Yeah I get everyone's arguments about Ceciand the 1 year contract. Taken by itself, I don't disagree. We can't ice another rookie and expect them to chew up those minutes.

The problem is that we are going to struggle to shoehorn Marner in. We would not have that problem if we went dumpster diving for a dman in September...

and Ceci has not proven to be better than anyone likely to be left over in the dumpster.

It is 4.5 million, taking a chance on a poor player, when we are right up against the cap.
- Aetherial

Yup - that's the tough part to swallow. Though looking at the available free agents at that position, it's a (frank)ing horror show.

5v5 or total?
- Garnie

Well if the Leafs get 10 powerplays, Mathews should get at least 12 minutes of them.

Marner was on Kadris line. Or maybe it was Bozak and JVR, Why are you asking me to think.
- bobbyisno1

Marner was mostly with Bozak and JVR, I'm pretty sure. But he did have time with Kadri.

Matthews had 34 goals

Kadri had 32 goals

JVR had 36 goals

3 different lines.

People complain about UG bringing up the same thing over and over...wonder where he got it from?

Also, the other line was Marner's line. So it was still three pretty even lines being run.
- GreatGigInTheSky

I know but Babs somehow needs to be blamed for something.

People complain about UG bringing up the same thing over and over...wonder where he got it from?
- Woderwick

As annoying as Roger is with this same crap over and over, at least he doesn't flip flop his stance from week to week depending on what his current argument is, like UG did literally all the time.

People complain about UG bringing up the same thing over and over...wonder where he got it from?
- Woderwick

I'm always bringing up the same thing, you can change yours?

Marner was mostly with Bozak and JVR, I'm pretty sure. But he did have time with Kadri.

Matthews had 34 goals

Kadri had 32 goals

JVR had 36 goals

3 different lines.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Did he not also get sent to the 4th line?
Nylander also.

Honestly it's been a great luxury to have first Kadri and then Kadri and Snake sharing centre ice with Matthews. Matthews is a star, but he was still a young rookie in the NHL. Naturally you spread minutes around with that much talent down the middle. You didn't have to throw a young Matthews in the deep end to get hammered on all night by the opposition, potentially making his injury problems worse.

A huge reason why the Leafs were impossible to come back on on third periods in my opinion is that kind of depth wins out as fatigue sets in over the course of games against opponents who are forced to play their top guys more heavily.

I mean I'd like to see the loaded top PP unit take a longer shift, but the balanced use of the top lines is a strength in my opinion. I would open it up a bit for Matthews, but no need to run him ragged with Snake sitting there.

Boston's a great team, playoffs are tight. I wouldn't be reactive and abandon the use of depth and rolling lines as a tactic based on a close series. As others have pointed out, other deep, good teams take the same approach.

As annoying as Roger is with this same crap over and over, at least he doesn't flip flop his stance from week to week depending on what his current argument is, like UG did literally all the time.
- GreatGigInTheSky

UG was the worst.

Well, aside from suggesting that Willie is a nazi....

Honestly it's been a great luxury to have first Kadri and then Kadri and Snake sharing centre ice with Matthews. Matthews is a star, but he was still a young rookie in the NHL. Naturally you spread minutes around with that much talent down the middle. You didn't have to throw a young Matthews in the deep end to get hammered on all night by the opposition, potentially making his injury problems worse.

A huge reason why the Leafs were impossible to come back on on third periods in my opinion is that kind of depth wins out as fatigue sets in over the course of games against opponents who are forced to play their top guys more heavily.

I mean I'd like to see the loaded top PP unit take a longer shift, but the balanced use of the top lines is a strength in my opinion. I would open it up a bit for Matthews, but no need to run him ragged with Snake sitting there.

Boston's a great team, playoffs are tight. I wouldn't be reactive and abandon the use of depth and rolling lines as a tactic based on a close series. As others have pointed out, other deep, good teams take the same approach.
- Zezel

Still down buy 2 in a game 7 with 10 to go, you have to roll your top 2 lines, and you have to move Nylander up to Mathews line.

Also, how is your comment relevent and mine not?
- bobbyisno1

5 games or 82 games?

Which is relevant here?

The Blues won the cup. Carolina made the conference finals...Both top seeds lost.

TB have plenty of talent meaning they can’t play them all at the same time...so they distribute their mins the way they do so they all play. They will 100% do it again this season. 5 games won’t change a thing.

Still down buy 2 in a game 7 with 10 to go, you have to roll your top 2 lines, and you have to move Nylander up to Mathews line.
- bobbyisno1

I might have tried to do that. I'd have to actually rewatch that game to really talk about it, which I don't want to do lol

5 games or 82 games?

Which is relevant here?

The Blues won the cup. Carolina made the conference finals...Both top seeds lost.

TB have plenty of talent meaning they can’t play them all at the same time...so they distribute their mins the way they do so they all play. They will 100% do it again this season. 5 games won’t change a thing.
- Santo_44

Um 4 games.. Colossal failure.

I might have tried to do that. I'd have to actually rewatch that game to really talk about it, which I don't want to do lol
- Zezel

I just need to no why he plays the 4th line at the end of every 1st and 2nd period, are his clutch players gonna get tired with that 18 minute break coming up?

Um 4 games.. Colossal failure.
- bobbyisno1

Still you don't change time-honoured tactics as a reaction to one extremely unusual result. Tampa will likely have similar ice time distribution this season, and will probably be a top seed again, and if they are playing the eighth seed they're likely to win.

UG was the worst.

Well, aside from suggesting that Willie is a nazi....
- lumlums

I'm gonna give AA the benefit of the doubt here and say that he wasn't serious when saying that.

Did he not also get sent to the 4th line?
Nylander also.
- bobbyisno1

Even more depth, then.

Still you don't change time-honoured tactics as a reaction to one extremely unusual result. Tampa will likely have similar ice time distribution this season, and will probably be a top seed again, and if they are playing the eighth seed they're likely to win.
- Zezel

If the Leafs are the 8th seed, and they very well could be, Tampa won't beat them.
Book it.

I just need to no why he plays the 4th line at the end of every 1st and 2nd period, are his clutch players gonna get tired with that 18 minute break coming up?
- bobbyisno1

I haven't really paid attention to that. I guess I will this season because of you guys lol.

When the going gets tough, some just close HB and head for the hills

If the Leafs are the 8th seed, and they very well could be, Tampa won't beat them.
Book it.
- bobbyisno1

I hope you're right bobby!

I would love to see that series, I think it could be a classic.

I haven't really paid attention to that. I guess I will this season because of you guys lol.
- Zezel

He does it even if it's an offensive zone faceoff.

Um 4 games.. Colossal failure.
- bobbyisno1

Sure.

Doesn’t change that their lineup is the best in the NHL.

Just goes to show you how random playoffs can be. It’s the NHL and the parity is insane.

It's a 100 degrees in the shade out here.
Can't drink the beer fast enough.