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2023 Training Camp Thread

I know we have time to make a decision on who gets cut to get under the cap but I hope they don't make a bad decision with Timmins.  If he bulked up that much I really wonder if he finds the next gear to be a guy you would really regret losing.  The potential upside is still pretty significant with him.
 
https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/1704518601934319904

Mirtle came to roughly the same conclusion as me but I think it's very unlikely that a) Robertson makes the team out of camp, b) Nylander gets put a C between two below average defensive wingers and c) Jarnkrok gets stuck on the 4th line.
 
L K said:
I know we have time to make a decision on who gets cut to get under the cap but I hope they don't make a bad decision with Timmins.  If he bulked up that much I really wonder if he finds the next gear to be a guy you would really regret losing.  The potential upside is still pretty significant with him.

I wouldn't read too much into Timmins' listed weight increase there. He was almost certainly hovering around 200 lbs last year too. There's no way he was 185 lbs. That's what he was listed at in his draft year.

But yeah, I hope there's a way to keep him but I just don't see it happening at this point. We're basically hoping to get "lucky" with an injury that'll push the decision back at this point. Or getting lucky with nobody wanting to take a chance on him on waivers.
 
I actually kind of expect Jarnkrok and Lafferty to switch so you can just wield line 3 as a sheltered offensive specialist rush line.

Bertuzzi - Matthews - Marner
Knies - Tavares - Jarnkrok (they play the same speed)
Domi - Nylander - Lafferty (they play the same speed and similar je ne c'est quoi about defense)
Whoever - Kampf - Reaves
 
L K said:
I know we have time to make a decision on who gets cut to get under the cap but I hope they don't make a bad decision with Timmins.  If he bulked up that much I really wonder if he finds the next gear to be a guy you would really regret losing.  The potential upside is still pretty significant with him.

Agreed. The Leafs 7th D is more important than their 10th forward, imo, when it comes to who to expose on waivers.


 
CarltonTheBear said:
Based entirely on the two training camp groups I'm assuming the pre-pre-season expected regular season opening lines are:

Bertuzzi-Matthews-Marner
Knies-Tavares-Lafferty
Domi-Nylander-Jarnkrok
Gregor/Holmberg/McMann-Kampf-Reaves

Top-6 are all in group 1, bottom-6 are all in group 2. Certainly lots of time for that to change but Keefe generally doesn't just pick his camp groups/lines willy nilly.

This does not look good to me...
 
Bender said:
This does not look good to me...

For comparison this was their opening night forwards from last season:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Nylander-Tavares-Malgin
Engvall-Kerfoot-Jarnkrok
ZAR-Kampf-NAK

So basically Bertuzzi > Bunting, Knies > Malgin, Domi = Engvall, Lafferty < Kerfoot. 4th liners are a wash. And then Nylander at C just spreads things out more, which of course may or may not stick. Overall this years group seems like at least a small upgrade.

If Nylander stays at C full-time it can potentially use another offensive RW. If that proves true then checking in on Patrick Kane in a couple months might not be the worst idea.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/1704518601934319904

Mirtle came to roughly the same conclusion as me but I think it's very unlikely that a) Robertson makes the team out of camp, b) Nylander gets put a C between two below average defensive wingers and c) Jarnkrok gets stuck on the 4th line.

Nylander in a contract year will have a cow if he's playing behind 2nd line minutes.
 
We all figured Murray was out for the year, but this might be career ending, whatever the surgery is.
 
Frank E said:
Nylander in a contract year will have a cow if he's playing behind 2nd line minutes.

If Nylander proves he can play centre in the NHL, in which case he certainly won't be playing typical 3rd line minutes, that could be exactly what he needs to earn the $10mil AAV he's reportedly looking for. Or at least something close to it. If he struggles then he obviously won't be toiling at 3C all season long. Keefe will pull the plug and he'll go back to the top-6.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Frank E said:
Nylander in a contract year will have a cow if he's playing behind 2nd line minutes.

If Nylander proves he can play centre in the NHL, in which case he certainly won't be playing typical 3rd line minutes, that could be exactly what he needs to earn the $10mil AAV he's reportedly looking for. Or at least something close to it. If he struggles then he obviously won't be toiling at 3C all season long. Keefe will pull the plug and he'll go back to the top-6.

I don't disagree with this, but Mirtle has got him lining up with Robertson and Domi there behind Matthews and Tavares...I think Nylander has a cow if that's where he's slotted.
 
It's 3C to start the games and then if we're down in the game, we recompress to top-6 $uper lines. And if we're winning handily, lines 3/4 get more minutes.
 
Frank E said:
CarltonTheBear said:
Frank E said:
Nylander in a contract year will have a cow if he's playing behind 2nd line minutes.

If Nylander proves he can play centre in the NHL, in which case he certainly won't be playing typical 3rd line minutes, that could be exactly what he needs to earn the $10mil AAV he's reportedly looking for. Or at least something close to it. If he struggles then he obviously won't be toiling at 3C all season long. Keefe will pull the plug and he'll go back to the top-6.

I don't disagree with this, but Mirtle has got him lining up with Robertson and Domi there behind Matthews and Tavares...I think Nylander has a cow if that's where he's slotted.

Nylander doesn't have cows.

Treliving suggested the Nylander C experiment. I am drawing some dotted lines between this and their ongoing contract negotiations as well. 10M is a bit much for a 2RW, but if the experiment flourishes, and Nylander proves capable, then we have a locked in future 2C when Tavares is sunset to the wing on his next deal. At least until McDavid signs.
 
Frank E said:
I don't disagree with this, but Mirtle has got him lining up with Robertson and Domi there behind Matthews and Tavares...I think Nylander has a cow if that's where he's slotted.

My guess is Nylander starts with with Domi and Jarnkrok, not Robertson. And really I think you could make the case that that's a better duo than Tavares' wingers (Knies-Lafferty). If Nylander can handle the C position I think it's actually the Tavares line that could struggle since Lafferty's arguably the weakest link in that middle-6 group. Which line beat reporters decide to type up first in their tweets doesn't really matter.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Frank E said:
I don't disagree with this, but Mirtle has got him lining up with Robertson and Domi there behind Matthews and Tavares...I think Nylander has a cow if that's where he's slotted.

My guess is Nylander starts with with Domi and Jarnkrok, not Robertson. And really I think you could make the case that that's a better duo than Tavares' wingers (Knies-Lafferty). If Nylander can handle the C position I think it's entirely possible that his line outperforms the Tavares line. Which one beat reporters decide to type up first in their tweets doesn't really matter.

Yeah that Knies - Tavares - Lafferty line is more of a third line.  Personally, I would put Marner and Nylander together because I think that would help Nylander be more successful, but I get that has drawbacks as well.
 
Dappleganger said:
bustaheims said:
Significantly Insignificant said:
How did Giordano grow an inch?

New and improved measuring tape. ;P

Giordano spent the offseason sleeping upside down like a bat.

These are both quality suggestions.  I think the "We've been reporting his height wrong for the last 15 years" is also plausible.
 
I like them trying Nylander at centre. He's close to 50% on his draws and that is likely to improve with regular duty. He has the talent to make his wingers better. Three scoring lines might serve the Leafs well in the regular season with a less physically imposing D and Klingberg to help feed them. The key issue is whether Nylander is up to playing centre defensively. He's probably going to need 20 games to figure it out and settle the issue. There might be a little turmoil for a while. Might be a run & gun regular season.

Bertuzzi played some right wing in Detroit. That might allow Domi & Knies to play in the top 6. With Jarnkrok and Robertson/McMann/other wingers for Nylander. Whatever - Bertuzzi being experienced playing the right side gives them some options with the lines as Nylander tries centre.

Nylander getting ES ice time on the 3rd line plus PP ice time (which could be a little more than last year's 3rd line ice time with Nylander on that line) should get him fairly close to decent ice time.

They seem a little thin on the PK. Marner, Kampf, Jarnkrok & Lafferty and no obvious obvious forward behind them. That makes it harder for them to keep Timmons as a 7th dman who could be lost on waivers. Keefe talked about trying Matthews there ... They do not seem to have a big body on D like they had with Holl/Schenn. Maybe Rielly helps to fill that void while Klingberg fills his role on the PP ...

I'm not convinced this is a good playoff roster but they should score lots of goals.
 
Significantly Insignificant said:
CarltonTheBear said:
Frank E said:
I don't disagree with this, but Mirtle has got him lining up with Robertson and Domi there behind Matthews and Tavares...I think Nylander has a cow if that's where he's slotted.

My guess is Nylander starts with with Domi and Jarnkrok, not Robertson. And really I think you could make the case that that's a better duo than Tavares' wingers (Knies-Lafferty). If Nylander can handle the C position I think it's entirely possible that his line outperforms the Tavares line. Which one beat reporters decide to type up first in their tweets doesn't really matter.

Yeah that Knies - Tavares - Lafferty line is more of a third line.  Personally, I would put Marner and Nylander together because I think that would help Nylander be more successful, but I get that has drawbacks as well.

Just came on here to type that. The Leafs ever tried Nylander with Marner on his wing.

Maybe a line of Domi - Nylander - Marner?

Maybe Tavares - K?mpf - Lafferty 3rd line?

Leaving Knies - Matthews - Bertuzzi with top line duties.

Thoughts?

 
Dappleganger said:
Significantly Insignificant said:
CarltonTheBear said:
Frank E said:
I don't disagree with this, but Mirtle has got him lining up with Robertson and Domi there behind Matthews and Tavares...I think Nylander has a cow if that's where he's slotted.

My guess is Nylander starts with with Domi and Jarnkrok, not Robertson. And really I think you could make the case that that's a better duo than Tavares' wingers (Knies-Lafferty). If Nylander can handle the C position I think it's entirely possible that his line outperforms the Tavares line. Which one beat reporters decide to type up first in their tweets doesn't really matter.

Yeah that Knies - Tavares - Lafferty line is more of a third line.  Personally, I would put Marner and Nylander together because I think that would help Nylander be more successful, but I get that has drawbacks as well.

Just came on here to type that. The Leafs ever tried Nylander with Marner on his wing.

Maybe a line of Domi - Nylander - Marner?

Maybe Tavares - K?mpf - Lafferty 3rd line?

Leaving Knies - Matthews - Bertuzzi with top line duties.

Thoughts?

I like that top 6 alot.  I would hope there would be some chemistry there, but I think it gives you a pretty good defensive/offesive mix in the top 2 lines.  I would like Tavares with someone like Jarnkrok and Robertson (if he shows well in camp).  If that happens, I think you have a top 9 that are scoring threats and fairly competent on the defensive side as well.
 
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