Leafs @ sens - Mar. 30th, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[CarltonTheBear]

@

45-25-7, 97 points | 27-44-6, 60 points

Projected Lines

Hyman-Tavares-Marner Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander Marleau-Kadri-Kapanen Ennis-Gauthier-Brown Rielly-Hainsey Muzzin-Zaitsev Marincin-Dermott Sparks ​

Tkachuk-Pageau-Veronneau Duclair-Tierney-Boedker Balcers-White-Ryan Gibbons-Lindberg-Paajarvi Chabot-DeMelo Wolanin-Ceci Borowiecki-Jaros Anderson​

Scratches

Trevor Moore Nic Petan Igor Ozhiganov Martin Marincin ​

Ben Harpur      ​

Game Notes

TOR
?Sparks (8-7-1, 3.16 GAA, .903 Sv%) will likely start for the Leafs
?Dermott is expected to return from his shoulder injury on Saturday. He's been out for a little over 4 weeks and has missed the past 14 games
?The Leafs are hoping to give their new PP units a spin. Rielly and Matthews moved to the Nylander unit to spread out the top talent

ott
?Anderson (16-25-4, 3.46 GAA, .904 Sv%) will likely start for the sens
?Since the trade deadline, 31 year old journeyman forward Brian Gibbons leads the sens in scoring with 12 points in 15 games

Injuries

?Jake Gardiner - Back - Injured Reserve ?Travis Dermott - Shoulder - Probable Saturday​

?Zach Smith - Back - Questionable Saturday      ?Marian Gaborik - Back - Injured Reserve​

Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams
​

 

[princedpw]

What is our optimal forward lineup?


Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Moore-Kadri-Kapanen
Ennis-Marleau-Brown

?

 

[Bill_Berg]

New PP units = 0 PPs tonight! Thanks in advance refs! Jerks!

 

[wnc096]

Guaranteed win night....right??

 

[Highlander]

Gotta say it Moore is an engine, a sparkplug, if you are going to sit him better for him to rejoin the Marlies for their playoffs.

 

[L K]

The problem with the Leafs 4th line right now is that Brown kills penalties for the Leafs.  Contrary to the "he sucks" notion he has 7 goals and 27 points.  He gets 11:56 of ES+PP TOI/game. 
He has 24 ES+PP points.

Ennis gets 10:02 in ES+PP TOI/game.  He has 18 point.  That would work out to 29 points prorated to Brown's 77 games.

Moore gets 9:00 in ES+PP TOI/game.  He has 7 points.  That would work out to 26 points prorated to Brown's 77 games.

Gauthier simply gets the edge because he plays up the middle.

As much as I like Moore/Ennis, I get why Brown is in the lineup while one of those other two aren't.  In a hypothetical scenario if Ennis was back next year, Brown is likely an offseason sacrifice for cap space and you would have both in the lineup.  I really like Moore too so I would love to find him a spot in the lineup but with the current makeup of the team I get it.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

The problem with the Leafs 4th line right now is that Brown kills penalties for the Leafs.  Contrary to the "he sucks" notion he has 7 goals and 27 points.  He gets 11:56 of ES+PP TOI/game. 

Good points, all. I agree Brown being traded is pretty much inevitable, unless potentially Marleau isn't back for whatever reason, and a hole emerges in the top 9... and even then. With the cap crunch, the 4th line simply can't be filled with any player making over league minimum or entry level, and perhaps even a few bodies on the 3rd line.

Regarding the penalty kill, I'd like to see Nylander be put in that role occasionally, because I think specific coaching for it would help his overall game. Marner is simply unbelieveably good at it, and it's a skill that didn't simply arrive, it was developed, and I think has helped him become a much better 3 zone player.

 

[princedpw]

The problem with the Leafs 4th line right now is that Brown kills penalties for the Leafs.  Contrary to the "he sucks" notion he has 7 goals and 27 points.  He gets 11:56 of ES+PP TOI/game. 
He has 24 ES+PP points.

Ennis gets 10:02 in ES+PP TOI/game.  He has 18 point.  That would work out to 29 points prorated to Brown's 77 games.

Moore gets 9:00 in ES+PP TOI/game.  He has 7 points.  That would work out to 26 points prorated to Brown's 77 games.

Gauthier simply gets the edge because he plays up the middle.

As much as I like Moore/Ennis, I get why Brown is in the lineup while one of those other two aren't.  In a hypothetical scenario if Ennis was back next year, Brown is likely an offseason sacrifice for cap space and you would have both in the lineup.  I really like Moore too so I would love to find him a spot in the lineup but with the current makeup of the team I get it.

Yes ? that?s why I suggested shifting Marleau to the middle.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

As much as I like Moore/Ennis, I get why Brown is in the lineup while one of those other two aren't.  In a hypothetical scenario if Ennis was back next year, Brown is likely an offseason sacrifice for cap space and you would have both in the lineup.  I really like Moore too so I would love to find him a spot in the lineup but with the current makeup of the team I get it.

I think that come playoff time Moore will be in over Ennis. I like Ennis but he's still too much of a liability defensively.

 

[ZBBM]

The problem with the Leafs 4th line right now is that Brown kills penalties for the Leafs.  Contrary to the "he sucks" notion he has 7 goals and 27 points.  He gets 11:56 of ES+PP TOI/game. 

Good points, all. I agree Brown being traded is pretty much inevitable, unless potentially Marleau isn't back for whatever reason, and a hole emerges in the top 9... and even then. With the cap crunch, the 4th line simply can't be filled with any player making over league minimum or entry level, and perhaps even a few bodies on the 3rd line.

Regarding the penalty kill, I'd like to see Nylander be put in that role occasionally, because I think specific coaching for it would help his overall game. Marner is simply unbelieveably good at it, and it's a skill that didn't simply arrive, it was developed, and I think has helped him become a much better 3 zone player.

I have wanted Matthews on the kill, but Nylander works for me too.  And I agree with your comments on PKing making Marner a better overall player.

It's too bad that lately we can't seem to beat the might senz in our home rink over there.

 

[Frank E]

Not affording excellent utility guys like Brown is a result of having 3 guys in the double digit AAV range...so the "hands" unit on PK will likely have to be Marners and Nylanders to a certain extent.

 

[cujo4ever]

sens suck!

GO LEAFS GO!

 

[Hobbes]

Gosh that little girl is so adorably cute! I bet she's a holy terror patrolling the blueline.

 

[lamajama]

So which Leafs team shows up tonight?

 

[Bullfrog]

I have wanted Matthews on the kill, but Nylander works for me too.  And I agree with your comments on PKing making Marner a better overall player.

It's too bad that lately we can't seem to beat the might senz in our home rink over there.

You keep selling it, but I don't buy it. Tavares, Nylander, and Kadri are ahead of Matthews for PK in my view.

 

[Hobbes]

I have wanted Matthews on the kill, but Nylander works for me too.  And I agree with your comments on PKing making Marner a better overall player.

It's too bad that lately we can't seem to beat the might senz in our home rink over there.

You keep selling it, but I don't buy it. Tavares, Nylander, and Kadri are ahead of Matthews for PK in my view.

Kadri wouild make a lot of sense to me. He's good on faceoffs, and it might help make him feel more valuable and engaged in the game. This year he's seemed kind of listless or directionless now that he isn't the dedicated shut-down guy. Being PK would give him an important role not to mention helping to get him a bit more ice time.

 

[Bender]

Bit of a boring game so far.

 

[Al14]

The longer the Leafs go scoreless, the better it is for the Sens!

Come on Leafs, start scoring!

 

[lamajama]

Two questions for all...

- does anyone see any scenario where Marleau is moved out before next season

- who will be the backup or will Sparks be sticking around?

 

[herman]

Marleau will likely finish his contract here and sign a cheapo 1 year with San Jose to chase the GP record and retire.

Backup will be Sparks unless there is a clearly better and even cheaper option that falls into our laps without spending an asset.