ECQF: (2) Boston Bruins vs (3) Toronto Maple Leafs | Boston Leads Series 3-2

[BruinsBtn]

yes i would definitely love to go through each chance with you and argue over it, because you a homer bruins fan is convinced the people counting the numbers are lying.

Go ahead. You keep ducking it. I already listed them anyway. Seems like you've got plenty of time on your hands. Also... you ARE a homer bruins fan, is what you really meant to write. But what you meant was: "BruinsBtn, you were right this year, again, and once again this year, I was wrong. That's 10 straight years of the Bruins finishing ahead of the Leafs"

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Exactly. It's mind boggling.

So far in the series:
- goaltending... Bruins >> Leafs
- defense... Bruins >>>>> Leafs
- offense... Bruins >> Leafs
- special teams... Bruins >>>>>>> Leafs

This is largely inaccurate.

 

[MattySnipes]

I think Nylander is gone as part of a package for big D. Not because of this series, but because of economics. I'd rather spend the big $$$ on someone that doesn't handle the puck like a hand grenade in their own zone.

hmm..really eh? well, i hope not. that would be a terrible knee-jerk reaction. if they were insistent on ramping up the D then they should have done whatever it took to trade Bozak, JvR and Komarov, etc...all pending UFA's. They could have bulked up on some picks and prospects and packaged it all up to get a solid d-man. That would be a better way to manage your assets to get a player to help right away. Trading Nylander is not the right choice. Seems like a move the Oilers would do.

 

[Mugzy97]

Oh is he this years annual coming to Toronto story?

Yes. You'll hear more about it once JT signs with NYI so that distraction is out of the way.

 

[authentic]

if Marner and Nylander are super stars, McDavid is a super star 2, maybe 3

Nylander isn't, Matthews is and Marner pretty much is after his second half and these playoffs. His logic was faulty though.

 

[Just Rude]

.880 isn't below average, it's inexcusably awful.

Kinda like the rest of the team, for the most part. See where I am going here? It's a collective team ******* of the bed, Andersen included.

I'll say it again. Rinne has an .886 SV%, and the Preds are up 3-1. Wonder why.

 

[Just Rude]

This is probably not the thread to swap trade ideas, but Doughty is one of the best 3 D men in the NHL. Would you trade Marner for him? I will tell you one thing, if I am a GM I am not asking for Nylander. I would be insisting on Marner + futures based on what I am sure scouts will report back on this year and if I were to even consider moving Doughty who I would much rather re-sign.

Doughty is an UFA next year. Why would they give up Marner when they can just go after him next summer? Even if they trade for him, there is no guarantee he'll re-up in Toronto.

One of the three is going to be gone, I think, only because of $$$ they will need for the back end. I just think Nylander is the one.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Go ahead. You keep ducking it. I already listed them anyway. Seems like you've got plenty of time on your hands. Also... you ARE a homer bruins fan, is what you really meant to write. But what you meant was: "BruinsBtn, you were right this year, again, and once again this year, I was wrong. That's 10 straight years of the Bruins finishing ahead of the Leafs"

Actually, and I'm going to put my grammar nazi hat on for a sec, zeke's post was right the first time.

He said ".....because you a homer bruins fan is convinced the people counting the numbers are lying."

Easy to miss, could have used a comma or two in there (or some nifty ellipses), but it made sense to me.

/grammar lesson.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Kinda like the rest of the team, for the most part. See where I am going here? It's a collective team ******* of the bed, Andersen included.

I'll say it again. Rinne has an .886 SV%, and the Preds are up 3-1. Wonder why.

Because Boston > Colorado.

Nashville's definitely got an easier matchup than the Leafs do, even if Rinne isn't making it easy on his teammates.

 

[Just Rude]

hmm..really eh? well, i hope not. that would be a terrible knee-jerk reaction. if they were insistent on ramping up the D then they should have done whatever it took to trade Bozak, JvR and Komarov, etc...all pending UFA's. They could have bulked up on some picks and prospects and packaged it all up to get a solid d-man. That would be a better way to manage your assets to get a player to help right away. Trading Nylander is not the right choice. Seems like a move the Oilers would do.

I just think it comes down to dollars, not a knee-jerk reaction . I've said this most of the year. To resign all three, my guess is you're looking 24-30 million, just off the top of my head. That's a hell of a lot for three players, especially when there are holes to fill, and you are in need of a #1 D.

For the record, I am not saying I would offer Willie/1st/whatever else for a Larsson. It would have to be a big time stud, but those are very hard to get. I understand that.

I just think if one of the three has to go due to economics, Willie will be that guy.

 

[wintersej]

yes i would definitely love to go through each chance with you and argue over it, because you a homer bruins fan is convinced the people counting the numbers are lying.

Scoring chances, especially in a small sample size are such a smooshy stat. Its not lying, but in a small sample its a garbage input.

Is a wrist shot from the point with a heavy screen hard to stop? Is a shot from the home plate area where the goalie has a clear view and time to set harder to stop? Only one of those is an official "scoring chance".

In a large sample size, maybe you can argue that it all evens out. But, certainly not in a 4 game sample. The Bruins have scored goals that you deem "not pretty" or whatever by creating traffic and mayhem in front. The Leafs have had shots from "scoring chance" areas that Rask has easily turned aside with a clear view and angle and were not "real" scoring chances.

Why the "Scoring Chance" is a flawed metric, and how we can improve on it - NHL Numbers

 

[BruinsBtn]

Doughty is an UFA next year. Why would they give up Marner when they can just go after him next summer? Even if they trade for him, there is no guarantee he'll re-up in Toronto.

One of the three is going to be gone, I think, only because of $$$ they will need for the back end. I just think Nylander is the one.

By the same token, why would Nylander fetch a haul? So many wingers hit UFA every year. Any team could get JVR, Bailey, Neal, Nash, Kane, Kovalchuk, Hornqvist, Perron, Maroon or Vanek for free. How many of those guys could get 20G-40A with Matthews?

 

[BruinLVGA]

This is largely inaccurate.

Goaltending... Rask 926 sv% + 2.27 GAA, Andersen 880 + 4.12

Defense... Bruins allowed 9 goals, the Leafs 17

And therefore obviously... Offense... Bruins scored 17 goals, Leafs 9

Special teams... PP: Bruins 45.5%, Leafs 22.2... And obviously PK: Bruins 77.8%, Leafs 54.5.

 

[MattySnipes]

I just think it comes down to dollars, not a knee-jerk reaction . I've said this most of the year. To resign all three, my guess is you're looking 24-30 million, just off the top of my head. That's a hell of a lot for three players, especially when there are holes to fill, and you are in need of a #1 D.

For the record, I am not saying I would offer Willie/1st/whatever else for a Larsson. It would have to be a big time stud, but those are very hard to get. I understand that.

I just think of one of the three has to go due to economics, Willie will be that guy.

Yeah, it makes sense for sure. I see where you're getting it from. But if you feel for example Doughty is that guy, why not go after him in FA. Realistically, Nylander is the only guy we REALLY have to sign this year. Mitch and Auston, not until next year at the latest. It's gonna be interesting to see what the management team do, as well as how they see the team going forward.

Anyway, this thread is more about the series as opposed to trading our young guys so i'll revert back to that topic.

Any news on Bergeron? Gotta think he'll be back for Game 5.

 

[Langdon Alger]

While I agree with you that the leafs need to get tougher, the NHL today isn't what it was in the early 00s. I think they suffer from being young more than anything.

No, the game has changed for sure, but the playoffs are still very physical, and you need some push back in a long series.

They could use a Darcy Tucker type of player right now.

 

[Just Rude]

Because Boston > Colorado.

Nashville's definitely got an easier matchup than the Leafs do, even if Rinne isn't making it easy on his teammates.

Oh, I get that and I agree. My point is you just get look at a goalie's save percentage as to why you are losing a series.

The Preds are helping out their goalie. The Leafs aren't.

That said, Andy's been very shaky, but he isn't the only Leaf who is having that issue right now. It's a collective suck.

Ain't over yet, hopefully they find that other gear - Andy included - because they're almost out of chances.

 

[Just Rude]

By the same token, why would Nylander fetch a haul? So many wingers hit UFA every year. Any team could get JVR, Bailey, Neal, Nash, Kane, Kovalchuk, Hornqvist, Perron, Maroon or Vanek for free. How many of those guys could get 20G-40A with Matthews?

He wouldn't alone. You'd be adding a first, probably Liljegren and more. Nylander would just be part of a package for a 1D.

 

[Cleatus]

Boston will very likely take the series here... Hopefully in embarrassing fashion so Leafs management can truly see how the current d-core is way too soft and dumb to compete in the playoffs.

 

[zeke]

Go ahead. You keep ducking it. I already listed them anyway. Seems like you've got plenty of time on your hands. Also... you ARE a homer bruins fan, is what you really meant to write. But what you meant was: "BruinsBtn, you were right this year, again, and once again this year, I was wrong. That's 10 straight years of the Bruins finishing ahead of the Leafs"

yes, i am ducking your claim that the leafs had four scoring chances last night. you got it.

 

[Neely2005]

No, the game has changed for sure, but the playoffs are still very physical, and you need some push back in a long series.

They could use a Darcy Tucker type of player right now.

Darcy Tucker, the poor man's Brad Marchand.

 

[zeke]

I'll say it again. Rinne has an .886 SV%, and the Preds are up 3-1. Wonder why.

because bernier's .883 negates it.

 

[zeke]

Scoring chances, especially in a small sample size are such a smooshy stat. Its not lying, but in a small sample its a garbage input.

Is a wrist shot from the point with a heavy screen hard to stop? Is a shot from the home plate area where the goalie has a clear view and time to set harder to stop? Only one of those is an official "scoring chance".

In a large sample size, maybe you can argue that it all evens out. But, certainly not in a 4 game sample. The Bruins have scored goals that you deem "not pretty" or whatever by creating traffic and mayhem in front. The Leafs have had shots from "scoring chance" areas that Rask has easily turned aside with a clear view and angle and were not "real" scoring chances.

Why the "Scoring Chance" is a flawed metric, and how we can improve on it - NHL Numbers

the leafs had non stop traffic in front all night, and rask still didn't let any bad angle wrister floaters beat him.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Goaltending... Rask 926 sv% + 2.27 GAA, Andersen 880 + 4.12

Defense... Bruins allowed 9 goals, the Leafs 17

And therefore obviously... Offense... Bruins scored 17 goals, Leafs 9

Special teams... PP: Bruins 45.5%, Leafs 22.2... And obviously PK: Bruins 77.8%, Leafs 54.5.

it's up to the goalie to not let goals in. The defense's job is to limit the quantity and quality of scoring chances and that's pretty much all they can do. if pucks are going in anyway, that's on the goalie. If Boston and Toronto are both allowing a similar amount of scoring chances and similar quality (which they are), then it's on goaltending if there's a difference in goals allowed. I find it similar for offense, but the Leafs do have to do a better job finishing, even though Rask is way better than Andersen.

I think the problem is Bruins fans are taking it as a slight to say that the skaters on the team are actually close in talent but goaltending is the difference. That's the reality, and it shouldn't be a bad thing. Boston's goal is to win games and win the cup, not to be the way better team in every facet than Toronto. You should be fine with them achieving that through winning the goalie battle

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Right, cuz one bad series defines a player(s)?

Hah, c'mon.

Obviously not.

But more than one good series is needed to confirm star status.

 

[TimThomas24]

Marner has played well in games 3 and 4 I felt. But as a whole of a series I’m not that impressed. I guess I had high expectations for him and Matthews worried about stopping them. But then you realize how young they are and it makes more sense to have inconsistentcy issues. Both will be great players but are still a few years away from reaching their max potential.