Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins - Round 1

[Guilt Trip]

Leafs need to play their game,  not easy to do but that simple. Whoever gets the easier matchup, not against Bergeroncan hopefully produce. Our 3rd and 4th lines need to outplay theirs too. Our goalie is better!

 

[disco]

- Kadri will (hopefully) ride the physical line without a suspension.

This... has not aged well. Let's just pretend he tore his ACL on that DeBrusk knee :-\

Let's have a look at the Eastern Conference Round One:
CBJ leads TB 3-0.
NYI leads PGH 3-0.
WASH leads CAR 2-0.

The road is open. Get in there and take it Buds! Slay that dirty dragon.

 

[93forever]

However, the two wild cards are Kadri and Gardiner.  If Kadri can be a pest and create some offense and if Gardiner can stop passing the puck to Bruin players, and actually play defense responsibly, the Leafs will take out the Bruins in 7.

Really? That's the difference between a loss in 5 and a win in 7?

Like I said, Kadri and Gardiner will be keys to the series.  Who knows what would have happened if Kadri wasn't a bonehead in game 2.  Maybe the Leafs get a second goal.  They need Gardiner to play solid defensively which is what he is doing, but the Kadri thing may cost the Leafs the series.  If I am wrong and the Leafs take the series, I will be the first to say that you were right and I was wrong, I do hope I am wrong, I really do.

Yesterday the Bruins were the team I feared.  Big, physical, fast, and mean.  Losing Kadri will be brutal.  I am hopeful that the Leafs can pull it off but I definitely think Boston is in the driver's seat now, particularly if they can win game 3 and win back home ice advantage.  Who comes off the bench to fill in while Kadri is out?

Hopefully Babcock can pull off some coaching wizardry.  We'll see tomorrow.

I am glad I was wrong.  The way the Leafs played last night, it shows they can actually play playoff hockey and win.

 

[Zee]

Babcock has to identify that Marleau isn't doing anything out there and needs his ice time cut.  Moore and Ennis did more with 6 minutes of ice than Marleau did in almost double that time.

 

[cabber24]

Babcock has to identify that Marleau isn't doing anything out there and needs his ice time cut.  Moore and Ennis did more with 6 minutes of ice than Marleau did in almost double that time.

Babcock has been solid. The ice time distribution has been great.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Babcock has to identify that Marleau isn't doing anything out there and needs his ice time cut.  Moore and Ennis did more with 6 minutes of ice than Marleau did in almost double that time.

I don't buy that. I actually find Marleau to be contributing quite well. Can we swap Moore in the odd time? Sure. But I don't think a full swap will help the team. Just my opinion though.

 

[Chris]

I'm OK with Marleau's usage right now. Only 11 minutes last night, that's about right. As long as he never appears on LW
with Matthews I'm happy.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/DreamofJanney/status/1118171532973490176

Props to Muzzin-Zaitsev for doing the actual work here but credit needs to go to Babs too. We've all criticized his line-up/deployment at some point or another but switching from Rielly-Hainsey to that pairing for the Bergeron assignment is one of the biggest reasons we're up 2-1 right now.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/scottcwheeler/status/1118161550479482881

Is there really anything to complain about right now?

 

[Coco-puffs]

https://twitter.com/scottcwheeler/status/1118161550479482881

Is there really anything to complain about right now?

Yes.  Marleau should have a bigger number after that minus.  Not surprising to me that the Nylander line was the worst one possession wise last night.  And I thought Willy played a really good game!  Would really like to see:

Moore-Nylander-Brown
Marleau-Goat-Ennis

(I don't think Marleau-Brown works well at all, and I think it would make the 4th line too weak so I prefer to split them up)

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Yes.  Marleau should have a bigger number after that minus.  Not surprising to me that the Nylander line was the worst one possession wise last night.  And I thought Willy played a really good game!  Would really like to see:

Moore-Nylander-Brown
Marleau-Goat-Ennis

(I don't think Marleau-Brown works well at all, and I think it would make the 4th line too weak so I prefer to split them up)

I don't really expect any changes to the line-up right now but if I was in charge I'd go:

Johnsson-Matthews-Brown
Marleau-Nylander-Kapanen

With the 1st and 4th lines staying the way they are. Brown's really stepped up in the playoffs and would add a Hyman-like presence to the Matthews line. Marleau and Kappy, IIRC, have had some success together with Kadri and obviously Nylander and Kapanen know each other well.

 

[Coco-puffs]

Yes.  Marleau should have a bigger number after that minus.  Not surprising to me that the Nylander line was the worst one possession wise last night.  And I thought Willy played a really good game!  Would really like to see:

Moore-Nylander-Brown
Marleau-Goat-Ennis

(I don't think Marleau-Brown works well at all, and I think it would make the 4th line too weak so I prefer to split them up)

I don't really expect any changes to the line-up right now but if I was in charge I'd go:

Johnsson-Matthews-Brown
Marleau-Nylander-Kapanen

With the 1st and 4th lines staying the way they are. Brown's really stepped up in the playoffs and would add a Hyman-like presence to the Matthews line. Marleau and Kappy, IIRC, have had some success together with Kadri and obviously Nylander and Kapanen know each other well.

I thought of your option as well.  I think on the road, where you won't control the matchups, his defense is stronger and that would really help the Matthews line if they have to face the Bergeron unit. 

Also, Brown is much smarter out there.  Kapanen is all speed but makes poor decisions.  Brown typically makes good ones, but lacks the physical gifts to be more than a 3rd liner.  I wonder if Matthews doesn't really need the speed of Kapanen, but someone smarter on that wing. 

 

[Zee]

Babcock has to identify that Marleau isn't doing anything out there and needs his ice time cut.  Moore and Ennis did more with 6 minutes of ice than Marleau did in almost double that time.

I don't buy that. I actually find Marleau to be contributing quite well. Can we swap Moore in the odd time? Sure. But I don't think a full swap will help the team. Just my opinion though.

Contributing in what way? I don't see him doing much of anything out there.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Babcock has to identify that Marleau isn't doing anything out there and needs his ice time cut.  Moore and Ennis did more with 6 minutes of ice than Marleau did in almost double that time.

Babcock has been solid. The ice time distribution has been great.

Now hold one here just a minute. Here's a little stat for you that might alter your opinion slightly.
Johnsson and Kappy are considered 1st line players yes? Yes.
Game 1, Leaf win
TOI...Mango 17:52, 16:52(EV), Kappy 18:28, 17:10(EV)
Game 2, Leaf Loss
TOI...Mango 10:40, 9:52(EV), Kappy 15:52, 10:54(EV)
Game 3, Leaf Win
TOI...Mango 18:40, 16:16(EV), Kappy 17:46, 15:22(EV)
How does Johnsson and Kappy to an extent play so little in game 2? Johnsson was the 4th lowest TOI in game 2, 3 minutes less then Marleau who was 5th. 3 MINUTES people.
So Babs has done a great job with ice in game 1 and 3 but not so much in game 2.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Johnsson and Kappy are considered 1st line players yes?

No. I mean even if you're just saying anyone playing on the 1st line is a 1st line player it's still incorrect since the Tavares line is pretty much without question the 1st line right now.

How does Johnsson and Kappy to an extent play so little in game 2? Johnsson was the 4th lowest TOI in game 2, 3 minutes less then Marleau who was 5th. 3 MINUTES people.

So Babs has done a great job with ice in game 1 and 3 but not so much in game 2.

If you check the shift chart from game 2 you'll see that Johnsson pretty much got shafted because of all the penalties that were called in the 2nd half of the game. He was playing a consistent shift in the 1st half and then the Leafs spent 8:20 of the 2nd half on the PK and over 4 minutes on the PP. He of course doesn't play PK and the big guns ate up most of those PP minutes. In between all those penalties Babs shook up the lines a little bit and had Matthews going out with different players and yeah Johnsson got lost in the shuffle a little bit. Yeah, Marleau got a little more ice-time in that portion of the game and maybe he shouldn't have but we're talking about the difference of 2 or 3 shifts. Johnsson also had a 33% CF on the night so maybe Babs just didn't think he was bringing in that night.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I won't quote you as there's too much to read! Thanks for finding all the info. I was just looking at the TOI/EV icetime and not all the other stuff. Makes sense now. Having said that tho he still shouldn't have 3 minutes less then Marleau and Nylander in that game lol. So we can safely say if Johnsson plays over 16 mins, the Leafs win? Kidding. Thx CTB.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

So we can safely say if Johnsson plays over 16 mins, the Leafs win?

I think it's pretty safe to say that Babcock was either resting Johnsson for game 3 or motivating him to play better in game 3 by cutting his ice-time and therefore if he did play 16 minutes maybe we win game 2 but we definitely lose game 3 therefore Babcock should be awarded the Jack Adams immediately.

 

[Guilt Trip]

So we can safely say if Johnsson plays over 16 mins, the Leafs win?

I think it's pretty safe to say that Babcock was either resting Johnsson for game 3 or motivating him to play better in game 3 by cutting his ice-time and therefore if he did play 16 minutes maybe we win game 2 but we definitely lose game 3 therefore Babcock should be awarded the Jack Adams immediately.

Haha, good one!

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Babcock has to identify that Marleau isn't doing anything out there and needs his ice time cut.  Moore and Ennis did more with 6 minutes of ice than Marleau did in almost double that time.

I don't buy that. I actually find Marleau to be contributing quite well. Can we swap Moore in the odd time? Sure. But I don't think a full swap will help the team. Just my opinion though.

Contributing in what way? I don't see him doing much of anything out there.

Banging Bodies, driving the play deep, forcing the defense to move the puck quickly. It's nothing to jump up and down about, but it's things that a line with Nylander needs as he doesn't drive the play or bang bodies. He's a perimeter player and there's nothing wrong with that.. Brown and Marleau may not be ideal. But Marleau belongs on the 3rd line IMO.

What are you looking for out of him?

 

[Guilt Trip]

Babcock has to identify that Marleau isn't doing anything out there and needs his ice time cut.  Moore and Ennis did more with 6 minutes of ice than Marleau did in almost double that time.

I don't buy that. I actually find Marleau to be contributing quite well. Can we swap Moore in the odd time? Sure. But I don't think a full swap will help the team. Just my opinion though.

Contributing in what way? I don't see him doing much of anything out there.

Banging Bodies, driving the play deep, forcing the defense to move the puck quickly. It's nothing to jump up and down about, but it's things that a line with Nylander needs as he doesn't drive the play or bang bodies. He's a perimeter player and there's nothing wrong with that.. Brown and Marleau may not be ideal. But Marleau belongs on the 3rd line IMO.

What are you looking for out of him?

I think we should expect him to be more then a 4th line player which is essentially what he is. I think he played well in game 1 though and was a big factor in the Nylander goal. We also need Nylander to be more then a 4th line player to, which is what he's become. He may have been better yesterday but being better then that tire fire on Saturday isn't hard to do. Fact is late in the game Babs put Goat out there with the 3rd line and sat him. Nylander's compete level needs to be a lot better.