Blues @ Leafs - Oct. 7th, 7:00pm - TSN4, Fan 590

[CarltonTheBear]

@

1-0-1, 3 points | 2-0-1, 5 points

Projected Lines

Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko Blais-O'Reilly-Perron Fabbri-Bozak-Sanford Barbashev-Sundqvist-Steen Gunnarsson-Pietrangelo Bouwmeester-Parayko Dunn-Faulk Binnington ​

Kapanen-Tavares-Marner Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Moore Petan-Spezza-Gauthier Rielly-Ceci Muzzin-Barrie Sandin-Holl Andersen​

Scratches

Robert Thomas Mackenzie MacEachern Robert Bortuzzo ​

Nick Shore Dmytro Timashov Martin Marincin​

Game Notes

STL
?Binnington will likely start for the Blues
?After 2 games Justin Faulk is averaging 20:27 with his new team, which puts him 4th among defencemen behing Parakyo, Pietrangelo, and Bouwmeester. In their first game the Blues tried pairing Faulk and Pietrangelo, two righties, together but the results didn't seem good enough to continue for a second game

TOR
?Andersen will likely start for the Leafs
?The rotation continues. Meaning Spezza, Petan, and Holl will draw back into the Leafs' line-up. This game will be Spezza's debut in Toronto
?The team had a day off on Sunday, so no word on any potential line changes. Kapanen has admittedly not gotten off to a great start and his entire line seems a little out of sync. Could a promotion for Moore or Mikheyev be coming?

Injuries

?Robert Thomas - Upper Body - Questionable Monday​

?Travis Dermott - Shoulder - Injured Reserve ?Zach Hyman - Knee - Injured Reserve​

Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams
​

 

[ZBBM]

I understand Kapanen didn't have a good game last night but I think it's a little early to be looking at line swaps.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I understand Kapanen didn't have a good game last night but I think it's a little early to be looking at line swaps.

Forcing Kapanen to adjust to playing his off-wing for another few weeks just doesn't make much sense to me when he's going back to RW with Kerfoot when Hyman gets back anyway. Someone like Moore just seems like a better placeholder for Hyman, I said that from the start of camp.

If he had a more seamless transition to the left side then I would have been fine with it, but he's been clearly struggling even aside from the stick throwing thing.

 

[Frank E]

I understand Kapanen didn't have a good game last night but I think it's a little early to be looking at line swaps.

Forcing Kapanen to adjust to playing his off-wing for another few weeks just doesn't make much sense to me when he's going back to RW with Kerfoot when Hyman gets back anyway. Someone like Moore just seems like a better placeholder for Hyman, I said that from the start of camp.

If he had a more seamless transition to the left side then I would have been fine with it, but he's been clearly struggling even aside from the stick throwing thing.

I'll stand with the Hamiltonian here...Kapanen's time on that side, and line, is only a few weeks from ending anyway.  Move him to where he's likely to end up in November.

Having said that, I think I'd swap Mikheyev out, and put Moore on the LW (shoots left anyways).

Mikheyev - Tavares - Marner
Moore - Kerfoot - Kapanen

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I think Mikheyev has a higher offensive ceiling than Moore, so I wouldn't exactly be opposed. Just depends on if Babcock feels like he's ready to handle those tougher minutes this early in the season.

But even still it might be better off to just get Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Kapanen rolling as a line as soon as possible since that's what the 3rd line will look like when we're all healthy. Bouncing Mikheyev around the line-up might not be beneficial to him. Even just getting used to communicating with his usual linemates will be key for him right now.

 

[Zee]

I understand Kapanen didn't have a good game last night but I think it's a little early to be looking at line swaps.

Forcing Kapanen to adjust to playing his off-wing for another few weeks just doesn't make much sense to me when he's going back to RW with Kerfoot when Hyman gets back anyway. Someone like Moore just seems like a better placeholder for Hyman, I said that from the start of camp.

If he had a more seamless transition to the left side then I would have been fine with it, but he's been clearly struggling even aside from the stick throwing thing.

I'll stand with the Hamiltonian here...Kapanen's time on that side, and line, is only a few weeks from ending anyway.  Move him to where he's likely to end up in November.

Having said that, I think I'd swap Mikheyev out, and put Moore on the LW (shoots left anyways).

Mikheyev - Tavares - Marner
Moore - Kerfoot - Kapanen

I like the look of that 3rd line with Kapanen on the right.  Speed on the wings, speed at center, that could be a potent line against weaker competition.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Interesting seeing Steen on St. Louis' 4th line. He's 35 years old and his production has been declining at a consistent pace for a number of years now. Since 13-14 these are his points per game rates:

0.91
0.86
0.78
0.67
0.61
0.42

Ice-time didn't start to finally go down until last season, when he scored just 27 points in 65 games. He has 1 year left on his contract after this one with an AAV of $5.75mil. Could be a guy they need to move if they want to re-sign Pietrangelo.

 

[ZBBM]

You all are overthinking this. Just switch Marner and Kapanen. It would be like a rolling 5 on 5 PP.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1181215210071379968

 

[Frank E]

...or Babcock just goes back to the same lines. 

 

[Zee]

...or Babcock just goes back to the same lines.

You have to figure he switches things up if Kapanen is ineffective again tonight no?  Did he ever give Nylander this long a leash?  Seems like as soon as Willy would have 1 bad period he'd shift him to another line.

 

[herman]

You have to figure he switches things up if Kapanen is ineffective again tonight no?  Did he ever give Nylander this long a leash?  Seems like as soon as Willy would have 1 bad period he'd shift him to another line.

Babcock also shifts Nylander to other lines to boost them when they're flagging offensively, not necessarily as punishment.

The way I see it, Babcock has higher expectations of Nylander. I think most of us here can see it too: his ceiling is sky high. Not as a goal scorer like Matthews or necessarily as flashy as Marner, but if he can be molded into a two-way threat (insofar as you can be a two way threat on the wing/pseudo-centre), watch out. Babcock has identified Nylander as someone who can handle the tough love, and I'd say it's been working these few years.

Of course I'd like to see him start closing out games instead of getting bumped to the bench for Brown back then and Mikheyev/Moore now, but I get it, Nylander is primarily an offensive weapon.

via The Athletic

[On] why Mike Babcock wants Nylander with the puck on his tape as much as possible.

?When he?s on the puck, when he has the puck, he?s unreal,? Babcock said. ?We just need him to have the puck way more. So that?s the challenge for him this year and that?s his focus: You?ve got to get the puck. You?ve got to find a way to get the puck and have the puck because you make so many good plays when you have it ? you?ve got to get it more. How do you do that? That?s the focus for him.?

 

[louisstamos]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1181215210071379968

Hyman & Dermott skating, tho?  That's a good sign.

 

[Guilt Trip]

As much as Kappy has struggled on the left side this year, JT and Marner haven't exactly been all that good 5 v 5 so it isn't just Kappy. 3 games in, being undefeated allows Babs to keep trying it.

 

[Highlander]

Mikheyev-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Moore-Kerfoot-Kapanen
Petan-Spezza-Gauthier

I would like to see this! 

Last time I was at a game in Toronto was 1980...Leafs got blown away by the Blues..that was then...this is now.

 

[cujo4ever]

I'm interested to see how they perform against the defending cup champs. A win vs St. Louis would be great to see.

Moore has played really well on the third line, I think it makes sense to reward him with a little time on Tavarner's line and put Kappy back on the right side.

GO LEAFS GO!

 

[WAYNEINIONA]

I'm interested to see how they perform against the defending cup champs. A win vs St. Louis would be great to see.

Moore has played really well on the third line, I think it makes sense to reward him with a little time on Tavarner's line and put Kappy back on the right side.

GO LEAFS GO!

I believe there are a lot of people with the same opinion. Unfortunately Babcock isn't one of them.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I'm interested to see how they perform against the defending cup champs. A win vs St. Louis would be great to see.

Moore has played really well on the third line, I think it makes sense to reward him with a little time on Tavarner's line and put Kappy back on the right side.

GO LEAFS GO!

Another guy that's kind of flying under the radar is Johnsson. I haven't been overly impressed with his play either but I think Nylander/Matthews have hid him better then JT/Marner have with Kappy. How about a 3rd line with Kerfoot, Kappy, Johnsson and put Mikheyev with Matthews and Moore with JT?

 

[Highlander]

I'm interested to see how they perform against the defending cup champs. A win vs St. Louis would be great to see.

Moore has played really well on the third line, I think it makes sense to reward him with a little time on Tavarner's line and put Kappy back on the right side.

GO LEAFS GO!

Another guy that's kind of flying under the radar is Johnsson. I haven't been overly impressed with his play either but I think Nylander/Matthews have hid him better then JT/Marner have with Kappy. How about a 3rd line with Kerfoot, Kappy, Johnsson and put Mikheyev with Matthews and Moore with JT?

I was going to advocate the same thing, but thought I would be burned at the stake for suggesting.  Andreas has to get the game we know he can play going.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I'm interested to see how they perform against the defending cup champs. A win vs St. Louis would be great to see.

Moore has played really well on the third line, I think it makes sense to reward him with a little time on Tavarner's line and put Kappy back on the right side.

GO LEAFS GO!

Another guy that's kind of flying under the radar is Johnsson. I haven't been overly impressed with his play either but I think Nylander/Matthews have hid him better then JT/Marner have with Kappy. How about a 3rd line with Kerfoot, Kappy, Johnsson and put Mikheyev with Matthews and Moore with JT?

How about it's 3 games into the season and the team is 2 & 1. Didn't Babcock get yelled at often last year for putting the lines in the blender too often?