Simple yes or no poll: Do you think we beat the Habs with Tavares?

[Jimmy Firecracker]

“We lost in 5 to Columbus with Tavares” ignores that the 2020-21 Leafs were better than the 2019-20 Leafs. There was no Brodie last year, Holl was better than last year, late season additions in Galchenyuk and Foligno weren’t there last year.

This team should’ve beat Montreal regardless being up 3-1, but acting like Tavares wouldn’t have shifted the balance is wrong.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

So we've lost the last 2 series with JT but now that we lost him we would've won this time?

Why are so many leaf fans unable to think critically and logically?

I think it comes down to the fact that they can't control their emotions.

I feel the team last year was deeper than the year before.
The additions of Brodie and Bogo were huge
The young core was more lethal (Matthews wins Rocket and second place in Hart)
Campbell was much better than Freddie
The fill ins as depth forward were solid (apart from Thornton).
You can’t say the teams are exactly the same and compare like that. New version was better.

 

[Menzinger]

“We lost in 5 to Columbus with Tavares” ignores that the 2020-21 Leafs were better than the 2019-20 Leafs. There was no Brodie last year, Holl was better than last year, late season additions in Galchenyuk and Foligno weren’t there last year.

This team should’ve beat Montreal regardless being up 3-1, but acting like Tavares wouldn’t have shifted the balance is wrong.

Yep. What happened in the past has not direct relevancy on the particularities of this recent series: different team players different opponent ect.

The fact is 2 of the last 3 games in the series were decided by a single goal. The idea that introducing a 1C could have made zero impact on the outcome of those games doesn't strike me as particularly logical.

One can be upset and disappointed with how the Leafs played (all Leafs fans should feel this way) and at the same time recognize that it's fairly reasonable to think that Tavares would have made a positive impact on the team (ie contributing to a needed goal) if he hadn't been injured in game one.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Do the Habs get Drouin back too?

Sure, but I still think the scales tip in our favor.

 

[Ignatius Reilly]

He would have taken time away from Kerfoot and Spezza.

That's a terrifying thought - because it turns out Kerfoot has been one of our highest producers in terms of P/GP in the Matthews era. Tied with Matthews, just behind Marner. Way ahead of Kadri, who he replaced at a lower cap hit.

Spezza's been pure gold for us.

What an odd way that's all turned out.

 

[darrylsittler27]

We got 1 goal from Mathews and Marner. Odds are he gets his goal in a game we won. Tavares hasn't broken a big game in years. The Islanders got better without him. The Tavares excuse is lame. Pure fantasy.

 

[darrylsittler27]

We got 1 goal from Mathews and Marner. Odds are he gets his goal in a game we won. Tavares hasn't broken a big game in years. The Islanders got better without him. The Tavares excuse is lame. Pure fantasy.

the Leafs are tied to the wrong guy.

 

[HarryLime]

No

can we stop being delusional and just admit this team doesn't work?

no wonder the leaf fans get railed on by everyone (just saw poll results). we always think we're better than we are. JT "the big mute" has done 0 for us in the playoffs but yeah we totally would have won lmao. god i hate this fanbase. just give Montreal their flowers and be humble. Leafs got humbled in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and still you guys always look for excuses. 0 for 5 is 0 for 5.

 

[darrylsittler27]

the Leafs are tied to the wrong guy.

P.s no need to protect him. Kracken would never take him.

 

[KuleminFan41]

Campbell didn't play well in the final 3 games, people keep ignoring that. Game 5 - .867% , Game 6 - .903% , Game 7 .909% you wont win with save percentages that low.

 

[Gallagbi]

Campbell didn't play well in the final 3 games, people keep ignoring that. Game 5 - .867% , Game 6 - .903% , Game 7 .909% you wont win with save percentages that low.

It was a big factor, each of those games we were coming back (or trying) off bad goals against.

Habs didn't get better chances in those games, or more good chances, they just converted on some weaker attempts.

 

[LeafGrief]

Team is broken between the ears and finding a way to lose had next to nothing to do with our roster. We choked against Columbus with Tavares, I don't see why we don't choke with him against Montreal.

As soon as they think they've got a series in the bag they wilt. They completely lack that killer instinct. Add in the fact that Marner turns into a basket case in the playoffs and you can see that they're a recipe for disaster.

The core will have either finally learned their lesson after this defeat, or there will be a cleaning of management and a core adjustment next summer.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Campbell didn't play well in the final 3 games, people keep ignoring that. Game 5 - .867% , Game 6 - .903% , Game 7 .909% you wont win with save percentages that low.

This team is not getting a 10M goalie any time soon, so what do you suggest? If you’re ok with this core staying put, you can’t complain about goaltending.

 

[KuleminFan41]

This team is not getting a 10M goalie any time soon, so what do you suggest? If you’re ok with this core staying put, you can’t complain about goaltending.

In all the talk about how "we would have won if this...", no one wants to talk about how Campbell didn't play well in those final 3 games. That's why I brought it up. If Tavares didn't get hurt, if Kadri didn't get suspended , if Matthews score more etc etc, is all irrelevant when your goalie simply doesn't make timely saves and gives up weak goals, which is what both Andersen and Campbell did. It's not something we can simply ignore because he played well in the first 4 games. At the end of the day, you have to win 4 games, not 3, so whatever he did before game 5 is meaningless. Also, I've suggested giving the net to Campbell and I'm pretty sure I've talked about this when we acquired him as well. But if the rumor of Freddie willing to share the net is true, I think it can work.

 

[Suntouchable13]

In all the talk about how "we would have won if this...", no one wants to talk about how Campbell didn't play well in those final 3 games. That's why I brought it up. If Tavares didn't get hurt, if Kadri didn't get suspended , if Matthews score more etc etc, is all irrelevant when your goalie simply doesn't make timely saves and gives up weak goals, which is what both Andersen and Campbell did. It's not something we can simply ignore because he played well in the first 4 games. At the end of the day, you have to win 4 games, not 3, so whatever he did before game 5 is meaningless. Also, I've suggested giving the net to Campbell and I'm pretty sure I've talked about this when we acquired him as well. But if the rumor of Freddie willing to share the net is true, I think it can work.

Why do you think it will be different all of a sudden? If you roll with Andy and Campbell, why would you suddenly expect a big improvement come playoff time? I expect much of the same.

 

[CelticDruid]

Embarrassing thread.

Could have, would have, and should have.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Thinking the leafs probably win an extremely close series if they have their captain and 1b centre is not a reach.
Thinking Tavares brings nothing positive to the series is certainly a reach.
Nice to see the results of the poll though. Seems like a good portion of the fan base has decided to climb out the hole and start admitting what most of us are feeling.

 

[Enga Olly]

Yes - and we would have swept them. That first game would have been ours and would have steamrolled from there

 

[Fonzieleaf]

No. The fact of the matter is that this is a pretty frail core. Having John healthy wouldn’t have made a difference.

And besides, he’s been there healthy for 2 playoff years and it was still the same result. You need to have that win at all cost mentality and these guys don’t have it. At least not yet.

 

[Racer88]

Campbell didn't play well in the final 3 games, people keep ignoringso that. Game 5 - .867% , Game 6 - .903% , Game 7 .909% you wont win with save percentages that low.

You also won’t win when 2 of your 3, 11 million dollars guys only score 1 goal combines

 

[Aashir]

Campbell didn't play well in the final 3 games, people keep ignoring that. Game 5 - .867% , Game 6 - .903% , Game 7 .909% you wont win with save percentages that low.

Only game I see a problem with is game 5, he had 26-29 before the overtime goal. He could’ve had a better game if it weren’t for a 2-0 thanks to galch, but nonetheless he was not great before that goal.

Game 6, he had 29-31 that’s a .935, if we finish one of our 16 chances, he’s had a good game.

game 7, first goal was weak, but people have to realize this team has no fightback. Every year. Washington it was johansson. Boston 1 was debrusk. Boston 2 it was Nordstrom. Columbus it was foudy. And Montreal was Gallagher. Each player scored a weak goal in the final game of the series. You can take the easy way out and say the goaltender was shit, but that’s an excuse. This team has very little pushback. Each of those goals made it a game where we were at most down by 2. This team can’t hit a gear and win it for the goalie. Campbell plays amazing games 1-4 and we can’t give him a break? Come on this team is so flawed and it isn’t just the goaltender

 

[socko]

This question almost makes me want to flip a quarter because I think its 50/50. If its the Tavares we got for most of the season? No. In fact, he would take away ice time from Kerfoot who played well. Tavares from the end of the year hot streak? Yeah, that might have been enough.

 

[ULF_55]

The 1st. line needed him.

Nylander's line didn't.

That line would have had a 2nd. player capable of putting the puck in the net, I would hope marner could make a pass to someone other than Matthews.

 

[Arzak]

No.

It's not always addition by addition.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Easy win