Wow the playoffs are intense. Can we compete

[Trapper]

Boston gets Washington
Tampa get Florida

Toronto gets Montreal. If we have to ask about compete, forget about it.

 

[authentic]

What a game

Yeah that game was so damn good, but I'm not gonna lie I fear for one of our players getting hurt now.

 

[Golden_Jet]

looks like the moderator edited his post and used his moderator skills to make sure nobody knew.

but you can see what he actually posted in the post above mine.

Ok thanks
Must have edited the quoted parts too.

 

[egd27]

For example, I was hated on here for pointing out that Frederik Andersen was a mediocre goalie (and is now a bad one), and that Babcock was an awful coach - with pretty much the entire board against me for being so critical of these flaws in the leafs.

You think you stood alone with those two "observations" ?

 

[zeke]

Ok thanks
Must have edited the quoted parts too.

Think it's still in the quote in the post before mine.

 

[Not My Tempo]

Aside from Marner and Nylander, I’ve seen every single player on the roster up their game physically at one point or another. If 16/18 of our skaters are out there finishing checks and such, I don’t think intensity will be an issue.

 

[zeke]

You think you stood alone with those two "observations" ?

Took a couple years for some to catch on.

Some still argue the opposite to this day.

 

[Beneven Stanciano]

It's a fair question; can they compete. Of course they can play the game, no question in that. But when they start getting trucked every shift, and are getting scrambled from every angle, will they compete through it and give themselves a chance, or are they going to start playing roller hockey again?

You can do all the number crunching and analyzing you want. Talk about the new players, the PP, New Jack Goalie, etc won't mean anything until we see how Game 1 is played and responded to. Everyone has a great plan until you get punched in the face.

They haven't handled that type of game well in the past, but they can grow out if it, and I am hoping that they do.

 

[keonsbitterness]

oh and don't forget about how you alone knew the 3rd year of the Marleau contract was a bad idea.

I'm 92.7% sure I was first on that. Gimme credit, dammit!


As to the original question, I'm confident we will compete. And if I'm wrong, HF's server will explode from all the traffic.

 

[Bluelines]

Zeke I am a newbie here but I must say your inability or refusal to ever acknowledge a potential flaw in anything Leaf related really kills your credibility in my eyes. You do make some decent points but ultimately I take everything you write as lacking a degree of objectiveness. Carry on.

Ohhh... snap!

 

[saltming]

For example, I was hated on here for pointing out that Frederik Andersen was a mediocre goalie (and is now a bad one), and that Babcock was an awful coach - with pretty much the entire board against me for being so critical of these flaws in the leafs.

You were saying Andersen was mediocre when he was putting up solid vezna performances every year.
Babcock was the right coach at that time. That time ended we have moved on. Your takes were wrong then. Time passes and things change, that's normal, to say you were right then because it is that way now is flawed logic.
Using recent situations to validate past assumptions is silly.

 

[Bluelines]

You were saying Andersen was mediocre when he was putting up solid vezna performances every year.
Babcock was the right coach at that time. That time ended we have moved on. Your takes were wrong then. Time passes and things change, that's normal, to say you were right then because it is that way now is flawed logic.
Using recent situations to validate past assumptions is silly.

.... in 20 years McDavid will be a 4th liner ... am I doing it right?

 

[saltming]

.... in 20 years McDavid will be a 4th liner ... am I doing it right?

Yup and Matthews won't be able to shoot a puck

 

[Stonehands1990]

You must have missed the Boston - Washington game.
We are no match for that type of physical play, however, I don’t believe for one second that a non-physical team can’t win.
It doesn’t help that the zebras fail to call any of the infractions that would normally be called in the regular season. OV’s hit early in that game was a blatant cheap shot, the Boston player didn’t possess the puck at all and just got steamrolled.
Terrible non-call.

The hit on Krejci? He was finishing his hit. Welcome to the playoffs

 

[Cpt Maple Leaf]

I think we will know pretty early if this team is ready. If guys like Nylander and Marner are engaged physically willing to play grinding hockey down low in the O zone and along their own boards. These are the 2 guys who need to show up willing to battle. Matthews has taken that physical step last year.

Thornton, Spezza, Simmonds, Nash, Foligno all vets understand the physicality of the playoffs.

Oh and can Rielly take the physical abuse as well and not get scared.

The rest of the players all have shown they can compete.

Won't hurt if Campbell is the answer in net

Nailed it. I am concerned marner and nylander will disappear, or even worse make some foolish plays under pressure. Willy breaks a nail and he is essentially out of the game.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Nailed it. I am concerned marner and nylander will disappear, or even worse make some foolish plays under pressure. Willy breaks a nail and he is essentially out of the game.

Those are da 3 big worries for everyone Mitch, Willy and Rielly .. but I think we have more support around them now where they should each grow a little more confidence knowing they have some protection

 

[Stephen]

Tampa is a legitimately great team.

Quality players in all of the key positions and battle-hardened depth.

Tampa will take a hit and give a hit in order to make a play. Florida has their work cut out for them to knock off the champs. Each series will have its own character but those two teams showed an urgency that we don’t really see with Toronto so for all the pre-playoff hype let’s hope they have the fight in them.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Tampa will take a hit and give a hit in order to make a play. Florida has their work cut out for them to knock off the champs. Each series will have its own character but those two teams showed an urgency that we don’t really see with Toronto so for all the pre-playoff hype let’s hope they have the fight in them.

Let's hope indeed. Tampa is scary as hell, only two points behind us in the standings which is impressive considering first of all there is a natural tendency to take the regular season with less urgency after winning the cup and of course they also played without Kucherov all season. The team is stacked with talent, they not only know what it takes to win but they've proved they can do what it takes. Add the fact that they have one of the best goalies in the league and yeah, that's a scary team!

 

[crump]

I hope our star players get hit early. They play better once it’s out of the way. Obviously you don’t want them to get hurt, but a good hit gets you into the game. I suspect Foligno Hyman, Muzzin, Simmonds and Bogosian if he plays aren’t going to be holding back on our side.

 

[wingman75]

I found the BOS/WSH and TB/FLA games to be awsomely intense. I did ask myself how the Leafs would play in a game like that. I think those who are on the fence would be pleasently surprised.

I am as skeptical as they come with this team and the playoffs, but the make up of this team has changed. They are build different, and they have depth all over the roster.

I think we would compete just find, and in either example, would be taking advantage of the multple defensive breakdowns we keep seeing.

 

[Guy Boucher]

No, we have no chance. We should give up right now and forfeit all of the games without even playing.

I'm sorry but it's a dumb question that needs a dumb response.

 

[Bluelines]

No, we have no chance. We should give up right now and forfeit all of the games without even playing.

I'm sorry but it's a dumb question that needs a dumb response.

This is a dumb response, any question can be stupid or genius depending on your perspective on the subject.

 

[Deebo]

What's actually embarrassing is how much our own fans downplay our own quality and intensity, while building opposing teams up into these infallible powerhouses that they aren't. There's absolutely nothing wrong with Zeke's posts, and I appreciate them. It's informative and helps provide a clearer, more truthful picture, instead of only focusing on what's gone right for other teams, and what's gone wrong for us. It's a good counter to the endless negativity and emotional reactions.

Seriously. Saying these Leafs have never been beat handily in a playoff series is factual. He didn't even say those other teams weren't good, just they have been beaten badly in playoff rounds, which is true.

Bragging, come on.

 

[Menzinger]

I get pessimism in Leafland can be a common thing, but imo folks need to stop fixating so much on some of those past playoff series so much (I mean, aside from the fact that the Leafs lost to the cup champs in one, and took a better Bruins team to game 7 each series) there's been a ton of roster turnover and internal player development (ie compare Matthews now to what he was as a rookie...).

The Leafs just had a regular season where they absolutely dominated. It's okay to have a bit of confidence.....

 

[Mess]

We're seeing some old time Hockey return to the NHL and the playoffs.

Its making for some very entertaining viewing pleasure, after what was a rather boring and lackadaisical regular season under this new Div format.

Love the intensity and physicality at this new higher levels.

I'm expecting our Leafs /Habs battle to follow suit and notch up a few levels as well.