Leafs @ Canucks - Apr. 20th, 9:00pm - SN, TSN 1050

[rdowdall]

Remember everyone.  It's always darkest before the dawn.

Just try and forget that it's been dark for like 50 years now.

Does this make Foligno the hero that we deserve, but not the one that we need?

So dark.  Are we sure the Leafs aren't a part of the DC Universe? (Thanks Deadpool).

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The Matthews/Marner duo have had the most success this season with a big guy who work the boards (Thornton earlier this season, Hyman more recently). The Tavares/Nylander duo have had the most success with a skilled guy who can move the puck (Kerfoot anytime he gets a shot there, Gally more recently). To me that makes the top-6 lines both now and in the playoffs pretty obvious:

Foligno-Matthews-Marner
Galchenyuk-Tavares-Nylander

It leaves the bottom-6 a little short while Hyman and Mikheyev are out (although hopefully Mikheyev isn't out long) but I'd still put those lines together so they can gel heading into the playoffs and just work with what's left in the bottom-6 until we're healthy.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

The Matthews/Marner duo have had the most success this season with a big guy who work the boards (Thornton earlier this season, Hyman more recently). The Tavares/Nylander duo have had the most success with a skilled guy who can move the puck (Kerfoot anytime he gets a shot there, Gally more recently). To me that makes the top-6 lines both now and in the playoffs pretty obvious:

Foligno-Matthews-Marner
Galchenyuk-Tavares-Nylander

It leaves the bottom-6 a little short while Hyman and Mikheyev are out (although hopefully Mikheyev isn't out long) but I'd still put those lines together so they can gel heading into the playoffs and just work with what's left in the bottom-6 until we're healthy.

Any thoughts on bumping Spezza up to the 3rd "scoring" line with Kerfoot or Galchenyuk?

I actually don't mind the old man line. I personally think Simmons brings the line down a little. He's nothing more than a 4th liner for me that can hit and bring some energy from time to time.

 

[herman]

Lol, the Canucks can't score unless Rittich is in the net.

https://twitter.com/MoneyPuckdotcom/status/1384726280575373312
This hurts me in the heart.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Lol, the Canucks can't score unless Rittich is in the net.

https://twitter.com/MoneyPuckdotcom/status/1384726280575373312
This hurts me in the heart.

People are bored today apparently...lol

 

[Guilt Trip]

The Matthews/Marner duo have had the most success this season with a big guy who work the boards (Thornton earlier this season, Hyman more recently). The Tavares/Nylander duo have had the most success with a skilled guy who can move the puck (Kerfoot anytime he gets a shot there, Gally more recently). To me that makes the top-6 lines both now and in the playoffs pretty obvious:

Foligno-Matthews-Marner
Galchenyuk-Tavares-Nylander

It leaves the bottom-6 a little short while Hyman and Mikheyev are out (although hopefully Mikheyev isn't out long) but I'd still put those lines together so they can gel heading into the playoffs and just work with what's left in the bottom-6 until we're healthy.

I think you're right. I see Foligno with M&M and when Hyman gets back he's going on the 3rd line with Mikheyev and Kerfoot/Engvall.

 

[L K]

When the Leafs looked their best they were just sending wave after wave of good shifts.  That was definitely happening when Hyman was "the guy" on that 3rd line with Kerfoot/Mikheyev.  All three of those guys are hard working pains in the ass and the speed of Kerfoot and Mikheyev is a nice complement to Hyman.

I haven't disliked Galchenyuk on the top line but I felt he was having better games with Tavares and Nylander.

 

[Chris]

The Matthews/Marner duo have had the most success this season with a big guy who work the boards (Thornton earlier this season, Hyman more recently). The Tavares/Nylander duo have had the most success with a skilled guy who can move the puck (Kerfoot anytime he gets a shot there, Gally more recently). To me that makes the top-6 lines both now and in the playoffs pretty obvious:

Foligno-Matthews-Marner
Galchenyuk-Tavares-Nylander

It leaves the bottom-6 a little short while Hyman and Mikheyev are out (although hopefully Mikheyev isn't out long) but I'd still put those lines together so they can gel heading into the playoffs and just work with what's left in the bottom-6 until we're healthy.

Any thoughts on bumping Spezza up to the 3rd "scoring" line with Kerfoot or Galchenyuk?

I actually don't mind the old man line. I personally think Simmons brings the line down a little. He's nothing more than a 4th liner for me that can hit and bring some energy from time to time.

I would like to see Spezza get more time. Last night he played 2 full minutes less than Thornton, and over a minute of his time was when he got stuck out on the PK. So really 3 minutes less than Thornton.

Thornton has looked a bit better the last few games, but Spezza makes more happen when he is out there. So the question comes back to, what do they want from lines 3 and 4? Can you put Spezza as 3rd line center, and Kerfoot as LW (or Robertson)? I don't know.

I also think Brooks gets a little bit of unfair treatment and would like to see him get more of an opportunity.

 

[Frank E]

I'm more concerned about what they're going to do about Bogo being out than I am with rearranging the deckchairs on the forward lines.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm more concerned about what they're going to do about Bogo being out than I am with rearranging the deckchairs on the forward lines.

 

[ZBBM]

Marincin is the whipping boy du jour but is there really evidence that he is a disaster whenever he's in the lineup?  And if the evidence is there, why doesn't Dubas get rid of him?

 

[Chris]

I think Marincin is serviceable as a 3rd pairing/PK guy for a few games if Bogo is out, but I really wouldn't want to be throwing him out there during the playoffs. So _if_ Bogo is going to miss a bunch of games, I'd want to look at other options...can Dermott work there, how about Lily, etc.

 

[caver]

I think they will give Hutton a look...

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I was mostly just messing with Frank there. Not only did Marty start the season lower on the team depth chart than past seasons, but the acquisition of Hutton bumped him down another yet spot and also took away his position of the back-up PK defender.

I'm sure the team will cycle between Dermott, Sandin, and Hutton while Bogosian is out. And while Bogo has been a pleasant surprise at the end of the day he's still just the teams 5D so they should be able to survive without him.

 

[rdowdall]

I was mostly just messing with Frank there. Not only did Marty start the season lower on the team depth chart than past seasons, but the acquisition of Hutton bumped him down another yet spot and also took away his position of the back-up PK defender.

I'm sure the team will cycle between Dermott, Sandin, and Hutton while Bogosian is out. And while Bogo has been a pleasant surprise at the end of the day he's still just the teams 5D so they should be able to survive without him.

Dermott, Sandin and Hutton all play the left side though.  So maybe that leaves the depth on the right side as Timothy and MM.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I was mostly just messing with Frank there. Not only did Marty start the season lower on the team depth chart than past seasons, but the acquisition of Hutton bumped him down another yet spot and also took away his position of the back-up PK defender.

I'm sure the team will cycle between Dermott, Sandin, and Hutton while Bogosian is out. And while Bogo has been a pleasant surprise at the end of the day he's still just the teams 5D so they should be able to survive without him.

Dermott, Sandin and Hutton all play the left side though.  So maybe that leaves the depth on the right side as Timothy and MM.

Dermott and Sandin have both played the right side before so I don't think that gives TL and MM an advantage at this stage.

 

[bustaheims]

Marincin is the whipping boy du jour but is there really evidence that he is a disaster whenever he's in the lineup?  And if the evidence is there, why doesn't Dubas get rid of him?

He's a perfectly serviceable guy to have at 7 or lower in the depth charts. It's more that, if he's in the lineup on a regular basis without a bunch of injuries, it's an indication you have a depth issue.