Speculation: 1st round expectations.

[Hellcat]

What should we expect in the 1st round vs the Bolts? I've watched their last 3 games and TBH , they look more like the Broad Street bullies from the 70's than the TBL Champs from the early '20's. Jeanott is a hot mess, Hedman has been pretty Meh!, Vas looks human, and Moron or is it Maroon has been running around like a rabid dog. They look more like they are getting ready for a street brawl than a playoff series.


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[leafsfan5]

Leafs in 5 or TB in 7 is how I see it

The Leafs best bet is to start the series hot and don't give Tampa any chance to gain momentum. Take the first 2 at home and get a split in TB. We definitely have the ability to do this, but will the Leafs not get complacent?

The longer the series goes, the more opportunity you give for Vasi to find his game and for Tampa to gain confidence. I don't like our chances nearly as much in that scenario, especially with the winning pedigree of their core versus ours

 

[Hellcat]

Todays game vs Boston , esp the 1st period was a shit show, I hope that is the version we are getting.

 

[RunItBackAgain]

I expect us to lose in some embarrassing fashion. Why would anyone expect anything less?

Do I hope that happens? Of course not but I'm not getting my hopes up. Also seems like a stupid year to go all in when we have to go through a consecutive 3 time stanley cup champion/finalist in the first round and if we somehow win that we have to go through a team having the best season in the history of the league. Just to get into the eastern conference finals..

 

[Gary Nylund]

Win!

 

[Cleetus]

I went Tampa in 4 last year, this year Leafs in 6!

 

[keonsbitterness]

Leafs in 3

 

[thusk]

If i go Line by line offensivly

Hagel- point- kucherov vs jarnkrok- matthews- marner Advantage leafs

Stamkos-cirelli-killorn vs bunting-jt-nylander advantage leafs

Colton-paul-maroon vs
Kerfoot-oreilly-lafferty
Advantage leafs

Jeannot-eyssimont-perry vs
Aston-reese-kampf-acciari
Advantage leafs

Defensivly: would say tie because tampa still have hedman but leafs with better depht

Goaltending advantage tampa

I will say leafs in 6, vasilevskiy will steal 1 or 2 but at the end... leafs depht will make the difference

 

[Burnie97]

Just win. I don't care how many games... in 4 or 7... of course preferably in 4 but just f***ing do it. Don't talk about it... go and f***ing do it.

 

[hfman]

The question keeps popping up, can we beat Tampa

the answer is of course

last year's series went 7 games and all came down to the last few minutes of game 7 with a 1-goal difference.

That 1-goal difference could have easily gone the other way.

So of course Toronto can beat Tampa.

But will it happen is the question

Sooner or later this team will win a series, that much is for certain.

Will it be this year though

 

[ACC1224]

Premature thread.
Let’s see where both teams are at in a few weeks

 

[TMLAM34]

Leafs in 6!

 

[WillyC]

Leafs in anything but 7

 

[DraftSchmaft]

I expect the point and kucherov duo to skate circles around our D. There's only 1 guy who can stop Point (*that duo) at 100% and he's injured.

 

[Vaive50]

At least it's almost sure that the Leafs will have home ice advantage. The Bolts road record is horrible for a top team, it's even worse than Red Wings, the Canucks and the Blues road record. In addition the Leafs have the 2nd best home record (tied with TB) so those facts should make home-ice advantage a big benefit for the Leafs

 

[Buds17]

I'm hoping for four Leaf victories. I'm expecting...the unexpected???

 

[Nineteen67]

I expect the point and kucherov duo to skate circles around our D. There's only 1 guy who can stop Point (*that duo) at 100% and he's injured.

The Leafs finally have two very good defensive C so either O’Reily and Matthews can play against that line. I assume TB will want Cirelli on Matthews as much as possible and depending on which linemates he plays with that should mean ROR gets Hagel, Point and Kuch.

If they can’t beat Tampa this year, I think the problem will be with the D pairings. One or both Rielly and Liljegren will have to play and it’s hard to shelter them.

 

[Racer88]

I’m hoping they go to at least the conference final but I’m expecting them lose in the first.
I have seen nothing since the trade deadline that says they are prepared for the playoffs.
All they had to do tonight after Matthews scored was be responsible with the puke and for Murray to make a dam save and we would have won, but that was too much to ask.

 

[34]

I just want to see Toronto win the series. I don’t care if it is 4 or in 7 games.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

More of that pain that Babs promised us.

 

[hockeyes]

Realistically, a game 7 loss. I don't make the rules, I just know what they are

 

[Suntouchable13]

The question keeps popping up, can we beat Tampa

the answer is of course

last year's series went 7 games and all came down to the last few minutes of game 7 with a 1-goal difference.

That 1-goal difference could have easily gone the other way.

So of course Toronto can beat Tampa.

But will it happen is the question

Sooner or later this team will win a series, that much is for certain.

Will it be this year though

This has to be the last chance for this core and this GM/coach. Anything but 2nd round is unacceptable. Sick of it. They fancy themselves as cup contenders and not pretenders so just f***ing win.

 

[notDatsyuk]

1st round expectations?
1st round elimination!

I certainly hope for better, but with no set lines or pairings, and iffy goaltending and coaching, my usual optimism is severely strained.

 

[the squared circle]