Did the Bruins help their seeding?

[Cup or Bust]

The teams already in the playoffs just want to get through these last few games with no injuries and be ready to start the playoffs. I am sure it's hard to stay focused for these last few games and not start looking ahead to the playoffs.

 

[ricky0034]

I feel like it was probably more about maybe taking it a bit easy to avoid injuries than anything else

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

The effort level was looooow the last two games. But, I wouldn’t read it as picking their opponent, more of a case of not getting up for a couple of meaningless games.

This is it imo
Last two games were a mess to watch
If they called up a bunch of ahlers I’d say they mailed it in.
But they had a full roster…

 

[Bounces R Way]

Anton Forsberg making 34 saves for the Sens was a paid Bruins actor

get a grip

 

[Ghost of Murph]

More of a case of not trying hard to win as opposed to straight throwing games. The Bruins have some aging and injury-prone players in key positions. Save some energy for Saturday and don't get injured. Avoid playing a team that has their number in the playoffs and is a matchup nightmare for the Bruins. Win-win. Tip of the hat to the Bruins players for being smart.

 

[Channelcat]

I hate to say, but the Bruins look very beatable.

 

[hirawl]

When you are ok with an L that's pretty much what you'll get in this league every time. Whether you then try or not.

Vegas against Anaheim? Same story.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

I just gotta say the amount of narrative the Bruins threw their games as they wanted the Leafs due to viewing them as an easy out or something is the kind of bad vibes "We want Florida" gave if not worse.

If the Leafs eliminate the Bruins they will be clowned on even harder for that

The difference being fans of other teams are saying the bruins wanted Toronto where in the leafs case their fans were quite literally chanting “we want Florida” at the game or watch party. So not really the same at all and the B’s are thankfully no threat to take the champion clown nose cup from Toronto.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Leafs are playing scared.

Too soft, weak, fragile and heartless for playoff success...just like every other year.

The true contenders can smell their fear and see the easy pathways to exploit Leaf flaws. All playoff teams would prefer a playoff catchup with Toronto.

 

[JianYang]

Tampa is obviously the more tried and tested team, but they also come with massive mileage. We could see cracks in their armor last year in the playoffs where they just couldn't get the engine humming frequently enough.

I don't think players really think this way, but if they did, I don't think the discrepancy between facing Tampa or Toronto is large enough to validate this theory.

 

[nbwingsfan]

With all the injuries they had at the tail end of last post season which ended up ending their cup run early, it’s more likely they were just playing to not get injured

 

[Realgud]

I feel like that's just the logical thing to do. You need 16 wins in the playoffs and getting the equivalent of the free bingo space for your first 4 wins certainly helps.

 

[OVO16]

Honestly, they might have and even as a leafs fan, I would understand why they did it. They've had our number all season long.

But what I am hoping for is the media to really run and overblown this narrative, so that the leafs players hear about it and maybe it gives them that extra motivation

 

[Number8]

I just gotta say the amount of narrative the Bruins threw their games as they wanted the Leafs due to viewing them as an easy out or something is the kind of bad vibes "We want Florida" gave if not worse.

If the Leafs eliminate the Bruins they will be clowned on even harder for that

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I've not seen many (any?) Bruins fans talking this narrative. Are fans generally happier that Bruins are facing Leafs in round 1 vs. Tampa???? Yes, I think so, but that's because Vasilevsky has put that team on his back and won Cups and Boston's offense is not high powered. Bad match out of the gate.

Meantime it seems to me that it's fans of other teams suggesting Boston "tanked" last two games - which of course undercuts your "kind of bad vibes" angle.

Unless it was Buffalo fans chanting "we want Florida" on behalf of the Leafs last year????

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

There's no way there's grown adults who actually think they intentionally played bad so they can get Toronto.

They probably did mail it in because they were 2 meaningless games at the end of the year and they don't wanna get hurt.

 

[1specter]

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I've not seen many (any?) Bruins fans talking this narrative. Are fans generally happier that Bruins are facing Leafs in round 1 vs. Tampa???? Yes, I think so, but that's because Vasilevsky has put that team on his back and won Cups and Boston's offense is not high powered. Bad match out of the gate.

Meantime it seems to me that it's fans of other teams suggesting Boston "tanked" last two games - which of course undercuts your "kind of bad vibes" angle.

Unless it was Buffalo fans chanting "we want Florida" on behalf of the Leafs last year????

As a Leafs fan personally I don't believe the Bruins 'tanked' any games and think it's a fairly ridiculous narrative. Sure, the last couple of games weren't particularly meaningful so I could see the Bruins playing at a lower gear to prevent injuries etc, but that's no different than any other top team that pretty much had their playoff berths locked up long ago. Also given that the Bruins played the lowest playoff seed last year and blew a 3-1 lead, I can't imagine they would underestimate any opponent and actively try to throw games to ensure a 'weaker' opponent. This is hockey, anyone can lose.

Also, if the Bruins were really trying to tank, making light work of a desperate Pittsburgh team trying to make the playoffs while dropping a close game against another desperate team on the verge of locking up their playoff spot in Washington and then losing to the Sens who've had nothing to play for at all for months in the final game of the season is a very roundabout way of doing things. Pretty sure the Bruins also dropped 20+ shots on the Sens in the third period as they tried to mount a comeback attempt.

 

[CrownofThornton]

They definitely took the last two games easy. I don’t pretend to know the reasoning for it, but the effort level was very low.

I also wanna add that eventually the Leafs are going to beat the Bruins in a playoff series. I don’t know if this year is that year, but I’m not going to be shocked when it happens.

 

[Number8]

As a Leafs fan personally I don't believe the Bruins 'tanked' any games and think it's a fairly ridiculous narrative. Sure, the last couple of games weren't particularly meaningful so I could see the Bruins playing at a lower gear to prevent injuries etc, but that's no different than any other top team that pretty much had their playoff berths locked up long ago. Also given that the Bruins played the lowest playoff seed last year and blew a 3-1 lead, I can't imagine they would underestimate any opponent and actively try to throw games to ensure a 'weaker' opponent. This is hockey, anyone can lose.

Also, if the Bruins were really trying to tank, making light work of a desperate Pittsburgh team trying to make the playoffs while dropping a close game against another desperate team on the verge of locking up their playoff spot in Washington and then losing to the Sens who've had nothing to play for at all for months in the final game of the season is a very roundabout way of doing things. Pretty sure the Bruins also dropped 20+ shots on the Sens in the third period as they tried to mount a comeback attempt.

Agreed. I don't think there is a team in the League that tries to actively "manage" an opponent.

Do I believe teams unconsciously play to different levels sometimes? Yes. I think teams play up or down to their opponents sometimes for whatever reason. But play to "lose" a game(s) when playoffs are looming???????? Not a chance.

Do I believe teams lose on purpose to lock down high draft picks? Not sure. I think some players most definitely do. However, I think there are also players on every team in the League, no matter how bad, who find the prospect of "playing to lose" reprehensible and just cannot do it.

 

[LeveilleFan19]

I think anyone who suggests the Bruins tanked is misguided.

They're like any professional team with nothing to gain and hopes of no injuries.

I willing to guarantee they didn't give a thought or care against who they played in the first round.

If Leaf fans want to think that they B's purposely tanked to face them, so be it. I guess you need something to hang your hat on.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

I think it's a combination of preferring Toronto and realizing they can basically get a week off with some low effort hockey. So why not take advantage of that? The mentality was probably, "Take it easy. If we win, we win. If not... eh, we'll get the Leafs."

So less a tank for Toronto directly per se and more just a convenience of not caring about the last two games in general.

 

[Strangle]

I won't straight up accuse them of throwing games but they lost to one mediocre team and one bad team scoring 1 total goal. Did they at the very least not give 100% to play Toronto rather than Tampa Bay?

The leafs checked the score board and saw the bruins losing and then they threw the 2nd period of the Florida game so they could draw Boston.

The leafs know they match up well with the bruins and they want their revenge for all the years of ‘monster under the bed’ shit.

You don’t have a historically bad period like the leafs had unless it’s on purpose.

This leaf team came together after Marchand slew footed and injured Lilly. Two instigator penalties against Vancouver after the no-show in the physicality department turned this into a team.

Leafs are the ones who controlled who they played, they chose the bruins, not the other way around

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

They probably viewed them as meaningless games and wanted to avoid injuries.

 

[JKG33]

If they did indeed tank the last 2 games I respect it.

I sure wish the Kings did to get Dallas instead of Edmonton. I realize Dallas is better than Edmonton, but LA just can't beat those bastards

 

[Strangle]

With all the injuries they had at the tail end of last post season which ended up ending their cup run early, it’s more likely they were just playing to not get injured

That’s an interesting way to say they choked a 3-1 series lead to an 8 seed

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

If winning gave them an easier draw, yeah sure. But the Atlantic is a tough draw this year no matter who you are playing. The weird attempt to create a story line is weird.

Sports gotta have a story line. Hockey is like a soap opera with backchecking.