Miscellaneous NHL Discussion LVIII: May-June edition

[Deadpool8812]

This one was pretty cool too

The last time the Leafs won a series, I was in high school

 

[TCTC]

The Laughs are cursed for signing Tavares. He’s no longer what he once was. The signing screwed up their cap space since after that Nylander, Matthews and Marner all went for the over payment or else. They’d have been better off bit signing Tavares and using that cash to net some defense like Pieterangelo or that type of player. Their defense and goal situation is awful. It’s a tear apart situation for them in which they will most likely get fleeced.

It's pretty funny that since Tavares left the Islanders have had a better playoff record than the Leafs.

 

[mja]

The last time the Leafs won a series, I was in high school

The last time the Leafs won a series, I had an infant at home. That infant graduates from high school next year.

 

[mja]

Crazy Marner stat.

He has 6 career playoff penalties.

5 of them are for "over the glass".

That's gotta be the weirdest manifestation of the yips I've ever seen.

 

[Beef Invictus]

That's gotta be the weirdest manifestation of the yips I've ever seen.

Watching him turn down a quick shot on Price to try and be fancy as Price and many Habs all got in his shooting lane... That too

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Watching him turn down a quick shot on Price to try and be fancy as Price and many Habs all got in his shooting lane... That too

I’m still in disbelief at that. He had price literally down on his hands and knees with a clear lane to the net from about three feet out.

I had to immediately rewind that to watch it again. Dude was shook.

 

[Deadpool8812]

The last time the Leafs won a series, I had an infant at home. That infant graduates from high school next year.

I made a ton of money that year off my friends since they were mostly all Leafs fans.

Thanks JR

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Brendan Shanahan — 7 seasons as Toronto’s president. Zero playoff series wins.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

I’ll take nothing for $2,000, Alex.


Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2020-21 Season To Be Captured In Amazon Prime Video’s ‘All Or Nothing’ Series

 

[deadhead]

The Laughs are cursed for signing Tavares. He’s no longer what he once was. The signing screwed up their cap space since after that Nylander, Matthews and Marner all went for the over payment or else. They’d have been better off bit signing Tavares and using that cash to net some defense like Pieterangelo or that type of player. Their defense and goal situation is awful. It’s a tear apart situation for them in which they will most likely get fleeced.

I've been preaching this since they signed JT, but no respect.
Balance is the key, TB figured that out, Toronto never did until recently, and ironically, this might have been their best team but the Hockey Gods frown upon them for hubris.

This is why I'm wary of going after big "names" in FA and trades, you're usually buying high with no upside but a lot of downside.
And what made it worse, they gave FA type deals to players with RFA years because of bruised egos due to the JT signing.

They got one great year out of JT, the last two years, ES PP/60 of 2.26, 2.63.
Compare to Couts 2.68/2.81, Voracek 2.43/2.78, Farabee 1.77/2.70, Giroux 1.82/2.41, JVR 2.30/2.41.
4 years left at $11M, and he's 31 years old next season.
He's improved defensively and is still a solid player, but that cap hit for a guy who may never approach elite status again.

Here's one reason Matthews and Marner came up short
Matthews ATOI 23:53, Marner 24:43, Hyman 22:51

 

[TheKingPin]

I don't know what they do. Seemingly in the last decade alone they've tried every known combination of hockey trope and building method.

Maybe it's time to fold the team.

Is there a setting that stops autorefresh on this site using my iPhone? Tired of losing posts.

Maybe the fans should stop giving a shit. That seems next up for here. You have loyal fans in places like here, Toronto, and Buffalo with horrible cupless streaks

 

[flyersnorth]

It's pretty funny that since Tavares left the Islanders have had a better playoff record than the Leafs.

Not just playoff record - they've been far and away a much better team without Tavares.

Not that it's JT's fault - but apparently roster construction is pretty important. Who knew?

 

[Redpath]

It's pretty funny that since Tavares left the Islanders have had a better playoff record than the Leafs.

Crazy to think that Lamoriello was getting written off during his final days in New Jersey. Then he helps bring the Leafs back to relevance and then the Islanders to competence.

 

[FLYguy3911]

You gotta laugh at the HockeyGuys screaming about the lack of grit and leadership holding Toronto back in the playoffs only to blow a 3-1 series lead and get shutout in Game 7.

edit: [near] shutout.

And of course Pierre was on Toronto radio this morning (yes I’m that petty) saying the Leafs need a Kuraly, Lazar, Wagner line to win in the playoffs. PLEASE someone hire this man.

 

[DancingPanther]

"why it's different this year" - Toronto media for entire year

More like the entire decade. Every year is their year.

 

[deadhead]

And of course Pierre was on Toronto radio this morning (yes I’m that petty) saying the Leafs need a Kuraly, Lazar, Wagner line to win in the playoffs. PLEASE someone hire this man.

They do need a "minute eating" 3rd line to take the load off their top forwards.

 

[Larry44]

The last time the Leafs won a series, I was in high school

I was in Grade 1. Of course, I was in Gr 10 the last time the Flyers won, which isn't much better.

I was actually hoping the Leafs would win last night but, let's face it, Marner is a boy among men. He's 24 and doesn't have any man strength.

He looks like a kid. Reminds me of when us old guys go play pick up, one guy brings his bantam-age kid to skate with us. The Hab D were throwing him around like a rag doll all night. Totally ineffective at $10M a year. Must be nice to be set for life and play like crap every time it matters.

 

[Larry44]

Is there a setting that stops autorefresh on this site using my iPhone? Tired of losing posts.

I can say without doubt that fans on this board have been deprived of some of the greatest posts in HFBoards history because they disappear right before I hit 'done.' It's got to be perfect or I cannot be bothered. LOL!

 

[Ghosts Beer]

They do need a "minute eating" 3rd line to take the load off their top forwards.

The Cizikas, Martin, Clutterbuck line sure is effective for the Isles.

 

[flyersnorth]

And of course Pierre was on Toronto radio this morning (yes I’m that petty) saying the Leafs need a Kuraly, Lazar, Wagner line to win in the playoffs. PLEASE someone hire this man.

The reality is they were one shot away from winning the series a few times over the last few OT games.

So if they win this in game 6 OT, which they absolutely dominated, the narrative is "CUP IS OURS" instead of "BLOW IT UP."

Shows you how nonsensical sports are. So much randomness.

 

[FlyerNutter]

One of the better ones I’ve seen.

 

[Tripod]

Last time the Leafs won a playoff series, Facebook was 2 months old

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

One of the better ones I’ve seen.

View attachment 441764

I have to wonder how many of those people worked with COVID patients and just wanted a break from watching rooms full of people slowly suffocate and die only to watch a whole hockey franchise slowly suffocate and die.

 

[Beef Invictus]

they've done the dinosaur rebuild and the new age rebuild. And nothing matters. All things end in entropy.

 

[mja]

Last time the Leafs won a playoff series, Facebook was 2 months old

YouTube was still a year away from being founded and Project Purple, which led to the iPhone, was just getting underway.