Leafs’ first round opponent: Boston (who tanked for us)

[Commander Clueless]

Both seem to have our number.

Be interesting to see how many of our players are injured by unfortunate Marchand accidents by the end of a Boston series. Kind of crazy how accident prone the guy is against the Leafs.

We're at two on the season.

 

[ToneDog]

Both Boston and Flordia are beatable. Our top players need to show up that's all.

We have higher top-end talent than both teams. Its just a matter of performing

Not so sure anymore, especially when it counts. IMO Panthers top 6 > Leafs top 6. Leafs top 6 > Bruins top 6.

Until the 3 amigos show that they are willing to battle and do what it takes, I am setting my expectations low.

I'd tank and try to face the Rangers or Tampa (or Detroit or Buffalo). Based on how they "closed out" the game Saturday Night, maybe the team agrees.

Their best chance was to win the division and face a WC team. IMO many are underrating the Rangers.

 

[AustonMarner]

"Marchand hurts our players and the Leafs lost to them before so that means they're definitely going to lose to them again right?" wah... lol


Bruins are nothing without Bergeron and lost round 1 last year blowing 3 - 1 lead... they're a team in decline like civilization in general lol

The Bruins are just an all round trash organization who support real life dirt bags like Marchand and Lucic amongst others who offer no honour to the sport and in turn get none in return from me...

 

[Niagara Bill]

We sure have an edge, but we are no way vastly superior. Top 3 offensive players? Sure. Top 3 players? I'd say it's closer with Pasta, McAvoy, Swayman.

Comparing us to Boston I'd say Pasta / Matthews looks like a tie to me. Nylander and Marner are superior to Marchand/Zacha duo, but I'd say McAvoy playing 30 min a game will be more of a factor than either. Plus there is the goalie situation...

Point is we must dominate offensively, pressure, pucks to the net, don't let their dmen pinch and rough us. AM, MM &WN can do this if they play fearless hockey. Point is Pasta does, AM has not Mitchy has not. Will they? They haven't! To win, they must.
Our D and goaltending cannot carry us for sure.

 

[EquivalentStay]

The Overdrive crew talking about Brind'amour being a FA coach this summer.


If we lose in the 1st round, Keefe needs to finally f*** off and MLSE needs to back up the Brinks truck and give Brind'amour a blank check.

PLEASE

 

[Anthrax442]

I dont see any indication that Brindamour is a better coach, he is certainly not better experienced.

 

[HellasLEAF]

Honestly the thought of Boston/Marchand getting one more over on us would be tough. And the comments about the Bruins fans in this thread have brought up bad memories. Ya rather not go through that again lol.

Pretty much a coin flip of pain but I'll go Florida.

I do like that we would start both series on the road however.

 

[IPS]

Absolutely do not care, if you're a cup winning team you'll beat anyone in your path.

Dismissing playoff losses due to "tough competition" is probably the most irritating excuse ever, right up there with "getting goalie'd".

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Absolutely do not care, if you're a cup winning team you'll beat anyone in your path.

It'd be nice to get through a round.
We were dominated 2 straight by Boston by every metric.

I guess Florida could do the same to us and then it wouldn't matter who we play.

 

[NVious]

Both seem to have our number.

Be interesting to see how many of our players are injured by unfortunate Marchand accidents by the end of a Boston series. Kind of crazy how accident prone the guy is against the Leafs.

We're at two on the season.

Reaves needed to jump him or cross check him in the face, I guess when you spend enough time around our core even Reaves has become soft

 

[Racer88]

Does Tre give him another shot if he loses in 1st rd and improve the defense?

If they lose in the first round everyone from Shanny right on down to the assistant coaches should be shown the door as well as some of the core.

No more excuses, no more moral victories and certainly no more respect in the handshake line

 

[AvroArrow]

Both seem to have our number.

Be interesting to see how many of our players are injured by unfortunate Marchand accidents by the end of a Boston series. Kind of crazy how accident prone the guy is against the Leafs.

We're at two on the season.

I have a strong feeling that the Treliving Leafs will play just as dirty

Reaves, Bertuzzi, Domi, Benoit, McCabe, Lyubushkin

 

[Racer88]

Give me Boston any day, I like the Leafs chances there.
I don't think they have much chance against Florida.

They have lost something like 8 games in a row against Boston

 

[HamiltonNHL]

They have lost something like 8 games in a row against Boston

Gulp

 

[HamiltonNHL]

2 victories in their barn since Nov 2017.

 

[Menzinger]

Florida is the better team, the Bruins have a more intimidating barn for home games.

The Leafs looked rough against the Panthers in the second round last year. But a closer, sober look shows most games were closer than we realized and I'm skeptical of them getting the same quality of goaltending this time around. The older parts of the Bruins core are starting to show their age and the newer parts are as unproven as any of the Leafs core

People need to stop acting like any series is predetermined though. Everything is completely erased by the time game 1 begins, the past, even the most recent regular season becomes irrelevant

 

[HamiltonNHL]

vs. pathers.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

vs panthers last 2 years (regular season) 4-2
vs Boston last 3 years (regular season) 0-7 (2 games this year completely dominated)

 

[Leafs87]

Does Tre give him another shot if he loses in 1st rd and improve the defense?

Probably due to him being a young coach with a winning record. Based on playoff merit he didn’t deserve his curent shot

 

[TheGroceryStick]

Im at the “f@&$ it, gimme whoever” stage.
This team could crash and burn or get it together for a mini stretch. Who knows, I’ll be here to find out though.

Didn’t we throttle the bruins nearly every regular season, prior to bowing out (to them) in the playoffs. Maybe this is the “change” we needed.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Leaf goals vs Panthers - last 2 years
not including overtime / SO

 

[Racer88]

Gulp

View attachment 837931

Yup. I can’t see how anyone could think we match up better against the Bruins

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Absolutely do not care, if you're a cup winning team you'll beat anyone in your path.

Dismissing playoff losses due to "tough competition" is probably the most irritating excuse ever, right up there with "getting goalie'd".

Honestly, nothing I've seen Leads me to believe this is a legit cup winning team. Obviously you hope for the best, but The Leafs don't come off as a powerhouse capable of beating any and every team in a 7 games series. If the Leafs win a cup this year, teams that we matchup well against will need to knock off teams that play a style we struggle against.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Yup. I can’t see how anyone could think we match up better against the Bruins

they are drinking the ML$E kool-aid

 

[Arzak]

Where is Zeke to do his lineup comparisons?

Bert Matthews Marner vs Tkachuk Barkov Cousins
Knies Domi Nylander vs Verhaeghe Bennett Reinhart
McMann Tavares Jarnkrok vs Rodriguez Lusterinen Tank
Holmberg Kampf Reaves vs Lomberg Stenlund Okposo

Sorry, I like Florida's overall depth, even if Matty shows up.

They look really good,even if our guys show up, which is not automatic. Their first two lines will eat us alive.

Anyway you look at it. Tkachuk in playoffs will likely match whatever Matthews will bring. Barkov as big body 2way force gets a nod over Marner and so on.

The idea that our guys just need to show up . Yeah I can see Florida and Boston sh*tting themselves after they see battle face Auston and Mitch...


If they show up, they will eat a couple of hits and tone it down, like they always do...