Leafs @ sens - Mar. 25th, 7:00pm - TSN4, Fan 590

[L K]

Nylander was just straight up garbage tonight.

It looked like he was turning it around over the last week or two going to the front of the net and danger areas, and tonight he was right back to skating lazy laps around the periphery.

I only watched the 3rd period so I can only comment on that. I though Nylander, Galchenyuk and Tavares looked dangerous. Nylander was the first man back too on every backcheck. From what I watched, I have no issue with his game.

They were all over the ice.  This feels like one of those check the statsheet and don't see goals so therefore Nylander was bad comments.  If there was any line that I felt struggled last night it was the Thornton/Spezza/Kerfoot trio.  Then they scored a goal.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

They were all over the ice.  This feels like one of those check the statsheet and don't see goals so therefore Nylander was bad comments.  If there was any line that I felt struggled last night it was the Thornton/Spezza/Kerfoot trio.  Then they scored a goal.

Yeah I made a comment about how I was just about to say I wasn't loving that line and then they scored. Also not crazy about Simmonds on the top line. I'd swap him with any one of Thornton/Spezza/Kerfoot... preferably Thornton since I just think that trio works well together.

 

[L K]

They were all over the ice.  This feels like one of those check the statsheet and don't see goals so therefore Nylander was bad comments.  If there was any line that I felt struggled last night it was the Thornton/Spezza/Kerfoot trio.  Then they scored a goal.

Yeah I made a comment about how I was just about to say I wasn't loving that line and then they scored. Also not crazy about Simmonds on the top line. I'd swap him with any one of Thornton/Spezza/Kerfoot... preferably Thornton since I just think that trio works well together.

I kind of like the idea of trying Spezza on that line with Matthews wrist not really letting him be the dominant scorer that he usually is.  Spezza's speed is going to be an issue like Thornton but I'd be interested to see Spezza finishing feeds from Marner.

 

[bustaheims]

I only watched the 3rd period so I can only comment on that. I though Nylander, Galchenyuk and Tavares looked dangerous. Nylander was the first man back too on every backcheck. From what I watched, I have no issue with his game.

I thought they looked pretty good all night, quite frankly. There may be an individual play or two or a shift here and there where they weren't at their best, but this was certainly not a game I walked away from thinking anyone looked bad or lazy or whatever narrative people want to use for their continued efforts to push Nylander out the door.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/JhanHky/status/1375257322461798408
Spezza's goal was pretty lucky in and of itself, but how it was generated was somewhat weird.

Meanwhile, Nylander and Galchenyuk sift through the NZ with give and goes and then hand it off to JT down low who repeatedly insists on skating the puck into 3 checkers and we go back the other way. But if it works, that'll be two dangerous shooters with space. One day... it'll happen again.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/1375262294045773829

This is still insane to me. Why can we as fans not get a simple explanation to why that ref decided that was not a trip as per the NHL's rulebook?

 

[herman]

The one Nylander play I didn't really like was
https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1375232347176636419

Circumstantially, it's the PP, and Nylander is usually the first forward back to be an outlet for the defenseman who should already be there; but Brodie blew a tire trying to stop that VERY errant low-high pass.

Willy gets back in time to stay on top of the forechecker (in case he gets the puck first and centres it), but also be available for Campbell to slip the puck out to quickly turn it around. Tierney takes a great route to stifle Jack's options and the goalie can't get it past his stick. the puck takes a fortuitous bounce right into the slot. If Jack just lifts it higher or sends it a bit earlier, or just asses Tierney out of the play, he'd have been okay.

Two things I think Nylander could have done better to help this
1) easy read of the lack of space Campbell was about to be in, shoulder check on coming danger, and yell for Jack to reverse out the weak side where Tierney is not a factor.
2) come back extremely hard and angle off the forechecker wider or at least tie up his stick.

So the end result looks a bit like Willy is being his usual 'lazy' self (he's a pretty efficient glider), when he was actually weighing the cost-benefit to give his PP unit a bit more offense time.

 

[Zee]

https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/1375262294045773829

This is still insane to me. Why can we as fans not get a simple explanation to why that ref decided that was not a trip as per the NHL's rulebook?

Truly pathetic.  Guy covering his mic so we can't hear why he didn't call the trip.  We know he saw it he was right there.

 

[herman]

I can read lips*, so here's what the ref said:
"I have nothing to say, Wayne, move along."

"Honestly, I was just tired of watching you guys whizz around setting up one timer muffins for f--'n Marner of all people."

"Yeah man, sometimes Rielly too."


* I can't

 

[herman]

Matthews very much bailed out Marner, who both killed a winning chance (pass to Rielly), and then spring Ottawa for a 3v1 against a tired Matthews.

Here's a better clip of all of it
https://twitter.com/DubscoHockey/status/1375263185213648901

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Great defensive play by Matthews to take advantage of it, but that was a TERRIBLE pass by Chabot. You have a 3 on 1 developing in OT and you decide to try and pass it through a guy instead of carrying the puck a little more or just moving it to the wide open player.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

They were all over the ice.  This feels like one of those check the statsheet and don't see goals so therefore Nylander was bad comments.  If there was any line that I felt struggled last night it was the Thornton/Spezza/Kerfoot trio.  Then they scored a goal.

Yeah I made a comment about how I was just about to say I wasn't loving that line and then they scored. Also not crazy about Simmonds on the top line. I'd swap him with any one of Thornton/Spezza/Kerfoot... preferably Thornton since I just think that trio works well together.

I kind of like the idea of trying Spezza on that line with Matthews wrist not really letting him be the dominant scorer that he usually is.  Spezza's speed is going to be an issue like Thornton but I'd be interested to see Spezza finishing feeds from Marner.

I think that Spezza's speed, or lack of speed, won't be as noticeable as Thornton's.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Meanwhile, Nylander and Galchenyuk sift through the NZ with give and goes and then hand it off to JT down low who repeatedly insists on skating the puck into 3 checkers and we go back the other way. But if it works, that'll be two dangerous shooters with space. One day... it'll happen again.

Do you think that Tavares skating the puck into traffic is a matter of necessity(not being presented options by his wingers) or a matter of him always doing this in his career and just not having the hand speed this season?
The play he made in front of the net in OT was fantastic though I think he was disappointed with the shot he got off.

 

[herman]

Meanwhile, Nylander and Galchenyuk sift through the NZ with give and goes and then hand it off to JT down low who repeatedly insists on skating the puck into 3 checkers and we go back the other way. But if it works, that'll be two dangerous shooters with space. One day... it'll happen again.

Do you think that Tavares skating the puck into traffic is a matter of necessity(not being presented options by his wingers) or a matter of him always doing this in his career and just not having the hand speed this season?
The play he made in front of the net in OT was fantastic though I think he was disappointed with the shot he got off.

I think it's mostly been his go-to for this career and it's working a lot less than before these past couple of years. He was crushing the sens 1v1 just fine, but once it gets to 2 or 3 sets of feet and sticks, it's just not happening unless he already has the speed advantage (rare!).

Tavares looked off Nylander on more than a few sequences as he was working around the net.

 

[Bill_Berg]

I can read lips*, so here's what the ref said:
"I have nothing to say, Wayne, move along."

"Honestly, I was just tired of watching you guys whizz around setting up one timer muffins for f--'n Marner of all people."

"Yeah man, sometimes Rielly too."


* I can't

Fuzzy wuzzy was a woman?

 

[Bullfrog]

Great defensive play by Matthews to take advantage of it, but that was a TERRIBLE pass by Chabot. You have a 3 on 1 developing in OT and you decide to try and pass it through a guy instead of carrying the puck a little more or just moving it to the wide open player.

It really was bad. Maybe he shouldn't play 40 minutes a night?

 

[azzurri63]

Nylander was just straight up garbage tonight.

It looked like he was turning it around over the last week or two going to the front of the net and danger areas, and tonight he was right back to skating lazy laps around the periphery.

Unfortunately this is what you get with Willy. He?s a bit of an enigma. Can play great and can disappear. Inconsistent at its finest and quite honestly that won?t change in my opinion that?s why you trade him elsewhere. Dubas? problem is his loyalty to some of these guys. Team won?t go anywhere with that mentality. I still think the makeup of this team isn?t where it needs to be to win a cup. Dubas needs to make some changes and Nylander is one that can be shipped out.

Imagine being called inconsistent and being on track for 30 goals in an 82 game season.

Guy getting paid 7 million and on pace for 60 points yep definitely a bargain. I think some of you guys get caught up in stats, analytics, possession etc. Bottom line is he is one of this teams stars and that line has been far too inconsistent. 18 million between him and JT and they for the most part have been disappointing. Nylander has all the talent in the world but his work ethic, grit etc will always come into question. He is who he is. Galchenyuk for all the praise he has been getting on here I will put money on it that he will not be on either of the top 2 lines come playoffs if he is still with the big team which is questionable. I will be the first to admit I expect more of some players even the top line has been garbage but some on here are happy with mediocrity. That for me doesn't cut it especially when your making big bucks. I would like to see the top 2 lines switched up as some have suggested. Marner back with JT and Nylander with Matthews as the goal scoring has been a concern. Matthews yes isn't 100% so I'll cut him a bit of slack and he has been looking a bit better recently with the injury but the big 4 need to be better.

 

[Deebo]

I think some of you guys get caught up in stats, analytics, possession etc.

I think you get too caught up in players looking like they are trying.

 

[ZBBM]

https://twitter.com/JhanHky/status/1375257322461798408
Spezza's goal was pretty lucky in and of itself, but how it was generated was somewhat weird.

Meanwhile, Nylander and Galchenyuk sift through the NZ with give and goes and then hand it off to JT down low who repeatedly insists on skating the puck into 3 checkers and we go back the other way. But if it works, that'll be two dangerous shooters with space. One day... it'll happen again.

Kerfoot ? who usually gets lost in the praise shuffle ? made a very nice play there.

 

[herman]

Kerfoot ? who usually gets lost in the praise shuffle ? made a very nice play there.

Arguably could have been a tripping call lol