GDT: 5/22/22 - 1:30PM EDT - #1 Florida vs #3 Tampa Bay [ECSF GAME 3]

[justloveleafs]

Leaf fan here. I had the top paying coaching position in another sport for close to ten years and went into the finance world. But I never lost my love for coaching and watching hockey. My best friend growing up became the GM of the Leafs, I have done business with many great Leaf players.

I have been intrigued with your coach, Jon Cooper, since the day I laid eyes on him. I looked at him and said, he looks like a lawyer or a high profile finance guy, rather than a hockey coach.

Well after doing some research on him, lo and behold, he was in both professions prior to getting into the NHL and coaching the Bolts.

The guy just oozes, cool.... Never seems to show too much emotion, but one look at his face and you can tell he is a total warrior.

I love his philosophy of what he wants in a hockey club. He stated that he wants a team as combatitive and aggressive as the 1970's Philadelphia Flyers, and as exciting and talented as the 1980's Edmonton Oilers.

Bold ambition to be sure. But from what I see on the ice, he has accomplished this.

Sheldon Keefe and Kyle Dubas have put an exciting product on the ice for us Toronto Maple Leaf fans.

But they made some personnel decisions, errors, that Jon Cooper would not have made.

Not signing Corey Perry because of the worry of fallout from the dressing room in regards to the injury Tavares suffered as a result of being kneed by Perry was a grave error.

Any astute hockey fan could tell from Perry's play in the playoffs last year, is that Perry, is back... He is not built because of his age, to rock the regular season, game after game, but in the playoffs, the guy is a force.

A cheap(that ain't happenin any more) add on, that turns into a beast in the playoffs.

Keefe took out our best passing dman, which neutered our great regular season third line, that Tampa snuffed in the first round.

I am loving being unecumbered with having to cheer for the Leafs, and being allowed to watch Tampa without the pangs of guilt. cheering and appreciating the genius of another man's team.

I love Brayden Point, but he is so dynamic and aggressive, Kucherov seems to play better without him.

Tampa is looking soooo good right now. A three peat? Heh, well, I am looking forward to it now.

Getting rest in the playoffs to me, is huge. If handled properly.

Everything is going Tampa's way. Love it.

 

[Rschmitz]

I actually think Guy Boucher had a lot more of the "cool" factor than Cooper. I think Cooper is just doing a lot of things behind the scenes to get this team right, including the system that is in place here. He also has the benefit of the best goalie, defender, and winger in the sport and obviously a ton of good complimentary players

 

[OdinsFury]

He has consistently been a turd when he covers Bolts

TNT coverage contains most of the clowns from NBC that hated on the Bolts! I wish ESPN and its crew with McDonough and Ferraro were covering the Bolts and the network desk with Cally, Levy and Weeksi are all awesome. Instead we get constant negativity and it finally took the Bolts taking a 3-1 lead after second period for announcers to even acknowledge that Bolts could actually win the series! But you know what, the national media has done our Bolts a favor- they have prevented this team from getting the love they deserve so there is no way they can be overconfident! Most teams that win 1 Cup get overhyped to the point of nauseau!

 

[LightningStrikes]

I still don’t get it. I mean if Eddie is just “old school” and rooting for the traditional market teams like Boston or Chicago against us, he can and even should. In private. These guys are paid professionals. Call the game objectively. It even makes less sense in a Florida vs. Tampa game though. Eddie was pumping their tires all game long despite their shitty play.

 

[justloveleafs]

Guy Boucher, to me, always looked scared. It was in the eyes. Cooper? Looks like he wants to jump out on the ice most of the time and barrel someone into the boards, strip the puck off the hapless foe, and head straight into the blue paint for a goal. And again, its all in the eyes.

 

[Felonious Python]