Nor a contract. Paying him what he wants is certainly debatable but it isn’t so easy to immediately replace him with a second line centre, top pairing defenseman or 20 goal scorers at $4M as some posters are suggesting. Those type of players either re-sign with their team or there’s a ton competition in signing them as UFAs and Toronto and Canada are no longer considered top free agent destinations. I just hope Leafs management waits until after the playoffs to make a decision. It seems ludicrous that they would wait this long and then sign him before then but if it’s still Shanahan making the decisions it wouldn’t surprise me. Another flame out in the playoffs should make it pretty clear (if it isn’t already) that paying three star forwards all that money will never succeed against deeper teams. On the other hand, a deep playoff run and a rapidly rising salary cap may lead them to believe that it can work. I really don’t care as long as they are a cup contender.
Stolarz is bigger and seems more consistent to me but both goalies give them good enough goaltending to steal a series.
Once they got up 2-0 they pretty much put it in neutral. Not surprising. Save some energy for the game Saturday against the Canucks who will be a much stiffer test. A win is a win.
Nylander is one of those players that seems to be best on his own line with lesser players. I think lots of star players are like that, because, as you noted the more touches they get and the more they carry the puck the better they play. Matthews seems to be like that too. He looks great carrying the puck into the zone vs Calgary...but we dont see him do that very much when he's with Marner.
Vancouver won't be a much different test with the way they are playing, especially with Hughes injured. The Leafs will win that one.
Yeah, and a few jumped on for the missed breakaways as well.
It's the same as when a CFL or NFL team has a bye week -- no practices or team activities are allowed. A big chunk of the league will be spending the break on a beach.
The Sens have elite goaltending in ullmark and better D than the Leafs. I guess we just have to hope Stolarz is good to go and that Matthews finds his game and starts scoring again.
Leafs record in Vancouver is complete dogshit. 26-49-11 all time, and only 2 wins in the post-lockout era. There is a higher chance of them beating the 2002 Red Wings in their prime than there is them winning a game in Vancouver.
Several Leafs, including Nylander twice, had the puck bounce on them just as they were about to shoot or pass.
