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

[Stonehands1990]

Outside of Makar and Hamilton, who is part of an effective PP?

I should have been clearer. My point was that guys shooting from the point aren't effective. Peak Leafs PP was Marner throwing the puck to the front of the net and having JVR/Kadri/Bozak whack away.

The leafs currently use Nylander and Tavares. Nylander doesn't touch the puck unless it goes behind the net. Tavares doesn't touch the puck at all.

Think of it this way. If there’s a player on the ice who you know will never shoot the puck, how do you think opposing teams game plan for that? And how do you think that affects our current PP?

 

[IPS]

Outside of Makar and Hamilton, who is part of an effective PP?

I should have been clearer. My point was that guys shooting from the point aren't effective. Peak Leafs PP was Marner throwing the puck to the front of the net and having JVR/Kadri/Bozak whack away.

The leafs currently use Nylander and Tavares. Nylander doesn't touch the puck unless it goes behind the net. Tavares doesn't touch the puck at all.

What are you talking about? Every team respects those guys' threat from the point. Do you seriously think opposing coaches don't tell their players to pay good attention to a guy like Burns' threat from the point. It's not about the shot itself being threatening - it's about having an alternate weapon to open up space for the other players on the ice and having the right guy in front of the net.

A good point shot with the right guy in front of the net is absolutely a viable threat and the Leafs do not have it.

 

[Stonehands1990]

What are you talking about? Every team respects those guys' threat from the point. Do you seriously think opposing coaches don't tell their players to pay good attention to a guy like Burns' threat from the point. It's not about the shot itself being threatening - it's about having an alternate weapon to open up space for the other players on the ice and having the right guy in front of the net.

A good point shot with the right guy in front of the net is absolutely a viable threat and the Leafs do not have it.

This is exactly what I meant. I think people mistake goals from the point with threat from the point. A tip shot or rebound is still a goal

Opposing teams already know just cheat to 34 & 16. 44 only has 2 plays in his repertoire

 

[3blizzard4]

Watching today’s game reminded me of the deep contrast between regular season and playoffs. Even though both teams (BOS/WAS) had Powerplays….man there was immense pressure on the puck from the D.

Guaranteed MON will be physical with Matthews and Marner.

Our PP is already bad. MON will pressure the puck carrier and not even give us a chance to setup and do our Mickey Mouse plays. I say get the puck on net from the point and dig for rebounds.

 

[jaric1862]

Leafs vs Habs is going to be the most physical first round series. We are objectively the more talented team and their team has is full of guys who like to mix it up. The Leafs also have a lot to prove in terms of ooking to prove that they're different than previous seasons, when they were pushed around in the playoffs.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Watching today’s game reminded me of the deep contrast between regular season and playoffs. Even though both teams (BOS/WAS) had Powerplays….man there was immense pressure on the puck from the D.

Guaranteed MON will be physical with Matthews and Marner.

Our PP is already bad. MON will pressure the puck carrier and not even give us a chance to setup and do our Mickey Mouse plays. I say get the puck on net from the point and dig for rebounds.

Good thing we're really good 5 on 5 too then.

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

Leafs need to come out of the gate controlling the puck. Habs will do some sneaky dirty shit but we have Simmonds, Foligno and Thornton to keep them in check.

Matthews and Marner need to fire on all cylinders.

 

[Kiwi]

That's a very level headed approach.

However, if this team doesn't get past the Habs, it's time to admit this isn't the right core and start making some fairly significant changes.

Tampa could have done that after the Columbus debacle, they didn't and it paid off

I'm willing to start talking trades if the team doesn't show, if it does cooler heads should prevail and we should go with this core next season

Don't make critical decisions based on emotion

 

[Kiwi]

Nope not for this team. Price standing on his head will not be a legitimate excuse. You don't pay guys like JT, Matthews, and Marner ~11M+ to be blanked by goalies and continue the trend of not getting out of the first round. Especially when this will be our weakest first round opponent yet.

Good on you if you'll be able to stay cool. If we lose to the Habs for any reason but *knock on wood* tough injury luck I will not and I'd want to see some big changes from Dubas. If this team can't even make it out of the first round in this scenario the team is deeply flawed and just isn't built for playoff hockey.

Last year's cup winners could have done exactly what your wanting, the didn't which is why the won last season

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Unfortunately it won't take a miracle to beat the Leafs. Campbell is south of .890 sv% in his last 4 games and 3 of those were against the Habs. He has been weak 6 of the last 12 games. If you want to pile on and blame a couple of those on the skaters fine but he doesn't inspire much confidence in me. He has been Jekyll and Hyde this year which is fine when he is replacing Andersen who is Hyde all the time but there are a whole bunch of goalies who are going into the playoffs hot rather than backing in. He needs to find another gear or it is no different than the last few playoffs where they only lose the goaltending battle but that costs them the series. I don't see any options now and this team has shown the ability to limit chances like it hasn't in years so I think they have a good shot to get by but Campbell has to pick it up.

Honestly people...

Campbell had two sub .900 games in his last 8, which is right after his 4 bad games in the middle of April. He's 6-1-1 in that timeframe (2-1-1 in his last 4).

There is Jake Allen's record in his last 8 games. Safe to say that he has done much worse than Campbell. 3-3-1 record.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

This is exactly what I meant. I think people mistake goals from the point with threat from the point. A tip shot or rebound is still a goal

Opposing teams already know just cheat to 34 & 16. 44 only has 2 plays in his repertoire

Applies to everyone on PP1 right now. Watch Sandin's games on the top PP. Exact same motions Rielly has made: 1) Pass to Marner; 2) Occasionally pass to Matthews. I assume those are the two plays to which you are referring. They occasionally mix in a shot from the point for a tip or a rebound, but that is rare and usually is only done as a last resort (which is what frustrates people).

Compare that to last game without Marner. Rielly took 3 shots from the point and all three led to either tips or dangerous opportunities in front of the net. He looked a lot more confident and free to use his strengths (mainly his feet but also an accurate wrister which is great for tips and rebounds). If teams leave Rielly open on the point, and he is actually trusted to use his feet and shot for more than just a last resort, then teams will have to respect him. Especially when you have Tavares in the high slot with excellent hands for tips and Nylander banging at rebounds. If teams want to cheat on our flanks, then let Rielly/Tavares/Nylander go to work. We are just running through the same weak link over and over again (Marner) and he is not figuring it out in the situations that he is finding himself in.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

I see some folks are on edge that Campbell hasn’t made one big save in this series yet.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Tampa could have done that after the Columbus debacle, they didn't and it paid off

I'm willing to start talking trades if the team doesn't show, if it does cooler heads should prevail and we should go with this core next season

Don't make critical decisions based on emotion

Sorry, but I don’t agree. Tampa didn’t make drastic changes because they had gone deep in previous seasons, we haven’t. I’m not even sure getting by Montreal but then losing to Edmonton will be good enough. I think it’s put up or shut up time with this core.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Sorry, but I don’t agree. Tampa didn’t make drastic changes because they had gone deep in previous seasons, we haven’t. I’m not even sure getting by Montreal but then losing to Edmonton will be good enough. I think it’s put up or shut up time with this core.

Yeah trade Mitch Marner cause your feelings are hurt and then spend another 20 years waiting for another Mitch Marner...and people think that is the way to win. It is hilarious really.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Last year's cup winners could have done exactly what your wanting, the didn't which is why the won last season

But had they gone out in the 1st hound 3 years in a row?

 

[Captain Crunch]

Yeah trade Mitch Marner cause your feelings are hurt and then spend another 20 years waiting for another Mitch Marner...and people think that is the way to win. It is hilarious really.

Or they can continue to prove Einstein’s saying: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
Also, where did I say they should trade Marner?
Regardless, if they don’t get out of the North, I believe changes will have to be made. If it takes trading Marner, then so be it, if it will help us get to where we want to be.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Good teams get beaten by worse teams because a goaltender stood on his head, I'm not going to lose my mind because Price has a miracle left in him

So you’re saying you’d be okay with us going out in the 1st round because the other goalie stood on his head for the 2nd straight year (not to mention 3 straight years of going out in the 1st round, followed by not even making the playoffs last year)??? If that’s the case, maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to spend half the team’s cap on 4 forwards.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

But had they gone out in the 1st hound 3 years in a row?

*4

 

[Captain Crunch]

*4

Last year they didn’t make the playoffs (and I’m a huge Leafs fan, but facts are facts, winning the play-in round last season meant you were in the playoffs, and losing them meant that you did not make the playoffs).

 

[egd27]

Tampa could have done that after the Columbus debacle, they didn't and it paid off

TBL have been to the Final Four in 4 of the past 6 seasons. I don't think citing them as an example is much of an apples to apples comparison.

 

[saltming]

Watching today’s game reminded me of the deep contrast between regular season and playoffs. Even though both teams (BOS/WAS) had Powerplays….man there was immense pressure on the puck from the D.

Guaranteed MON will be physical with Matthews and Marner.

Our PP is already bad. MON will pressure the puck carrier and not even give us a chance to setup and do our Mickey Mouse plays. I say get the puck on net from the point and dig for rebounds.

Funny but when I was watching I was thinking how slow Bo's and the Caps looked.
I agree that Mtl will try to be physical with us but I think we are heavier than them.
When we get out of the north it will be interesting to see how we play the slower bigger teams should we face one or more of them
Agreed tha

 

[egd27]

I agree that Mtl will try to be physical with us but I think we are heavier than them.

Which is why Galch will likely be one of the odd men out in place of Hyman & Foligno in the Top 6

 

[saltming]

Which is why Galch will likely be one of the odd men out in place of Hyman & Foligno in the Top 6

Agreed

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Can anyone who is posting on the mainboards series thread share with me the appeal of discussing in a mainboards playoffs thread? Any critical thought applied to anything is responded with hoards of comments about "playoff series win lolllll". It's not even entertaining trash talk it's just all the same shit over and over. What is your attitude going into it and posting and the reaction you get from the replies that actually brings a positive element into your life?

 

[stopclickbait]

Yeah trade Mitch Marner cause your feelings are hurt and then spend another 20 years waiting for another Mitch Marner...and people think that is the way to win. It is hilarious really.

Yup the patience with some is funny the core is so young still look what a young Tampa team went through in there early years. Fans like that should honestly cheer for Montreal they love trading their game breakers and settling for mediocrity. Winning a round here and there with BargainBin as their GM