Is the Bruins loss the biggest choke job ever?

[Spring in Fialta]

I'm flabbergasted that a ton of people are calling Tampa getting swept in 2019 a bigger choke than Boston this year. I knew Columbus had loaded up at the trade deadline that year but I just had a quick look at their roster (I'm so hungover I've been in bed eating and posting all day) and it was even more loaded than I originally thought.

Panerin, Bobrovsky, Duchene, Werenski, Seth Jones, Josh Anderson (who is not overpaid for all the assholes who think he is), Korpisalo, Jenner, Bjorkstand, Dubois, Atkinson.

That's an insane squad and a massive threat. Boston's choke is way more substantial. I don't even think it's close. I think the optic of Tampa Bay's being worse is because of Columbus' lack of history/reputation instead of actually looking at who they had.

 

[CheerstoBeers]

I'll keep saying until I'm blue in the face:

Leafs have been embarrassing for a lonnnng time; but if you're an O6 team and have less cups than them...who really is more embarrassing? The Leafs coulda left the league in 67 and still be 2nd in banners with 60 years for teams to catch up.
. Wild.

You're comparing the NHL of 60-100 years ago to the post salary cap era of the NHL. Very Montreal of you

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Also, Ullmark playing as injured as he apparently was is a massive black mark against the coaching staff. What a bunch of morons.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

You're comparing the NHL of 60-100 years ago to the post salary cap era of the NHL. Very Montreal of you

How dare you!
I take offense to that.

Haha

 

[Petrus]

1967 still going on for you at the moment if I were you I would end it . Never know another 30 years plus it you blow this year.

Go cry some more with your son. It’s cathartic.

 

[Zanon]

Yes, and I f***ing love it!

 

[The don godfather]

Go cry some more with your son. It’s cathartic.

I've seen a cup in my lifetime with my son meeting tyler seguin. What have you seen in terms of leafs accomplishments?

 

[BlueSeal]

Tampa this year was a more depleted team than years past and it finally caught up to them. That's not a choke job one bit. That's a team that's teetering on a sharp decline if management doesn't figure some things out.

Boston ran into a dialed-in Cats team that refused to lose and had answers where Boston had none. The resilience of the Cats is insane. Some teams just don't play as well until it matters the most, then the team's true colors shows up, like the Cats did. Somewhere in there, the Bruins lost heart. They could have won every step of the way but they somehow, in some way, found a way to come up short.

That's not the mark of a winner and that's why the Bruins were sent home.


I'm glad that Bergeron had already got his Cup long before he retires. Guy absolutely deserves it. Class act all the way.

 

[um]

No way, the Bruins, who haven’t won since 2011, were not the powerhouse people made them out to be.

 

[The don godfather]

No way, the Bruins, who haven’t won since 2011, were not the powerhouse people made them out to be.

Name teams that reached 3 finals in that span? Not many plus broke the president trophy nhl record. Many teams would die for what Bruins have accomplished. Winning it all is impossible. Puck luck is needed.

 

[BlueSeal]

Name teams that reached 3 finals in that span? Not many plus broke the president trophy nhl record. Many teams would die for what Bruins have accomplished. Winning it all is impossible. Puck luck is needed.

Tampa, and they won two Cups in that span and did it all consecutively.

In total, since 2011, they've made the Finals 4 times.

 

[um]

Name teams that reached 3 finals in that span? Not many plus broke the president trophy nhl record. Many teams would die for what Bruins have accomplished. Winning it all is impossible. Puck luck is needed.

You’re wrong on that, as someone else pointed out.

But every year fans get all excited for regular season accomplishments only for several teams to disappoint come playoff time.

Bruins we’re backstopped by two goalies who’d never won a round before and many of their stars were getting older, including their top two centers. They didn’t even have an elite 1C or 1D, some would argue McAvoy but I doubt he’s ever a Doughty/Keith/Pronger etc. type.

They were a great great team but this Bruins team would get slapped around by last years Avs or Tampas Covid cup teams. They were nowhere near close to being a powerhouse team.

 

[BB79]

Tampa, and they won two Cups in that span and did it all consecutively.

In total, since 2011, they've made the Finals 4 times.

So, 1 team. Damn I feel so bad.

 

[Petrus]

I've seen a cup in my lifetime with my son meeting tyler seguin. What have you seen in terms of leafs accomplishments?

Leafs mediocrity is a comedy for me.

Your comeuppance and self-pity is just as entertaining.

 

[tomd]

81-82 Oilers lost to LA Kings...a team they finished 48 points ahead of in the regular season.

 

[Pink Mist]

One of for sure. The magnitude of a choke isn't always because of the difference in points in the standings though. . There have been lots of chokes recently that were pretty epic. Vegas being up 3-1 in the series and 3-0 in game 7 and losing to SJ was bad. Even the Leafs in 2013 looking like they'd finally get over that hump and choking away a three goal lead with 10 mins left in the game was pretty monumental and probably a bigger loss for that team than this year's Bruins.

Not really. That 2013 Leafs team was a glorified AHL team who had no business being in the playoffs let alone taking Boston to game 7.

These are not equivalent scenarios at all

 

[BlueSeal]

So, 1 team. Damn I feel so bad.

You can keep the three finals appearances, that's pretty impressive, we'll keep the 1 Cup the Blues beat yall for

 

[BB79]

You can keep the three finals appearances, that's pretty impressive, we'll keep the 1 Cup the Blues beat yall for

That's fine, my 2nd team is the Sabres. Thanks for Tage

 

[BlueSeal]

That's fine, my 2nd team is the Sabres. Thanks for Tage

You're quite welcome. I hope he brings to Buffalo what ROR helped bring to us .

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

2010 Bruins were worse. 3-0 series lead, had a PP on game 4. Then led 3-0 in game 7 on home ice and couldn’t seal the deal. This was bad but 2010 was worse.

 

[BB79]

You're quite welcome. I hope he brings to Buffalo what ROR helped bring to us .

I'd settle for just making the playoffs again lol

 

[BHD]

View attachment 701155
History in the making. Stupid poster from espn sycophants.

Now THAT aged well

 

[MCR74]

View attachment 701155
History in the making. Stupid poster from espn sycophants.

That poster should now show Pastrnak falling down the stairs.

 

[MetalGoalie35]

Now THAT aged well

Maybe he got confused and didn't know whether he should go up or down those stairs (?). Perhaps someone should have put a sign up with directions (?!?).

I'd like to order a few of those posters.

I'd put 'em up in various places around the house and shop. Then, whenever I'm feeling a little down, all I'd have to do is look at 'em and before I knew it, I'd be laughing and feeling a whole lot better.

 

[AndreRoy]

Add a poll. But yes. I thought Tampa losing to the Blue Jackets was up there but this is much worse.

The Lightning didn’t choke - they just flat out got their asses kicked. They were outplayed from start to finish that series by a more physical, harder-working team. They then took the lessons they learned from that series loss, completely revamped their style of play, and used the Tortorella blueprint themselves to win back-to-back championships. Boston, on the other hand, just choked away a series that they were in a clear position to win, and will likely be nowhere near as strong next season. Both were embarrassing, but this is definitely more of a choke job.