Leafs 2024-2025 Season Thread

[superstar_88]

It's preseason but Robertson has 5 goals in 4 games and his overall game looks so much better.
They'll certainly give him a legit shot to see how he performs in the regular season.

 

[roddermac]

With 3 (Tanev, OEL and Weber) new guys the defence looked bad. Understandably they need time to jell.

I’m not sure I like the Nylander at centre experiment. Even a step slower Tavares is still their second best centre and Nylander has proven that he’s an elite winger when he wants to be and the wing positions get a lot weaker with him at centre. Their first priority is to get the top two line going. Getting a competent 3rd line centre is a lot easier than replacing Nylander’s presence on the wing. Just mho.

They should play Marner at center. I don't see why they think at center is the better move.

 

[smuddan]

They should play Marner at center. I don't see why they think at center is the better move.

While I agree Marner would make a better centre than Nylander because he’s better defensively, I still don’t like the idea of switching an elite winger to a centre because playing centre adds more responsibilities and It would be very difficult for either to learn those responsibilities at this stage of their careers. It would be a lot easier for a centre to switch to wing. Nylander did play centre at different times but I’d think all his coaches would think he’s better suited as a winger as he eventually would go back on the wing.

Tavares has slowed down because of aging but I still see him as the second best centre on the team. He’s not worth the 11 million they’re paying him but that’s not his fault. Taking away his captaincy and then announce to the whole hockey world that he’s not even good enough to be a second line centre on this team is rather insulting imo.

 

[roddermac]

While I agree Marner would make a better centre than Nylander because he’s better defensively, I still don’t like the idea of switching an elite winger to a centre because playing centre adds more responsibilities and It would be very difficult for either to learn those responsibilities at this stage of their careers. It would be a lot easier for a centre to switch to wing. Nylander did play centre at different times but I’d think all his coaches would think he’s better suited as a winger as he eventually would go back on the wing.

Tavares has slowed down because of aging but I still see him as the second best centre on the team. He’s not worth the 11 million they’re paying him but that’s not his fault. Taking away his captaincy and then announce to the whole hockey world that he’s not even good enough to be a second line centre on this team is rather insulting imo.

So who should play centre on the second line

 

[bemeup]

My predictions for the 4 lines:
Knies-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-Tavares-Nylander
Pacioretty-Domi-McMann
Kampf-Jarnkrok-Reaves
Possibly a switch with Tavares and Domi.

 

[smuddan]

My predictions for the 4 lines:
Knies-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-Tavares-Nylander
Pacioretty-Domi-McMann
Kampf-Jarnkrok-Reaves
Possibly a switch with Tavares and Domi.

Until Tavares leaves or they find a better 2nd line centre, I’d keep him there. Domi is also more suited as a winger because he’s also prone to defensive glitches. They also have Holmberg and Kampf who are “natural centres” for their 3rd and 4th lines, although Kampf and Jarnkrok may be on the trading block for cap relief.

 

[tml]

So the Nylander at center experiment is over?