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A thread speculating about possible lines? Already?!

jonasTSN1050: Lupul was limited in practice today according to Carlyle. "I don?t think that it would be wise to get too far ahead of ourselves..."
 
dappleganger said:
Once Lupul gets back I'd like to see these forward lines:

Leafs_Lines.jpg
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These are the exact lines I'd like to see.  On the blue line I like:

Phaneuf/ Gardiner
Gunnarsson/ Franson
Liles / Fraser
Komisarek
 
There are too many left handed defensemen on the Leafs, Nonis is going to have to get creative to sort it all out.

Gunnarsson/ Phaneuf
Gardiner/ Franson
Fraser/ Holzer
Komisarek? Liles? Kostka?

I'd take anything in trade for Komisarek. I'd take the 2nd back for Liles. I'd take a 3rd, 4th rounder or player equivalent for Kostka.

If you keep Liles, he won't get enough ice. If you try to demote Kostka, he'd likely get plucked, maybe. Komisarek probably wouldn't suck as the #7 to have around and he's a righty, so easier to sub in for Holzer, when he sucks.
 
Potvin29 said:
Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris

Randy Carlyle says that Joffrey Lupul has been cleared for contact. He's available tomorrow but no decision has been made on if he'll play.
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OH MAN!!!!!

I give him a week from his first game to be back playing with kessel...which I think is good cause then JVR can move down to kadri's line (although didn't jvr have 2 goals against pitts playing with grabs and kuly?)
 
Lupul coming back?  There's no possible way he can bump one of Orr or McLaren, I mean those two studs both played a huge 2 minutes last night.
 
So assuming Carlyle isn't completely out of his mind and sits Komarov, which one of our enforcers stays in the line-up?

My vote would be for McLaren. As someone else mentioned elsewhere, he's only taken 2 minor penalties this season as opposed to Orr's 7. And one of those two was in the final minute of the Winnipeg loss. Orr barely edges him out in the hits category, but it just feels to me like McLaren brings a little more energy and is a little more involved on the forecheck. I usually don't even notice Orr is on the ice until his gloves are dropped.
 
If it were up to me:

van Riemsdyk - Grabovski - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Frattin
Komarov - McClement - Kulemin
MacArthur - Bozak - McLaren

The biggest advantage of playing Grabovski on the top line in my opinion, is that it will finally allow that line to earn some offensive zone time. van Riemsdyk and Kessel are shooters. They don't hold the puck and both are pretty useless at recovery. It's often 1 and done with that line. Grabovski actually holds onto the puck and is pretty good down low. At the very least, that line will be better defensively by virtue of spending more time in the attacking zone per shift. Defenders have to watch van Riemsdyk on the screen and have to respect Kessel's shot. Gives Grabovski more room to work with.

The 2nd line has the ability to dominate the offensive zone. Frattin is pretty relentless on the forecheck, as is Kadri, and all three players like to control the puck. The other option is to swap Lupul and van Riemsdyk for a little more puck possession on the first line.

I think McClement is good enough to play bigger minutes against 1st line opponents, and isn't expected to score goals, period. I like Komarov there for his checking abilities in case that line gets some time in the offensive zone, though swapping him out for MacArthur may be a better option. Using Kulemin in a pure checking role, at this point, seems to be the best way to use him as well.

Fourth line is pretty straight forward. Either Komarov or MacArthur on the left side. McLaren over Orr. McLaren can actually play a little bit, enough that he can take a regular shift.
 
I posted this in the Marlie thread but would like to add it here as well pertaining to the big club.

Hamilton had 3 points including his 30th goal for the Marlies last night.  Hamilton is on fire with 7 goals and 12 points in his last 6 games.  Going back further he has 10 goals and 18 points in his last 12 games.  I so wish Hamilton would play more physical.  It is not that I would like to see him fight but just to play bigger as he is a big body out there.  He has had 17 AHL fights in his 6 year AHL career so he will drop them if necessary.  His fights have always been a result of either sticking up for himself or to come to the aid of a team mate so maybe RC could drag more of a nasty edge out of him as his role with the Leafs would clearly be different than it is with the Marlies.  Once the d shakes out and we go back to 7 dman rather than 8, that same line could be our 4th line and give one of the enforcers a night off when playing certain clubs. Perhaps next season I think he could slot in very well on a third line with Komarov and McClement as a bonafide shutdown line  that could chip in with some offence.  If all else fails he is a great leader for our baby Leafs and wheres the C well down there.
 
mirtle: Komisarek clears waivers, opening roster spot as Leafs recall Ryan Hamilton. Expect they'll carry two extra forwards the rest of the way.
 
bustaheims said:
mirtle: Komisarek clears waivers, opening roster spot as Leafs recall Ryan Hamilton. Expect they'll carry two extra forwards the rest of the way.
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I imagine that is their plan as it looks like Hamilton would need to clear waivers to go back down to the Marlies.  Between Aucoin and Hamilton the Marlies lost alot of talent up-front.  Not too mention Kadri, Frattin and co.

David Alter ‏@DavidAlter590 10m
#Marlies may need a new captain...Ryan Hamilton has 30 goals this season in AHL and would need to clear waivers to be sent back down.
 
Hamilton is actually 3rd in the AHL in goals this season. Big loss for the Marlies. Carlyle better at least play the guy.
 
Highlander said:
Komi can be the new Kapitan of the Marlies :o
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All joking aside, I'm sure he will become a leader on the team whether or not they they make it official.  The way he's handled this process has been pure class which would reflect well on him. 
 
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