It's not a big leap for the Leafs to keep him at RW and promote him to the top line alongside superstar shooting center Matthews, hrmm?

Matthews being on the team completely changes the Leafs needs in terms of C depth. They don't need Nylander AND Marner both trending to that position - they simply need one of them fulfilling 2C.

It may not be a "big leap" for him to switch to C but I think it's a helluva lot bigger than it will be for Nylander. I think the Leafs will be happy with Marner being a more defensively responsible Patrick Kane -- or, perhaps a better analogy still: a slightly bigger Martin St. Louis.
- mjones242

Or just leave Nylander at RW because he's good with Matthews and Marner is still looking for a stable spot to land. He doesn't look better defensively than Marner does, he's just a bit heavier and stronger because he's a bit older. It's not that much harder for Marner to be a C than it is for Nylander, if at all.

What would you guys give up for Nurse?

Trouba?
- Aetherial

2nd ....jvr if they could sign him?..shosh and Neilson? .not sure?..but if nurses skating is adequate to Reillys. Then he'd be a good idea. .Trouba ..a 1st.. gards and 2nd +prospect in the marlies?..Winnipeg apparently wants a top 4 LH dman. .and oilers need a scoring winger and bottom 6 winger?..the leafs have the peices I believe. .it's just the other teams wants I guess

Wonder if the wife knows?..
- MR.Hunter

she oked it and also documented the event.

What would you guys give up for Nurse?

Trouba?
- Aetherial

Martin

I can actually see the line combos going in the right direction for the rest of the season. Leafs managment did there job well in the first half, facking over Marner and Nylander. Contract negotiations will now go quite smooth in the future.

- fansince72

Lol. I think a lot of us have considered this at one point or another.

Well done Lou. Well done.

she oked it and also documented the event.
- dmnted

Hella of a girl! ..

- Fruitcakenipple

So true! In Lou we trust!
- mjones242

The slumps this year are actually a blessing in disguise if you think about it. The potential for Marner and Nylander are there, we all see it. But the 8 mill a season everyone was saying last year will be closer to 5 mill when all said and done Imo. Which also brings up the question: Is Matthews and Tavares at 10 mill each down the middle do able.

"and promoting Marner to the second line with Patrick Marleau and Nazem Kadri."

Definitive proof that Babcock reads our hockeybuzz posts.
We were talking about this just yesterday in here.

Seriously though. I was hoping Babs would give this a try. It would be great if this can work out to:
A) get Kadri out of his slump
B) challenge Marner to be better defensively while putting him with line mates that will set a good example for him. They are also being skilled enough to take advantage of his offensive creativity.
- Thecakeisalie

It is a little funny if you think about it.

We were calling for marner on Matthews line earlier in the year when marner was slumping. Babs then went on his normal I’m the coach so I get final say speal. Then puts marner on Matthews wing the next game.

And now this....

I’m not saying jvr tipped him off to hockeybuzz, but I’m not saying he didn’t.

People prolly already know this but im posting it for a laugh:

Mikhail Sergachev D 47 8 19 27 28 +11
Jonathan Drouin C 42 6 16 22 14 -21

It's not a big leap for the Leafs to keep him at RW and promote him to the top line alongside superstar shooting center Matthews, hrmm?

Matthews being on the team completely changes the Leafs needs in terms of C depth. They don't need Nylander AND Marner both trending to that position - they simply need one of them fulfilling 2C.

It may not be a "big leap" for him to switch to C but I think it's a helluva lot bigger than it will be for Nylander. I think the Leafs will be happy with Marner being a more defensively responsible Patrick Kane -- or, perhaps a better analogy still: a slightly bigger Martin St. Louis.
- mjones242

Martin St Louis was all legs, they probably weighed more then Marner

Or just leave Nylander at RW because he's good with Matthews and Marner is still looking for a stable spot to land. He doesn't look better defensively than Marner does, he's just a bit heavier and stronger because he's a bit older. It's not that much harder for Marner to be a C than it is for Nylander, if at all.
- Unholy_Goalie

Marner > Willie at the D part imo

People prolly already know this but im posting it for a laugh:

Mikhail Sergachev D 47 8 19 27 28 +11
Jonathan Drouin C 42 6 16 22 14 -21


- fansince72

sin

It is a little funny if you think about it.

We were calling for marner on Matthews line earlier in the year when marner was slumping. Babs then went on his normal I’m the coach so I get final say speal. Then puts marner on Matthews wing the next game.

And now this....

I’m not saying jvr tipped him off to hockeybuzz, but I’m not saying he didn’t.
- bryant

Honestly, what other options did Babs have at this point?

He's tried "punishing" Marner by moving him to the 4th line, but that hasn't exactly helped. It's also not like Marner is the only guilty party on that line either, but he never demotes JVR or Bozak, does he? So if he wants to move Marner to a different line for some reason, the only other options are Kadri's or Matthews' lines.

Also, Kadri really, really needs to get scoring again. It's great that he is playing well defensively, but lets be honest, we need more than just good defense from that line.

The only downside I can see if this experiment works is that Marner will no longer be the catalyst to make the Bozak line successful. The scoring on that line may dry up a bit without Marner making stuff happen.

People prolly already know this but im posting it for a laugh:

Mikhail Sergachev D 47 8 19 27 28 +11
Jonathan Drouin C 42 6 16 22 14 -21


- fansince72

Jon will even it up when he makes up those 5 games

Honestly, what other options did Babs have at this point?

He's tried "punishing" Marner by moving him to the 4th line, but that hasn't exactly helped. It's also not like Marner is the only guilty party on that line either, but he never demotes JVR or Bozak, does he? So if he wants to move Marner to a different line for some reason, the only other options are Kadri's or Matthews' lines.

Also, Kadri really, really needs to get scoring again. It's great that he is playing well defensively, but lets be honest, we need more than just good defense from that line.

The only downside I can see if this experiment works is that Marner will no longer be the catalyst to make the Bozak line successful. The scoring on that line may dry up a bit without Marner making stuff happen.
- Thecakeisalie

Pretty sure when he dangles it at the other teams blueline instead of the team plan to dump it......he gets a kick in the ass and gets a visit to line 4

Babs doesnt care about the other 2, theyre not the future...plus they usually dump it in.

Marner > Willie at the D part imo
- annoyed

Marner is 54% in FO and leads the team in takeaways. People freak out at his errors but he is very good for his age and considering who he has to play with.

Marner is 54% in FO and leads the team in takeaways. People freak out at his errors but he is very good for his age and considering who he has to play with.
- Unholy_Goalie

At that age he should have the most energy on the planet, its his dangles instead of dump ins that get him in trouble. He'll be good, not sure about superstar but he could be that too.

Marner is 54% in FO and leads the team in takeaways. People freak out at his errors but he is very good for his age and considering who he has to play with.
- Unholy_Goalie

54% sounds great, but that's 70 faceoffs in 49 games. Not 631 faceoffs like Kadri...

Or just leave Nylander at RW because he's good with Matthews and Marner is still looking for a stable spot to land. He doesn't look better defensively than Marner does, he's just a bit heavier and stronger because he's a bit older. It's not that much harder for Marner to be a C than it is for Nylander, if at all.
- Unholy_Goalie

That's certainly a possibility but I think the Leafs have pretty clear intentions to move Willie to C. Perhaps if he fails in that transition they may have a real good look at Marner there.

I think it would be a mistake, personally but I'm an armchair coach/GM so what do I know?

so Nylander for McDonaugh?

so Nylander for McDonaugh?
- Symba007

Willie AND a 1st!

Willie AND a 1st!
- 21peter

Willie AND a 1st!
- 21peter

oh

ho
- Fruitcakenipple