Sportsnet: Would Babcock move Marner to another line?

[LeafsNation75]

Nick Kypreos was wondering if Babcock should consider moving Marner to another line since it worked for Pastrnak last night. Of course Kypreos doesn't remember that Pastrnak's 1st goal was scored when he was back on the Bruins #1 line and his 2nd goal was on the power play, so it's not like he scored his goals when not playing with Bergeron or Marchand.

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[ACC1224]

Why panic now?

 

[Nithoniniel]

So let's see. We have played the best line in hockey to a standstill with our own top line, so should we then try moving the player that drives that success to a different line?

Let's put it another way. Our top line was so good against theirs that the Bruins felt like they needed to move Pastrnak away from that unit, so we should take apart that top line to copy them?

Sometimes I think Kypreos is actually attempting to come up with the most horrendous takes possible.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Sometimes I think Kypreos is actually attempting to come up with the most horrendous takes possible.

Kypreos does have a history of saying some dumb things about Marner.

 

[Grabovski]

The same guy that said we should trade him, no thanks. Keep the chemistry how it is. No need to panic and make the wrong moves. All thats needed is some minor changes to the 3rd line and 4th line, to be more specific move Moore and Ennis up and PM and Brown down. Boston did it with moving Pastrnak down to the 2nd line and Heinen up and it worked great for them.

 

[Buds17]

I believe Pastrnak had 1 pt. in 3 games prior to last night. Marner is tied with Matthews and Tavares for the Leaf lead in points.

Lack of production might have been a - but not the only IMO - problem in the Game 2 defeat, but I don't think lack of production was the problem in the Game 4 defeat.

 

[m1ker]

It's a good take. I'm not an expert but analyzing our lines, Tavares and Bergeron lines are cancelling each other out, Matthews line is doing well, Nylander's line is completely dominating but can't score. We have defensive depth in brown, Marleau, Moore, Kapanen. Not for the full game but it makes sense to throw Marner on another line for a couple shifts just to mix things up because we have the defensive depth to replace Marner's defensive abilities on the top line. I only say this because we lost Kadri. If we had Kadri we don't need to get creative.

 

[LeafsNation75]

It's a good take. I'm not an expert but analyzing our lines, Tavares and Bergeron lines are cancelling each other out, Matthews line is doing well, Nylander's line is completely dominating but can't score. We have defensive depth in brown, Marleau, Moore, Kapanen. Not for the full game but it makes sense to throw Marner on another line for a couple shifts just to mix things up because we have the defensive depth.

To be fair Nylander did score their 3rd goal in Game 1 on his breakaway pass from Kadri.

 

[MarnerElite]

If there is anyone that should be moved anywhere it's Marleau and Brown to lower lines and Ennis and Moore up. This other stuff is nonsense..All you would be doing is potentially making that line look bad/ineffective and possibly not getting much done with the one that Mitch joins(for example, Matthews and Marner didn't look that good with the short amount of time they played together). There is something to be said about building chemistry over a longer period of time(and not just few games) and we unfortunately don't have that much time in these playoffs.

 

[m1ker]

If there is anyone that should be moved anywhere it's Marleau and Brown to lower lines and Ennis and Moore up. This other stuff is nonsense..All you would be doing is potentially making that line look bad/ineffective and possibly not getting much done with the one that Mitch joins(for example, Matthews and Marner didn't look that good with the short amount of time they played together). There is something to be said about building chemistry over a longer period of time(and not just few games) and we unfortunately don't have that much time in these playoffs.

Ennis - Nylander - Moore vs Debrusk - Krejci - Pastranak
I would shit my pants if boston landed this match up

Right now Nylander is dominating offensive zone, wouldn't you want Marner double shifted a couple shifts with Nylander in an offensive zone start maybe against Bostons 4th line? Brown is a low risk defensively so having him fill in on the top line doesn't make us vulnerable

 

[LeafsNation75]

Ennis - Nylander - Moore vs Debrusk - Krejci - Pastranak
I would **** my pants if boston landed this match up

Right now Nylander is dominating offensive zone, wouldn't you want Marner double shifted a couple shifts with Nylander in an offensive zone start maybe against Bostons 4th line? Brown is a low risk defensively so having him fill in on the top line doesn't make us vulnerable

Since Babcock already plays Marner on the penalty kill, do you really think he would double shift him with Nylander? Hell in Game 3 late in the 3rd Babcock sent out Gauthier instead of Nylander for an offensive zone faceoff, which the Bruins won and Andersen made that save with the nob of his stick.

 

[MarnerElite]

Ennis - Nylander - Moore vs Debrusk - Krejci - Pastranak
I would **** my pants if boston landed this match up

Right now Nylander is dominating offensive zone, wouldn't you want Marner double shifted a couple shifts with Nylander in an offensive zone start maybe against Bostons 4th line? Brown is a low risk defensively so having him fill in on the top line doesn't make us vulnerable

Nylander and Marner would be an interesting experiment that i'd like to see at some point and i think it might work(their style actually really compliment one another)...So yea double shifting Marner with Nylander wouldn't be a bad move imo.

 

[MarnerElite]

Since Babcock already plays Marner on the penalty kill, do you really think he would double shift him with Nylander? Hell in Game 3 late in the 3rd Babcock sent out Gauthier instead of Nylander for an offensive zone faceoff, which the Bruins won and Andersen made that save with the nob of his stick.

Yeah it would be tough for sure. Maybe if we don't take any penalties.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Yeah it would be tough for sure. Maybe if we don't take any penalties.

That's easier said then done, especially when they are playing Boston.

 

[I am Canadian]

Leaf's need to be disciplined and focus on the guy wide open by Andersen.

Goalie has been stopping everything but they leave Marchand wide open back door.

Need a much better start.

 

[m1ker]

Since Babcock already plays Marner on the penalty kill, do you really think he would double shift him with Nylander? Hell in Game 3 late in the 3rd Babcock sent out Gauthier instead of Nylander for an offensive zone faceoff, which the Bruins won and Andersen made that save with the nob of his stick.

So because you are trying to score on the penalty kill you aren't going to try and out line match Cassidy. We have so many guys to fill in for Marner on the PK and Bergeron plays the whole game there is no concern for Cassidy there

Babs has been conserving his best players for the big cup run and hasn't made it past round 1 in 10 years

 

[LeafsNation75]

So because you are trying to score on the penalty kill you aren't going to try and out line match Cassidy. We have so many guys to fill in for Marner on the PK and Bergeron plays the whole game there is no concern for Cassidy there

Babs has been conserving his best players for the big cup run and hasn't made it past round 1 in 10 years

The thing is with Babcock I only noticed him only ever double shifting someone like Matthews during the regular season and that was to put him on the 4th line. So it's something he doesn't do every game and I be surprised if he started now with someone like Marner.

 

[Loosie]

Did it really work though?

03:16	Boston	David Pastrnak (1) ASST: Brad Marchand (3), Patrice Bergeron (1)	3-2
04:51	Boston	PPG - David Pastrnak (2) ASST: Brad Marchand (4)	4-2

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Seems to me Pastrnak scored when he was reunited with Marchand and Bergeron.

 

[Rare Jewel]

5 v 5 his line has underwhelmed possibly aside from game 1. It's understandable, they're up against very good line and except for last night they've played them well.

For me it would depend on what Boston does. If they keep Pastrnak on the top line then just leave it, if not then possibly shift him. If Tavares can keep a line with just two of them quiet, then having combo of Matthews/Marner and Nylander/Kapanen on the other lines could be beneficial.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Did it really work though?

03:16	Boston	David Pastrnak (1) ASST: Brad Marchand (3), Patrice Bergeron (1)	3-2
04:51	Boston	PPG - David Pastrnak (2) ASST: Brad Marchand (4)	4-2

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Seems to me Pastrnak scored when he was reunited with Marchand and Bergeron.

That's exactly what I previously said and you think Kypreos would have realized that. Although this is Nick Kypreos we are talking about, so we should not be surprised.

 

[MattySnipes]

Typical Kypreos. Wouldn't move Marner but Kyp is right about making adjustments. Specifically in-game. Babcock seems to still struggle with this.

I don't know what his obsession with Marleau is about. It's too much this year. Every year there is one guy he overplays to death. Having belief in your players is great but he has consistently been one of the Leafs' worst players this year.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Typical Kypreos. Wouldn't move Marner but Kyp is right about making adjustments. Specifically in-game. Babcock seems to still struggle with this.

I don't know what his obsession with Marleau is about. It's too much this year. Every year there is one guy he overplays to death. Having belief in your players is great but he has consistently been one of the Leafs' worst players this year.

If I had to guess I think he must owe Marleau some loyalty for him being a veteran or that's why he gives him the benefit of the doubt and keeps giving him regular minutes.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Title should read:

Nick Kypreos Confirms Marner Should be Left on Tavares Line.

 

[StevenB]

It’s not Marner’s line that needs to be fixed, it’s lines 2 and 3

 

[MattySnipes]

If I had to guess I think he must owe Marleau some loyalty for him being a veteran or that's why he gives him the benefit of the doubt and keeps giving him regular minutes.

What about the accountability he preached in his first year? Tie still goes to the vet even when the vet sucks?