Line Combos: So who are our starters?!!?

[jmart21]

Lupul Kadri Kessel
JVR Grabovski Kulemin
MacArthur Bozak Frattin
Komorov McClement Brown

(Connolly/Lombardi)

Gunnarsson Phaneuf
Gardiner Franson
Liles Komisarek

(Holzer)

i'd like to see something like this personally.. doubt it'll be the case

This is what I see as well.

I can't see Carlyle starting Kadri @ 1C in a shortened season with no exhibition games. It's imperative that all teams come out of the gate full force and I'd expect that we'll stick to much of the existing chemistry between players (ie. Bozak @ 1C; if he's still here).

 

[Rockinz]

This is the Lineup i would like to see! I want to see Kadri at C with 2 more physical players. I think the extra space down the middle of the ice will bring out the skill in Kadri ala Giroux in Philly.

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Frattin
MacA - Grabo - Kulemin
McClement - Steckel - Brown

Gunnar - Phanuef
Liles - Komisarek
Rielly* - Franson

Riemer

*for 5 games if Gardiner is still out.

Healthy scratches: Lambo/Connolly/Komorov/Holzer

 

[ULF_55]

I thought Ulmer nailed it with this blog post:

http://blog.mapleleafs.com/what-the-leafs-lineup-could-look-like/

It's not what I want to see; but I think it's roughly how it will play out. I would like to see Kadri crack the roster.

Would anyone go for Peter Holland for 1st. line center?

He turns 22 tomorrow, and is near a PPG in the AHL.

He's 6'2", 190 lbs.

 

[GardinerExpressway]

Scoring #1
Joffrey Lupul ($4.250m) / Tim Connolly ($4.750m) / Phil Kessel ($5.400m)
Scoring #2
James Van Riemsdyk ($4.250m) / Mikhail Grabovski ($5.500m) / Clarke MacArthur ($3.250m)
Shutdown
Nikolai Kulemin ($2.800m) / Jay McClement ($1.500m) / Matt Frattin ($0.925m)
Energy
Leo Komarov ($1.200m) / David Steckel ($1.100m) / Mike Brown ($0.737m)

Matthew Lombardi ($3.500m) as 13th forward

Dion Phaneuf ($6.500m) / Carl Gunnarsson ($1.325m)
Cody Franson ($1.200m) / Jake Gardiner ($1.117m)
John-Michael Liles ($3.875m) / Mike Komisarek ($4.500m)

Korbinian Holzer ($0.575m)

Roberto Luongo ($5.333m) - Acquired for Bozak+Kadri
James Reimer ($1.800m)

BUYOUTS
Darcy Tucker ($1.000m) / Colby Armstrong ($1.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $70,200,000; CAP PAYROLL: $67,486,667; BONUSES: $562,500
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $3,275,833

PK1=Kulimen/McClement/Phaneuf/Gunnarsson
PK2=Bozak or Steckel/Brown/Gardiner/Komisarek ... yeah ... I know.

Jury's out on the powerplay so far as I'm concerned so I'm open to suggestions there. I imagine it has to be Phaneuf/Liles and Franson/Gardiner on the back end but up front, who knows?

I kept Grabo off the Kessel line because he plays better defensively and eats up harder minutes so the top line can play the more protected minutes and focus on offense more exclusively but I'm open to variations.

 

[diceman934]

One thing to consider here this year.....Nonis did not sign Komi and owes him nothing. He may just sit and be paid not to play if he does not have a good camp.

 

[Rockinz]

Would anyone go for Peter Holland for 1st. line center?

He turns 22 tomorrow, and is near a PPG in the AHL.

He's 6'2", 190 lbs.

is that a joke?

 

[TmlHockeyFan]

Lupul-Kadri-Kessel
JVR-Grabovski-Kulemin
Bozak-McClement-Frattin
Brown-Steckel-Connolly

Extras: Lombardi
I see MacA traded soon.

Phaneuf-Gunnarson
Liles-Fraser
Komisarek-Holzer

Injury: Gardiner
For 5 games: Rielly

Reimer
Scrivens

 

[LeafsNationRep]

Give Tim Connolly a secoond chance in the top 6, he does no use for our team as a 3rd or 4th liner. He's still got offensive upside.

Lupul Connolly Kessel
JVR Grabovski McCarthur
Kulemin Bozak Frattin
Steckle McClement Brown

Phaneuf Gunnarson
Gardiner Liles (hopefully Gardiner can return fast enough)
Franson Komisarek

Reimer
Scrivens

 

[TmlHockeyFan]

Would anyone go for Peter Holland for 1st. line center?

He turns 22 tomorrow, and is near a PPG in the AHL.

He's 6'2", 190 lbs.

We already have Kadri. Kadri is only 1 point short from PPG. (He probably would be point per game if he stayed down). He's not big but he weighs about the same.

 

[Anth93]

Lupul - Bozak (god help us) - Kessel
JVR/Kuly - Grabo - JVR/Kuly (One of JVR/Kuly learns to play opposite wing.)
Kadri - McClement - Frattin (Will have young mistakes, but worth it now)
Komarov - Steckel - Brown (Terrific 4th line)

Lombardi/Connolly are told they have nothing left in the NHL.
Clarke is told he has nothing left to offer the team. Young guys turn.

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Rielly/Gardiner - Franson
Liles - Komi (god help us)

Also have you guys actually watched Holzer? Why the love? He's absolutely awful.

Reimer
Scrivens
(god help us, but at least we guarantee ourselves a high pick.. That we need)

 

[MapleReef]

I think so too

I say he does!

Even it is only the number of games so that he doesn't lose his first year of eligibility.

 

[McMatthews]

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
van Riemsdyk - Grabovski - Kulemin
MacArthur - Connolly - Frattin
Komarov - McClement - Lombardi
Brown

Gunnarsson - Phaneuf
Gardiner - Franson
Liles - Holzer
Komisarek

Reimer
Scrivens​

 

[diceman934]

Even it is only the number of games so that he doesn't lose his first year of eligibility.

He makes this team better......I believe that he has a good chance to stick all season.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

My lineup looks identical to yours, GardinerExpressway. To a T.

 

[I am Canadian]

This is the Lineup i would like to see! I want to see Kadri at C with 2 more physical players. I think the extra space down the middle of the ice will bring out the skill in Kadri ala Giroux in Philly.

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Frattin
MacA - Grabo - Kulemin
McClement - Steckel - Brown

I actually really like this lineup, could roll three scoring lines and play #2 and 3 equally or more for whichever is hot.

If Kadri isn't working there we could still put Connolly there. However we need Komarov in there in place of Steckel.
He's significantly faster.

 

[SeenSchenn2]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...ill-make-the-2013-maple-leafs/article7295302/

Mirtle's guess

 

[samwitch]

Lupul - Connolly - Kessel
JVR - Grabovski - MacArthur
Kulemin - Bozak - Frattin
Komarov - McClement - Brown

Phaneuf - Gunnar
Liles - Franson
Rielly - Holzer

Assuming Gardiner is still injured come opening day. D looks rough...

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...ill-make-the-2013-maple-leafs/article7295302/

Mirtle's guess

So Mirtle agrees with GardinerExpressway and I, for the most part, barring any trade

 

[James Duthie]

The Leafs showed who's coming to training camp:

 

[The Thin White Duke]

I actually really like this lineup, could roll three scoring lines and play #2 and 3 equally or more for whichever is hot.

If Kadri isn't working there we could still put Connolly there. However we need Komarov in there in place of Steckel.
He's significantly faster.

This is the Lineup i would like to see! I want to see Kadri at C with 2 more physical players. I think the extra space down the middle of the ice will bring out the skill in Kadri ala Giroux in Philly.

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Frattin
MacA - Grabo - Kulemin
McClement - Steckel - Brown

Gunnar - Phanuef
Liles - Komisarek
Rielly* - Franson

Riemer

*for 5 games if Gardiner is still out.

Healthy scratches: Lambo/Connolly/Komorov/Holzer

Exactly what I'm thinking except I can see MacA getting moved and the 2nd/3rd line being
Komarov-Grabo-Kulemin
Komarov opens up significantly more space for Grabo and Kuli to do their thing and would help draw more penalties as all 3 of them are pretty fast and feisty. Kulemin taking Mac's shooter role and giving up some of his physical play to Komarov should do wonders for his point totals with his regained confidence from the KHL.

 

[indigobuffalo]

I think they might finally give Grabovski the go at 1C.

Lupul - Grabovski - Kessel
van Riemsdyk - Connolly - MacArthur
Kulemin - McClement - Bozak
Orr- Steckle - Brown

Lombardi (press box)
Kadri, Frattin, Komarov (call-ups)

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Liles - Komisarek
Gardiner - Franson
Holzer
Kostka (callup)

 

[7even]

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
van Riemsdyk - Grabovski - Kulemin
MacArthur - Connolly - Frattin
Komarov - McClement - Lombardi
Brown

Gunnarsson - Phaneuf
Gardiner - Franson
Liles - Holzer
Komisarek

Reimer
Scrivens​

Like a sir

 

[The Hockey Life]

This is the Lineup i would like to see! I want to see Kadri at C with 2 more physical players. I think the extra space down the middle of the ice will bring out the skill in Kadri ala Giroux in Philly.

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Frattin
MacA - Grabo - Kulemin
McClement - Steckel - Brown

Gunnar - Phanuef
Liles - Komisarek
Rielly* - Franson

Riemer

*for 5 games if Gardiner is still out.

Healthy scratches: Lambo/Connolly/Komorov/Holzer

I really like this.

 

[Badger Mayhew*]

This is the Lineup i would like to see! I want to see Kadri at C with 2 more physical players. I think the extra space down the middle of the ice will bring out the skill in Kadri ala Giroux in Philly.

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Frattin
MacA - Grabo - Kulemin
McClement - Steckel - Brown

Gunnar - Phanuef
Liles - Komisarek
Rielly* - Franson

Riemer

*for 5 games if Gardiner is still out.

Healthy scratches: Lambo/Connolly/Komorov/Holzer

This actually isn't bad at all, but fourth line could use an adjustment:

Komarov-McClement-Brown

Gardiner-Franson kind of scares me defensively too

 

[ULF_55]

This is the Lineup i would like to see! I want to see Kadri at C with 2 more physical players. I think the extra space down the middle of the ice will bring out the skill in Kadri ala Giroux in Philly.

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Frattin
MacA - Grabo - Kulemin
McClement - Steckel - Brown

Gunnar - Phanuef
Liles - Komisarek
Rielly* - Franson

Riemer

*for 5 games if Gardiner is still out.

Healthy scratches: Lambo/Connolly/Komorov/Holzer

I'd just make a couple changes. Put the only other NHL 30 goal scorer on the 2nd. line and let the 8 goal scorer earn his position.
Unless you are putting Kadri-Frattin on the 3rd. line, as neither of them is a verified NHL player.

Komisarek has to prove quickly he's used the off season to improve his speed. Franson might take his spot, if one of the Marlies doesn't.


Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Kulemin
MacA - Grabo - Frattin
McClement - Steckel - Brown

Gunnar - Phanuef
Liles - Komisarek
Rielly* - Franson

Riemer