News Article: The Leafs are the best, just unlucky

[Twine Tickler]

Detroit Lions say hello.

Ya they are up there too. I will say though, in my 30 years on this planet the Lions have almost always had the expectation of being dogshit every year, and have exceeded that expectation. It was actually easier to cheer for the Leafs in the 2004-2016 era TBH, aside from 2014 playoffs. My hopes were crushed in November not May. Ever since the Washington series in 2016-17 this team has found the most unique ways to f***ing blow games/series. At least to some degree most fan bases silently root for the Browns and Lions when they stumble over themselves. Every other NHL fanbase just creams their pants over every squandered opportunity that the Leafs blow. I'll give you an example, there was a poll on a radio show here in Van when the Canadians came back to force game 7 asking if a Leafs collapse in game 7 would make up for the shitty Canuck season lol.... you just don't see that level of distaste for any other pro sport team in NA aside from the Cowboys, Yankees, Lakers.....but they have titles lol

 

[HamiltonNHL]

my wife brings up everything negative I have done since HS in arguments

At least i'm not alone.

It's so annoying.

 

[CincoHolio]

There something with this organization and holding onto entitled players (and coaches) for too long. Blue and white disease is a thing. When was the last time the Leafs iced a "hard working team"?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

The management team shouldn’t care what the fans think.

I’d be worried if they did.

Tampa didn’t blow it up after a humiliating loss and they won the cup the next year. I know it’s a different team but blowing it up isn’t always the answer.

irrelevant comparison

 

[rumman]

At least i'm not alone.

It's so annoying.

Try telling her to calm down, if that doesn’t work try “your acting like your mom.”

 

[HamiltonNHL]

If the farm system is so good, then why is the team being filled with old, past-their prime players? (Spezza excluded)

We've been trading picks for years

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Try telling her to calm down, if that doesn’t work try “your acting like your mom.”

Dangerous

 

[Racer88]

The point is, which the other poster missed as well, is that these are the types of things that can and will happen in 4 rounds of playoffs. Can you take it? You will get hurt, you will play hurt.

You can claim “oh stuff posted like this doesn’t make it legitimate” so keep denying it’s real. That kind of protest doesn’t change what can happen.

Teams aren’t going to roll over. Does anyone watch the playoffs or just the Leafs get eliminated?

Teams will cheat, hit, trip, punch and whatever they think to get the upper hand. They aren’t going to let you dangle a blue line just so you can make a pretty saucer pass. They are going to make you earn your goals.

Sooner this is realized, the better.
We have a president that should realize that? How did the Wings take on Colorado? McCarty,Shanahan and Vernon took on the team. Now Detroit was still a skilled team that didn’t have to be built dirty but they could play it. As well as possession, forecheck, grind, whatever.

This is the playoffs and always have been.

For the first time in 5 years I have watched the playoffs after the Leafs have been sent golfing.
I wanted to see if there was much of a difference and are we close…….. what a Freakin shock.
It’s like a different league and the teams left are heads and tails above the Leafs.
The other thing I noticed is all those great passes that Marner does and we have been told are so awesome and are mostly the reason he was given 11 million…….guess what the other players make those passes as well and unlike Marner they make them in the playoffs and when the are under duress. He is nothing special other then his pay cheque

 

[ToneDog]

We've been trading picks for years

And none of our picks have panned out much. Time for one or more of Sandy, Lily and Robbie to make the jump. Bargain bin players making the minimum are a waste of time IMO. I mean other than Perry, what other such players are playing tonight ??

 

[7even]

Now that's some premium, high purity, medical grade au naturel copium

 

[rumman]

Dangerous

God hates cowards.

 

[HarryLime]

leafs are full of cowards in management and on the ice. most unlikable roster in the league.

 

[Clark4Ever]

We were definitely unlucky, but that doesn't excuse our stunning collapse against the Habs given the position we were in.

 

[Leaf Fans]

There are things that are true, that Leafs Nation doesn’t want to hear: 1) the team lost only because it got unlucky 2) they have one of the best rosters in the NHL 3) they have one of the best farm systems in the NHL 4) they were correct to set their salary cap structure up the way they did 5) they don’t have a single bad contract on the team 6) they have the second best player in the world and, at worst, the 5th or 6th best player in the world on their roster. 7) They are set up to be competitive for years.


source The Toronto Maple Leafs Are Right to Not Care What We Think

When your article is this bad, its an editor in leaf article.

That is a blog. The Leafs weren't good enough.

 

[Garthinater]

The management team shouldn’t care what the fans think.

I’d be worried if they did.

Tampa didn’t blow it up after a humiliating loss and they won the cup the next year. I know it’s a different team but blowing it up isn’t always the answer.

Trading a player is not what most would consider "blowing it up".

 

[egd27]

Try telling her to calm down, if that doesn’t work try “your acting like your mom.”

Yea, we've all made that mistake more than once

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

For the first time in 5 years I have watched the playoffs after the Leafs have been sent golfing.
I wanted to see if there was much of a difference and are we close…….. what a Freakin shock.
It’s like a different league and the teams left are heads and tails above the Leafs.
The other thing I noticed is all those great passes that Marner does and we have been told are so awesome and are mostly the reason he was given 11 million…….guess what the other players make those passes as well and unlike Marner they make them in the playoffs and when the are under duress. He is nothing special other then his pay cheque

Racer....I got so despondent when I watched the other teams because I realized that we are light years away from winning. We would fold like a cheap tent under the thumping that other teams are doling out. We think for some reason that we can re-invent the way hockey is played in the playoffs. 5 successive tries and we still think we just got unlucky. We are not going to win with a pacifist attitude out there. Read the following end of season quote from Shanny:

“Those elements I thought we had addressed over the offseason will continue to be important pillars for our team — defensive play, sticking up for each other, being able to play physically in games where we are tested that way.”

So I don't know about you but when he says "being able to play physically in games where we are tested that way.” That looks to me like "We won't start a fight..but we will fight if needed"....So once again you are going to REACT to the other team (sort of) instead of dictating it...good recipe for a 6x first round loss in my books.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Trading a player is not what most would consider "blowing it up".

Maybe he meant blowing up an idea by trading one of the "We can and we will" group of players. Trading 1 guy should not make your team collapse unless its Edmonton and McDavid.

 

[egd27]

F
It’s like a different league and the teams left are heads and tails above the Leafs.

Racer....I got so despondent when I watched the other teams because I realized that we are light years away from winning. We would fold like a cheap tent under the thumping that other teams are doling out.

I feel this way every year when I watch the later rounds and see how little room and how much of a battle each game is.
I find it hard to imagine these Leafs playing games like these successfully

 

[rumman]

I feel this way every year when I watch the later rounds and see how little room and how much of a battle each game is.
I find it hard to imagine these Leafs playing games like these successfully

They don’t have it in them, not now…..maybe never?

but it sure is fun watching real hockey……

 

[Trapper]

They don’t have it in them, not now…..maybe never?

but it sure is fun watching real hockey……

Look at Gallagher coming back hard after his previous night against Sergechev.
Blocking shots and answering by taking him hard into the boards on the forecheck.

Don’t know how the story will end but he won’t roll over.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Look at Gallagher coming back hard after his previous night against Sergechev.
Blocking shots and answering by taking him hard into the boards on the forecheck.

Don’t know how the story will end but he won’t roll over.

That's all we are asking for...just don't roll over and turn the other cheek. Have some desire..some fire...something.

 

[Racer88]

Racer....I got so despondent when I watched the other teams because I realized that we are light years away from winning. We would fold like a cheap tent under the thumping that other teams are doling out. We think for some reason that we can re-invent the way hockey is played in the playoffs. 5 successive tries and we still think we just got unlucky. We are not going to win with a pacifist attitude out there. Read the following end of season quote from Shanny:

“Those elements I thought we had addressed over the offseason will continue to be important pillars for our team — defensive play, sticking up for each other, being able to play physically in games where we are tested that way.”

So I don't know about you but when he says "being able to play physically in games where we are tested that way.” That looks to me like "We won't start a fight..but we will fight if needed"....So once again you are going to REACT to the other team (sort of) instead of dictating it...good recipe for a 6x first round loss in my books.

Yup. I was truly shocked and disappointed. These teams are so fast on the puck, they stop and start on the puck.
They finish checks. There is nobody laughing and yakking it up like Matthews while getting rag dolled.
Shanny and Dubas are either oblivious to how these teams play or they simply don’t watch

 

[Racer88]

I feel this way every year when I watch the later rounds and see how little room and how much of a battle each game is.
I find it hard to imagine these Leafs playing games like these successfully

The effort from the real contenders is so far ahead of our team it’s not funny

 

[Marshy]

Didn't read the whole thread...sorry if already posted.