Pre-Game Talk: Penguins @ Leafs - Saturday March 10th, 2018; 7pm EST

[member 262271]

Playing a good team like the Penguins is exactly what the Leafs need right now. If it was another poor team I'd be worried.

 

[tom leafers]

even though I miss Matthews, it's still a lot of fun to watch our other players. It's a great time to be a Leafs fan

Thank god Phil never missed a game with the leafs (excluding the first 12). Could you imagine how crap the team would look without him.

He has quite the iron man streak going

 

[IBeL34f]

Thank god Phil never missed a game with the leafs (excluding the first 12). Could you imagine how crap the team would look without him.

He has quite the iron man streak going

Currently at 678 straight games, behind only Yandle and Marleau for active players. Ridiculous, even for his style of game.

 

[Welsh Maple Leaf]

Marleau-Kadri-Komarov

1st line apparently

 

[ShaneFalco]

Hate Komarov back upon the 2nd line

 

[zeke]

Leivo - Pleks - Kappy

now that's a 4th line worth watching.

please score to force Babs' hand.

 

[IBeL34f]

Hate Komarov back upon the 2nd line

I'd rather see someone like Kapanen there as well, based on skill at least - but I do understand, against a team like Pittsburgh (especially when you control the match-ups), wanting to have a legitimate shutdown option, and it makes our 4th line a legitimately dangerous one.

 

[zeke]

don't be surprised if Komo and Kappy switch lines back and forth depending on the score.

 

[X66]

Hate Komarov back upon the 2nd line

Matthews as the 13th forward?

WTF IS BABS THINKING

I do really like that 4th line though.

 

[ShaneFalco]

He won't try Leivo on the 2nd line ever, but hands-of-stone Komarov can be moved there in an instant
If it's a defensive/matchup thing, geeez give Leivo a chance to be the defensive guy who can add some scoring

 

[MR4]

Lou should've traded Komarov away at the deadline

Put Komarov 4RW, Kapanen 1LW, Hyman 2RW and I'm happy

 

[Liminality]

I'll be happy if we win.

Change the lines all you want but the players need to be the ones who need to take the game and show up.

 

[Mugzy97]

Change the lines all you want but the players need to be the ones who need to take the game and show up.

EXACTLY

 

[Mugzy97]

If it's a defensive/matchup thing, geeez give Leivo a chance to be the defensive guy who can add some scoring

Not sure he wnats to try that against a team like Pittsburgh, would make more sense against a bottom feeder to test that out.

 

[PuckMagi]

Hyman craps up the 1st line. Komarov craps up the 2nd line. Third line is meh... JVR still puts up points but that line rarely dominates. 4th line looks awesome.

Not the worst line combos, but certainly not the best. If we had a 4th line of Komarov - Plekanec - Hyman ... then our top 9 would be really strong even without Matthews.

I'd say we have a chance at winning. Counting on some Nylander - Marner magic and some scoring from the 4th line. Hopefully JVR can put one in too.

 

[Mikeyg]

Nobody deserves 4th line time more than brown right now. Dude has been brutal.

 

[IPS]

Komarov yet again being promoted over Kapanen despite us easily being able to form a checking line with him and Plekanec.

Babcock does it again.

 

[Discordia]

Only players I trust there offensively is Kadri and Marner and they are both on lines with inept offensive players.

Nylander and Hyman can't produce without Matthews.
Marleau and Komarov have no offensive skill.

Not good.

 

[frog]

Uh-oh im seeing an incoming 3 man rotation of Leivo-Moore-Martin on that last spot for every consecutive game.

 

[Brown Dog]

I don't usually worry about line combos but why split up Kadri and Marner? They were magic together!

 

[Walshy7]

I like marner and nylander together gives us 2 3rds of an elite line instead of forcing them to make other players better. They both can use their skills knowing they are playing with another player who knows the thinking of an elite player. Marner can throw a blind backhand pass in the offensive zone because there is a higher % that Nylander will read that play than Kadri or marleau, same for nylander to marner instead of brown and hyman

 

[GermanLeaf]

Only players I trust there offensively is Kadri and Marner and they are both on lines with inept offensive players.

Nylander and Hyman can't produce without Matthews.
Marleau and Komarov have no offensive skill.

Not good.

Isn't Nylander on a point per game pace at center this season?

Would definetly prefer Kapanen on one of the top two lines too though.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I don't usually worry about line combos but why split up Kadri and Marner? They were magic together!

MB is more about match-ups then playing to his teams' strengths

 

[Liminality]

Komarov yet again being promoted over Kapanen despite us easily being able to form a checking line with him and Plekanec.

Babcock does it again.

You want Babcock to put out Komarov/Plekanec/Leivo for a lot of minutes tonight? Cause that's how you give a 4th line too many minutes. Babcock is going to use that Kadri line to match up against either Malkin or Crosby. I'd rather he uses Leo on Kadri's wing and they play a lot more minutes than giving the 4th line more minutes.

Hoping Leivo has a good showing tonight.

 

[Walshy7]

Isn't Nylander on a point per game pace at center this season?

Would definetly prefer Kapanen on one of the top two lines too though.

he is but it is a small sample size to be fair. And scoring isn't what babs wants to see in order to keep as a C. IMO he is already a better version of Bozak and could do is job better already, but babcock doesn't want that he wants a better version of <insert top 2nd line C in the league> which we will benefit from if nylander reaches that