Pre-Game Talk: 1st Round - Battle of Ontario - Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators

Best thing that could have ever happened yesterday was how bad he was. Gilbert must have passed him on the depth chart.
Staios will have to address the D core in the off season. We need significant improvement in the play of Matinpalo and Kleven plus the addition of a competent 5th D to replace Hamonic until Yakemchuk develops into an NHL level RD. Would be nice to get another good D prospect in the 2025 draft or via trade or Free Agency this coming summer.
 
No to the Greig suggestion to hit the goaltender. That would lead to penalties and goals against. The Leafs have more goal scoring ability than we do so we will have to play smart and stay out of the penalty box to negate their power play.

The only physically tough players we have are Tkachuk and Hodgson. That is a weakness on the Senators.

In order to win we need to play a solid 200 foot defensive game in all 3 zones including forechecking in the O zone, back checking with pressure on the puck-carrier in the N zone, and close coverage in our D zone. Must hustle all the time; no lazy skating and line changes. Need to take the man at all times and hit when the opportunity arises. Must play smart and stay out of the penalty box (no holding, tripping, hooking from behind, etc.).
What does physically tough mean? Fighting? That not going to matter.

Hitting people is going to matter. Playing physical hockey is going to matter.

Matthews + Marner + Nylander + Tavares have 200 hits. COMBINED. Without bothering to go thru the entire league, that might be the least physical top 4 in the league.

Tkachuk and Cozens each have > 200. Our top players are far more physical than Toronto's and I'd suggest our D core's biggest problem is physically imposing skill players which is not how we'd describe Toronto. Our top 4 of Tkachuk, Stu, Batherson and Cozens are over 700 hits combined.
 
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What does physically tough mean? Fighting? That not going to matter.

Hitting people is going to matter. Playing physical hockey is going to matter.

Matthews + Marner + Nylander + Tavares have 200 hits. COMBINED. Without bothering to go thru the entire league, that might be the least physical top 4 in the league.

Tkachuk and Cozens each have > 200. Our top players are far more physical than Toronto's and I'd suggest our D core's biggest problem is physically imposing skill players which is not how we'd describe Toronto. Our top 4 of Tkachuk, Stu, Batherson and Cozens are over 700 hits combined.
Physically tough means players who are big, can hit, enjoy hitting, hit hard, hit often, never do fly-bys, and can fight when and if necessary.
 
My kid had me up at 5:30 this morning.
Life eventually comes full circle. My kids sleep til noon. My cat had me up at 530. Apparently cats don't understand the concept of sleeping in on a weekend. You know another thing they don't get? My owner went to the Sens game last night and wasn't the driver so he had a few extra beers.
 
I want the Greig Pinto Amadio line on the ice whenever Matthews is there. Pinto and Amadio are our best defensive forwards and if we want to grind away at AM34, they are our best bet.
 
I hoped my kid did not wake me up in the wee hours this morning too. He's 44 and went out with his friends last evening without a key to the house!

I think the worst for that for me was when I was in high school and I’d gone out with some friends.

I had an old Accord 4-door with manual locks. You could lock them all from the inside except the driver’s door - so that you don’t forget your keys.

Buuuuuut I learned that you could lock the driver’s door from the inside of the door without the keys if you pulled the door handle and then pushed the lock button.

It saved all the time of fiddling with keys.

Anyway, after telling all my friends to make sure they locked their doors, I realized my keys were locked in the car.

We were at Perkins at St Laurent and I had to call my Dad to drive out to the diner with the spare set of keys at like 3 am.

“Hi Mr. NyQuil!” yelled out my best friend as he arrrives.

He didn’t say a word, handed me the keys, and drove home.

You know when your Dad is too mad to say actual words that it’s going to be a fun time.
 
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Who on Toronto fits that bill?
Only 1 I know of: Reeves.

But the players on a specific single team is not a prerequisite for forming a team roster for the NHL with many teams, some of which have large players and physically tough players.

Guys like Chara, Neil, Carkner, McGrattan, Smith, Cowan and Kassian can make a big difference when playing against teams that target your best players, or teams that are big and tough too, or teams that can be warn down and/or dominated/intimidated by physical play.
 
I'd expect it to be Hughson and Simpson.
Hughson is gone but you probably mean Cuthbert and Simpson.

Regardless the “he scores” tone will favor old Bluey no matter who we get. Just like in the Bob Cole days
 
Hughson is gone but you probably mean Cuthbert and Simpson.

Regardless the “he scores” tone will favor old Bluey no matter who we get. Just like in the Bob Cole days

Really? Wow, how did I forget that. One of those COVID memories.

I actually don't mind Cuthbert. He was great for us when we had him and Ferraro on TSN for an entire season.

In any event, I understand why the coverage leans in their direction but it doesn't make it any less annoying.

As long as we don't get Galley.
 
Really? Wow, how did I forget that. One of those COVID memories.

I actually don't mind Cuthbert. He was great for us when we had him and Ferraro on TSN for an entire season.

In any event, I understand why the coverage leans in their direction but it doesn't make it any less annoying.

As long as we don't get Galley.
Yeah Galley would be a huge annoyance. He probably gets Montreal series. I used to like Cuthberts play by play as well when we had him regionally with TSN. Since that time he’s become a bit of a SN leaf shill imo.
 
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Mitch Marner gearing up for the playoffs
IMG_20250418_135804_973.jpg
 

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