Leafs push back. I'm tired of watching the ice capades and want to see us show some emotion like they actually care about beating the team that embarrassed them in round #2.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Kind of wished they gave Marner a third line spot for a game or two just to see if he can crush the match up. I suppose in this market though it would be a colossal story if he went to third line to get it going for a bit. I’d love to have three potent offensive lines.

Yeah I would have left Bertuzzi Tavares Nylander alone and put Jarnkrok with Matthews and Knies and Marner with Robertson and Domi. Try to get three lines going as you said.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Guess AM34 doesn't like it when JT's wingers outperform his.

Sheldon still thinks the answer lies in some magical set of line combinations.

I have read too many comments to count the last few weeks of Keefe refusing to break up AM and MM. He does it, and I read this comment. The man literally cannot win.

 

[egd27]

I never understood why they didn’t just mix and match the Big 4 depending on the opposition, have multiple separate game plans to keep teams pro scouting a little off balance. If they’re planning for Matthews and Marner, give them a little Matthews and Nylander. Or slip in a Marner and Nylander shift. Or go Marner Nylander and Tavares and sneak Matthews onto another mismatch. You know, coaching.

The same coaching staff that will give you a Sandin Rielly D pairing just to check it out but won’t try different looks with their biggest stars.

Can't honestly say he hasn't tried many different combinations, but what seems to missing is the multiple separate game plans.

 

[All Mod Cons]

View attachment 774063

Well that goes against the narrative.

 

[egd27]

I have read too many comments to count the last few weeks of Keefe refusing to break up AM and MM. He does it, and I read this comment. The man literally cannot win.

Lots of posters also believe that there is some secret line combination that will resolve all of the clubs issues. I am not one of them.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Guess AM34 doesn't like it when JT's wingers outperform his.

Sheldon still thinks the answer lies in some magical set of line combinations.

Knies and Matthews play fast straight line hockey when they’re at their best, Marner plays slow east west. Nylander plays fast straight line hockey when he’s at his best, Tavares and Bertuzzi play slow net front games.

I’m usually against the line blender as the go-to move to fix slumps but this has been an obvious change since day 1 if you want to get the most out of the top 6. Marner can simplify his passing since he just needs to get the puck somewhere within a few feet of the net and let the other two clean up a rebound instead of trying complicated Barcelona-meets-Globetrotters positional switch ups and the other 3 can play a fast straight line game where all 3 can shoot, clean up garbage, and play aggressive board retrievals if the rush chance doesn’t go.

Nylander also gives the top line a breakaway threat so it’s easier to play them best on best and have the other top line need to play cautious. There’s a trickle down effect if they’re used this way and we can give Tavares and Domi lines softer minutes as a result.

 

[Leafs98]

If only the players would play as desperate as Keefe must feel. This is an important showing but one that could get the coach fired if they dont show up. I do think the leash has to be shortening at every losing streak.

 

[egd27]

Knies and Matthews play fast straight line hockey when they’re at their best, Marner plays slow east west. Nylander plays fast straight line hockey when he’s at his best, Tavares and Bertuzzi play slow net front games.

I’m usually against the line blender as the go-to move to fix slumps but this has been an obvious change since day 1 if you want to get the most out of the top 6. Marner can simplify his passing since he just needs to get the puck somewhere within a few feet of the net and let the other two clean up a rebound instead of trying complicated Barcelona-meets-Globetrotters positional switch ups and the other 3 can play a fast straight line game where all 3 can shoot, clean up garbage, and play aggressive board retrievals if the rush chance doesn’t go.

Nylander also gives the top line a breakaway threat so it’s easier to play them best on best and have the other top line need to play cautious. There’s a trickle down effect if they’re used this way and we can give Tavares and Domi lines softer minutes as a result.

Let's hope so.

I don't disagree with the move, I just don't think it will address the real issues which is I believe are rooted in coaching.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Let's hope so.

I don't disagree with the move, I just don't think it will address the real issues which is I believe are rooted in coaching.

Most moves are re-arranging the chairs on the titanic but occasionally you move Kessel away from Malkin to a 3rd line tailor fit to exploit matchups and it forces teams to play you completely differently which trickles down to everything from the other forward line matchups to changing the risk appetite for your D.

Hopefully it makes Keefe’s job easier when every line has a defined identity and job to do rather than going by feel of whoever’s on that game.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Lots of posters also believe that there is some secret line combination that will resolve all of the clubs issues. I am not one of them.

Solve all the issues is unlikely. Improve the team is possible. Marner is a hell of a better player than he is playing and so is Matthews tbh. But Matthews has been good, just Marner is not good and killing tons of plays.

Get Marner going, spark the team with different combos, a confident Marner does a lot on both end of the ice for us. The other side of it is if Sammy gets hot (he is not as bad of a goalie as he has played. He had strong stretches for us) and Woll can find consistency, things will improve a lot as well.

The team has a lot of positives IMO. Easy to focus on the negatives but I have complete faith they will get hot here at some point and string together 15 wins in 20 games or something crazy.