Pre-Game Talk: Leafs @ Avalanche on HNIC | 7:00PM EST | Sportsnet

[Marshy]

9-1 Leafs. Barrie five point night and the highest 5 v 5 Corsi ever recorded in the modern era. Keefe only has 4 players on the ice in the 3rd to demonstrate how his system can still dominate. Ceci still sucks.

Somewhere Brett Lebda is smiling.

 

[saltming]

The game is tomorrow night.

Check out the user name of the poster you quoted. It might make some sense

 

[robertmac43]

Hoping for a regulation win. Should be a fun match-up with all the talent in both lineups

 

[Kamiccolo]

Ok so I am going to make some assumptions here.

1) Leafs turn the corner and can go on a win streak. Something like 7-1-1 in their next stretch.

2) The atlantic stays somewhat predictable.

With that said

- Leafs have 2 games in hand over most of the division but can reasonably catch every single team in the division.

- Leafs don't need to beat every single team, just enough to get into a playoff spot.

Here is where it gets interesting (I am using points %)..

* Habs lost Drouin who is out for 8 weeks. He has been their best forward this season. Lost 3 in a row without him. They are already a bubble team and have over performed thus far.

* Buffalo has 2 wins in their last 11. Good chance they win 1 of their next 2 and are basically tied with the Leafs. Very good chance over the next few weeks they pass Buffalo.

* Florida Panthers are playing some unsustainable hockey. Playing run and gun and giving up a ton defensively and mounting multiple big comebacks. This won't continue, years of watching Caylyle / Wilson Leafs taught me that. There is a good chance they go on a losing streak and can be caught by the Leafs.

On the negative..

* Very good chance that Tampa comes back and takes on of the spots in the Atlantic

* Metro is just as deep so wildcard spots will be harder to come by.

In conclusion, we do not need a perfect storm, but do need a bit of luck. However it is not too late for the Leafs to get themselves back into a playoff spot by the new year. After that, what they do with the season is on them.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Hope Naz gets a hat trick and the Leafs win 9-8.

 

[Burnie97]

Hope Naz gets a hat trick and the Leafs win 9-8.

Naz is great... and he can get a hat trick every other game, not against the Leafs though.

C'mon now lol

 

[boredguy]

I don't care that much about the result, i just want to see them keep playing like they did last night. Was 1st game in awhile it was enjoyable to watch them, even in most of their wins this season they were painful to watch.

 

[Martin Skoula]

I just hope Naz doesn't decide to go headhunting against whoever he didn't like on the team.

 

[hamzarocks]

I just hope Naz doesn't decide to go headhunting against whoever he didn't like on the team.

Dont worry we fired out coach who else could he hate

 

[Martin Skoula]

Dont worry we fired out coach who else could he hate

Babcock's son.

 

[Macallan18]

Am I the only one who doesn't know all the Avalanche players by their faces ?
If someone could add the names to the faces I'd appreciate it.

Lol I’m not sure I know all the Leafs by their faces right now

 

[hamzarocks]

Babcock's son.

Which one Hyman or his new born Nick Shore

 

[Martin Skoula]

Which one Hyman or his new born Nick Shore

Gotta be Hyman, the NHL will throw extra games at Kadri if he manages to blindside Shore in the pressbox.

 

[TheDoldrums]

I just hope Naz doesn't decide to go headhunting against whoever he didn't like on the team.

Doubt it. He still talks so glowingly about the Leafs in interviews. Says he's rooting for us. Some guys would have hard feelings in this case but he still seems to love the organization. Wouldn't be surprised if he tried to return someday.

 

[willmma]

Engvall's picture in the OP is hilarious. His neck doesnt end at the bottom.

 

[AvroArrow]

With the way they played vs Arizona and the avs injuries, we should win this one.

SOOOO excited, it feels like this team was reborn. Pumped for the game, hope Barrie puts on a show

 

[napoleon in rags]

Am I the only one who doesn't know all the Avalanche players by their faces ?
If someone could add the names to the faces I'd appreciate it.

The guy with the five o'clock shadow: that's Kadri.

 

[Commander Clueless]

9-1 Leafs. Barrie five point night and the highest 5 v 5 Corsi ever recorded in the modern era. Keefe only has 4 players on the ice in the 3rd to demonstrate how his system can still dominate. Ceci still sucks.

It's the Leafs. There has to always be at least one bad event.

Matthews' pants fall down in the 3rd. Suspended indefinitely.

 

[crump]

I'll get this started with this Avalanche player.

His name is Nazem Kadri. Pretty good player.

Third line centre playing on their #2 line.

 

[Warden of the North]

Kadri is going to score.

Nichushkin hasnt scored in like a thousand years. He probably does too

 

[razkaz]

I have a feeling this will be a very high scoring game. Very high

 

[1specter]

Yeah he was my favourite player for years. I think 90% of the defending we did was due to one poster with a strong bias and a big mouth but I digress.

I think the reason people have missed Kadri so much is because we've been so soft and could use some of what he brought to the team. Now that it looks we're going to start winning again, the Kadri love should die down some. It's nice that he's doing well I guess but now that he's no longer a Maple Leaf I really don't care that much.

The crest on the front, not the number on the back. The Maple Leaf forever!

Nothing wrong with appreciating a player though. Nazem genuinely loved being here despite all the crap he saw and endured, some of it self-inflicted, most of it from piss poor regimes. He wanted to retire a Leaf and gave his entire heart into being here, that's why he signed that long-term team friendly deal. His last post on Instagram when he got traded shows that too. Even yesterday he liked the Leafs post on Instagram that was highlighting Barrie's goal.

A lot of players don't appreciate being here or take it for granted, I mean look at Mitch Marner who is living his childhood dream, has boatloads of sponsors and had the whole city at his feet and he still decided to bend the team over and put money over everything else.

This isn't an easy market, so it's refreshing to see someone endure through it and absolutely embrace it with their heart and soul, and never want to leave.

Sure crest on the front over name on the back yada yada, but the crest on the front has a story that is built and shaped by the names on the back that will be in its history forever.

 

[Warden of the North]

With the way they played vs Arizona and the avs injuries, we should win this one.

SOOOO excited, it feels like this team was reborn. Pumped for the game, hope Barrie puts on a show

If theres one thing Ive learned its that injuries have no effect on the Leafs beating a team or not.

 

[ACC1224]

Kadri is going to score.

Nichushkin hasnt scored in like a thousand years. He probably does too

If theres one thing Ive learned its that injuries have no effect on the Leafs beating a team or not.

A new day has dawned in Leaf land. These are all things of the past, nothing but good mojo from now on.

 

[Warden of the North]

A new day has dawned in Leaf land. These are all things of the past, nothing but good mojo from now on.

Oh we can still win. I think we do. I just never take injuries on the other team into account. Ever.

And Kadri is 100% scoring. Guaranteed.