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Kings vs. Maple Leafs - Jan. 2nd, 10:30pm - SN, TSN 1050

CarltonTheBear

Administrator
Staff member
los_angeles_kings.svg

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toronto_maple_leafs.svg
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Los Angeles Kings
20-8-5, 45 points
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Toronto Maple Leafs
17-10-7, 41 points
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[td]Projected
Lineups
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[td]Byfield-Kopitar-Kempe
Fiala-Danault-Moore
Laferriere-Dubois-Kaliyev
Grundstrom-Lizotte-Lewis

Anderson-Doughty
Gavrikov-Roy
Englund-Spence

Talbot[/td]
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[td]Knies-Matthews-Marner
Bertuzzi-Tavares-Nylander
Robertson-Domi-Jarnkrok
McMann-Kampf-Gregor

Rielly-Brodie
Benoit-McCabe
Giordano-Liljegren

Jones[/td]
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[td]Scratches[/td]
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Jaret Anderson-Dolan
Tobias Bjornfot[/td]
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Pontus Holmberg
Conor Timmins
William Lagesson[/td]
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[td]Injuries[/td]
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?Vicktor Arvidsson - Back - Injured Reserve
?Pheonix Copley - Undisclosed - Injured Reserve[/td]
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?Ryan Reaves - Lower Body - Injured Reserve
?Joseph Woll - Lower Body - Injured Reserve
?John Klingberg - Lower Body - Injured Reserve[/td]
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[td]Game notes[/td]
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LA
?Cam Talbot (14-7-3, 2.10 GAA, .924 Sv%) will likely start for the Kings

TOR
?Martin Jones (4-3-0, 2.73 GAA, .915 Sv%) will start for the Leafs
                                                                            Streams                                                                           
OnHockey
NHL Webcast
 
I must say, whatever "jolt effect" McMann has brought to the fourth line has faded.  I don't think he's been better than Reaves.
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
I must say, whatever "jolt effect" McMann has brought to the fourth line has faded.  I don't think he's been better than Reaves.

I made a point of saying multiple times that it felt like a Reaves-4th line was basically playing short handed because Reaves was basically behind the play and a non-factor in every play 95% of the time he stepped on the ice. I wouldn't exactly use that description with McMann. You can see him actually playing plays here and there, but yes the 4th line is still very much an issue:

Gregor-Kampf-Reaves: 45.03 CF%, 1.69 GF/60, 6.77 GA/60, 20.00 GF%, 38.21 xGF%

Gregor-Kampf-McMann: 44.12 CF%, 1.66 GF/60, 3.31 GA/60, 33.33 GF%, 39.58 xGF%

It's worth noting that the McMann-results come with the line playing tougher minutes: a 23.81% offensive-zone face off percentage vs. 44.44% with Reaves on it. But again yes those results are pretty unacceptable and while I like McMann as a player and think he's capable of better than this if the results don't change on the ice soon he needs to be replaced. Not sure anyone on the Marlies like Holmberg or Steeves would drastically change what's going on there though.

edit: I also don't necessarily think that McMann is the only problem there. Kampf and Gregor both deserve a share of the blame too, but it's obviously very unlikely all 3 players get changed.
 
It's pretty much impossible to find a cheap 4th liner who can put up positive shot metrics with a strict diet of basically DZ-only zone starts. All that matters is the GA/60 is lower (still a bit high, but that's with Samsonov assploding).
 
Going to be a tough one tonight. Kings are solid in my opinion sound in all areas. They don't give up much and one of those teams Leafs struggle against.
 
herman said:
It's pretty much impossible to find a cheap 4th liner who can put up positive shot metrics with a strict diet of basically DZ-only zone starts. All that matters is the GA/60 is lower (still a bit high, but that's with Samsonov assploding).

All I remember is TB's 4th line seeming to wreck us repeatedly.
 
My eyeballs tell me McMann is a better player. His skating ability alone puts him far above Reaves, plus he does have some puck skills. I think if he upped his physical play, which he seems to have started doing, he could be a more effective player.

When I watch Reaves I get the feeling that he knows what he should be doing, but he just doesn't have the skating ability to actually make it happen. He wants to hit players but usually can't get in quickly enough on the forecheck. In the defensive zone he can't keep up with opponents and often winds up just standing still as players skate by and around him. I like the guy and would love it if he could play a useful role but...I'm just not seeing it. Maybe spot duty against certain opponents.
 
Chris said:
My eyeballs tell me McMann is a better player. His skating ability alone puts him far above Reaves, plus he does have some puck skills. I think if he upped his physical play, which he seems to have started doing, he could be a more effective player.

When I watch Reaves I get the feeling that he knows what he should be doing, but he just doesn't have the skating ability to actually make it happen. He wants to hit players but usually can't get in quickly enough on the forecheck. In the defensive zone he can't keep up with opponents and often winds up just standing still as players skate by and around him. I like the guy and would love it if he could play a useful role but...I'm just not seeing it. Maybe spot duty against certain opponents.

I heartily endorse this message
 
Chris said:
My eyeballs tell me McMann is a better player. His skating ability alone puts him far above Reaves, plus he does have some puck skills. I think if he upped his physical play, which he seems to have started doing, he could be a more effective player.

When I watch Reaves I get the feeling that he knows what he should be doing, but he just doesn't have the skating ability to actually make it happen. He wants to hit players but usually can't get in quickly enough on the forecheck. In the defensive zone he can't keep up with opponents and often winds up just standing still as players skate by and around him. I like the guy and would love it if he could play a useful role but...I'm just not seeing it. Maybe spot duty against certain opponents.

McMann has also only played 23 (Reaves 849) NHL games. I mean surly there is a lot of room for growth there still.
 
Rob said:
OOOFFF 10:30pm start.  Now I know how Arn feels. 

This is 3.30am here. I could theoretically go to sleep about 10ish, get a solid sleep in, wake up and watch the game and then have time for an extra couple of hours nap before the morning alarm goes off 😃
 
https://x.com/dalter/status/1742265443807830119
All signs pointing to an automatic loss tonight
 
Chris said:
My eyeballs tell me McMann is a better player. His skating ability alone puts him far above Reaves, plus he does have some puck skills. I think if he upped his physical play, which he seems to have started doing, he could be a more effective player.

I've been pulling for him. Age 26-27 - finally makes it to the NHL. Neat story.
He has been using his size some - finishing his checks.
The 4th line checking role is not what got him noticed. His forte is on the powerplay/top 6.
He's been responsible with the puck. He's tried hard. He's not bad in puck battles.
I'm not sure if it is the different role or a revised system or his reads or the players he is with, but he's a little out of sync and seems a little out of place or position at times. I haven't seen him enough to pin it down.

I do wonder if he would be more effective in Robertson's spot or on the 2nd PP. But that is probably not going to happen on this roster. His best shot might be on the 2nd power play of a bottom feeder who needs scoring on a 3rd line. I hope he finds a way stick somewhere and earn some NHL $.
 
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