Leafs @ Sharks - Oct. 30th, 10:30pm - SNO, TSN 1050

[CarltonTheBear]

I've posted some of my preferred forward combinations lately, so here's what my defence would look like:

Gardiner-Rielly
Hainsey-Zaitsev
Marincin-Carrick

Yeah, that's right, I'm still on #TeamMarty.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Honestly, changing the makeup of the backend isn't going to make a significant difference at this point. They're the lesser of the two evils right now - though, I agree that Polak needs to be removed from the situation. That would probably be the extent of the changes I'd make right now.

Yeah, I think that we're all focusing more on the forwards right now because there's nothing that can really be done with the defence right now. I think we all recognize the need for another top-4 righty, and I imagine/hope the Leafs do too, but until that happens no amount of shuffling is going to make our top-6 defence elite.

We should have the best forward group in the entire league though as far as I'm concerned. Or at least top-5. So they have to start playing like it.

 

[herman]

Yeah, that's right, I'm still on #TeamMarty.

I thought it was #TeamMarMar

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I thought it was #TeamMarMar

I'll put that up for debate at our next council meeting.

 

[ZBBM]

Look, playing around with the forward lines is fine and all but the defense is the crying need.  Rielly and Gardiner are inconsistent at best and probably always will be, Zaitsev is going through a similar patch, and as a top 3 they are not going to play a shutdown game.  Hainsey is OK on the bottom pairing, Polak looks done, Borgman needs seasoning.  At the very least Carrick should be in for Polak.  The fact of the matter is that, even when the offense is flying, Doughty is right.

The forwards are a big part of the issue with the defence, though. They're not doing their part in the defensive end well enough, they're not providing quality passing options to help them get out the zone with the puck, etc. Obviously, that's not all about the line combinations, but, there are certain groups who are worse than others, and they need to be split up and put on lines with forwards who understand the importance of defensive responsibility.

Honestly, changing the makeup of the backend isn't going to make a significant difference at this point. They're the lesser of the two evils right now - though, I agree that Polak needs to be removed from the situation. That would probably be the extent of the changes I'd make right now.

Points taken but I still think the skill level of the D is not going to get us where we need to go.  The top 3 are not good enough (at least not consistently so).

EDIT: and just read Carlton's post.  Yeah.

 

[bustaheims]

Points taken but I still think the skill level of the D is not going to get us where we need to go.  The top 3 are not good enough (at least not consistently so).

There's probably some truth there. I'm just not having a great time evaluating them fairly when the forwards are putting them in bad positions and not shouldering their share of the load defensively. It's having a negative impact on their performance - and especially on their ability to be consistent.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/925453630735446016
Praise be

Moore and Polak are the odd-men out.

So they are:
https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/925453483234304001
https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/925453707671511040

 

[herman]

Leivo getting the matchup line duties over Marner/Brown is quite a sight. Probably has something to do with a back to back against ANA/LA bruisers.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Leivo getting the matchup line duties over Marner/Brown is quite a sight. Probably has something to do with a back to back against ANA/LA bruisers.

Most of that stretch last year where Leivo racked up points came on the Kadri and Komarov line.

 

[bustaheims]

https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/925453630735446016
Praise be

Moore and Polak are the odd-men out.

1.5 out of 3 ain't bad, I guess.

 

[herman]

1.5 out of 3 ain't bad, I guess.

That's loser talk.

 

[Highlander]

It's a huge move in the right direction.  Lets trade Bozak for a good Mr. Coffee machine, put Fehr back in a 4th Centre and drop, Moore and Polak as well.
It seems we were playing and winning with Fehr and Carrick in the lineup. 
Polak gets rewarded with a Million for his broken leg and thanks for the effort. Perhaps a coaching role with the Marlies.
And finally Leivo gets to play cause he has earned it.

 

[L K]

Martin deserves his cemented spot for all the hypothetical fights he prevents.  Compare it to McDavid who has been murdered 11 times this year alone.

 

[ZBBM]

Martin deserves his cemented spot for all the hypothetical fights he prevents.  Compare it to McDavid who has been murdered 11 times this year alone.

This made me laugh aloud.

Responding back to Highlander, Bozak deserves his demotion but do keep in mind he's been a very good faceoff man.  In the olden days (like, what, 2 yrs ago) they kept a guy on the roster just to do that.

 

[Andy007]

Martin deserves his cemented spot for all the hypothetical fights he prevents.  Compare it to McDavid who has been murdered 11 times this year alone.

This made me laugh aloud.

Responding back to Highlander, Bozak deserves his demotion but do keep in mind he's been a very good faceoff man.  In the olden days (like, what, 2 yrs ago) they kept a guy on the roster just to do that.

That's true but this year Kadri has a better percentage than him and Matthews, Nylander, Moore and Marner are all over 50%. He's becoming more and more antiquated.

 

[bustaheims]

Responding back to Highlander, Bozak deserves his demotion but do keep in mind he's been a very good faceoff man.  In the olden days (like, what, 2 yrs ago) they kept a guy on the roster just to do that.

We've learned a few things since then - namely, what you do after the faceoff is significantly more important than the faceoff itself. Bozak hasn't been particularly good at that so far this season. He doesn't deserve a spot on the roster because he wins one more faceoffs than the average player every second game (which is roughly what his faceoff prowess so far this season works out to be - even at his best, it really only works out to one faceoff win above average per game).

 

[ZBBM]

Responding back to Highlander, Bozak deserves his demotion but do keep in mind he's been a very good faceoff man.  In the olden days (like, what, 2 yrs ago) they kept a guy on the roster just to do that.

We've learned a few things since then - namely, what you do after the faceoff is significantly more important than the faceoff itself. Bozak hasn't been particularly good at that so far this season. He doesn't deserve a spot on the roster because he wins one more faceoffs than the average player every second game (which is roughly what his faceoff prowess so far this season works out to be - even at his best, it really only works out to one faceoff win above average per game).

The other day when I checked he was 38th in the league, kadri was like 32 or something.  Not like he's worthless.  But, like I said, he deserves the demotion, just like Marner did.

 

[hockeyfan1]

I chided grieves about ragging on Babcock but this team looks real Carlyle right now and the coaching isn't helping.

Speaking of the Carlyle era...

Did you notice the game's call had weird echoes of the last decade?

Team's getting caved in, nothing's happening, somehow hanging on but we know what the result is... announcers grasping at straws to make the game seem more competitive, closer than it is.

Good times.

More like a preview of hell.

I watched most of the game and something looked eerily familiar...now that you mention it, the Carlyle era...that thought crossed my mind.  Nah, it was a Halloween joke.  Ha!ha! No kidding! (seriously).

 

[bustaheims]

The other day when I checked he was 38th in the league, kadri was like 32 or something.  Not like he's worthless.  But, like I said, he deserves the demotion, just like Marner did.

Maybe not, but the thing he does well isn't really that valuable, so . . .

 

[AvroArrow]

Yeah, Bozak gotsta go.  I'd much rather have a Brian Boyle type player at this point.