Preseason: Leafs @ Canadiens - Sept. 26th, 7:30pm - TSN4, TSN 1050

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1044601008897359872

The Leafs will be sending the above group to Montreal, making this the first time we'll see something resembling the opening night roster. It also means it'll be the first time Matthews and Tavares will share the ice, and the first time we'll see our stacked-but-no-Babcock-didn't-stack-it powerplay.

 

[Zee]

https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1044601008897359872

The Leafs will be sending the above group to Montreal, making this the first time we'll see something resembling the opening night roster. It also means it'll be the first time Matthews and Tavares will share the ice, and the first time we'll see our stacked-but-no-Babcock-didn't-stack-it powerplay.

I'd really like to see Johnsson with Tavares and Marner.

 

[Redleaf]

Ok. Enough with this Nylander debacle . He needs to be part of this group now (like tonight)in order to form the proper chemistry and get his game ready for opening night. William .... are you listening ?? I?ve got a pen.  8)

 

[Can8899]

Ok. Enough with this Nylander debacle . He needs to be part of this group now (like tonight)in order to form the proper chemistry and get his game ready for opening night. William .... are you listening ?? I?ve got a pen.  8)

I fear he's in it for the long haul.  I don't see him signing until at least late October (not based on anything other than a gut feeling). 

I hope I'm wrong but I see him only playing around 65-70 games this season.

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

Boys are playing hockey tonight while Nylander sits around getting fat eating bon bons. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'd really like to see Johnsson with Tavares and Marner.

Hyman will almost certainly be ready to go for opening night, so there's no point in throwing Johnsson there just for a pre-season game. Keep him on the 4th line and let those guys gel more.

 

[Kin]

Hyman will almost certainly be ready to go for opening night, so there's no point in throwing Johnsson there just for a pre-season game. Keep him on the 4th line and let those guys gel more.

I'm not so sure about that. Sure, in the Mike Babcock world where he changes lines at gunpoint only there wouldn't be a practical utility but we should probably get out of the idea of evaluating moves based on how likely Babcock is to make them.

Playing Johnsson there for a game would let Babcock maybe see if it would work in the regular season if Hyman misses a game or worlds collapse and Babcock could see something that changes his mind.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm not so sure about that. Sure, in the Mike Babcock world where he changes lines at gunpoint only there wouldn't be a practical utility but we should probably get out of the idea of evaluating moves based on how likely Babcock is to make them.

Playing Johnsson there for a game would let Babcock maybe see if it would work in the regular season if Hyman misses a game or worlds collapse and Babcock could see something that changes his mind.

Babcock... changing... lines? Sorry, you lost me.

 

[cabber24]

Dermott-Holl on the outside looking in? Borgman out of the top 8?

Our D needs help, Hainsey in the first pairing? We better score at least 6 a game.

 

[Zee]

Hyman will almost certainly be ready to go for opening night, so there's no point in throwing Johnsson there just for a pre-season game. Keep him on the 4th line and let those guys gel more.

I'm not so sure about that. Sure, in the Mike Babcock world where he changes lines at gunpoint only there wouldn't be a practical utility but we should probably get out of the idea of evaluating moves based on how likely Babcock is to make them.

Playing Johnsson there for a game would let Babcock maybe see if it would work in the regular season if Hyman misses a game or worlds collapse and Babcock could see something that changes his mind.

This was exactly my thinking.  Let's see if Johnsson can be productive playing with Tavares and Marner just in case we ever want to throw that line out there in the future.  I suspect he would be, but until you see it you don't know.

 

[cabber24]

Tavares line on top over Matthews?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm not so sure about that. Sure, in the Mike Babcock world where he changes lines at gunpoint only there wouldn't be a practical utility but we should probably get out of the idea of evaluating moves based on how likely Babcock is to make them.

Playing Johnsson there for a game would let Babcock maybe see if it would work in the regular season if Hyman misses a game or worlds collapse and Babcock could see something that changes his mind.

On a more serious note, if Babcock wants or is forced to make a change in November or December or something I'm not sure Johnsson's play on that line in a pre-season game in September is really going to make any difference in that decision one way or another.

One pre-season game isn't going to help the 4th line develop oodles of chemistry either, but I think it's effect there is probably a little more important. Especially considering Lindholm is still new to North American hockey and having stable linemates during this process probably helps him transition.

 

[Kin]

On a more serious note, if Babcock wants or is forced to make a change in November or December or something I'm not sure Johnsson's play on that line in a pre-season game in September is really going to make any difference in that decision one way or another.

One pre-season game isn't going to help the 4th line develop oodles of chemistry either, but I think it's effect there is probably a little more important. Especially considering Lindholm is still new to North American hockey and having stable linemates during this process probably helps him transition.

I don't fundamentally disagree with anything here, just that I think there is value in using the pre-season as a bit of an experiment. Not a ton, no, but like you say there's but none of this crap really matters so you might as well get freaky with it.

 

[Highlander]

Interesting Picard getting more time, you would think McBackup would be offered another chance in this game to really cement his place.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Interesting Picard getting more time, you would think McBackup would be offered another chance in this game to really cement his place.

Andersen is probably scheduled to play the full game.

 

[cabber24]

I hope the Leafs crush them tonight. Completely demoralize their group especially that turtleneck wearing mofo.

 

[herman]

I hope the Leafs crush them tonight. Completely demoralize their group especially that turtleneck wearing mofo.

I always have to assume you're just trying to be funny.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I hope the Leafs crush them tonight. Completely demoralize their group especially that turtleneck wearing mofo.

I always have to assume you're just trying to be funny.

Screw that guy who saved our butts against Boston when Kadri got himself suspended!

 

[cabber24]

I hope the Leafs crush them tonight. Completely demoralize their group especially that turtleneck wearing mofo.

I always have to assume you're just trying to be funny.

Screw that guy who saved our butts against Boston when Kadri got himself suspended!

Agreed, he gave us one solid game during his tenure.

I do hope we dominate tonight. We're on complete opposite ends of the spectrum for the first time in a while, let's enjoy it.

 

[Hobbes]

Interesting Picard getting more time, you would think McBackup would be offered another chance in this game to really cement his place.

Andersen is probably scheduled to play the full game.

Probably also fair to say that Bobcock/Dubas know exactly what they have in McBackup and there's little or nothing a single preseason game would do to change that opinion. He's a known commodity and his body of work over the last season and a half as an NHL backup speaks for itself. It's Sparks who had to prove that his success at the AHL level could translate to the NHL and challenge for the job. I suspect Sparks will get one more chance to show that but he's been less than convincing thus far.