As the series went on, that line got caved in. It worked for like, two games.
- AdamFrench

I think they canceled each other out. The only time burgeron and company scored was on the powerplay when hyman had one leg.

The Leafs can match up their top two lines against any in the league.

I'm not saying they're going to win every matchup, but the opposition won't either when going head-to-head against the best lines in hockey.

Bergeron's line last year was really dominant (and McKinnon's too), but JT and company played well against them and shut them down for the most part in the playoffs, cancelling each other out.

The 3rd line, where Kadri struggled last year with limited minutes, was never really a shutdown line, but it needed to be (and we were all hoping for) a line that could feast on bottom 6 lines as it was supposed to be "stacked" with Johnsson/Kadri/Kapanen, but the Nylander hold-out and Marleau's steep decline meant that it wasn't as potent as it could be.

This team, under Dubas, is never going to ice a classic top 6/bottom 6 lineup, so get that out of your head immediately.

Now do we want our 4th line to kill penalties and take defensive draws? Yes, but that's about as "classic" as the bottom 6 gets around here.
- gravyface

What does that even man. It's even more obvious than last year that this is a two line team with 2 much weaker lines. It would be nice to have a 3rd or 4th line that had a purpose other than resting the other two lines.

As far as the 4th line killing penalties, the main 2 forwards to kill will be Marner and Hymen, then Kap. Spezza can't kill. Kerfoot can't either but one of them will have to I guess.

As the series went on, that line got caved in. It worked for like, two games.
- AdamFrench

They traded most of the better defensive players away.

They traded most of the better defensive players away.
- aminnes

yup.

marner-tavares-hyman-matthews-nylander
are the fw's you keep.

then leafs need to find a solution to upgrade on #2LW and #3C to be able to compete better vs opposing toplines.
Matthews-Tavares-Marner-Nylander is enough offensive firepower.
In addition to Hyman, need players that can make sure that other team's fw lines don't get alot of chances, and that posession is recovered quickly.
Maybe Mikheyev is a player that can help with that - not sure yet.
Definitely Johnsson and Kerfoot don't fall in that category.
Moore I like and he might be a great fit for the 3rd line wing - with Kapanen.

Personally I would like to see:

Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Matthews - Nylander
Moore - ??? - Kapanen
whoever - Gauthier - whoever

maybe put Moore on the 4th line with Gauthier to make room for Johnsson or Kerfoot.
Leafs really really need a good defensive responsible #3C though.

They traded most of the better defensive players away.
- aminnes

Like who?

If Spazda decides he’s done can we get Marleau or Boyle back?
- Byfuglien Ate Me

If we get Marleau he bomes a 40 year-old top 6 forward and takes time away from far better players. Make no mistake, Dubas rightfully wanted him gone. He's finsihed

yup.

marner-tavares-hyman-matthews-nylander
are the fw's you keep.

then leafs need to find a solution to upgrade on #2LW and #3C to be able to compete better vs opposing toplines.
Matthews-Tavares-Marner-Nylander is enough offensive firepower.
In addition to Hyman, need players that can make sure that other team's fw lines don't get alot of chances, and that posession is recovered quickly.
Maybe Mikheyev is a player that can help with that - not sure yet.
Definitely Johnsson and Kerfoot don't fall in that category.
Moore I like and he might be a great fit for the 3rd line wing - with Kapanen.

Personally I would like to see:

Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Matthews - Nylander
Moore - ??? - Kapanen
whoever - Gauthier - whoever

maybe put Moore on the 4th line with Gauthier to make room for Johnsson or Kerfoot.
Leafs really really need a good defensive responsible #3C though.
- MaximusAurelius

Agreed. The d also. I think we are going to see teams hem them in for long periods of time more than we have in the last couple years. This year they are really going to have to make good on their chances more often as it's all offense.

Like who?
- RogerRoeper

Kadri, Brown. As mediocre as they may have been they are better defensively than the new guys brought it. Same with Hainsey and Z. As much as those guys pissed us all off, they are better defensively than the guys that replaced them. Leafs are all in on all offense. Will be interesting to see how it works out.

If we get Marleau he bomes a 40 year-old top 6 forward and takes time away from far better players. Make no mistake, Dubas rightfully wanted him gone. He's finsihed
- RogerRoeper

Fair nuff, we have Matt Read playing well and deserving of a contract anyway. Still think Big Brian Boil would have made more sense than Spazz.

Kadri, Brown. As mediocre as they may have been they are better defensively than the new guys brought it. Same with Hainsey and Z. As much as those guys pissed us all off, they are better defensively than the guys that replaced them. Leafs are all in on all offense. Will be interesting to see how it works out.
- aminnes

Hainsey hurt this team bad by being played far too much. He is not good in any way. Ceci is as good or better than Zaitsev

The nalytiocs suggest Dubas moved out the weakest players on the roster.


There were some very bad players playing far too much on this team last year. Superior players were bumped down as a result.

Fair nuff, we have Matt Read playing well and deserving of a contract anyway. Still think Big Brian Boil would have made more sense than Spazz.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Looking like time has caught up to Boyle and his skating.

Looking like time has caught up to Boyle and his skating.
- AdamFrench

Do you know if he’s in a camp somewhere French? Or should we expect a Girardi type I’m retiring because no one wants me?

People need to realize this coach is the problem. He plays poor players so much and never once puts-out the best roster.

Reduce Marleau, Hainsey's roles and they would have been more effective. Same with Komorov the year previous.

Dubas leaked b.s stories about Marleau and Zaitsev wanting out. He wanted both and their brutal cap hits gone.

Hainsey hurt this team bad by being played far too much. He is not good in any way. Ceci is as good or better than Zaitsev

The nalytiocs suggest Dubas moved out the weakest players on the roster.


There were some very bad players playing far too much on this team last year. Superior players were bumped down as a result.
- RogerRoeper

Hainsey was best defender on the defensive tasks (except pk where all d sucked) in playoffs vs bruins.
Zaitsev was good in playoffs as well.

Ceci sucks. he's a waste of a roster spot and capspace.

Do you know if he’s in a camp somewhere French? Or should we expect a Girardi type I’m retiring because no one wants me?
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Last thing seems to be he tried to sign in Boston.

Hainsey was best defender on the defensive tasks (except pk where all d sucked) in playoffs vs bruins.
Zaitsev was good in playoffs as well.

Ceci sucks. he's a waste of a roster spot and capspace.
- MaximusAurelius

I disagree. He had no business on the top pair. He handled the puck like a grenade. it's amazing Rielly did so well carrying him around all year.

this team is far better with hainsey gone.

Zaitsecv may have been better with the coach kept playing him like the 1st season, but we'll never know,.

Last thing seems to be he tried to sign in Boston.
- AdamFrench

Guy has been through a lot. Hope the best for him.

Any room in the K for a player like him?

Guy has been through a lot. Hope the best for him.

Any room in the K for a player like him?
- Byfuglien Ate Me

He'd be perfect for the K. Thing is, why would he want to scrap around in Russia for a 900k paycheque with a young family and with so many health concerns he's had recently?

...and I'm sure he's fairly secure financially.

He'd be perfect for the K. Thing is, why would he want to scrap around in Russia for a 900k paycheque with a young family and with so many health concerns he's had recently?
- AdamFrench

Yeah that’s true. He’s probably done.


Buff will be back this week though

...and I'm sure he's fairly secure financially.
- SofaKingBored

That depends on how many vintage Bernier purses his wife bought.

Looking like time has caught up to Boyle and his skating.
- AdamFrench

Saw him play live last year.

Just looked angry and distracted. Not sure his his head is the right place for the nhl anymore.

That depends on how many vintage Bernier purses his wife bought.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Probably a lot since they're so porous...

They traded most of the better defensive players away.
- aminnes

Who?

Not new. Who else is going to? Kerfoot? He 's crap defensively. Spezza? Good Lord no.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...ing-avalanches-star-trio/

https://www.theglobeandma...hand-bruins-with-tavares/
- aminnes

They aren't paying 22 million to two thirds of that line to use them as a shutdown line.