Around the League - PLAYOFFS!?

[blue stick]

He always seemed like a guy whose game would translate well in the NHL, especially for us. He would look real good on our roster right about now. Another terrible decision. Like I said, our amateur and pro scouting staffs should be gutted.

he wasn't even drafted, we signed him as a FA

 

[DitchMarner]

WTF, FLA? TOR extended their series with BOS to seven games and put a decent physical beating on that team. This was supposed to be a slaughter!

I'm sure FLA will still win the series.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

he wasn't even drafted, we signed him as a FA

Yes, I remember and we were all excited for him. We signed him as an undrafted rookie.

 

[leafsfan5]

I must be delusional but I find myself cheering for Boston.

straight to jail

 

[SprDaVE]

Sounds like Dakota Joshua, another kid with size that we cut loose and is excelling in another organization.

Sometimes it goes that way. Leafs added players like Samsonov, McMann and Benoit in recent years through an org. letting them go or just taking a very long time to make it.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

Sometimes it goes that way. Leafs added players like McMann and Benoit in recent years through an org. letting them go.

Can't argue with that. It seems like I am way too close to this team and many of our blunders are magnified in my mind.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

I will be cheering against Van, but will need the Oilers out in embarrassing fashion next round . There needs to be some hope of McDavid heading home like JT did.

Pains me to say it, but I'd rather see Vancouver beat Edmonton. Oilers fans are the absolute worst and their team has a bunch of unlikeable players.

They also had the refs in their back pocket vs LA, especially in game 5. They were flopping all over the place and yet the Kings got the only embellishment call

And then Van to get demolished by a Central team, of course.

 

[SprDaVE]

Can't argue with that. It seems like I am way too close to this team and many of our blunders are magnified in my mind.

Every team has those kinds of misses one way or another. Development isn't linear and our eyes being on the Leafs a lot like you said, it magnifies it a lot. Joshua was part of the Blues for 3 seasons and was also let go. Canucks grabbed him as a depth guy but kept improving to what he is now.

This is why I hope they don't let go players like Steeves or Lisowsky. They don't look like much now but you never know with a little bit of luck/development. But for every Joshua or Brazeau, there are like 100 that just don't turn into much.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

I dunno how you guys can watch the remaining games. As a diehard Leaf fan, I deeply hate the other 31 teams in this league. I'd prefer a Canadian team not win the Cup. If the Cup comes back to Canada it has to be the Leafs to bring it. I despise the other Canadian teams more than any other American teams except Boston and the two Florida teams.

Pains me to say it, but I'd rather see Vancouver beat Edmonton. Oilers fans are the absolute worst and their team has a bunch of unlikeable players.

They also had the refs in their back pocket vs LA, especially in game 5. They were flopping all over the place and yet the Kings got the only embellishment call

And then Van to get demolished by a Central team, of course.

I agree. I even find McDavid incredibly unlikeable and have no love for Zach "Nobody Believed in Me" Hyman.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

Holy shit Ekblad is horrible lol. He’d get ripped apart here

 

[Leafy Undergrowth]

Let's check in with Tkachuk to see if he has any funny takes now.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

Let's check in with Tkachuk to see if he has any funny takes now.

Florida is overrated. I know many picked them to come out of the East, but two Cinderella runs in a row are highly unlikely.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Florida is overrated. I know many picked them to come out of the East, but two Cinderella runs in a row are highly unlikely.

It wouldn't be considered a Cinderella run if they make it again this year

 

[Stringer Bell]

Struggled at keeping pace with the Marlies and was mostly a depth player at best. He struggled with the Marlies to the point of being unplayable. He spent a long time in the AHL and ECHL with the Bruins as well --3 seasons to be exact. Like great for him to keep working and making it. But it took him 5 years of AHL/ECHL to do it.

But yes... it's because he was too tall.

I thought he was signed to be a project but was given up on after one year?

 

[SprDaVE]

I thought he was signed to be a project but was given up on after one year?

2 seasons. Covid hit during his 2nd season and I guess he moved on or Leafs didn't see enough. And then 3 full seasons with the Providence/Main.

 

[1specter]

Btw, those of you that hate on Rielly, Ekblad had an absolute laugher of a game, far worse than any game Rielly played against Boston. Forsling also -3

 

[Mr_Fun]

I must be delusional but I find myself cheering for Boston.

I'm cheering for Boston. Florida in general rubs me the wrong way (not just sports).

 

[Stephen]

Every team has those kinds of misses one way or another. Development isn't linear and our eyes being on the Leafs a lot like you said, it magnifies it a lot. Joshua was part of the Blues for 3 seasons and was also let go. Canucks grabbed him as a depth guy but kept improving to what he is now.

This is why I hope they don't let go players like Steeves or Lisowsky. They don't look like much now but you never know with a little bit of luck/development. But for every Joshua or Brazeau, there are like 100 that just don't turn into much.

Guys like Joshua, Brazeau, Marchment, McMann and Verhaeghe all follow a similar career trajectory, and that is they're big bodies with some level of skill, who could come in and do grunt duty in bottom 6 roles while building their bona fides to move up an NHL roster. Their success levels vary, but it's the pro size that gets their foot in the door, and will get them a second, third look because teams always need size that can play a little bit.

Those career opportunities are going to be a lot different for a Brandon Lisowsky. Maybe he's got a special Yanni Gourde in him, but it's going to be a fight to get that first call up, and he's got to compliment the skill that's up here already in a lower role, especially in the playoffs. And there's going to be higher pedigree, higher skill, smaller guys ahead of him for those plum roles.

 

[Stephen]

Btw, those of you that hate on Rielly, Ekblad had an absolute laugher of a game, far worse than any game Rielly played against Boston. Forsling also -3

Well, no one's suggesting to swap them so why would it be relevant? Low bar is low.

 

[Gabriel426]

Every team has those kinds of misses one way or another. Development isn't linear and our eyes being on the Leafs a lot like you said, it magnifies it a lot. Joshua was part of the Blues for 3 seasons and was also let go. Canucks grabbed him as a depth guy but kept improving to what he is now.

This is why I hope they don't let go players like Steeves or Lisowsky. They don't look like much now but you never know with a little bit of luck/development. But for every Joshua or Brazeau, there are like 100 that just don't turn into much.

I think it comes down to opportunity. It is not just a size thing. Moore is doing quite well and he ain't 6'2 and 200 pounds, even though he plays like it.

Our own Robertson might just be 25 goals scorer if given more top 6 mins and PP mins. But those are mins he can never have on the Leafs bc the core 4 will always occupy PP1, and the same core 4 plus Domi and Bert are the top 6. To me beside their size, Robbie and McMann pretty much produce the same rate, the diff is McMann got a hat-trick.

 

[Gabriel426]

Guys like Joshua, Brazeau, Marchment, McMann and Verhaeghe all follow a similar career trajectory, and that is they're big bodies with some level of skill, who could come in and do grunt duty in bottom 6 roles while building their bona fides to move up an NHL roster. Their success levels vary, but it's the pro size that gets their foot in the door, and will get them a second, third look because teams always need size that can play a little bit.

Those career opportunities are going to be a lot different for a Brandon Lisowsky. Maybe he's got a special Yanni Gourde in him, but it's going to be a fight to get that first call up, and he's got to compliment the skill that's up here already in a lower role, especially in the playoffs. And there's going to be higher pedigree, higher skill, smaller guys ahead of him for those plum roles.

I would like to think if Leafs kept all 5 of them, they will all be playing with the Leafs. But they might not want to play in the Marlies knowing it is hard for them to get a chance in NHL. The players might sign with another team that they think they got a better chance to make it to the show.

I give credits to all of them on keep working on their game and not giving up rather than teams giving them up, bc every year teams release guys like that all the time.

 

[Nineteen67]

I didn’t pick Boston because of what I watched this year, but they did win the Presidents trophy last year and for some reason that hold weight. For that reason alone I wouldn’t be surprised if they made SCF.

 

[horner]

Another big man dubas gave up on Brazeau scores for Boston

 

[FerrisRox]

Struggled at keeping pace with the Marlies and was mostly a depth player at best. He struggled with the Marlies to the point of being unplayable. He spent a long time in the AHL and ECHL with the Bruins as well --3 seasons to be exact.

It's funny that you say "to be exact" after saying something that isn't true.

He didn't spend a "long time" in the AHL and ECHL with the Bruins. He spent the '21-'22 season split between the ECHL and the AHL (scoring at over a point-per-game in ECHL) then last year he played in the AHL and scored 18-goals. This year, he played in the NHL only.

 

[rumman]

Btw, those of you that hate on Rielly, Ekblad had an absolute laugher of a game, far worse than any game Rielly played against Boston. Forsling also -3

Ekblad had a horrid game for sure, but if given the choice I’d take him over Rielly any day of the week, and twice on Sunday……..