Tribute Leafs clinch a playoff spot.

[justashadowof]

With all of the shuffling of support bodies, it's still comes down to the team requiring the big boys to dominate. They're capable of it. But it's hard on the body. The story of the Oilers-Islanders in 1983 still resonates. The young stud Oilers had rolled over their opponents to the Stanley Cup finals losing only 1 game in 3 series. There they faced the 3 time Stanley Cup champion Islanders. Despite the easy playoff path and their youth and their undeniable talent, the Oilers were swept in 4 by the aging Islanders team. To a man the Oilers stars had noticed in the handshake line how weary and beaten up the Islanders appeared to be despite winning the Cup for the 4th time in a row. It was clear as day that the Oilers had held back on the effort required to beat REAL CHAMPIONS.

I'm not being presumptuous about the status of this Leafs' team relative to those two teams above. I'm merely mentioning that the change in attitude/approach has to come from the team's best talent to beat this quality of an opponent. Tampa Bay is a proven championship team but they have aged and should be more vulnerable. If the Leafs don't win this match up this time, it's never happening with this assembled group.

Arguably no element added to this team's playoff roster hasn't been there in previous playoff rosters:
- a formidable 3rd line center (O'Reilly) - they had Kadri with Matthews/Tavares and they also had Matthews/Kadri/Bozak as well
- tough defensive defender - Lybushkin/Polak/Bogosian
- two goaltending options - Anderson/Campbell
- formidable 4th line - Kapanen/Boyle/Brown, other years with 4th lines with significant talent
- top 10 ranked team defense (2021)

My hope lies in the maturation and motivations of the studs on this team to put more into the playoffs than they have in the previous 6 seasons. The expiries of their contracts are looming. You don't get that maximum free agent money without some playoff success.

 

[banks]

My hopes are, once again, sky high. I believe in this team.

ROR, please get this team past the first-round mental-block they have, and then watch them destroy the next 3 rounds. It'll happen.

 

[justashadowof]

Not really sure where to post this shower thought:

When a supposed hockey fan tries the ol' "Wendel Clark was my absolute favourite but the time for fighting in hockey has to end", you've got a liar in your midst. This is merely a rhetorical tactic by someone who fancies themselves as an influencer. I've seen this strategy used more than once across the interwebs. Undoubtedly there's a different version for each NHL team. This fraud couldn't have been a Wendel Clark fan from actually watching the guy play. Wendel Clark was a brutal and nasty competitor. His fights were aggressive instigations that held back nothing. To tell you the truth I'm no anti-fighting pearl clutcher but Wendel Clark played a dangerous type of game I didn't really enjoy. He hurt his opponents like he didn't respect their safety. And fighting in hockey was always a marketing contrivance to sell the sport to a certain element of the population. UFC has largely taken that element away. This sort of transparent lobbying is completely unnecessary as the Boomers will soon no longer be spending their money on this product and the young NHL demo is all about Marvel cartoon violence and about as physically aggressive as manatees.

 

[LeafsandSharksfan]

We're going to Wrestlemania! The Playoffs!

 

[robertmac43]

Now the real season starts....

 

[andora]

Not really sure where to post this shower thought:

When a supposed hockey fan tries the ol' "Wendel Clark was my absolute favourite but the time for fighting in hockey has to end", you've got a liar in your midst. This is merely a rhetorical tactic by someone who fancies themselves as an influencer. I've seen this strategy used more than once across the interwebs. Undoubtedly there's a different version for each NHL team. This fraud couldn't have been a Wendel Clark fan from actually watching the guy play. Wendel Clark was a brutal and nasty competitor. His fights were aggressive instigations that held back nothing. To tell you the truth I'm no anti-fighting pearl clutcher but Wendel Clark played a dangerous type of game I didn't really enjoy. He hurt his opponents like he didn't respect their safety. And fighting in hockey was always a marketing contrivance to sell the sport to a certain element of the population. UFC has largely taken that element away. This sort of transparent lobbying is completely unnecessary as the Boomers will soon no longer be spending their money on this product and the young NHL demo is all about Marvel cartoon violence and about as physically aggressive as manatees.

Lol

 

[saltming]

I think TB has wounded animal energy this year and this Leafs group will potentially face the roughest, dirtiest team they ever have since we started making the PO on a regular basis. I think we can win but we will have to be at our most resilient. If we can stand up to their cheap shots and dirty plays and manage to stay out of the box, we can take them in less than 7 games.

Then we need to have that, 'take them behind the shed' energy.
They are a championship team but on the decline. We need to stomp them hard and mercilessly

 

[TMLAM34]

This video always brings chills.

 

[WestCoastLeafs]

Lightning have lost the last four. Hopefully they have another four game losing steak in them

 

[Skullz]

Tampa has really struggled all year. Keefe needs to be gone if we can't push through.

If we can move Tavares and Reilly that would be amazing as well.

But let's see what we can do! Hate to be doom and gloom but we have been terrible lately.

 

[crump]

Not really sure where to post this shower thought:

When a supposed hockey fan tries the ol' "Wendel Clark was my absolute favourite but the time for fighting in hockey has to end", you've got a liar in your midst. This is merely a rhetorical tactic by someone who fancies themselves as an influencer. I've seen this strategy used more than once across the interwebs. Undoubtedly there's a different version for each NHL team. This fraud couldn't have been a Wendel Clark fan from actually watching the guy play. Wendel Clark was a brutal and nasty competitor. His fights were aggressive instigations that held back nothing. To tell you the truth I'm no anti-fighting pearl clutcher but Wendel Clark played a dangerous type of game I didn't really enjoy. He hurt his opponents like he didn't respect their safety. And fighting in hockey was always a marketing contrivance to sell the sport to a certain element of the population. UFC has largely taken that element away. This sort of transparent lobbying is completely unnecessary as the Boomers will soon no longer be spending their money on this product and the young NHL demo is all about Marvel cartoon violence and about as physically aggressive as manatees.

Some shower thoughts are best kept in the shower. Lol. Sorry. Couldn’t resist. I Think I agree if you are saying Wendel was of his time and yes he was a devastating fighter.

 

[crump]

With all of the shuffling of support bodies, it's still comes down to the team requiring the big boys to dominate. They're capable of it. But it's hard on the body. The story of the Oilers-Islanders in 1983 still resonates. The young stud Oilers had rolled over their opponents to the Stanley Cup finals losing only 1 game in 3 series. There they faced the 3 time Stanley Cup champion Islanders. Despite the easy playoff path and their youth and their undeniable talent, the Oilers were swept in 4 by the aging Islanders team. To a man the Oilers stars had noticed in the handshake line how weary and beaten up the Islanders appeared to be despite winning the Cup for the 4th time in a row. It was clear as day that the Oilers had held back on the effort required to beat REAL CHAMPIONS.

I'm not being presumptuous about the status of this Leafs' team relative to those two teams above. I'm merely mentioning that the change in attitude/approach has to come from the team's best talent to beat this quality of an opponent. Tampa Bay is a proven championship team but they have aged and should be more vulnerable. If the Leafs don't win this match up this time, it's never happening with this assembled group.

Arguably no element added to this team's playoff roster hasn't been there in previous playoff rosters:
- a formidable 3rd line center (O'Reilly) - they had Kadri with Matthews/Tavares and they also had Matthews/Kadri/Bozak as well
- tough defensive defender - Lybushkin/Polak/Bogosian
- two goaltending options - Anderson/Campbell
- formidable 4th line - Kapanen/Boyle/Brown, other years with 4th lines with significant talent
- top 10 ranked team defense (2021)

My hope lies in the maturation and motivations of the studs on this team to put more into the playoffs than they have in the previous 6 seasons. The expiries of their contracts are looming. You don't get that maximum free agent money without some playoff success.

I’m going so say all those positions are arguably improved.
As good as Kadri was for the Avs, ROR is a proven Playoff Conn Smyth winner.
Schenn hits clean and hard, Bogo=Schenn but a healthy McCabe only improves that aspect.
Goaltending will always be wanting against Vas
4th line so much better with Acciari.

I guess we will see when the action starts. Excited to find out.

 

[kevsh]

For the Leafs, more than most teams, a quick/decisive first round series win is crucial. Every loss in that opening round will ratchet up the tension and nerves for this group exponentially.

If they start off like last year with a drubbing, then lose the next one then it's off to Tampa knowing they virtually have to win one, at least. If the series goes to six, with this team's recent history late in the series, they'll be bouncing off the walls (as will us fans).

The best way to avoid all that is to go after the bolts in game one, withstand the physicality they'll 100% be trying as a tactic, push back and make a statement that it won't work, then out-skill them and don't let up.

Or to put it a simple way: My heart as healthy as I believe it is, cannot handle another game 6 or 7. Beat Tampa quickly and erase the doubt (and stress, and anxiety) in everyone that they can win when it matters.

 

[therealkoho]

Couple of days late but our #1 Leaf of all time just turned 83 on the 22nd, could be a sign

 

[therealkoho]

For the Leafs, more than most teams, a quick/decisive first round series win is crucial. Every loss in that opening round will ratchet up the tension and nerves for this group exponentially.

If they start off like last year with a drubbing, then lose the next one then it's off to Tampa knowing they virtually have to win one, at least. If the series goes to six, with this team's recent history late in the series, they'll be bouncing off the walls (as will us fans).

The best way to avoid all that is to go after the bolts in game one, withstand the physicality they'll 100% be trying as a tactic, push back and make a statement that it won't work, then out-skill them and don't let up.

Or to put it a simple way: My heart as healthy as I believe it is, cannot handle another game 6 or 7. Beat Tampa quickly and erase the doubt (and stress, and anxiety) in everyone that they can win when it matters.

For whatever reason(s) the Leafs just can't seem to finish anyone off in less than seven games, and I agree it hurts them both mentally and physically, all that punishment they take in a seven game series just drains them.

I'd like to see them knock the Lightning off in 5, that way they win at home in front of the crazy homers at the "Bank." It would give them lots of positivity going into the second round, they'll need a full tank and be pretty close to full health when they take on the 2nd round road show.

 

[leafsfan5]

Time to begin locking the lines in and ramping up

Tampa is vulnerable, now more than ever. It’s our time

 

[TakeTheBody]

That X must mark the spot.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

I didn't see any thread about it.

It's worth a mention.

Congratulations. I didn't think they would clinch with ease this season.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Win a round

 

[willmma]

 

[ACC1224]

I didn't see any thread about it.

It's worth a mention.

Congratulations. I didn't think they would clinch with ease this season.

A day late.

There is a little x by the Leafs in the standings

Now let's win some rounds!

forums.hfboards.com

 

[Ianturnedbull]

A day late.

There is a little x by the Leafs in the standings

Now let's win some rounds!

forums.hfboards.com

Did you make a thread on this topic yesterday?

 

[ACC1224]

Did you make a thread on this topic yesterday?

Not me. I linked the thread for you.
Pro tip. If something is more than a few hours old it's most likely been posted here.
A day old and it definitely is posted.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Not me. I linked the thread for you.
Pro tip. If something is more than a few hours old it's most likely been posted here.
A day old and it definitely is posted.

That's not true. People are still making threads about Holl.

 

[ACC1224]

That's not true. People are still making threads about Holl.

Huh?