Pre-Game Talk: Playoffs (monday) game 1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning

[sxvnert]

Untimely penalties incoming. Simmonds and Clifford in the lineup at the same time is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[robertmac43]

Johnsson played well coming back and Robertson didn't do much that series.

I mean AJ played one game in that series and didn't look great when he drew in. Unless maybe you are referring to not the bubble year.

 

[Dave92]

Hmm would really like to see Spezza get in at some point and Blackwell has been a bit underwhelming since the trade. Otherwise the lineup looks good.

I think he chose the best top 6 D to start and am glad that they're not trying to force Sandin back into the lineup. His poor foot speed cost us game 1 last year and I'm not sure his pro's outweigh that in a potentially tight checking series. Also having to watch Justin "literally Bobby Orr" Holl pinch vs the Lightning might actually kill me.

 

[SoftDumpNtheCorner88]

Should we just sit Kase out tbh? I feel injecting a "new" player into the lineup will mess something up... I recall this same thing with Johansson a few years back and benching a good playing Robertson.

Surprised to see Kase slotted in Game 1, I was thinking he'd be a good option if someone gets injured or plays poorly.

We've seen players rust if they haven't played in awhile I wonder if Kase will feel that and on the playoffs there's no time to find out.

 

[Coachcorner]

keefe channeling his inner Cersei Lannister ('i choose violence!')

Im is getting a real dark, juicy sigar on this gezame number one sire. We will G this thang up like the best of them.

Post automatically merged: May 1, 2022

Untimely penalties incoming. Simmonds and Clifford in the lineup at the same time is a disaster waiting to happen.

That dirty 4th line will be eatin noses and ears off like tyson sire. They gangsta with the best of them. You'll be thankin keefe come tomorrow time sire. With all the blood shed there.

 

[KingsHockey24]

My body is ready.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Why am I seeing Spezza > Blackwell.

At this point, Clifford/Simmonds > Spezza.

Blackwell is better than all 3 of those players.

Yeah exactly. I trust Blackwell way more than the other 3. In fact, I don't really trust those 3 to not be complete liabilities on the ice.

 

[3headeddragon]

Why even have a work day tomorrow? Just call it off across the province lol

WE ARE THE CENTER OF THE HOCKEY UNIVERSE!!!!

Should be a stat holiday

 

[Pi]

Can't agree with Clifford over Spezza when Spezza has been a guy who always scores key goals for us when we are in the mud and can't get anything going.

Clifford is more likely to take dumb penalties than do anything productive.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

I've never wanted to see the Razor Ramon GIF more in my life!

SKILL before THUG, but we're ready to twerk if the suckas want it! @Coachcorner

 

[Gallagbi]

Can't agree with Clifford over Spezza when Spezza has been a guy who always scores key goals for us when we are in the mud and can't get anything going.

Clifford is more likely to take dumb penalties than do anything productive.

Feels like when we dressed Nash last year in Game 1. Just overthinking the series.

 

[Pi]

Feels like when we dressed Nash last year in Game 1. Just overthinking the series.

Yeah. Thankfully the 4th line in the playoffs usually have diminished roles but I still would only feel comfortable with them on the ice against their 4th line.

 

[Green Snow Storm]

Feels like when we dressed Nash last year in Game 1. Just overthinking the series.

Spezza hasn’t exactly looked like himself. If he was playing like last season then yes that decision would be awful, but the reality is he isn’t and Clifford brings an element the team needs in a series like this despite him likely contributing nothing to drive play for us.

 

[WillyC]

Tomorrow’s game will set the tone for the series… we’re gonna bring it big time and finally get this show rolling in the playoffs.

 

[Green Snow Storm]

I have a feeling we’re going to put Tampa away in stunning fashion. Like in 5-6 games. This is a hard matchup, but I feel this is the year. I think the team knows this. Tampa is an older team that’s played a ton of hockey and lost some key pieces. They’re fat and happy and our team should be desperate because this could be the last kick at the can with all of this core in place.

 

[Gallagbi]

Spezza hasn’t exactly looked like himself. If he was playing like last season then yes that decision would be awful, but the reality is he isn’t and Clifford brings an element the team needs in a series like this despite him likely contributing nothing to drive play for us.

I keep hearing we need this element, but do we forget that we lost with a better version of him vs. clb? Or that Simmonds physical play had zero impact on the Habs series?

We need pushback throughout the lineup and composed players who won't do something stupid when they get called soft. Clifford's looked better than expected, but he's still light years behind the current Spezza for me.

 

[al secord]

This that real dirt. : WE IN HERE. The legendary Toronto Maple Leafs havent been this ready for the playoffs, since the Pat Quinn days and that Randy Carlyle hard and heavy team a few years ago. Those teams, were G. But this team right now..................... It got the talent and now it got the will. This team GANGSTA. For life now. We have gotten our identity back and now fight and rumble unda presha. We is not crumbling this time. Our game has elevated to a nother level. Of sanity.

Dirt has never been so real.

 

[Fogelhund]

Can't agree with Clifford over Spezza when Spezza has been a guy who always scores key goals for us when we are in the mud and can't get anything going.

Clifford is more likely to take dumb penalties than do anything productive.

Keefe preparing Leafs for 'borderline violent' series against Lightning - TSN.ca

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning combined for 114 penalty minutes in their last meeting on April 21 in Tampa and Sheldon Keefe believes that's a taste of what to expect in the playoffs as the two teams are set to kick off their first round series Monday night.

www.tsn.ca

The Leafs and Lightning combined for 114 penalty minutes in their last meeting on April 21 in Tampa. Sheldon Keefe believes that's a taste of what to expect in the playoffs.

"They are a team that is going to be very physical and competitive," the Leafs coach said. "When I look at their playoffs — especially in the first round last year — they definitely led the league in skirmishes after the whistle. I expect it to be a very physical, borderline violent series in a lot of ways. Our guys will be ready for that."

Jon Cooper chuckled when informed of Keefe's "borderline violent" comment.

"The first round is always chaos," the Lightning coach said. "It's organized chaos. The guys are pumped up."

Cooper points out that players are often as healthy as they're going to be during the run and usually amp up their intensity by an extra five to 10 per cent.

"We've kind of been through all the wars," Cooper continued. "Just rewind the tape to when we played Florida. It was two cars going 100 miles an hour right at each other and it was who's going to flinch first."

 

[PanniniClaus]

Surprised to see Kase slotted in Game 1, I was thinking he'd be a good option if someone gets injured or plays poorly.

We've seen players rust if they haven't played in awhile I wonder if Kase will feel that and on the playoffs there's no time to find out.

I'll take Kase... it's Spezza or Abruzzese with a side order of Blackwell too far up the lineup if not Kase. Wish Bunting was here too but getting one of those guys is big.

Let's go!

Post automatically merged: May 1, 2022

Im is getting a real dark, juicy sigar on this gezame number one sire. We will G this thang up like the best of them.

Post automatically merged: May 1, 2022

That dirty 4th line will be eatin noses and ears off like tyson sire. They gangsta with the best of them. You'll be thankin keefe come tomorrow time sire. With all the blood shed there.

I for one am ready to have some ears and noses chewed off. Especially Perry's.

 

[budzz]

One thing I worry about is their goons running Campbell. If he gets smacked and our Number 1 becomes Kallgren, it's a different series. I think their goons know this too. Anyone gets near our goalie make them bleed.

 

[kk87]

Can't agree with Clifford over Spezza when Spezza has been a guy who always scores key goals for us when we are in the mud and can't get anything going.

Clifford is more likely to take dumb penalties than do anything productive.

Agree entirely. Spezza's invested a ton in this organization the past couple years, and has come up big at key moments - and he even dropped the gloves in the bubble to boot, for people who put stock in that. I don't know what argument you can make for Clifford over Spezza.

 

[123offtheglass]

Should we just sit Kase out tbh? I feel injecting a "new" player into the lineup will mess something up... I recall this same thing with Johansson a few years back and benching a good playing Robertson.

Johnsson had come back from knee surgery opposed to a concussion; might be a little out of rhythm but should be less fatigued too.

 

[mcleex]

I was hoping we'd play Boston just so I can see the iconic Phil Kessel tossing the bear gif

What's the TBL gif going to be?

 

[Torontonian]

Spezza will get his time in the lineup, depending on the outcome in game one, there will be lineup changes throughout out the series.

You're gonna see bunting,spezza,holl all come into the lineup at some point during the series.

 

[Rude Dog]

Once I heard TB dressed all their players in the last game, they made it clear they wanted the Leafs. This is the buds chance to shove it down everyone’s throats. No excuses for haters. I have waited 12 months for this. Lets go !!