How about Kapanen on line with Matthews, Nylander

[Highlander]

Well how about Casper the Kapanen, guy has the touch, perhaps to much of a touch for the 4th line. As much as Hyman slugs his guts out and as much as I love his work ethic and overall hustle the more I think he should be slotted back with Boyle and Martin/Leivo (perhaps).
I think with Kapanen on the line with Matthews it would spark Auston and Willie into production.  Just an idea (and waiting to be shot down )

 

[rdowdall]

Well how about Casper the Kapanen, guy has the touch, perhaps to much of a touch for the 4th line. As much as Hyman slugs his guts out and as much as I love his work ethic and overall hustle the more I think he should be slotted back with Boyle and Martin/Leivo (perhaps).
I think with Kapanen on the line with Matthews it would spark Auston and Willie into production.  Just an idea (and waiting to be shot down )

I want to see Matthews with a more talented left winger.  However, I think part of what has given the Leafs a fighting chance in this series is that pretty much any line can score.  Moving Kapenen off the 4th line for Hyman removes the threat that the 4th line is going to score.  I don't think that the Matthews line hasn't scored yet because Hyman is on it, but more because Washington is doing their best to shut that line down.  In doing so, the Marner line and the 4th line are getting some more favorable matchups.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the 1st home game, where Babcock can dictate a little more who he wants to play against who. 

 

[sickbeast]

I say leave the fourth line alone and if anything, give them more ice time.  That line was lights out last night.

 

[Kin]

Sure because after two games where the Leafs were supposed to be blown out of the water but they fought the league's best team to a standstill the first thing on my mind is "how can we change this?"

 

[Redleaf]

Sure because after two games where the Leafs were supposed to be blown out of the water but they fought the league's best team to a standstill the first thing on my mind is "how can we change this?"

It's a good point, but just playing Devils advocate here. If they want to become one of the leagues best teams they will have to change things up to get over the final few remaining hurdles. Is it a pressing issue? Absolutely not. Just saying unless you are the Stanley cup winning champions, there is always room for change.

 

[Kin]

It's a good point, but just playing Devils advocate here. If they want to become one of the leagues best teams they will have to change things up to get over the final few remaining hurdles. Is it a pressing issue? Absolutely not. Just saying unless you are the Stanley cup winning champions, there is always room for change.

I feel like you're confusing the issue. The Leafs aren't going to become one of the best teams in the league over the next few games if they fiddle with their lines and nobody is arguing that Kapanen should be on the 4th line for the rest of his career. The question is whether or not moving Kapanen up into Hyman's spot would make the Leafs more competitive against the Capitals and that's where I get back to asking how much more competitive can they realistically be.

 

[ZBBM]

It's a good point, but just playing Devils advocate here. If they want to become one of the leagues best teams they will have to change things up to get over the final few remaining hurdles. Is it a pressing issue? Absolutely not. Just saying unless you are the Stanley cup winning champions, there is always room for change.

I feel like you're confusing the issue. The Leafs aren't going to become one of the best teams in the league over the next few games if they fiddle with their lines and nobody is arguing that Kapanen should be on the 4th line for the rest of his career. The question is whether or not moving Kapanen up into Hyman's spot would make the Leafs more competitive against the Capitals and that's where I get back to asking how much more competitive can they realistically be.

Nashville over Chicago competitive?  I for one will be satisfied with nothing less.

 

[Kin]

Nashville over Chicago competitive?  I for one will be satisfied with nothing less.

I can't pretend I watched any of that series yet but...

Shots through 2 games:

Toronto 88
Washington 94

Nashville 49
Chicago 59

 

[ZBBM]

Nashville over Chicago competitive?  I for one will be satisfied with nothing less.

I can't pretend I watched any of that series yet but...

Shots through 2 games:

Toronto 88
Washington 94

Nashville 49
Chicago 59

Really?  What's his name the unworthy CHI goaltender must be barfing it up.

 

[Bullfrog]

It's a good point, but just playing Devils advocate here. If they want to become one of the leagues best teams they will have to change things up to get over the final few remaining hurdles. Is it a pressing issue? Absolutely not. Just saying unless you are the Stanley cup winning champions, there is always room for change.

I feel like you're confusing the issue. The Leafs aren't going to become one of the best teams in the league over the next few games if they fiddle with their lines and nobody is arguing that Kapanen should be on the 4th line for the rest of his career. The question is whether or not moving Kapanen up into Hyman's spot would make the Leafs more competitive against the Capitals and that's where I get back to asking how much more competitive can they realistically be.

Does Kapanen even play LW?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Does Kapanen even play LW?

He flipped back and forth between wings with the Marlies a lot, although this season seems to have been mostly on the right.

 

[sickbeast]

I think swapping Kapanen with Hyman is a legitimate question.  Kapanen has more high end skill by far.  However I do believe that Hyman does a lot of the grunt work in digging out loose pucks for the Matthews line.  Plus I think the Leafs fourth line is doing fantastic in its current form.  It's their one line that seems to be consistently better than their Washington counterpart.  Actually all of the Leafs' forward lines have been doing great.

I still say leave well enough alone considering the fact that they are managing to compete against the best team in the league.

 

[Bullfrog]

Thanks Bearman. I didn't watch more than a couple of AHL games this year. Not that I'm advocating any line changes, but if they were to happen, I'd considere Komarov up in Hyman's spot. I think that line might benefit from a left-shooting winger.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

One thing that I would really like to see happen with Kapanen is playing him on the powerplay. I don't really get why he hasn't gotten any time there yet, even going back to the regular season. As much as I like Brown, he really hasn't done much with his powerplay time this season. Ditto for Komarov but since they're both righties swapping Kapanen for Brown would just be a little easier for the set-up they're using.

 

[Kin]

Does Kapanen even play LW?

In a long term sense I'm pretty comfortable with the notion that just about any winger can play either side. On last year's all-NHL teams both of the RW's were left handed shots(Kane, Tarasenko) and one of the LW's shot righty(Ovechkin).

 

[Bullfrog]

I'm mostly of that train of thought as well, Nik. I just wasn't sure if he'd had any experience there.

 

[herman]

If anything, Nylander definitely plays LW and occasionally swaps sides with Hyman already situationally.

 

[Highlander]

Still wouldn't mind seeing it for a few shifts, just to see if there is any chemistry, at the same time, I am an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kind of guy" so I also agree with Nik on that. Think the question has generated some interesting comments and Kapi will not be 4th line guy past these playoffs me thinks.