ECQF: Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs (Series Tied 3-3)

[KPower]

Nylander is actually a great player, someone that a franchise can build around as the top player. But he's being held back by Matthews and Marner, who are bums that are way too soft for playoff hockey.

If I'm Toronto I'm walking away from those two losers and building around Nylander. Might actually be able to do some damage then.

This is absurd, Matthews is a 2 way beast. I won’t argue about Marner though.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Some truly wild hot takes on Matthews going on right now lmao

 

[Terrier]

 

[MCR74]

The Leafs aren't much better off with Matthews. He's not a difference-maker in the playoffs. And he clearly checked out after be didn't hit 70 goals.

Every outcome here is amazing for hockey fans:

1) Leafs choke on another game 7 and are out in the first round like every year. Because they "battled hard", management runs it back next year. Boston gets smoked in round 2.

2) Leafs win and get destroyed in the second round again. Because they won a round, management runs it back next year. Boston chokes another 3-1 series lead.

What the Leafs need is Brady Tkachuk, someone who'll never sniff 70 goals but really brings it come playoff time.

Some truly wild hot takes on Matthews going on right now lmao

It's called "reaching".

I'd call it other things, but I don't want to get banned for good.

 

[EmptyNetAssassin]

As an outside fan watching this is a good series and Toronto has definitely elevated their game without Matthews. Does this mean Matthews is expendable if they win the series? Either way whoever wins I hope takes out the kitty cats and do not allow them win a cup.

 

[Over the volcano]

At this point I think the Leafs are playing with house money.

The Leafs are the road team. They finished with 7 less points than Boston. They matched up against the team they had the worst regular season record against and they lost Nylander for 3 games and Matthews for (likely) 3 games. The Core 4 have played a total of 40 minutes in the lineup together this series and the series is still going 7.

If you told me before the series the Leafs would lose Nylander for 3 games, Matthews for 2-3 1/3rd games and the core 4 would play a total of 40 minutes together against the Bruins - I wouldn't have predicted 7.

Boston should have won the Atlantic but I believe they tanked for this matchup because they outscored the Leafs like 4:1 in the regular season and swept the regular season series. Now the Leafs, with all their injuries, are still going 7. All the pressure is on Boston right now.

For Toronto, changes are going to be made regardless. I can't imagine Keefe keeps his job unless the Leafs go to at least the conference finals and without Matthews that's going to be a tall task. Changes will happen this offseason.

Win or lose, I'm shocked this Leafs team, without Matthews and Nylander for half the series each took Boston to 7. Boston was the team that was leading the Atlantic nearly all season until the last game of the regular season. The Leafs aren't the one blowing it to a team with 7 less points than them - they're not expected to win, nor were they the favourites and the Leafs at least can use the injury excuse. Boston choking back to back to a depleted Leafs team would cause much more chaos.

Yes, and also

Stanley Cup predictions for 2023-24 NHL season | NHL.com

Stars, Hurricanes, Oilers favorites among NHL.com staff preseason picks

www.nhl.com

 

[93gilmour93]

 

[Divine]

Yes, and also

Stanley Cup predictions for 2023-24 NHL season | NHL.com

Stars, Hurricanes, Oilers favorites among NHL.com staff preseason picks

www.nhl.com

The whole point is the Leafs are doing this with Matthews injured.

If Matthews and Nylander were healthy every game this series wasn’t going 7. Even if the Leafs win and Matthews comes back - he might not be the same for the rest of the playoffs. He was pulled from the game because he couldn’t skate.

I don’t get what preseason predictions assuming a healthy roster have to do with anything.

 

[Lshap]

As an outside fan watching this is a good series and Toronto has definitely elevated their game without Matthews. Does this mean Matthews is expendable if they win the series? Either way whoever wins I hope takes out the kitty cats and do not allow them win a cup.

Any player is expendable, provided the rest of the cast steps up. That's what seems to be happening here. Leafs lose their best player and face yet another embarrassing early exit. Instead of crumbling, a match was lit under their collective asses and they rally for a couple of games.

Could they take Boston in 7? Sure. But they're not going much farther without Matthews.

 

[ranold26]

Boston is cooked. Congratulations Toronto.

 

[tfwnogf]

Any player is expendable, provided the rest of the cast steps up. That's what seems to be happening here. Leafs lose their best player and face yet another embarrassing early exit. Instead of crumbling, a match was lit under their collective asses and they rally for a couple of games.

Could they take Boston in 7? Sure. But they're not going much farther without Matthews.

They seem to play better without him lol

 

[Divine]

They seem to play better without him lol

Or maybe Woll is just better than Samsonov

 

[John Mandalorian]

They seem to play better without him lol

It’s not like Toronto is scoring a lot though. Maybe the focus should be on putting Woll in net instead?

 

[tfwnogf]

Or maybe Woll is just better than Samsonov

maybe
or maybe nylander > matthews

 

[MCR74]

Or maybe Woll is just better than Samsonov

Nah, that would be too easy.

 

[Divine]

maybe
or maybe nylander > matthews

Imagine that and the Leafs have both.

Bruins really lucked out with both of them only being healthy together for 40 minutes so far in a 7 game series and they still had to go to game 7

 

[Peasy]

Gotta say, watching a bruins team be led by Marchand has been pretty comical. Hes making that franchise a disgrace after coming from years of Bergeron.

What a complete 180 from captain to captain.

 

[tfwnogf]

Imagine that and the Leafs have both.

Bruins really lucked out with both of them only being healthy together for 40 minutes so far in a 7 game series and they still had to go to game 7

see what happens. I voted bruins in 7 cause I knew it would go to game 7 lmao. But if the Leafs make the comeback that would be legendary stuff.

 

[Spargon]

Some truly wild hot takes on Matthews going on right now lmao

Its just the sad sacks who desperately want to cheer for Matthews but are too insecure and immature to look past the logo on his jersey. I guarantee the instant Matthews left the Leafs those same posters would never let go how the Leafs let a superstar like him go, it was always Leaf fans driving him away. Other fans always knew how great he was etc. Same pathetic story.

 

[BLONG7]

Yeah, who would want a franchise centre who just scored the most goals since Mario Lemieux over 30 years ago when they can have a much worse centre for cheaper!

Everyone knows he can score goals.............not many would want his gross salary that goes with it......the leafs are better without him when it counts??
What does that tell us? There are players that get you to the playoffs, and well you know the rest.

LOL................I am pulling for the leafs by the way, and let's hope the Choke is on again this year for the Bruins!!

 

[Divine]

Everyone knows he can score goals.............not many would want his gross salary that goes with it......the leafs are better without him when it counts??
What does that tell us? There are players that get you to the playoffs, and well you know the rest.

LOL................I am pulling for the leafs by the way, and let's hope the Choke is on again this year for the Bruins!!

You realize Matthews didn’t play a single game with Joseph Woll in net?

Look at the difference in save percentage between Woll and Samsonov. The difference has been with Woll in net, the Leafs can win with 2 goals.

With Samsonov, they needed 3 min. on his best game.

 

[Peasy]

Matthews being out is totally the only reason the Bruins have scored 2 goals the past 2 games.

Do people not realize how ridiculous that sounds lmao?

I know most are just trolling, but still. Its not even a good effort troll.

 

[Over the volcano]

If it were against any other team in the league I'd say the Burins were done. But against Toronto hope springs eternal.

 

[MCR74]

Its just the sad sacks who desperately want to cheer for Matthews but are too insecure and immature to look past the logo on his jersey. I guarantee the instant Matthews left the Leafs those same posters would never let go how the Leafs let a superstar like him go, it was always Leaf fans driving him away. Other fans always knew how great he was etc. Same pathetic story.

Matthews leaves, and every GM will be in line for his services.

Nice to see the squad come together like this.

 

[Divine]

If it were against any other team in the league I'd say the Burins were done. But against Toronto hope springs eternal.

The Leafs are saying the same against Boston.

Down 3-1 and Matthews injured, the series would have been over against any other team.