Can we beat Tampa?

[Leafsfan74]

Leafs.were beaten by the refs last yesr. I will say it again and again. If that series were watched by an objective.and informed fan base, say Boston or Detroit fans, I bet they would agree the Leafs were robbed and T.B flopped every play, somehow knowing the refs would reward them..

Leafs are a better team this yesr, they need to just have the killer instinct. One round at a time....

 

[Judas Tavares]

Jets did us a favour tonight in terms of home ice. It's nice to see we are finally the team with games in hand, felt like Tampa had about 3 games in hand all year until recently.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

I have a very difficult time believing the same team that lost to Tampa last year has improved enough around the edges to beat Tampa this year.

It's the same team. With the same problems. Heading straight for the same results.

Stamkos punches Tavares in the head and what is the response? Nothing. The backs of five guys skating towards the bench and laughing it off.

Cause getting punched in the head is so funny.

The incremental improvements at the bottom of the roster aren't enough. Tampa's core is superior to the Leafs and has been for years. Adding depth players like O'Reilly and McCabe are great for a team that is a true contender.

Which the Leafs aren't.

This franchise is in a crisis. Losing against Tampa again will only expose it to a wider audience. As a fan, I'm concerned about the outlook for my favorite team.

Both the present and the future appear concerning.

 

[Peace Frog]

I have a very difficult time believing the same team that lost to Tampa last year has improved enough around the edges to beat Tampa this year.

It's the same team. With the same problems. Heading straight for the same results.

Stamkos punches Tavares in the head and what is the response? Nothing. The backs of five guys skating towards the bench and laughing it off.

Cause getting punched in the head is so funny.

The incremental improvements at the bottom of the roster aren't enough. Tampa's core is superior to the Leafs and has been for years. Adding depth players like O'Reilly and McCabe are great for a team that is a true contender.

Which the Leafs aren't.

This franchise is in a crisis. Losing against Tampa again will only expose it to a wider audience. As a fan, I'm concerned about the outlook for my favorite team.

Both the present and the future appear concerning.

Yikes! Note to self…. DO NOT ask this guy to cheer me up when I’m down!

 

[3blizzard4]

I have a very difficult time believing the same team that lost to Tampa last year has improved enough around the edges to beat Tampa this year.

It's the same team. With the same problems. Heading straight for the same results.

Stamkos punches Tavares in the head and what is the response? Nothing. The backs of five guys skating towards the bench and laughing it off.

Cause getting punched in the head is so funny.

The incremental improvements at the bottom of the roster aren't enough. Tampa's core is superior to the Leafs and has been for years. Adding depth players like O'Reilly and McCabe are great for a team that is a true contender.

Which the Leafs aren't.

This franchise is in a crisis. Losing against Tampa again will only expose it to a wider audience. As a fan, I'm concerned about the outlook for my favorite team.

Both the present and the future appear concerning.

I'll not have what you are having.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

I'll not have what you are having.

A dose of reality?

 

[3blizzard4]

A dose of reality?

Dude step off the ledge. You are f@ucking depressing.

 

[Judas Tavares]

I have a very difficult time believing the same team that lost to Tampa last year has improved enough around the edges to beat Tampa this year.

It's the same team. With the same problems. Heading straight for the same results.

Stamkos punches Tavares in the head and what is the response? Nothing. The backs of five guys skating towards the bench and laughing it off.

Cause getting punched in the head is so funny.

The incremental improvements at the bottom of the roster aren't enough. Tampa's core is superior to the Leafs and has been for years. Adding depth players like O'Reilly and McCabe are great for a team that is a true contender.

Which the Leafs aren't.

This franchise is in a crisis. Losing against Tampa again will only expose it to a wider audience. As a fan, I'm concerned about the outlook for my favorite team.

Both the present and the future appear concerning.

I was watching highlights from last year's series today. Noticed a ton of roster turnover. Whenever I heard/saw the names like Blackwell, Spezza, Mikheyev, Engvall, Kase, Lybushkin, Campbell etc.. it made me realize this team has many new differences and most of them imo are upgrades. You mentioned in the first part of your post improving around the edges. It is exactly what happened. The edges changed drastically and improved.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Dude step off the ledge. You are f@ucking depressing.

If I sound extremist, it's only because the situation IS extreme.

This team is in deep crisis and losing to Tampa again might just possibly be the best thing to ever happen to this franchise in order to finally push them forward after the gross mismanagement of the Dubas regime, backed by Shanahan.

I'm sorry you don't like what I have to say. All I'm doing is pointing out the facts. It's not up to me whether those facts are good or bad news to you. I don't get to make that decision.

i just deliver the news.

 

[Brown Dog]

Dude step off the ledge. You are f@ucking depressing.

I get it, though. This franchise does make it pretty damned hard to be optimistic!

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

I was watching highlights from last year's series today. Noticed a ton of roster turnover. Whenever I heard/saw the names like Blackwell, Spezza, Mikheyev, Engvall, Kase, Lybushkin, Campbell etc.. it made me realize this team has many new differences and most of them imo are upgrades. You mentioned in the first part of your post improving around the edges. It is exactly what happened. The edges changed drastically and improved.

Is that enough when the core has remained the same.

The entire team since 2016/2017 has changed. Since that first year they made the playoffs the team has a new GM, a new coach, a new Captain, and every player on the team has been turned over with the exception of MNM+R.

Maybe, just maybe, these core losers are losers for a reason?

Because they can't win when it matters most.

 

[Legion34]

I have a very difficult time believing the same team that lost to Tampa last year has improved enough around the edges to beat Tampa this year.

It's the same team. With the same problems. Heading straight for the same results.

Stamkos punches Tavares in the head and what is the response? Nothing. The backs of five guys skating towards the bench and laughing it off.

Cause getting punched in the head is so funny.

The incremental improvements at the bottom of the roster aren't enough. Tampa's core is superior to the Leafs and has been for years. Adding depth players like O'Reilly and McCabe are great for a team that is a true contender.

Which the Leafs aren't.

This franchise is in a crisis. Losing against Tampa again will only expose it to a wider audience. As a fan, I'm concerned about the outlook for my favorite team.

Both the present and the future appear concerning.

Tampa has lost way more.

Mcd Rutta palat is massive

 

[AvroArrow]

I have a very difficult time believing the same team that lost to Tampa last year has improved enough around the edges to beat Tampa this year.

It's the same team. With the same problems. Heading straight for the same results.

Stamkos punches Tavares in the head and what is the response? Nothing. The backs of five guys skating towards the bench and laughing it off.

Cause getting punched in the head is so funny.

The incremental improvements at the bottom of the roster aren't enough. Tampa's core is superior to the Leafs and has been for years. Adding depth players like O'Reilly and McCabe are great for a team that is a true contender.

Which the Leafs aren't.

This franchise is in a crisis. Losing against Tampa again will only expose it to a wider audience. As a fan, I'm concerned about the outlook for my favorite team.

Both the present and the future appear concerning.

Just cheer for a different team, wtf is this man.

 

[Enga Olly]

Is that enough when the core has remained the same.

The entire team since 2016/2017 has changed. Since that first year they made the playoffs the team has a new GM, a new coach, a new Captain, and every player on the team has been turned over with the exception of MNM+R.

Maybe, just maybe, these core losers are losers for a reason?

Because they can't win when it matters most.

Well there's the question. Yes the names are the same but the players themselves may changed. Is Nylander the same guy he was last year? Marner? Matthews? Reilly and Tavares may have changed the least, in fact Reilly may have regressed a bit but JT is solid. Adding ROR and Acciari and no Engval. I think the goaltending is better as well. I think we're in a much better place than last year. But hey we'll see

And I'll say it again - I know Matthews has had a less spectacular year than last but I get the sense he has something special in store for the PO. I may be full of it but we'll see.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

I have a very difficult time believing the same team that lost to Tampa last year has improved enough around the edges to beat Tampa this year.

It's the same team. With the same problems. Heading straight for the same results.

Stamkos punches Tavares in the head and what is the response? Nothing. The backs of five guys skating towards the bench and laughing it off.

Cause getting punched in the head is so funny.

The incremental improvements at the bottom of the roster aren't enough. Tampa's core is superior to the Leafs and has been for years. Adding depth players like O'Reilly and McCabe are great for a team that is a true contender.

Which the Leafs aren't.

This franchise is in a crisis. Losing against Tampa again will only expose it to a wider audience. As a fan, I'm concerned about the outlook for my favorite team.

Both the present and the future appear concerning.

How often do you watch Tampa?

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

How often do you watch Tampa?

I watch Leafs games first. Then Rangers and Calgary because I picked them as the teams to win the cup. Then whatever Canadian teams (usually Ottawa) are left over.

I watch two games a day.

Doing this you can easily watch a dozen games of each team a year.

I also watched every Tampa game the last two years in the playoffs and most of the first year they won the cup too.

Why do you ask?

 

[PROUD PAPA]

I watch Leafs games first. Then Rangers and Calgary because I picked them as the teams to win the cup. Then whatever Canadian teams (usually Ottawa) are left over.

I watch two games a day.

Doing this you can easily watch a dozen games of each team a year.

I also watched every Tampa game the last two years in the playoffs and most of the first year they won the cup too.

Why do you ask?

So you've noticed they're inferior to last year, the year before and the year before that?

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

So you've noticed they're inferior to last year, the year before and the year before that?

Doesn't mean the Leafs are better than them yet.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Doesn't mean the Leafs are better than them yet.

We'll see soon enough.

 

[Gabriel426]

I say, we have a 50% chance of beating Tampa.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

We'll see soon enough.

I haven't been this excited for a playoffs series in decades.

I'm even more excited this year than last year.

 

[Gilmour1996]

Pretty useless speculating at least until the lineup for Game 1 is announced. Who knows who is going to even be healthy that day? The only think you might know now is which team is going to be outcoached, which team will get the benefit of the non-calls and that Holl and Kerfoot will be playing if they're healthy.

 

[leafsfan5]

Tampa now 4 points back with us having 2 games in hand

Really good opportunity to put home ice away. If we can win the games in hand we’ll be 8 up. At this point in the season that’s a sizeable gap

 

[Leafsfan74]

I have a very difficult time believing the same team that lost to Tampa last year has improved enough around the edges to beat Tampa this year.

It's the same team. With the same problems. Heading straight for the same results.

Stamkos punches Tavares in the head and what is the response? Nothing. The backs of five guys skating towards the bench and laughing it off.

Cause getting punched in the head is so funny.

The incremental improvements at the bottom of the roster aren't enough. Tampa's core is superior to the Leafs and has been for years. Adding depth players like O'Reilly and McCabe are great for a team that is a true contender.

Which the Leafs aren't.

This franchise is in a crisis. Losing against Tampa again will only expose it to a wider audience. As a fan, I'm concerned about the outlook for my favorite team.

Both the present and the future appear concerning.

These additions mean it is not the same team. The same core maybe, but not the same team. I would have all of these new additions on the ice come playoffs. Two new goalies and 6 of 18 positional players, different from last year. More importantly, hopefully a shift in attitude.

This doesn't include other depth players that are available if needed:

Murray, Samsonov,. Jarnkrok, O' Reilly, Lafferty, Acciari, Schenn.McCabe,

 

[TMLAM34]

I have a very difficult time believing the same team that lost to Tampa last year has improved enough around the edges to beat Tampa this year.

It's the same team. With the same problems. Heading straight for the same results.

Stamkos punches Tavares in the head and what is the response? Nothing. The backs of five guys skating towards the bench and laughing it off.

Cause getting punched in the head is so funny.

The incremental improvements at the bottom of the roster aren't enough. Tampa's core is superior to the Leafs and has been for years. Adding depth players like O'Reilly and McCabe are great for a team that is a true contender.

Which the Leafs aren't.

This franchise is in a crisis. Losing against Tampa again will only expose it to a wider audience. As a fan, I'm concerned about the outlook for my favorite team.

Both the present and the future appear concerning.

How are they the same team? You mentioned Stamkos hitting Tavares with no team response, well the team actually added players like O’Reilly, McCabe, and Acciari who will respond. We saw it with McCabe dropping Myers after he laid out Tavares. Ideally this also has a ripple effect on our entire roster, for example we’ve seen a more physical Holl since the trade deadline. We’ve also upgraded our goaltending situation compared to last years.

We’ve definitely improved from last years playoff team, Tampa has also gotten worse by loosing Palat and McDonagh. We’re definitely in a better position to beat Tampa this year. We were the underdogs last year but no one is considering us the underdogs this year unless if your only argument is we haven’t made it past the first round in x amount of years…