Pre-Game Talk: Florida @ Toronto - Game 1 - Monday 8pm

[Leaf Rocket]

Lay the body on Tkachuk and Barkov every single shift. Tkachuk is nowhere near 100%, absolutely no reason why we shouldn't finish our checks on him. Barkov is likely still banged up from the Hagel hit as well.

should've done ironman instead...thanos gets his head cutoff eventually.

 

[LeafSteel]

I think It's possible Robertson has played his last game as a Leaf

Let him play with a real center and see what he does.

Domi and Holmberg are not the right centre for Robertson to play to his capabilities

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Let him play with a real center and see what he does.

Domi and Holmberg are not the right centre for Robertson to play to his capabilities

He's not good enough to play with Matthews or Tavares.

Marner, Knies Nylander and McMann are all better players

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

Feels like a long wait

 

[notbias]

Game scores the last time the Leafs played the Panthers in Round 2 in 2023.
Game 1 4-2 Flo
Game 2 3-2 Flo
Game 3 3-2 Flo OT
Game 4 2-1 Leafs
Game 5 3-2 Flo OT

All close games, the OT"s could have gone either way. I believe we're a better team that is better prepared for Florida's game. The defence is better, the goaltending is better, the coaching is better, the system is better, and the core 4 are more mature.

Florida is a very good team and should be favoured to win. But that doesn't mean it's automatic. That same year, the underdog Panthers beat a Bruins team that had a historical regular season and very few if anyone predicted they could upset the Bruins. Boston had a 65-12-5 (135 points) record compared to Florida's 42-32-8 (92 points).

We have to play very well to beat them with everyone contributing their skills to the games. I'm predicting Leafs in 7.

What are the big changes in the system since the last Florida series, and how will it match up better against them?

 

[TheGreenTBer]

I remember the first. He’s going to be a bag of hammers tomorrow night.

Tomorrow night?!? He'll be on survival mode for awhile.

Congrats to the Marner family.

 

[ACC1224]

Tomorrow night?!? He'll be on survival mode for awhile.

Congrats to the Marner family.

Yes the game is on Monday.

 

[Kiwi]

We need to play well in the first game and set a tone for the series, scoring the first goal wouldn't hurt either

We need to be tough and stand up for ourselves without taking stupid penalties, our special teams need to be at there best, our defense needs to continue playing like they did against Ottawa and Stolarz needs to out duel Bobrosky

Matthews and the big 4 need to lead the forward effort, our depth needs to chip in and none of our lines can afford to get curbed stomped game after game )I'm looking at you Domi)

I genuinely believe we can win this series, Florida are bloody good but this team and management have the goods imo

Leafs in 7

What are the big changes in the system since the last Florida series, and how will it match up better against them?

Better defensive core, better goaltending and a team that is used to winning low scoring arm wrestles

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Yes the game is on Monday.

What I was implying is that his world will be an amazing mess of wonderful and terrifying for much more than just 1 night.

 

[notbias]

Better defensive core, better goaltending and a team that is used to winning low scoring arm wrestles

None of those are a system.

 

[weems]

What are the big changes in the system since the last Florida series, and how will it match up better against them?

We were a heavy controlled zone entry, create offense off the rush team.

This season we ranked 5th overall in Dump in rate.

Here are two posts from Mike Kelly of Sportlogic that talks about it.



This is him talking about last playoffs and how it compared to years prior.



Who knows if this leads to more playoff success but we certainly aren't attacking offensively the same as we previously did.

 

[ACC1224]

What I was implying is that his world will be an amazing mess of wonderful and terrifying for much more than just 1 night.

Absolutely, poor timing for it for sure

 

[Stringer Bell]

I’ll be surprised if Pacciorettys body can withstand Florida for a full series.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

What are the big changes in the system since the last Florida series, and how will it match up better against them?

North-South vs east-west, make simple plays rather than high danger risky plays that lead to turnovers, more dump and chase vs solely possession-oriented, and generally a more defensive minded approach. Rather than creating chances through possession they emphasize forechecking to create opportunities.

How will this help against Florida? They play a more physical game, aided by their bigger defenceman. They are more equipped to win puck battles in the defensive and offensive zone. They allow less rush chances against as a result of their upgraded defensive system. They protect the house in their own zone by clogging the middle and blocking shots.

 

[leafs in five]

We were a heavy controlled zone entry, create offense off the rush team.

This season we ranked 5th overall in Dump in rate.

Here are two posts from Mike Kelly of Sportlogic that talks about it.



This is him talking about last playoffs and how it compared to years prior.



Who knows if this leads to more playoff success but we certainly aren't attacking offensively the same as we previously did.

All year we have played like Keefe set us up to play in games 5-7 last year

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Absolutely, poor timing for it for sure

They come when they're ready.

It took us a month or two of trying before we conceived, and based on our conversations wirh peers we were extremely lucky.

 

[LeafSteel]

What I was implying is that his world will be an amazing mess of wonderful and terrifying for much more than just 1 night.

Expect little else from Marner moving forward.

His life just took on more meaning and purpose than it’s ever had before.

Right now I don’t know he’d be able to think of anything else right now, understandably so.

Hearty congratulations to the (growing) Marner family.

 

[notbias]

North-South vs east-west, make simple plays rather than high danger risky plays that lead to turnovers, more dump and chase vs solely possession-oriented, and generally a more defensive minded approach. Rather than creating chances through possession they emphasize forechecking to create opportunities.

Can you be less vague, all you said was dump and chase, and defensive-minded, it isn't really systems, just vague buzzwords.

How will this help against Florida? They play a more physical game, aided by their bigger defenceman. They are more equipped to win puck battles in the defensive and offensive zone. They allow less rush chances against as a result of their upgraded defensive system. They protect the house in their own zone by clogging the middle and blocking shots.

Tampa has bigger D, plays a physical game, and it didn't work out well for them, they couldn't keep the puck out of the center of the ice.

They also have a better goalie.

I am curious about systems because you brought it up and said the systems are much better... no systems have been mentioned.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

What are the big changes in the system since the last Florida series, and how will it match up better against them?

You still REFUSE to see the difference?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Expect little else from Marner moving forward.

His life just took on more meaning and purpose than it’s ever had before.

Right now I don’t know he’d be able to think of anything else right now, understandably so.

Hearty congratulations to the (growing) Marner family.

Hopefully he channels that dad strength

 

[notbias]

You still REFUSE to see the difference?

When someone says "systems have changed" I'd expect they have a good breakdown of the systems, so I am asking, I am not interested in some vague things like I am sure you'd say.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

You still REFUSE to see the difference?

He’s deliberately being obtuse. He knows the difference in the system employed by Keefe vs Berube.

 

[Kiwi]

None of those are a system.

It's still different than last time and I'm pretty sure a personnel upgrade is just as useful as a system change

 

[kevsh]

I’ll be surprised if Pacciorettys body can withstand Florida for a full series.

Hopefully, it will be Florida Panthers players that can't withstand Patches bodychecks for a full series.

But seriously, yes it will be a concern. With all the injuries, the wear & tear on his body, his physical, bone-crunching style suggests playing every 2 nights is going to be a problem for him probably sooner rather than later.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Expect little else from Marner moving forward.

His life just took on more meaning and purpose than it’s ever had before.

Right now I don’t know he’d be able to think of anything else right now, understandably so.

Hearty congratulations to the (growing) Marner family.

You know what? I'm going to be genuinely positive right now and that's probably because I'm sick and have lost 10 pounds in the past 10-12 days, but whatever.

I think this might give Mitch an extra reason to push himself. People can shit all over him for his play on the ice but I've never been made aware of any event speaking to him not being good with children. He'll be tired as a 14 year old dog but he has an even bigger reason to show courage now than he ever has before...he has a family to protect.

Go get it, Mitch. Prove us wrong and go f***ing get it. I hope you do.