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My Opening Night Lines 20-21 Deep Dive

Created by: Emoon
Team: 2020-21 Toronto Maple Leafs
Initial Creation Date: Oct. 23, 2020
Published: Oct. 23, 2020
Salary Cap Mode: Basic
Description
Just my opinion, feel free to reply with suggestions.

Mikheyev - Matthews - Marner
Matthews and Marner should be a lock for opening night as they spent months building chemistry last year alongside Hyman. Mikheyev can take over as the worker/grinder on the line. He's younger than Hyman and signed an extra year at a cheaper price.

Kerfoot - Tavares - Nylander
Is Kerfoot a better winger than he is a centre? Most people would agree, which is why I have him slotted next to Tavares and Nylander. Contrary to popular belief, Tavares is well below average at defending, as well as Nylander (xGA and EV Def). Kerfoot could be a great defensive supplement to the other two. Adding Thornton as a 3C allows this solid line to reunite.

Robertson - Thornton - Hyman
Some may think this line is risky, but it could be tried opening night and would be really cool if it works. The young sniper Robertson alongside an older mentor playmaker in Thornton. A perfect grinder to supplement them in Hyman, whose production might fall on this line, but this helps lower the AAV on his next contract.

Engvall - Spezza - Simmonds
Not playing Vesey may seem controversial, but Engvall offers the same size, more speed, and better defensive play. Spezza at centre is a solid option even at 37. Good on faceoffs, defensively responsible, wicked shot. Simmonds should start on the fourth line, as we have no idea if the prolonged offseason has given him a second wind, or if he's just succumbing to age. If he can improve his underlying numbers and production, he could move into the middle 6.

Honourable Mentions:
Jimmy Vesey (Could replace Robertson and play with Kerfoot. I just like what Engvall brings more)
Alexander Barabanov: (Expected to make the team, but we don't know what he is yet)
Boyd, Brooks, Malgin (Scratches, might get some playtime here and there)

Muzzin - Brodie
Most would have Rielly here, but pairing Muzz with Brodie would offer a more defensive pairing that can get most D-zone starts. Muzz resembles more of a Giordano type that Brodie had success with.

Rielly - Dermott
We know what Rielly is. Elite offensively, mediocre defensively (Terrible xGA). Putting him on a pairing exclusively for o-zone starts will let him flourish. Dermott's underlying numbers were great it sheltered minutes last year (especially defensively), and he can make a jump into the top-4. Playing him on the right against tougher competition may seem risky, but he may be the only option that can really play there.

Lehtonen - Holl
Lehtonen looks like the real deal over in the KHL and he'll probably start on the third pair and have control of the second power play. Holl may seem more of a fit for the second pair right now, but long term he projects as a good 5-6 defenseman. Good on the penalty kill and can move the puck.

Honourable Mentions:
Sandin + Liljegren (First callup, will be full time in 21-22)
Bogosian (Rotating with Holl/Dermott/Lehtonen, offering physicality)
Rosen (Injury fill in)
Marincin (Last-resort, great on the PK, nothing else)

Once again, these are just my opinions, I'd really like to hear the lines you guys have!
Thanks for reading
Retained Salary Transactions
DraftRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Round 6Round 7
2021
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2022
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2023
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ROSTER SIZESALARY CAPCAP HITOVERAGES TooltipBONUSESCAP SPACE
21$81,500,000$81,146,408$0$0$353,592
Left WingCentreRight Wing
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$1,645,000$1,645,000
LW, RW
UFA - 2
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$11,640,250$11,640,250
C
UFA - 4
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$10,903,000$10,903,000
RW
UFA - 5
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$3,500,000$3,500,000
LW, C, RW
UFA - 3
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$11,000,000$11,000,000
C, LW
NMC
UFA - 5
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$6,962,366$6,962,366
RW
UFA - 4
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$821,667$821,667
LW, RW
RFA - 4
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$700,000$700,000
C, LW
NMC
UFA - 1
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$2,250,000$2,250,000
RW, LW
M-NTC
UFA - 1
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$1,250,000$1,250,000
RW, LW
UFA - 2
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$700,000$700,000
C, RW
UFA - 1
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$1,500,000$1,500,000
RW, LW
NTC
UFA - 1
Left DefenseRight DefenseGoaltender
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$5,625,000$5,625,000
LD
NMC
UFA - 4
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$5,000,000$5,000,000
LD/RD
NMC
UFA - 4
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$5,000,000$5,000,000
G
M-NTC
UFA - 1
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$5,000,000$5,000,000
LD
M-NTC
UFA - 2
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$874,125$874,125
LD/RD
UFA - 1
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$1,650,000$1,650,000
G
UFA - 2
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$925,000$925,000
LD
UFA - 1
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$2,000,000$2,000,000
RD
M-NTC
UFA - 3
ScratchesInjured Reserve (IR)Long Term IR (LTIR)
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$1,000,000$1,000,000
RD
NTC
UFA - 1

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Oct. 23, 2020 at 9:27 p.m.
#1
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Joined: Mar. 2019
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The only thing that really stands out to me is Mikheyev on the top line over Hyman. I don't understand what salary has anything to do with forming lines "He's younger than Hyman and signed an extra year at a cheaper price". Hyman is proven to be effective with Matthews, I'm forming my lines based on the best chances of winning not for salary reasons

Robertson paired with Thornton I like, could be good mentoring for Robertson to accelerate his growth.
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Oct. 23, 2020 at 9:44 p.m.
#2
Please win the cup
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Quoting: Survivorking77
The only thing that really stands out to me is Mikheyev on the top line over Hyman. I don't understand what salary has anything to do with forming lines "He's younger than Hyman and signed an extra year at a cheaper price". Hyman is proven to be effective with Matthews, I'm forming my lines based on the best chances of winning not for salary reasons

Robertson paired with Thornton I like, could be good mentoring for Robertson to accelerate his growth.


He said that about Hyman because if he comes of anther 20+ goal year he'll want more than he's currently making, Really good dude love the line up, don't quiet agree how you view Reilly but who knows you could be right!
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Oct. 23, 2020 at 9:51 p.m.
#3
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Likes: 42
Quoting: MapleLeafsfan2003
He said that about Hyman because if he comes of anther 20+ goal year he'll want more than he's currently making, Really good dude love the line up, don't quiet agree how you view Reilly but who knows you could be right!


I understand that but I much rather them ice the best lineup possible for a chance to win. Figure out the money after
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Oct. 23, 2020 at 10:12 p.m.
#4
TheBulinWall
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Joined: Aug. 2016
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Quoting: MapleLeafsfan2003
He said that about Hyman because if he comes of anther 20+ goal year he'll want more than he's currently making, Really good dude love the line up, don't quiet agree how you view Reilly but who knows you could be right!


Better to play the best lines imo. Can't afford to flub it this season.
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Oct. 23, 2020 at 10:26 p.m.
#5
Once a Kings Fan Too
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Posts: 39,681
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I may not agree with everything you say here, or even anything, but I admire your effort to think outside the box. Nice job, and good on you for putting it out there for everyone to see and analyze.

Nice.
Emoon liked this.
Oct. 23, 2020 at 10:46 p.m.
#6
gglife
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Pretty good stuff all round and could definitely be a opening night line-up. Here are my thoughts:

1st line: I think you load up. TOR is in a conference with some elite offensive players and with talks of the upcoming season being a condensed one, there's no room for losing games. Thus, I think the priority should be to put the puck in the back of the net. It has worked for COL, DAL and BOS, not to mention a divisional rival, so why not for us. If you look at playoff teams in the Atlantic Division, the top lines (strongest to weakest) should be like so:

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak
Palat/Stamkos?-Point-Kucherov
Hall-Eichel-Olofsson
Huberdeau-Barkov-Hornqvist
Drouin-Danult-Gallagher/Anderson/Toffoli

There is clearly a pattern here which is to put your top guns on the first line and get as much offense as you can. This is why I think the top line for the leafs should be exactly what Chief Keefe had in Game 5:

Tavaras-Matthews-Marner

A whole season of them together can be absolutely devastating for the opponent. They are gonna make goalies sweat before they enter the arena.

2nd line: This should be a line that provides supplemental offense but also takes care of the puck in their own end. Cue:

Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Nylander

Mikky can be an offensive threat, but is also good in the d-zone. Paired with Kerfoot, together they can both be above-average in the defensive zone. That leaves Nylander to score goals and eat up the other teams second pairing defencemen.

3rd line: A full out shut-down line. This is to stop any momentum build-up for the other team, but also gives the top 2 lines a break knowing, they are not gonna get scored on.

Hyman-Thornton-Simmonds

Hyman is on the third line because he is not only less offensively minded than Mikheyev, but better at that grit, grinding, fore-checking game. With Simmonds on the opposite wing, these two can be the nastiest players on the ice at every game. I wasnt sure who the best Center here would be as my other option was to put Boyd, but Jumbo Joe provides that size, which helps with the hard-forecheck game that this line would be tasked with. Also, Hyman and Simmonds can cover for the 41 year old should there be any breakaways. To think of it, Engvall would not be a bad option here...just thinking out loud.

4th line: Energy line. Three guys who just provide that edge and are somewhat of a threat for teams taking that shift off.

Vesey-Spezza-Barabanov

You could swap Barabanov with Robertson if he doesn't turn out to be what he was in the KHL. It would still be that line you could rely on to get some fresh legs and energy going for the team.

1st pair: Muzzin-Holl

I like how you have Muzzin on the first pair, but I think his chemistry with Holl would be an asset as they will hopefully, be able to pick-up where they left off.

2nd pair: Rielly-Brodie

This gives Rielly the ability to be that offensive threat he was when he had 70pts 2 years ago. With Brodie as his partner, he could just be that fourth forward on the first line, which would be lethal. Rielly and Brodie can take care of things in their own end as well and both d-men can break and move the puck to the forwards, which is essential in creating offense and playing in the o-zone.

3rd pair: None

I think with the way the season is intending to be, the 3rd pair will be rotating every 3 or 4 games like you said. I personally like the pairing of Lehtonen-Bogosian which gives you the ability to move the puck but also that added physicality. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Dermott-Bogosian as that could be a in-your-face d-pairing. It would be a hard night for the opponent for sure. Lastly, Lehtonen-Dermott might be an outside shot, but having players play on their offside hasn't worked well for the leafs so far. Also, when you have RHD players for the 3rd pairing why not use em.

Also, like you said extras would be Robertson, Boyd, and whoever is the 7th defenceman. Anderson, Engvall, Sandin, and Lily all probably get sent down but are first call ups.

So overall, my two cents, whatever they are worth, would be to play a more balanced game but still have offense as the priority and I think this lineup would accomplish that. Its gonna be interesting what Keefe puts out.
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