GDT: Around the League - Stanley Cup Edition - Round #3 [Final 4]

[DarkKnight]

@stickty111 you keep on hating on Lou, but he keeps proving you and every other doubter wrong and invalid.

His team is making their 2nd consecutive ECF, after having beaten the team we lost to 2 years in a row with this core.

His major deadline acquisition has 7 goals in 12 games, scoring at Auston Matthews level.
His last year's major deadline acquisition (who he extended on a great contract) is shutting down his matchups while producing to a clip of 12 pts in 12 games (better than JT during his 12 games the past two years)

His major re-signings last year in nelson and Eberle now have 10 in 12 and 8 in 12 games.

Lou has built a winner. He's built a team that can beat teams leaf's cant. Isles are extremely well managed, well-coached, and have a strong top-down management organization with a high standard of accountability.

Lou in 2012 was at a level that Dubas had little hopes of reaching in terms of legacy all-time as GM but the past 3 years have been a violation for the leafs. We potentially gambled on the inexperienced less talented GM in Dubas hoping he could learn on the fly and build a winner. Dubas has one more shot and if that fails his NHL career's done, but comparing him to a still top 5 GM in Lou (despite Lou being old as dirt and long past retirement age) is insulting.

Don’t understand why if you’re a Dubas guy you have to hate on Lou. It’s also embarrassing, the man’s resume speaks for itself and it’s no accident the Isles are making noise.

The best, Dubas has said many times he still calls Lou for advice.

 

[Trapper]

Also Mac isn't 6'9" 250lbs, Bruins will probably go after Oleksiak.

Savard is a UFA who I like as well.

 

[Gallagbi]

Nylander, Marner, Matthews either get some standard of professionality and a reality check with Lou, being ok with normal negotiations or they (1 maybe 2) are sent packing to send a clear message to the room and rid the rot within the organization.

People would bitch but judge from the results Lou has delivered with the Isles, its hard to argue he wouldn't be able to make the leafs a contender via moving out one of the entitled 3.

When was the last time he moved out a player of that level? I honestly can't recall.

 

[hamzarocks]

Marchand is one of the best playoff players of this generation, but he's never won since becoming a star. In 2011 he contributed a lot but the bruins were deep and heavy with 3 lines and the Krejci line being the 1st line.

Since 2016 when he became a star, he hasn't been able to win yet has been scoring amongst the leaders in the playoffs. Just delivered a huge goal for the bruins to make it 4-2.

Marchand is not the fastest player, but watching him vs marner is such a huge gap. He has elite hands, elite puck poise, and control, and is a great shooter. Once he toned down his dirtyness he became a top 5 valuable player in the league

 

[Menzinger]

Ya true but this is how its been forever and I dont see it changing anytime soon.

The playoffs really are a totally different game.

Honestly this is what the league wants, I'd rather they just flat out say roughing and interference aren't penalties in the playoffs. It would st least end the hypocrisy of it

 

[Gallagbi]

Marchand is one of the best playoff players of this generation, but he's never won since becoming a star. In 2011 he contributed a lot but the bruins were deep and heavy with 3 lines and the Krejci line being the 1st line.

Since 2016 when he became a star, he hasn't been able to win yet has been scoring amongst the leaders in the playoffs. Just delivered a huge goal for the bruins to make it 4-2.

Marchand is not the fastest player, but watching him vs marner is such a huge gap. He has elite hands, elite puck poise, and control, and is a great shooter. Once he toned down his dirtyness he became a top 5 valuable player in the league

Marchand can fly and he's still a dirty piece of human garbage. Not sure much changed in that regard.

 

[McSnypsky]

Isles looking great tonight. That Palmeri elbow was a cheap shot though. A good example of how broken playoff officiating is

That's a big problem that our young guys haven't figured that the officiating is different and they need to get used to that and even better, a slash or a butt end wouldn't hurt either

 

[dubplatepressure]

Also Mac isn't 6'9" 250lbs, Bruins will probably go after Oleksiak.

Perfect fit for them (and us).

 

[IPS]

Don’t understand why if you’re a Dubas guy you have to hate on Lou. It’s also embarrassing, the man’s resume speaks for itself and it’s no accident the Isles are making noise.

The best, Dubas has said many times he still calls Lou for advice.

Lou's team has a real shot at taking home the cup this year. Back to back conference finals is no joke.

 

[keonsbitterness]

I have a vision of 4-3.

 

[McSnypsky]

Savard is a UFA who I like as well.

Yeah if we are gonna use Sandin more then I think one of those guys will be needed.

 

[hamzarocks]

When was the last time he moved out a player of that level? I honestly can't recall.

When is the last time he had a player of that level? Niedermayer (he wasn't trading one of the devils core players when they were winning 3 cups and going deep). Brodeur was a top 3 goalie for 10+ years so trading him didn't make sense either. Elias was a better/more consistent version of nylander so he was a guy who might have been moved but there was no need. He was a player you could win with and a guy who signed deals long-term while being productive and a strong leader for the devils from 2006 to 2013

Lou has shown to be cutthroat and willing to move on from players he doesn't see as a good fit for his team. He moved on from Moginly by placing him on waivers once Elias returned.

 

[dubplatepressure]

Lou's team has a real shot at taking home the cup this year. Back to back conference finals is no joke.

They are who I am rooting for now. They are very much underdogs IMO.

 

[hamzarocks]

Looks like Folgno and Hall both suck. Hall has 5 pts in 10 games for the bruins and is about to be pointless tonight. 5 in 11 wouldn't have helped the leafs. He had a disappointing playoffs and honestly should be looking at a show-me 1 year deal if I were the bruins

 

[Stephen]

@stickty111 you keep on hating on Lou, but he keeps proving you and every other doubter wrong and invalid.

His team is making their 2nd consecutive ECF, after having beaten the team we lost to 2 years in a row with this core.

His major deadline acquisition has 7 goals in 12 games, scoring at Auston Matthews level.
His last year's major deadline acquisition (who he extended on a great contract) is shutting down his matchups while producing to a clip of 12 pts in 12 games (better than JT during his 12 games the past two years)

His major re-signings last year in nelson and Eberle now have 10 in 12 and 8 in 12 games.

Lou has built a winner. He's built a team that can beat teams leaf's cant. Isles are extremely well managed, well-coached, and have a strong top-down management organization with a high standard of accountability.

Lou in 2012 was at a level that Dubas had little hopes of reaching in terms of legacy all-time as GM but the past 3 years have been a violation for the leafs. We potentially gambled on the inexperienced less talented GM in Dubas hoping he could learn on the fly and build a winner. Dubas has one more shot and if that fails his NHL career's done, but comparing him to a still top 5 GM in Lou (despite Lou being old as dirt and long past retirement age) is insulting.

This might be a hot take, but without taking any credit away from Lou's great work renovating the Islanders, time has proven that Garth Snow actually built a pretty solid foundation on the Island.

Barzal (and the G. Reinhart for a 1st trade that facilitated the pick), Lee, Nelson, Beauvillier, Sorokin, Toews (traded to Colorado), Pulock, Pelech, Czikas, Mayfield, originallt drafting Martin, Bailey.

Sometimes, an overnight success takes 10 years of work. Isles were also 100 point teams 2x years in a row when Tavares was still there around 2014 and 2015.

 

[Gallagbi]

When is the last time he had a player of that level? Niedermayer (he wasn't trading one of the devils core players when they were winning 3 cups and going deep). Brodeur was a top 3 goalie for 10+ years so trading him didn't make sense either. Elias was a better/more consistent version of nylander so he was a guy who might have been moved but there was no need. He was a player you could win with and a guy who signed deals long-term while being productive and a strong leader for the devils from 2006 to 2013

Lou has shown to be cutthroat and willing to move on from players he doesn't see as a good fit for his team. He moved on from Moginly by placing him on waivers once Elias returned.

Parise would be the one

Mogilny went to Robidas Island in a cap circumvention move.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Honestly this is what the league wants, I'd rather they just flat out say roughing and interference aren't penalties in the playoffs. It would st least end the hypocrisy of it

Everyone knows it though. Like every team in the league, except our Leafs, knows it. It's been this way for ever. There's no surprise. Except it seems to surprise the Leafs every year.

 

[Stephen]

Lou's team has a real shot at taking home the cup this year. Back to back conference finals is no joke.

Ehh, I think they're like a Pat Burns Leafs team. They won't get past Vegas, Colorado or Tampa. Like them more than the Bruins and Habs though!

 

[IPS]

This might be a hot take, but without taking any credit away from Lou's great work renovating the Islanders, time has proven that Garth Snow actually built a pretty solid foundation on the Island.

Barzal (and the G. Reinhart for a 1st trade that facilitated the pick), Lee, Nelson, Beauvillier, Sorokin, Toews (traded to Colorado), Pulock, Pelech, Czikas, Mayfield, originallt drafting Martin, Bailey.

Sometimes, an overnight success takes 10 years of work.

Not a hot take at all - I've said similar things in the past too.

The Trotz hiring can't be praised enough though - the breakouts of Pulock, Pelech and Mayfield all happened rapidly when under Trotz's tutelage. What a game changer having 3 big mean defensively responsible D who can move the puck is, let alone having them all blossom all at once.

 

[Trapper]

Everyone knows it though. Like every team in the league, except our Leafs, knows it. It's been this way for ever. There's no surprise. Except it seems to surprise the Leafs every year.

That’s the playoffs and take a good look at the Islanders right now.
They started with Pittsburgh, taking on the Bruins, if they win their reward is Tampa and still have a round to go after that.

That’s what the Leafs are going back to next year.

 

[Gallagbi]

This might be a hot take, but without taking any credit away from Lou's great work renovating the Islanders, time has proven that Garth Snow actually built a pretty solid foundation on the Island.

Barzal (and the G. Reinhart for a 1st trade that facilitated the pick), Lee, Nelson, Beauvillier, Sorokin, Toews (traded to Colorado), Pulock, Pelech, Czikas, Mayfield, originallt drafting Martin, Bailey.

Sometimes, an overnight success takes 10 years of work. Isles were also 100 point teams 2x years in a row when Tavares was still there around 2014 and 2015.

Wouldn't be the first time a cup core was built by a fired GM.

I can't help but shake my head watching this series at how bad the B's screwed up those 3 consecutive firsts. It may have saved the league though because they'd be an outright dominant dynasty with the consensus picks. So crazy given the B's success drafting in general

 

[dubplatepressure]

Loving every second of this.

 

[IPS]

Ehh, I think they're like a Pat Burns Leafs team. They won't get past Vegas, Colorado or Tampa. Like them more than the Bruins and Habs though!

Depends though, Trotz is the best tactician in the league and he probably learned a lot from last year's series against Tampa. Wouldn't be shocked if they come out and put the clamps on Tampa this go-around.

 

[hamzarocks]

Parise would be the one

Mogilny went to Robidas Island in a cap circumvention move.

He let Parise walk right? Tried to sign him but Parise was a pending UFA who wanted to team up with Suter. In hindsight, he should have dealt Parise after 2011, with the devils sucking and getting the 4th pick via lotto win. Though, holding onto him probably became more tempting with Parise being unclear if was leaving and the devils making the playoffs, from which we know they had the final run before falling in 6 to the Kings

He gave 1 year 6M to Parise who was on his final RFA deal. It almost paid off but didn't in the end. Lou did prioritize that final cup run/win attempt while its fair to say had he sold Parise in 2011 he would have had the rebuild starting earlier (doesn't get baited to making the deal for Schnieder with the 9th pick going to the nucks). Devils could have rebuilt between 2011-2014 and been a cup contender right now if things were done differently.

Though Lou's devils were extremely good from the mid-90s till 2010 so he had sustained success and wanted one more cup. He isn't flawless for sure but is a very good team constructor and has fixed team culture for both the isles and the leafs when he joined the organizations.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Ehh, I think they're like a Pat Burns Leafs team. They won't get past Vegas, Colorado or Tampa. Like them more than the Bruins and Habs though!

Islanders have a great chance against the Lightning.