Pre-Game Talk: Blues vs Leafs

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Anthrax442

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Blues have been a good team 2019. They were not a good team before this year (the current iteration).

I don't think we've seen the best of the Leafs yet, by any stretch.

I think the 3rd. and 4th. lines have been fine, but Tavares line has been disappointing at even strength.

Maybe they'd like to try a left winger on the Tavares line rather than a recently converted RW?

it amazes me how the media is already panicking over Tavares line/ Kapanen etc. 3 games into the season, lets take a breath. They will be fine.
 

Nineteen67

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Probably saying that because they never had to go up against any #1 seeds. Just three #2's and a WC. Plus there were some documented cases where calls went their way (i.e. the Bozak goal in the SCF).
Or the documented Karlsson OT winner
 

Advanced stats

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Provide a few examples of how it’s one of the flukiest wins in recent memory and explain how they squeaked into the playoffs?

Did you watch their entire playoff run?
1. Starting with the principal that absolutely no one had them pegged to win the cup. I'm not the only one thinking it was flukey. They definitely got hot at the right time, but the vast majority of the time in the last 5 years they've been a fringe team.
2. They got calls their way and got lucky on a few timely goals. Part skill, but definitely part luck.
3. Going through the stars, jets and sharks in the playoffs is hardly the most daunting lineup when you're talking the best of the best. Obviously this past playoffs was a complete gongshow though.
4. Is Jordan Binnington the real deal? Or a lucky career start?

Again, I'm not saying the Blues are a bad team, they're definitely top 10 for me and no doubt a playoff team, are they in the upper echelon though? That's where I don't think they are.
 

Burnie97

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Jun 26, 2015
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Blues have been a good team 2019. They were not a good team before this year (the current iteration).

I don't think we've seen the best of the Leafs yet, by any stretch.

I think the 3rd. and 4th. lines have been fine, but Tavares line has been disappointing at even strength.

Maybe they'd like to try a left winger on the Tavares line rather than a recently converted RW?

Yup. So far... 2nd line surprisingly has been the weak link to me. I like Kappy but he isn't working there.

I'd try Moore on the 2nd line... drop Kap to the 3rd.

When Hyman is back ... Moore goes to 4th line. He can play with Spezza and Goat.

Its very early in the season obviously, but maybe Kapanen is more expendable then I thought. If Moore keeps playing this way it sure would look that way.
 

Nineteen67

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1. Starting with the principal that absolutely no one had them pegged to win the cup. I'm not the only one thinking it was flukey. They definitely got hot at the right time, but the vast majority of the time in the last 5 years they've been a fringe team.
2. They got calls their way and got lucky on a few timely goals. Part skill, but definitely part luck.
3. Going through the stars, jets and sharks in the playoffs is hardly the most daunting lineup when you're talking the best of the best. Obviously this past playoffs was a complete gongshow though.
4. Is Jordan Binnington the real deal? Or a lucky career start?

Again, I'm not saying the Blues are a bad team, they're definitely top 10 for me and no doubt a playoff team, are they in the upper echelon though? That's where I don't think they are.

Not one valid argument

1.Several people picked at the beginning of the year - Kypreos
2.Scoring timely goals
3. Did you watch a single minute?
4. The guy was phenomenal and a key reason they were the best team in the NHL from Jan - June.
 

deletethis

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Mar 17, 2015
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This won't go over well, but I believe St Louis has become overrated. They've been a fringe team for the longest time and barely squeaked into the playoffs last year. Obviously they won the cup, but they were never expected to, and never seen as one of the elite teams. Probably one of the flukiest cup wins in recent memory. Some regression could definitely be expected for them.
I believe we are more of a contender than they are this year.

Tonight should be a good game though. No doubt we are outmatched physically, but at the same time we definitely have way more skill.

Is your definition of a fringe team a team that averaged 104 points per season over its last 7 full NHL seasons?

And regarding "fluked" out a Stanley Cup: weren't they the hottest NHL team from January forward?
 

SprDaVE

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Sep 20, 2008
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Do we know that it's still a month? These guys seem to just heal faster and faster.

I'd say it's great for Hyman since his injury is knee related... so skating is a good sign that he might be slightly ahead of schedule. Dermott had a shoulder injury, so that's probably still up in the air.

Either way, I don't think either had much of a work out filled summer, so there might be a long period of time where they are simply catching up to a lost summer.
 

SprDaVE

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Sep 20, 2008
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They have to miss a minimum of 10 games and 24 days for LTIR. Otherwise, the league can challenge it.

I doubt there was any plan for the Leafs to play them before that time frame anyway. The earliest they could come back with that time frame is October 22nd against the Bruins.
 
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Leaffan1991

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Oct 22, 2016
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It's going to be a very difficult game for the leafs to get any space to play their game. The leafs play much better at high tempo free for all, St.Louis will not
Let that happen.
Tonight should give us an idea if we can win in the playoffs against these kind of teams.
 

Kamiccolo

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Thing is people freak out but the defense looks so much better than last year. Go back and watch some highlights of the first games of the year last year. Letting in 6 or 7 goals, hanging Freddy out to dry and him saving out asses.

All teams will tighten up defensively as the year goes on. We need to give more time to the new coaching staff to fine tune the systems and get the players comfortable with where to stand.

Half the offense is on fire and half is asleep. This is why we have 2 elite lines and 82 games. Matthews will be invisible one game and JT will light it up.

Really our concern should be the backup goaltending. We need an upgrade badly, as basically it's a fluke to not lose if Andersen doesn't start. It is going to wear him down and if he gets hurt at any crucial times, it would be great to have a Halak to take over.
 

Blanche Blanche

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Dec 2, 2017
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Thing is people freak out but the defense looks so much better than last year. Go back and watch some highlights of the first games of the year last year. Letting in 6 or 7 goals, hanging Freddy out to dry and him saving out asses.

All teams will tighten up defensively as the year goes on. We need to give more time to the new coaching staff to fine tune the systems and get the players comfortable with where to stand.

Half the offense is on fire and half is asleep. This is why we have 2 elite lines and 82 games. Matthews will be invisible one game and JT will light it up.

Really our concern should be the backup goaltending. We need an upgrade badly, as basically it's a fluke to not lose if Andersen doesn't start. It is going to wear him down and if he gets hurt at any crucial times, it would be great to have a Halak to take over.


The only Solace is Hutch if only slightly, is still slightly better than Sparks. Less flailing, more puck tracking, better positions.

He might just be our guy to save andersons fatigued arse so lets hope he gets the program and loves the Goaltend staff.

Go leafs!!
 
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glue

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I guess no changes to the lineup....hopefully the Kappy experiment on the Marner JT line finally leads to some dividends today. If not Babcock better atleast 'try' to put someone like Moore on that line going forward.

 

Hustlr

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Oct 1, 2019
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Yet apparently you are (and your post had a bunch of bad grammar/punctuation too, FYI).

Please, make my sentences proper English in your eyes and we will compare. Cheers!

I was being lighthearted in a pregame thread. You are the *****e here, bud.

edit: and I’m not trying to be perfect, this is a message board. I just ask that sentences make sense. Their/they’re/there, loss/lose, etc... like the sentence I corrected said the habs lost the other night against us... I think that’s acceptable, NO?
 
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