I'm Just Not Feeling It This Year

[Sypher04]

shall we review the last 6 years?

You mean where we have been mostly an elite regular season team? Sure, you may go ahead prove my point for me

 

[Its not your fault]

Normally I'm excited for the start of every year but this year it's just meh. There is just so little to look forward too. They've done everything

-Team set it's points records.
-Auston won the individual awards now and set the Leaf Records.
-Marner is B2B 1st team All Star, nothing left to prove.
-Rielly signed long term, no UFA drama
-Nylander had his best year it will only go down
-Tavares will regress, and we will continue to complain about his cap hit
-Robertson is the only prospect that could even make the team and might still end up in the minors
-Goalies are new but it's pretty much lateral changes at best.
-All the new skaters players are bottom 6 wingers

They'll score a lot of goals, they'll give up a lot of goals, they'll win a lot of games, make the playoffs and play someone from Florida. There is no cap space to make a big TDL deal so this is it. Can we just fast forward to April.

I thought last year was an 82 game preseason but for the individuals it really meant something so that was fun to watch..... Now that they've accomplished basically everything possible in the regular season it really is an 82 game preseason and I just DGAF. Never thought I'd say that.

Anyone else feel like this?

Just try not eating gluten this is a more you problem, maybe set aside more for your reiterment and life might bring you more joy.

 

[yubbers]

You mean where we have been mostly an elite regular season team? Sure, you may go ahead prove my point for me

Do you also brag about sweeping the round robins and not medaling?

Are the greatest F1 drivers the ones that get pole positions but lose races?

Maybe one day you'll have actual success instead of perpetual choke jobs to argue your position.You literally have no point. You're ignoring reality.

 

[Sypher04]

Do you also brag about sweeping the round robins and not medaling?

Are the greatest F1 drivers the ones that get pole positions but lose races?

Maybe one day you'll have actual success instead of perpetual choke jobs to argue your position.You literally have no point. You're ignoring reality.

I have no point? The point really couldn’t be more clear. Playoff struggles have zero bearing on whether a team deserves the benefit of the doubt in terms of their regular season results. This team has proven to be one of the best teams in the league in recent regular seasons. This is the same reason why betting odds overwhelmingly have the Leafs among the best teams in the league. One poor game to start the season, while no doubt an unacceptable effort, doesn’t undo any of that. Whatever they do or don’t do in the playoffs will be a separate matter.

 

[NinjaKick]

Normally I'm excited for the start of every year but this year it's just meh. There is just so little to look forward too. They've done everything

-Team set it's points records.
-Auston won the individual awards now and set the Leaf Records.
-Marner is B2B 1st team All Star, nothing left to prove.
-Rielly signed long term, no UFA drama
-Nylander had his best year it will only go down
-Tavares will regress, and we will continue to complain about his cap hit
-Robertson is the only prospect that could even make the team and might still end up in the minors
-Goalies are new but it's pretty much lateral changes at best.
-All the new skaters players are bottom 6 wingers

They'll score a lot of goals, they'll give up a lot of goals, they'll win a lot of games, make the playoffs and play someone from Florida. There is no cap space to make a big TDL deal so this is it. Can we just fast forward to April.

I thought last year was an 82 game preseason but for the individuals it really meant something so that was fun to watch..... Now that they've accomplished basically everything possible in the regular season it really is an 82 game preseason and I just DGAF. Never thought I'd say that.

Anyone else feel like this?

you'll mostly still watch every game... mostly

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

Why have we "burned" 5 or 6 years of AM and MM exactly? Did Colorado burn 7 or 8 years of Mackinnon, Rantanen and Landeskog or were they building something? Tampa had Stamkos and crew for years before winning also.

I don't see it as burning, I see building. We have created an environment where young stars develop and they also seem to want to stay. The flat cap hurt for sure in terms of what we can add around the core (imagine if we had an extra $10M to spend right now)... but we have a group of young stars entering their primes...that's a good thing and not a wasted opportunity...every recent Stanley Cup champion took the same route.

zero cap space, bad slow d men. no toughness etc.

 

[Puckstuff]

Just try not eating gluten this is a more you problem, maybe set aside more for your reiterment and life might bring you more joy.

Ok sadistic guy. I think if anyone needs help it's you. Did you have a hard life growing up ? Mommy not love you enough right?

 

[conFABulator]

zero cap space, bad slow d men. no toughness etc.

Contending teams in a flat cap era (an unexpected one) should be right up against the cap. Even the non-contending teams are.

Many people (and the Athletic) believe this is the best team in the NHL this year. I am sure you will say "they haven't won in the playoffs" but all the recent cup champs had this kind of build up too.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

 

[Its not your fault]

Ok sadistic guy. I think if anyone needs help it's you. Did you have a hard life growing up ? Mommy not love you enough right?

You pretty much need this to be true don't you lol.

 

[darrylsittler27]

It seems weird that the entire build has come down to a gamble on goaltending. I have interest because this is truly it for Dubas. If this team falters I doubt he can pick up a true number one goalie in trade.

 

[geo25]

The important players on this team have proven they dont hate losing as much as they should. How will they get thru playoffs for a Round when teams are fighting tooth and nail to win. Reilly, Matthews, Marner, Nylander dont play like they hate losing when attempting at closing out a series in the playoffs. I see them as being scared, unsure, lacking hunger, in some very important moments. They can outskill a team and win a playoff round but they lack will power from my stance and the d core has holes in it, namely Muzzin/Holl in the top 4 is a bottom pair on a cup team.

Winning teams also have a #1 D....something Reilly is not, nor will ever be. This team is flawed in so many ways....starting from the top on down

 

[Nineteen67]

It’s still very early but none of the questions going into the season have been answered, but some, like the questions on D have moved from 5 th concern to the 2nd.

Goalies
D
2nd line winger
3 rd line wingers
4th line.

I still think they can win a round if they can get a favourable matchup.

 

[Blowfish]

Team (especially the D) looks slow. It's a concern.

Not to mention teams like Ottawa, Detroit, Boston, and Buffalo have all improved. Going to be challenging.

I can't believe it's over $200 for nose bleed tickets ACC. This really stinks for the fans/kids.

 

[Nineteen67]

This team is already following an eerily similar script to last year and may once again prove to be too boring to watch an entire game.

 

[BLONG7]

this whole, “the playoffs are the only thing that matters” nonsense that has taken over pro sports narratives is so overdone. I turn the Leafs on because I want to watch a hockey game.

Leafs are counting on this......................as for results? Another discussion I guess.
Biggest stories this year, will the first round curse continue? Will Matthews sign an extension before going into next year heading towards being a ufa?
Is the motivation there for the star players?
Lots going on that's for sure.

 

[mikeyz]

You mean where we have been mostly an elite regular season team? Sure, you may go ahead prove my point for me

Okay. Now do the playoffs.

You know...The part of the season that actually matters??

 

[Sypher04]

Okay. Now do the playoffs.

You know...The part of the season that actually matters??

Once again. Playoffs have no bearing whatsoever on regular season - which is what was being discussed. No one thinks the playoffs have been good enough

 

[Brown Dog]

Gotta admit my game-to-game interest this year is as low as ever.

And it has nothing to do with the team and everything to do with the stupid playoff format that has sucked all the drama from the regular season.

Matching up with Tampa (again) is as boring as it is inevitable.

I still watch every game but they are starting to have all the intrigue of the preseason. Ugh.

 

[wingman75]

Gotta admit my game-to-game interest this year is as low as ever.

And it has nothing to do with the team and everything to do with the stupid playoff format that has sucked all the drama from the regular season.

Matching up with Tampa (again) is as boring as it is inevitable.

I still watch every game but they are starting to have all the intrigue of the preseason. Ugh.

Starting to feel the same.

I don't see much difference in this team over the past 6 where I feel like they are going to blast into the playoffs and achieve some great feat. Maybe we get some bounces? Maybe the goaltending gets hot? Barring either of those, feels like groundhog day (the movie).

All that being said, I still watch every game, and cheer them on, and get down when they lose... but big picture, I think I feel more angst than excitement, which sucks.

 

[hfman]

After decades of garbage Leaf teams it's been nice to have great regular season teams these past few years (and prior).

But this year is just another movie we've all seen for many years now. Great regular season... then... you know the rest.

I'm the same way. The Leafs doing awesome this year in the regular season means absolutely nothing at this point. Been there done that. I'm not excited when they go on crazy winning streaks or certain players break new records.

Because it's the same old story come April.

Only if they win the first round this playoffs will any of this season matter.

I think most if not all of Leafs Nation is cautious this year, just waiting for another 1st round exit.

The problem is - I don't see ANY difference between this year's team and the last - say 10 years of playoff rosters - but more specifically, THIS year - they look identical to last year. There's no improvement geared towards the playoffs on this current team as opposed to last year's team - it's virtually the same players. Which means virtually the same results - a first round exit.

How is this team any different than last year's team when it comes to the playoffs? There's little difference. So how are they going to be that much better this season in order to get past the first round?

 

[tmlms13]

Not trying to be a dick about this thread but......Its almost played out exactly as I said

-None of the individuals are going to win awards this year
-Offense is good, defense is better than expected nothing earth shattering
-They'll win a lot of games, they'll lose some
-We know exactly who we are playing in Round One, Round Two
-We aren't going to make a big trade because of the cap
-Goalies are a better than expected but it's not that different to be honest
-Only interesting things are the Marner point streak and Nylander improving even more but really in the end it doesn't mean much.

Like the Islander game I didn't watch 1 second live, first time since probably the 90's, highlights was good enough. Sunday normally I'd have a real decision, Leafs vs Caps or NFL playoffs, now it's no question, NFL, and my team got eliminated (Bills).

The sports media talking heads are finally starting to say the same thing. It's a 82 game preseason.

Everything is just meh and I live through the Fergler & Burkey era

 

[Brobust]

Not trying to be a dick about this thread but......It's played out exactly as I said

-None of the individuals are going to win awards this year
-Offense is good, defense is good nothing earth shattering
-They'll win a lot of games, they'll lose some
-We know exactly who we are playing in Round One, Round Two
-We aren't going to make a big trade because of the cap
-Goalies are a better than expected but it's not that different to be honest
-Only interesting things are the Marner point streak and Nylander improving even more but really in the end it doesn't mean much.

Like the Islander game I didn't watch 1 second live, first time since probably the 90's, highlights was good enough. Sunday normally I'd have a real decision, Leafs vs Caps or NFL playoffs, now it's no question, NFL, and my team got eliminated (Bills).

The sports media talking heads are finally starting to say the same thing. It's a 82 game preseason.

Everything is just meh and I live through the Fergler & Burkey era

Maybe you should quit.

 

[tmlms13]

Maybe you should quit.

Nope, it's more of a rant against the NHL FO and how they've ruined the game

 

[Zybalto]

Not trying to be a dick about this thread but......It's played out exactly as I said

-None of the individuals are going to win awards this year
-Offense is good, defense is good nothing earth shattering
-They'll win a lot of games, they'll lose some
-We know exactly who we are playing in Round One, Round Two
-We aren't going to make a big trade because of the cap
-Goalies are a better than expected but it's not that different to be honest
-Only interesting things are the Marner point streak and Nylander improving even more but really in the end it doesn't mean much.

Like the Islander game I didn't watch 1 second live, first time since probably the 90's, highlights was good enough. Sunday normally I'd have a real decision, Leafs vs Caps or NFL playoffs, now it's no question, NFL, and my team got eliminated (Bills).

The sports media talking heads are finally starting to say the same thing. It's a 82 game preseason.

Everything is just meh and I live through the Fergler & Burkey era

Offense is top 10
D is top 10
Goaltending is top 10, not just better than you expected
Team is top 5 in the NHL
They have as much cap flexibility as almost any cup contender to make trades and unlike many, have draft picks.

....and they have done all of that while being arguably the team most affected by injuries in the NHL:



You are missing a helluva season really. We finally have an elite team and you compare them to those barely bubble team failures?