Joined: Mar. 2017
Posts: 4,789
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What I see here is a similar team.to this year.
The bleuline has more bite, but the team as a whole will continue to depend far too much on 6 guys.
Robertson is still green. Far to insulated under Keefe. As a result, I am.not sure is defensive play is there to justify 2nd line minutes. That responsibility falls on JT, and as he gets older, that gets dicey playing heavy minutes.
Domi is a sheer offensive talent. Now the bonus is Jarnkrok is quite effective playing 200 feet and McMann has been a revelation - but that line needs a 200 foot player playing centre.
The 4th line with Reaves on it is a liability. He hits. That is about it. That line needs to forecheck, and outside Dewar, it can't. Simply put, easy exits, pinned in the D zone.
As for the D core itself:
Pesce is very good, but I agree.... isn't the right guy for Reilly. Need more of a two-way presence there. I think that guy is Carrier.....
Timmins on the bottom pair I don't like either. As a platoon option, for sure..... he changes the overall look of the blueline. But a guy like Hakapää playing with Benoit would be some levels of nasty Leafs fans haven't seen on the back end in decades. I would accept Edmundson in that role, but I would prefer the right shot.