• Moderators, please send me a PM if you are unable to access mod permissions. Thanks, Habsy.

TML? More like FML, amirite? Yet Another Off Season Thread

The weird thing about our 4th lines is we've had legit offensive talent on them from Kase/Blackwell/Spezza this year back to Johnsson/Pleks*/Kapanen under Babs but they just don't produce in the playoffs.

17: Martin-Boyle-Kapanen 2gls
18: Johnsson-Pleks/Moore-Kapanen 2gls (pleks had 2 more goals but I think that was filing in for Kadri on the 2nd line)
19: Moore-Gauthier-Ennis 1gls
20: Clifford-Engvall-Spezza 0gls
21: Thornton-Spezza-Simmonds 3gls (but I think spezza's goals mostly came filling in up the lineup)
22: Kase-Blackwell-Spezza 1gls


I dunno. Overall there was talent on those 4th lines i think.
 
He scored at least as well as he did in the previous Covid-shortened season in Seattle - but obviously had a different role with the Flames (and less minutes).

Dude also played 442 games in one city before being claimed in expansion and traded at the deadline last season.
 
22 CAL: 17gms, 13:50, 0gl/19pt pace
22 SEA: 49gms, 16:48, 20gl/44pt pace
21 NSH: 49gms, 16:48, 23gl/47pt pace
20 NSH: 64gms, 15:56, 19gl/44pt pace
19 NSH: 79gms, 15:26, 10gl/27pt pace
18 NSH: 68gms, 15:53, 19gl/42pt pace

The offense dried up in Calgary for sure but other than that he's been a pretty consistent 20/45 pace type guy in 2nd line minutes on poor offensive teams.
 
So at the moment, we look like this (listing all NHL contracts):

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander
Engvall-Kampf-NAK
Clifford-Jarnkrok-Gaudette
Simmonds

Rielly-Lilly
Muzzin-Brodie
Gio-Sandin
Holl

Murray
Samsonov

Kids: Robertson, Abruzz, Douglas, Steeves, Holmberg

Ideally, 2 kids beat out Clifford & Gaudette for jobs but looking at that bottom 6, I really don't trust Keefe and expect to be angry. It looks super duper gud pro-ey and made to order. Unless there are some fairly significant changes, I expect the 2nd line to struggle again (they were not great together, Kerfoot is a major drag on their chance generation) and just be a good 2nd line at evens instead of dominant like they should be, the 3rd line to be good but just good (NAK was good as a 4th liner for the Avs, but has never played the heavies as a NHL'er) and the 4th line to potentially be a train wreck unless Jarnkrok is good enough to carry bad wingers (Gaudette is terrible, but skates around really fast looking like a hard working player...so Keefe will probably love him).

I hope I'm wrong though and we trade Kerfoot for something good that can push NAK down to the 4th line, and a kid beats out Clifford & Gaudette


Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-Tavares-Nylander
Engvall-Kampf-XXXXXX
Steeves-Jarnkrok-NAK

That has the potentially to be really good if whatever they turn Kerfoot into is good.
 
Gotta think both Robertson and Abruzzese get long looks in camp.

I feel like Robertson is either a 2nd liner on the Leafs or back to the AHL.
 
MindzEye said:
So at the moment, we look like this (listing all NHL contracts):

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander
Engvall-Kampf-NAK
Clifford-Jarnkrok-Gaudette
Simmonds

Rielly-Lilly
Muzzin-Brodie
Gio-Sandin
Holl

Murray
Samsonov

Kids: Robertson, Abruzz, Douglas, Steeves, Holmberg

Ideally, 2 kids beat out Clifford & Gaudette for jobs but looking at that bottom 6, I really don't trust Keefe and expect to be angry. It looks super duper gud pro-ey and made to order. Unless there are some fairly significant changes, I expect the 2nd line to struggle again (they were not great together, Kerfoot is a major drag on their chance generation) and just be a good 2nd line at evens instead of dominant like they should be, the 3rd line to be good but just good (NAK was good as a 4th liner for the Avs, but has never played the heavies as a NHL'er) and the 4th line to potentially be a train wreck unless Jarnkrok is good enough to carry bad wingers (Gaudette is terrible, but skates around really fast looking like a hard working player...so Keefe will probably love him).

I hope I'm wrong though and we trade Kerfoot for something good that can push NAK down to the 4th line, and a kid beats out Clifford & Gaudette


Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-Tavares-Nylander
Engvall-Kampf-XXXXXX
Steeves-Jarnkrok-NAK

That has the potentially to be really good if whatever they turn Kerfoot into is good.
Click to expand...
yeah, forward is the biggest are for potential improvement, clearly.

and mostly in the depth roles, which should be easiest to find.

losing our entire shitty fourth line from last year should bother no one, but please get Cliffy and Simmonds far fucking away.
 
Abruzz looked like shit last year. I might’ve just gotten rid of him if I were them. I don’t expect anything from him. I’m not too intrigued by any of the fourth line kids. Maybe Steeves? Potentially Holmberg?
 
Abruzz’s NCAA stats weren’t particularly impressive, and I honestly didn’t see much there during his brief stint with the Leafs last season. If he grabs a spot, I’ll be surprised.

As for Robertson, he’s absolutely talented enough to grab a spot, but he’ll probably somehow manage to break both of his femurs in a routine play along the boards during a camp scrimmage.

Our best chance of having a kid grab a regular spot among our top-12 forwards is probably Holmberg or Steeves. Plus Knies later in the year, once his NCAA season is over.
 
Wayward DP said:
yeah, forward is the biggest are for potential improvement, clearly.

and mostly in the depth roles, which should be easiest to find.

losing our entire shitty fourth line from last year should bother no one, but please get Cliffy and Simmonds far fucking away.
Click to expand...
I guess Simmonds stays as the 13th forward and Cliff goes to the Marlies or hopefully just gets claimed. I wish they’d get rid of both these shitstains.
 
LeafOfFaith said:
Maybe Steeves? Potentially Holmberg?
Click to expand...


Steeves also didn't look NHL ready in his few games last year, but had a solid AHL season. Yeah, Holmberg might be the guy. Some guys transition beautifully from SHL to NHL. I question whether he can play down the lineup though without some AHL reps to get used to the speed and physicality. He's unlikely to be top 6 at this point (though might have enough offensive chops to be a complimentary 2LW in the not so distant future)
 
LeafOfFaith said:
Abruzz looked like shit last year. I might’ve just gotten rid of him if I were them. I don’t expect anything from him. I’m not too intrigued by any of the fourth line kids. Maybe Steeves? Potentially Holmberg?
Click to expand...
Holmberg may be a competent bottom-6er.

Steeves I think needs to show something this year.

ZZZ I don't think much of.
 
Limited sample, but Anderson was the best one in NHL time last year and should’ve got a longer look.

they love Abruzzese. He just has to catch up to the NHL speed. Wouldn’t judge him too much on those 9 games.
 
leafman101 said:
Limited sample, but Anderson was the best one in NHL time last year and should’ve got a longer look.

they love Abruzzese. He just has to catch up to the NHL speed. Wouldn’t judge him too much on those 9 games.
Click to expand...
oh yeah forgot about him. he is likely the best of that bunch.
 
leafman101 said:
Limited sample, but Anderson was the best one in NHL time last year and should’ve got a longer look.

they love Abruzzese. He just has to catch up to the NHL speed. Wouldn’t judge him too much on those 9 games.
Click to expand...
Hope it's one of those situations where he's grown and worked hard during the offseason and comes back and makes his last stint pale in comparison, but as of right now we just have the one pathetic stint. I doubt it, but hope he looks good this time out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top