[Masters] Lines at Leafs practice
Lines at Leafs practice
Bertuzzi – Matthews – Marner
Domi – Tavares – Nylander
Knies / Robertson – Holmberg – Jarnkrok
Gregor – Kampf – Reaves / LaffertyRielly – Brodie
McCabe – Klingberg
Giordano – Liljegren
Benoit – KokkonenSamsonov
Woll @TSN_Edge— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) October 6, 2023
by B0_SSMAN
16 Comments
Lines at Leafs practice
–
Bertuzzi-Matthews-Marner
Domi-Tavares-Nylander
Knies/Robertson-Holmberg-Jarnkrok
Gregor-Kampf-Reaves/Lafferty
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Rielly-Brodie
McCabe-Klingberg
Giordano-Liljegren
Benoit-Kokkonen
–
Samsonov
Woll
[Follow-up tweet from Masters](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1710326108816560135), for those that don’t click the link/can’t see it:
> Fraser Minten, who will play tomorrow in the pre-season finale, and Easton Cowan skated with the earlier Marlie-heavy group
If they start Willy with JT im going to be extremely disappointed and uninterested in the first half of the season.
All these new players and options and back to the same shit.
Early season gut feeling prediction…Woll steals the starting role by the new year
Willy on JT’s wing is kinda how I figured it would end up. Not that Willy didn’t play well at C this pre-season, but I didn’t expect that big of a change. Kinda disappointed, I liked the threat it turned the top 9 into but oh well. It’s a long season, maybe one day
Benoit looked a step behind last night in-person. Suppose he will fit in more as injury replacement
Willy back on the wing here COULD indicate they are leaning towards Minten making the team on opening night and taking that 3rd center spot.
I don’t think Holmberg has centred the 3rd line much at all in camp unless I’m mistaken.
With the way Lily’s been playing, why can’t we see more McCabe – Lily?? Then shelter Klingberg on 3rd pair with Gio.
I think Lafferty should be VERY worried with the cap situation. I also think Holmberg and Jarnkrok could be on the bubble with the way Knies, Minten and Gregor have been playing. If Robertson plays well against the more talented Red Wings group, that’s just one more in the mix.
We are a team that just wastes so much potential ….
WHY are we continuing to staple Marner to Mathews wing. This completely defeats the purpose of paying Marner 11m and has two of our best defensive forwards on the same line.
WHY do we continue to surround JT with players that don’t fit his play style. He needs at LEAST one winger to play the cycle with and work the puck off the boards and down low. He plays best in tight. Knies – JT – Lafferty were probably our best line all pre season.
Nylander on wing already (with JT at that)? If they are soooo adamant on having a skilled 3rd line, why not try: Robertson – Domi – Jarnkrok as a 3rd line (stick Knies on the 2nd line LW). I know Domi is not great at center, but he is not that bad either, with Montreal he had his best points season mainly at center.
What I wish Keefe looked at linewise in preseason is something like:
Domi-Matthews-Tavares
Bertuzzi-Nylander-Marner
One “heavy” style player on each (JT, Bert), one pass first (Domi, Marner), primary triggerman (Matthews, Nylander), and one defensively responsible guy (Matthews, Marner) on each. Still loaded top 6, but maybe just a different look chemistry wise
So…do we think Robertson makes the team?
Its Willy’s time to run the second line imo. Let JT keep his legs for playoffs and run a third line of Knies-JT-Laff/Similar
And then give JT extra time standing in front of the net on the PP. I think Knies needs to play with JT, their value is just so much higher together and I don’t want to throw Knies into first line minutes and matchups right out of the gate. I want him getting about 15 mins of ice rather than the 18+ he’d be asked to play with a JT-Willy second line or even flanking Matthews on line 1.
Domi/Tuzzi – Matthews – Marner/Jarn
Domi/Tuzzi – Nylander – Jarn/Marner
Knies – JT – Lafferty
Whoever
They need to leave Willy at C if they’re in any way serious about it. Him flip flopping isn’t doing him any good.
Leafs D is their achilles heel. Very weak imo. Needs serious overhaul to compete for the Cup.