Sabres @ Leafs - Apr. 2nd, 7:00pm - TSN4, TSN 1050

[Coco-puffs]

Dermott-Rielly, Gardiner-Polak(Carrick), Hainsey-Zaitsev if that means Hainsey-Zaitsev get hard minutes and can survive.  (Carrick in brackets because I prefer him, but we know Babs is gonna play Polak)

I think Polak, Plekanec, and Komarov are going to be givens in our initial playoff lineups, given Babcock's leanings. I like Carrick over Polak, but if Carrick needs to be deployed in Polak's role (hard PK mashing), I actually prefer Polak as that's really not Carrick's exact wheelhouse. Heck, it's Polak > Zaitsev right now, which is so horrifying to say.

Rielly-Dermott when chasing; Rielly-Hainsey when leading makes sense and they've already been doing that.

Hainsey-Zaitsev for tough matchups would not be my preference, but probably a great 3rd pair if deployed that way.

Yeah, I doubt the guys Babcock trusts in the defensive zone the most would get 3rd pair deployment though. 

I really wish we could have seen Dermott in a Top-4 role to end the season though (with one of him or Rielly moving to the right side).  At this point, him back for the playoffs is the most important thing.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Heck, it's Polak > Zaitsev right now, which is so horrifying to say.

6 more years! 6 more years! 6 more years!

 

[herman]

Yeah, I doubt the guys Babcock trusts in the defensive zone the most would get 3rd pair deployment though. 

I really wish we could have seen Dermott in a Top-4 role to end the season though (with one of him or Rielly moving to the right side).  At this point, him back for the playoffs is the most important thing.

Ideally, Dermott takes the top-4 RD and pushes one of Hainsey or Zaitsev down to play with Borgman next season. Oh, and a top-4 RD comes in via transaction of some sort.

Heck, it's Polak > Zaitsev right now, which is so horrifying to say.

6 more years! 6 more years! 6 more years!

This year had some injury and other circumstantial issues. I think he's playing a role that he isn't good at yet (stopper vs rover as he was in the KHL). It's certainly a role we need filled, but I don't know that Zaitsev gets there by next season.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

This year had some injury and other circumstantial issues. I think he's playing a role that he isn't good at yet (stopper vs rover as he was in the KHL). It's certainly a role we need filled, but I don't know that Zaitsev gets there by next season.

Lots of players in the NHL have children. Heck, Marleau has 6 of them and he's doing fine.

 

[herman]

PP2 getting first crack each opportunity has already yielded results almost right away, which is not all that surprising given the firepower.

I like that the Leafs have built two similarly shaped but completely distinct attacks out of their powerplay groups; it will be hard for opponents to defend against both even over the course of a playoff series with intense, tailored scouting and tactics.

I am curious to see where it ends up going next year with the assumed loss of JvR and to a lesser extent, Bozak. The Marner unit can still work in theory, but JvR really makes regular chances turn into excellent chances in close.

 

[herman]

This year had some injury and other circumstantial issues. I think he's playing a role that he isn't good at yet (stopper vs rover as he was in the KHL). It's certainly a role we need filled, but I don't know that Zaitsev gets there by next season.

Lots of players in the NHL have children. Heck, Marleau has 6 of them and he's doing fine.

Marleau's situation is a bit charmed. Heck, two of his kids are already 60+ point players on the team.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I am curious to see where it ends up going next year with the assumed loss of JvR and to a lesser extent, Bozak. The Marner unit can still work in theory, but JvR really makes regular chances turn into excellent chances in close.

            Tavares
Kapanen-Kadri-Marner
            Rielly

 

[herman]

I am curious to see where it ends up going next year with the assumed loss of JvR and to a lesser extent, Bozak. The Marner unit can still work in theory, but JvR really makes regular chances turn into excellent chances in close.

            Tavares
Kapanen-Kadri-Marner
            Rielly

 

[louisstamos]

Lots of players in the NHL have children. Heck, Marleau has 6 of them and he's doing fine.