Series Talk: North Division Round 1: Leafs (1) vs. Canadiens (4)

[Gallagbi]

The 2019 Blues are 2 years removed from a Stanley Cup & the last Montreal win was 1993 (27 years ago).

Both Montreal and Winnipeg are below the Blues in the overall standings. Leafs might face both teams in round #1 and round #2.

Colorado or Vegas are the 2 clear Cup favourites this year, so any teams they face will be a mismatch, so I'll grant you that on a technicality. .

However I would be very nervous is this were a Leafs vs Blues 1st round matchup as ST. Louis is a proven recent winner, so that track record of knowing what it takes to win it all against our Leafs who haven't won a playoff round in 16 year would not give me much confidence. STL record is what it is because they had to play Avs and Knights 9-10 times each this year. Our Leafs never played any teams better than them this regular season.

Worth noting that STL has turned over 3/4 of their top 4 Dmen from that Cup win and relief heavily on AP and JBo during that run, both of which are gone.

Let's not pretend this is the same Blues team.

 

[zeke]

It's so painfully obvious, especially Habs fans that live in the GTA.

And I know dozens of them. They never, ever talk about how much they hate the Bruins, just always taking jabs at the Leafs lol. Even the when the Bruins choked against the Blackhawks and Blues in the cup finals, never a peep from them, no celebration, taunting...nothing lol.

Leafs losing to Columbus in the first round though? They go nuts lol.

It's great really - every time they insist that they REALLY DONT CARE about the leafs and ITS THE BRUINS they care about you can hear the tears.

The actual truth is that us Leafs fans don't actually hate the Habs very much - heck, myself, I actually like them and root for them and wish they were better than bergevin.

The Bruins? I hate them so damn much. I want nothing but the worst for them.

 

[zeke]

Worth noting that STL has turned over 3/4 of their top 4 Dmen from that Cup win. Let's not pretend this is the same Blues team

Really interesting seeing an organization that seemed to be geniuses completely muck everything up so badly so quickly. Shows you how much luck there is with winning cups - especially surprise winners like the Blues.

 

[tom leafers]

Worth noting that STL has turned over 3/4 of their top 4 Dmen from that Cup win and relief heavily on AP and JBo during that run, both of which are gone.

Let's not pretend this is the same Blues team.

dam i completely forgot about Jbo lol.

 

[CDN24]

Oh man, those matchups against the Nordiques were something else! The atmosphere in those playoffs ... it's just so unfortunate that that team no longer exists. Now that was a rivalry!!

Rarely good in the same year - yeah that's unfortunately true, also very diplomatic of you considering it was usually the Habs that were a good team while the Leafs were missing the playoffs. But no matter how bad the Leafs were, we always got up to play MTL.

My biggest hope for the near future for any team other then the Leafs is for MTL to be good enough to make the playoffs in coming years so that maybe we can meet again in the playoffs.

Good luck in these playoffs. May the best team win (by best team I mean the Leafs, natch).

Your son is a Leaf fan!

Yep a Leafs fan. I'm from Qc but we live in Ottawa. His rationale is good. Can't be a sens fan because they suck, Can't cheer for a team who have a toilet seat for a logo, has to be a cdn fan so Leafs it is. He wears his Matthews jersey for every game.

I will be cheering for the worst team, I actually think the Leafs have a legit shot this year. Should come out of North and I think they can beat anyone in rd 3 or 4. Be nice if someone else knocked of Bruins first. Not that you can't beat them but it would be nice to avoid the head games. Really this year its hard to know who is good with only divisional play

 

[ACC1224]

‘99 was my favourite year as a Leaf fan. First year with tickets and they go to the ECF.
It’ll be a touch bitter sweet if they were to win this year and we couldn’t attend the games.

 

[bretpatrick7]

As a Hab fan, I’m cheering for you guys to completely dominate us in 4 games. I want my coach fired, my GM fired, and my president to f*** off. Don’t even give us a single chance in any of the games - we have no business being in the playoffs (and this, at least two years in a f***ing row, if not way more) and this shit show has got to stop.

And PLEASE, destroy the Oilers in the second round. I can’t f***ing stand them. And beat the f***ing States (bring back the Cup where it belongs, here in Canada). I stand loyal to my country (minus the Edmonton Oilers).

Just win.

He isn't, he's a puppet

 

[BudForLife]

Was really hoping to watch some of these playoff games on a patio but Ford just extended the lockdown until June 2nd

You will. It just won't be Leafs/Habs.

You'll watch Leafs/Oilers on the patio

 

[Byron Bitz]

You will. It just won't be Leafs/Habs.

You'll watch Leafs/Oilers on the patio

They’re probably gonna extend the lockdown again.

 

[Morbo]

Got a big kick over on the main board series thread....Habs fans and Leafs fans arguing who is better - Hyman or Gallagher. I mean....they're arguing over whether the Habs best forward is better than our 4th/5th best? Good times!

Minus teams usually don't make the playoffs. The Leafs are being given a gift here and I hope they realize that.

 

[zeke]

Minus teams usually don't make the playoffs. The Leafs are being given a gift here and I hope they realize that.

actually 2-3 do every year. habs and preds both did this year. blues just broke even.

last year the Isles, preds, and flames were all minus teams and finsihed top-8 in their conferences.

 

[nsleaf]

It's been a long time coming, last Leaf to score against Habs in the playoffs..........Dan Maloney.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Leafs can't have that deer in the headlights look the first time something bad happens. WE have seen that too many times in the past.

 

[Morbo]

actually 2-3 do every year. habs and preds both did this year. blues just broke even.

None made it in 18/19, 17/18, and only 1 in 16/17.

The last time 2 minus teams made the postseason was 15/16.

last year the Isles, preds, and flames were all minus teams and finsihed top-8 in their conferences.

cool.

 

[zeke]

None made it in 18/19, 17/18, and only 1 in 16/17.

The last time 2 minus teams made the postseason was 15/16.

and last year.

 

[Morbo]

so 2 years = "acckkshually 2-3 make it every year"

got it

 

[harvestglen]

Anybody else concerned they will have Campbell on too short a leash? I'm sure Campbell will get game 1, but insiders keep expecting Andersen will be relied upon too, and I'm not sure I trust the team to resist doing that sooner than a lot of us would like.

 

[zeke]

If losing to elite opponents is better than beating bad opponents, how promising is losing to a bad opponent last year?

1. CBJ wasn't bad. They were neck and neck with the Leafs in both the standings and in the analytics. They were a legit elite defensive team.

2. The Leafs outplayed them by a healthy margin (though not as big a margin as I wanted).

3. A 5gm play-in series after months off was preseasony weirdness that caused all sorts of weird results that we've seen this year were obvious flukes.

Leafs have not performed well in the playoffs, saying otherwise is factually wrong.

Simply not true, in every real playoffs series they have actually performed better than the regular season performance suggested they would against those opponents.

At the end of the day you gotta win a round regardless of the opponents, that is what quantify success in the playoffs. Winning games. No more excuses this year.

The only "success" that matters in the playoffs is winning the cup.

Beyond that, "winning" other games is much less important than playing well relative to the quality of opponent.

This should be perfectly clear this year now - the playoffs "success" of teams like VAN and MTL last year were meaningless, and the people that thought it meant something look really dumb now, including those teams' own management.

 

[CanadasTeam]

The atmosphere will definitely not be the same.

I miss the huge crowds at our Maple Leafs Square and what it was like when the Leafs score a goal:

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

I like the composure of the team. They have done a good job all year at holding leads. much improved from years past. The improved veteran leadership and having a solid goaltender is a delight to see as well.
Expectations are high but rightfully so this is a damn good team.

 

[hamzarocks]

Not sure if the leaf fans voting for Habs actually think the leafs will choke this series due to previous years disappointments or are just anti-management and voting for the sake of going against the current core and team.

The leafs won't lose to the Habs. It's not happening.

The talent gap is way to large and we have the vets that will make an impact. Spezza/simmonds/thornton/bogo/muzzin will ensure the leafs stay focused and locked in.

Leafs will beat the Habs quickly then have a good series with the Oilers most likely

 

[ShaneFalco]

Anybody else concerned they will have Campbell on too short a lease? I'm sure Campbell will get game 1, but insiders keep expecting Andersen will be relied upon too, and I'm not sure I trust the team to resist doing that sooner than a lot of us would like.

Yes I definitely am. I have no confidence whatsoever in Andersen

 

[IPS]

Not sure if the leaf fans voting for Habs actually think the leafs will choke this series due to previous years disappointments or are just anti-management

Funny actually. One of the people who voted "Habs in 7" is a very common poster around here who predicted the Leafs would be a ~.500 team going into this year. He's named after a popular breakfast food for any of y'all curious.

 

[hamzarocks]

Funny actually. One of the people who voted "Habs in 7" is a very common poster around here who predicted the Leafs would be a ~.500 team going into this year. He's named after a popular breakfast food for any of y'all curious.

I know who your referencing and honestly last year I shared a fair bit of his/her takes (dubas being overrated, leafs players overrated and overpaid and the team being not good enough).

I can admit I was wrong and the leafs and players performance this year was stellar for the most part. They give us little reason to believe they will choke vs a non playoff quality team (in the regular NHL). The sample size of the leafs dominance this year and vs the Habs is huge. We went what 7-2-1 vs them?

Leafs are overwhelming favorites. They give no inclination that they will be unprepared and choke this year. The team is talented, deep and has a bunch of grizzled savvy vets.

This is the year we should be most optimistic about our team

 

[Gary Nylund]

Anybody else concerned they will have Campbell on too short a lease? I'm sure Campbell will get game 1, but insiders keep expecting Andersen will be relied upon too, and I'm not sure I trust the team to resist doing that sooner than a lot of us would like.

I agree that Campbell should NOT be on a short leash. I just hope these insiders are wrong (as they so often are).

Not sure if the leaf fans voting for Habs actually think the leafs will choke this series due to previous years disappointments or are just anti-management and voting for the sake of going against the current core and team.

The leafs won't lose to the Habs. It's not happening.

The talent gap is way to large and we have the vets that will make an impact. Spezza/simmonds/thornton/bogo/muzzin will ensure the leafs stay focused and locked in.

Leafs will beat the Habs quickly then have a good series with the Oilers most likely

I agree. I don't think I've ever made a prediction before here. I've always said anyone can win etc. and my history with betting on sports has taught me that there are no sure things, it's just a matter of calculating probabilities and so on.

I'm going to break with that tradition now, I will go on record and say that I agree with you. We will not lose this series to the Habs, it's not happening.

Not exactly going out on a limb considering we're solid favourites but whatever.