Marchessault answering about the Leafs tough start of season: "I think they have a good team, but I don't think they are as good as people think"

[Stephen]

Spin it any way you'd like, use whatever numbing justifications that make you feel better about it, but the fact is they can't get out of the first round. Nobody is condemning them for not winning a cup, everyone is condemning them for not winning a single round of playoff hockey.

And the notion that only Leafs players, fans and local media are allowed to talk about the Leafs is... absurd.

Anybody’s free to talk about whatever topic they choose. I just find it irritating that random, unrelated pundits choose to go out of their way to talk about Toronto and the Leafs, offer up random opinions and then accuse the Toronto of being Toronto centric. We don’t morbidly follow your team’s nonsense.

 

[Stephen]

Toronto media really needs to know everyone and their monther’s opinion on the Leafs.

Montreal pundit needs to ask a hometown player about Toronto because they can’t fill air time with their own business.

 

[Stephen]

They will never make it past the first round.

Why is a guy on Vegas talking about the Leafs when the Leafs haven't even played their Saturday game vs Boston yet?

Are Vegas off until the next game? (looks up the schedule)

We also play the 'Canes tomorrow.

Vegas lit up the Habs, was it a Montreal reporter that asked him this? After their game on Saturday I would hope at the very least?

Imagine the reverse scenario. Toronto media asking Leafs players what their opinions are on Jonathan Marchessault’s big hometown return. It’s about as random as that.

 

[Menzinger]

Spin it any way you'd like, use whatever numbing justifications that make you feel better about it, but the fact is they can't get out of the first round. Nobody is condemning them for not winning a cup, everyone is condemning them for not winning a single round of playoff hockey.

And the notion that only Leafs players, fans and local media are allowed to talk about the Leafs is... absurd.

The media is obviously free to ask what they like.

Leafs players typically wouldn't be asked questions like about other teams since most fans/local audience wouldn't likely care about other markets that way

 

[The Red Line]

Anybody’s free to talk about whatever topic they choose. I just find it irritating that random, unrelated pundits choose to go out of their way to talk about Toronto and the Leafs, offer up random opinions and then accuse the Toronto of being Toronto centric. We don’t morbidly follow your team’s nonsense.

No one had a problem when Torts defended Keefe a few days ago. You just don't like criticism.

 

[The Red Line]

Yeah, but the point is they had to play the team that won the conference 4 times in the first round. They could have played that team in the third round also. Someone has to play the Cup winners in the first round, right?

The new divisional format hurts the Leafs because the Atlantic goes to the Finals almost every year. There was 5 Atlantic teams in the Finals in the last 4 years.. and the Leafs played 2 of them in the last 2 seasons.

No I get the point. And it's an excuse. Its bittersweet justification that the team was 'almost' good enough to compete with cup finalists, like that is some sort of consolation prize to be celebrated, like getting respect in the handshake line. Acting like you're somehow the runner up for losing to the finalists is a bizarre fantasy. You never hear the teams that actually got to the second and third rounds consoling themselves with the fact they lost to the team that made it to the finals.

 

[Divine]

No I get the point. And it's an excuse. Its bittersweet justification that the team was 'almost' good enough to compete with cup finalists, like that is some sort of consolation prize to be celebrated, like getting respect in the handshake line. Acting like you're somehow the runner up for losing to the finalists is a bizarre fantasy. You never hear the teams that actually got to the second and third rounds consoling themselves with the fact they lost to the team that made it to the finals.

Really? I hear it all the time.

The Habs fans bragged about making the finals 2 seasons ago. The Oilers and media keep talking about how they can build from the third round exit against a powerhouse last year.

Usually teams and managements talk about playoff success, even if that means just winning against weaker opponents. The unlucky part for any team is if you're playing the strongest team in the conference in the first round every year and constantly losing in 7.

 

[sxvnert]

Only the media hypes them up as a good team. Fans are well aware of how shit this team is.

 

[The Red Line]

Really? I hear it all the time.

The Habs fans bragged about making the finals 2 seasons ago. The Oilers and media keep talking about how they can build from the third round exit against a powerhouse last year.

Usually teams and managements talk about playoff success, even if that means just winning against weaker opponents. The unlucky part for any team is if you're playing the strongest team in the conference in the first round every year and constantly losing in 7.

The finals isn't the 2nd or 3rd round. You're really comparing a team actually making it to the finals, to a team that actually hasn't won a round in decades?

 

[Divine]

The finals isn't the 2nd or 3rd round. You're really comparing a team actually making it to the finals, to a team that actually hasn't won a round in decades?

What?

The Leafs are losing to the teams that make the finals.. in 7.

The Leafs can be given credit for being the toughest opponent the best teams play before the Finals can't they?

Otherwise we can only talk about Tampa and Colorado, every other team is a playoff failure lately.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Really? I hear it all the time.

The Habs fans bragged about making the finals 2 seasons ago. The Oilers and media keep talking about how they can build from the third round exit against a powerhouse last year.

Usually teams and managements talk about playoff success, even if that means just winning against weaker opponents. The unlucky part for any team is if you're playing the strongest teams in the first round every year and losing in 7.

Bragging about winning a few playoff series isn't the same as consoling themselves over a first round playoff loss.

 

[The Red Line]

What?

The Leafs are losing to the teams that make the finals.. in 7.

The Leafs can be given credit for being the toughest opponent the best teams play can't they?

You really don't get it. Keep enjoying and celebrating your first round losses, I guess.

 

[Divine]

You really don't get it. Keep enjoying and celebrating your first round losses, I guess.

Sure.

Someone has to play the best team in the conference in the first round. The Leafs were 1 OT or fake penalty away from actually beating that team.

I guess Florida can celebrate getting swept in the second round against Tampa and they're better than the Leafs who lost in 7 on a phantom penalty call in the first.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Sure.

Someone has to play the best team in the conference in the first round. The Leafs were 1 OT or fake penalty away from actually beating that team.

A team that didn't even win the cup lol.

 

[The Red Line]

Sure.

Someone has to play the best team in the conference in the first round. The Leafs were 1 OT or fake penalty away from actually beating that team.

I guess Florida can celebrate getting swept in the second round against Tampa and they're better than the Leafs who lost in 7 on a phantom penalty call in the first.

And you're trying to convince me you AREN'T making excuses?

 

[Divine]

And you're trying to convince me you AREN'T making excuses?

No, I'm telling you that not all first rounds are equal in a bracket system.

Many times the best teams in the league have to play each other before the finals.

The Leafs were #4 in the NHL and had to play the #7 team in the NHL in the first round.

Other teams, like Edmonton, finished 11th in the league and got to play the #14th ranked team in the first round.

There's no way you can conclude all brackets are equal, meaning a second round team is greater than any first round team. Tampa had an easier time in the second and third round than it did in the first round.

 

[The Red Line]

No, I'm telling you that not all first rounds are equal in a bracket system.

Many times the best teams in the league have to play each other before the finals.

The Leafs were #4 in the NHL and had to play the #7 team in the NHL in the first round.

Other teams, like Edmonton, finished 11th in the league and got to play the #14th ranked team in the first round.

There's no way you can conclude all brackets are equal. So a second round team is greater than any first round team. Tampa had an easier time in the second and third round than it did in the first round.

Ok? This is how the playoffs work. The Leafs weren't the first place team either. They lost to a lower seed in the first round. Winning teams win. What is that you actually want? Congratulations?

 

[Divine]

Ok? This is how the playoffs work. The Leafs weren't the first place team either. They lost to a lower seed in the first round. Winning teams win. What is that you actually want? Congratulations?

No, I'm saying the playoffs are a crapshoot for brackets. You can't determine teams chances based on the rounds they lose in.

The only thing you can deduce from it is the best team wins the Cup. Aside from that, rounds mean nothing because they're not equal.

A first round team can be stronger than a third round team.

 

[The Red Line]

No, I'm saying the playoffs are a crapshoot for brackets. You can't determine teams chances based on the rounds they lose in.

The only thing you can deduce from it is the best team wins the Cup. Aside from that, rounds mean nothing because they're not equal.

A first round team can be stronger than a third round team.

When a team has lost in the first round EVERY single year (and not just to cup finalists, stop kidding yourself) for years on end, this argument loses all of its luster.

 

[Divine]

When a team has lost in the first round EVERY single year (and not just to cup finalists, stop kidding yourself) for years on end, this argument loses all of its luster.

No, because teams have stronger and weaker years. If each team was the same every year, the Cup champs would be the same every year.

I think last years Leafs team was their strongest to date.

 

[1specter]

No one had a problem when Torts defended Keefe a few days ago. You just don't like criticism.

Stephen is one of the most balanced posters on the Leafs board and frequently calls the team out with critiques when they deserve it. You couldn't be more wrong.

 

[Oryxo]

Jonathan Marchessault is a regular contributor on TVA sports and they often talk about various subjects around the league with him just like they do with André Tourigny and Michel Therrien, that's why they talked about the Leafs.

 

[Stephen]

No one had a problem when Torts defended Keefe a few days ago. You just don't like criticism.

I’m very critical of my team. I just don’t need pundits chiming in about the Leafs because they have nothing else to talk about and then complaining that Toronto takes up all the oxygen in the room.

 

[BrockLobster]

Rent free

I do it for the likes.

 

[2014nyr]

If only the leafs were as perfectly built as the rangers

rent free