Blue Jackets @ Leafs - Nov. 25th, 7:00pm - SN, SN 590

[Chev-boyar-sky]

And of course here's my answer:

Paul Hendrick ‏@HennyTweets 1m
Bozak back on the top line. Holland drops to the 4th line. Smith and smithson appear to be healthy scratches tonight. #TMLtalk

Have fun with Orr and McLaren Holland.

You know, Holland with Smith and Smithson could be a pretty good 4th line. Some offence, defence, hitting and shot-blocking ability.

That's a 4th line you can count on when you give them the odd shift.

Of course there's no chance it'll happen under the current coach but maybe in the future.

EDIT: Or even better McClement with Smith and Smithson with Holland on the 3rd line until Bolland comes back.

 

[proteus2000]

And of course here's my answer:

Paul Hendrick ‏@HennyTweets 1m
Bozak back on the top line. Holland drops to the 4th line. Smith and smithson appear to be healthy scratches tonight. #TMLtalk

Have fun with Orr and McLaren Holland.

You know, Holland with Smith and Smithson could be a pretty good 4th line. Some offence, defence, hitting and shot-blocking ability.

That's a 4th line you can count on when you give them the odd shift.

Of course there's no chance it'll happen under the current coach but maybe in the future.

I like it. The projected lines the bear put out would be decent as well. Regardless, putting mclaren in for his 3 useless min when we have to sit 2 of smithson smith and holland, is truly baffling.

 

[nutman]

I would sit the two punchers, and play the Smiths. we don't need punchers until we play teams that employ them. throw four lines at teams and up the attack. We will have less shots against and more scoring chances. Carlyle needs to get with it.

 

[lamajama]

Wouldn't that be an interesting game - rolling out a 4th line that could actually skate, never mind maybe score?

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

And of course here's my answer:

Paul Hendrick ‏@HennyTweets 1m
Bozak back on the top line. Holland drops to the 4th line. Smith and smithson appear to be healthy scratches tonight. #TMLtalk

Have fun with Orr and McLaren Holland.

You know, Holland with Smith and Smithson could be a pretty good 4th line. Some offence, defence, hitting and shot-blocking ability.

That's a 4th line you can count on when you give them the odd shift.

Of course there's no chance it'll happen under the current coach but maybe in the future.

I like it. The projected lines the bear put out would be decent as well. Regardless, putting mclaren in for his 3 useless min when we have to sit 2 of smithson smith and holland, is truly baffling.

I agree. Food for thought:

Orr and Mclaren:

32 GP, 0 Pts, 108 PIM, 8 SOG, 55 Hits, 9 BLK

Smith and Smithson:

21 GP, 6 pts, 2 PIM, 13 SOG, 34 Hits, 15 BLK

So you give up PIM's to gain Pts/SOG/BLK and remain roughly the same in Hits.

It seems like a pretty obvious choice to me, but then again I've never played or coached in the NHL.

Edit: Add in that Smithson has actually played good PK minutes and that he's 61.2% on face-offs and the decision gets even more obvious. If McClement is hurt in a game or is the one in the box McLaren and Orr sure aren't going to be of use.

 

[Strangelove]

McClement should be on the 4th line. His offence is non-existent and his defence five on five is, in my opinion, pretty shoddy.  Giveaways are his MO.

Randy seems hellbent on icing a terrible 4th line and offensively bereft third line though, so I expect things to stay the way they are.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

As far as I'm concerned the best line-up this organization could ice would be:

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Clarkson
Raymond-Holland-Kulemin
McClement-Smithson-Ashton

With Bozak and Holland switching spots against teams like Pittsburgh, Washington, and the Islanders when Carlyle would prefer to use a checking line against a star as opposed to going power on power.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/blog.html?b=sports.nationalpost.com/2013/11/25/toronto-maple-leafs-tyler-bozak-to-return-to-lineup-against-columbus-blue-jackets

I'm still not Bozak's biggest fan, but I'm loving the interactions between him and Kessel in the media.

 

[drummond]

I apologize to all former Leafs enforcers such as Ken Baumgartner, Warren Rychel, Tie Domi, Kris King or Wade Belak. They were actually able to play hockey. Domi was certainly an exception, but all of them were able to chip in here and there.

 

[Stickytape]

And of course here's my answer:

Paul Hendrick ‏@HennyTweets 1m
Bozak back on the top line. Holland drops to the 4th line. Smith and smithson appear to be healthy scratches tonight. #TMLtalk

It's a weird feeling, being so baffled and yet so totally not at all surprised at the same time.  I don't think there's a word for this exact feeling yet, but I would like to suggest that it be named after Carlyle in some way.

eg: "John Scott decapitated a player last night, but Brendan Shanahan decided not to schedule a hearing.  Colour me Carlyled!"

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

@markhmasters

Clarkson on Bozak return: "Any time you get one of the top players in the league back it definitely boosts your lineup"

Okay.

 

[drummond]

@markhmasters

Clarkson on Bozak return: "Any time you get one of the top players in the league back it definitely boosts your lineup"

Okay.

Potvin, do not pretend you are surprised 8)

 

[Zee]

@markhmasters

Clarkson on Bozak return: "Any time you get one of the top players in the league back it definitely boosts your lineup"

Okay.

Oh I see the issue now, Clarkson should have said "Any time you get the top player in the league back it definitely boosts your lineup"

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Maybe he meant in the club.

 

[Kin]

The fact checking these guys do on their compliments is just embarrassing.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I'd like to make it clear that I take David Clarkson's comment VERY seriously and I truly require someone to comment and let me know not to take it so seriously.

 

[Kin]

I mean, if he submitted that to me he'd get a great big "needs citation" in red ink and one, maybe even two underlines.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

@markhmasters

Clarkson on Bozak return: "Any time you get one of the top players in the league back it definitely boosts your lineup"

Okay.

Oh I see the issue now, Clarkson should have said "Any time you get the top player in the league back it definitely boosts your lineup"

David Clarkson knew what he was saying.  He knew the ramifications of what he was saying could potentially be catastrophic. 

 

[Stickytape]

Maybe he meant in the club.

Or he meant a different league.

 

[Peter D.]

Will Ranger be sitting again?  Has there been any mention of that?