Maybe we should give the Habs some credit.

[saltming]

They have paid the right price.
Healthy and rested he is THE game changer here. Bottom line

 

[saltming]

Zeke will be along shortly to explain how our expected win stats against vegas show us to be an elite team, much better than most teams that actually win playoff rounds.

 

[bentharbs]

You are missing some points.

1. Pittsburgh/Washington were able to circumvent the Cap and sign Crosby/Ovi to 13 year deals.
Matthews/Nylander UFA in 3. Playoff rounds win to date = 0

2. These teams moved out guys like Thornton,Kessel,Staal,etc either because they became too expensive or lack of success required change.

3. Chicago was able to bridge their guys in the 2nd contract, again signed Keith to a multi year contract with a less AAV. They traded away depth like Buff,Sharp,Versteeg,etc but they were able to recoup talent like Panarin/Saad/etc. that we have none of. Or the money to sign.

Not the same. Those teams could keep the flame going while we are already burning up.

Of course I am missing some points. It’s complex.

 

[Cynical]

Glad a Canadian team made it to the finals. Go Habs go at this stage. And a big FU to Bettman.

Having said that, the Leafs underachieved. They should have won that series.

 

[GoBuds14]

If Tavares doesn’t go down, the Leafs win that series comfortably and nothing else will
change my mind. And that is with Matthews and Marner not showing up. It’s a shame that injury happened when it did, but that’s sports

 

[Garthinater]

I don't think price has ever lost a PO game when his team scores at least 3 goals. Just insane.

What a wasted opportunity this year. We had the easiest trip to the finals and yet blew it in the first round.

Dubas is garbage. Anyone who stills wants this looser around is not a leaf fan.

 

[janesy12]

Zeke will be along shortly to explain how our expected win stats against vegas show us to be an elite team, much better than most teams that actually win playoff rounds.

I've actually figured out the math.

The Cubs & Red Sox each had curses/droughts last nearly 100 years.
The way I see it, is the Leafs are at 54 years. We have 46 more years give or take a few before the Leafs will win a Championship.

Hang in there fellas! We're close!!!

 

[HamiltonNHL]

The Habs doing well doesnt negate the fact our team is poorly constructed.

Dubas should have traded any RFA demanding stupid contracts. Short term, inflated AAV, a combo = gone.

He just doesnt have the balls.

Tavares accelerated the rebuild and now the team is stuck in cap hell.

And spending so much money on the forwards doesnt negate the fact that D and goalie are important.

I always felt that building from the net out was the way to rebuild. It is slower but D take more time and goalies require multiple attempts. Star D and goalies dont really inflate salaries the way forwards do.

When Matthews leaves to Arizona he'll be the Captain of his next team.

Go Habs - amazing game last night.

 

[mydnyte]

I don't think price has ever lost a PO game when his team scores at least 3 goals. Just insane.

What a wasted opportunity this year. We had the easiest trip to the finals and yet blew it in the first round.

Dubas is garbage. Anyone who stills wants this looser around is not a leaf fan.

What line was he playing on?
Who did he put into the lineup?

He provided the roster, and the Roster was good enough to win.

 

[mydnyte]

The Habs doing well doesnt negate the fact our team is poorly constructed.

Dubas should have traded any RFA demanding stupid contracts. Short term, inflated AAV, a combo = gone.

He just doesnt have the balls.

Tavares accelerated the rebuild and now the team is stuck in cap hell.

And spending so much money on the forwards doesnt negate the fact that D and goalie are important.

I always felt that building from the net out was the way to rebuild. It is slower but D take more time and goalies require multiple attempts. Star D and goalies doing really inflate salaries the way forwards do.

When Matthews leaves to Arizona he'll be the Captain of his next team.

Go Habs - amazing game last night.

Actually, our team is in much better shape Cap wise than the Majority of all teams in the League.
Take a look at the cap's of all teams, and you may be shocked.
the 'great' Lou Lam has the Isles in a Cap nightmare, and they have not enough $$ to resign their RFA's

 

[mydnyte]

I don't think price has ever lost a PO game when his team scores at least 3 goals. Just insane.

What a wasted opportunity this year. We had the easiest trip to the finals and yet blew it in the first round.

Dubas is garbage. Anyone who stills wants this looser around is not a leaf fan.

i know its a typo, but, i cant help it when people misspell 'loser' when they are trying to insult someone.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

the 'great' Lou Lam has the Isles in a Cap nightmare, and they have not enough $$ to resign their RFA's

Islanders win playoff series.
Tavares gets to watch them every year.
It's a tradition now.

Palmieri, Kyle 0 UFA
Cizikas, Casey

Zajac, Travis 0 UFA C NHL Trade 36
Bardreau, Cole 0 UFA

Palmieri and Cizikas would be good to sign.

The Leafs will be getting worse this year as well.

 

[deprw]

I don't think price has ever lost a PO game when his team scores at least 3 goals. Just insane.

What a wasted opportunity this year. We had the easiest trip to the finals and yet blew it in the first round.

Dubas is garbage. Anyone who stills wants this looser around is not a leaf fan.

I'll never forgive him that he knee'ed Tavares that way and shut down Matthews & Marner after that. Unforgivable.

 

[nuck]

What line was he playing on?
Who did he put into the lineup?

He provided the roster, and the Roster was good enough to win.

But he has provided every roster and none of them have been good enough to actually win. Keefe has made no trades or signings, KD put everyone into this lineup. His lineup, his coach so they have to be his results don't they? And it will be his choice what changes he will make (or not) to find a way to win. Will you be satisfied if the team goes into the next season substantially identical, as "everyone was great and did a great job" according to management? The biggest indicator of how you will do next season is how you did last season unless there are significant changes and those aren't coming. He's far from garbage but there is nobody else to blame if the person with the ability to make changes doesn't know what to do.

 

[Garthinater]

What line was he playing on?
Who did he put into the lineup?

He provided the roster, and the Roster was good enough to win.

Are you honesty asking which line our stats nerd gm played on? You do realize the gm doesn't play, right?

The roster obviously was not good enough to win. We lost. What kind of mental gymnastics do you have going on in your head?

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Bergey followed a simple formula which works for playoff hockey .. best tender you can get .. surrounded by big tough mean defenders who only let other teams play on perimeter with 1 guy with a cannon .. and fast forwards who have breakaway speed with some bigger fore checkers .. you can add a Caufield skill to that mix but even he has breakaway speed too as we saw him take McNabb to da woodshed last night .. bottom line it works .. it maybe painful to watch for some of you but it has always worked .. and Bergey has done it inside CAP .. bottom line in a free wheeling possession NHL game under regular season rules it struggles because it will give up 10 penalties a night and Habs will lose .. in fact next season it is likely they don't even make playoffs .. but it works for playoff hockey

 

[HamiltonNHL]

you can add a Caufield skill to that mix but even he has breakaway speed too as we saw him take McNabb to da woodshed last night

So impressive.

 

[Drytoast]

Absolutely we should. Would ANYONE in Leafs nation be upset if we got to watch a team severely OVER ACHIEVE through hard work perseverance and the will to compete?! I literally just described the Gilmour era early 90's Leafs. My favorite team to watch btw (with the exception of this team in the regular season)

The problem here is we are building and coaching a team around high octane talent. (the big 4) The solution after some though is Sheldon Keefe. He's a nice guy but the wrong coach for us. Clearly.

The issue here is work ethic and the strive to play as a team in a system that works. The solution is to get our hands on a Trotz kind of coach and have him force us to play with a defense first mantra...opting instead to capitalize in turn overs and an understanding that the big 4 are not more important than anyone else on the team.

Of course we are going to stick with Sheldon because we think that at some point the big 4 will learn to finally sacrifice and compete in the post season...but I don't see that happening. Matthews will not figure this out until his next contract...MAYBE...and by then I'm 50/50 he remains in Toronto.

 

[Garthinater]

I'll never forgive him that he knee'ed Tavares that way and shut down Matthews & Marner after that. Unforgivable.

Beautiful strawman.

Where did I say dubas kneed tavares or that he stopped matthews and marner from scoring?

The dubas fan boys are going further and further off the edge with each desperate attempt to deflect blame from their prized stats nerd.

Kyle assembled the team. He chose who gets to wear the blue and white. He chose how much to pay them. Kyle's actions have led us to 3 first round exits. That is garbage for someone who inherited a 105 point team.

Dubas needs to be fired before he does any further damage.

 

[BlueForever75]

The difference in between the Leafs and Habs are 2 things:

1. Carey
2. Price

Its the only reason Montreal is where they are and the Leafs are thinking what could have been. This in no way is to derail what we have in Campbell because he did not cost us the series. But when you look at advanced stats across the 3 series that Montreal has won to this point. The Leafs outplayed and outworked Montreal in every aspect of the game. The sole piece where they came up short, was beating Price. He made big save after big save for Montreal, which turned the tide in every game that Montreal won.

People want to harp on what our top line didnt do. Look at the stats people. They played better than any other top line Montreal has faced this playoff, and by a large margin.

Price stole the series its simple as that. Montreal since then has played simple team hockey, alot of trap hockey, and counter attack the mistakes of the opposition. In short, they are playing New Jersey Devils type hockey. Its working to their credit, and that is the only credit I will give them.

As a Leaf fan I will never cheer for Montreal. Its against everything we stand for. But in the end, they are succeeding and took us out. They can thank the heavens that Price is on their team. And that is the only credit they will get.

 

[Garthinater]

Bergey followed a simple formula which works for playoff hockey .. best tender you can get .. surrounded by big tough mean defenders who only let other teams play on perimeter with 1 guy with a cannon .. and fast forwards who have breakaway speed with some bigger fore checkers .. you can add a Caufield skill to that mix but even he has breakaway speed too as we saw him take McNabb to da woodshed last night .. bottom line it works .. it maybe painful to watch for some of you but it has always worked .. and Bergey has done it inside CAP .. bottom line in a free wheeling possession NHL game under regular season rules it struggles because it will give up 10 penalties a night and Habs will lose .. in fact next season it is likely they don't even make playoffs .. but it works for playoff hockey

Were you the one who told us during the regular season that Montreal had good defense men?

If so, you were right.

 

[deprw]

Beautiful strawman.

Where did I say dubas kneed tavares or that he stopped matthews and marner from scoring?

The dubas fan boys are going further and further off the edge with each desperate attempt to deflect blame from their prized stats nerd.

Kyle assembled the team. He chose who gets to wear the blue and white. He chose how much to pay them. Kyle's actions have led us to 3 first round exits. That is garbage for someone who inherited a 105 point team.

What I see comical here are Dubas haters at the moment. Same moaning bullshit, because they're life is so miserable that everything falls apart after their drops out from Stanley Cup playoffs.

Simple solutions for complicated problems etc. People act like Lou or Bergevin had some sort of masterplan. We maybe made mistake with Simmonds instead of Perry etc. But this team was good enough to win that series and didn't deliver. I don't know how to pin that collapse after 3-1 on Dubas that built that team that went 3-1 and won the division.

Next season we have chance to contend and our core can still develop. We won three games against Canadiens. Jets and Vegas combined 2 wins. Fire Sakic etc. because of Canadiens.

 

[Drytoast]

The difference in between the Leafs and Habs are 2 things:

1. Carey
2. Price

Its the only reason Montreal is where they are and the Leafs are thinking what could have been. This in no way is to derail what we have in Campbell because he did not cost us the series. But when you look at advanced stats across the 3 series that Montreal has won to this point. The Leafs outplayed and outworked Montreal in every aspect of the game. The sole piece where they came up short, was beating Price. He made big save after big save for Montreal, which turned the tide in every game that Montreal won.

People want to harp on what our top line didnt do. Look at the stats people. They played better than any other top line Montreal has faced this playoff, and by a large margin.

Price stole the series its simple as that. Montreal since then has played simple team hockey, alot of trap hockey, and counter attack the mistakes of the opposition. In short, they are playing New Jersey Devils type hockey. Its working to their credit, and that is the only credit I will give them.

As a Leaf fan I will never cheer for Montreal. Its against everything we stand for. But in the end, they are succeeding and took us out. They can thank the heavens that Price is on their team. And that is the only credit they will get.

It's not Carey Price. It's deeper than that. We are on our what? 5th year now with the Matthews era and this core has yet to have won a game that mattered. That's beyond deeper than Price alone.

 

[Garthinater]

What I see comical here are Dubas haters at the moment. Same moaning bullshit, because they're life is so miserable that everything falls apart after their drops out from Stanley Cup playoffs.

Simple solutions for complicated problems etc. People act like Lou or Bergevin had some sort of masterplan. We maybe made mistake with Simmonds instead of Perry etc. But this team was good enough to win that series and didn't deliver. I don't know how to pin that collapse after 3-1 on Dubas that built that team that went 3-1 and won the division.

Next season we have chance to contend and our core can still develop. We won three games against Canadiens. Jets and Vegas combined 2 wins. Fire Sakic etc. because of Canadiens.

How many first round exits do we need before you're willing to fire dubas?

Results >> anything else.

The dubas fan boys like to list all the amazing things dubas has done and yet we still can't win a single round.

The nhl is a results oriented business. You don't get brownie points for trying hard.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Were you the one who told us during the regular season that Montreal had good defense men?

If so, you were right.

Yes very true I said Habs and Leafs were 2 best teams and Jets were next best .. Habs made a brilliant move trading/signing Edmunston cheap .. it gave them da fearsome 4some .. now like I said before season started they will not be quite as good in regular season because a ton of what they do gets penalized in regular season hockey but in playoffs it is allowed ..

to me da Tampa formula is only one our Leafs have a chance to emulate now .. but it will require trading of Mitch to get er done .. as we stand today it is impossible to fix with our CAP