Around the League - Stanley Cup Edition

[SeaOfBlue]

Definitely a playoff track meet.

Not sure that is a good thing for either team though. They both looked very beatable.

 

[fahad203]

after watching the playoffs games thus far what I have learned?

1. Thank God we did not pick Bennet. The guy took two dumb penalties and tampa scored on both of them

2. Hypothetically speaking even if Leafs were to make the ECF I don't see how the Leafs snowflakes are going to hold up against high intensity hard hitting and hard checking teams. North division does seem like a JOKE

No way. I totally disagree. Bennett has been a spark plug for already a good team. He seemed to have found his scoring touch and hits everything that moves

Yes, sure you can say that hit was late and cost a penalty. But he did go after the guy who went after their franchise player. You have to set the tone, it backfired but it's still a tone to what will be acceptable for next 3 games.

Not to mention he had 2 assists tonight. You wouldn't take a potential point per game player who has an edge?

I remember Gary Roberts once absolutely drilled Alfredsson(?) and Tucker piling on top of players. I'll take that anyday. Those are the types of player rise to the occasion. Something we have been severly lacking


As for the pace of the game. That I agree. North games are so blant compare to everyone else. Especially with our team, we never seemed to have that extra gear, that x factor

Hoping Nash, Simmonds, Joe can change that. Big Joe has been pretty good using his weights. I am not expecting much from Kerfoot, Nylander and Mikaheyev. They are goign to be meh as usual. Nylander will get you some goals but he'll lack intensity at Bobby Ryan's level

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Leafs can't play like that

Cool then don't watch.

 

[Stephen]

Not sure that is a good thing for either team though. They both looked very beatable.

If they kill each other and soften up the winner for the next rounds I have no problem with that.

 

[Thrasymachus]

The hockey fan in me wants the Pens to win, but the Leafs fan wants the Islanders.

Both our fan bases would have fun from a nice little playoff joust i suspect

Isles need revenge for the 2000s series and I am sure you guys would love to rub our faces in for how we treated Tavares

 

[Leaf4Life]

Cool then don't watch.

Salty?

Did you even watch the Florida game? Lol

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

Salty?

Did you even watch the Florida game? Lol

A lot of tension right now with our upcoming series. I don't blame any Leafs fan for being antsy and nervous. I understand it.

 

[Superstar]

Kucherov having such a big impact is pretty dusgusting considering the optics of it

Also, Stamkos just happens to be healthy for game one of the playoffs.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Flames-Canucks is so irrelevant that The Score App isn’t even keeping diligent with updates.

 

[mix1home]

36 year old MAF still making insanely athletic saves. Absolutely robbed Kaprizov.

He saved at least 7 “you cannot stop it” chances.

 

[OurlordAndSaviorKuch]

Also, Stamkos just happens to be healthy for game one of the playoffs.

Stamkos played this season........

Also Stamkos has never really been there for us in the playoffs yet for us.

 

[Mess]

I just hope it goes to 7 games and many rounds of OT. These teams need to soften each other up.

Yikes , some of these other playoff teams look powerful and we haven't even seen the favourites Colorado yet.

That TB/Florida game our former Div mates was insane in terms of entertainment, and outstanding in terms of intensity, physicality and tempo and outright talent on display. I can't remember any of Leafs game this year played at those levels. PP were clicking and the big boys on both sides came to play and mean business.

Boston & Washington had nearly 100 hits combined and the Vegas/ Minny series might come to first goal wins each game with that level of goaltending.

This is some real playoff hockey were watching now.

I agree some of these teams best soften each other up, as I was trying to picture our Leafs team in these series and they would have their hands full playing in these various styles and at those levels.

 

[mydnyte]

Yikes , some of these other playoff teams look powerful and we haven't even seen the favourites Colorado yet.

That TB/Florida game our former Div mates was insane in terms of entertainment, and outstanding in terms of intensity, physicality and tempo and outright talent on display. I can't remember any of Leafs game this year played at those levels. PP were clicking and the big boys on both sides came to play and mean business.

Boston & Washington had nearly 100 hits combined and the Vegas/ Minny series might come to first goal wins each game with that level of goaltending.

This is some real playoff hockey were watching now.

I agree some of these teams best soften each other up, as I was trying to picture our Leafs team in these series and they would have their hands full playing in these various styles and at those levels.

not sure... more physically aggressive yes, but, then a PP starts and they back off, get into a box, and let them pass around at will. if that happened in the North, the scores would all be 7-6 or higher. the PK in the North is far more pressure based vs structure

 

[zeke]

Leafs can't play like that

True we haven't played that poorly defensively all year.

 

[Fogelhund]

No way. I totally disagree. Bennett has been a spark plug for already a good team. He seemed to have found his scoring touch and hits everything that moves

Yes, sure you can say that hit was late and cost a penalty. But he did go after the guy who went after their franchise player. You have to set the tone, it backfired but it's still a tone to what will be acceptable for next 3 games.

Not to mention he had 2 assists tonight. You wouldn't take a potential point per game player who has an edge?

I remember Gary Roberts once absolutely drilled Alfredsson(?) and Tucker piling on top of players. I'll take that anyday. Those are the types of player rise to the occasion. Something we have been severly lacking


As for the pace of the game. That I agree. North games are so blant compare to everyone else. Especially with our team, we never seemed to have that extra gear, that x factor

Hoping Nash, Simmonds, Joe can change that. Big Joe has been pretty good using his weights. I am not expecting much from Kerfoot, Nylander and Mikaheyev. They are goign to be meh as usual. Nylander will get you some goals but he'll lack intensity at Bobby Ryan's level

Bennett has a hearing for the boarding call.

 

[Stephen]

Yikes , some of these other playoff teams look powerful and we haven't even seen the favourites Colorado yet.

That TB/Florida game our former Div mates was insane in terms of entertainment, and outstanding in terms of intensity, physicality and tempo and outright talent on display. I can't remember any of Leafs game this year played at those levels. PP were clicking and the big boys on both sides came to play and mean business.

Boston & Washington had nearly 100 hits combined and the Vegas/ Minny series might come to first goal wins each game with that level of goaltending.

This is some real playoff hockey were watching now.

I agree some of these teams best soften each other up, as I was trying to picture our Leafs team in these series and they would have their hands full playing in these various styles and at those levels.

On one hand I’m a bit worried that we’ve never seen this level of intensity and execution from the core group should Montreal create this pace and hostility. On the other hand, every playoff series has its own character and I have a hard time seeing the temperature rise to that level if the Leafs are playing more of a turn the other cheek kind of game.

 

[mix1home]

Bennett has a hearing for the boarding call.

I would guess $100 fine.

 

[Fogelhund]

I would guess $100 fine.

Hearing minimum is $5,000 or games suspension....

 

[zeke]

Bennett has a hearing for the boarding call.

Kadri would get min 3gms.

 

[Superstar]

Hearing minimum is $5,000 or games suspension....

I think he was being sarcastic, lol...these days, why not, right?

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Kadri would get min 3gms.

He plays for Colorado now. Would be a fine for him as well.

 

[MSZ]

Kadri would get min 3gms.

More like ten games because he's a repeated offender.

 

[Azail]

No no no. We have Morgan Rielly (and maybe malhotra) running it into the ground. Put a decent puck mover with a good point shot I guarentee its much better. People forget how good it was to start the year.

I don't disagree but who is that? Muzzin has a good shot, but he's not much of a PP QB. Sandin might have a better shot than Rielly, but I'm not sure he really does at this point.

The reason TB has a lethal PP is because there are threats everywhere. I just don't see it on the Leafs. Everything is forced through Marner and Matthews, they rarely use the bumper or down low play, teams heavily cheat to Matthews and cover and cross seam pass so we end up with a wrist shot from Rielly or Marner.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I don't disagree but who is that? Muzzin has a good shot, but he's not much of a PP QB. Sandin might have a better shot than Rielly, but I'm not sure he really does at this point.

The reason TB has a lethal PP is because there are threats everywhere. I just don't see it on the Leafs. Everything is forced through Marner and Matthews, they rarely use the bumper or down low play, teams heavily cheat to Matthews and cover and cross seam pass so we end up with a wrist shot from Rielly or Marner.

I don't think that is because we lack threats. It is just for whatever reason, we refuse to use them at all.

Our 5-on-4 PP's are pretty much 2-on-4's. Maybe 2.5 if you count Rielly having to just act as a safety valve for Marner. We hardly use Nylander and Tavares for some reason.

I don't know if that is Marner's fault, Malhotra's fault, or a mix of a bunch of factors... I just know that the talent, skills, players, etc. on the PP is not the main issue, if it is an issue at all. Talent wise we easily have one of the best PP's in the league. That doesn't matter if you have guys playing like we are a man down instead of a man up though.

 

[Mess]

On one hand I’m a bit worried that we’ve never seen this level of intensity and execution from the core group should Montreal create this pace and hostility. On the other hand, every playoff series has its own character and I have a hard time seeing the temperature rise to that level if the Leafs are playing more of a turn the other cheek kind of game.

I think players like Simmonds, Foligno, eventually Bogosian are not going to turn the other cheek and I expect Montreal to bring the heat physically particularly Habs D on Leafs skilled forwards.

Maybe you're right and Leafs just don't play at that level of intensity because Leafs core players don't engage and push back. However maybe the whole idea by the new additions is to give that core more of a spine knowing they have teammates that have their backs.

Barkov and Huberdeau certainly were'nt intimidate nor backed away/down from the special attention they got. Going to be interesting to see how Matthews, Marner and Nylander deal with that, as we know the only way Montreal has any change skill wise is to try and take Leafs skill players off their games and the only way that can happen is play them physically.