Series Talk: North Division Round 1: Leafs (1) vs. Canadiens (4)

Series Prediction


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Ziggdiezan

Registered User
Apr 10, 2015
10,847
5,676
True. I’m gonna say 7, and it grows to be a nasty series. There wasn’t a ton of heat in the reg season series but I see Anderson, Edmundson, Perry being absolute dirt bags and I can’t see Simmer, Thornton, or Foligno (please be healthy bby) pushing back
Ya I think the Habs will try to be dirty and physical because it is the only thing they can really do as they are worse at everything else. I think this team has matured though and added some key pieces to add some push back. Have faith
 
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moon111

Registered User
Oct 18, 2014
2,890
1,283
I find Quebec, Montreal, Hab fans very hard to tolerate. Although the Leafs and the canadiens haven't matched up in the playoffs for quite some time,
there is animosity that extends well beyond the world of hockey.
 
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Teeder Keon

Defeat does not rest lightly on their shoulders
Mar 11, 2019
17,312
24,186
Deep in the Purple jungles of BC
The Canadiens–Maple Leafs rivalry is a ice hockey rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, two professional ice hockey clubs in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Canadiens and Maple Leafs are the league's oldest teams, with the former established in 1909 and the latter in 1917. Both clubs compete in the Atlantic Division of the NHL's Eastern Conference.
Canadiens–Maple Leafs rivalry

Montreal Canadiens

Toronto Maple Leafs
First meetingDecember 26, 1917
Latest meetingMay 8, 2021
Next meetingTBD
Statistics
Meetings total828
All-time series404–324–88–12 (MTL)
Regular season series362–295–88–12 (MTL)
Postseason results42–29 (MTL)
Largest victoryMTL 11–0 TOR
March 30, 1944
Longest win streakMTL W14
Current win streakTOR W2
Postseason history

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
The rivalry between the two teams picked up after the Montreal Maroons folded in 1938; resulting in the Canadiens and Maple Leafs being the only Canadian-based teams in the NHL until 1970. Both teams saw success during the Original Six era, with the Stanley Cup having been primarily awarded to either the Canadiens or Maple Leafs during that period. In addition to the on-ice rivalry the rivalry was exacerbated by societal issues in mid-20th century Canada; with the two teams serving as stand-ins for a variety of cultural dualities in Canadian society. The rivalry's association with larger societal issues in the country has left a imprint on Canadian culture, most notably through the publication of the short story, The Hockey Sweaterby Roch Carrier.
The Canadiens and Maple Leafs have met in 15 Stanley Cup playoff series, including five Stanley Cup Finals. However, the two teams have not met in a playoff series since 1979. The rivalry between the two teams has "waned" since the Original Six era, with the Canadiens and Maple Leafs having played in separate conferences of the NHL from 1981 to 1998. Although the rivalry is no longer influenced by its historical associations, it remains symbolic of the relationship between the country's two largest cities, Toronto and Montreal.

During the NHL's first 25 seasons, Montreal and Toronto had played in only two playoff series, during the 1918 NHL Championship, and the 1925 NHL Championship.[10] Toronto won the inaugural NHL Championship, outscoring Montreal 10–7. The Canadiens won the second playoff series played between the two clubs, with the Canadiens outscoring the St. Patricks 5–2. Both series consist of two games, where the winner was determined by the total goals scored. The champions from both NHL Championship series advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals; which until 1926, operated as a championship series between top-tier professional hockey leagues in North America.

A game between the Canadiens and Maple Leafs in March 1938.
After the Montreal Maroons folded in 1938, the Canadiens and Maple Leafs remained the league's only remaining Canadian teams from 1938 to 1970; enabling both teams to accrue a number of fans across Canada as the only two NHL teams in the country.[11]
Original Six era (1942–1967)Edit

During the 1940s and the 1960s, the two teams reigned exclusively as Stanley Cup champions during the decade, with the exception of 1961, which was won by the Chicago Black Hawks.[12] The rivalry between the two teams picked up in 1946, when assistant manager Frank J. Selke left the Maple Leafs to become the general manager of the Canadiens; having left the Maple Leafs organization partly due to ongoing tensions between himself and their managing director, Conn Smythe.[13]
The rivalry perhaps reached its zenith in the 1967 Stanley Cup Finals during the centennial year of Canadian Confederation, and the year Montreal was hosting Expo 67.[14] An exhibit space had been prepared for the Stanley Cup at the expo's Quebec pavilion, as the Canadiens were expected to beat the Leafs quite handily.[14][15] However, underdog Toronto upset the Canadiens to capture their most recent Cup;[14] with the team opting to exhibit the Stanley Cup at the expo's Ontario pavilion instead.[16]
Expansion and modern era (1967–present)Edit

After 1967, the rivalry cooled slightly due to NHL expansion and realignment. The fanbases of both teams began to erode somewhat: new franchises in Vancouver (the Canucks), Calgary (the Flames), Edmonton (the Oilers) and Winnipeg (the Jets) captured the allegiances of Canadians in Western Canada, while the Quebec Nordiques competed with the Canadiens for the loyalties of Quebecers from 1979 to 1995.
From 1981 to 1998, Toronto and Montreal were in opposite conferences – the Maple Leafs in the Clarence Campbell/Western Conference and the Canadiens in the Prince of Wales/Eastern Conference. The fortunes of the two teams since 1967 have also seen a marked difference; the Habs have won ten Stanley Cup championships since that year, while the Maple Leafs have yet to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Toronto came close to reaching the Finals in 1993, where they would have faced the Wales Conference champion Habs in the 100th anniversary year of the Stanley Cup.[17] However, they were narrowly defeated in the Campbell Conference Finals by the Los Angeles Kings.[18] At the 1994 NHL All-Star Game in New York City the following January, however, the then-starting goaltenders of the two teams—Montreal's Patrick Roy and Toronto's Felix Potvin — were the starting goalies, Potvin substituting for future Maple Leafs goaltender Ed Belfour. The Eastern Conference, coached by the Canadiens' Jacques Demers, won the game, 9–8.
On May 29, 1992, Pat Burns resigned as the Canadiens head coach and was hired as the Maple Leafs head coach that same day, adding more fuel to the fire.[19] Burns coached the Canadiens to the 1989 Stanley Cup Finals, but lost to the Calgary Flames in six games.[20] However, he would win the Stanley Cup as coach of the New Jersey Devils in 2003.[20]
In 1998, the Leafs moved into the Eastern Conference's Northeast Division.[21] This has served to rekindle the rivalry, although the two teams have yet to appear in a playoff series against each other.[21] For the Maple Leafs, this realignment also put them in the same division as the Ottawa Senators, their in-province rivals.[21]
21st centuryEdit


The Canadiens and Maple Leafs take a face-off to begin the 2008–09season.
Although the two teams have not met in the post-season since 1979, the two teams have eliminated the other from Stanley Cup playoffs contention on occasion; with the Canadiens eliminating the Maple Leafs from the playoffs during the 2005–06 season, and the Maple Leafs returning the favour the following season.[13]
Another realignment in 2013 kept the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, and Senators in the same division, now going by the Atlantic Division name (the old Atlantic Division was renamed the Metropolitan Division).
On October 14, 2017, the Maple Leafs beat the Canadiens 4–3 in overtime, ending a record-breaking 14-game losing streak against their rivals dating back over three years to January 18, 2014.[22][23] It was also their first win in Montreal in over four years, stretching back to October 1, 2013.[24] This marked the first of seven straight wins for the Maple Leafs, a streak broken when the Canadiens won the final game of the 2018-19 season 6-5 in a shootout. The Canadiens then won the first three matchups of the 2018-19 seasonbefore the season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the shortened 2020–21 season, the two teams played each other 10 times in the North Division as the NHL temporarily realigned the divisions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the most meetings between the teams since the 1967–68 NHL season.[25][26] The Maple Leafs won the season series 7–2–1, including wins over the Canadiens on April 28 to clinch a playoff berth and May 8 to clinch the North Division title.[27][28] The Canadiens finished fourth in the division, setting up the teams' first playoff meeting since 1979.
 

Garthinater

Registered User
Nov 22, 2015
2,841
1,482
I can only imagine how insane the arenas would be with fans at the games.

I don't hate Montreal as much as I used to now that koivu, pk, patches are all gone and price isn't as good. Still, they are one of the two teams I'd like us to knock out most.
 
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willmma

Registered User
Jan 5, 2017
3,189
4,073
Ranger fan aboard the Leaf train. Destroy these f***ers and obliterate the 1st round narrative already, thank you. And I'm confident Auston Matthews will truly breakout in these playoffs like he did in the reg. season.

That's awesome man.
I was really hoping you would take over the Bruins spot. You guys were really close.
 
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Not My Tempo

Registered User
Feb 22, 2015
3,711
3,794
Toronto
Tavares and Nylander being a PPG+ for over a month now is gonna be the difference maker in my opinion.
Against the Habs this year:

Tavares: 3G 7A
Nylander: 4G 3A (8 GP)
Matthews: 7G 7A
Marner: 4G 7A
Hyman: 2G 5A (6 GP)
 
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zeke

The Dube Abides
Mar 14, 2005
66,937
36,957
On paper it should be a sweep. Hopefully Campbell doesn't get stage fright and the PP can just be decent. Those are the only 2 things I worry about at all....and tbh I don't worry about Campbell all that much.

And a sweep would be the best thing for the Habs too - it might be enough to prompt a front office housecleaning and hopefully get that Molson kid to step away from hockey ops altogether. I don't like seeing a proud franchise like the Habs get stuck in this kind of rut.
 

hamzarocks

Registered User
Jul 22, 2012
20,615
13,769
Pickering, Ontario
I'd say Leafs in 3 but don't want to look like an ass when we sweep. Accidently voted leafs in 5 but it's gonna be broom sticks

It's gonna be a bunch of bad amateurs vs the best team in the NHL. Time for the cup. Super hyped this year.

I've never seen the leafs play hockey in the 2nd round in my life. Can't wait till that feeling comes and quickly is reached by a Cup parade (fingers crossed, that this is allowed)

Go leafs Go
 

Le Cobra

Rent A Goalie
Nov 11, 2015
3,101
1,387
Toronto The Good
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst based on our recent postseason history, If Price is playing, Leafs in 7 in TRIPLE OT. Matthews with the OT dagger. There is no scenario where we win this series without Campbell in net and Foligno on the ice.

If NO Carey Price, Leafs in 6.
 

justloveleafs

Registered User
Mar 12, 2021
1,096
849
Paris Ontario
Zeke might be the best SPORTS poster, I have ever come across.

Probably makes too much money, to entertain all that much, being the new and much improved, all network sports guy.

Good looking guy as well.

Thanks Zeke, and you know for what. .
 
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TheGreatOne11

Registered User
Jun 29, 2009
3,166
4,105
Toronto
I'm saying sweep because i believe these boys are on a mission.

The league is about to take notice of what our Toronto Maple Leafs are capable of.

Whatcha gonna do, when the Toronto Maple Leafs run wild on YOU.
 
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