Series Talk: Leafs vs Lightning Pre-Playoff Thread

[Gary Nylund]

This team reminds me of the Alfredsson era Senators that kept running into the Toronto wall year after year and had their psychological blocks in the big games, playing somewhat timid in the elimination moments, having the elite forwards up front, the skill advantage neutralized by the muscle disadvantage and kind of going budget in net. That said, the Sens did go on a couple of deep runs but 2003 coincided with avoiding Toronto and in 2007 when they were a little bit past their prime. Where we would be on that curve, we won’t know until the games are played.

As much as I hate to say it, there does seem to be an eerie similarity there. I was in Europe then so not as familiar with those years as many other people here but still ...

 

[supermann_98]

Leafs could have a 3-0 series lead with a 4-1 lead halfway thru the 3rd period of game 4 and I still wouldn’t feel confident in a series win.

I chose respect in the handshake line in game 7 because they’ve spat in my face too many times when I’ve been confident in a 1st round series win.

O’Reilly and Acciari are the only reasons I have a shred of optimism this year, but Keefe’s (in)abilities as a coach and his penchant for being out-coached in every NHL playoffs series he’s coached in are offsetting that optimism

 

[keonsbitterness]

Trailing the series: 7-3
Series is even: 7-10
Leading the series: 1-8


That's.... disturbing. And that one game was game 4 against Montreal, and we all know how the rest of the series went.

So the key is to always trail every series.

 

[ICBM]

This team reminds me of the Alfredsson era Senators that kept running into the Toronto wall year after year

I do not totally agree. Senators had star defense (Chara, Phillips, Redden). That's huge difference. Grit was there (Chara, Neil), but not in the top six. I think lack of character players in the top six was the reason for the failure. As well as weak goalies.

 

[Hellcat]

I said Leafs will win the series because what else am I goign to say?

Does anyone really think that with this coach and this system we are going to win the cup? We look so scrambly every night, this is not a well coached team.

Since Jan 1 Toronto is 6th in the East, one pint ahead of Tampa and only 3 points ahead of 8th placed Ottawa.

Since March 1st (trade deadline) we have a 0 goal differential, good for 8th, is that a team that wins the cup?

This does not feel like a team that is ramping up to somethign special. It feels like indifference.

 

[Apex Predator]

I said Leafs will win the series because what else am I goign to say?

Does anyone really think that with this coach and this system we are going to win the cup? We look so scrambly every night, this is not a well coached team.

Since Jan 1 Toronto is 6th in the East, one pint ahead of Tampa and only 3 points ahead of 8th placed Ottawa.

Since March 1st (trade deadline) we have a 0 goal differential, good for 8th, is that a team that wins the cup?

This does not feel like a team that is ramping up to somethign special. It feels like indifference.

What are tampas stats during those same times? Tampa has struggled in the last month so. I want to say the leafs but I’m having a hard time believing it. I’m at I’ll believe it when I see it mindset right now.

 

[Hellcat]

What are tampas stats during those same times? Tampa has struggled in the last month so. I want to say the leafs but I’m having a hard time believing it. I’m at I’ll believe it when I see it mindset right now.

Tampa was a +3 on goal differential.

Maybe your pre playoff record in March/April has nothing to do with how well you do in the playoffs. I think the Leafs were 11-2-2 and Tampa was 9-5-2 last year just before the playoffs. This game is crazy TBH. I'm just a little concerned about how often I see an elite talented team with players out of position, chasing pucks in areas they shouldn't be chasing. Maybe its the negative I just have to deal with , when you have this many elite players and you have to complete your lineup with scraps, maybe this is what you get? I long for the days when the Leafs were playing playoff hockey like they did in '93, maybe I will never see a playoff run like that again.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Tampa was a +3 on goal differential.

Maybe your pre playoff record in March/April has nothing to do with how well you do in the playoffs. I think the Leafs were 11-2-2 and Tampa was 9-5-2 last year just before the playoffs. This game is crazy TBH. I'm just a little concerned about how often I see an elite talented team with players out of position, chasing pucks in areas they shouldn't be chasing. Maybe its the negative I just have to deal with , when you have this many elite players and you have to complete your lineup with scraps, maybe this is what you get? I long for the days when the Leafs were playing playoff hockey like they did in '93, maybe I will never see a playoff run like that again.

It's a statement to how sad life as a Leaf fan has been for the last 50 years when 93 was the highlight. I mean I was as excited as anyone at the time, and we were just one win away from playing MTL in the finals but on the other hand, we scored a 1st round upset but after that, so many favorites were upset that we were actually the favorites in the next round, barely squeaked by them in 7 games and then were favorites again in round 3 and couldn't get it done.

During the regular season and on paper, we've had teams better than that 93 team for a number of years now but all we do is lose game 7's year after year after year ...

At least that 93 team was a group you could be proud of because they played their butts off every single game and you're right, we might never see a team like that again. Why are we so cursed I wonder? And before anyone starts with the excuse that times are different now, players just can't be expected to play so hard all the time look at the Bruins. I don't know how good they really are or aren't but one thing I do know - those guys play their butts off game after game after game and that's why they are where they are today. Why can't we have a group of guys like that?

 

[mikeyz]

I was thinking the same thing trying to figure out what he meant by stucco

I was thinking the same thing trying to figure out what he meant by stucco

LOL WTF? Is there some hidden meaning here I'm not aware of? Is stucco even a thing anymore?


Best Leaf team I've seen in 50+ years, on paper anyway. I don't like the way they played since the TDL but whatever, when the playoffs start I'll be like a little kid again, dreaming about my team playing to their maximum potential. Now that's something this team hasn't done in the playoffs in literally decades but if this collection of talent can somehow get the most out of themselves, be all they can be as it were, watch out! Who knows, maybe this will be the year.

Self gratification and the stucco is a play on words reference to male reproductive fluid.

 

[Hellcat]

It's a statement to how sad life as a Leaf fan has been for the last 50 years when 93 was the highlight. I mean I was as excited as anyone at the time, and we were just one win away from playing MTL in the finals but on the other hand, we scored a 1st round upset but after that, so many favorites were upset that we were actually the favorites in the next round, barely squeaked by them in 7 games and then were favorites again in round 3 and couldn't get it done.

During the regular season and on paper, we've had teams better than that 93 team for a number of years now but all we do is lose game 7's year after year after year ...

At least that 93 team was a group you could be proud of because they played their butts off every single game and you're right, we might never see a team like that again. Why are we so cursed I wonder? And before anyone starts with the excuse that times are different now, players just can't be expected to play so hard all the time look at the Bruins. I don't know how good they really are or aren't but one thing I do know - those guys play their butts off game after game after game and that's why they are where they are today. Why can't we have a group of guys like that?

Indeed it is sad that a memory from 30 yeas ago was so powerful that I want to experience it again just one more time. It's the magic of that Calgary trade the year before, the underdog win vs Detroit, the spinarama goal by Dougie on Cujo, Clarks clutch goal, so many magical things happened that year ... Just one more time sweet hockey lords and I will never call a Habs fan a toilet seat, a Buffalo fan a Slug or a Ottawa fan a 'turd ... again .... OK thats a lie.. I will call them that again but I wont do it till September....

 

[mikeyz]

As much as I hate to say it, there does seem to be an eerie similarity there. I was in Europe then so not as familiar with those years as many other people here but still ...

There is no similarities at all. That Alfreddson team was way better and more clutch then this current Leafs team.

This team reminds me of the Alfredsson era Senators that kept running into the Toronto wall year after year and had their psychological blocks in the big games, playing somewhat timid in the elimination moments, having the elite forwards up front, the skill advantage neutralized by the muscle disadvantage and kind of going budget in net. That said, the Sens did go on a couple of deep runs but 2003 coincided with avoiding Toronto and in 2007 when they were a little bit past their prime. Where we would be on that curve, we won’t know until the games are played.

Not even close. That era was way better then this current Leafs team.

That era went to the cup finals and won other playoff rounds. Albeit, never against the Leafs, but, still. They were no where near as mentally weak as this current Leafs team.

 

[Hellcat]

There is no similarities at all. That Alfreddson team was way better and more clutch then this current Leafs team.

So clutch Patrick LaLime is remembered for this picture:



Not his great career with the Sens.

 

[Felix the Cat Potvin]

Current Leafs remind me of 00-02 Penguins.

They remind me of the 2011-2012 Canucks. They slept through the regular season waiting for their shot at redemption, talking all season long about the playoffs, and then couldn't flip the switch and got punched in the mouth by a team that had been playing playoff hockey for months.

 

[mikeyz]

So clutch Patrick LaLime is remembered for this picture:



Not his great career with the Sens.

Now do Freddie’s and Campbell’s.

 

[Racer88]

Self gratification and the stucco is a play on words reference to male reproductive fluid.

Lol. Thx for the translation lmao

 

[ICBM]

They remind me of the 2011-2012 Canucks. They slept through the regular season waiting for their shot at redemption, talking all season long about the playoffs, and then couldn't flip the switch and got punched in the mouth by a team that had been playing playoff hockey for months.

Leafs couldn't play hard in the playoffs even if they wanted to. Because they have never done it. They don't know how to do it. There is no next gear.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Leafs couldn't play hard in the playoffs even if they wanted to. Because they have never done it. They don't know how to do it. There is no next gear.

This is just garbage. Yes, the Leafs lose and far too often fail to come up clutch, but they didn't fail last year for lack of trying.

 

[andora]

Tampa was a +3 on goal differential.

Maybe your pre playoff record in March/April has nothing to do with how well you do in the playoffs. I think the Leafs were 11-2-2 and Tampa was 9-5-2 last year just before the playoffs. This game is crazy TBH. I'm just a little concerned about how often I see an elite talented team with players out of position, chasing pucks in areas they shouldn't be chasing. Maybe its the negative I just have to deal with , when you have this many elite players and you have to complete your lineup with scraps, maybe this is what you get? I long for the days when the Leafs were playing playoff hockey like they did in '93, maybe I will never see a playoff run like that again.

It's a statement to how sad life as a Leaf fan has been for the last 50 years when 93 was the highlight. I mean I was as excited as anyone at the time, and we were just one win away from playing MTL in the finals but on the other hand, we scored a 1st round upset but after that, so many favorites were upset that we were actually the favorites in the next round, barely squeaked by them in 7 games and then were favorites again in round 3 and couldn't get it done.

During the regular season and on paper, we've had teams better than that 93 team for a number of years now but all we do is lose game 7's year after year after year ...

At least that 93 team was a group you could be proud of because they played their butts off every single game and you're right, we might never see a team like that again. Why are we so cursed I wonder? And before anyone starts with the excuse that times are different now, players just can't be expected to play so hard all the time look at the Bruins. I don't know how good they really are or aren't but one thing I do know - those guys play their butts off game after game after game and that's why they are where they are today. Why can't we have a group of guys like that?

You guys brought up a lot of memories fot me here. That team dragged you in emotionally and scrapped for everything..

I dont remember the year but the teams that beat ottawa with guys blocking shot after shot after shot after shot and hobbling around.. the emotion with tucker and corson and mccabe etc...

Funny enough burns and quinn coached

I dont know what our top guys draw on inspiration from these days.. it would be interesting to hear.. what makes them 'want' it

People can go on about tanpa stumbling and games bot mattering all they want.. it is so empty. Tampa is a boogeyman until they arent. With them wounded a bit they are coming into this playoff with a war mentality.. whether or not they are not as deep is irrelevant - it doesnt take much in my opinion for a team like tanpa to draw motivation.. one matthews laugh off or one stupid marner celly could set it off

They need to leve everything on the line but lets hope they know how to. A weaker tampa blueline isnt going to be that much weaker if you dont bombard the top guys and make them feel it

 

[sxvnert]

Jarnkrok Matthews Nylander
Tavares O'Reilly Marner
Bunting Acciari Lafferty
Knies/RAR Kampf Kerfoot

McCabe Brodie
Gio Holl
Rielly Schenn

Samsonov
Woll

or

Jarnkrok Matthews Nylander
Tavares O'Reilly Marner
Acciari Kampf Lafferty
Bunting Kerfoot Knies/RAR

 

[HolyCrap]

Self gratification and the stucco is a play on words reference to male reproductive fluid.

Hahaha. I guess I think along same lines as you cause I knew what ya meant and literally laughed out loud.

 

[notbias]

Leafs couldn't play hard in the playoffs even if they wanted to. Because they have never done it. They don't know how to do it. There is no next gear.

done in 4 every year, always an easy series.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I dont know what our top guys draw on inspiration from these days.. it would be interesting to hear.. what makes them 'want' it

People can go on about tanpa stumbling and games bot mattering all they want.. it is so empty. Tampa is a boogeyman until they arent. With them wounded a bit they are coming into this playoff with a war mentality.. whether or not they are not as deep is irrelevant - it doesnt take much in my opinion for a team like tanpa to draw motivation.. one matthews laugh off or one stupid marner celly could set it off

They need to leve everything on the line but lets hope they know how to. A weaker tampa blueline isnt going to be that much weaker if you dont bombard the top guys and make them feel it

A+ post!

 

[3blizzard4]

Keefe better keep with mouth shut this time around. Last year he blabbed before the series that it was going to be a “violent” series.

The refs took that literally and called it as such.

 

[saltming]

Vasi not looking dominant right now. 2 Gosia on 3 shots.
Hopefully this trend carries into the playoffs

 

[andora]

A+ post!

Thanks

Everytime i read or hear games dont matter or meaningless games i twitch