Around the League - 2022-23 Season Edition

[Da Mash]

Mark Stone going from "I may never play again" during the season to Conn Smythe finalist in the playoffs goes to show how stupid the NHLs cap is.

Thats the rules tho....every team can do it. Does certain things need to be changed? Sure ...next bargaining agreement may change it.

They played within the rules. Like other sports....Baseball you basically buy a championship and the penalty when you go over spending goes to other teams. Yet they dont use that money on their players. Yankees have been complaining about that for years.

NBA has their holes in their structure.

The NFL probably has the tightest cap but they have a way to push money ahead using fake years to spread out the players cap and then can spread the cap hit if for two years if they cut the players after June 1st

s

 

[ToneDog]

Stop being salty about Vegas. If Leafs stop running it back with the same 4 overpaid softies, maybe they can get close to winning something soon. Vegas has an amazing deep team filled with "gamers". Our team is SOFT. Guys only care about being the highest paid here.

As much as I hate what Gary did for Vegas and Seattle, I have complete respect for Vegas. They get it done on the ice.

 

[Nineteen67]

Yup and we get Leafs/Dubas shills asking what happened to the Panther warriors against Vegas ?

This is why no one reveals injuries in the playoffs and why you have to make investments early in a series. We’ve heard this all of our lives.

The goal for the Leafs is to find guys that are willing and able to make that investment, if they want to compete.

 

[Suntouchable13]

As much as I hate what Gary did for Vegas and Seattle, I have complete respect for Vegas. They get it done on the ice.

Well, the other owners all agreed to it. So it is what it is. They still had to build a great team.

 

[Nineteen67]

Stop being salty about Vegas. If Leafs stop running it back with the same 4 overpaid softies, maybe they can get close to winning something soon. Vegas has an amazing deep team filled with "gamers". Our team is SOFT. Guys only care about being the highest paid here.

Their watch party looked good to me.
There are only 1/2 dozen places I’ll go watch an NHL game and Vegas is at the top of the list.

 

[HockeyVirus]

I know I am not the only one who watched Vegas play and thought that we would never be able to play that way. Every hit is micro analyzed not only by our media but by our large amount of haters. Anything even a perfectly clean hit will have at least some folks on social media calling for a suspension.

And it's not just fan/media BS the league seems to come down heavy on the Leafs as well. Matthews getting a hearing before a game even ends and yet Bennett can slam a kids head into the ice no issues.

Maybe if the team was built and played that way all the time it would matter but I seriously doubt it. Look at how much hate a guy like Bunting got not just from other fans but from the refs. Our market is such a fishbowl it's hard to built a true dirty team because every aspect of it is heavily reported on.

We'd end up like the Panthers in the penalty box way too many times. That said, I would still like to at least TRY and have a team who can play that way. Was a lot of fun seeing every player finish checks and not just little bumps they threw their weight into them any chance they got. And they play that way regular season as well.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

The NHL has been lucky with winning cities
Wash
STL
Tampa
and Vegas

Col was kinda meh boring, but they made up for it this year.

“Lucky”

 

[DarkKnight]

Phil is a legend…

 

[Torontonian]

Vegas built the proper way and ideal way to win the Stanley cup, big and fast up front that gives you no time in your own end with a good forecheck, and strong big D on the backend to clear the front of the net and box out.

No complacency from their management after disappointing playoffs, they made the bold moves to put them over the top. No GM to coddle their best players after disappointment.

Truly believe one of the leafs biggest issue is they are too complacent because of the old GM.

 

[Nineteen67]

I know I am not the only one who watched Vegas play and thought that we would never be able to play that way. Every hit is micro analyzed not only by our media but by our large amount of haters. Anything even a perfectly clean hit will have at least some folks on social media calling for a suspension.

And it's not just fan/media BS the league seems to come down heavy on the Leafs as well. Matthews getting a hearing before a game even ends and yet Bennett can slam a kids head into the ice no issues.

Maybe if the team was built and played that way all the time it would matter but I seriously doubt it. Look at how much hate a guy like Bunting got not just from other fans but from the refs. Our market is such a fishbowl it's hard to built a true dirty team because every aspect of it is heavily reported on.

We'd end up like the Panthers in the penalty box way too many times. That said, I would still like to at least TRY and have a team who can play that way. Was a lot of fun seeing every player finish checks and not just little bumps they threw their weight into them any chance they got. And they play that way regular season as well.

The Leafs created the blueprint of how to be the meanest toughest team to play against. They own the Patent on the style and need to get back to it.

 

[Nineteen67]

“Lucky”

I wish the NHL did manipulate the games and got Philly and Buffalo back into the fray.

I’d love to see the East get good together with Ottawa, Toronto, Boston, Buffalo, Detroit FL and TB all having really solid teams where any one of them could miss the playoffs or win the east. We’ve had TB and Boston for far too long.

Same in the Metro.

 

[horner]

Stop being salty about Vegas. If Leafs stop running it back with the same 4 overpaid softies, maybe they can get close to winning something soon. Vegas has an amazing deep team filled with "gamers". Our team is SOFT. Guys only care about being the highest paid here.

I totally agree

 

[hockeywiz542]

Phil Kessel fires shot at Toronto after winning third Stanley Cup since departure from Maple Leafs

Kessel had been widely criticized during his time in Toronto for lacking a commitment to fitness and there were stories of his love of hot dogs.

www.thestar.com

Phil Kessel: three-time Stanley Cup champion. Take that, Toronto.

That was essentially Kessel’s message after he lifted the Cup for the third time following the Vegas Golden Knights’ 9-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 5 on Tuesday night to clinch the best-of-seven final 4-1.

“Takes me back to my Toronto days. You guys said I couldn’t win, and now I’m a three-time champ. Remember that.”

Kessel, a regular healthy scratch after the fourth game of the opening round, was being interviewed by Mike Stephens of The Hockey News and Luke Fox of Sportsnet, both Toronto-based reporters. Stephens tweeted the quote.

Kessel is the NHL’s regular-season ironman, a streak currently at 1,064 games that began Nov. 3, 2009, his first game as a member of the Maple Leafs. He started off as a Boston Bruin, but the Leafs traded two first-round picks (who became Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton) and a second-round pick in an ill-fated attempt to quickly build a winner.

The Kessel-era Leafs made the playoffs once in his six years. He was typically their best player, but was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2015 and then won the Cup in 2016 and ’17.

He had been widely criticized in Toronto for lacking a commitment to fitness and there were stories of his love of hot dogs. When he won the Cup the first time, he filled it with hot dogs. He also – without fanfare – brought the Cup to Toronto’s SickKids Hospital that summer.

His best days are behind him. At 35, he scored 14 goals in 82 games this season in diminishing ice time and only played four games in the post-season. He is still eligible for his name to appear on the Cup.

Again, take that Toronto.

 

[horner]

I can't speak for other teams in the league, but I'll speak for the Leafs

Bettman didn't orchastrate anything. Don't take away the fight other teams put up and we weren't willing to
Cassidy and Maurice were first year coaches with their teams. Keefe couldn't take 80s Oilers to the finals

Panthers were out of their top forward and top D. You can't expect to win anything. Vegas was also the depth of any championship team. Kudos to their GM for getting Barbashev and Eichel

People are going to say well Panthers got away playing goon hockey. Welcome to the real world. That's called playoff hockey
Vegas countered with same type of game and won

We didn't. Our top guns were no shows. I guess that's also Bettman's fault
Our goalies were terrible. We had a 5 million dollar goalie in the bench who gets hurt drinking water.

Bettman also gave the Leafs northern division. Essentially telling us, here you go Leafs. Take it to the finals.

Sorry bro, give credit where credit is due. Both of those teams wanted more

Credit is given

 

[HockeyVirus]

The Leafs created the blueprint of how to be the meanest toughest team to play against. They own the Patent on the style and need to get back to it.

Agreed. And honestly it's not like Eichel was out there running people over. He was just taking his hits and continuing to play. That is what we need from Matthews and Marner. But it is clear the cast around those two needs to be a hell of a lot meaner.

Anyone even looked wrong at Hill and not only was Hill ready to push them and get in their face, but several Knights were ready to beat up whoever it was. So many times teams take advantage of our goalie and they take it and our players skate away with their heads down looking at the ice and not the other teams players or bench.

And Simmonds is not it. We need guys who can play who are willing to finish checks.

Phil Kessel fires shot at Toronto after winning third Stanley Cup since departure from Maple Leafs

Kessel had been widely criticized during his time in Toronto for lacking a commitment to fitness and there were stories of his love of hot dogs.

www.thestar.com

Phil Kessel: three-time Stanley Cup champion. Take that, Toronto.

That was essentially Kessel’s message after he lifted the Cup for the third time following the Vegas Golden Knights’ 9-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 5 on Tuesday night to clinch the best-of-seven final 4-1.

“Takes me back to my Toronto days. You guys said I couldn’t win, and now I’m a three-time champ. Remember that.”

Kessel, a regular healthy scratch after the fourth game of the opening round, was being interviewed by Mike Stephens of The Hockey News and Luke Fox of Sportsnet, both Toronto-based reporters. Stephens tweeted the quote.

Kessel is the NHL’s regular-season ironman, a streak currently at 1,064 games that began Nov. 3, 2009, his first game as a member of the Maple Leafs. He started off as a Boston Bruin, but the Leafs traded two first-round picks (who became Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton) and a second-round pick in an ill-fated attempt to quickly build a winner.

The Kessel-era Leafs made the playoffs once in his six years. He was typically their best player, but was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2015 and then won the Cup in 2016 and ’17.

He had been widely criticized in Toronto for lacking a commitment to fitness and there were stories of his love of hot dogs. When he won the Cup the first time, he filled it with hot dogs. He also – without fanfare – brought the Cup to Toronto’s SickKids Hospital that summer.

His best days are behind him. At 35, he scored 14 goals in 82 games this season in diminishing ice time and only played four games in the post-season. He is still eligible for his name to appear on the Cup.

Again, take that Toronto.

The funniest shit about this is main boards laughing at Toronto as if they were not a cess pool of "Kessel is a cap dump" and "Kessel is a locker room cancer" when he was here. His final season as a Leaf, particularly the last few months were the most toxic I have ever seen the mains to a Leaf. Dubas got close but people really thought Kessel was trash.

Now they pretend all along they knew he was a winner, it was mean old Leaf fans saying he sucked.. The same same Leafs they say over rate all their players. Can't pick a lane.

Either way, good for Phil

 

[Buds17]

Vegas has demanded that can get the puck to the net we have Morgan.
Lilly and Timmins can but really didn't play

Fair points. The first part is the domain of the GM; the second part falls on the coach.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Missed it. What did he say?

That it was finally time

Agreed. And honestly it's not like Eichel was out there running people over. He was just taking his hits and continuing to play. That is what we need from Matthews and Marner. But it is clear the cast around those two needs to be a hell of a lot meaner.

Anyone even looked wrong at Hill and not only was Hill ready to push them and get in their face, but several Knights were ready to beat up whoever it was. So many times teams take advantage of our goalie and they take it and our players skate away with their heads down looking at the ice and not the other teams players or bench.

And Simmonds is not it. We need guys who can play who are willing to finish checks.



The funniest shit about this is main boards laughing at Toronto as if they were not a cess pool of "Kessel is a cap dump" and "Kessel is a locker room cancer" when he was here. His final season as a Leaf, particularly the last few months were the most toxic I have ever seen the mains to a Leaf. Dubas got close but people really thought Kessel was trash.

Now they pretend all along they knew he was a winner, it was mean old Leaf fans saying he sucked.. The same same Leafs they say over rate all their players. Can't pick a lane.

Either way, good for Phil

Lots of parallel’s between how Kessel was treated and what’s being said about the current core, as individuals.. which isn’t too different than what was said about Kadri.

I’m not saying run the core back, but learning from history is important.

 

[BallardEra]

Multiple Panthers expected to require surgery, could miss start of next season – Sportsnet.ca

www.sportsnet.ca

"The Panthers head coach also said the majority of their injuries occurred in their Round 1 upset of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins."

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Phil Kessel fires shot at Toronto after winning third Stanley Cup since departure from Maple Leafs

Kessel had been widely criticized during his time in Toronto for lacking a commitment to fitness and there were stories of his love of hot dogs.

www.thestar.com

Phil Kessel: three-time Stanley Cup champion. Take that, Toronto
“Takes me back to my Toronto days. You guys said I couldn’t win, and now I’m a three-time champ. Remember that.”


He had been widely criticized in Toronto for lacking a commitment to fitness and there were stories of his love of hot dogs. When he won the Cup the first time, he filled it with hot dogs. He also – without fanfare – brought the Cup to Toronto’s SickKids Hospital that summer.

His best days are behind him. At 35, he scored 14 goals in 82 games this season in diminishing ice time and only played four games in the post-season. He is still eligible for his name to appear on the Cup.

Again, take that Toronto.

Just because Steve Simmons is an idiot we all suffer.

 

[Menzinger]

Just because Steve Simmons is an idiot we all suffer.

He's such a petty, unpleasant person

 

[mydnyte]

I know I am not the only one who watched Vegas play and thought that we would never be able to play that way. Every hit is micro analyzed not only by our media but by our large amount of haters. Anything even a perfectly clean hit will have at least some folks on social media calling for a suspension.

And it's not just fan/media BS the league seems to come down heavy on the Leafs as well. Matthews getting a hearing before a game even ends and yet Bennett can slam a kids head into the ice no issues.

Maybe if the team was built and played that way all the time it would matter but I seriously doubt it. Look at how much hate a guy like Bunting got not just from other fans but from the refs. Our market is such a fishbowl it's hard to built a true dirty team because every aspect of it is heavily reported on.

We'd end up like the Panthers in the penalty box way too many times. That said, I would still like to at least TRY and have a team who can play that way. Was a lot of fun seeing every player finish checks and not just little bumps they threw their weight into them any chance they got. And they play that way regular season as well.

we cant play that way, because they have a Big, Strong, good defense, and we dont.
their offense is not better than ours, but, their D doesnt get trapped and contained like ours, because they are bigger and stronger.
Biggest mistake the leafs made was not signing Pietro, no mater the cost

 

[TMLeafer]

Not gonna lie, Gary was on fire with the mic during the presentation ceremonies.

 

[Buds17]

The Oilers selected first overall in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015.

The four players selected second overall in those four drafts have now each won the Stanley Cup.

Good find! In fairness, neither Murray nor Eichel ended up winning with the teams which drafted them. EDM obviously also weren't going to pass up the opportunity to draft Hall and McDavid (especially the latter).

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Jesus Christ even in a Cup final that has absolutely nothing to do with us, we still catch strays.

 

[All Mod Cons]

I know I am not the only one who watched Vegas play and thought that we would never be able to play that way. Every hit is micro analyzed not only by our media but by our large amount of haters. Anything even a perfectly clean hit will have at least some folks on social media calling for a suspension.

And it's not just fan/media BS the league seems to come down heavy on the Leafs as well. Matthews getting a hearing before a game even ends and yet Bennett can slam a kids head into the ice no issues.

Maybe if the team was built and played that way all the time it would matter but I seriously doubt it. Look at how much hate a guy like Bunting got not just from other fans but from the refs. Our market is such a fishbowl it's hard to built a true dirty team because every aspect of it is heavily reported on.

We'd end up like the Panthers in the penalty box way too many times. That said, I would still like to at least TRY and have a team who can play that way. Was a lot of fun seeing every player finish checks and not just little bumps they threw their weight into them any chance they got. And they play that way regular season as well.

We should probably withdraw from the league.