Canadian Division (Canada Cup) Part IX

[Zybalto]

If the Leafs continue to get .950+ 5v5 goaltending from Campbell, they will undoubtedly have playoff success.

No way.

I want the .980 + 5v5 goaltending the Jackets had against us last year. Picked a friggin nice time to have the best stretch of his career on us the bastard!

 

[Eat The Rich]

I think at this point I'll be more excited if the Leafs make it out of the first round just to see where the goalposts get moved.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

I have to say the "Leaf's trying too hard to win" isn't an argument I thought I'd see as a way to discredit them..

 

[dukeofjive]

The Campbell story line is such a feel good story, with how weird this season has been its really good for the game to have journeyman players finally getting there chance to play this game we all love.

 

[nobody]

I have to say the "Leaf's trying too hard to win" isn't an argument I thought I'd see as a way to discredit them..

Derp, Leafs are going all-in during a COVID season. Derp.

What kind of a team would try to win it during a COVID season? What kind of an incompetent and desperate GM tries to improve his team and trade-off expendable assets just to give his team an extra shot when they are on the cusp of the greatest opportunity the team has had in 30 years. What a loser Dubas must be.

Am I doing it right?

 

[Zybalto]

Well, whatever it was might have been contagious as Tampa had the same issues as well the next 4 games against the Jackets (Although Tampa countered it with their own keeper shutting the door and making big saves in big moments)

Leafs 5v5 against Columbus last playoffs:

CF%: 52.23 (9th highest out of 24 teams)
SF%: 52.86 (8th highest out of 24 teams)
SCF%: 54.58 (5th highest out of 24teams)
HDCF%:58.70 (4th highest out of 24 teams)
xGF%: 54.64 (9th highest out of 24 teams)
GF%: 23.25 (23rd highest out of 24 teams)

Leafs save%: 92.61
Jackets save%: 98


"Hmmm, I wonder what happened? OH I know! The Leafs choked!"

but what about game 4 when they made one of the greatest comebacks in NHL history?

"Doesnt matter...choked!"

(Korpisalo sets the NHL playoff save record the very next game against Tampa after the series)

"Pay no attention to that, the Leafs choked!"




It's all in good fun I guess and part of being a fan. Can't see us getting goalied that hard again this year....(Arg, Pretty sure I just jinxed us as Price is going time machine or Helle gonna go Vezina on us now)

 

[SwollenGoat]

I mean...is the last 4 years of 1st round exits ancient history or no?

Look the Leafs are the best team in the North and if they don't make it to the Conference Finals I would be surprised, but you haven't won a playoff series in a long time so maybe fans should just tone down the rhetoric a weeeee bit until the jobs done.

What you call rhetoric I call exuberance. Sure there’s fans who take it to the extreme but most of us are just living in the moment and enjoying the ride. I’ve been a Leaf fan for 45 years, I have learned to temper my expectations lol

 

[NyQuil]

What you call rhetoric I call exuberance. Sure there’s fans who take it to the extreme but most of us are just living in the moment and enjoying the ride. I’ve been a Leaf fan for 45 years, I have learned to temper my expectations lol

Yeah, I do find the need to tell Leaf fans not to enjoy themselves and their team a bit silly.

Yes, they haven't won in the playoffs, but they haven't exactly been given the opportunity yet this season.

I'm an older fan myself, and you learn to enjoy the good moments regardless of how significant they are because they may well be fleeting.

 

[libertarian]

I think at this point I'll be more excited if the Leafs make it out of the first round just to see where the goalposts get moved.

Most likely that line of attack against the Leafs that they have not won a series since ... will just disappeared.

In the 17/18 season a lot of fans made fun of the fact that the Jets/Thrasher franchise had never even won a PO game never mind a PO series which they seem to believe meant the Jets never would. The fact that they ended 2 over all in the league that season did not stop that line of attack until the Jets finally won a series. Since then that line of attack has disappeared obviously.

My guess is if the Leafs win a few PO series this year the comments about not being able win in the PO will disappears and be exchanged for "but, but, but they only won because of covid" line of attack. With some people you can never win.

 

[libertarian]

What you call rhetoric I call exuberance. Sure there’s fans who take it to the extreme but most of us are just living in the moment and enjoying the ride. I’ve been a Leaf fan for 45 years, I have learned to temper my expectations lol

LOL! As a Life long Jet fan I know what you mean. I was 55 years old when the Jets finally made it out of the 2nd round of the PO's only to see them go out in 5 in the WCF against the first year in the NHL expansion team Vegas. All those decades of Jets futility in the POs and Vegas gets to the SCF by beating my Jets in 5 games in their very first year.

 

[IPS]

This thread is so much more entertaining when the Leafs have the division on lockdown.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

This thread is so much more entertaining when the Leafs have the division on lockdown.

The amount of copium in here when the Leafs are playing well is off the charts.

 

[AvroArrow]

This thread is so much more entertaining when the Leafs have the division on lockdown.

Then the cup67 comments come out lmao, it's like they're holding on to that joke for dear life. When we actually sucked "bahaha leafs are a joke" Leafs play well "bahaha haven't won since 67 !"

 

[Do or Die]

This thread is so much more entertaining when the Leafs have the division on lockdown.

Dunno, it's pretty good when the Leafs are struggling....

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

I think at this point I'll be more excited if the Leafs make it out of the first round just to see where the goalposts get moved.

That argument has already been set in place all season: North Division.

 

[Wats]

Think the Leafs will secretly hope Montreal finishes 4th. They seem to have the least amount of trouble with them compared to EDM/WNP

 

[NoName]

If the Leafs continue to get .950+ 5v5 goaltending from Campbell, they will undoubtedly have playoff success.

Any team that can get that kind of goaltending long term is going to be a cup favourite. Campbell is definitely showing out and laying his claim for the starters job, but lets not pretend that his numbers aren’t going to regress a bit to something a bit more sustainable. Still, definitely ride the hot streak while we can and bank those points. Getting the top seed and home-field advantage through the first two rounds will definitely be a plus.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Yeah, I do find the need to tell Leaf fans not to enjoy themselves and their team a bit silly.

Yes, they haven't won in the playoffs, but they haven't exactly been given the opportunity yet this season.

I'm an older fan myself, and you learn to enjoy the good moments regardless of how significant they are because they may well be fleeting.

Age and life experience are wonderful things. Once you have them, you realize how secondary things like hockey are and learn to just enjoy the moments.

I remember being young and how much more personally you took things like hockey. Lose your spouse, your parents etc. and grown men chasing a rubber disk becomes very, very secondary.

As much as I want to see a Cup win again, I am also perfectly capable of enjoying the fact that they have two or three players who - if they stay long enough - will likely shatter all time club records or that even as a team, they have a very real chance of setting the all time club winning percentage record this year. Some folks seem to get ground down into minutia. Enjoy the ride folks! As the band Cinderlla once said "Don't know what ya got, till it's gone". LOL

 

[AvroArrow]

Think the Leafs will secretly hope Montreal finishes 4th. They seem to have the least amount of trouble with them compared to EDM/WNP

It's not a secret, we do lol. Winnipeg is the only team I wouldn't wanna face, mainly because of Helly. I think we match up well against Montreal and Edmonton, Winnipeg is the team that scares me. Great top 6, even top 9. Best goalie in the league.

 

[NyQuil]

I think if I was Toronto, I'd pick Edmonton.

Winnipeg has the goalie that can win a series by himself, not to mention that depth at forward.

As for Montreal, I'm not sure I'd want to face them in an underdog scenario. I think it could get emotional as a series and what Toronto needs is a clinical business-like first round to get the monkey off their backs.

Now, before Oilers fans get all huffy, obviously I wouldn't pick Edmonton if they were in a series against Ottawa. Ironically, I'd probably pick Toronto (or Calgary).

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I think if I was Toronto, I'd pick Edmonton.

Winnipeg has the goalie that can win a series by himself, not to mention that depth at forward.

As for Montreal, I'm not sure I'd want to face them in an underdog scenario. I think it could get emotional as a series and what Toronto needs is a clinical business-like first round to get the monkey off their backs.

Now, before Oilers fans get all huffy, obviously I wouldn't pick Edmonton if they were in a series against Ottawa. Ironically, I'd probably pick Toronto (or Calgary).

Oilers are probably the best match-up for the Leafs because they've got one line that does anything. And while it's clearly a tough line to shut down, Toronto's got a top line that can at least try to keep pace with it. So if the top lines cancel each other out, then Toronto's depth can just feast.

Winnipeg and Montreal offer more depth, and in the playoffs, depth counts for a lot.

 

[habamillions]

I think if I was Toronto, I'd pick Edmonton.

Winnipeg has the goalie that can win a series by himself, not to mention that depth at forward.

As for Montreal, I'm not sure I'd want to face them in an underdog scenario. I think it could get emotional as a series and what Toronto needs is a clinical business-like first round to get the monkey off their backs.

Now, before Oilers fans get all huffy, obviously I wouldn't pick Edmonton if they were in a series against Ottawa. Ironically, I'd probably pick Toronto (or Calgary).

I agree with you 100%. Montreal if healthy has a playoff style team. But they are not healthy so its easy to play them right now. Winnipeg is the team i would try to avoid. Edmonton and toronto are similar. High end talent but no depth. If the top players dont score they dont win. Come playoff time its the depth that wins you games.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

If I'm Toronto I want to play Montreal.

If I'm Edmonton I want to play Winnipeg.

If I'm Winnipeg I want to play Montreal.

If I'm Montreal I want to play Edmonton.

This is all based on H2H stats this season so far.

 

[NyQuil]

I agree with you 100%. Montreal if healthy has a playoff style team. But they are not healthy so its easy to play them right now. Winnipeg is the team i would try to avoid. Edmonton and toronto are similar. High end talent but no depth. If the top players dont score they dont win. Come playoff time its the depth that wins you games.

Fair enough, but I wouldn't say Montreal is necessarily the same threat to everyone as they might be to Toronto. (healthy or otherwise)

For example, I think Toronto would still play Winnipeg better than Montreal because they have higher-end skill and better special teams.

That depth that Montreal has is cancelled out by Winnipeg's.

And for the record, Toronto has some decent depth, but I wouldn't say it's as important to their success as it would be for Montreal or Winnipeg.

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

Fair enough, but I wouldn't say Montreal is necessarily the same threat to everyone as they might be to Toronto. (healthy or otherwise)

For example, I think Toronto would still play Winnipeg better than Montreal because they have higher-end skill and better special teams.

That depth that Montreal has is cancelled out by Winnipeg's.

The reality is that Habs and Leafs, regardless of talent or roster players, has been and always will be a coin flip. Something about our rivalry that just brings out the piss and vinegar of our players.