Pre-Game Talk: Time to talk Playoffs

[TheBeastCoast]

And of course they're exempt from the expansion draft. They clearly don't need the help that was expected when that decision was made.

They also aren't getting any split of the expansion fee.

 

[GardinerTheForward]

The tie breaker is Regulation Wins (RW) before ROW. If it was ROW, we only need 11 cause we have more ROW than them but Edmonton has 2 more RW's than we do so that's why we need 12.

i forgot about that change. I personally think it should be head to head. Always was the thing that clicked most with me

 

[Dog]

Pretty stacked for the playoffs. Best chance in awhile to finally win a round.

 

[zeke]

Our lines in draft picks

[TABLE="class: brtb_item_table"][TBODY][TR][TD]Foligno
1st rd[/TD]
[TD]Matthews
1st OA[/TD]
[TD]Marner
1st rd[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Gally
1st rd[/TD]
[TD]Tavares
1st OA[/TD]
[TD]Nylander
1st rd[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Hyman
5th rd[/TD]
[TD]Nash
1st rd[/TD]
[TD]Mikheyev
Undrafted[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Thornton
1st OA[/TD]
[TD]Kerfoot
5th rd[/TD]
[TD]Spezza
1st rd[/TD][/TR][/TBODY][/TABLE]
9 1st rd draft picks, three are 1st overall. That's amazing.

That is cool.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Barring further injuries, Keefe is going to have some difficult decisions to make with the lines. It's likely a given that Brooks and Engvall will sit (even though Brooks has looked good lately). In order to fit Riley Nash into the playoff lineup, one of Galchenyuk, Thornton, Kerfoot, Simmonds or Spezza will have to take a seat. I assume Galchenyuk would be the likeliest to sit.

If so, do we go with this?

Foligno-Matthews-Marner
Hyman-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Simmonds
Thornton-Nash-Spezza

or this?

Hyman-Matthews-Marner
Foligno-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Nash-Simmonds
Thornton-Kerfoot-Spezza

I think I like option #2 the best. It gives us a lethal but defensively responsible top 6, a nasty 3rd line that could be ideal for matchups, and a great 4th line with Kerfoot's speed to augment the geezers.

 

[Stephen]

Our lines in draft picks

[TABLE="class: brtb_item_table"][TBODY][TR][TD]Foligno
1st rd[/TD]
[TD]Matthews
1st OA[/TD]
[TD]Marner
1st rd[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Gally
1st rd[/TD]
[TD]Tavares
1st OA[/TD]
[TD]Nylander
1st rd[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Hyman
5th rd[/TD]
[TD]Nash
1st rd[/TD]
[TD]Mikheyev
Undrafted[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Thornton
1st OA[/TD]
[TD]Kerfoot
5th rd[/TD]
[TD]Spezza
1st rd[/TD][/TR][/TBODY][/TABLE]
9 1st rd draft picks, three are 1st overall. That's amazing.

We traded a first round draft pick for Kerfoot too.

 

[zeke]

Depending on if you consider Draisaitl a centre, Toronto has one the best 1-2 punches in the league in the middle. Crosby-Malkin, MacKinnon-Kadri, Point-Stamkos, Matthews-Tavares, I think you're probably splitting hairs.

.

1. Kadri does not belong on this list obviously.
2. Stamkos doesn't play C. He's a W. Their 2C is cirelli.

 

[zeke]

I couldn't name 1, but their record looks scary.

When's the last time 1st place won a cup?

 

[cesareborgia]

Which division do we face if we get out of our division?

 

[Pinto]

Which division do we face if we get out of our division?

Final Four are re-seeded. 1vs4 and 2vs3.

 

[Menzinger]

Best case scenario seea the Leafs playing the Oilers in the 2nd round..they're the team I think that allows the Leafs to play to their strengths the most. That could be a pretty short series in the Leafs favor.

I also think the narrative of the quality of the North vs other divisions has gotten to a ridiculous level. Other fan bases could be in for a very rude Awakening come that 3rd round

 

[weeweeballs]

if Leafs make it out of the North and they should, 2 of Colorado, Vegas, Carolina, and Tampa will have been eliminated.

I'm hoping it's Colorado and Tampa eliminated and the winners beaten up in a war.

 

[al secord]

I used the word "depth" this morning and choked up a bit.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Eh even just beating this division won't be enough.

Losing to an elite contender in round 3 won't be any more of an accomplishment than losing to an elite contender in round 1 was the first 3yrs.

Agreed. Especially trading a 1st rounder for a rental sends a clear message that more is expected. We'd have been favoured to make the semis with or without Foligno so if we don't hope to go further than that, what's the point?

If our goaltending holds up, we can probably compete against anyone so that's obviously the big question, everything else looks pretty good at this point.

 

[crump]

I like our team scoring, defensive game, depth, PK is good now, PP is coming around again, coaching (except time outs before 5-3’s), want to see an elite shutdown line in action for a few games before the playoffs, the only question I have is goaltending.

Campbell deserves to start the playoffs, like any team, a hot goaltender can swing a series. I just want Campbell to be riding a hot streak going in.

 

[Pi]

The good news is that, at worst, only one of Vegas and Colorado will make the semi-finals along with only one of Tampa Bay, Florida & Carolina. Hopefully, they take each other the distance and don't have much left ...

In any case, I'd hate to be a team in either the Central or West knowing those are the teams you have to beat just to get out of your division.

That’s how it’s been for us in the Atlantic. So no sympathies. Other teams in the regular division get an easy ride whereas we had to face two top five teams to get to the ECF.

Atlantic next year is also going to be a bloodbath again.

 

[zeke]

if Leafs make it out of the North and they should, 2 of Colorado, Vegas, Carolina, and Tampa will have been eliminated.

I'm hoping it's Colorado and Tampa eliminated and the winners beaten up in a war.

Of course you hope it's TB and COL eliminated - because you know that Vegas and Carolina aren't all that scary, despite their nice records this year.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Magic number to get the division is down to 8

Calgary did us a big solid last night.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I'd be looking at Kerfoot, Soup and Galchenyuk on the bubble. Soup provides defensive abilities but plays die on his stick

 

[cannucky]

When's the last time 1st place won a cup?

Outliers are what validate statistics and what makes Vegas scary is they aren't a team of a few stars surrounded by others they are a very solid , hard working playoff style team . Maybe watch a few games before judging eh .

 

[X66]

Best case scenario seea the Leafs playing the Oilers in the 2nd round..they're the team I think that allows the Leafs to play to their strengths the most. That could be a pretty short series in the Leafs favor.

I also think the narrative of the quality of the North vs other divisions has gotten to a ridiculous level. Other fan bases could be in for a very rude Awakening come that 3rd round

Maybe it's me but the last player I want to play in a series is McDavid lol.

 

[Marshy]

Maybe it's me but the last player I want to play in a series is McDavid lol.

Shutdown line: Foligno Engvall Mikheyev

47/65 for speed to keep up and Foligno to channel his inner Corson vs. Yashin.

Also what is Corson doing these days? There might have a temporary consulting contract open for him for 2 weeks.

 

[Trapper]

This year is a gift. Just winning a round doesn’t cut it. Failure means something is severely wrong with this squad.

short season, everyone is fresh.
All Canadian division, our toughest rivals are elsewhere.
Guaranteed 1 Canadian team final 4.

we should be that 1 team final 4 or fail.

 

[The Assclown]

Best case scenario seea the Leafs playing the Oilers in the 2nd round..they're the team I think that allows the Leafs to play to their strengths the most. That could be a pretty short series in the Leafs favor.

I also think the narrative of the quality of the North vs other divisions has gotten to a ridiculous level. Other fan bases could be in for a very rude Awakening come that 3rd round

Most ridiculous thing I read here yesterday said the Rangers would be alone in first place if they were in the North division.

 

[Pi]

Leafs should make it to the top four and be the favorites to win that third series IMO unless we play Colorado who I think is playing better than us. Anything else is a let down. I've got sky high expectations this year and I am ready to be letdown because I think this year is Cup or bust.

This year just feels like our year. I don't know why I feel so optimistic but I just do. I think they're winning it all.