The result of game 7 is almost irrelevant at this point.

[Bomber0104]

People are freaking out for no reason. The NHL is a really good league. Any playoff team has the ability to win meaningful games. Look at the Vegas vs Minny series for example. Lets just look at it one game at a time. If they Leafs can't win game 7, then obviously some changes has to be made. But until then, lets just see what happens.

So Vegas = Leafs and Minny = Habs in your eyes?

Sorry I have to ask but you, uh, watch NHL hockey right?

 

[tokyoite]

same roster same gm same coach same results.

 

[Egghead1999]

Has every winner been elite and never faced adversity in every round?

we are talking the same thing. Winners raise to face adversity and losers say "that's how the cookie crumbles." Rasing to another level does not grant you a winner. You just give yourself a chance to be a winner.
Anyway, this series feels like the Canucks 2010 1st round. Let hope Leafs can have the same result.

 

[RoadWarrior]

I agree. I think Dubas allocated to much of the cap to offense under the false belief that the team would just outscore every team. Works during the regular season but we know the playoffs are a different story. Things get more physical and the ice shrinks.

Not just Marner's fault. Fans just like piling on - they need a scapegoat. He's not the one that turned over the puck the last two losses

The leafs are still thin on defense although not as bad as last season. Dermott and Sandin haven't shown they're capable of taking a regular shift at the nhl level. That leaves only Rielly and Muzzin on the left side so if one of them gets injured you're screwed.

More than anything the leafs need to start cultivating and developing more defense minded D men with the marlies. When was the last time this team actually developed a good d-man outside of Rielly? Carl Gunnarson? It's obviously a weakness in the organization.

 

[myleafs]

I feel the same way. I was so glad when we drafted Marner. But after watching him for 4 years, I’ve come to realize he is what he is, a terrific regular season player. But when the stakes are at their highest - playoffs - Marner is too small and scared to do what it takes to win.
If it’s true that Jones is done with Columbus, I wish we could trade Marner for him. But no GM, except Dubas, would want to have an $11 million winger who only shines in the regular season.

I believe after bonus Marner will cost 5 milly for the next 4 years along with his large cap. Columbus would be drooling at the prospect of landing someone like Marner. There would be no shortage of teams who would be interested imo.

 

[myleafs]

I recall an interview with Bill Torrey who put together the Islanders Cup winning teams. He said that you need luck. Can't say the Leafs have had much of that so far. He said you need to maintain good health. Injuries to Tavares, Muzzin and Foligno not looking very good are not trending well. Even if they win game 7, they're facing a decent Jets team that is well rested and been studying how the Habs shut down Matthews, etc. It's going to be a tougher series for the Leafs than it would have been if they'd closed them out in 5. If they survive the Jets, they'll have taken the long road to face the winner of the Colorado-Vegas series - a really good team. Anything can happen in sports but their chances of doing something special this season have been significantly diminished with their performance and injuries in the Habs series. I'm still pulling for them but that is closer to the present reality.

Nothing personal but all Im hearing is excuses....and more excuses. Yea but only if things went our way, if only we didnt have injuries, if only our guys didnt do stupid things and the stupidest time. In saying that if they win game 7 and go on to beat the jets, then, awesome, but nothing so far shows me that is going to happen.

 

[Pookie]

People are freaking out for no reason. The NHL is a really good league. Any playoff team has the ability to win meaningful games. Look at the Vegas vs Minny series for example. Lets just look at it one game at a time. If they Leafs can't win game 7, then obviously some changes has to be made. But until then, lets just see what happens.

I’m with you in spirit. A win is a win and we are still in it until we aren’t.

That said, the Leafs went 7-2-1 against this team all regular season. We never play teams as much as this prior to a playoff series.

to be where we are implies:

1. Players are being outworked

and/or

2. The other team can adjust better to our system and tactics.

It’s hard to look at this playoff as anything but a failure at this point.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Nothing personal but all Im hearing is excuses....and more excuses. Yea but only if things went our way, if only we didnt have injuries, if only our guys didnt do stupid things and the stupidest time. In saying that if they win game 7 and go on to beat the jets, then, awesome, but nothing so far shows me that is going to happen.

Always excuses, every single year. At some point, the team just has to win. TB won the cup last year without their captain!

 

[Captain Crunch]

I believe after bonus Marner will cost 5 milly for the next 4 years along with his large cap. Columbus would be drooling at the prospect of landing someone like Marner. There would be no shortage of teams who would be interested imo.

Then I hope whoever the GM is, can make that trade happen.

 

[SoftDumpNtheCorner88]

It just baffles me that a team this stacked with stars and depth is having such a struggle to put the Habs away.. but Winnipeg runs over a desperate Edmonton Oilers no problem..... Were as stacked as they are (sure they got Helly but cambells been good for us too so it's not a goalie problem) and we showed we dominated the regular season against all teams in our division.. but playoffs??? They disappear.... Again!!??

Are they just eager to go back to their mansions and beaches / golfing.. collect their paychecks and call it a day

 

[daethfromabove1979]

Agreed, we’ve already lost at this point. Winnipeg would crush us anyways, they’re Montreal but with talent, we can’t beat that after their long rest.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Two goals in the first game of the first of 3 playoffs series. 17 straight games and counting. oh and 4 in playoff series. If they come out flat tomorrow for the 3rd (elimination) game in a row, how can Leaf management stand pat ?

If that happens, then management needs to be cleaned out as well (actually, as far as I’m concerned, nothing short of a very solid showing through at least to the semi-finals should keep management intact).

 

[17 Clark]

So Vegas = Leafs and Minny = Habs in your eyes?

Sorry I have to ask but you, uh, watch NHL hockey right?

Maybe in PlayStation that’s where Mitch scores in the playoffs

 

[RebuildYear5]

Agreed, we’ve already lost at this point. Winnipeg would crush us anyways, they’re Montreal but with talent, we can’t beat that after their long rest.

Actually Winnipeg hits less, there defense is trash compared too Montreal....and Price trumps Hellslug
I'll give you one thing there offense is on par with Toronto.

Are style of play works in our favor vs a team like Winnipeg compared to Montreal.

We just need to get over Price and his bullshit saves...get guys outfront and let'em fly....play dirty in his crease and were golden, get into his head!

Think we would have learned this from the Columbus series we need to find a way to get there goalie unfocused and off his game!!

 

[kevsh]

People thinking the Leafs will get rolled by Winnipeg still haven't figured this team out. That's not what would happen.

Either the Leafs will go up 3-1 or 3-2 in the series only to blow it in game 7, or come back from being down 3-1 or 3-2 in the series ... and blow it in game 7.

 

[Bomber0104]

People thinking the Leafs will get rolled by Winnipeg still haven't figured this team out. That's not what would happen.

Either the Leafs will go up 3-1 or 3-2 in the series only to blow it in game 7, or come back from being down 3-1 or 3-2 in the series ... and blow it in game 7.

No one should even be thinking about Winnipeg right now.

The entirety of the focus should be on tomorrow.

 

[Hockey Crazy]

Stupid take. If we win the series and take a lead on the jets, this fan base will be right back to planning for the finals

 

[throwitawaypokemon]

No one should even be thinking about Winnipeg right now.

The entirety of the focus should be on tomorrow.

As sad as it is, I'm mentally prepared for a loss tomorrow. I feel as defeated as the Leafs must feel right now

 

[throwitawaypokemon]

Stupid take. If we win the series and take a lead on the jets, this fan base will be right back to planning for the finals

It's not stupid, it's based in reality.

 

[RebuildYear5]

Everyone talking smack on Marner....he has littlerly been our best player aside from Campbell & Spezza, sure he made a mistake lastgame but everyone has this series.

Matthew's is the one we should be looking at....guy missed so many passes to Marner, and shot the puck on plays he should have passed the puck.
Also 1Goal in 6games wtf!

Y'all haters!

 

[17 Clark]

Always excuses, every single year. At some point, the team just has to win. TB won the cup last year without their captain!

That’s what happens when you have hart and you show up and play do the maple leafs realize or care what they’re doing to their fans no accountability means the same old results they do realize that they’re trying to win the cup Not to try to see how fast You can get back home What a sad excuse for a team prove me wrong tomorrow

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Everyone talking smack on Marner....he has littlerly been our best player aside from Campbell & Spezza, sure he made a mistake lastgame but everyone has this series.

Matthew's is the one we should be looking at....guy missed so many passes to Marner, and shot the puck on plays he should have passed the puck.
Also 1Goal in 6games wtf!

Y'all haters!

Stop it, Paul.

 

[RebuildYear5]

Stop it, Paul.

Do you watch the games with you're eyes closed bud?

 

[17 Clark]

No one should even be thinking about Winnipeg right now.

The entirety of the focus should be on tomorrow.

they don’t deserve to win tomorrow night i’ve been watching this team for about 40 years They need a dose of reality things need to change same old same old just don’t work no more how could you go five years ago to almost beating the Stanley Cup champion Boston to this tire fire

 

[Antropovsky]

Actually Winnipeg hits less, there defense is trash compared too Montreal....and Price trumps Hellslug
I'll give you one thing there offense is on par with Toronto.

Are style of play works in our favor vs a team like Winnipeg compared to Montreal.

We just need to get over Price and his bullshit saves...get guys outfront and let'em fly....play dirty in his crease and were golden, get into his head!

Think we would have learned this from the Columbus series we need to find a way to get there goalie unfocused and off his game!!

Price has been great but not sensational... I find that the leafs are scoring when playoff style shots are going at Price. High traffic, tips and scrambles. All the open lane shots are being saved or one timers where the play is predictable. Campbell has made some sensational saves too... that point blank Weber blast was over 100 - wasn't it?

Remember Montreal had a 2-0 and executed it perfectly. We had a 2-0 and our 22 million dollars in players didn't even get a shot off.

Leafs are beating themselves....we need guys to start playing playoff hockey instead of dips doodling along the boards and throwing spin o rama or behind the back passes to the front of the net. Or looking for the perfect pass.

Montreal is winning because all the high risk stuff... remember teams were taught to flip the puck out of the zone? Or make the safe play?... we got Galchenyuk throwing a blind pass across the opposing teams blueline in OT.. we have Dermott deciding to make a fancy 180 degree move within his own blue line in OT if game 6! ... jeez what the hell are they being coached?