Around the NHL: The 2024 NHL Playoff Thread

[Ehran]

As much as I hate the Leafs I gotta give them credit for fighting back in this series. They could have folded, and did not.

I watched about half the game and thought Toronto was the better team tonight.

 

[Gabrielor]

 

[toddkaz]

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Mine goes:

Least favorite: BOS
Next least favorite: TOR/TB/NYR

For me: from least to first it’s Leafs, Habs, idgaf in general but it depends on my feelings about that team that year, Sens, Sharks, Sabres.

With the last two teams, it’s cut off all of my fingers and thumb and keep my hand, or cut off my hand. Circumstances determines who I hate more

 

[Dirty Dog]

As much as I hate the Leafs I gotta give them credit for fighting back in this series. They could have folded, and did not.

I watched about half the game and thought Toronto was the better team tonight.

Agreed, they played a good series overall given the early hole they dug. Marner is such a problem for that team

 

[toddkaz]

Matthews/Tavares/Nylander/Marner: 6 goals in 23 games (combined)
Nichushkin: 7 goals in 5 games

 

[Zach716]

 

[toddkaz]

Leafs Regular season Goals per game

1. Colorado 3.68
2. Toronto 3.63

Leafs Playoffs Goals per game

1. Colorado 5.60
15. Washington 1.75
16. Toronto 1.71

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Leafs are done. Let the mourning begin.

Or celebration, for that matter.

 

[Ehran]

Florida is going to destroy Boston in the next round.

Unless, of course, they don't. Can't ever really count the Bruins out, but this will be an uphill battle for them.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

And we're tied again.

I need this game to end in OT on the stupidest play imaginable. Like a 180 foot bouncer, or an own goal.

Seemed like Carlo lost an edge as the puck was poked away from him.

I don't think Carlo had a good series. McAvoy was very careless with the puck tonight. Maybe it was the ice?

The B's D corp did not esp. impress me. (I know it the last 3 games were very tightly played....

 

[Old Navy Goat]

It's simple in that out of the big 4, only Nylander caused the pucker effect on defensemen. He brought an attack dimension across multiple zones that Matthews and Tavares just can't. Marner was AWOL but it wasn't like the other 2 earned their money making anything happen

 

[paulmm3]

Lol suck it Toronto. I was driving and just saw the score. I'm no Bruins fan, but it always warms my heart to see the Leafs go out

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

And Leafs blaming Samsonov for game seven loss. They score one goal.

 

[kirby11]

The Leafs have the same roster problems every postseason with the big four:
-At least one of them is out hurt or playing injured
-Marner generally sucks ass in the more physical, tighter-checking game environments
-Their salary structure is so top heavy that they can't afford good scoring depth, so if their top guys aren't doing anything, they're scratching and clawing just to pot 2 per game

There's no way they extend Mitch...but would they be ok with letting him walk for nothing and just looking at it as cap space gained if they can't trade him? It's clear they need to try something different, not sure if they have the appetite for it

 

[sabremike]

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Was hoping for a leafs win just so the slow moving train wreck continues, I really want an excuse for ‘em to do the same damn thing one more time, but Pasta scoring is a nice end to it.


It’s funny, but I feel like Shanahan has absolutely destroyed their best chance since ‘67, and it’s kinda like.. no one is gonna say he’s been awful, but he’s played it like I play NHL 24. Hell ya I’m gonna max out my team, f*** future consequences and defense.

 

[Ace]

They never should have signed Tavares.

 

[sabremike]

 

[Fezzy126]

The Leafs were in Campbell/Western conference for my formative hockey fan years, so I've just never had the same hatred for them as many of you. I mean, don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching them lose as much as anyone else, but I detest Boston, Pittsburgh, and Philly much more than them.

Hell, that '99 Sabres team boatraced the Leafs in the playoffs and the Ray/Domi battles through the years were epic. I guess you could say I've always loved beating them, but I never really hated them.

The Dallas Stars took the mantle for most hated after '99 (this was hard because the Minny/Modano Stars were my favorite non-Sabres for a long time prior to that cup finals). And then they were replaced by Ottawa and Carolina during the co-caps era. So these days I've really reverted back to Boston and Pittsburgh as the teams I detest the most.

All that being said, I've really developed an affinity for Dangle's meltdowns...

 

[5 Minute Major]

Just LOVE seeing Toronto get eliminated because of their arrogant fans.

 

[MOGlLNY]

The second you get Tavares and Marner off the books and can replace them with mid / high end support players is what will work best for the Leafs. Naturally i hope they continue to do the opposite.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[sabremike]

The Leafs were in Campbell/Western conference for my formative hockey fan years, so I've just never had the same hatred for them as many of you. I mean, don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching them lose as much as anyone else, but I detest Boston, Pittsburgh, and Philly much more than them.

Hell, that '99 Sabres team boatraced the Leafs in the playoffs and the Ray/Domi battles through the years were epic. I guess you could say I've always loved beating them, but I never really hated them.

The Dallas Stars took the mantle for most hated after '99 (this was hard because the Minny/Modano Stars were my favorite non-Sabres for a long time prior to that cup finals). And then they were replaced by Ottawa and Carolina during the co-caps era. So these days I've really reverted back to Boston and Pittsburgh as the teams I detest the most.

All that being said, I've really developed an affinity for Dangle's meltdowns...

 

[OkimLom]

They never should have signed Tavares.

They were fine signing Tavares. It's that they waited too long to address many other aspects of their team via free agency/drafting that comes down to the small details of playing the game that are not expensive moves that soon turn into expensive moves because now you are left panicking and trying to go for the leftover parts or by trading away assets.

Their coaching staff also went to the same well too many times in hopes of getting production during the regular season, instead of taking moments in the season to find out what combinations give you certain results. If a line is pretty good at producing only offense, but are pretty shaky/inexperienced defending leads, it may be a line you may not want to run with in the playoffs for long stretches.