Around the League - 2024-2025 Part II

[IPS]

You do have to appreciate the confidence it takes to sound that dumb.

I know, why don't you tell us about it!

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Just to show that I am not FOS and lying.

View attachment 1029133

That is absolutely hysterical. My God.

 

[Zybalto]

Imagine if he did this FOR us.

Murphy, Kessel, Kadri....

You know he going to win away from us lol.

 

[fahad203]

That first goal by Rantanen is exactly what you want Matthews to do. Insane drive

His playoff numbers are bonkers

 

[LaPlante94]

Rantanen with 11 points in Games 5-7 and only 1 in Games 1-4. The exact opposite of Marners stat line usually in a 7 game series. Rantanen being a PP specialist too probably got like 50% of those points on the PP right?

 

[TheGreenTBer]

That first goal by Rantanen is exactly what you want Matthews to do. Insane drive

His playoff numbers are bonkers

I agree. I'm tired of hearing about Matthews' defense, I want to see him take over a game offensively again.

 

[IPS]

Thats what I said a few times yea.

His outcomes were pretty bad since the trade. Think he only had 2 or 3 ES goals since January or something.

Think I said a few times in the around the league it was good to see him score during the season as he looked snakebitten.

I'm not trying to be a Marner simp when I was posting that stuff. For any Marner "boosters", its better if he tears it up to show why its an awful idea to trade away a superstar winger for lesser parts no?

You had some valid reasons. Nobody can be correct about everything.

But 101 points in 81 playoff games coming into this? come on dude, you don't just get that by some fluke or anomaly.

 

[Zybalto]

Rantanen with 11 points in Games 5-7 and only 1 in Games 1-4. The exact opposite of Marners stat line usually in a 7 game series. Rantanen being a PP specialist too probably got like 50% of those points on the PP right?

Its actually crazier than that....

He had 2 5v5 goals since the trade to game 4 of the playoffs (37 games total)

In game 5-7, he had 3 lol

 

[Zybalto]

You had some valid reasons. Nobody can be correct about everything.

But 101 points in 81 playoff games coming into this? come on dude, you don't just get that by some fluke or anomaly.

Its why I always still gave him the benefit of the doubt. Dallas deserves some credit for taking the chance and both the Avs and Canes have egg on their faces.

 

[Mike4Leafs4ever]

Imagine if he did this FOR us.

If he does, then pay him what he wants. But I won't hold my breath. Of course, I hope beyond hope that I am wrong.

 

[ToneDog]

Rantanen with 11 points in Games 5-7 and only 1 in Games 1-4. The exact opposite of Marners stat line usually in a 7 game series. Rantanen being a PP specialist too probably got like 50% of those points on the PP right?

Oh look, Rantanen leading the playoffs in scoring. 8 EVP.

 

[LaPlante94]

Every time a Leaf fan starts badmouthing the team because a player in the West had a multi-point game, I shake my head. It's like no one bothers paying attention to how the two conferences play...

The West is a high-scoring, low defense affair every f***ing year. That's how a team like Edmonton can make a four round run. The East is all defense, with offense mostly as an afterthought. Jesus, we TRIED to fight that mold for what, 6 years? And failed every time.

If the Leafs were in the West, they don't have multiple first round exits. By the second or third year, they're probably advancing two or three rounds. But instead, the Leafs are in the East, where they kept running into defensive teams that shut down their offense. Now they're finally trying to play that way... And people bitch because we're not putting up the numbers the West teams do...

Buddy, we played a team that was bottom 10 in the league if it was a regular NHL season and only got in the playoffs because of Covid divisions and the year before played a team that may or may not have been a wildcard team but got to play us because of Covid ending the season early.

To say if we were in the West we don't have multiple first round exits is just wrong. LA is usually a top 5 team during the regular season defensively and Edmonton still destroys them because McDrai go crazy. Our guys have shown they can't do that but hopefully that changes this playoff run.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Murphy, Kessel, Kadri....

You know he going to win away from us lol.

Yep. It's a catch 22 situation. Keep him to ensure he can't win here or anywhere else. Or let him walk to see if him and us can finally win the thing.

In the situation we are in we have to keep him. But it will result in him and the team (not solely his fault) ensuring neither party wins the Cup.

 

[LaPlante94]

Oh look, Rantanen leading the playoffs in scoring. 8 EVP.

View attachment 1029148

I was being sarcastic since someone said he was only a PP specialist a while ago and because Marner has 5 of his 8 points on the PP.

 

[ToneDog]

Murphy, Kessel, Kadri....

You know he going to win away from us lol.

What contender can fit in a $13m player that is not the alpha and win the SC? Leafs can't.

If he wants to win the Cup, it will be as Kessel, not McDavid or MacKinnon and he will have to take a discount IMO to make the cap work.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Yep. It's a catch 22 situation. Keep him to ensure he can't win here or anywhere else. Or let him walk to see if him and us can finally win the thing.

A lot of it isn't his fault.

It's not Marner's fault that Matthews is a standoffish arrogant turd whose injury history masks his lack of offensive versatility and killer instinct, or that Nylander is either completely nonexistent or unstoppable with no in-between, or that Tavares skates like he's got a load in his underwear, or that Rielly's game is falling off at an almost TJ Brodie rate at times.

His contract status makes him more of a pariah than he deserves to be. If we HAVE to change the core he and Tavares are the only ones that we have control over...and as such he sometimes receives more blame than he deserves.

 

[LaPlante94]

Its actually crazier than that....

He had 2 5v5 goals since the trade to game 4 of the playoffs (37 games total)

In game 5-7, he had 3 lol

That's kind of expected though being traded 2 times near the end of the season. You can tell he's starting to look a little more comfortable and it's probably just gonna get better for him whenever Robertson comes back and even Heiskanen.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

What contender can fit in a $13m player that is not the alpha and win the SC? Leafs can't.

If he wants to win the Cup, it will be as Kessel, not McDavid or MacKinnon and he will have to take a discount IMO to make the cap work.

I loved when Phil ate hotdogs out of the Cup.

Guy took endless shit in Toronto because of a trade he had zero control over.

 

[All Mod Cons]

A lot of it isn't his fault.

It's not Marner's fault that Matthews is a standoffish arrogant turd whose injury history masks his lack of offensive versatility and killer instinct, or that Nylander is either completely nonexistent or unstoppable with no in-between, or that Tavares skates like he's got a load in his underwear, or that Rielly's game is falling off at an almost TJ Brodie rate at times.

His contract status makes him more of a pariah than he deserves to be. If we HAVE to change the core he and Tavares are the only ones that we have control over...and as such he sometimes receives more blame than he deserves.

Absolutely. I'm not blaming Mitch. There's a lot of blame to go around. But we're kind of stuck now. This has to be our core until we decide to just start again.

 

[WillNy29]

Buddy, we played a team that was bottom 10 in the league if it was a regular NHL season and only got in the playoffs because of Covid divisions and the year before played a team that may or may not have been a wildcard team but got to play us because of Covid ending the season early.

To say if we were in the West we don't have multiple first round exits is just wrong. LA is usually a top 5 team during the regular season defensively and Edmonton still destroys them because McDrai go crazy. Our guys have shown they can't do that but hopefully that changes this playoff run.

mcdrai lost to Chicago that year, got smothered by Vegas etc they've got their fair share of bad looks too they should have a cup by now

 

[ToneDog]

I loved when Phil ate hotdogs out of the Cup.

Guy took endless shit in Toronto because of a trade he had zero control over.

Most fans loved him until stick gate.

 

[Aashir]

A lot of it isn't his fault.

It's not Marner's fault that Matthews is a standoffish arrogant turd whose injury history masks his lack of offensive versatility and killer instinct, or that Nylander is either completely nonexistent or unstoppable with no in-between, or that Tavares skates like he's got a load in his underwear, or that Rielly's game is falling off at an almost TJ Brodie rate at times.

His contract status makes him more of a pariah than he deserves to be. If we HAVE to change the core he and Tavares are the only ones that we have control over...and as such he sometimes receives more blame than he deserves.

Yea sure it's everyone else's fault...lol

his play IS his fault. The hate people have for him wouldn't dissappear if nylander and tavares carried us to a couple of series wins, I'd argue it'd be higher thinking we don't need him.

this is my last post crapping on the core 4 and talking about the past or future that isn't the panthers but Marner is a big reason for himself being isolated and targeted by the fans.

12 goals in 63 games isn't good enough, 153 isn't good enough either I agree matthews becomes a bum but he conciously chooses to continue to look for him and pass to him instead of looking for his own chances and creating for himself

all those lowlights in florida, boston, columbus, montreal, tampa.......those are what cause him to get hate. The extra long routes, the refusal to make the simple plays, the staying near the point thinking he is Hughes or Makar, the stupid turnovers, and most of all the disappearing act when we need him most. Those are what annoy people

does he get more hate than he should? I'd argue it's moreso that the other 3 should get more criticism and marner's deserved most of his given to him. It equals out but isn't the same in my head.

Anyways I hope we see something different from him and the other 3 come round 2 and beyond to make it worth keeping them together.

 

[Zybalto]

What contender can fit in a $13m player that is not the alpha and win the SC? Leafs can't.

If he wants to win the Cup, it will be as Kessel, not McDavid or MacKinnon and he will have to take a discount IMO to make the cap work.

Thats the really difficult part.

The players available on the market dont look all that special and how do you replace a 100 point guy whos also PPG in the playoffs, a first unit PKer and rocks a 70% 5v5 goal differential the last 4 years and hes still in his prime?

People may not like his fit for the team but its not like we can just go out and flip him for a Draisaitl. Signing him is probably the smartest move approaching it from any angle, considering just how much is wasted on interchangable 2 millionish dollar 3rd and 4th liners anyways.

Feels like the Leafs actually have a 3rd and 4th lines who arnt getting run over like literally every other year this time out so hopefully we have an answer for the Cats depth.

That's kind of expected though being traded 2 times near the end of the season. You can tell he's starting to look a little more comfortable and it's probably just gonna get better for him whenever Robertson comes back and even Heiskanen.

Dallas was always a great spot for him to land and he had a couple good stretches in the regular season before the playoffs even hit. After our series of course, the 2nd round Dallas series is going to be the next best one to watch too. Hope Helle is able to turn it around. He's playing like a league min goalie so far in the playoffs (this is my special voodoo to get him going)

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Absolutely. I'm not blaming Mitch. There's a lot of blame to go around. But we're kind of stuck now. This has to be our core until we decide to just start again.

I know, I just think that decision will come earlier than we think. Marner's game will age better than Matthews' and our window corresponds with Matthews'.

Most fans loved him until stick gate.

Fair point.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Yea sure it's everyone else's fault...lol

his play IS his fault. The hate people have for him wouldn't dissappear if nylander and tavares carried us to a couple of series wins, I'd argue it'd be higher thinking we don't need him.

this is my last post crapping on the core 4 and talking about the past or future that isn't the panthers but Marner is a big reason for himself being isolated and targeted by the fans.

12 goals in 63 games isn't good enough, 153 isn't good enough either I agree matthews becomes a bum but he conciously chooses to continue to look for him and pass to him instead of looking for his own chances and creating for himself

all those lowlights in florida, boston, columbus, montreal, tampa.......those are what cause him to get hate. The extra long routes, the refusal to make the simple plays, the staying near the point thinking he is Hughes or Makar, the stupid turnovers, and most of all the disappearing act when we need him most. Those are what annoy people

does he get more hate than he should? I'd argue it's moreso that the other 3 should get more criticism and marner's deserved most of his given to him. It equals out but isn't the same in my head.

Anyways I hope we see something different from him and the other 3 come round 2 and beyond to make it worth keeping them together.

Trust me, I am NOT NOT NOT a Mitch Marner apologist. All of the core guys can go straight to Hell for all I care. Every single one of them is unlikeable in their own way.