GDT: 4/11/23 - 7:00PM EDT - Toronto vs Tampa Bay

[FinnLightning26]

Haven't watched the last three games and I'm pretty glad about that. Might skip the Red Wings game too because f***, I don't want to torture myself unnecessarily.

Eh, maybe this is the start of the slide to that Penguins territory where they've been the last couple of years. Good enough to make the playoffs but not good enough to be a threat to anyone. We've lost a lot of what made us back to back champions and every great team has this happen to them eventually.

 

[JoVel]

Imagine telling someone halfway through the season that we'd finish neck and neck with Florida.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Imagine telling someone halfway through the season that we'd finish neck and neck with Florida.

Hell would have been hilarious to end up in the wildcard. We were only 2 points out.

 

[Todd1a]

Imagine telling someone halfway through the season that we'd finish neck and neck with Florida.

Yes I’m surprised Florida came back and made the playoffs!

 

[VinikToWinIt]

Hell would have been hilarious to end up in the wildcard. We were only 2 points out.

Almost would have preferred that.

But I guess the 3 seed is worth it for the main board threads with Leafs fans alone.

 

[Hoek]

If our slide had started a couple weeks earlier we might be out altogether

 

[LightningStrikes]

If our slide had started a couple weeks earlier we might be out altogether

I’d have to check but I feel that we’re barely above .50 in P% since the ASG break.

 

[DFC]

I think most of us lean toward Hedman playing through something pretty much all year. But really, what's up with Vasy? What are the weird mental lapses about?

 

[LightningStrikes]

I think most of us lean toward Hedman playing through something pretty much all year. But really, what's up with Vasy? What are the weird mental lapses about?

Well according to the main boards: McD isn’t there anymore to block all the shots.

 

[Bartleby]

If our slide had started a couple weeks earlier we might be out altogether

The chicken and egg question then becomes; would we have slid to the extent that we have, or even at all, if we had had more to play for down the stretch?

Nothing fully excuses how we've played (from the goal out) but I do try to put myself in a player's shoes who has been where our core guys have been over the last several years and it really does have to be tough both mentally and physically to get up for relatively meaningless games knowing what is coming. I'm sure it isn't even a conscious thing, but I feel it's got to be a part of what has occurred.

 

[JTBF81]

I’d have to check but I feel that we’re barely above .50 in P% since the ASG break.

They're below .500 in points % since the all star break, and they will finish below regardless of whether they beat Detroit. They are currently 13-15-5 since the break, .469 %, vs 32-15-1 before, .677

 

[DistantThunderRep]

They're below .500 in points % since the all star break, and they will finish below regardless of whether they beat Detroit. They are currently 13-15-5 since the break, .469 %, vs 32-15-1 before, .677

Hey, remember certain posts about how it wasn't that bad 8 games before the playoffs. Those disingenuous positivity posts, while some merited, are like watching insane Leaf posters on Leaf boards. Just so homerish that any criticising of the piss poor performance over the last 2.5 months was "Just them coasting".