Line-up changes

[Fanatic]

Looks like it may be:

Lupul-Bozak-Kessel
Frattin-Grabovski-Kulemin
MacArthur-Connolly-Kadri
Crabb-Steckel-Boyce

Although the combinations seem correct do you really think Connolly will be on the 3rd line. Switch your 2nd line for your 3rd line I think.

 

[Corn Flake]

Seigel: Kadri skating with Connolly and MacArthur.

 

[Erndog]

Seigel: Kadri skating with Connolly and MacArthur.

3 pass first kind of guys.  Odd.

 

[Deebo]

Looks like it may be:

Lupul-Bozak-Kessel
Frattin-Grabovski-Kulemin
MacArthur-Connolly-Kadri
Crabb-Steckel-Boyce

Although the combinations seem correct do you really think Connolly will be on the 3rd line. Switch your 2nd line for your 3rd line I think.

I think both lines will get similar ES TOI.

 

[Erndog]

Crazy but I actually think thats probably the best lineup we can ice this year... save for maybe switching Army and Boyce.  Other than that, thats about as good as it gets.

 

[bustaheims]

Seigel: Kadri skating with Connolly and MacArthur.

3 pass first kind of guys.  Odd.

MacArthur's been a shoot-first guy so far this season.

 

[Optimus Reimer]

Crazy but I actually think thats probably the best lineup we can ice this year... save for maybe switching Army and Boyce.  Other than that, thats about as good as it gets.

I agree.  If this lineup doesn't produce, RW gets gassed.

 

[Tigger]

Crazy but I actually think thats probably the best lineup we can ice this year... save for maybe switching Army and Boyce.  Other than that, thats about as good as it gets.

A healthy Lombardi for Crabb?

 

[Zee]

Kadri seems to do well under Eakins, maybe we should call him up at the same time?


8)

 

[Corn Flake]

Crazy but I actually think thats probably the best lineup we can ice this year... save for maybe switching Army and Boyce.  Other than that, thats about as good as it gets.

A healthy Lombardi for Crabb?

Crabb might be the best forechecker and mucker on the team right now.

 

[Tigger]

Crazy but I actually think thats probably the best lineup we can ice this year... save for maybe switching Army and Boyce.  Other than that, thats about as good as it gets.

A healthy Lombardi for Crabb?

Crabb might be the best forechecker and mucker on the team right now.

Yeah, maybe though I think Kulemin has been pretty good. I don't want to speak ill of Joey, he's done a good job but I'd still take a healthy Lombardi over him in a heartbeat.

 

[Corn Flake]

Crazy but I actually think thats probably the best lineup we can ice this year... save for maybe switching Army and Boyce.  Other than that, thats about as good as it gets.

A healthy Lombardi for Crabb?

Crabb might be the best forechecker and mucker on the team right now.

Yeah, maybe though I think Kulemin has been pretty good. I don't want to speak ill of Joey, he's done a good job but I'd still take a healthy Lombardi over him in a heartbeat.

I think I would too but its a bit of an apples to oranges comparison.  Crabb is really the fill-in for Mike Brown. Dupuis was the fill-in for Lombardi.. mostly.

This team needs more guys willing to forecheck and make a mess around the net.

 

[Tigger]

This team needs more guys willing to forecheck and make a mess around the net.

Yeah, tough though when we're really expecting that out of the 4th line guys ( Frattin has been pretty decent at that though too )

I hope the 'mess' has nothing to do with Boyce' nose this year...

When healthy...

Lupul-Bozak-Kessel
Frattin-Grabovski-Kulemin
MacArthur-Connolly-Army
Lombardi-Steckel-Brown
Crabb

No Kadri, just because well, so far there really isn't much to say. Colborne's call up was encouraging, at this point I'd probably have him rated higher but we'll see how Kadri does, always liked the kid.

 

[Zee]

Crazy but I actually think thats probably the best lineup we can ice this year... save for maybe switching Army and Boyce.  Other than that, thats about as good as it gets.

I'd like to see them somehow get Kadri at a center position.  Didn't Eakins put him back there because it wasn't working out on the wing?  He needs the ability to be more creative for his style of play and putting him on the wing doesn't do it.  I'm afraid of seeing him regress again at the Leafs level because he's out of position.

 

[Peter D.]

I really hope Kadri gets an extended look or better yet, plays well enough that he stays up for good. The team could really use his creativity.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I really hope Kadri gets an extended look or better yet, plays well enough that he stays up for good. The team could really use his creativity.

Connolly and Kadri's offensive instincts together intrigues me very much.  Connolly is smart enough and creative enough offensively to do stuff with some of the plays Kadri would try during his other times up.

 

[TML fan]

I'd like to see Frattin with Grabovski and MacArthur and Kulemin with Connolly and Kadri. I think it more evenly distributes the size and grit, making the lines more balanced.

 

[slapshot]

I'd like to see Frattin with Grabovski and MacArthur and Kulemin with Connolly and Kadri. I think it more evenly distributes the size and grit, making the lines more balanced.

I tend to agree with this.  However, I am expecting some bigger stuff to happen either in January, around the trade deadline or both. When everyone is healthy, there is actually so much depth right now we could easily afford a two or three players for one right now and still have depth leftover. I think Burke is looking for another Phaneuf type trade where a team is willing to move a star player either to dump salary, change chemistry, get younger or something of that nature.

The question is where do the Leafs need to upgrade most? At the start of the year, everyone would have said top flight center. But they are actually scoring goals at the pretty good clip.
Everyone thought their defence on paper was amongst the best in the league, and that was "without" the emergence of Gardiner, yet our goals against is bottom end. Reimer and Gus have been solid, but not spectacular.

 

[Tigger]

I'd like to see Frattin with Grabovski and MacArthur and Kulemin with Connolly and Kadri. I think it more evenly distributes the size and grit, making the lines more balanced.

I don't mind that.

 

[Britishbulldog]

tsn is reporting that Aulie might be in for Gardiner.  Has Gardiner been that bad to put in the slower, tougher Aulie in against the non-tuff, fast skating Sabres??