Mike Augello: O'Reilly Out Four Weeks, Depth Being Tested; Leafs vs. Devils

Uno

Uno
- Fakepartofme

Mille Bornes.

From last blog-

As far as defense goes:

It's not Schenn or Lily.

It's Keefe and Holl and Rielly.

Schenn is the exact guy we need in front of our net. McCabe too.

Lily is the exact PMD we need on Gio right side to have a nice balanced pairing.

Holl should be yeeted. Keefe needs to get the black mail pics back from Holl. Rielly we're stuck with so give him the best partner to cover his poop. Brodie.

Rielly, Brodie
McCabe, Schenn
Gio, Lily
Benn, Holl

And then don't (frank) with it Keefe and let them all settle in before the playoffs.

/the end.
- underhill14

You can keep the Left D exactly as they are (in that order) and switch around the Right D in anyway you like, and it'd make sense and be a good pairing, imo.

Just as long as those 3 guys on the Right side are in there every game and never taken out for anything other than injury.

And if one of them does get hurt, then move McCabe to the Right side and put Gustafsson in.

That's the absolute best the Leafs D can be arranged.

From last blog-



You can keep the Left D exactly as they are (in that order) and switch around the Right D in anyway you like, and it'd make sense and be a good pairing, imo.

Just as long as those 3 guys on the Right side are in there every game and never taken out for anything other than injury.

And if one of them does get hurt, then move McCabe to the Right side and put Gustafsson in.

That's the absolute best the Leafs D can be arranged.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Schenn shouldnt be a permanent fixture, he should be in and out of games.
Gus should be playing more, he can make first passes.

Jared mccann has 30 goals and 48pts.
So glad we kept holl over him.
We dont need a young 6'1 lw.

Ah well

Mille Bornes.
- Atomic Wedgie

Only played once

Schenn shouldnt be a permanent fixture, he should be in and out of games.
Gus should be playing more, he can make first passes.
- Fakepartofme

I can live with that. And in that scenario, I still say Gustafsson in and McCabe to RD makes the best possible D pairings.

Pick and choose when and where those two guys switch in with eachother.

Jared mccann has 30 goals and 48pts.
So glad we kept holl over him.
We dont need a young 6'1 lw.

Ah well
- Fakepartofme

So (frank)ing bad.

Jared mccann has 30 goals and 48pts.
So glad we kept holl over him.
We dont need a young 6'1 lw.

Ah well
- Fakepartofme

Was thinking that the other day.
Horrible mistake.

Schenn shouldnt be a permanent fixture, he should be in and out of games.
Gus should be playing more, he can make first passes.
- Fakepartofme

These are not that simple and cut and dry. Gus is not a good puck retrieval defenseman.

I yammer on about roles when I discuss a team and I stand by that - Luke Schenn, when taken in isolation, isn't a particularly good hockey player. Luke Schenn, when paired with a mobile puck moving partner, can be an excellent compliment to that pairing once he understands the nuance of the partner.

Justin Holl, taken on his own, is not a particularly good defenseman - but when he was playing with a healthy Jake Muzzin, they had an understanding. People around like to say it was all Muzzin carrying the line, but it can't be. The other team, no matter who they are, is too good to not take advantage of that type of situation.

I don't agree with Keefe's decision here, for the record - Liljegren has been an excellent part of D and is an excellent puck mover and an excellent positional player with a good stick and a lot of smart reads. I would be putting Holl in the pressbox before Liljegren or, for that matter, Timmins.

But I'm not the coach!

My point is simply that any of these players, including Gustafsson, Schenn, McCabe, Holl, etc. can be placed in positions of strength where they can be successful.

I can live with that. And in that scenario, I still say Gustafsson in and McCabe to RD makes the best possible D pairings.

Pick and choose when and where those two guys switch in with eachother.
- GreatGigInTheSky

For sure

Was thinking that the other day.
Horrible mistake.
- Aetherial

And you had made such a good move nabbing him from Pittsburgh for nothing too

Schenn shouldnt be a permanent fixture, he should be in and out of games.
Gus should be playing more, he can make first passes.
- Fakepartofme

Agreed and agreed.

Jared mccann has 30 goals and 48pts.
So glad we kept holl over him.
We dont need a young 6'1 lw.

Ah well
- Fakepartofme

I'm guessing Dubas was never willing to give him a fair shot, based upon his junior team.

Schenn shouldnt be a permanent fixture, he should be in and out of games.
Gus should be playing more, he can make first passes.
- Fakepartofme

I think this may be more about finding Rielly's game.

Rielly needs his new Hainsey.

Brodie hasn't worked as well this year. Lilly Sandin Holl etc.. hasn't worked. Schenn, McCabe probably both get a shot.

Jared mccann has 30 goals and 48pts.
So glad we kept holl over him.
We dont need a young 6'1 lw.

Ah well
- Fakepartofme

Leafs don't make that trade if they planned on exposing Holl me thinks.

They didn't want to loose Kerfoot.

oh well.

Defence first vs Jersey. They can run and gun teams right out of the building.

I think this may be more about finding Rielly's game.

Rielly needs his new Hainsey.

Brodie hasn't worked as well this year. Lilly Sandin Holl etc.. hasn't worked. Schenn, McCabe probably both get a shot.
- The Law

Its too bad rielly needs a " hainsey" to be good.
For his cap hit, he should be making any partner better.
But i hear what youre saying

Defence first vs Jersey. They can run and gun teams right out of the building.
- fifty__missions

hopefully they play like when Rielly was out of the line up

These are not that simple and cut and dry. Gus is not a good puck retrieval defenseman.

I yammer on about roles when I discuss a team and I stand by that - Luke Schenn, when taken in isolation, isn't a particularly good hockey player. Luke Schenn, when paired with a mobile puck moving partner, can be an excellent compliment to that pairing once he understands the nuance of the partner.

Justin Holl, taken on his own, is not a particularly good defenseman - but when he was playing with a healthy Jake Muzzin, they had an understanding. People around like to say it was all Muzzin carrying the line, but it can't be. The other team, no matter who they are, is too good to not take advantage of that type of situation.

I don't agree with Keefe's decision here, for the record - Liljegren has been an excellent part of D and is an excellent puck mover and an excellent positional player with a good stick and a lot of smart reads. I would be putting Holl in the pressbox before Liljegren or, for that matter, Timmins.

But I'm not the coach!

My point is simply that any of these players, including Gustafsson, Schenn, McCabe, Holl, etc. can be placed in positions of strength where they can be successful.
- Monkeypunk

And that understanding took years off of Muzzin's career.

Let 88 play in the middle - the more the puck is on his stick, the better the Leafers are going to be..

Let 88 play in the middle - the more the puck is on his stick, the better the Leafers are going to be..
- dozerD10

Not everyone can play centre though. They’ve tried Willy there before.

Not everyone can play centre though. They’ve tried Willy there before.
- PugsNotDrugs

He does not have the defensive awareness and committment to play C.

He does not have the defensive awareness and committment to play C.
- fifty__missions

I heard odog say that playing wing is like a holiday compared to centre. To me a winger is like a singer who can’t write their own songs.