GDT: Leafs vs. Habs (7:30 ET on RDS, TSN 2 & 4) Lines on Post #1

[Habs Halifax]

True, but I was reffering to the Leafs game with the Habs tomorrow. And I think we may in fact be deeper when Nylander comes back than the Pens. They showed their age last year and the Caps exposed them.

Kind of like how the Pens exposed the Caps in the previous playoff series? Pens will be fine. They just need to stay healthy and get better goaltending. As far as the Leafs... Do you have them as a top 5 cup contender or a top 10? I have them as a fringe top 5 cup contender but not a definite one. They need to do more in the playoffs and that D man... They need to play very very well and above potential if the Leafs are beating any of those other cup contenders who also have offense but a much better defense.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Pretty much their NHL roster? Who is missing? Habs only chance is to stay out of the box and our bottom 2 lines outproduce their bottom 2.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Marleau has played a lot of play off games.
But come spring hockey the Loafs dont have players with winning experience . The great Ron Hainsey aside. That will hurt when they come against teams that do.

Babcock himself has won one round since Nick Lidstrom retired 8 years ago.

I really hope they go out early again.

Having the Habs stinking the league out will be made that much worse if the leafs are still playing into June.

"The horror"

If they don't win the division, they will likely face either the Lightning or Bruins in the 1st round. Then if they win that 1st round match-up, they likely have to face one of the Bruins or Lightning again. Tough 1st two rounds for any of these 3 teams. Winning the division is important. Every season is different but hard to imagine the Lightning, Bruins, Leafs not being the top 3 in the Atlantic.

Horror to me is the Leafs win the division and the Habs sneak in the playoffs as a wild card and have to face them. They end up going to the 2nd round our the Habs expense. That's horror

 

[Curtoph]

Who is coconut?

It is a terrible nickname for Kotkaniemi

 

[Habs Halifax]

It is a terrible nickname for Kotkaniemi

Coconut... Hard around the edges but soft inside? I agree. I don't like that nickname.

 

[Cobra Commander]

It is a terrible nickname for Kotkaniemi

Ya I was joking with him lol.

It’s Kotka, the Eagle, he said it himself.

 

[PaulD]

That D core is garbage and is not better than what the Leafs are icing.. and while Matthews and Tavares aren't Malkin Crosby, Kadri is a significant upgrade on Bonino.

I did not say it was better than the leafs D. I said that Hainsey was not the number one D when they won the 017 Cup.

 

[PaulD]

Who was?

Schultz?

51 pt season.

A plus 28. Highest on the team.

Beats Ron Hainsey wouldn't you say.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I did not say it was better than the leafs D. I said that Hainsey was not the number one D when they won the 017 Cup.

He was playing their top pair and was used in all situations. He was being player as their #1.

 

[sandviper]

Kind of like how the Pens exposed the Caps in the previous playoff series? Pens will be fine. They just need to stay healthy and get better goaltending. As far as the Leafs... Do you have them as a top 5 cup contender or a top 10? I have them as a fringe top 5 cup contender but not a definite one. They need to do more in the playoffs and that D man... They need to play very very well and above potential if the Leafs are beating any of those other cup contenders who also have offense but a much better defense.

IMO, I think the issues with the Leaf's D is overstated. They could use a true stud #1, I won't argue that, but any team would. I think as a grouping as a whole, their defence isn't THAT bad. There had been cup winners with weaker defence corps in the very recent past.

What did kill the Leafs last year was goaltending in the playoffs. I think Anderson is a great goalie, but he didn't play well at all... like Rinne and Hellebuyck who immediately come to mind. I think leadership was lacking last year as well, and this is where JT is going to help them tremendously.

Too early for me to conclude if they are top-5 contenders yet, so I agree with you there... I have them as fringe top-5; I have Winnipeg, Tampa, Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh firmly ahead of them.

I got Montreal behind Toronto... like about 20 teams back.

But hey! In 2-3 years, when the Leafs are in cap hell, we'll be running with Kotkaniemi, Suzuki, Poehking, Olafsson up the middle.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Brian Dumoulin actually played the most on Pittsburgh's 2017 Stanley Cup squad, followed by Ron Hainsey, Olli Määttä, and then Justin Schultz.

 

[Thebesthockey]

They are sending Kotka down anyways
why risk injury
whats the point

its almost like habs management is trying to outlast cutting 3rd overall after the rest of the 2018 draftees are cut....proving they made a good choice

 

[Saundies]

They are sending Kotka down anyways
why risk injury
whats the point

its almost like habs management is trying to outlast cutting 3rd overall after the rest of the 2018 draftees are cut....proving they made a good choice

Yeah it has nothing to do with the fact that he's played well enough to stick. It's all politics and PR maneuvering.

 

[habsgirl5000]

Yup. They aren't contenders IMO but...I've been wrong before.

no they are not even contenders.....they are only ranked first in odds to win the cup

anybody who looks at the toronto roster and says they are not a contender knows nothing about hockey

 

[HockeyDBspecialist]

Koko Vs Tavares or Matthews.
If he is not outplayed he will play the season in Mtl for sure.

THE REAL CHALLENGE IS TONIGHT FOR KOKO

 

[Drytoast]

Shultz, Cole, Dumonin, Matta Daley(till he got hurt)

Hainsey was not "number one" by any stretch of the imagination

He had the second most ice time (by a thin margin) out of all the defense, so to "pretend" that he wasn't leaned on heavily and logged heavy ice time is a joke or denial.

2016-17 Pittsburgh Penguins Roster and Statistics | Hockey-Reference.com

11	Ron Hainsey	35	D	25	2	6	8	5	6	2	0	0	0	6	0	0	29	6.9	528	21:07

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

That's ignoring the fact that Riley puts up 1d numbers. He may not be a top 10 1d, but he's certainly a 1D.

We had 2 50 point defense men last year. And we also leaned on Hainsey who just had won a stanley cup being leaned on heavily.

Anyways....

 

[LyricalLyricist]

no they are not even contenders.....they are only ranked first in odds to win the cup

By who?

Washington is better.

Sure Tavares and Matthews is great. Washington has backstrom and kuznetsov. Sure marner/Nylander is great but ovechkin is better.

It goes on. Carlson>Reilly. Holtby>Andersen.

So ranked 1st is nice but do you believe it?

Tavares will replace goals lost by JVR leaving. Bossy gone too. Tavares is great but they lost pieces too.

I’m not sold on Toronto

 

[habsgirl5000]

By who?

everywhere you look.....Vegas to begin with

 

[habsgirl5000]

Tavares is great but they lost pieces too.

Tavares replaces and upgrades Bozak.....so they really only lost one player, JVR

Toronto have enough depth at wing to fill that hole easily

 

[LyricalLyricist]

everywhere you look.....Vegas to begin with

Vegas lost a lot of money with their odds on Vegas last year.

Make your own opinion. Toronto hasn’t improved enough. They’ll be good and when you’re good you always have a chance but I don’t see the hype right now.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Tavares replaces and upgrades Bozak.....so they really only lost one player, JVR

Toronto have enough depth at wing to fill that hole easily

Who matches JVR goals? Tavares will take some. Marleau is declining too. So it will balance out.

 

[habsgirl5000]

Who matches JVR goals? Tavares will take some. Marleau is declining too. So it will balance out.

Washington won the cup with WORSE GF/GA then Toronto had last year,

defense is not really important when you have a team capable of scoring 8-10 goals every game

toronto will easily match and pass their goal total of last season

 

[Belial]

They are sending Kotka down anyways
why risk injury
whats the point

its almost like habs management is trying to outlast cutting 3rd overall after the rest of the 2018 draftees are cut....proving they made a good choice

This logic is dumb IMO, he could get injured while playing in Finland also... It's a men's league.

It was the same last year with Mete, ohhhhh send him down, he's not ready phisically, he will get destroyed yadda yadda yadda.

He seems fine...

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

That D is god awful from Toronto , no ways they will ever win a cup with that D

It's about balance.. They have a nasty top 3 centers to compensate. So you'll never know.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Toronto is a solid hockey team, but they're still missing a piece or two to be able to go all the way
Yes they added Tavares and that's a huge piece to the puzzle but one can argue are they better than the bruins? Are they better than the Bolts?
I mean before thinking of playing the Penguins or the Caps, are they even better then the teams in our division?
they're on the right track, but still missing IMO at least 2 players to be a real contender and be ready to take on the 4 teams I mentioned in the East.