Leafs @ sens - Oct. 12th, 7:00pm - SN, TSN 1050

[CarltonTheBear]

@

0-0-0, 0 points | 0-0-0, 0 points

Projected Lines

Michalek-Kadri-Komarov JVR-Bozak-Marner Hyman-Matthews-Nylander Martin-Holland-Brown Marincin-Rielly Gardiner-Carrick Hunwick-Zaitsev Andersen ​

Hoffman-Turris-Stone Smith-Brassard-Ryan Varone-Pageau-Pyatt Dzingel-Kelly-Neil Methot-Karlson Phaneuf-Ceci Borowiecki-Chabot Anderson​

Scratches

Frank Corrado Roman Polak Josh Leivo ​

Matt Puempel Curtis Lazar Chris Wideman​

Game Notes

TOR
?Frederik Andersen will start for the Leafs
?The Leafs will begin their 2016-2017 NHL regular season with their first of two home-openers
?The game will mark the NHL debuts of multiple players: Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Nikita Zaitsev
?As well as the Leafs debuts of offseason acquisitions Matt Martin and Frederik Andersen
?Brooks Laich's spot on the roster is a bit up in the air: he'll either need to be assigned to the Marlies or someone will have to be placed on the IR to make room for him

ott
?Craig Anderson will start for the sens
?Guy Boucher returns to the NHL after 3 years of coaching in Europe, his tactics will be the key change from last years team after an offseason with little roster turnover
?Derek Brassard will make his regular season debut as a sen

Injuries

?Stephane Robidas - Old - Out indefinitely ?Nathan Horton - Back - Out indefinitely ?Joffrey Lupul - ? - Out indefinitely​

?Clark MacArthur - Out indefinitely - Concussion ?Curtis Lazar - Mononucleosis - Day to day​

Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams
​

 

[louisstamos]

?The Leafs will begin their 2016-2017 NHL regular season with their first of two home-openers

We have a winner!!!!

 

[Kaberle15]

This is it... I have so little expectations about this season, and a bottom 5 finish is highly likely, however, they will be so much fun to watch...

Go Leafs Go!

 

[Redleaf]

Prediction...

First 20: 5W-11L-4OT
Second 20: 7W-10L-3OT
Third 20: 11W-7L-2OT
Final 22: 12W-6L-4OT

83 pts

 

[Kin]

[tweet]785871651250593792[/tweet]

Huh.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Man Babs really likes the whole '4 forwards on the PP' thing. But when you're sitting Rielly so Komarov and Michalek can get minutes there something is seriously wrong.

 

[herman]

PP2 would be prime time to develop chemistry between Rielly and Zaitsev. I hope this doesn't stick for too long. Pump and dump tactic for Michalek and Komarov, as well as insulating the big three/four with vets while giving them opportunities to succeed.

 

[mr grieves]

[tweet]785871651250593792[/tweet]

Huh.

I guess the principle of 4F, 1D on each PP unit makes sense... when you're coaching Team Canada. Prefer Rielly to at least 2 of those forwards.

 

[rdowdall]

Man Babs really likes the whole '4 forwards on the PP' thing. But when you're sitting Rielly so Komarov and Michalek can get minutes there something is seriously wrong.

Pump up trade value?

 

[Coco-puffs]

Man Babs really likes the whole '4 forwards on the PP' thing. But when you're sitting Rielly so Komarov and Michalek can get minutes there something is seriously wrong.

There are a couple of reasons why you'd maybe want to keep Reilly off the 2nd unit (specifically):

1.  If you don't score on the PP, the other team can have momentum from the kill.  What better way to negate that by having your top pair (as of this moment) be on the ice after the PP.  Most often, following up a kill will be the opposition's best offensive players.

2.  Pump up Michalek's value (already mentioned, but it was also one of my thoughts).  Michalek has always been a fixture on PP's wherever he's played and taking him off will hurt his value.

3.  Assuming they are running the umbrella (one d-man in the middle, forwards at each half-boards)... I'd rather have Matthews and Nylander over Reilly shooting from those half boards.

4.  Nobody else on that 2nd PP unit offers the net-front presence we are looking for other than Komarov and Michalek.  If you substitute someone else for either, it surely won't be Reilly.  (Holland or Hyman most likely). 

 

[Highlander]

5. Reilly will be too beat from scoring a huge amount of goals 5 on 5

 

[Kin]

As a general rule I don't like the 4 forwards on the PP thing. Just from my POV it seems to allow a bunch of short handed rushes the other way.

That said, I can't help but think that Rielly not being on a PP unit is a bit of a confirmation of a belief I've had about him which is that I don't think his offensive upside is all that great.

 

[Coco-puffs]

As a general rule I don't like the 4 forwards on the PP thing. Just from my POV it seems to allow a bunch of short handed rushes the other way.

That said, I can't help but think that Rielly not being on a PP unit is a bit of a confirmation of a belief I've had about him which is that I don't think his offensive upside is all that great.

I wouldn't call his offensive upside not that great- its just that we have better options at this time.  I think Gardiner and Zaitsev are better PP quarterbacks- better passers in the offensive zone.  Reilly's got a great wrist shot and I think his bread-and-butter when it comes to offense is in transition/joining the rush. 

 

[Kin]

I wouldn't call his offensive upside not that great- its just that we have better options at this time.  I think Gardiner and Zaitsev are better PP quarterbacks- better passers in the offensive zone.  Reilly's got a great wrist shot and I think his bread-and-butter when it comes to offense is in transition/joining the rush.

That's basically what I mean though. There's a limit to how many points a defenseman is going to score 5 on 5 and the guys who will be pushing for the league lead are going to be guys who are both effective at even strength and be top quality power play QB's. Your Keiths, Subbans, Karlssons, etc.

Rielly will put up an ok number of points but I very much question he's got the upside to put him in that group.

 

[Redleaf]

I wouldn't call his offensive upside not that great- its just that we have better options at this time.  I think Gardiner and Zaitsev are better PP quarterbacks- better passers in the offensive zone.  Reilly's got a great wrist shot and I think his bread-and-butter when it comes to offense is in transition/joining the rush.

That's basically what I mean though. There's a limit to how many points a defenseman is going to score 5 on 5 and the guys who will be pushing for the league lead are going to be guys who are both effective at even strength and be top quality power play QB's. Your Keiths, Subbans, Karlssons, etc.

Rielly will put up an ok number of points but I very much question he's got the upside to put him in that group.

I'd wager that Rielly will be an all around better D-man, and PP point man, than both Gardiner and Zaitsev, but will never be in the same category as the Subbans and Karlssons of the world. I think we saw a really good power play quarterback in Rielly at the World Cup. This news means absolutely nothing IMO.

 

[Kin]

I'd wager that Rielly will be an all around better D-man, and PP point man, than both Gardiner and Zaitsev, but will never be in the same category as the Subbans and Karlssons of the world.

Were that true, I'd really question the wisdom then of not using him in that role right now.

 

[Redleaf]

I'd wager that Rielly will be an all around better D-man, and PP point man, than both Gardiner and Zaitsev, but will never be in the same category as the Subbans and Karlssons of the world.

Were that true, I'd really question the wisdom then of not using him in that role right now.

I'd be on the side of waiting to see what actually transpires on the power play once the season starts, and for a few weeks after, before judging the wisdom of what they ran at one practise.

 

[Kin]

I'd be on the side of waiting to see what actually transpires on the power play once the season starts, and for a few weeks after, before judging the wisdom of what they ran at one practise.

What I said there was not related to practice. It was a conditional statement on a hypothetical future. If Rielly is, indeed, destined to be a good PP QB then I think they should be using him in that role when the season starts. If they do, great. If not, I think that's either a bad judgment or a sign they don't agree with that assessment of his potential. That's a pretty sturdy limb.

Don't worry though. We'll still have the highlight shows to tell us what happened.

 

[Kin]

Per the Leafs site Nylander will be wearing #29, Marner #16, Matthews #34 and Brown #12.

 

[herman]

Babcock could be preserving Rielly for shutdown and PK minutes. Each player probably has a minutes range he wants to hit per game that will ramp up later. A #1 should be playing all situations, but I think Babcock is using Rielly as a 1a/b with Gardiner (22 min each instead of one getting 27-30).