Leafs @ Penguins - Dec 9, 7:00pm - CBC

[herman]

Although when you have to keep adjusting your lineup because it isn't working, maybe you should just start with the lineup that eventually does get things going?

I don't know that it matters. I prefer the lineup being situationally flexible and I know the depth players coming up the pipeline all have that utility/capabilty because the most talented Marlies are being groomed to play both sides of the puck.

 

[herman]

I still don't understand using Marner with your team's two worst defensive forwards. That's literally the worst possible spot in the lineup for him.

I really don't get a lot of these lineup decisions but hey, they keep winning and their coach is a legend, what the hell do I know..

Maybe forcing Marner to become a better defensive player?

It's partially to defensively shelter Marner too, because Babcock was going to defensively shelter those two anyway. I'm pretty sure we will see Marner with Kadri or Matthews more next season when he starts to get the Kadri/Reilly treatment.

 

[Andy007]

I still don't understand using Marner with your team's two worst defensive forwards. That's literally the worst possible spot in the lineup for him.

I really don't get a lot of these lineup decisions but hey, they keep winning and their coach is a legend, what the hell do I know..

Maybe forcing Marner to become a better defensive player?

(_!_)

 

[Andy007]

I still don't understand using Marner with your team's two worst defensive forwards. That's literally the worst possible spot in the lineup for him.

I really don't get a lot of these lineup decisions but hey, they keep winning and their coach is a legend, what the hell do I know..

Maybe forcing Marner to become a better defensive player?

It's partially to defensively shelter Marner too, because Babcock was going to defensively shelter those two anyway. I'm pretty sure we will see Marner with Kadri or Matthews more next season when he starts to get the Kadri/Reilly treatment.

I guess there's more going on than meets the eye. I just see that Bozak line game in and out (dating back to all of last year) unable to even touch the puck, let alone clear it, in the defensive zone and wonder why they are all still together.

 

[Frank E]

I still don't understand using Marner with your team's two worst defensive forwards. That's literally the worst possible spot in the lineup for him.

I really don't get a lot of these lineup decisions but hey, they keep winning and their coach is a legend, what the hell do I know..

Maybe forcing Marner to become a better defensive player?

(_!_)

 

[herman]

I guess there's more going on than meets the eye. I just see that Bozak line game in and out (dating back to all of last year) unable to even touch the puck, let alone clear it, in the defensive zone and wonder why they are all still together.

Further to your post previous this quoted one, I think it's to prevent them from tainting the defensive capabilities of the others. It's easier for the coach to shelter one line than to have to make special situational considerations for all the lines.

For example:
Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
JvR - Kadri - Komarov
Marleau - Bozak - Marner
Martin - Moore - Brown

That breaks up the JvR - Bozak garbage hole and adds more defensive responsibility to Bozak's line making for a more balanced lineup, but a) it saps offense from what could be a sheltered scoring line, and more critically b) nerfs the defensive capabilities of a shutdown Kadri line. Might as well lean into your lines' strengths and deploy them accordingly if your players don't have enough dimensions.

 

[Frank E]

I think it's easier to palate Bozak's less than great defensive game when he's putting up 50 points and winning big faceoffs. 

He's tracking 32 points, on an expiring contract no less, and really isn't doing anything very well, even playing "sheltered" minutes.  He's shooting a 9.3%, which is well below his average of 12% over the past couple of seasons, so maybe there's more there, but I don't see him creating out there as we've seen from him in the past.

 

[Strangelove]

Babcock is just clowning around and Nylander is moving up, right? Right?

Nylander played 17+ and 19+ minutes in his last 2 games.

Isn't much more "moving up" than that, no matter where he's slotted on the lineup card.

Sure but if Nylander is playing ~10 minutes with Martin and Moore, that is a terrible use of one of your best forwards, regardless of how much he plays. Even more so given that these combinations have not worked for a number of games, during which the team has only started to respond when Babcock plays more sensible line combinations in the second and third periods.

Yes it's possible to rationalize playing Nylander with Martin in various ways, but an honest look at the situation suggests that it doesn't make sense and isn't working.

 

[herman]

Minor updates from the Penguins beat:
McKegg has been loaned to the AHL, with Dominik Simon coming back the other way.

Josh Archibald is on a conditioning stint.

Kuhnhackl didn?t practice Friday after an in-game collision with Reaves and there hasn?t been an official update on his status yet.

Now Corrado?s been sent down for Kevin Czuczman.
https://twitter.com/sethrorabaugh/status/939508504427204609

 

[cujo4ever]

Go Leafs Go!

Kessel is pretty much guaranteed to score tonight.

 

[disco]

Game day! 1 game in 7 days made Adam something-something...

After collecting 'shrooms on the bench McBackup getting three starts in ten days! It's fricking gangbusters till New Years.

 

[puckinthehead]

Leafs going to come out flying tonight and play 60 mins? Or do we need to hire Gary Roberts back for some energizer smoothie drinks? (Redbull and milk   

 

[AvroArrow]

Noice!

 

[Al14]

Brown scores! 1-0 Leafs.

 

[AvroArrow]

Noice again!

 

[Al14]

JvR scores! 2-0 Leafs.

 

[L K]

Pittsburgh?s goaltender.......ummmmmmm

 

[freer]

Great start to the game.

 

[L K]

Maybe there should be a rule where the Pittsburgh player can?t shove the Leafs player offside.  I don?t know, maybe you could call it interference?

 

[barney_rebel]

We rule btw


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