Line Combos: Who sits?

[Hibachi]

With Fraser coming closer to his return, wondering what happens to our defense. Does he get in right away, who sits? what happens to Rielly?

It seems a lot of people are a fan of Fraser, and what type of presence he brings in front of our net, but I'm not a huge fan of his. I think his foot speed is horrible and he was probably our worst dman in the pre-season. Regardless though, we know he will get in at some point.

Rielly - no point in sitting him if you keep him past the 9 games, you play him as much as possible. He also has played pretty good in my eyes, he's a -3 on our team and tied for the worst among the Leafs. However, I don't think a lot of that can be put on him. He had that one bad board play vs the ducks that he missed and cost a goal, but other than that...he's been pretty strong on the boards against some big players. Franson has not been making Rielly's job any easier.

Gardiner - He might be the easy pick for the coach, seems like he's always in the dog house. I think he played pretty good vs the ducks and I think you just need to let him play. Sitting him won't do him any good at this point.

Ranger - I wasn't a big fan of his starting off the season, but lately he's been getting better each game. No way is he going to sit the way he's been playing the last week or two.

Franson - Played 2 amazing games starting the season off, but lately he doesn't seem to be having bad games, or good games at that. He keeps getting caught in the offensive blueline which leads the Rielly having to deal with a lot of 2 on 1's.

Gunnarsson - Hasn't has a great game until Anaheim, has played pretty average or poorly most nights before that game. I think he has some of the worst outlet passes on this team, whenever he touches the puck its almost always a turnover in our zone.

Phaneuf - Don't even think about it.

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[selltrade]

perhaps Fraser is No 7 on D chart, that aside injuries and bad games will happen

 

[shaner8989]

Gunnersson. Has been total garb all year

Phaneuf Ranger
Franson Gardiner
Rielly Fraser

 

[Fogelhund]

Gardiner - He might be the easy pick for the coach, seems like he's always in the dog house. I think he played pretty good vs the ducks and I think you just need to let him play. Sitting him won't do him any good at this point.
.

Second in TOI last night, and third so far this season for our D. I'm not sure why people think he is always in the dog house?

 

[Razz]

I think Fraser is going to have to work his way into the lineup, he'll be #7 until someone starts to struggle.

They may want to send Rielly to the WJCs which will solve the problem for awhile and allow us to move Gunnarsson come January.

 

[Pinto]

I think Fraser is going to have to work his way into the lineup, he'll be #7 until someone starts to struggle.

They may want to send Rielly to the WJCs which will solve the problem for awhile and allow us to move Gunnarsson come January.

I think that's exactly what will happen.

 

[veedubn1]

Send Rielly back to the WHL.

The main reason to bring Fraser back in is so that we get better play from Franson in addition to his ability to separate opposing forwards from the puck when they dump it in and try to get a cycle going.

It really sucks that the AHL isn't an option for Rielly. Offensively he's clearly ready to play in the NHL but he keeps making mistakes when covering up for Franson's mistakes. In 2v1's doesn't take away the pass (last night is a perfect example) and teams are depositing these in the net or getting great chances. I'd love for him to iron out these issues in the AHL but since it isn't an option and he hasn't been lighting it up offensively in the NHL, it's back to the WHL.

Our transition game will suffer a little but it is what it is.

Gards has stepped his game up recently as has Ranger. Phaneuf and Gunnar are not gong anywhere.

With that said.. maybe sit Rielly in the press box and bring him in and out of the lineup when Ranger and Gards aren't playing well. He'll get NHL practices and still get some games in. Nonis and Carlyle both mentioned 45-50 games for Rielly if he made the team (which he did) at the beginning of the season so perhaps this is already the plan.

Either way.. Fraser is a stabilizing presence on our bottom pair and allows one of our better defenseman (Franson) to shine a bit brighter.

 

[nc]

Gunnersson. Has been total garb all year

Phaneuf Ranger
Franson Gardiner
Rielly Fraser

I don't think Gunersson has played that bad considering the competition both he and Phaneuf play against. I think he is a better #2 option than Ranger.

Honestly I think Ranger has been our worst defender this year and if anyone has to sit out to make room for Fraser, it should be him.

 

[SteveV*]

Second in TOI last night, and third so far this season for our D. I'm not sure why people think he is always in the dog house?

Maybe it's the plus 3?

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Gunnar or Ranger should sit because Fraser plays the most similar type of role to them. 5 on 5, lots of PK and minimal PP time.

Rielly has been getting better and better. He has certainly made some defensive mistakes but hasn't been repeating the same type of errors. His most common partner, Franson has hung him out to dry on quite a few times as well.

 

[BonMorrison]

Rielly needs to be sent down. He has looked great offensively but his defensive game is being exposed as we get further into the season.

 

[TMLife*]

Rielly stays. Franson keeps hanging him out to dry with odd man rushes

 

[Asif16*]

Fraser will not "work himself back until someone struggles".

Carlyle loves him and will play him as soon as he is ready, you can bank on that. The only way fraser comes out of the lineup again is another injury or if he REALLy starts to play bad.

Fraser seems like a regular with caryle at the helm.

If i were to guess, i say Ranger sits

 

[Jot]

JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Raymond - Bolland - Kulemin
McLaren - McClement - Orr

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Franson - Fraser
Ranger - Gardiner
Brennan (Rielly sent down, for his own good)

Bernier
Reimer

 

[Asif16*]

JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Raymond - Bolland - Kulemin
Orr/McLaren/Leivo - McClement - Orr/McLaren/Leivo

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Franson - Fraser
Ranger - Gardiner
Brennan (Rielly sent down, for his own good)

Bernier
Reimer

Leivo got sent down. So no way he's in lineup after kulemin comes back.

 

[Cor]

Morgan Rielly has been our 3rd best defense man this year. No way he gets sent back.

Randy Carlyle said he will play the best team, sending down Rielly makes us worse.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Fraser will not "work himself back until someone struggles".

Carlyle loves him and will play him as soon as he is ready, you can bank on that. The only way fraser comes out of the lineup again is another injury or if he REALLy starts to play bad.

Fraser seems like a regular with caryle at the helm.

If i were to guess, i say Ranger sits

Ranger is a better hockey player than Fraser.

 

[ACC1224]

Fraser will have to earn a spot. Chances are someone will be hurt and he will go in then. Until that time he'll be #7

 

[Jot]

Morgan Rielly has been our 3rd best defense man this year. No way he gets sent back.

Randy Carlyle said he will play the best team, sending down Rielly makes us worse.

He's talented yes, but for a leafs team who can score goals, a shutdown type, like Fraser would help us win more games.

 

[Hibachi]

He's talented yes, but for a leafs team who can score goals, a shutdown type, like Fraser would help us win more games.

Fraser isn't a shutdown dman, he's a stay at home dman, two totally different things. Also Rielly has shown that he's not a liability in his own zone, he'd made a few mistakes, but they aren't anymore glaring then anyone else's on this team. He's taking the body against some of NHLs better players and usually comes out with the puck, the kid is pretty strong, he's no slouch along the boards.

 

[Ace88*]

Rielly needs to be sent down. He has looked great offensively but his defensive game is being exposed as we get further into the season.

Uh yeah not really though. If you're talking about the 2-on-1 from last night there's not much else he could have done.

 

[glg51*]

Send Rielly back to the WHL.

The main reason to bring Fraser back in is so that we get better play from Franson in addition to his ability to separate opposing forwards from the puck when they dump it in and try to get a cycle going.

It really sucks that the AHL isn't an option for Rielly. Offensively he's clearly ready to play in the NHL but he keeps making mistakes when covering up for Franson's mistakes. In 2v1's doesn't take away the pass (last night is a perfect example) and teams are depositing these in the net or getting great chances. I'd love for him to iron out these issues in the AHL but since it isn't an option and he hasn't been lighting it up offensively in the NHL, it's back to the WHL.

Our transition game will suffer a little but it is what it is.

Gards has stepped his game up recently as has Ranger. Phaneuf and Gunnar are not gong anywhere.

With that said.. maybe sit Rielly in the press box and bring him in and out of the lineup when Ranger and Gards aren't playing well. He'll get NHL practices and still get some games in. Nonis and Carlyle both mentioned 45-50 games for Rielly if he made the team (which he did) at the beginning of the season so perhaps this is already the plan.

Either way.. Fraser is a stabilizing presence on our bottom pair and allows one of our better defenseman (Franson) to shine a bit brighter.

This. Send him down. Of our current top 6, he's been our worst. He needs to get his scoring touch back in the W.

We have Macwilliams or Brennan if someone goes down.

 

[Asif16*]

Ranger is a better hockey player than Fraser.

I beg to differ. So far ranger hasnt shown me **** to say he is better than fraser.

Am i saying fraser is a better player than Ranger? No. But based on what ranger has shown me so far, Im not gonna say ranger is better than fraser.

Ranger is a better offensive defenseman but we have way too many of those right now. Defensively fraser has been better. The attributes that fraser brings are more needed than rangers attributes.

 

[Hibachi]

Really? people think Rielly has been the worst out of our top 6? I think he's easily in the top 4 in terms of playing. He's been left to deal with a lot of odd man rushes because of Franson, not to mention the turnovers Franson has been causing in some other games in our zone.

Also its pretty obvious that Rielly is trying to focus more of defense rather than try and be as offensive as Gardiner. Playing defense will get him in the NHL faster rather then trying high risk plays every time he's on the ice.

 

[ACC1224]

I beg to differ. So far ranger hasnt shown me **** to say he is better than fraser.

Am i saying fraser is a better player than Ranger? No. But based on what ranger has shown me so far, Im not gonna say ranger is better than fraser.

Ranger is a better offensive defenseman but we have way too many of those right now. Defensively fraser has been better. The attributes that fraser brings are more needed than rangers attributes.

Minus fighting, Ranger does everything better than Fraser.