Maybe we should give the Habs some credit.

[Blowfish]

I agree but what would you do

Matthews traded for stud D man. Dubas won't need to give up assets in the trade or retain salary.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

but with 2 wingers it is impossible to fix

This.

 

[horner]

But, but, trading everyone except Matthews and Brodie is the only way to win!!

It is really wild how we forget how long it takes some winning teams to…become…winning teams. This list below is imperfect and I am sure y’all will “what about” it to death, but I think the point stands. It takes a little while to win most of the time.

Sid’s Penguins 4 years
Ovi’s Caps 12 years
Bergeron + Marchand’s Bruins 6 years
Doughty + Kopitar + Brown’s King’s 7 years
Kane + Toews Chicago 3-4 years
Petro + Tarasenko + O’Reilly Blues 10ish years
Kuch + Stamkos + Hedman + Vasi Lightning 8-10 years (sans Point)

Average ~ 7 years.

AM+WN+MM = 5 years.

Again, this is like a random list based on what I recall and I am not looking up the actual years. It is just to say that it takes longer to win in the NHL than it does in other sports.

The leafs sucked and have shown little to no progression, which is totally alarming and perhaps makes this all an apples-to-orange comparison, but I am not *quite* ready to give up on the core after 5 years.

Kane and Toews went the conference final there second yr against Detroit.

Sid and Malkin went to the finals there 2nd yr.

Ovechkin plaed 14 playoff games his his 3 rd season.

Yzerman went to the 1987 conference finals his 3rd season

It's not about winning the cup

We haven't won a round.

 

[Suntouchable13]

They could have been there instead of the Habs, but the top guys are unwilling to pay the price.

 

[Seras]

It's funny to me that MTL needed to beat Vegas before a few people even thought another team could beat the leafs vs them just losing, like they somehow win everything unless they lose to some terrible team of idiots with the other team doing anything.

Then again, many will still feel this way even if MTL were to win the cup, must be something to do with anonymity, or I was born too long ago to understand this.

 

[Trapper]

It's funny to me that MTL needed to beat Vegas before a few people even thought another team could beat the leafs vs them just losing, like they somehow win everything unless they lose to some terrible team of idiots with the other team doing anything.

Then again, many will still feel this way even if MTL were to win the cup, must be something to do with anonymity, or I was born too long ago to understand this.

I’ve come to realize around here that the Leafs can beat any team, Winnipeg, Vegas, Tampa, except for the team they are playing.

 

[Pookie]

After barely squeaking into the playoffs yet again this year, the Habs have accomplished more in the past month than the Leafs have in 54 years.
54 f***ing years.

Yep.

Which is why anyone that says "we were so close, we almost beat Montreal"... well, they need a kick in the berries and to hand in their jersey. We don't need you here in Leaf Nation.

 

[mikeo1]

Young guns on ELCs playing to prove themselves > RFAs signed to bloated contracts before they ever accomplished anything.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Kane and Toews went the conference final there second yr against Detroit.

Sid and Malkin went to the finals there 2nd yr.

It's not about winning a cup.

We haven't won a round.

It's funny how Shanny always talks about Stevie Y and Ovie...but neglects to talk about Toews and Crosby. There is no 'Just be patient' guarantee in Hockey.

 

[Racer88]

I’ve come to realize around here that the Leafs can beat any team, Winnipeg, Vegas, Tampa, except for the team they are playing.

Isn’t that the truth

 

[myleafs]

Anyone that thinks the Habs team is better than any of the teams they beat including the Leafs is living a pipe dream. Toronto, Winnipeg and Vegas are all better teams than the Habs. Their goalie and the ability to have 1 line that shutdown the best offensive players of the season are what got the Habs there. Not their team as a whole.

They had luck go their way many of times since the first game against Toronto. Knocking Tavares out of the series, and then to go onto 2nd round knocking Winnipeg's best player out for the series (thank you Parros, he will get a ring for that one). Its not that hard for a team to win like the Habs are when they are letting in less than a goal average since game 5 against the Leafs.

We arent talking about crap teams they beat!!! Toronto, Winnipeg and Vegas all boasted top offences (top 5). All had great goaltenders going into the playoffs. Vegas arguably has the best D in the league.

They simply have won on the shoulders of Carey Price, and playing a very boring style of hockey to get there. Making the other team make mistakes and counting on Price to bail them out on theirs like he has all playoffs.

You want work ethic, you want team play. Look at what the Islanders are doing and have been doing all season. They deserve to be where they are. Montreal has been nothing but lucky this whole playoff, and it would be a shame to watch a team as such hoist the cup. Who ever comes out of tonights game deserves the cup more so than Montreal does. They are teams, and legitimate Cup contenders.

But I will say it again, good on Montreal fans to have their team still where they are and heading. But enjoy this Cinderella story. Cause this is exactly what it is. I really hope they win it this year because they wont have a hope in hell once the cap starts to move and teams are playing outside of these pandemic parameters.

Not a chance.

We are totally watching a different Habs team. The Habs team I've been watching has earned all the success they have had so far in these playoffs imho. They certainly haven't looked like a team that is only in it because of their goalie.

And who cares if they don't make the playoffs next yr if they win this year. Where do I sign up?

 

[Gallagbi]

We are totally watching a different Habs team. The Habs team I've been watching has earned all the success they have had so far in these playoffs imho. They certainly haven't looked like a team that is only in it because of their goalie.

And who cares if they don't make the playoffs next yr if they win this year. Where do I sign up?

They didn't look great vs the Leafs, but they've impressed in the last 2 series controlling much more of the play.

 

[meefer]

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

I'm taking a moment to appreciate this. Well said.

 

[Stonehands1990]

Kane and Toews went the conference final there second yr against Detroit.

Sid and Malkin went to the finals there 2nd yr.

It's not about winning a cup.

We haven't won a round.

Any minute now someone is gonna use the Tampa example without doing their homework

 

[keonsbitterness]

Any minute now someone is gonna use the Tampa example without doing their homework

Reminds me of Brian Burke's reaction when someone asked him about the Pittsburgh rebuild.

"The Pittsburgh model? They won a goddamn lottery!"

 

[mydnyte]

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?

you are like a flickering light bulb... I think my mental gymnastics was too much for you to comprehend

 

[Suntouchable13]

There are lessons to be learned here. You have to play as a team. The Leafs are still way too individualistic, IMO.

 

[Cecithepylon]

I hope Tampa wins in 6. Habs lose in Montreal
Revenge of the six

 

[AvroArrow]

Young guns on ELCs playing to prove themselves > RFAs signed to bloated contracts before they ever accomplished anything.

This should be pinned to the top.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

There are lessons to be learned here. You have to play as a team. The Leafs are still way too individualistic, IMO.

How can they not be though? Think about it...you have the 'Rich' guys making up 50% of the cap and then 16 players fighting over the rest. That does not make the other 16 guys exactly want to go through a wall and put their body on the line for the top dogs to get even more money next contract.

Just like society has killed the middle class off deeming them to be unimportant...so have the Leafs Management.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

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.

Habs hit perfectly on their 10M investment. This playoffs we were .5/3 (as JT was injured game 1)

 

[ottomaddox]

Goodbye and good riddance.

Thanks to all the turn coats, jellyfish, and Habs trolls for making this thread possible.

 

[hfman]

Well I guess that's it for the

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAbs

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

The most nauseating playoffs in recent memory. Next time I hear about Montreal Canadiens it'll be too soon.

 

[Alamo Leafer]

As the 2nd most hated team for me, I will give them credit for having Carey Price on the team, F the rest