Morgan Rielly "It's stanley cup or bust. I think that’s how our group feels. Anything short of that will be a failure."

[FerrisRox]

Uhm... You do realize Rielly came before any of the Edmonton core, right? And Marner in the same draft as McDavid. Nylander the same draft as Draisaitl. Matthews only 1 year after McDavid. Bouchard after all of them. Yes, based on average age of all players, the Oilers are an older team, but it's pretty disingenuous to suggest the Leafs are just entering contender status and ignore that the Oilers are already there and have been competitive for years prior to now.

I didn't even bother pointing this out because it's just such a ridiculous claim that what's the point in even telling him, he already knows he's making it up.

The best part is, he made this claim in response to a post where I told him that he just "can't make things up."

that is the goal and it has to be for as long as Matthews is on this team

Agreed.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Odd. Youd think the goal would be 2nd round or bust.

 

[Lshap]

It's easy to dunk on Toronto, but most of their playoff losses have been hard-fought and gone the distance. How much closer can a series get than OT in game 7?

I hate to say it, but I can see them getting over that hump, because the hump isn't really that big.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Bust it is then.

 

[WarriorofTime]

It's easy to dunk on Toronto, but most of their playoff losses have been hard-fought and gone the distance. How much closer can a series get than OT in game 7?

I hate to say it, but I can see them getting over that hump, because the hump isn't really that big.

It's mental gymanastics to believe "almost" winning a series is the functional equivalent of winning a series and thus they've already effectively won a lot of series. The reality is they're 1-8 in Playoff Series in the extended era of Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Rielly all being there, and 24-33 (.421) in Playoff games as a whole, and their peak as a unit is 5 playoff wins in a single postseason. For comparison, another Non-Cup Winner in those years, Boston is 7-8 in Playoff Series.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Sorry, would you prefer the discussion on the oreo cookie over the hockey discussion?
In the same way the Senators have avoided saying playoffs are the goal, the Leafs have done the same with the cup. It's nice to see them come out and say it for once

It has been said, just not a thread on the main boards.
This and the Oreo thread should be moved to leafs board.

Next main board thread by virus, will be, Matthews likes chicken parm for lunches.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

By what a few games? Until recently the Oilers embarrassed themselves in round 1 each year outside of beating a bad ducks team.

Next level cope

 

[Based Anime Fan]

The leafs are this generation's Joe Thornton led San Jose Sharks. I do expect they will make a deep run at some point, but that team isn't built for playoff success and it starts at the top of the lineup. I know that is probably hard to swallow as a leaf's fan but its the reality. They need to shake that team up before their young assets all have a losing stain attached.

Not really, the Sharks won more than 1 series in 8 years. Not even close.

 

[Golden_Jet]

And with their grand total of a single playoff series win since 2016, it’s easy to see why they think they are contenders.

2004 actually

 

[Jumptheshark]

So pretty much what the oilers said last September. They had a banner made up if I am not mistaken

 

[AvroArrow]

They're not making the Cup Final this year. The window will re-open after this season is over and Tavares 11M albatross comes off the books.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Not really, the Sharks won more than 1 series in 8 years. Not even close.

They were also perennial division winners 4 years straight, and had higher expectations. The leafs haven't really dominated the regular season very consistently to have high expectations from anybody but their own fans.

 

[FerrisRox]

Marner the worst of them all was memorial cup MVP and an absolute warrior. What happened to that spirit?

Maybe it's a lot easier to be a warrior when you're not playing in fear.

Marner quite obviously does not like to be hit, does not like to go to traffic, does not like to engage physically and does not like to battle beyond lifting sticks.

When the playoffs start, the game gets a lot more physical and battles have a lot more tenacity. Some players rise to the occasion and other players wilt.

Being a "warrior" in Junior hockey is a lot different than stepping up your game to play at the intensity level of the NHL playoffs.

 

[HockeyVirus]

If Tanev is playing Reilly minutes no shot.

Huge Tanev fan but if they pair him with Reilly to play big minutes he won’t be able to skate by the playoffs.

What does this even mean? IS it trying to say Rielly is so terrible defensively Tanev will break down trying to cover for him? I'll give you props for an interesting chirp there, but that is not based in reality. Rielly is pretty reliable defensively.

 

[FerrisRox]

If this was any other team nobody would care. But because it’s the Leafs the haters will jump on it.

How can anyone critique an athlete for wanting to win?

Especially when that athlete, Reilly, has been one of the few guys in that group that has stepped up his play and risen to the intensity of post-season hockey.

 

[SomeDude]

When does the predict a teams season with a gif thread drop?

 

[FerrisRox]

Felt exactly the same way with the Oilers when Campell was thier number 1 goalie. How did that work out?

Well, they didn't win a Cup, but the Oilers have won four playoff rounds since signing Campbell for the 2022-23 season.

To tabulate the Leafs winning four playoff rounds, I have to combine the last 22 seasons.

One seems considerably less embarrassing than the other.

 

[FerrisRox]

They’ll crumble like an Oreo

If you dip an Oreo in milk, it doesn't crumble, it just gets all soggy.

 

[Sky04]

Nah their biggest obstacle is still making the 2nd round, one step at a time Morgy.

 

[Bouboumaster]

1st round Exit, that's what's on the menu for the Laffs

 

[Suntouchable13]

Riley is the only one who showed some accountability at least. I don’t think the others care, quite frankly. They care about making the most money. None of them know what accountability is. Berube is going to be very frustrated coaching this group.

 

[Lshap]

It's mental gymanastics to believe "almost" winning a series is the functional equivalent of winning a series and thus they've already effectively won a lot of series. The reality is they're 1-8 in Playoff Series in the extended era of Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Rielly all being there, and 24-33 (.421) in Playoff games as a whole, and their peak as a unit is 5 playoff wins in a single postseason. For comparison, another Non-Cup Winner in those years, Boston is 7-8 in Playoff Series.

Obviously, we're not debating past results. This thread is about potential future results.

Do eight years of 'almosts' make the Leafs more motivated to change the past, or are they simply doomed to keep repeating their pattern? I'm not a believer in pre-destiny. At some point I believe they'll make a decent run. Whether it's the group's maturing mindset or just plain puck-luck, I don't see how this roster can continue losing early every year (although, as a rival fan, nothing would please me more!).

 

[oldwpgjet]

Such a stupid statement ( Morgan Reilly) that I was impelled to come on to it just to laugh at it , gaining traffic I think just for that reason. I skipped about 8 other pages of people laughing. Talk has been cheap for a long time,( decades perhaps) lets just say shut up until you put up.

 

[Lshap]

Riley is the only one who showed some accountability at least. I don’t think the others care, quite frankly. They care about making the most money. None of them know what accountability is. Berube is going to be very frustrated coaching this group.

As a Habs fan, I have a grudging respect for Rielly. He's been punching above his weight as the Leafs' #1D for a dozen years and usually brings it in the playoffs.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Rielly should've been captain, not that he's a great player or anything, but he's vet in that room and the players seem to respect him. The Leafs are going to take a big step back this year with Matthews as captain, he's the biggest reason for their lack of success in the playoffs and they reward him with the "C" for it while slapping milk and cookies on their helmet.