GDT: GDT: ECSF: (A1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs (A3) Florida Panthers - GAME 1 - 8 PM EST IN TORONTO

[SenzZen]

Reaves isn't going to play. Trust me. Reaves is probably the Leafs 17th forward on the depth chart right now. They have Robertson and Kampf sitting out, plus Marlies who have played this season and been really good but couldn't stay on the roster.

Reaves is there for locker room vibes

Ok, like one of those Bluetooth devices?

 

[Laus723]

Hahaha. I need someone, anyone, anywhere to show any tangible evidence that the league has ever favoured the Leafs in any capacity.

More likely in the game management category is something along the lines of "We called a couple crosschecks and after scrum penalties on the Panthers, so now we can't call it again so they can get away with murder". Commit enough infractions knowing they won't call them all.

Here ya go.

 

[hirawl]

Panthers have the depth. And depth wins. Spoiler I know. Sorry.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Ok, like one of those Bluetooth devices?

Pretty much. Plays hype music and shouts lets go, gives high fives in a suit to the guys about to take the ice.

 

[ACC1224]

"Hey Paul, how many times can we expect to see you weeping post game?"

 

[SatanicToedrag]

Well then the rest of the team must have been REALLY bad in the faceoff circle because when I checked NHL.COM it said Florida was 49%.

Yes. Other Florida players were bad at faceoffs, ergo Barkov must be injured

 

[Bruce Granville]

Barkov and Tkachuk not completely fit, the core 4 and then some producing, decent D, finally a good goalie.
This is the year the Leafs make it out of the division…if they don‘t end up in game 7.
So, Leafs in 5?

I forgot about Marchand…he might screw this gentleman‘s sweep.

 

[93gilmour93]

View attachment 1030081
Here ya go.

Is that code for we need a PP

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

Well then the rest of the team must have been REALLY bad in the faceoff circle because when I checked NHL.COM it said Florida was 49%.

Did it make it a difference when FLA won in 5 though?

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

To be the man, you gotta beat the man

GO LEAFS GO!

WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Laus723]

Is that code for we need a PP

That was code for Florida, you know Campbell's favorite team that he does a shit ton of favors for, had 6 calls against at that point against TO.

Edit: We won every game after I believe.

 

[IdleTraveller]

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(1A) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (3A) Florida Panthers​

Maple Leafs: 52-26-4, 108 points
Panthers: 47-31-4, 98 points
Season series: TOR: 1-3-0; FLA: 3-1-0
Game 1: Monday at Toronto (8 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN)

How they look​

Maple Leafs projected lineup​

Matthew Knies -- Auston Matthews -- Mitch Marner

Max Pacioretty -- John Tavares -- William Nylander

Bobby McMann -- Pontus Holmberg -- Max Domi

Calle Jarnkrok -- Scott Laughton -- Steven Lorentz

Morgan Rielly -- Brandon Carlo

Jake McCabe -- Chris Tanev

Simon Benoit -- Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Anthony Stolarz

Joseph Woll

Scratched: Dakota Mermis, Philippe Myers, David Kampf, Artur Akhtyamov, Nicholas Robertson

Injured: Jani Hakanpaa (lower body)

Panthers projected lineup​

Carter Verhaeghe -- Aleksander Barkov -- Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich -- Sam Bennett -- Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen -- Anton Lundell -- Brad Marchand

Evan Rodrigues -- Nico Sturm -- Jesper Boqvist

Gustav Forsling – Seth Jones

Niko Mikkola -- Dmitry Kulikov

Uvis Balinskis -- Nate Schmidt

Sergei Bobrovsky

Vitek Vanecek

Scratched: Rasmus Asplund, Jonah Gadjovich, A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek, Matt Kiersted, Jaycob Megna

Injured: None

Suspended: Aaron Ekblad

I respect the GDT but do the leafs really want to be the Alliance in this fight? Everyone knows that The Horde has more fun ... OK, I probably dated myself here!

 

[Laus723]

Did it make it a difference when FLA won in 5 though?

They didn't watch the games.

 

[93gilmour93]

Did it make it a difference when FLA won in 5 though?

The difference was probably playing a crippled Tampa team. A healthy Tampa team and you play 7 games and possibly lose the series

 

[Smif]

Panthers have the depth. And depth wins. Spoiler I know. Sorry.

I actually love our 4th line for the first time in 20 years. We don't have Spezza trying to score, we have some guys to shut it down and muck it up a bit.

Loved Spezza here btw, just not as a 4c.

 

[Strangle]

So if the Leafs happen to win, you already have the excuse. Smart.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

Can Berube make the Leafs tough? About to find out.

 

[sampollock]

Go cats

Nostrils will turtle under the physical pressure

 

[Smif]

Good night Panthers Marner is about to have a huge night. Dad strength from yesterday and a birthday?

I honestly believe I got Dad strength from carrying car seats for 5 straight years (3 kids)

 

[Gentle Man]

There you have it folks, Leafs are still the same team confirmed.

Hard to dispute these statistics right here, makes no difference if their starting goalie had the top .svp in the league or if they completely overhauled the defence, these dump and chase statistics show that they're just the same team.

I dont think the Leafs are the same team. I love Stollie as much as everyone. He was a treat to watch last year and was disappointed he didnt come back (I blame Knight's contract for that).

From an outsider perspective, I never thought the defense was the issue. Leafs werent really leaking goals playoffs after playoffs. OT losses, 1 goal games suggest otherwise. I always felt scoring was the issue.

"We need a save there" can be thrown back at the forwards with "well we need a goal there."

I actually think the biggest difference is coaching. I saw the hire over the summer and I thought to myself well shit, that was a good hire which is unfortunate.


Having said all that, It is Stolarz that terrifies me this series. I do think the Leafs have better sniping ability than we do (dont misinterpret that as me saying Leafs have better forwards)....and if both goalies are playing great, I tend to lean towards the sniping ability to triumph over everything else.

We are a team known to have lapses in finishing ability. Our scoring can grow extremely cold. Thats the biggest concern to me.

 

[Ratsreign]

Ok, like one of those Bluetooth devices?

....puts the needle on the record....

 

[Canucks LB]

The leafs are gonna have to stay extremely disciplined, and also they need some puck luck.

Honestly, Florida is just a terrible matchup for them, they have size speed, skill, and grit, I guess you can say they are a terrible matchup for everybody lol

 

[93gilmour93]

That was code for Florida, you know Campbell's favorite team that he does a shit ton of favors for, had 6 calls against at that point against TO.

Edit: We won every game after I believe.

McCabe and Rielly were on that roster but now let's see how they do with Berube's system including Tanev, OEL, Carlo and Benoit on D instead of the gift of Keefe's system with Brodie, Liljegren, Holl and Giordano.

 

[Just Rude]

That was code for Florida, you know Campbell's favorite team that he does a shit ton of favors for, had 6 calls against at that point against TO.

Edit: We won every game after I believe.

Close. It was after the double-minor high-stick to Bennett with :37 left in Game 1. The penalties were 4-1 Florida after that call, 5-1 if your factor in it was 4:00 to Bennett.

I think the Panthers were the second most penalized team in 2022-23, so it's really not surprising, given the style they play.

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]