No Excuses No Limits! The mother fucking goddamn season thread

[LeafOfFaith]

Knies hasn’t looked as good as he did in the playoffs, but hasn’t looked bad either IMO.

I like the idea of trying him on that Tavares/Nylander line too. Seems like a better fit for those two guys than Domi, who’s been awful so far, or Yarncock.

Listen to this man.

 

[zeke]

Hopefully Knies starts simplifying his game on a line he doesn't feel to need to try to drive the bus on. If he just works the boards and goes to the net he will be fine. If he continues overhandling the puck and continues showing tunnel vision with it, he will struggle here too

funny tho that it is/was the opposite with Bertuzzi - he's been mostly along for the ride on the top line without actually trying to demand the puck and create himself, until last game where he finally started to assert himself. he's an ugly skater but he's got good hands and vision/creativity.

 

[LeafOfFaith]

I think it should benefit both him and minten to get separated. NHL is hard for rookies even without having a rookie beside you.

Knies hasn't been that bad but the puck really hasn't been going their way offensively.

I mean, at least put it in quotes and cite me.

Knies could easily have a couple of goals already. He hasn’t been bad. They’ve basically just been a checking line for the most part, which we don’t need. Adding Domi and Jarny to Minty could make them interesting too because we know they’re slanting more towards trying to score, at least Domi is.

 

[LeafOfFaith]

we get it - Tavares and Knies are great, Bertuzzi and Domi suck, and that's all we're going to hear from you the rest of their time as leafs no matter how they're playing.

Domi has sucked, Bertuzzi has been very meh looking like he’s almost out of shape.

I expect Bertuzzi to get much better. Domi, I’m not sure he has it in him.

 

[LeafOfFaith]

Knies' game always struck me as one who is/could be a super elite complementary player as opposed to a line driver. His preseason did persuade me that maybe he could drive a line as early as this year, but I'm not sure he's there yet. He may just need to get his game going and/or get some experience under his belt before taking on that task.

In any event, he's back in a spot where he should thrive so hopefully we see more from him.

Now you’re talking. Welcome aboard.

 

[MindzEye]

MJ = @MindzEye

Smartest man in the Toronto hockey universe.

 

[LeafOfFaith]

The way WIlly especially but also JT are playing should help anyone. Jarnkrok looked good there. Ideally Knies should be good enough that he can be more of a line driver himself (which is more of a need on the Minten line than the tavares line) but if he needs some help as a rookie that's no biggie.

Tavares and Willy are dominating and don’t need anyone to drive anything. They need someone who can retrieve the puck, go to the net, make a play to get them the puck, get shots on goal. I don’t see anyone on the team better suited than Knies for that role.

 

[Preston]

Smartest man in the Toronto hockey universe.

Yeah even I have to admit you're not bad

 

[zeke]

I mean, at least put it in quotes and cite me.

Knies could easily have a couple of goals already. He hasn’t been bad. They’ve basically just been a checking line for the most part, which we don’t need. Adding Domi and Jarny to Minty could make them interesting too because we know they’re slanting more towards trying to score, at least Domi is.

Don't worry I'm definitely amazed by your insight that a player would probably look better playing with Nylander and Tavares than with a 19 year old rookie and Jarnkrok/Domi. Your keen eye continues undefeated.

Could he have had a couple of goals already? i guess. But does he even have two shots on goal yet, let alone scoring chances? honest question.

Not sure why you think they're a checking line tho, when they've (rightly) had the easiest usage so far. That's the opposite of a checking line.

 

[CH1]

It’ll be a sad day for hockey media when MJ retires and moves to Mexico

 

[zeke]

 

[MindzEye]

It’ll be a sad day for hockey media when MJ retires and moves to Mexico

Mexico also has internet bro, don't worry, I can still jump in on the group chats.

 

[MindzEye]

But does he even have two shots on goal yet, let alone scoring chances? honest question.

4 shots on goal, on 7 total shot attemps. 7 shot attempts is the lowest on the team. 5 HD chances, which is 4th worst on the team only better than the 4th line that has been trash.

I support juggling the lines to find a better mix, but Knies gets a promotion by default not because he's earned one with his play. This is more "well, maybe Willy can drag him around too" than anything else.

 

[zeke]

Yeah i was hoping for more of a line driver from him (like he looked like in the playoffs) but if he needs to start off as a good support guy instead that's fine. Or maybe he just needs a refresh and will get back to dominating on that line and then maybe open up some other possibilities again.

 

[leafman101]

Knies is just holding onto the puck and not utilizing his teammates well. Think he’ll benefit from playing with guys like JT and Willy that command the puck.

 

[MindzEye]

Out of curiousity, what level of productivity are we expecting from our complimentary wingers (including Knies)?

Here's my predictions:

Bertuzzi: 65-70gp, 28-30G, 25A
Domi: 75-80gp, 15-18G, 30A
Jarnkrok: 13-15G, 18A
Knies: 13-15G, 15A

 

[MindzEye]

Knies is just holding onto the puck and not utilizing his teammates well.

This has been the knock on him since pre draft scouting reports. Doesn't utilize teammates well. Which is probably why he didn't produce like his linemates did in the NCAA.

The tools are very, very obvious but the toolbox might not be ready for what his super fans think he is.

 

[zeke]

I don't know how much PP time they'll get, but at even strength the past couple years their paces have been around - Bertuzzi 20/50, Domi 15/40, Jarnkrok 15/30. And i'd hope Knies could at least match Jarnkrok there and hopefully closer to that Domi pace. So I would hope for at least that kind of even strength production from them, except more for whichever of them gets to play mostly with Matthews/marner and tavares/willy.

and then add in a bit more for the limited pp time the 2nd unit will get.

 

[hockeylover]

Still think Knies is going to be a really useful piece for us and know there’ll be some ups and downs this year, he’s 20. I’ll comment again around 15-20 games in.

 

[zeke]