Around the League - 2024-2025 Part II

[Mike4Leafs4ever]

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.

Don't agree. Marner could have signed already but it looks like he wants to squeeze for every dollar. Nylander signed before last years playoffs, ditto for Mathews. So no reason why Marner could not have signed already and not have to deal with the speculation. It just smells like greed, and thats why people complain more about him than the other core 4.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Sadly the core 4 defenders will never watch other teams play so they'll never know what actual playoff performers look like.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Don't agree. Marner could have signed already but it looks like he wants to squeeze for every dollar. Nylander signed before last years playoffs, ditto for Mathews. So no reason why Marner could not have signed already and not have to deal with the speculation. It just smells like greed, and thats why people complain more about him than the other core 4.

Matthews can f*** off, he only signs because we give him stupid contracts with no basis or precedence. This time it's going to bite him in the ass though, because his game is falling off more quickly than expected.

 

[Mike4Leafs4ever]

Matthews can f*** off, he only signs because we give him stupid contracts with no basis or precedence. This time it's going to bite him in the ass though, because his game is falling off more quickly than expected.

Ya, you are likely correct.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Ya, you are likely correct.

I might be overreacting here (I do have a history of that and it would be a lie to say otherwise) but the warning signs are there with Matthews that give me serious concern about his long term viability.

 

[Zybalto]

Its a tough call with Matthews.

He had 69 goals last year, got hurt in the playoffs and looks to be carrying something on and off all year. Frustrating as hell but its not like its a character issue. He was pretty good in the first round too. Not McDavid good but good none the less.

 

[LaPlante94]

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

Come on now. What year did McDrai have a Tavares and Nylander as their 3 & 4? They literally carry teams that shouldn't even be playoff teams and still get them to 2nd rounds pretty consistently and even went to a cup finals.

 

[Voodoo Child]

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.

Marner has been excellent this year and was very good against Ottawa - not great but definitely a tier-3 Smythe contender so far - but he handled his first bag poorly.

Yeah I know, 5-20 year earnings windows and limited shelf lives and blah blah blah, the proper way for Mitch to handle his first deal was to say 'I'm from the city, so is my family and my wife. I don't want this getting ugly, give me 6x9.' and not 'Gimme gimme gimme!'

Someone could have sat him down and said 'You are going to make over 100 million dollars...don't burn your goodwill.'

Then, on the upcoming deal, he can go nuts and ask for his 13 and people would say 'Ok he gave us a rate and with the cap going up, we can give him a little something something.'

Agree with your takes on Mo and JT, somewhat agree on Willy - even when he's mailing it he's still out there, lurking. But Matthews lacking offensive versatility? Notwithstanding his elite two-way chops? Do I wish he was more consistently physical, who doesn't, but I guess you could call that a take.

 

[WillNy29]

Come on now. What year did McDrai have a Tavares and Nylander as their 3 & 4? They literally carry teams that shouldn't even be playoff teams and still get them to 2nd rounds pretty consistently and even went to a cup finals.

theyre supposed to be uber goats aren't they? I thought Hyman and RNH were awesome too.

I'm being facetious here theyre cream of the crop players but they have their fairshare of black marks too including missing the playoffs multiple times, being swept twice and losing to a god awful Chicago Blackhawks team or disappearing at 5 on 5 against Vegas or in game 7 of the biggest game of your career.

shit happens

 

[Menzinger]

Dallas wins the Rantanen trade and Colorado looks like the biggest loser at this point at least

 

[LaPlante94]

theyre supposed to be uber goats aren't they? I thought Hyman and RNH were awesome too.

I'm being facetious here theyre cream of the crop players but they have their fairshare of black marks too including missing the playoffs multiple times, being swept twice and losing to a god awful Chicago Blackhawks team or disappearing at 5 on 5 against Vegas or in game 7 of the biggest game of your career.

shit happens

Since Hyman got there they have never lost in the 1st round.

That Chicago team had Toews, Kane, Strome, Debrincat and Saad. Not too crazy but compared to Edmonton it was pretty good. That Vegas series Draisatl pulled off what our 2 superstars do and went crazy games 1 & 2 and then ghosted the rest. McDavid produced every game except 1.

Lets take a look at some of those rosters that missed the playoffs shall we. McDavid 116 points and Drai 105. Next closest is Nuge at 69 and then to round out the top 6 we got Chiasson at 38 and Lucic and Kassian at 26 and 20. Don't know how they weren't cup favourites. Year before that McDavid 108 points and Drai 70 points. Then Nuge with 48 and Strome with 34. Then Marron and Cammalerri to round out the top 6 with 30 and 22. The other year was his rookie year and he missed half the year because of a broken collarbone.

Idk how we call these black marks when our guys never had to carry this kind of trash with just the 2 of them. Now they're even carrying 2 of our former pieces of trash past the 1st round every year they've been there.

 

[Superstar]

Since Hyman got there they have never lost in the 1st round.

That Chicago team had Toews, Kane, Strome, Debrincat and Saad. Not too crazy but compared to Edmonton it was pretty good. That Vegas series Draisatl pulled off what our 2 superstars do and went crazy games 1 & 2 and then ghosted the rest. McDavid produced every game except 1.

Lets take a look at some of those rosters that missed the playoffs shall we. McDavid 116 points and Drai 105. Next closest is Nuge at 69 and then to round out the top 6 we got Chiasson at 38 and Lucic and Kassian at 26 and 20. Don't know how they weren't cup favourites. Year before that McDavid 108 points and Drai 70 points. Then Nuge with 48 and Strome with 34. Then Marron and Cammalerri to round out the top 6 with 30 and 22. The other year was his rookie year and he missed half the year because of a broken collarbone.

Idk how we call these black marks when our guys never had to carry this kind of trash with just the 2 of them. Now they're even carrying 2 of our former pieces of trash past the 1st round every year they've been there.

This year, they are also carrying their stinky goalies in Skinner and Pickard...it's really unbelievable.

 

[Gabriel426]

8 more years of Rantanen

 

[Gabriel426]

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.

Tre almost got him too, lol

 

[horner]

Tre almost got him too, lol

Sorry that was never going to happen.

 

[DarkKnight]

You couldn’t have wrote a better script than that Dallas Colorado game. WOW.

 

[Peasy]

Avs gotta be one of the most overrated teams imo. Feel like they are consistently rated as a top 3 threat, yet other than their cup winning season, theyve just been bounced in rounds 1 or rounds 2 when they get to beat up on a really easy opponent in round 1.

Now they just lost to a stars team that was missing their #1D and their #1/2 winger.

 

[QJo]

Sadly the core 4 defenders will never watch other teams play so they'll never know what actual playoff performers look like.

If they watch the Leafs they watch another team every game. The tribalism is getting dangerous when it's inventing reality to support the otherism.

 

[francis246]

Colorado learned the hard way, the devil you know is better than the one you don’t. Rantanen is a certified playoff beast

 

[Warden of the North]

Funny that the reports are that the trade talk fell though because Rantanen made it clear he would NOT sign in Toronto and so Tre had to decide if he was willing to part with Cowan and a first rounder for a rental.

The trade fell through because Marner wouldn't waive his NTC.

 

[Zybalto]

Tre almost got him too, lol

But then it's not guaranteed we win the first round with him either. Maybe he gels here like in Carolina.

 

[Da Mash]

Avs gotta be one of the most overrated teams imo. Feel like they are consistently rated as a top 3 threat, yet other than their cup winning season, theyve just been bounced in rounds 1 or rounds 2 when they get to beat up on a really easy opponent in round 1.

Now they just lost to a stars team that was missing their #1D and their #1/2 winger.

Certain teams and players just continue to get a pass from the media. We witnessed the slobberfest towards Ott and the habs for losing in the 1st rd

“The Avalanche have now lost seven Game 7s in a row since 2002, the last four with coach Jared Bednar. They are the only NHL, NBA or MLB team to lose seven consecutive Game 7s, according to OptaSTATS.”

 

[Zybalto]

You couldn’t have wrote a better script than that Dallas Colorado game. WOW.

How does the script go today?

Does Helle go redemption mode too with an epic game 7 pulling his team across the line?

 

[Nineteen67]

Rantenan’s performance last makes me miss the Dougie and Matt’s eras even more.

 

[Peasy]

Certain teams and players just continue to get a pass from the media. We witnessed the slobberfest towards Ott and the habs for losing in the 1st rd

“The Avalanche have now lost seven Game 7s in a row since 2002, the last four with coach Jared Bednar. They are the only NHL, NBA or MLB team to lose seven consecutive Game 7s, according to OptaSTATS.”

Minny also just set a record for losing in the first round 8 times in the last 10 years. Theyve gone 0-8 in series.