Series Talk: ECSF: (A1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs (A3) Florida Panthers (Series Tied 2-2)

[MilkofthePoppy]

I am a Leafs diehard, but I am going with the Panthers in 5 here. Just a really deep team. Leafs have improved significantly since 23, but so have the Cats.

I would love for nothing more than to see the so-called Philosopher Coach Paul Maurice get humbled though. I can't stand that f***ing nerd.

 

[Strangle]

Maybe strangle is right, after all

View attachment 1029389

“Maybe”???

 

[NikoEhlers]

Leafs got a shot, bigger than some would like to admit. If Matthews shows up, he can drag them over the line, if the system is robust enough

 

[Leafsfan74]

I am a Leafs diehard, but I am going with the Panthers in 5 here. Just a really deep team. Leafs have improved significantly since 23, but so have the Cats.

I would love for nothing more than to see the so-called Philosopher Coach Paul Maurice get humbled though. I can't stand that f***ing nerd.

The Leafs love being the underdog in this series.

I guarantee you they are neither afraid nor doubting that they can beat this Florida team.

If they sacrifice and pushback at every turn, Florida will find that this team can grind out wins better than Tampa can.

 

[IdleTraveller]

Literally the poster before you said the same thing. And 100x prior to them. We get it, Toronto isn’t the same, it’s a Berube team, yada yada yada. Nobody has said anything to the point of this being a sweep. All the yapping is coming from the Leafs fans, with the same comments and lame jokes over and over. The Panthers, and us fans, know exactly what’s ahead of them, and what needs to happen to move on.

Exactly. I'm really confused as to why we're bothering to relitigate the 2023 series when both teams have changed so much since then. You're a great team who just won the division, and are better built for the playoffs - we got it the first 64 times it was mentioned.

I don't think anyone on either side is seriously thinking that this will be a sweep. The people saying Cats in 4 are either trolling for fun [and why not if you're getting this kind of reaction] or fans of other teams who think it would be hilarious. I think we have the edge largely because of our depth but I see it as really a 60/40 advantage, so not exactly overwhelming given how random hockey is. And if your first two lines can outplay our first two lines to compensate for our advantage in depth, I could definitely see you winning this. Especially if our PP continues to suck...

It's fine, Leaf fans - we all agree there is a chance for you to break the curse. And besides, it's always more fun to be the underdog - enjoy it.

 

[Idiot Stick]

Leafs are a different team

Leafs in 1

Berube is undefeated against the panthers in the playoffs
Theyre tough instead of dirty like the panthers

No chance
Stolarvezina >>>boobshitsky
Defense of leafs> ped cup panther defense

 

[The don godfather]

miserable broons fan rooting for canes in Florida Leafs thread. How unhinged it is lol

Definitely would love this 1967 streak to continue. Kinda fun.

 

[HockeyVirus]

So last series I made a sponsor bet with a Sens fan who was good to their word and paid up. Any Panthers fans want to have a friendly bet?

I am thinking, the loser has to join the winners bandwagon. I don't mean a "go team go" and moving on. I mean they gotta full on embrace the bandwagon and cheer them on here as they advance. You know this would kill the losers soul....

Do we have any takers?

Still waiting on a taker.

Nah the winners are better than the losers.
Not hard to figure out when you know what a good team actually looks like

You are about to see one.

I don't see the leafs having a great shot after watching them struggle vs the Sens. I thought the leafs were different this year but then I watched them get shut out in a close out game at home. The cats are going to win in 5 most likely.

"Struggle vs the Sens". I wonder what some people watch sometimes.

 

[Laus723]

Yes they do hate the Leafs. It's Leafs against the world that is the truth.

I read other teams GDTs along with our own for each game. Not a single team in the league where fans are not saying how much they hate the Leafs. Round 1 the Leafs are up 3-0, the 48 hours they lost a few games they all came out.

No other team gets that treatment. So you guys can deal with it when Leaf fans give it back. And if you think this is bad.. Wait until the end of June.

No one hates them…JUST for the sake of it. There’s REASONS, that went totally over your head. As it does every Leafs fan, which is hilarious.

 

[MCR74]

Yes they do hate the Leafs. It's Leafs against the world that is the truth.

I read other teams GDTs along with our own for each game. Not a single team in the league where fans are not saying how much they hate the Leafs. Round 1 the Leafs are up 3-0, the 48 hours they lost a few games they all came out.

No other team gets that treatment. So you guys can deal with it when Leaf fans give it back. And if you think this is bad.. Wait until the end of June.

Weren't Sens fans chanting "Let's Go Florida" on the way home the other night? That says it all.

 

[HockeyVirus]

No one hates them…JUST for the sake of it. There’s REASONS, that went totally over your head. As it does every Leafs fan, which is hilarious.

The reason is they are an easy target. Everyone gangs up on them, easy to join in.

 

[Delete1]

Bob won’t be a factor? We won’t be able to score??

This thread is ridiculous.

I get it. You're living under the same outdated narrative that lots of people are. It's fine. It takes time for people to change their minds. You'll see it as the series unfolds. The Leafs will look ordinary, and yet Florida will have relatively few high danger chances (even with Stolarz's propensity for giving up rebounds), and they simply won't score much. At the end of the series people will blame it on injuries (and, to be fair, I'm sure Tkachuk is still injured), but it won't change the outcome.

 

[HarryLime]

Florida is definitely the favorite but let's not act like upsets can't and don't happen.

For Toronto, and as a leafs fan, Matthews and marner need to step it up, for once. They each need to score big goals and can't be ghosts like they usually are in big series

 

[HockeyVirus]

I get it. You're living under the same outdated narrative that lots of people are. It's fine. It takes time for people to change their minds. You'll see it as the series unfolds. The Leafs will look ordinary, and yet Florida will have relatively few high danger chances (even with Stolarz's propensity for giving up rebounds), and they simply won't score much. At the end of the series people will blame it on injuries (and, to be fair, I'm sure Tkachuk is still injured), but it won't change the outcome.

100%. Will be a mirror of the Sens series. People will be like "Sens were the better team" but in reality the Leafs were in control the entire time. They made the Sens do what they wanted them to do.

They are going to slow the game down with the Panthers too. Boy will they be shocked to learn we are physical too

 

[Laus723]

I get it. You're living under the same outdated narrative that lots of people are. It's fine. It takes time for people to change their minds. You'll see it as the series unfolds. The Leafs will look ordinary, and yet Florida will have relatively few high danger chances (even with Stolarz's propensity for giving up rebounds), and they simply won't score much. At the end of the series people will blame it on injuries (and, to be fair, I'm sure Tkachuk is still injured), but it won't change the outcome.

Uh, no. I just know this team. Do I expect Toronto to roll over? No. Do I think they can beat us? Sure. But you’re out of your mind if you think Bob won’t be a factor or that the Panthers won’t be able to score.

The reason is they are an easy target. Everyone gangs up on them, easy to join in.

Still over your head, the reason you can’t see that, is a big reason why the fanbase is unliked. Iow, people tend to not like their fans.

 

[Laus723]

100%. Will be a mirror of the Sens series. People will be like "Sens were the better team" but in reality the Leafs were in control the entire time. They made the Sens do what they wanted them to do.

They are going to slow the game down with the Panthers too. Boy will they be shocked to learn we are physical too

Pretty sure we heard this before the Edmonton series.

 

[Ratsreign]

100%. Will be a mirror of the Sens series. People will be like "Sens were the better team" but in reality the Leafs were in control the entire time. They made the Sens do what they wanted them to do.

They are going to slow the game down with the Panthers too. Boy will they be shocked to learn we are physical too

So they’re going to try to (or have been learning to play this season under Berube) play the style which the Panthers excel at.

Cool, it’ll be a fun series.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Uh, no. I just know this team. Do I expect Toronto to roll over? No. Do I think they can beat us? Sure. But you’re out of your mind if you think Bob won’t be a factor or that the Panthers won’t be able to score.

Still over your head, the reason you can’t see that, is a big reason why the fanbase is unliked. Iow, people tend to not like their fans.

People just invent things to be mad at when it comes to the Leafs. See it all the time, people saying we're celebrating like we are winning the cup and you go read the thread and are like ...huh? (This thread doesn't count the point of this thread is to believe).

I see it in media coverage. HNIC they will spend 10 minutes talking about the Senators for example. A few of their players, a few clips of interviews, what they need to do better. Then they do the exact same thing for the Leafs, and in the Sens GDT it's all "Leafsnet" comments. Meanwhile I have been watching for 30 minutes and this is the first time they mention the Leafs.

Stop paying so much attention to the bullshit noise and just enjoy watching your team that is playing well. This series is gonna be good.

Wayyy ahead of you. Love watching my Leafs. We are on the same page here, this is going to be an amazing series. The Colorado - Dallas of the east

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

Panthers PK last year from round 1 to end of round 4: 66 for 75 [88%]

That's against TB, BOS, NYR and EDM

They just went 16/18 vs TB in round 1 this year.

Tell me how Toronto is gonna throw something so different at Florida it will tilt the scales that much?

 

[HockeyVirus]

So they’re going to try to (or have been learning to play this season under Berube) play the style which the Panthers excel at.

Cool, it’ll be a fun series.

More like they are trying to play how the Blues played under Berube. It will be a very fun series. Knies going to have a massive series he thrives in this stuff

 

[HockeyVirus]

Panthers PK last year from round 1 to end of round 4: 66 for 75 [88%]

That's against TB, BOS, NYR and EDM

They just went 16/18 vs TB in round 1 this year.

Tell me how Toronto is gonna throw something so different at Florida it will tilt the scales that much?

Paul Maurice outlined it today in his media availability. 5 forward PP unit. A player starts up high and can end up playing netfront. Tons of movement and lots of dangerous finishers.

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

Paul Maurice outlined it today in his media availability. 5 forward PP unit. A player starts up high and can end up playing netfront. Tons of movement and lots of dangerous finishers.

So EDM or TB doesnn't have as dangerous of a PP as TOR does?
Come on, this is getting ridiculous.

There's nothing Toronto is gonna throw at Florida that they haven't seen or prepared for in the last 2+ years of playoff hockey.

Whether special teams or 5 on 5, they've played dangerous team after dangerous team and only lost to VGK.

 

[HockeyVirus]

So EDM or TB doesnn't have as dangerous of a PP as TOR does?
Come on, this is getting ridiculous.

No one said that. I am not even going to compare Toronto to Edmontons PP we have no one like Bouchard on the point. Their setups are completely different for different skillsets.

There's nothing Toronto is gonna throw at Florida that they haven't seen or prepared for in the last 2+ years of playoff hockey.

What's the point in playing the games then?

Whether special teams or 5 on 5, they've played dangerous team after dangerous team and only lost to VGK.

I guess they will never lose again by this logic

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

What's the point in playing the games then?

To win 16 games and earn the right to hoist the Cup.

I guess they will never lose again by this logic

Never said that. I'm alluding to narrative the Leafs aren't the same team anymore, we know they're playing less run and gun and more dump and chase.

Florida has been doing this for 2 years now and arguably do it the best in the league.
They have a decent enough PP and an elite PK.
They have a formula that works and Toronto has now been forced to play this style to be better in playoffs.
Florida just does it better and it will show.
They are the most experienced team in the last 2 years.

 

[mix1home]

Against a team that is just about better than the leafs in every category, especially defense.

Florida allowed 8 less goals this season. And Stolarz was on the shelf for two months when Bob played all season. So that makes me think it’s pretty much a wash on defensive side. Goal difference favours Leafs.
And Leafs talent up front is superior to that of Florida. So this series comes down to one question: would Leafs talent up front come through in playoffs. In Ottawa series they did and since Ottawa plays the same style as Florida Leafs fans could be optimistic that it would be repeated in round 2.