Tavares can't be too happy playing 2nd PP minutes.

nah. dome break up Mitch and Auston

Agreed. Nothing needs fixing except work ethic.

Boyd as played really good hockey. He need to stay in the lineup before Engvall and Vesey.

He's about 45 sec per game less than Marner/Matthews, doubt it keeps him up at night.

He's also now the focal point of PP2, last year he was 3rd or 4th option on PP1.

Don't forget SHELDON KEEFE WILL ALWAYS DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THIS LEAF TEAM.
And, Marner & Matthews would still be together on the PP/PK

The reason why I'd do this is because, A. You get Tavares back with Marner(they had elite chemistry before the Babcock firing) and B. You force teams to remember how to defend the Matthews & Nylander fantastic duo they had before Babcock got fired.

I love how JT is disappointing but has an above 60% GF%, very good xGA numbers and positive in almost every other advance stats. I would say it would be a problem if the team was A) losing B) he was giving up a tonne of offence and C) not getting chances. Literally none of those things are a problem. JT and Willy aren't a problem. There really are not any problems currently. Just cold streaks which happen. Willy specifically has been so much better away from the puck and in his zone. He just doesn't hit dummies think he doesn't try hard. Pretty sure that crowd doesn't have the capacity to think so seeing hitting is about as much mental ability they can put into judging a hockey player.

Engvall has been good too. Vesey is playing his way out of the lineup.

I don't think it's necessary. Just look at JT's and Willy's advance metrics. They are very much playing well. Just not getting the results. This is like when Matthews just wasn't scoring in his first 4 games with Thornton on his wing, to many that meant Thornton was a hindrance and prevented him from scoring and when he got hurt and Hyman moved up Matthews went on a spree. It had little to do with Hyman in reality and was just how it bounced. Matthews has been insane all year. JT and Willy have been good as well but aren't getting the results. It'll swing back at some point and everyone will shut up about it. The effort is there, the chances are there and defensively they have been really good. These guys don't have to be 100 point players to be playing well. I fully expect them to be close to ppg players by seasons end. Hot streaks will come.

It's cuz, Boyd is worried that Robertson(when he returns from the AHL cuz of injury) and possibly Galchenyuk may take his spot.

It would likely work for sure but I don't think it's necessary. Nylander with Matthews and Thornton would be interesting since Nylander is a better shooter than Marner but it's working having him with Matthews so no need to change. Plus JT feeding Nylander is also a good tandem so just be patient.

What advanced metrics are you looking at. Just curious.

Leafs have six forward lines that have played at least 30 minutes together at even strength so far this season and the two groups that include Tavares and Nylander have the lowest expected goals for percentage out of the six.

The pair has struggled to create scoring chances at the same rate that they did in 2019-2020, generating just 2.47 expected goals per 60 at even strength – down from 3.22 last season.

The one thing they could try would be Jumbo with JT and Willy. But overall I agree that both the top two lines have been really good and sooner or later JT and Willy will start finishing.

Marner Matthews Nylander

Natural Stattrick has them both in the positive across the board. 60% in GF% and above 50 in the xG%. They have produced less offense but have vastly improved defensively. So it's a give and take and I think the offence will come. You guys worry too much.

Absolutely they will, I'd be worried if they never got any chances and that isn't the case. JT has wiffed on several good chances and that won't continue. Nylander as well, he'll get on a rip and score 10 points in 7 games soon enough. Nothing to really worry about.

But they are not generating the chances is what I’m getting at,
generating just 2.47 expected goals per 60 at even strength – down from 3.22 last season. That’s really bad. Tavares especially looks like he’s either dealing with a injury or something. Turing the puck over, poor decision making, yes he’s great on the PP but the Leafs need more from him. And Nylander is firing just over five shots per 60 minutes 5-on-5 this season, down from over nine a year ago.

It’s early no doubt but in a shorten season the time to get it together won’t be there

So we are going to just ignore the huge improvement on the defensive side of the game then. Okay just checking. This is exactly what I wanted to see from this team, pull back offensively while improving the defence. Master the defensive side then increase offence. Nylander isn't getting the transition offence as much this year, mainly because he's way deeper in his zone making plays defensively. That alone should make the "Willy sucks crowd shutup" but of course they just ignore it and say he isn't scoring as much. Fans are the worst

No doubt last year they were creating a lot of chances and giving up a ton, they are definitely trying to find a better balance. They gave up one more goal than they scored with the Nylander and JT on the ice last year. So if there’s a way to explain, at least in part, the relative 5-on-5 struggles of Nylander and Tavares so far this season, it’s that. The Leafs need to get more of a boost from those two tho. Tavares and Nylander have scored four 5-on-5 goals combined while Matthews and Marner have totalled 13.

Comparing anyone's goal scoring to Matthews right now is ridiculous. You are worried about nothing and just buying into the hysteric media coverage. Listen to them and the Leafs are in danger of missing the playoffs every time they lose and will easily win the cup whenever they win. The swings are insane and worry about JT and Nylander who are scoring and producing more than they give up, currently by a 60% margin at 5v5 is just silly.

😂 he makes 11 mil a year. I would hope he could score a couple 5v5 goals. This contract will age nicely

He'll be fine