Around the League - PLAYOFFS!?

[ToneDog]

They all say it’s Cup or bust. McDavid has elevated his play, they caught lightning, and are on a Cinderella run….

Crosby and McDavid are generational and the only two active players that could win a Cup despite their roster.
Not saying they don’t have help, but you replace McDavid with any player on the planet right now and we’re already in the off season.

100% but when McDavid or MacKinnon say it, you listen. When one of our cores says it, you laugh because they are all full of shit. Talk is cheap. Honestly I can't listen to any of these guys talk about we got bigger fish to fry before the playoffs start. They come across as used car salesmen.

Listen to Bunkis and McKee starting at 36:30. Gets interesting at 44:00. Can't argue what they say about the core 4.

The JD Bunkis Podcast

JD Bunkis breaks down the biggest stories in sports every weekday morning. Airing live on Sportsnet 590 The FAN from 9-11AM ET.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[Mess]

No, but he’d still be big, fast, and tenacious.

Now Leaf Nation has to hope our new GM is able to dump a small, soft, perimeter player that avoids contact like the plague who is also a playoff choke artist, and try and replace him with big, fast and tenacious players, who are playoff warriors again,

Undoing the damage of the past is going to take time, because the damage inflicted was severe, thru bad trades, bad signings, bad contracts etc.

According to TSN's Chris Johnston these are the kind of moves that an organization may never recover from.

​

Going to be an interesting summer in Leafland on the road to recovery.

 

[IPS]

Does anyone honestly think Hyman would be having anywhere near the same success if he was with Matthews instead of McDavid?

This is the Chris Kunitz effect. There is not a better situation that Hyman could be in right now.

Hyman was improving every year, and was on a tremendous development curve.

He was well on his way to becoming a great player in Toronto.

 

[Gallagbi]

The Hyman posts are always interesting when you were also here for the "Babcock's son" days of the board

 

[Evilhomer]

Does anyone honestly think Hyman would be having anywhere near the same success if he was with Matthews instead of McDavid?

This is the Chris Kunitz effect. There is not a better situation that Hyman could be in right now.

And like Kunitz, Hyman will likely play his way onto the Canadian national team. Good for him. He never would have done any of that if he was still a Leaf. It's about as relevant as Florida trading him in the first place. Shouldn't Dubas be considered a genius for making that trade?

 

[Nineteen67]

100% but when McDavid or MacKinnon say it, you listen. When one of our cores says it, you laugh because they are all full of shit. Talk is cheap. Honestly I can't listen to any of these guys talk about we got bigger fish to fry before the playoffs start. They come across as used car salesmen.

Listen to Bunkis and McKee starting at 36:30. Gets interesting at 44:00. Can't argue what they say about the core 4.

The JD Bunkis Podcast

JD Bunkis breaks down the biggest stories in sports every weekday morning. Airing live on Sportsnet 590 The FAN from 9-11AM ET.

www.sportsnet.ca

Sorry, when I said they all say it, I meant the league stars, not the Leafs core. I doubt they’d even think it, let alone say it. In their defence, they come into camp knowing they don’t have the pieces so it’s difficult to think Cup under those circumstances.

 

[Nineteen67]

Now Leaf Nation has to hope our new GM is able to dump a small, soft, perimeter player that avoids contact like the plague who is also a playoff choke artist, and try and replace him with big, fast and tenacious players, who are playoff warriors again,

Undoing the damage of the past is going to take time, because the damage inflicted was severe, thru bad trades, bad signings, bad contracts etc.

According to TSN's Chris Johnston these are the kind of moves that an organization may never recover from.

​

Going to be an interesting summer in Leafland on the road to recovery.

Ideally, they would have both…… and better D.

I think they actually recognize where they are and they’re going to make a couple of big moves, otherwise they’ll stay in the middle of NHL, which is the worst place to be. 8 yrs of being in the playoff chase but being 10th-16th is a horrible position.

 

[Nineteen67]

Some positives and negatives for ABC/MSPN.

“Friday’s Game 6 broadcast on ESPN brought in 4.2 million viewers, according to an ESPN press release, which is an improvement over every game thus far in this series.
This is also an improvement of the final game of the 2023 Stanley Cup. However, on a more negative note, it is a significant regression in comparison to other recent Game 6 Stanley Cup matchups.”

“According to Sports Media Watch, Friday’s Game 6 viewership numbers were the fifth-lowest for a Stanley Cup Game 6 matchup in the past 30 years. The 2022 Stanley Cup Final between the Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning, which also went six games, brought in 5.82 million viewers”

Game 6 of Stanley Cup Final brings in series-high viewership numbers

Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final brought in 4.2 million viewers on the ESPN broadcast, the highest of the series thus far.

awfulannouncing.com

 

[Mess]

Ideally, they would have both…… and better D.

I think they actually recognize where they are and they’re going to make a couple of big moves, otherwise they’ll stay in the middle of NHL, which is the worst place to be. 8 yrs of being in the playoff chase but being 10th-16th is a horrible position.

That is my position as well .,. You have to bee either really good and serious Cup contender or really bad and drafting high and rebuilding.

Just making the playoffs to play a few extra games above 82 regular season ones puts you in pretender mode and mediocre and now drafting outside the top 16,

Look on the bright side as it could be worse as our new GM was smart enough to recognize Leafs were only pretenders and didn't trade away and high 1st or 2nd picks, nor prospects for short term failure.

Unlike that Clueless GM in Pittsburgh who traded away Pens 1st & 2nd and brought in a $10 mil AAV declining player & missed the playoffs.. Now SJ gets to pick in the top 16 and Pens Nation fans have to deal with gross GM incompetence. How bad do have to be to trade away 2 high draft picks just to miss the playoffs, when you could miss the playoffs doing nothing?

We thought it was bad to trade away a 1st to dump Marleau, and 1st to dump Mrazek,. and 1st to rent Nick Foligno to lose in round #1, but trading away a 1st to miss the playoffs takes that cake.

 

[Menzinger]

Some positives and negatives for ABC/MSPN.

“Friday’s Game 6 broadcast on ESPN brought in 4.2 million viewers, according to an ESPN press release, which is an improvement over every game thus far in this series.
This is also an improvement of the final game of the 2023 Stanley Cup. However, on a more negative note, it is a significant regression in comparison to other recent Game 6 Stanley Cup matchups.”

“According to Sports Media Watch, Friday’s Game 6 viewership numbers were the fifth-lowest for a Stanley Cup Game 6 matchup in the past 30 years. The 2022 Stanley Cup Final between the Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning, which also went six games, brought in 5.82 million viewers”

Game 6 of Stanley Cup Final brings in series-high viewership numbers

Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final brought in 4.2 million viewers on the ESPN broadcast, the highest of the series thus far.

awfulannouncing.com

And they're scheduling game 7 on a Monday night lol.

Finish stuff up at least a month earlier next year and they'd see a lot more public engagement

 

[PromisedLand]

Ovi putting in the work to break the goal scoring record LMAO

https://x.com/i/web/status/1804686912105369872

 

[Mess]

And they're scheduling game 7 on a Monday night lol.

Finish stuff up at least a month earlier next year and they'd see a lot more public engagement

As far and NFL football goes Monday Night is generally a big viewing night on the schedule were they put key teams in prime time.

Wonder if that is part of the process or is it simply an extra days rest between big travel days Edmonton to Florida following the same game 5 and 6 process.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Just making the playoffs to play a few extra games above 82 regular season ones puts you in pretender mode and mediocre and now drafting outside the top 16,

or you know. you trust your scouting staff to get great talent in 16 lower. how many amazing superstars in this league were 2nd round and lower?. Like just. stop already. every season there's upsets and the like. If you can get into the 1st round. and then play well anything can happen. I'm not saying this team has the talent to win the stanley cup. but was montreal that good to make it to the Stanley Cup final that year? like just looking at their roster? and so on and so forth. There is a team down the QEW who would murder to play a few extra games in the post season and then see what you can do.

you need to be able to know if the team legitimately can't do anything [and again. i will stress - while this team constantly loves pooping the bed. the talent is there to make a push to at least the conference finals or make a big back/forth push in the semi-finals. they mentally refuse to do so and hopefully Berube can crack that. or that Treliving can make the trades startle them). I also don't understand why can't just be an adult and name people. Pittsburgh's GM is Dubas. Ours is Treliving. it's not that hard.

And they're scheduling game 7 on a Monday night lol.

Finish stuff up at least a month earlier next year and they'd see a lot more public engagement

honestly. the NHL needs to get a clue.

Start in August, End in May. have the Finals always end on a Saturday. it's not that complicated.

 

[Nineteen67]

And they're scheduling game 7 on a Monday night lol.

Finish stuff up at least a month earlier next year and they'd see a lot more public engagement

And have two better markets.

 

[IPS]

The Hyman posts are always interesting when you were also here for the "Babcock's son" days of the board

Lol what exactly are you trying to say here?

So you can't believe that Hyman could have been misplaced on the 1st line for his first couple years but was eventually developing into a great player who did eventually fit in on there?

 

[Evilhomer]

And have two better markets.

I have no doubt the NHL head office cringed when Florida beat the Rangers. The ratings difference between Florida/Edmonton and NYR/Edmonton would probably mean hundreds of millions of dollars to the NHL.

 

[keonsbitterness]

As far and NFL football goes Monday Night is generally a big viewing night on the schedule were they put key teams in prime time.

Wonder if that is part of the process or is it simply an extra days rest between big travel days Edmonton to Florida following the same game 5 and 6 process.

It's because NBA game 7 would have been today. The entire NHL Final was scheduled around the NBA.

 

[ruaware41]

Yes, very shocking that people are talking about the Leafs letting a player go for nothing (with intent) who went on to score 70 goals between regular and more importantly deep post-season play for his next team...

Spoiler alert, if he hoists the Cup on Monday it'll get talked about even more for a lifetime to come.

well the individual we are talking about is doing more than just briefly talking about it. There's a thing called revisionist history/hindsight and there is a lot of it going on right now. At the time, most people on here would have agreed he wasn't worth the contract he was looking for. I can agree that these negotiations should have been had before he became a UFA and maybe Dubas should have considered a trade in his last year here if they couldn't agree on a deal.

Blaming Nylander for Marner and Mathews being all about money is an.. interesting take.

Nylander steps up more than those two every year so obviously they do not follow in his footsteps. Is he overpaid? Of course, everyone on this team is, but he does elevate while the others do not.

while true, I do think Nylander set the precedent that Doobs can be taken to the cleaners for everyone else

 

[ruaware41]

The Hyman posts are always interesting when you were also here for the "Babcock's son" days of the board

you can say the same about the Tavares posts when you compare to the days when it was consensus that "when a player like this is available, you always sign him."

 

[socko]

As far and NFL football goes Monday Night is generally a big viewing night on the schedule were they put key teams in prime time.

Wonder if that is part of the process or is it simply an extra days rest between big travel days Edmonton to Florida following the same game 5 and 6 process.

Monday Night Football isn't quite what it used to be in prestige, what with it moving to ESPN that not everyone gets, and generally taking a back seat to Sunday Night Football now. However, the NCAA generally has their National Championship football game on a Monday night.

 

[Legion34]

Exactly, Nylander withheld his services by NOT SIGNING a new contract.

Like it or not, it was a HOLDOUT on his part until he got what HE WANTED, or UNTIL he would no longer be eligible to play that season.

It was described as a HOLDOUT in every written media I read.

No. That is not the legal definition of a hold out.

He didn’t have a contract. He didn’t refuse his services. He didn’t have a contract. You cannot play without a contract. It’s in the rules.

A holdout is refusing your services when you have a contract. Like if eichel was healthy and protested his teams practices or Yashin

Not a hold out any more than any free agent

 

[Evilhomer]

Monday Night Football isn't quite what it used to be in prestige, what with it moving to ESPN that not everyone gets, and generally taking a back seat to Sunday Night Football now. However, the NCAA generally has their National Championship football game on a Monday night.

and college basketball.

 

[mkatcherin00]

Atleast McDavid will have gotten his cup in Edmonton out of the way and ended one drought....so he can focus on ending the next drought in Toronto to really polish off that legacy

I am an die hard Oilers fan. If Edmonton pulls this off, it would hurt, but I would gladly cheer on McDavid and the Leafs. Getting a cup out of the way would make me so tension free for the rest of my life lol. In the end, it's just a game, but it would be cool to see 97 go to TO and do it for them

 

[thewave]

Now Leaf Nation has to hope our new GM is able to dump a small, soft, perimeter player that avoids contact like the plague who is also a playoff choke artist, and try and replace him with big, fast and tenacious players, who are playoff warriors again,

Undoing the damage of the past is going to take time, because the damage inflicted was severe, thru bad trades, bad signings, bad contracts etc.

According to TSN's Chris Johnston these are the kind of moves that an organization may never recover from.

​

Going to be an interesting summer in Leafland on the road to recovery.

Will take wheeling and dealing and some really smart drafts picks.

Ovi putting in the work to break the goal scoring record LMAO

https://x.com/i/web/status/1804686912105369872

He isn't going to make it.

 

[Daisy Jane]

August is way too early to start hockey. But I do understand where you're coming from. There's absolutely no reason why the playoffs should still be going on June 24th

not august first LOL but like get pre-season done the first two weeeks of august, Season starts in September. this way you're already 2 months in by the time basketball starts and then just... adjust. like the cup should be lifted no later than May 31st.

I don't know what this is more. Hilarious? Or accurate? Lol

it's just annoying. I don't give a fig newton about Dubas or his feelings. but again. everyone who is praising Hyman to kingdom come now. were the same people who were saying it made sense NOT to sign him for that much. (and if we traded him and "got something") unless that something was the second coming of.. well mcDavid people would still say "Look we ONLY got this for that person).

it's the same crap every time. for the most part everyone hated Bozak here in the media - he goes wins a cup. (great for him) and all of a sudden. "how dare the Leafs not resign Bozak look at what he did for St Louis." (i will admit, that one hurt because he waited for a LONG time to try to get a deal done with us and he's admitted how much he loves it here Dubas just noped that one - i don't remember who he went with instead). no one ever mentions the countless people who bounce around doing nothing. they just focus on the people we had and let go and then are great else where (OR better - they pick the guy who bounced around from like COUNTLESS teams was here for like 2 seconds, THEN triggers god mode, and it was just the Leafs [and not the 5 other teams who also had this player] who effed up].

you can say the same about the Tavares posts when you compare to the days when it was consensus that "when a player like this is available, you always sign him."

i'll own my card here. I think it was a good idea to sign Tavares, i think it symbolized something really good for our team. and I'd most likely do it again if i could rewind time. I don't think like a lot of people here HE is the problem or even a massive part of it