Leafs @ Blackhawks - Oct. 22nd, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[CarltonTheBear]

Yeah that line looked awful last night and hasn't been anything special other nights.

My leash was pretty short with Michalek to begin with. If his play doesn't start justifying his roster spot he needs to be sitting soon. If Babcock needs that veteran on the roster I'd sooner try Laich or Greening somewhere. Laich would actually allow us to play Holland somewhere in the top-9 too.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Also since I wasn't able to post at the time, that penalty on Marner in OT was crap.

 

[herman]

https://streamable.com/5292

Matthews' shootout goal: same move as the one he used in the World Championships vs the Czech

 

[freer]

Also since I wasn't able to post at the time, that penalty on Marner in OT was crap.

Both of the penalties in OT were crap. It is over time, the refs should let the teams play without sticking their noses in it unless is brutally violent or dangerous. IMO.

 

[freer]

I read somewhere earlier in this tread that Rielly hasn't played very well, I disagree, he has been IMO the best two way D-man all season. IMO again, Gardiner has been great Offensively but has made one or two dumb defensive plays every game so why does he not get mentioned as being a problem. Meh this may be my dislike for him, but other then offence I don't find him to be that good.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://streamable.com/5292

Matthews' shootout goal: same move as the one he used in the World Championships vs the Czech

Yeah I saw someone else who's followed him for awhile say that's basically his go-to.

 

[herman]

  If we can lose Komarov and Bozak and Michalek at the deadline:

I'll give you the other two as roster spots/salary dumps, but I think Komorov is only worth trading if there's a decent return.

See, if they trade Bozak then it could expose a problem at centre ice or at least with their overall depth.  Matthews and Nylander have been swapping face off duties but I think they have a real dynamic between the two of them.  You break them up and they may not be able to capture the same dynamic with another player.  That Hyman - Nylander - Griffith line isn't something that looks all that frightening.

My reasoning for breaking up Nylander and Matthews is mostly because Nylander is a natural Centre, I don't think Bozak is longterm here, and we can spread the damage. This line was modelled slightly on what Nylander ran with at the end of last season, which he did fairly well on, and resolves some of that deferential play we've been seeing. We can always reunite them when we shorten the bench.

 

[mr grieves]

Here's what I'd hope to see after the deadline...

If we can lose Komarov and Bozak and Michalek at the deadline:
JvR Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Hyman JvR - Nylander - Griffith [or whoever - mr g]
Holland - Kadri - Brown
Martin - Gauthier - Soshnikov
Leivo

Would rather they spread offense, not overload the top line, have stronger duos. So, Matthews-Marner, JvR-Nylander, and Kadri should be able to get on with someone from the pool of Holland, Brown, Leipsic, Kapanen, Johnsson, Soshnikov. Any of those would be an improvement on who he's working with now. 

 

[McGarnagle]

My reasoning for breaking up Nylander and Matthews is mostly because Nylander is a natural Centre, I don't think Bozak is longterm here, and we can spread the damage.

I've got no problem with Nylander on the wing, potentially even long term. I'm biased toward a player with a bit of size and capable of a heavier game playing up the middle.  With his playing style, it might actually suit him better to stay on the wing regardless. And it's nice to have another faceoff option.

 

[rdowdall]

  If we can lose Komarov and Bozak and Michalek at the deadline:

I'll give you the other two as roster spots/salary dumps, but I think Komorov is only worth trading if there's a decent return.

See, if they trade Bozak then it could expose a problem at centre ice or at least with their overall depth.  Matthews and Nylander have been swapping face off duties but I think they have a real dynamic between the two of them.  You break them up and they may not be able to capture the same dynamic with another player.  That Hyman - Nylander - Griffith line isn't something that looks all that frightening.

My reasoning for breaking up Nylander and Matthews is mostly because Nylander is a natural Centre, I don't think Bozak is longterm here, and we can spread the damage. This line was modelled slightly on what Nylander ran with at the end of last season, which he did fairly well on, and resolves some of that deferential play we've been seeing. We can always reunite them when we shorten the bench.

Well BehindTheNet has Nylander playing with Hyman and Parenteau mostly last year.  While Parenteau isn't the most skilled winger in the world, he is a two time 20 goal scorer, which I don't think Seth Griffith is.  What I think would be ideal is if there was a way they could get a more suitable #3 center and move Kadri in to the top 6.  Guathier or Holland could fill in on the fourth line.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Babcock said something interesting regarding Hyman's impact on Matthews+Nylander's point totals (via @kristen_shilton):

Matthews has 8 points. Nylander has 7 points. Hyman has 1 point.

I just re-watched all the goals that Matthews and Nylander had a hand in. In the Ottawa game Hyman had a direct impact on Matthews' first goal, and was rewarded an assist for it. His play didn't noticeably effect any of the other 3 goals scored that night.

Since then Matthews and Nylander have had a hand in 5 more goals on the season. 4 of them were scored on the powerplay where Hyman doesn't play with them. The other one was Nylander's second goal against Chicago and Hyman didn't touch the puck at all on that play.

So Hyman literally hasn't done what Babcock says he has since the first period of the 1st game. I  don't mind Hyman at all, but Babs is giving him way too much credit for those 2 guys offensive success this season.

 

[Highlander]

Gauthier is playing very well with the Marlies, he is developing just fine there, although I wouldnt mind seeing him on our 4th line with Holland and Sosh.

 

[herman]

Babcock said something interesting regarding Hyman's impact on Matthews+Nylander's point totals (via @kristen_shilton):

Matthews has 8 points. Nylander has 7 points. Hyman has 1 point.

I just re-watched all the goals that Matthews and Nylander had a hand in. In the Ottawa game Hyman had a direct impact on Matthews' first goal, and was rewarded an assist for it. His play didn't noticeably effect any of the other 3 goals scored that night.

Since then Matthews and Nylander have had a hand in 5 more goals on the season. 4 of them were scored on the powerplay where Hyman doesn't play with them. The other one was Nylander's second goal against Chicago and Hyman didn't touch the puck at all on that play.

So Hyman literally hasn't done what Babcock says he has since the first period of the 1st game. I  don't mind Hyman at all, but Babs is giving him way too much credit for those 2 guys offensive success this season.

By my eye, Hyman has been a bit of an offense blackhole. Passes that go to him either get turned over, or shot into the pads. Maybe the pucks he digs out have just not turned into goals yet, but based on what I've seen so far, when he does get the puck out, he gets tunnel vision and takes it to the net himself.

I don't mind Babcock using him as a cattle prod for Matthews and Nylander early on, but at some point it will be too obvious that this assertion is not the case Babcock says it is.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I don't mind Babcock using him as a cattle prod for Matthews and Nylander early on, but at some point it will be too obvious that this assertion is not the case Babcock says it is.

I've kind of accepted that Babs loves him so he'll probably be in that spot for awhile. I think in a perfect world he'd be playing where Matt Martin is right now, and somebody like Soshnikov or maybe even Rychel would be given a try with Matthews/Nylander.

 

[herman]

I don't mind Babcock using him as a cattle prod for Matthews and Nylander early on, but at some point it will be too obvious that this assertion is not the case Babcock says it is.

I've kind of accepted that Babs loves him so he'll probably be in that spot for awhile. I think in a perfect world he'd be playing where Matt Martin is right now, and somebody like Soshnikov or maybe even Rychel would be given a try with Matthews/Nylander.

Because in that perfect world, we wouldn't have bothered to sign Martin (sigh).

Hyman is a N-S player. Matthews and Nylander have such strong E-W games once they blitz into the OZ that Hyman is a bit of an obstruction at times. The PP lit up once Kadri lined up with them (also an E-W maestro). We still need that grind it out element... maybe Leipsic or eventually Timashov gets a look.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Because in that perfect world, we wouldn't have bothered to sign Martin (sigh).

Hyman is a N-S player. Matthews and Nylander have such strong E-W games once they blitz into the OZ that Hyman is a bit of an obstruction at times. The PP lit up once Kadri lined up with them (also an E-W maestro). We still need that grind it out element... maybe Leipsic or eventually Timashov gets a look.

Ah Leipsic was the name that I was forgetting. I think he'd look good with those guys, sort of plays a similar-ish game to Hyman as well but with a little more skill. Timashov is at least a year away from getting a sniff at the NHL roster.

 

[Zee]

Leipsic and Soshnikov are two guys I would like to see more of.  They both impressed in limited time last season.