[Siegel] Sheldon Keefe réfléchit toujours à ce qu’il faut faire avec les lignes des Leafs dans le match 2, à savoir s’il faut garder Auston Matthews et Mitch Marner ensemble – et comment faire correspondre la ligne de Matthew Tkachuk: «Probablement faire des allers-retours un tas avant demain .”
Sheldon Keefe is still mulling over what to do with the Leafs’ lines in Game 2, namely whether to keep Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner together – and how to match up with the Matthew Tkachuk line: “Probably go back and forth a bunch before tomorrow.”
— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) May 3, 2023
—
Evening_Calm
26 Comments
>Keefe mystified as any NHL coach about the home/road disconnect in these playoffs. Leafs are 1-3 @ SBA. « It’s(frustrating). Home should be a tough place. We got off to a fine start (Tuesday), but at home you should never fade. We have to fix that and no better time than (Game 2) »
https://twitter.com/sunhornby/status/1653812574562005013?t=1lAx0qFjI_fT2rdaMGWoEg&s=19
I’m sure the players are relieved to hear that.
Guy big brains simple decisions. Stop playing Kampf against Tkachuk.
On another note, Kampf just doesn’t seem to be a playoff performer. He shys away from contact and hasn’t showed any urgency in his play. I’ve been disappointed in him.
Honestly they need to get Marner going – he looked like he was going through the motions last night (and honestly I thought he wasn’t at his normal level in G5 and G6 of R1). -2, 1 SOG, 30% xGF (second last on the team after Acciari). Getting him back to usual Marner level is huge for this series.
Hopefully they can create a lineup that works. Its too bad that their home record so far in the playoffs is so poor, especially since fans pay thousands for these tickets.
***Galaxy brain intensifies***
Seriously still trying to force a Nylander shaped peg into a Tavares shaped hole, eh Keefe? Good lord, there’s a reason JT & Willy looked like ass yesterday: you paired them together. Again. What’s next, going to scratch Liljegren and replace him with Justin Holl?
Go Bunting – ORielly – Acciari vs the Tkachuk line. Its been our best line in terms of energy and scoring ability. They will be able to wear that line down and also could generate offense vs Floridas top line.
That frees up
Jarnkrok – Matthews – Marner
Knies – Tavares – Nylander
I would also look at going 11/7 again, since these 3 lines could take 90% of the shifts.
I bet we see 11-7 tomorrow
I think Matthews has looked good enough to drive a line on his own. I’d like to see Matthews, Marner and Nylander on 3 separate lines to keep the attack rolling.
Bunting – Matthews – Jarnkrok
Knies – Tavares – Marner
Kerfoot – O’Reilly – Nylander
ZAR- Kampf – Acciari
Guy will watch holl be shit for months and still use him as his go to
But overthinks matthews and marner
11-7 incoming just fucking roll the boys and clamp down Tkchuck
I thought my eyes were deceiving me when I kept seeing Kampf vs. Tkachuk. I texted my group chat saying how does this keep happening? First thing Keefe said in his presser is the matchups were bad in the first and he needed to make a change. So that was the plan?!?! Worst center on a 4th line vs one of the best players in the league. Why?
“Probably go back and forth a bunch before tomorrow.” – now there’s a coach that inspires confidence. Tkachuk and co. out muscled the leafs along the boards all game, way more grit and determination. Marner is your 1st pick on your team in the regular season when play is soft and loose, Tkachuk is the #1 guy you want for the playoffs. Fla in 6, and that’s being generous to the leafs.
Don’t be surprised of Holl goes back in
Keefe please do not match up Kampf’s line as a defensive zone shutdown line. I don’t know why Kampf gets so much leeway and is never criticized. He is such a meh hockey player.
Are we the only team in the league without consistently set lines?
Jarnkrok – Matthews – Nylander
Knies – Tavares – Marner
Bunting – O’Reilly – Acciari
Kerfoot – Kampf
McCabe – Brodie
Rielly – Schenn
Giordano/Gustafsson – Liljegren
Roll Matthews versus Tkachuk. Need to match our best player up against theirs.
Try to take advantage of last change to free up Marner/Tavares to create offense.
Matthews/Marner get the extra minutes with Kampf/Kerfoot- this line’s responsibility is to take D-zone draws and push the puck up the ice/get off- that’s it.
Use Gustafsson for O-zone starts to ease Gio’s work-load.
Brodie/McCabe need to chill out a little- less focus on pinching and more focus on keeping a tight gap in the D-zone.
I’ve criticized Keefe a lot this year but one thing he has proven to do well is mix up the lines to success. The beauty of having Nylander and Marner is that you can switch them up. Mix in O’Reilly and even Bunting if need be. Knies has been great and can play with whomever as well.
I don’t think Keefe should worry too much about matchups other than when Kampf is out there.
He knows what he’s doing. He’s not showing his hand obviously.
Matthews Tavares Bunting
Knies O’Rielly Marner
Jarnkrok Nylander Acciari
ZAR Kampf Kerfoot
Such a below average coach. Literally been outcoached in every game but 1. Last night was pathetic
Well clearly we need to play Justin Holl, hes the glue. /s
Maybe I’m wrong but I wish we wouldn’t keep reacting to the other team with this matchup stuff. They should be reacting to us.
Lots of good ideas in here that I might choose over this, but just to throw another idea in the mix:
Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Knies-ROR-Nylander
Jarnkrok-Tavares-Kerfoot
ZAR-Kampf-Acciari
1st Line: Bunting seems to have returned with a new focus and with Florida being so dependent on the Tkachuk line maybe our best bet is trying to overpower them with Matthews + Marner. It looks as though there will be more space in this series in both the neutral and offensive zones. All players can skate and find open ice; let’s see if they can rekindle their magic with all 3 seemingly at the top of their game. Jarnkrok has ceased being the difference maker on the 1st line that Bunting has shown to be in the past.
2nd Line: It’s seems to me like ROR should be the center we’re giving more TOI to instead of Tavares. This line seemed to have some chemistry, something Willy and Tavares struggle with. I see Knies as a net positive defensively, especially with the support of ROR. Two heavy bodies should also give Willy more space and both Knies and ROR can cleanup in front of the net.
3rd Line: Jarnkrok and Kerfoot provide speed and defensive accumen on the wings to accommodate JT’s lack of range, and all 3 players can competently cycle if we can get to the puck on the forecheck. We should be comfortable starting each of the other 3 lines in the D zone so we should be able to find this line favourable matchups.
4th Line: A competent defensive 3rd checking line on most teams that brings physicality and shutdown ability, allowing us to put our top 3 lines in better spots. A line that showed success during the regular season.
Leafs add the better team on paper and on the ice. It’s up to Keefe to not fuck this up and get out coached.