Line Combos: The Athletic's James Mirtle pencils TOR's roster

[zeke]

Pretty concerned with Kerfoot as 3rd line center honestly. His even strength points have been terrible and I don't see him getting much PP time, maybe some on the 2nd unit.

Last 2yrs Even Strength:

Kerfoot 1.65p/60, 1.35p1/60
Kadri 1.77p/60, 1.33p1/60

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Don t over think it for once, Babcock.

Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander
Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Moore - Kerfoot - Kapanen
Agostino - Shore - Spezza/Mikheyev

Rielly - Ceci
Muzzin - Barrie
Dermott - Liljegren/Holl


PP1: Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander , barrie/rielly
PP2: Kapanen, Johnsson, Kerfoot, Moore/Spezza, barrie/rielly

do you like Ceci on the top pairing, or is it more out of necessity?

 

[zeke]

Salary cap $$ aside since we're talking BETTER here..

If you had a choice between Kadri, Marleau, Brown and Ennis vs Kerfoot, Spezza, Shore, Augostino, that you think the later make us better?

Yeah, most likely the new guys are a very nice upgrade over what those guys gave us last year.

 

[Le Cobra]

How do we know Marner is returning

 

[zeke]

do you like Ceci on the top pairing, or is it more out of necessity?

Might as well give it a look and see if he looks more useful playing with an elite partner on an elite team. He's certainly a better puck mover than our right side guys last year so Rielly might enjoy that part at least. Been a long time since he didn t have to carry the entire puck moving role on his pair.

But yeah I'd have zero problems booting Ceci and having rielly-dermott and sandin-lilly pairs right to start the year. Hell, I'd have been happy to see that last year.

 

[HomerJLeafs]

TSN Overdrive July 11 Podcast

Johnsson Matthews Nylander
Mikheyev Tavares Marner
Moore Kerfoot Kapanen
Agostino/Petan Spezza Shore

Muzzin Barrie
Rielly Ceci
Holl/Borgman Marincin/Dermott



"Balance makes the most sense when it comes to the defense".

"They seem to be rehabilitating Ceci. They think they can get more out of him then what we've seen in OTT."

"I don't see them playing Sandin or Liljgren. I just don't think they are ready."

"I really think the 3rd pairing will see very little ice time. They will likely load up the minutes with the top 2 pairs."

13 forwards not including Hyman.
5 players being paid under 1 million AAV.

What do you think?

I think despite Dermott and Hyman out for the first part of the season, they will still make 1 or 2 more moves before the season begins.

Seein Marincins name on the roster still makes me giggle.

 

[member 300185]

It's not looking great for that draft pick, and hasn't for a while, but to be fair Korshkov's development has been hampered by serious injuries. I think there's still a glimmer of hope there. But only a glimmer.

I think most here were disgusted with that pick wasted on this kid while there were so many good players still on the board at the time.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Good points in the article. It makes sense to have Muzzin - Barrie on the top pairing against top composition. Also having Barrie on the top PP as he has a good shot from the point and gives the pp another option instead of Rielly always passing it.

 

[ImpartialNHLfan]

Needs more Marchment

 

[SprDaVE]

Needs more Marchment

He's got a shot in training camp. It's up to him to show up.

 

[ottomaddox]

Needs more Marchment

Agreed. The outside of Spezza there is no lock on the 4th line. He has to show Babs he wants to be the freaking man out there (hopefully).

 

[Rielly4]

To start the year up front:

Nylander-Matthews-Kapanen
Johnsson-Tavares-Marner
Moore-Kerfoot-Bracco
Mikheyev-Spezza-Marchment

 

[Sypher04]

To start the year up front:

Nylander-Matthews-Kapanen
Johnsson-Tavares-Marner
Moore-Kerfoot-Bracco
Mikheyev-Spezza-Marchment

Marchment maybe, but I just can't see Bracco getting a spot ahead of either of Shore or Agostino.

 

[The Iceman]

It's a nice problem to have but it's also kinda unfortunate that with Barrie now in the mix we have 6 bonafide #1 powerplay quality guys and only 5 spots.

Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Nylander, Rielly, Barrie

You cannot have them all out on 1 unit. Someone is getting screwed in that setup.

Pull the goalie on the PP and go with those 6...problem solved.

 

[HockeyGuruPitka]

Bracco should be a permanent player next season

 

[Boutette]

To start the year up front:

Nylander-Matthews-Kapanen
Johnsson-Tavares-Marner
Moore-Kerfoot-Bracco
Mikheyev-Spezza-Marchment

Bracco and Kerfoot on the same line is redundant overusage of two pass first players on the same line which would stunt both of their production. Better odds he comes up with say, Engvall, as 4th line center replacing Spezza in 2020-2021, after a year of focusing on Bracco's 2-way play so he can carry himself on a NHL roster. Or it might make sense for Bracco to replace Nylander who could be sold high after a comeback year so that a high q of defense with Barrie+Muzzin etc. can be maintained on the blueline.

 

[The Iceman]

I'd go with

Moore-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Kapanen
Petan-Spezza-Timashov/Engvall


Muzzin Barrie
Rielly Ceci (Ceci dealt at the TDL for a defensive D-man)
Rosen Liljegren
xxx

ROSEN, don't you mean Hainsey?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

To start the year up front:

Nylander-Matthews-Kapanen
Johnsson-Tavares-Marner
Moore-Kerfoot-Bracco
Mikheyev-Spezza-Marchment

Gauthier is on the team long before Marchment.

 

[TML Dynasty]

Bracco should be a permanent player next season

I really want to see what we have in him, but not sure he'll translate well to a 4th line role. Love to give him a try with Auston and Willy due to offense.

 

[Rielly4]

Bracco and Kerfoot on the same line is redundant overusage of two pass first players on the same line which would stunt both of their production. Better odds he comes up with say, Engvall, as 4th line center replacing Spezza in 2020-2021, after a year of focusing on Bracco's 2-way play so he can carry himself on a NHL roster. Or it might make sense for Bracco to replace Nylander who could be sold high after a comeback year so that a high q of defense with Barrie+Muzzin etc. can be maintained on the blueline.

I dont think 2 pass first guys together is such a bad thing...High IQ players receiving high IQ passes is a good thing not a bad thing. Yeah they might over pass some plays but they will also probably have the puck a ton because they wont just throw it away.

Once Hyman is back Bracco will fall out of the top 9 anyways and a 4th line roll may or may not be good for his development.

 

[Rielly4]

Gauthier is on the team long before Marchment.

i guess but why? Marchment brings more to the team.

 

[ULF_55]

Like tossing spaghetti against the wall and see what sticks.

Yeah.

Even the forwards with the new bodies I think is a "let's see if this works ..."

Injuries and unsigned players to start the season:

Mikheyev - Matthews - Nylander

Moore - Tavares - Marner
or
Johnsson - Tavares - Kapanen

Johnsson - Kerfoot - Kapanen
or
Moore - Kerfoot - Spezza

Marchment - Gauthier - Korshkov
or
Agostino - Spezza - Korshkov

Rielly - Ceci
Muzzin - Barrie
Borgman / Kivihalme - Lindgren / Liljegren

 

[ottomaddox]

So who's filling out the rest of the third and fourth line?

Aberg
Gaudet
Wilson
Gravel
Shore
Kossila
Agostino
Wilson

???

 

[Hockey Crazy]

So who's filling out the rest of the third and fourth line?

Aberg
Gaudet
Wilson
Gravel
Shore
Kossila
Agostino
Wilson

???

Sounds like they'll fight it out at camp. With Hyman out to start the year, there will be one extra spot too... I'd go Shore, Agostino spezza on the 4th line. Agostino/shore can PK and spezza on the PP

 

[IrishInOntario]

To start the season, with Hyman out and Kapanen up in the top 6 replacing him, I'm going to say to bottom 6 is.

Moore
Kerfoot
Mikheyev
Spezza
Agastino
Shore
Gauthier (as the 13th forward)

The only thing I could see changing this is Mikheyev being such a natural fit with Matthews and Nylander that Kapanen plays on the 3rd line with Kerfoot and Moore.