Series Talk: ECQ: Boston Bruins (2-0) Toronto Maple Leafs. Well. We can Win at Home. We Have to.

[Peiskos]

Don't know if anybody has heard of "The Hockey Guy" on YouTube, really smart guy and always breaks down everything in fine detail, he picked Toronto in 6. Also yes he's wearing a Leafs jersey but he wears jerseys of various teams all the time, he wore it because he's picking them as he describes in the video. In fact he even says he's a Bruins fan.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

It's not a small detail. A speedy, talented 4th line that can score could win us the series.

With Boston's defense, there's a very good chance they can neutralize our top two lines. Lines 1 through 3 we match up pretty evenly, maybe an edge to Boston.

So if we can consistently put out a great line like Johnsson - Plekanec - Kapanen on the 4th line, that would be huge.

but have you considered how terrified Boston must be to be facing a man like Komarov though? they might forfeit outright

 

[Daisy Jane]

I think next season will be a lot more exciting in terms of lineups. Babcock has no choice but to play his best players. He optimized his lineups around Game 50-60. Till then, he firmly believed that Matt freaking Martin was an important player on this team. It’s funny how the people here that defend all his lineup decisions turned on Matt Martin in the lineup as soon as Babcock decided it was the end of Martin.

Same thing will happen with Komarov and Polak. Johnsson would make me feel a lot more comfortable about this series. Yes it’s just a 4th line role but role players play a big part on winning teams.

When Komarov is on the ice, I don’t expect that 4th line to score at all. Not even by luck.

When Johnsson and Kapanen were on the ice, they made every shift count and looked dangerous and at the very least tired defenders out with their speed.

I’m sure Babcock will realize this as the series goes on. I just hope it’s not too late before he does.

At the moment, we have to watch Komarov be in the lineup because he’s a man and Johnsson is not.

did he though?
I get that a lot of people like saying stuff like this, but do you guys honestly believe that Babcock looks at his whiteboard and thinks "yeup. Martin, etc, my best guys?" I personally believe that Babcock has an inane amount of trust in the players people tend not to like - as in 'go do what you do, so i can actually focus on the other players who i have to mold into better players.'. the same thing happened last year. people were freaking out about player usage and time until things changed, (roughly around the same time too, might I add)

It leaves me to believe that there's an actual method to (some of) the madness of Babcock's decisions. All of them, no, but that's a 'coach' thing, not a Babcock thing. Every coach has a pet (or a few of them) but to say (with conviction) that they believe that player is the 'best' - i think that's erroneous.

 

[Leafblooded]

Three more sleeps!

 

[A1LeafNation]

Of the 4 Leafs that were in game 7 of the 2013 series with Boston.

Komarov's first year in the NHL.
Kadri's first year in the NHL
JVR's first year with the Leafs.
Gardiner's was still developing and only played 12 regular season games.

 

[Green Snow Storm]

I think many people especially the media are seeing us as underdogs. I think they will be surprised when the series is over. It won't be a walk in the park, but I really like this match-up for us. I think the Leafs get it done and make it look easier than most think.

- 7-1 record head to head past two seasons (Playoffs are a different beast, but hard to say all things being even that this isn't a more favourable match-up for the Leafs)
- Boston's had a horrid schedule down the stretch
-They are likely more banged up than the Leafs are
-We have a significant speed advantage, and slightly more depth and scoring up front.

 

[FlareKnight]

did he though?
I get that a lot of people like saying stuff like this, but do you guys honestly believe that Babcock looks at his whiteboard and thinks "yeup. Martin, etc, my best guys?" I personally believe that Babcock has an inane amount of trust in the players people tend not to like - as in 'go do what you do, so i can actually focus on the other players who i have to mold into better players.'. the same thing happened last year. people were freaking out about player usage and time until things changed, (roughly around the same time too, might I add)

It leaves me to believe that there's an actual method to (some of) the madness of Babcock's decisions. All of them, no, but that's a 'coach' thing, not a Babcock thing. Every coach has a pet (or a few of them) but to say (with conviction) that they believe that player is the 'best' - i think that's erroneous.

Is it? Doesn’t sound crazy to think that Babcock considers his pets to be his best players. Particularly since the definition of best is left so open in this discussion. Best worker? Best defensively? Best guy to throw on the ice in a close game? Doesn’t seem erroneous to suggest Babcock considers guys like Komarov some of his best players. Do you really think he believes more in Nylander or Komarov with the game on the line?

Doesn’t seem like much of a point of debate. Your last paragraph admits that there isn’t method to some of his madness and that’s inherent to coaches in general.

All we can do is trust in what Babcock does do well and hope his heavy bias to gud pros doesn’t cause the team problems. It should be fine. He didn’t get this far allowing his flaws to outweigh his strengths.

 

[razkaz]

Why so many people like to bring up the Boston-Toronto series of 2013 as if it's relevant today is beyond me.

I think this is a great matchup, no easy cake walk for either team, but I give the edge to the Leafs for homer reasons lol

 

[SniperHF]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking at putting together a sort of fan vs fan perspective writeup for our work in progress articles section:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/articles/

Is anyone here interested in writing a 3 paragraph-ish post for us about what you think of the match up, who will win, players to watch, or whatever is on your mind? It can even be a post you were gonna write anyway.

You get trophy points when you contribute an article if that floats your boat

Quote me with the post you'd like to use or send it to me via conversation if you're interested.

Thanks,

 

[razkaz]

I think many people especially the media are seeing us as underdogs. I think they will be surprised when the series is over. It won't be a walk in the park, but I really like this match-up for us. I think the Leafs get it done and make it look easier than most think.

- 7-1 record head to head past two seasons (Playoffs are a different beast, but hard to say all things being even that this isn't a more favourable match-up for the Leafs)
- Boston's had a horrid schedule down the stretch
-They are likely more banged up than the Leafs are
-We have a significant speed advantage, and slightly more depth and scoring up front.

I get all this talk about playoffs being different than the regular season but what I don't understand is this thinking that nothing from the regular season carries over. Yes all records are 0-0 but it's not like there is a magical switch that allows players to be faster/better/stronger out of nowhere.

I also think the Bruins have some hurt players and the rest will help them but we will have to wait and see if it was enough time to recuperate.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking at putting together a sort of fan vs fan perspective writeup for our work in progress articles section:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/articles/

Is anyone here interested in writing a 3 paragraph-ish post for us about what you think of the match up, who will win, players to watch, or whatever is on your mind? It can even be a post you were gonna write anyway.

You get trophy points when you contribute an article if that floats your boat

Quote me with the post you'd like to use or send it to me via conversation if you're interested.

Thanks,

LOL feel free to take what you like from the opening post. i wrote it all so it's all good.

 

[JadedLeaf]

Don't know if this was posted already but pretty cool hype videos.

 

[Halla]

if the leafs shut down the marchand-bergeron-pasta line they win, simple as that.
they don't have another guy with more that 17g, or a forward with 50pts outside of that top line

bostons top line is better than ours (prob the best in the league) but our 2nd and 3rd lines are easily better.should be fun

 

[The Man with a Plan]

Don't know if this was posted already but pretty cool hype videos.

The playoff one is pretty good. Shinedown knows how to get ya pumped up.

I think this one is my fav that I have seen this year.

 

[MR4]

he always has a choice. he'll bring up Ben Smith, Clune, Marincin, etc. he loves safe players

Eh. Think he hates Marincin.

Although personally I wish for the following to be the playoff D core because Marincin-Zaitsev has actually looked amazing in limited time:

Rielly-Dermott
Gardiner-Hainsey
MM-Zaits

 

[Nithoniniel]

Nash isn't playing

Riley Nash will most likely play.

 

[HomerJLeafs]

GO LEAFS GO
IM IIIIIIINNNNNNNN
f*** THE BRUINS I HATE THEM!!!!

 

[Trono]

The Bruins board seems quite adamant that we have had the refs on our side but I'd say it's been quite the contrary this season except for arguably the ONE non-goalie interference call on Rask, which isn't saying much considering how much of a farce goalie interference has been all season for every team. I guess they missed Matthews' goal called back the month before??

Making excuses before the series even starts means they're pretty nervous. This is our time for revenge. Thursday night can't come soon enough

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

Three more sleeps!

2 more!

 

[leafs in five]

Of the 4 Leafs that were in game 7 of the 2013 series with Boston.

Komarov's first year in the NHL.
Kadri's first year in the NHL
JVR's first year with the Leafs.
Gardiner's was still developing and only played 12 regular season games.

that series made me love Jake Gardiner forever

 

[ACC1224]

These were printed prior to the Boston series confirm last night - guessing all the presale and general sale tickets will look a lot nicer.

Mine look exactly the same.

 

[ACC1224]

This series is where we see how the Pleks trade works out. I have reserved judgement to this point, but this is where we need him to step up and do what he does best which is apparently drive Marchand nuts.

Will they even be on the ice together very often?

 

[Walshy7]

The Bruins board seems quite adamant that we have had the refs on our side but I'd say it's been quite the contrary this season except for arguably the ONE non-goalie interference call on Rask, which isn't saying much considering how much of a farce goalie interference has been all season for every team. I guess they missed Matthews' goal called back the month before??

Making excuses before the series even starts means they're pretty nervous. This is our time for revenge. Thursday night can't come soon enough

look in any leafs game day thread and you'd think it was very obvious the league was biased against the leafs. Every team uses the refs "bias" as a an excuse why their teams lose, or even just get scored against. The refs in reality have no bias but every fan still believes the refs are against their team

 

[crump]

Don't know if anybody has heard of "The Hockey Guy" on YouTube, really smart guy and always breaks down everything in fine detail, he picked Toronto in 6. Also yes he's wearing a Leafs jersey but he wears jerseys of various teams all the time, he wore it because he's picking them as he describes in the video. In fact he even says he's a Bruins fan.

He's a Canuck fan and you should check out his reaction when Leafs won the Matthews Lottery. Hated the Leafs only 2 years ago. Bandwagon jumper extraordinaire.

 

[TmlHockeyFan]

Eh. Think he hates Marincin.

Although personally I wish for the following to be the playoff D core because Marincin-Zaitsev has actually looked amazing in limited time:

Rielly-Dermott
Gardiner-Hainsey
MM-Zaits

I never want to see this person on the Leafs roster again. ESPECIALLY during playoffs. He was absolutely TERRIBLE for the leafs.