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Armchair President/GM 2023-2024

OldTimeHockey said:
Are we assuming that Giordano will drop to the #7 spot?
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If the Leafs acquire another defenceman at the deadline then yeah I mean him and Benoit would need to share the 6/7 spots. I'd give Benoit the leg up if I had to pick right now but Keefe could certainly decide to go with the veteran instead.

It could also come down to who the Leafs pick up. If it's someone like Carrier or Dumba then Benoit's size/toughness would still be more of a need on the blue line. If it's someone like Tanev or Lyubushkin then maybe not.

Regardless it's very likely both would see playing time at some point in the playoffs.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
If Nashville ends up selling at the deadline I think acquiring a Carrier+Trenin duo from them could really round out the type of line-up we've had over the past week or so once everyone is back:

Knies-Matthews-Marner
Bertuzzi-Domi-Nylander
McMann-Tavares-Robertson
Trenin-Kampf-Jarnkrok

Rielly-Carrier
Brodie-Liljegren
Benoit-McCabe

Samsonov
Woll

Trenin's a checking forward with good defensive metrics who can hit and kill penalties. Along with a returning Jarnkrok they could finally form a Kampf 4th line that can properly eat a ton of defensive minutes, which is key because even if that middle-6 forward group continues to play well they would still require some level of sheltering. Jarnkrok gets buried a little in this line-up which isn't entirely fair to him but he can still take shifts on any of the top-3 lines in certain situations to boost his minutes.

Carrier's an undersized, mobile two-way RHD who might not exactly be the ideal defenceman we're looking for but his defensive metrics are pretty good, he can kill penalties, and he can block a lot of shots. And if the play of the other two defensive pairings over the past week and a half can be counted on to continue then Rielly might not need a higher end partner to carry tough minutes since the load can be shared by everyone.

Alternatively a Sam Carrick+Ilya Lyubushkin rental duo from Anaheim could round out the line-up in similar ways (but not exactly be as good) if the Nashville duo is unattainable.
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I like your posts like this .. offering good ideas
Trenin is an interesting idea I wouldn't have thought of.

I'm not too excited about burning a 1st rounder.

So I wondered, have Rielly-McCabe been exhausted as a potential pairing?
I don't remember them playing much together? A couple of games?
I know McCabe preferred the left side but he's doing ok with Benoit so ...

If it worked:

Rielly-McCabe
Brodie-Liljegren
Benoit-_______ (maybe Carrier here)

I think Benoit is so attached to his defensive role, he'd be ok without McCabe

Shouldn't cost as much young talent to fill that 5-6 spot.

Before I burned a top prospect or pick, I'd want to make sure Rielly-McCabe isn't an option.
Maybe others here have a better recall on how it worked out previously.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
OldTimeHockey said:
Are we assuming that Giordano will drop to the #7 spot?
Click to expand...

If the Leafs acquire another defenceman at the deadline then yeah I mean him and Benoit would need to share the 6/7 spots. I'd give Benoit the leg up if I had to pick right now but Keefe could certainly decide to go with the veteran instead.

It could also come down to who the Leafs pick up. If it's someone like Carrier or Dumba then Benoit's size/toughness would still be more of a need on the blue line. If it's someone like Tanev or Lyubushkin then maybe not.

Regardless it's very likely both would see playing time at some point in the playoffs.
Click to expand...

While I'll agree that having Giordano play less might be the right move, I'm not confident in Keefe doing so.
 
herman said:
This one might be tricky to pull off, but given there's a bunch of expiring deals on the backend, I'd like to swing for some term as well as mobility:
Mike Matheson (currently on Montreal) has a 4.85M AAV for 2 more seasons after this one (and a M-NTC) to close out the 8 year deal he received from Florida. It's a bit like adding another McCabe, especially if we can swing any retention.

Can't quite think of what they'd want from us that we'd be willing to part with, other than maybe William Villeneuve and he hasn't pushed himself into any noteworthy conversation other than the Memorial Cup and being from Quebec.

He's a defensive blackhole though :D Could probably shred a bottom-pair, sheltered 3rd-line combo though if he's buddied up with a boring partner.
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https://x.com/tictactomar/status/1766619939312447707

-____-
 
Since the lineup is set except for callups of course
And with everyone available what's the hopeful lineup
Mine without bias, prejudice, or feeling

Holmberg-Matthews-Nylander
Bertuzzi-Domi-Marner
Knies-Tavares-McMann
Jarnkrok-Kampf-Dewar
Robertson, Reaves, Gregor

Rielly-Brodie
Benoit-McCabe
Edmundson-Liljegren
Giordano, Lyubushkin, Timmons

Samsonov
Woll
 
Big Daddy said:
Since the lineup is set except for callups of course
And with everyone available what's the hopeful lineup
Mine without bias, prejudice, or feeling

Holmberg-Matthews-Nylander
Bertuzzi-Domi-Marner
Knies-Tavares-McMann
Jarnkrok-Kampf-Dewar
Robertson, Reaves, Gregor

Rielly-Brodie
Benoit-McCabe
Edmundson-Liljegren
Giordano, Lyubushkin, Timmons

Samsonov
Woll
Click to expand...

I probably wouldn't do this:
Knies-Tavares-McMann

Those are three players in the top 9 who have decent size for the front of the opponent's net and will go there. Bertuzzi is a slightly smaller 4th. Matthews has the size but doesn't belong there. I wouldn't use those three all on one line regularly. I'd spread it around some - between the 2nd & 3rd line if Bertuzzi is playing with Matthews & Marner.

I'd use Knies or McMann with Domi-Nylander to give them a defensive conscience maybe with something like a left wing lock. And have the other play with Tavares. Bertuzzi could flip with Knies or McMann but I wouldn't put him with Domi-Nylander for defensive reasons.
 
I think the Leafs are using their current lines to get as many players as possible to "gel" before playoffs despite missing two key players in Marner and Jarnkrok. That means right now I'd imagine the lines Keefe has in mind for playoffs are:

Bertuzzi-Matthews-HolmbergMarner
McMann-Domi-Nylander
Knies-Tavares-RobertsonJarnkrok
Dewar-Kampf-Reaves

I see the idea of moving Jarnkrok to the 4th line to create a trio that can actually eat difficult minutes against higher competition at times. I think it will really come down to will Robertson do enough in the next 20-ish days that Jarnkrok is out to fully, 100% get locked into a line-up spot. If he does someone has to get bumped down to the 4th line because it won't be Nick there. McMann is the other possibility, in which case Jarnkrok could play LW on the Domi line (which gives them a needed defensive boost) but again that'll really come down to how well McMann is playing in a month.
 
As you mentioned previously, C...now that McMann is cost controlled for next year, they can put him up in the lineup to see if he can be a trigger guy in the top 6.
 
We'll see come the end of the playoffs, but it's make or break for the Sheldon Keefe style of Leafs. Great regular season results, and then a pretty substantial drop off in the playoffs when the other team can isolate and pick apart this largely finesse-focused system. Mitch Marner is emblematic of this team's style and the team results are generally in lockstep with his production.

The players added in the offseason, with the playoffs in mind, struggled to adapt. I don't know that there is much purpose to a top-heavy finesse-style if all it does is guarantee a playoff berth and crazy production numbers and resultant cap hits for your top skill guys only to get rolled in the playoffs.

This is where Tampa and Vegas and Florida have sort of lapped the field (in addition to their cap friendly tax and occasional LTIR situations): they are fasstholes the whole time. Fortunately, it looks like Treliving recognizes this and is looking to build it into the roster around the existing stars. It might not be in their current nature, but I think they have it in them.
 
Frank E said:
As you mentioned previously, C...now that McMann is cost controlled for next year, they can put him up in the lineup to see if he can be a trigger guy in the top 6.
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I somewhat joked about it not happening before he signed his extension just in case they clicked but I would genuinely like to see what he could do alongside Matthews. Bert's been ok there so far in his second go around but it still seems like things are off a bit (tough to judge without Marner though). Would be worth giving him more of an extended look but if things don't go hot there McMann would definitely be the next guy up I think.
 
herman said:
We'll see come the end of the playoffs, but it's make or break for the Sheldon Keefe style of Leafs. Great regular season results, and then a pretty substantial drop off in the playoffs when the other team can isolate and pick apart this largely finesse-focused system. Mitch Marner is emblematic of this team's style and the team results are generally in lockstep with his production.

The players added in the offseason, with the playoffs in mind, struggled to adapt. I don't know that there is much purpose to a top-heavy finesse-style if all it does is guarantee a playoff berth and crazy production numbers and resultant cap hits for your top skill guys only to get rolled in the playoffs.

This is where Tampa and Vegas and Florida have sort of lapped the field (in addition to their cap friendly tax and occasional LTIR situations): they are fasstholes the whole time. Fortunately, it looks like Treliving recognizes this and is looking to build it into the roster around the existing stars. It might not be in their current nature, but I think they have it in them.
Click to expand...

nailed it Herman..
 
Bullfrog said:
cw said:
Bullfrog said:
Holmberg on 1st line? Jarnkrok on 4th?
Click to expand...

Jarnkrok is on LTIR
Click to expand...

Indeed. But his lineup is with everyone available. And he's got Jarnkrok on the 4th.
Click to expand...

My bad. Didn't see it.
I too would not do that. I think Jarnkrok is pretty good.
And this would be my 1st question with all those players available "Holmberg on 1st line?"
 
I think Knies-Tavares-Jarnkrok resembles the Knies-ROR-Acciari line from last playoffs. Also wouldn?t be crazy to see it morph into McMann-Kampf-Jarnkrok if they do a T6/B6 instead of T9.

I personally like Bertuzzi-Tavares-Jarnkrok.

Knies-Matthews-Nylander
McMann-Domi-Marner
Bertuzzi-Tavares-Jarnkrok
Dewar-Kampf-Holmberg

Reaves is getting game 1 and maybe 2 if he doesn?t embarrass himself or get suspended. And then when the series is serious we?ll see actual players. Robertson is the first man up if a T6 winger falters. No pressure on him, just motivation.

Opponents are going to sell out on Matthews coverage if he?s with Marner, so give them some Willy to choke on.

Domi-Marner is a nice connection and will be sheltered enough to let Marner ramp back up from injury. McMann can keep pace and play trigger man to two playmakers. Both can protect Domi?s deficiencies.

Bertuzzi-Tavares-Jarnkrok play at the same speed (which is to say, not that speedy) but Tavares is excellent at making something out of chaos, and Bertuzzi is a chaos baboon.
 
https://x.com/anaheimducks/status/1782910231460364684
gif.gif
 
OldTimeHockey said:
Those top 4 right shot defensemen seem to be really easy to come by.
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If they're going to trade Marner, I doubt he waives how about Seth Jones. Marner can go play with Bedard we get our RD and Leaf fans will have someone new to complain about.
 
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