So what now?

[Bomber0104]

I don't think it's fair to call it a simple defensive structure. Columbus was the best defensive team in the league, and even a 62 win Tampa team couldn't solve them at all. And they only had a .931 save percentage against Tampa, and a .947 against the Leafs. If you have a solution for beating red hot goaltending over a tiny sample, you'd be a very rich man.

this isn't to say it all that the Leafs are a perfect team. I just think their flaws mostly reared their head in the regular season where the Leafs really should have done better

The 2018/19 Blue Jackets are a completely different team than the 2019/20 version. Comparing them year-over-year is basically pointless.

The fact is Toronto scored 3 even strength goals versus Columbus over the course of 5 games. That is disgraceful.

Tampa already has 2 and the first game isn't even over yet.

 

[ToMaLe]

There is something really really wrong with management when they see great valve in signing Marincin to a new contract year after year after year after year after year after year after year after year. Im sure 10 years from now, I will still be saying it. Its like god damn groundhog day. He is no wheres close to an NHL calibre defensemen. Also time to move on from Andersen, the guy is the total opposite definition of a clutch goaltender.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Here's all I have to say: if your team's identity is to dump all your chips in on offense, and you can't crack a simple defensive structure employed by a middle of the pack team, the entire premise of your team is invalid.

1. Columbus was the best team defensively in the league this year.
2. They did crack the defense. They didn't crack the goaltending.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

The 2018/19 Blue Jackets are a completely different team than the 2019/20 version. Comparing them year-over-year is basically pointless.

The fact is Toronto scored 3 even strength goals versus Columbus over the course of 5 games. That is disgraceful.

Tampa already has 2 and the first game isn't even over yet.

sure, Tampa's two goals in this game is a much more impressive display of offensive ability than the Leafs' two goals per game for some reason. Thanks for the contribution

 

[rumman]

There is something really really wrong with management when they see great valve in signing Marincin to a new contract year after year after year after year after year after year after year after year. Im sure 10 years from now, I will still be saying it. Its like god damn groundhog day. He is no wheres close to an NHL calibre defensemen. Also time to move on from Andersen, the guy is the total opposite definition of a clutch goaltender.

but MM's a nice AHL D man..................

 

[ToMaLe]

but MM's a nice AHL D man..................

lol I wouldnt even sign him for the Marlies, just for the fact I want ZERO chance of him ever wearing a Leafs jersey ever again lol.

 

[rumman]

lol I wouldnt even sign him for the Marlies, just for the fact I want ZERO chance of him ever wearing a Leafs jersey ever again lol.

I'm sure Dubas has a soft spot for that Calder Cup winning team?

 

[sparxx87]

Ok I’ll bite, name one team that is that far below the cap that they are willing to gut their team in order to appease what the Leafs would want in return, only to take on an extremely high paid winger. You make it sound like u guys are willing to give him away. My point is even if the Leafs decided to get rid of Marner, they would be selling very low. After all, if he was that great why would they be trading him?

Nobody would be looking to do anyone favours, it would be teams in financial hardship trying to preserve their bottom line. Pierre LeBrun explains it so even an idiot can understand. You should check it out.

 

[Dekes For Days]

The 2018/19 Blue Jackets are a completely different team than the 2019/20 version.

Yeah, they were better defensively this year.

Tampa already has 2 and the first game isn't even over yet.

Yeah, Korpisalo only has a 0.962 SV% so far. Must be on a cold streak.

 

[Bomber0104]

sure, Tampa's two goals in this game is a much more impressive display of offensive ability than the Leafs' two goals per game for some reason. Thanks for the contribution

They've almost matched the Leafs' entire 5-on-5 production (5 games) in just 4 periods of play.

I know, I know, I'm sure Columbus's defence and goaltending just try harder against the Leafs.

Or luck or whatever other lame excuses we're going to constantly hear the entire off-season.

 

[Big Muddy]

I wouldn't bank on the Leafs shooting under 2% at 5v5 again. Luck goes both ways over a small sample, and the Leafs got the worst of it

It appears that teams with good structure, & good team D seem to be able to beat us. We don't seem to be a very hard teams for an opponent's coach to scheme against. The last 4 year of playoffs have certainly indicated that. So, its kind of like doing the same thing yet expecting different results.

 

[Mats13]

my take is remove Prez and GM, let their replacements decide the best moves going forward. It's as simple as that...............

Removing the best president in decades doesn’t sound like a great idea to me

 

[Mats13]

Think we need to move on from the low IQ player like Kap.

Can’t be spending 3 million on a 3rd like winger who can’t produce offensively.

 

[Cleetus]

They've almost matched the Leafs' entire even-strength output (5 games) in just 4 periods of play.

I know, I know, I'm sure Columbus's defence and goaltending just try harder against the Leafs.

Or luck or whatever other lame excuses we're going to constantly hear the entire off-season.

poster completely misread your post about even strength production

 

[TMLisSRYinGerman]

1. Trade Kapanen and Johnson to free some cap
2. Sandin and Liljegren have to become solid D-Men next year
3. Hope for a very good regular season of Tavares and Marner so if we are still bad on D we can trade one for a good Defensemen at the deadline

 

[Big Muddy]

Yes, but not for the reason you think. Also, it's "cup qualifier", not "playoff qualifier". The NHL explicitly confirmed that it was the playoffs.

.

Got this from the NBC website & Wiki said the same thing:

Qualifying Round: The remaining 8 teams play best-of-5 series to advance to the First Round (playoff overtime rules in effect).

So, NBC is making the distinction between the "Qualifying Round" and the "First Round of the playoffs".

If it was the First Round of the playoffs, then why don't they just call the First Round of the playoffs versus the term they are actually using which is "Qualifying Round"?

 

[Big Muddy]

A few years go people were optimistically talking about the Leafs being the next Chicago, win several cups in the near future, GLG. Now were down to saying be like WSH, prepare for another half decade or so of grief and then we'll be poised to win it all. Kind of sad how much we've lowered our expectations in the last couple of years.

I was so filled with optimism when we battled hard in the playoffs against WSH. The playoffs with an allowed to play Kadri on the roster, those were good times.

Ya, we used to call it the early window or some such thing. The good old days LOL.

 

[Dekes For Days]

If it was the First Round of the playoffs, then why don't they just call the First Round of the playoffs versus the term they are actually using which is "Qualifying Round"?

For simplicity and historical consistency. The cup qualifiers portion were 5 game series and a round robin; a different format than people have been used to recently. It makes more sense to differentiate it and use the same terminology for everything else for the casual fan, but it's still the playoffs.

 

[Big Muddy]

You are asking too much.
View attachment 360042
If you admit it, then you have to deal with changing it rather than hoping it just gets fixed.

We can always blame the officiating, we just hit a red hot goaltender, etc. Some always have an excuse at the ready versus just dealing what reality of what is directly in front of them.

 

[ACC1224]

Removing the best president in decades doesn’t sound like a great idea to me

What makes him the best President? Certainly not success

 

[robertmac43]

There is something really really wrong with management when they see great valve in signing Marincin to a new contract year after year after year after year after year after year after year after year. Im sure 10 years from now, I will still be saying it. Its like god damn groundhog day. He is no wheres close to an NHL calibre defensemen. Also time to move on from Andersen, the guy is the total opposite definition of a clutch goaltender.

Are we really going to sit here and pick on this contract - a 700k league min deal, doesn't seem worth it.

 

[Big Muddy]

This is the title of the email message I received this morning from NHL.com

“Stanley Cup Playoffs begin today! Tune-in beginning at 3pm ET“

LOL that's awesome!

I loved it as well. The denial from some is at a presidential level.

 

[cupcrazyman]

How many more years are we going to rely on this terrible blue line ?

 

[Cleetus]

How many more years are we going to rely on this terrible blue line ?

until someone fixes it lol

 

[Shanwhatplan]

Yeah, and they are impacted by it as well. We were one of the most injured teams this year.

What exactly does "dealing with the injuries properly" mean? We dealt with it pretty well.

That puck didn't go in because of Nylander. That puck didn't go in because of Keefe. That puck went in because of random, dumb luck.

That's because we were too busy getting net-front, slot, and high-danger shots.

Except sometimes, a team doesn't constantly make more mistakes, but the opposition still capitalizes more. Hockey isn't a fair sport where the better team always wins, and why would we want it to be? That's boring.

I believe Columbus was in first place, well ahead of us, in man games lost, and still only finished percentage points behind us. Not that great of an excuse.

I believe “dealing with it properly”, in terms of when injuries occur, is being able to bring up players from the AHL. It seems to me (granted, I could be wrong, and if I am I will be glad to admit it) there was at least one instance when we had an injury, but couldn’t call anyone up because we were so tight against the cap. (If anyone can remember that being the case, feel free to chime in).

In terms of Werenski’s goal, if you refer to it being due to dumb luck, the dumb luck occurred because Nylander didn’t recognize the situation in time to get back to cover him (or because he didn’t want to get hit by the puck), that’s one of those little things that can turn the tide in a game/series.

In terms of the better team doesn’t always win, that’s true, but they sure as hell win more often than they lose.