Jets @ Leafs - Mar. 31st, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[Strangelove]

Yeah, Komarov on the PP definitely means Babcock and Hiller are out to lunch on how to coach and they know nothing about hockey players.

Charter member of complaining about coaching decisions here, but this is not a worthwhile hill to plant a flag in.

I would argue that playing a washed up veteran who has hurt the team all year over a rookie who was playing great is a perfectly legitimate grievance.

Komarov essentially eliminates the offence of any line he is on. That significantly harms the team dynamic.

On paper, I don?t disagree; Johnsson and Kapanen are my preferred options. Asking for a beat reporter to lay into Babcock for that decision is silly for several reasons.

I would take exception with your constant characterization of Komarov and Marleau (etc.) as washed up, which just sounds like angry cloud yelling when that?s all you ever talk about.

As long as Babcock keeps playing Komarov I?m gonna keep criticizing him for it. If repeat it a lot that?s because it frustrates me a lot.

I think the team has the potential to be great with some very minor tweaks. I wish Babcock would make those tweaks instead of waiting dozens of games to make adjustments.

 

[herman]

I didn't see where anyone said in this thread that Marleau is washed up.
Let's all agree tho Leo is done. We have better options. Babs wants thay 'heavy body' and the move has killed the 4th line.

Weren?t y?all just complaining about Marleau a couple weeks ago?

Komarov?s in because he hasn?t lost his spot, he is coming off injury.

 

[ZBBM]

I didn't see where anyone said in this thread that Marleau is washed up.
Let's all agree tho Leo is done. We have better options. Babs wants thay 'heavy body' and the move has killed the 4th line.

Komarov isn't "done" at all but there is no way in the universe he should be on the PP.  That's asking him to do stuff he doesn't do well.  Shoot, leave JVR out there all 2 minutes is a better strategy ....  OTOH except why bother in a meaningless game?  I do think Babcock has been pacing the team all year and maybe that will pay dividends when it counts.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Leafs have played pretty well this third period, probably deserve to be tied but doesn't look like the puck is gonna go in

That crappy third goal is a back breaker. If Leafs only needed 1 I would say they had a shot

Reilly messed that one up.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I didn't see where anyone said in this thread that Marleau is washed up.
Let's all agree tho Leo is done. We have better options. Babs wants thay 'heavy body' and the move has killed the 4th line.

Komarov isn't "done" at all but there is no way in the universe he should be on the PP.  That's asking him to do stuff he doesn't do well.  Shoot, leave JVR out there all 2 minutes is a better strategy ....  OTOH except why bother in a meaningless game?  I do think Babcock has been pacing the team all year and maybe that will pay dividends when it counts.

On this team Leo is done. We have better options killing penalties to. Leo has made the 4th line ineffective tonight also. That's a big deal having 3 or 4 lines.

 

[ZBBM]

Back half of a B2B and down a d-man?  Comeback isn't happening.

 

[barney_rebel]

We stink dudes...

 

[ZBBM]

Give WPG credit, played a textbook road game.  Hellebuyck looks like a world-beater.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Jets are a very good team.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Gardiner led the team in ice-time with 27:21 tonight. His last two shifts were 1:23 and 1:45. I think I remember there being a whistle in between somewhere on that 1:45 one.

Rielly was behind him with 24:19.

 

[ZBBM]

Gardiner easily the MotM IMO.

 

[ZBBM]

The loss is no big deal.  The loss of Dermott is. 

Hello Borgman.

 

[L K]

The loss is no big deal.  The loss of Dermott is. 

Hello Borgman.

Wait, what?  What happened?  Didn't get to see the game, why?  How?  No?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The loss is no big deal.  The loss of Dermott is. 

Hello Borgman.

Wait, what?  What happened?  Didn't get to see the game, why?  How?  No?

No update from the Leafs yet, but didn't look good:

https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/980230574202933248

 

[Zee]

Of the defense we couldn't afford to lose, Rielly, Gardiner, and Dermott. Hoping for an Easter miracle tomorrow

 

[herman]

As long as Babcock keeps playing Komarov I?m gonna keep criticizing him for it. If repeat it a lot that?s because it frustrates me a lot.

I think the team has the potential to be great with some very minor tweaks. I wish Babcock would make those tweaks instead of waiting dozens of games to make adjustments.

See my Matt Martin posts last year?

It's a long season, and if this year has demonstrated anything, Babcock gets there (eventually). He has done what he can with the 'heavy' 4th line in years past and is pretty much guaranteed to be going fast and skilled next year.

There are more considerations to coaching than just who can score because the meritocracy clearly measures beyond the scoresheet. And despite his kidding around about Corsi, Babcock is not not-progressive, and his mind can be changed. I guarantee you he's sold on Johnsson, as he is on Kapanen and Dermott.

Komarov's on the PP is Hiller's call, based on the lineup that Babcock and the staff put together for the game. PK deployment is Smith's. Good managers let their staff do their thing and take the heat for it when it goes south by sideways. Say what you will about Komarov's point totals, but the staff trust him as a good soldier and I don't see Babcock just throwing that out the window because someone asked him a question in a press conference about it. They've tried Brown there too; this is Komarov's 2nd or 3rd go around at it, but it's not working. Matthews and Nylander and Marleau aren't really scoring on the PP either, what with their 20-30s per opportunity if they even get one, so I'm not sure that's a single player's fault.

Johnsson would be immensely better, yes, but Johnsson was called up specifically because Komarov got injured and taking him out of the lineup because someone younger and faster and better kept his seat warm is not great management.

 

[herman]

No update from the Leafs yet, but didn't look good:

https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/980230574202933248

Looks like the instep, a la Zaitsev's. :\

 

[Kin]

Always and forever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLlsjEP7L-k

 

[AvroArrow]

I wonder if management is starting to seriously regret their decision not to make a splash on finding a difference making defenceman.

THEY DID go after a dman, by all accounts.  They just came up short.

 

[sickbeast]

If tonight's game is truly reflective of what happens to this team when Dermott is out of the lineup, I really hope he's not seriously injured.  It could end our playoff run before it even gets started.