Tampa or Boston?

[Mess]

Who actually believes Boston is a 1 line team?

They are one of the deepest teams in the league. Their top 3 are obviously amazing but the next 4-5 guys are really, really good too. I ended up watching a ton of them this year because I grabbed a few of their players in my fantasy draft and they are an impressive forward group.

Not sure where that nonsense came from.

Anyways, it's a coin flip really. Would you rather fight a bear or a shark? Neither is going to be easy.

A shark can't swim in frozen ice, which hockey is played on, but a bear can still walk on it and would still dangerous, so that means Leafs better option is the lightning at this point based on your analogy and my analysis of that situation.

PS. 2 of my biggest fears in life are Bears and Sharks, when camping in the woods or swimming in the ocean so I agree either Leafs first round opponent scares me also, and nervous facing either/or.

 

[Coachcorner]

So y'all can tell me and everybody else human beings who will we face in the first round of the playoffs this season? Great to say "this season" as we are again in it to win it. Didn't happen in so many years (expect for that great carlyle coached team during the lockout season).

who will we face off?. Boston or tampa bay? Are those set? I think it's wrong to face those teams so early on. This wild card dirt ain't correct. Not really. It was the good old days where we would face the worst team there is, just like capitals would face the worst etc. 1st vs 8th and 2nd vs 7th etc. That's the way it should be. Diserves got everything to do with it.

But yeah, I think playing tampa bay would be aaight. Boston is real tough. Bergeron still schooling suckas out. Real hard. And they got the marchand. And pasternak. I think we could beat vasilvensky before Rask at this very moment. Stamkos ain't one hunnid neither, once again. And they still got the scoring power. We too got talent and the power and the women. We could get it this season. Moving along from the first round. Lou ready, is y'all?

 

[ErnieLeafs]

So y'all can tell me and everybody else human beings who will we face in the first round of the playoffs this season? Great to say "this season" as we are again in it to win it. Didn't happen in so many years (expect for that great carlyle coached team during the lockout season).

who will we face off?. Boston or tampa bay? Are those set? I think it's wrong to face those teams so early on. This wild card dirt ain't correct. Not really. It was the good old days where we would face the worst team there is, just like capitals would face the worst etc. 1st vs 8th and 2nd vs 7th etc. That's the way it should be. Diserves got everything to do with it.

But yeah, I think playing tampa bay would be aaight. Boston is real tough. Bergeron still schooling suckas out. Real hard. And they got the marchand. And pasternak. I think we could beat vasilvensky before Rask at this very moment. Stamkos ain't one hunnid neither, once again. And they still got the scoring power. We too got talent and the power and the women. We could get it this season. Moving along from the first round. Lou ready, is y'all?

Not one mention of Polak twerking. Colour me disappointed.

I am, however, ready to get this series against Tampa going. I think we beat them in 6. Our goalie is ultimately better amd more experienced, we have a physical edge over them (not saying a lot, though) and we have the depth to roll lines that can attack.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

I came to make a post about Polak twerking too.

 

[WestCoastLeafs]

Tampa or Boston?

Pfft, I wanna play them both...

 

[Trapper]

With our UFAs walking July 1st, Lou will have some work to do. Addressing the #3 and #4C will be keys. Been holding my breath for the Tavares train not to leave the station since last summer (87 days to go to July 1st ). Signing JT will make Lou's job so much easier this offseason.

The Shanaclan has make huge strides since winning the Matthews lottery. They cannot take a step back as a result of our UFAs leaving. Looking forward to seeing what the lineup looks like to start the 2018/19 season.

That's the real trick isn't it.
I can't exactly judge what the follow up year will be with 2/3rds of a line plus a 4C and possibly utility PK player leaving.
Hyman...Matthews...Nylander(?)
Marleau...Kadri...Marner
Johnsson...Aaltonen...Brown
Martin...Gauthier...Kapanen

The present depth chart minus UFAs and no real quality UFAs on the market.
Is Nylander a C or not to Babcock? Not to us.

 

[I am Canadian]

How does the seeding work for the second round?

If we beat Tampa/Boston does it stop going from divisional matchups and back to highest remaining seed vs lowest?

 

[ACC1224]

Surprised the Leafs haven't announced the date for Game 3 and 4.

 

[Pocket Hercules]

Am I the only one that dislikes this revamped seeding structure? The team that squeaks in by the skin of their nuts should always have to play the toughest team--end of story. Why should the lower tier teams playoff journey be any easier than it currently is? The carrot the league should be dangling to all teams is to play well throughout the season, and you will be rewarded. Why are the top 2 or 3 Eastern Conference teams being forced to battle it out with each other in the fricken 1st round?

Way to see the big picture, Gary...smh.

 

[ToneDog]

How does the seeding work for the second round?

If we beat Tampa/Boston does it stop going from divisional matchups and back to highest remaining seed vs lowest?

You would get the winner of #1 Atlantic seed (Boston/TB)/#2 WC (assuming Atlantic #1 seed finished ahead of Metro #1 seed).

 

[zeke]

Am I the only one that dislikes this revamped seeding structure? The team that squeaks in by the skin of their nuts should always have to play the toughest team--end of story. Why should the lower tier teams playoff journey be any easier than it currently is? The carrot the league should be dangling to all teams is to play well throughout the season, and you will be rewarded. Why are the top 2 or 3 Eastern Conference teams being forced to battle it out with each other in the fricken 1st round?

Way to see the big picture, Gary...smh.

funny.

When I was a kid it was even more like this. 4 teams in each division always played each other until the division champ was decided, then the played the other intra-conference division for the conference championship, and then played the other conference champ for the cup.

And then Gary came along and changed it to 1-8 playoff seedings....and got crucified for it.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

I realize on paper Tampa looks like a juggernaut but Boston is built for the playoffs and I am not sure they are a favorable matchup for the Leafs in a 7 game series.

Tampa would be the better draw in my opinion.

 

[Pocket Hercules]

funny.

When I was a kid it was even more like this. 4 teams in each division always played each other until the division champ was decided, then the played the other intra-conference division for the conference championship, and then played the other conference champ for the cup.

And then Gary came along and changed it to 1-8 playoff seedings....and got crucified for it.

Back then, it was alot easier to clinch a playoff spot then it is now. The Leafs made the playoffs in 5 seasons throughout the 80's despite finishing with horrible reg season records. Currently, the league has alot more talent spread out evenly then it did back in the 70's and 80's. Change it back to the previous formula. K.I.S.S.

 

[Trapper]

Am I the only one that dislikes this revamped seeding structure? The team that squeaks in by the skin of their nuts should always have to play the toughest team--end of story. Why should the lower tier teams playoff journey be any easier than it currently is? The carrot the league should be dangling to all teams is to play well throughout the season, and you will be rewarded. Why are the top 2 or 3 Eastern Conference teams being forced to battle it out with each other in the fricken 1st round?

Way to see the big picture, Gary...smh.

Just make 2 divisions.
East and West.
16 teams per, best 8 make it. Division rivalries are so watered down anyway in todays NHL. Hard to get excited playing Buffalo for the 1st time in February. You play Montreal once then St. Louis, Nashville, Dallas, NY and throw in Ottawa somewhere.
The only time I felt a rivalry is when we played Boston back to back this year. Friday night, then Saturday night. That also brings out the best in teams if you lose to them the night before. After that it's hard to get excited when you disappear for a Western road swing.

 

[rent free]

How does the seeding work for the second round?

If we beat Tampa/Boston does it stop going from divisional matchups and back to highest remaining seed vs lowest?

We verse the winner of the team that wins our division (the team who we didn't verse in the 1st round) and the 2nd wild card team

 

[Trapper]

Back then, it was alot easier to clinch a playoff spot then it is now. The Leafs made the playoffs in 5 seasons throughout the 80's despite finishing with horrible reg season records. Currently, the league has alot more talent spread out evenly then it did back in the 70's and 80's. Change it back to the previous formula. K.I.S.S.

If we go with a 16 team division, the playoffs would look like this:
1. Boston 110
2. Tampa 110
(both these teams fighting for division winner)
3. Washington 103
4. Toronto 103
(both these teams would be fighting for 3/4 spot. The difference between playing seed 5 or seed 6. At present the Leafs winning means nothing. We play Boston/Tampa regardless)
5. Pittsburgh 96
6. Columbus 96
(Again, 2 teams fighting for 5/6 spot)
7. NJ 95
8. Philly 94
(These teams could still jump to 5th)
9. Florida 90
(Outside chance at playoffs still)

Now 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7, etc.

Add Seattle to the West and do the same thing. 32 team league.

 

[Rob Brown]

If we go with a 16 team division, the playoffs would look like this:
1. Boston 110
2. Tampa 110
(both these teams fighting for division winner)
3. Washington 103
4. Toronto 103
(both these teams would be fighting for 3/4 spot. The difference between playing seed 5 or seed 6. At present the Leafs winning means nothing. We play Boston/Tampa regardless)
5. Pittsburgh 96
6. Columbus 96
(Again, 2 teams fighting for 5/6 spot)
7. NJ 95
8. Philly 94
(These teams could still jump to 5th)
9. Florida 90
(Outside chance at playoffs still)

Now 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7, etc.

Add Seattle to the West and do the same thing. 32 team league.

The standings wouldn't be exactly this because the amount of games you play against each team would change accordingly if it became a 16 team division rather than two 8 team divisions.

 

[Diatomic]

Am I the only one that dislikes this revamped seeding structure? The team that squeaks in by the skin of their nuts should always have to play the toughest team--end of story. Why should the lower tier teams playoff journey be any easier than it currently is? The carrot the league should be dangling to all teams is to play well throughout the season, and you will be rewarded. Why are the top 2 or 3 Eastern Conference teams being forced to battle it out with each other in the fricken 1st round?

Way to see the big picture, Gary...smh.

When they changed the format a few years ago I was reading the article shaking my head. Utter stupidity. I hope there's alot of complaining from owners and fans when a top team gets kicked out in round 1 or 2 by another top team.. Why the **** are they facing each other in round 1? Idiotic.

 

[Trapper]

The standings wouldn't be exactly this because the amount of games you play against each team would change accordingly if it became a 16 team division rather than two 8 team divisions.

True but back in the 80s it was a 21 team league and 16 made the playoffs. Much easier to predict some combo of rivals would make the post season.
In a soon to be 32 team league, I really find rivalries lacking. At least the ones you immediately think of. Only 3 of 8 teams in our division have made it, the rest largely irrelevant.
Why not open it up and foster what could be based on where teams are in whatever life cycle. It could be Toronto/Washington or Columbus, whatever. Why restrict yourself to already money makers like Ottawa/Montreal when you could try for much more.
If you play the West twice, that's 32 games leaving 50. You can play everyone else 3 times with 5 games left over to divide amongst proxcimity rivals, Ottawa,Montreal,Buffalo,Boston,Detroit. Then the NY teams play, Pittsburgh/Philly/Washington extras.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Tampa or Boston?

Pfft, I wanna play them both...

Winner winner chicken dinner.

 

[Yamazaki]

Ive been wanting Boston since day 1 because I believe they’re a 1 line team and I don’t fear them 1 bit, I honestly feel we will outskate and out coach them.

You should read the bruins forums, they’re scared shitless to face us and already making excuses about the refs

Who else is with me? I really don’t fear any team in the playoffs and feel like we could win it all with Freddie backstoping us.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Ive been wanting Boston since day 1 because I believe they’re a 1 line team and I don’t fear them 1 bit, I honestly feel we will outskate and out coach them.

You should read the bruins forums, they’re scared ****less to face us and already making excuses about the refs

Who else is with me? I really don’t fear any team in the playoffs and feel like we could win it all with Freddie backstoping us.

The interesting thing about Boston is their schedule. It's clearly having an impact on them now and the fatigue might carry into the playoffs.

I don't mind either team and feel Toronto could take both teams to 6-7 games at the very least.

Tampa-Toronto would be entertaining as hell. While Toronto-Boston has its own magic and there's a bit of history there.

 

[member 300185]

That's the real trick isn't it.
I can't exactly judge what the follow up year will be with 2/3rds of a line plus a 4C and possibly utility PK player leaving.
Hyman...Matthews...Nylander(?)
Marleau...Kadri...Marner
Johnsson...Aaltonen...Brown
Martin...Gauthier...Kapanen

The present depth chart minus UFAs and no real quality UFAs on the market.
Is Nylander a C or not to Babcock? Not to us.

You forgot to put Tavares in there.

 

[Yamazaki]

The interesting thing about Boston is their schedule. It's clearly having an impact on them now and the fatigue might carry into the playoffs.

I don't mind either team and feel Toronto could take both teams to 6-7 games at the very least.

Tampa-Toronto would be entertaining as hell. While Toronto-Boston has its own magic and there's a bit of history there.

I want Boston because I truly believe they overachieved this year and the loss of Carlo is huge. We’ve won 7 of 8 vs them and there only win vs us was our 3rd game in 4 nights.

 

[Tak7]

Slightly different way of looking at this:

Tampa and Toronto play very similar styles, and they also boast an incredible offense. A series with Tampa would probably be a coin flip, with Tampa probably edging it due to their blueline.

Boston? They play real smothering low-event hockey. The Leafs biggest strength is their depth scoring - i think their strengths matchup best againt Boston for that reason. Even if the Bergeron line cancels out the Matthews line, the Leafs depth is stronger than Bostons, would could be the route through for Toronto.