Series Talk: Toronto vs Boston - Round #1

[MyBudJT]

Yeah, Browns going no where.

Brown is the least of my worries.... He is one of the few players I can be confident on that will actually show up this playoffs

 

[Burnie97]

Spreading it too thin, to be honest. Why does Babcock overthink things? Matthews and Willy work very well together. Kadri and Willy, not so much.

Yeah I think as another poster mentioned... keeping nylander on the 3rd basically gurantees he won't be up against Bergeron often. Him and Kadri need to figure out their shit and both be a lot better regardless of what line they're on. Being on the 3rd should ... give them an advantage.

 

[The Podium]

I think the worry is having Nyalnder out against Bergeron and Marchand. They'll get eaten alive, I for one expected this to happen.

I would imagine it would be

JT vs. Bergeron
Matthews vs. Krejci/Chara
Kadri/Willy vs. Coyle

From both perspectives

 

[Suntouchable13]

Yeah I think as another poster mentioned... keeping nylander on the 3rd basically gurantees he won't be up against Bergeron often. Him and Kadri need to figure out their **** and both be a lot better regardless of what line they're on. Being on the 3rd should ... give them an advantage.

I don't agree. Marner/JT, Matthews/Willy would scare them more than whatever they got now. Don't think they are too concerned about Matthews with Kap and AJ. Or Kadri/Willy. They have to just shut down JT/Marner.

 

[The Podium]

I don't agree. Marner/JT, Matthews/Willy would scare them more than whatever they got now. Don't think they are too concerned about Matthews with Kap and AJ. Or Kadri/Willy. They have to just shut down JT/Marner.

From Babs perspective, I think he likes Willy's chances against Coyle, Henien and Johansson

 

[Burnie97]

I would imagine it would be

JT vs. Bergeron
Matthews vs. Krejci/Chara
Kadri/Willy vs. Coyle

From both perspectives

Yup... right here is what will happen I think. Which should be a big advantage for us. Matthews and Kadri just need to elevate their games .

You know what you're getting from JT. I think him and Marner could be one of the biggest reasons Leafs can win this series. Even if they can play even with the Bergeron line... then Matty and Kadri just need to be better than those guys... and that's definitely doable.

The biggest thing again is Andy to me having to steal 1... and also... they need to stop mind f***ing themselves like they all need shrinks and just go out and play their game. You know Marchand etc is going to create a bunch of bullshit. Stay out of that stuff and Leafs will be alright.

 

[tom leafers]

Scary moment for Freddy at practice. took a shot high and went down hard apparently.

Shilton said he is fine and just had to wait for the feeling to come back in is arm. Still plans to play tomorrow.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Yeah, Browns going no where.

I took a look at Brown's PK performance after Babcock's comments and yeah, he's definitely a high-end PKer. One of those guys that actually makes a difference there. As such, he's got pretty good value for a fourth line guy.

 

[Clark4Ever]

I think it could work to our advantage to be heavy underdogs, and Babs should be utilizing that perception to motivate the players. All the pressure is on Boston so the Leafs should be loose and playing with nothing to lose.

The one thing that will be interesting to watch is if Boston will be able to shut down our lines. Last year, Bergeron and Chara did a number on Matthews and Kadri missed 3 games. It should be a different proposition this time around with Tavares, Matthews, and Kadri to contend with.

 

[BigGulpsEh]

so basically what every team needs to do to win the stanley cup

Every team need that yes, but all the main contenders aren’t struggling in those categories going into the playoffs like the leafs are.

Leafs secondary scoring and PP are major issues right now. That’s what they need to fix

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Freddy will be very good this year. Games likely to be low scoring affairs. 1 play a game likely to decide the result. We need to shore up and play a defensively mindful game. Try not to respond back with stick to physical play against us. Last year we got all of those calls against us. Our PP must be better. I think we need to change it up completely. The break in play everyone uses it now and everybody knows how to defend it now too. It is not about personnel but changing up the organization so Bruins caught off guard completely. Maybe go with an inverted triangle behind net. Move away form sidewall to a point shot with Muzz and 2 man jam. The Bruins will be confused.
Marner below crease. JT and Matty on the jam. Rielly on sidewall for safe outlet pressure play and restart.

 

[7even]

Marchand - Bergeron - Pasta
DeBrusk - Krejci - Kuhlman
Johansson - Coyle - Heinen
Acciari/Nordstrom - Wagner

That forward corps shouldn't embarrass us. It's the Best Line in Hockey (ft. David Krejci) and then a bunch of plug and play pieces. DeBrusk is the only other guy there above 0.5 PPG. But if Pastrnak eats us alive like last year it won't even matter.

The series is Freddy, that's it.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Kulman, Wagner, Acciari, Nordstrom all wouldn’t crack the leafs line up.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I think they have to want it more. Get great goaltending. Not do stupid shit like Kadri did last year. Don't be intimidated by Boston.

 

[willmma]

Toronto media is ridiculous

Someone on overdrive was explaining that IF leaf goalie plays great.. AND our forwards play great.. AND our defense play great.. then maybe... (He paused, stuttered as if about say something ridiculous about aliens landing..) then he continued.. maybe leafs can win


And Bobcat Mccowan having a discussion if leafs get 'rolled' and Babcock gets fired then who should replace him.

What a sad media we have.

 

[zeke]

Boston's only playoffs win in the last 5yrs they came this close to choking away against a lower seed.

 

[ToneDog]

Toronto media is ridiculous

Someone on overdrive was explaining that IF leaf goalie plays great.. AND our forwards play great.. AND our defense play great.. then maybe... (He paused, stuttered as if about say something ridiculous about aliens landing..) then he continued.. maybe leafs can win


And Bobcat Mccowan having a discussion if leafs get 'rolled' and Babcock gets fired then who should replace him.

What a sad media we have.

McCowan is the same guy that said he asked a guy in the know about Babs being fired if they lose in round 1 and the guy laughed and said no chance.

As far as what it takes to beat the Bruins, nobody is including "a little bit of luck".

 

[Peiskos]

Marchand - Bergeron - Pasta
DeBrusk - Krejci - Kuhlman
Johansson - Coyle - Heinen
Acciari/Nordstrom - Wagner

That forward corps shouldn't embarrass us. It's the Best Line in Hockey (ft. David Krejci) and then a bunch of plug and play pieces. DeBrusk is the only other guy there above 0.5 PPG. But if Pastrnak eats us alive like last year it won't even matter.

The series is Freddy, that's it.

Sure apart from the top line, on paper the Bruins are nothing special. I think many would agree though that they tend to play better as a team and do it more consistently than the Leafs do. Teams who can play as one tend to beat teams who look better on paper and have more pound for pound talent yet lack that team cohesiveness.

 

[Notsince67]

If I am playing for money, I am betting against the Leafs every day and twice on Sunday in this series.

I don't know how you could put money on us lol

Tradition and a lot of practice

 

[jaric1862]

People are beginning to sleep on the Leafs tbh

 

[biotk]

I have been saying that this team is bad for a long time. I have been predicting that they would be swept by the Bruins for a while. However, as I insisted that underlying statistics didn't support this team being as good as their hot start made people feel they were, I have to be consistent and say that their underlying statistics since Kadri came back indicate that this team has been playing far better than people think. They have combined bad puck luck offensively with terrible goaltending. Neither of which seem sustainable. With Dermott back and Gardiner hopefully back in a couple games they should only get better. I really can't believe I am saying this, and I am going to regret hitting the post reply button - but I think the Leafs will win a close series assuming they play Boston.

I knew I would regret this post. Hearing about the probable separation of Matthews and Nylander reverts my position back to the Leafs getting destroyed. Bruins in 5 if the Leafs get lucky.

(and despite what everyone still believes a year later - Nylander didn't have a problem with the Bergeron line - Nylander was on the ice for 2 GF and 1 GA against Bergeron at 5v5 and his underlying numbers were fine. He and Matthews, and Marner, and Kucherov and Stamkos were all completely shut down by Chara - and Chara alone. Boston didn't give a crap at trying to line match forwards. Only matching Chara.)

 

[Cleetus]

People are beginning to sleep on the Leafs tbh

that could be a good thing, embrace the under dog role!

 

[biotk]

Not out of fear but in attempt to win.
Matthews line was pretty good while Nylander sat out.
Perhaps he and Kadri can feast on a lessor line.

Matthews' line was terrible while Nylander sat out. They were stuck in their own zone for 90% of every shift, got scored on more often than they scored even while having tremendous puck luck and unsustainably high PDOs (Matthews' 5v5 HDCF% was 54% for his first year, 54% for his second, 46% during the time that Nylander sat out, and 59% during his time with Nylander over the past month).

 

[willmma]

Habs eliminated

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Night night Habs