ECSF: Toronto Maple Leafs (A2) vs. Florida Panthers (WC2) ( Florida Leads 3-1 )

[Aashir Mallik]

If you were to rank the top 10 forwards in this series, and top 5 defensemen, how would you do it?

Forwards:
1. Tkachuk - FLA
2. Matthews - TOR
3. Marner - TOR
4. Barkov - FLA
5. Nylander - TOR
6. Tavares - TOR
7. Verhaeghe - FLA
8. Reinhart - FLA
9. O'Reilly - TOR
10. Bennett - FLA

5 Leafs, 5 Panthers.

Defensemen:
1. Montour - FLA
2. Ekblad - FLA
3. Rielly - TOR
4. Forsling - FLA
5. Brodie - TOR
6. McCabe - TOR

3 Leafs, 3 Panthers.

You could arguably say that the Panthers have the best forward and the best defenseman. This will be a close series.

I think it’s a fair list, especially if based on regular season, but I have one dispute with it

IMHO Rielly has been better than ekbald this playoffs though. Ekblad has no points at all.

Rielly was also a HUGE reason we even won that series. GWG in game 3, GTG in game 4, and had the assist on the series clincher. So I’d have him above ekblad. montour has also been super clutch, so I’d don’t mind having him 1, i think based on the playoffs you can argue either way.

 

[DaveMatthew]

I don't agree with your forward rankings but I can atleast see where you are coming from. Your defense though? Good lord you completely lost the plot.

Montour is the best of the bunch, right now. Ekblad to Brodie is pretty interchangeable. McCabe is the 6th. Rielly is 2nd for sure if you just look at the last round. But he had a poor year overall before the Tampa series.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Montour is the best of the bunch, right now. Ekblad to Brodie is pretty interchangeable. McCabe is the 6th.

Eh I don't think Montour over Rielly right now is a given. Montour is a high event player, both extremely good...and bad. I think generally the Leafs defense is better at defending and the Panthers defensemen will probably provide more offense but are worse in their own zone defending by a pretty significant margin.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Barkov line will likely go up against Matthews and Marner. Tavares line against Tkachuks line.

This will be a dog fight for the puck. This series will come down to which team wants it more.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Barkov line will likely go up against Matthews and Marner. Tavares line against Tkachuks line.

This will be a dog fight for the puck. This series will come down to which team wants it more.

Matchups will depend on what coach wants do at home. Some don’t care, others do.

 

[DaveMatthew]

Eh I don't think Montour over Rielly right now is a given. Montour is a high event player, both extremely good...and bad. I think generally the Leafs defense is better at defending and the Panthers defensemen will probably provide more offense but are worse in their own zone defending by a pretty significant margin.

I think that sums up Rielly, as well. Montour just had a much better season. He did what Rielly did in 18/19.

In terms of overall team defense, Leafs have certainly been a lot better all year.

 

[leafsfan5]

The Leafs shut down the 2 best playoff performers in the NHL 5v5. It'll be interesting to see how they handle Tkachuk

 

[TheBeastCoast]

I think that sums up Rielly, as well. Montour just had a much better season. He did what Rielly did in 18/19.

In terms of overall team defense, Leafs have certainly been a lot better all year.

I would agree Montour had a better season then Rielly. I think Rielly was better then Montour overall in round 1 then Montour was though. I just don't think it is cut and dry that he is the best defensemen in the series with the way Rielly stepped up against Tampa.

 

[Peasy]

Barkov line will likely go up against Matthews and Marner. Tavares line against Tkachuks line.

This will be a dog fight for the puck. This series will come down to which team wants it more.

Matthews and Marner might not even play together. Werent together today at practice.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

The cats need to stay out of the box and keep it 5v5 as much as possible.

Leafs PP has been garbage for a couple of months now. I wouldn't be too scared of it if I was Florida or a Florida fan.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Leafs PP has been garbage for a couple of months now. I wouldn't be too scared of it if I was Florida or a Florida fan.

I mean it was like 28% in the 1st round it wasn't that bad lol

 

[dangomon]

I think that sums up Rielly, as well. Montour just had a much better season. He did what Rielly did in 18/19.

In terms of overall team defense, Leafs have certainly been a lot better all year.

I suppose I don't see the logic in listing the top defencemen as equal in numbers if you are aware that team defence is skewed in one direction. A list of the top players becomes irrelevant if a group performs better than their individual parts. (this goes both ways)

 

[Golden_Jet]

I mean it was like 28% in the 1st round it wasn't that bad lol

Ya TB and Toronto were like 40% after 2 games, but like most things the more games they play, the closer the number comes to the mean.

 

[Despote]

Panthers will pull off the upset. Tkachuk is going to be the difference maker, he's the best player in this series.

 

[Dotter]

The Panthers just took out the Bruins so they're clearly not to be overlooked. However, in saying that I'm still not sure what Florida has that Tampa didn't. I've got the Leafs in 6.

Tampa looked polarizing, out of gas, or unenthused, or maybe just beat up and injured. Florida is an upcoming young team with motivation, desire and determination, along with talent and players carving out the "clutch" moniker for themselves.

The old saying "you have to beat the best to be the best" is a fact. Panthers just beat the best (an amazingly clinical 135 point team!), so therefore the CATS are now the best until proven otherwise. Hence why I made the comment about them being this years Cinderella team.

The better question should be what does Toronto have that Bruins didn't.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Tampa looked polarizing, out of gas, or unenthused, or maybe just beat up and injured. Florida is an upcoming young team with motivation, desire and determination, along with talent and players carving out the "clutch" moniker for themselves.

The old saying "you have to beat the best to be the best" is a fact. Panthers just beat the best (by a HUGE margin), so therefore the CATS are now the best until proven otherwise. Hence why I made the comment about them being this years Cinderella team.

The better question should be what does Toronto have that Bruins didn't.

By a huge margin? You alright?

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

This is going to be a long series. Anyone thinking this will be a cakewalk is sadly mistaken

 

[Dotter]

By a huge margin? You alright?

Re read my edited post.

 

[Sypher04]

The old saying "you have to beat the best to be the best" is a fact. Panthers just beat the best (an amazingly clinical 135 point team!), so therefore the CATS are now the best until proven otherwise. Hence why I made the comment about them being this years Cinderella team.

Best is a matter of perspective. Florida eliminated the best regular season team this year, Toronto eliminated the best playoff team the past 3. Up to each individual to decide what they feel is more meaningful

 

[BB79]

This is going to be a long series. Anyone thinking this will be a cakewalk is sadly mistaken

I wouldn't be surprised if it goes 7 games again, I don't see any blowouts in this series. Should be close

 

[stealth1]

Goaltending wise sure, but Boston dominated the play much more. I think the Panthers are going to crash hard after that emotional triumph.

Same could be said for the Tampa Toronto series. Tampa dominated most of the play.

 

[BHD]

Leafs in 6. The Panthers - as a team - will make it a series, but the Leafs’ stars will be the difference.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Rookie of the year? Lol cool?

Matthews had an outstanding year last year. This year, Tkachuk has been better. In terms of who's a better player right now, it's an argument. I'd take Tkachuk.

Just checked and I did not realize what a great year Tkachuk had. Wow.

 

[trellaine201]

Not sure who wins but I think will be entertaining with quite a few goals. High scoring series.

 

[IPS]

Montour is the best of the bunch, right now. Ekblad to Brodie is pretty interchangeable. McCabe is the 6th. Rielly is 2nd for sure if you just look at the last round. But he had a poor year overall before the Tampa series.

Rielly on his poor year is 5x the defensemen Montour is

Spoiler for the Florida fans: Tkachuk isn't going to keep shooting at 23%.