Pre-Game Talk: Game 7: last chance for the core

[Mats13]

Matthews loves it here, it’s pretty clear as day. Nothing but positive about Toronto. Just win tomorrow boys, ends all this silliness. Carey Price has been unbelievable and this is an entire different conversation if Price hadn’t shown up this series.

This.

Please just win tomorrow. I’m so sorry of all these hot takes.

 

[myleafs]

You make a good point.

I just think it's simpler than that. If the Leafs can somehow teach Marner not to overdo it every time he get frustrated, he'd be miles ahead. But he's been like this ever since he was in Junior and he won't change without a hard ass coach.

And, for the record, I am sure Marner hates to lose as much as the Tkachuk boys.

Difference is if things are not going well offensively, the brothers bring other elements this team needs and Marner is incapable of.

 

[Marshy]

It's almost hard to believe the series isn't already over after that gut-punch of a Game 6 (on the heels of the gut-punch ending of Game 5). Feels weird that there is still another game and of course I'm expecting the worst.

But what is the worst? Get dominated and blown out? Shut out? Blow a big lead? Make a big comeback and then fall short? Lose in OT after dominating that period?

I'm trying to prepare myself for every conceivable outcome because as numb and dejected as I feel right now, I know there will be that moment when the seed of optimism creeps back in. Maybe they can do it this time? Just maybe. You need to have that to be totally devastated.

Precisely why I'm recording it and watching a movie instead.

 

[hamzarocks]

Lol he’s not going anywhere

This is an optimistic take. We fall in the first round this year and then do again next year it becomes not if he's leaving but when and we need to make a trade to get max value for him a year before his NMC kicks in.

Matthews hasn't shown any thing pointing to him being a life long loyal player. None of the core have. If we fail once more next year it becomes a must to trade him and get value before he jumps ship.

If we win and get the job done then his best bud marner will stay and we have opportunity to go deep convincing him to stay long term. Really hoping we win somehow tomorrow b/c barring that we see a huge shift in the team

 

[Trapper]

Matthews loves it here, it’s pretty clear as day. Nothing but positive about Toronto. Just win tomorrow boys, ends all this silliness. Carey Price has been unbelievable and this is an entire different conversation if Price hadn’t shown up this series.

Tavares loved it in NY as well.
Ultimately, Matthews will do what’s best for Matthews. Being from USA and his family there, he has options.

Fortunately, Dubas set everyone up to become UFA in a couple of years.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Maybe just maybe if they win, that will get them on a roll?

 

[PromisedLand]

Man, we would get smoked by Colorado if we made it that far.

watching Mack+Rantanen+Makar+Landeskog that 1st period against vgk.

then i see matthews+marner+rielly and i wonder wtf is wrong with these guys. they play like they are not wearing cups

 

[Not My Tempo]

Even if they win tomorrow I feel like I'm going to still be so bitter.

 

[mapleleafs34]

First game 7 at home for this core. I believe they will overcome the demons and get it done.

 

[myleafs]

We had a coach that could have corrected Marner (and Matthews) faults but we ran him out of town because we were too scared to offend the kids. Now we're upset because Marner can't play disciplined hockey.

Matthews, to his credit, is more disciplined. When things get tough, he stays within himself and doesn't overdo it. Marner goes bat**** crazy and tries to be Superman.

Oh jeez you went there. To suggest that babscock shouldn't have been let go and that he would be the answer to all that ails Mitch..I just threw up in my mouth a little.

 

[Mats13]

This is an optimistic take. We fall in the first round this year and then do again next year it becomes not if he's leaving but when and we need to make a trade to get max value for him a year before his NMC kicks in.

Matthews hasn't shown any thing pointing to him being a life long loyal player. None of the core have. If we fail once more next year it becomes a must to trade him and get value before he jumps ship.

If we win and get the job done then his best bud marner will stay and we have opportunity to go deep convincing him to stay long term. Really hoping we win somehow tomorrow b/c barring that we see a huge shift in the team

No it isn’t. You’re just pessimistic.

He’s not going anywhere. Every interview he’s done he’s talked about how much he loves Toronto. He’s the kind of player that loves the spotlight. There’s no bigger spotlight than Toronto.

Under no circumstances would I ever trade Auston Matthews and I’m thankful you’re not the GM because that might make me actually stop watching hockey.

As for none of the core suggesting they want to stay, what about Nylander? He held out for assurance that he wouldn’t be traded. He said this in an interview after he signed and Dubas promised him he wouldn’t move him. If that’s not commitment, then idk what to tell you. Matthews wanted 8 years and took 5 because Dubas wanted a lower cap hit.

Win or lose tomorrow, Auston Matthews isn’t going anywhere.

 

[saffronleaf]

This is an optimistic take. We fall in the first round this year and then do again next year it becomes not if he's leaving but when and we need to make a trade to get max value for him a year before his NMC kicks in.

Matthews hasn't shown any thing pointing to him being a life long loyal player. None of the core have. If we fail once more next year it becomes a must to trade him and get value before he jumps ship.

If we win and get the job done then his best bud marner will stay and we have opportunity to go deep convincing him to stay long term. Really hoping we win somehow tomorrow b/c barring that we see a huge shift in the team

Is it really optimistic? I think given his putrid pathetic performance he has proven himself to be a complementary piece at best. Let him go to Arizona and rot in obscurity. Maybe he'll retire once the franchise folds in a couple years.

 

[Mats13]

First game 7 at home for this core. I believe they will overcome the demons and get it done.

Its rare these last 12 hours to see an actual Leafs fan.

I’m with you. I’m keeping my expectations low because I don’t want my heart broken lmao but deep down I think they do it

 

[mapleleafs34]

Its rare these last 12 hours to see an actual Leafs fan.

I’m with you. I’m keeping my expectations low because I don’t want my heart broken lmao but deep down I think they do it

It's meant to be. There were never going to win their first series easily. Get over this game 7 hump and who knows what could happen.

Just like Ovechkin. Took him 9 playoffs before he got past round 2. The first year he did, cup winner.

 

[Clark4Ever]

First game 7 at home for this core. I believe they will overcome the demons and get it done.

Maybe without fans in the arena, they won't feel as much pressure. I hope you're right.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Its rare these last 12 hours to see an actual Leafs fan.

I’m with you. I’m keeping my expectations low because I don’t want my heart broken lmao but deep down I think they do it

This is ridiculous. Just because fans are frustrated/angry/upset, doesn't mean they are not actual Leafs fans. We are a tortured fan base.

 

[hamzarocks]

No it isn’t. You’re just pessimistic.

He’s not going anywhere. Every interview he’s done he’s talked about how much he loves Toronto. He’s the kind of player that loves the spotlight. There’s no bigger spotlight than Toronto.

Under no circumstances would I ever trade Auston Matthews and I’m thankful you’re not the GM because that might make me actually stop watching hockey.

As for none of the core suggesting they want to stay, what about Nylander? He held out for assurance that he wouldn’t be traded. He said this in an interview after he signed and Dubas promised him he wouldn’t move him. If that’s not commitment, then idk what to tell you. Matthews wanted 8 years and took 5 because Dubas wanted a lower cap hit.

Win or lose tomorrow, Auston Matthews isn’t going anywhere.

Your the biggest Matthews fan on the boards so I can see why your fine keeping Matthews on the team despite him being a poor playoff performer

Matthews saying good things about Toronto won't matter if we don't have any success in the playoffs. JT was singing praise about the Isalnders before coming here. Matthews knows his legacy will be dead if he stays here long-term and they can't win.

If we win a round next year I can see him staying and I'd be eager to bring him back. But 6 1st straight round exits would be a big stain on his legacy

Nylander saying he wanted to stay is a duh thing. He had no one interested in offersheeting him. It was Toronto or sit out. Dubas also promised him he wouldn't deal right after signing the deal not for his entire contract length

The 8 vs 5 year thing was said to justify his bad contract at the time of signing. He wasn't worth 11.364 by 8 when he signed let alone on 5. He didn't consider the team when signing his deal but neither did marner or nylander so he's not the only person. Bringing up their contracts and the negotiations (or lack thereof for AM34s case) is just opening a big can of worms that we don't have time for and will only be a waste of effort.

Matthews is not a franchise player right now come playoffs. He hasn't proven he can maintain his regular season play come playoffs let alone elevate it like Mackinnon does.

Matthews has tomorrow to step it up and perform and change the narrative as he'll have more games in the playoffs but he isn't the level of player you imagine him to be right now. I really do hope he dominates and proves me wrong.

 

[Mats13]

This is ridiculous. Just because fans are frustrated/angry/upset, doesn't mean they are not actual Leafs fans. We are a tortured fan base.

There’s people on this board actively hoping we lose so they can shit on Dubas.

We have people who NEVER post here coming out of the woodwork now claiming to be Leafs fans. Those are the people I’m referring to.

Trust me, I’m upset. But come on be a fan. If we lose we lose but cheer for the win.

 

[myleafs]

I am not a big Robertson fan but I think Marner = Huberdeau.

Marner is a better point producer but Huberdeau brings some weight.

I think Florida makes that trade to shake things up. It might be a Win-Win.

Huberdeau makes 5 milly less than Marner, would you do that trade if your Florida?

 

[Fogelhund]

I firmly believe that management has built a team that has both the talent, grit, and veteran leadership to be winners. This is a good team. We have great depth, decent defense and goaltending. In the regular season, our high end players were amongst the best in the league. Nylander, Spezza, Galchenyuk and Kerfoot have been exceptional these playoffs. It's unfortunate the injury to Tavares, but we shouldn't have needed him here anyway. This team is good enough, and talented enough to put away Montreal without him.

I've said it from the beginning of the offseason, and repeated it multiple times. For us to win, our best players, have to be our best players, and do what it takes to win in the playoffs. Now Matthews and Marner have played decent hockey, before last game hadn't had a goal scored against them, when they were on the ice, but the offense hasn't been there, and these are supposed to be our elite offensive players. A singular goal between these two, over the past two games, and this series is over. Great players, but for whatever reason, they haven't been great when we've needed them the most. If we are to move on, they need to be our best players in game 7.

Matthews had a shooting percentage of 18.5% in the regular season, but just 3.1% in the playoffs. You would expect a reversion to a mean at some point.

@stephen_burtch
In 2017-18 Marner posted his most productive playoffs. His most frequent opp at 5v5 on D in that series were Torey Krug and Kevan Millar. Hardly a shut down duo. Since then? 18-19 McAvoy-Chara 1 pt at 5v5. 19-20 Jones-Werenski 0 pts at 5v5. So far in 20-21 Weber-Chiariot. He has produced 2 5v5 pts vs Weber and none vs Chiariot. I don't see why anyone would see these results and think Marner rises to the occasion vs tougher D in the playoffs. In 3 combined playoff years against his main defensive opposition at 5v5 he has produced like 3 pts. Total. Across 18 gp. That isn't a good sign.

 

[Trapper]

This is ridiculous. Just because fans are frustrated/angry/upset, doesn't mean they are not actual Leafs fans. We are a tortured fan base.

They have a right to be upset.
I didn’t think this team could ever top the Zamboni fiasco, but man they are driving the truck straight for it.
Now can they pull their collective heads out of their *** and win a damn series?
Or is Marner just not feeling it?

 

[ORRFForever]

Huberdeau makes 5 milly less than Marner, would you do that trade if your Florida?

IIRC, this was discussed and it was assumed Toronto would have to sweeten the deal.

 

[myleafs]

The Jets are BIG and mean and hungry so I doubt either the Leafs or Montreal get past Winnipeg.

I am as frustrated as anyone with the leafs right now but I personally think the Jets are a better match up for the leafs than the Habs so if they can somehow manage to get past Montreal, who knows.

 

[Kiwi]

Maybe just maybe if they win, that will get them on a roll?

It's definitely possible

Before the team started looking like a Deer in the headlights we were kicking the absolute crap out of the Habs

It looked like men against boys

I don't see any reason why they can't do that again if they are in the right headspace, the headspace bit is bloody concerning though

 

[rumman]

Maybe without fans in the arena, they won't feel as much pressure. I hope you're right.

Leafs have put themselves in a position of having all the pressure on them. If I’m the Habs coach I remind my team of this fact. This team never does anything the easy way.......