Thank You

[Bluelines]

I want to send to Shanny, Lou, Babs, Hunter, training staff and all the players a huge thank you for an exciting season, it ended far too early but in the end we are 2 years removed from the #1 pick and we are pushing a very good Boston team to game 7.

Outstanding work to get our team to this point and I look forward to the changes you have planned for next year that will move this team to the next level.

The experience will make our core stronger and for those that will be leaving us it allowed management the opportunity to see the parts that don't work.

From a grateful fan, thank you.

PS: Thank you to the mods who volunteer their free time to keep it somewhat civil on these forums.

Bluelines

Click to read more...

 

[Mats13]

I know everyone is gonna be negative with their horrible hot takes.

But, something to remember, this is the best regular season in Leafs history. Accomplished by a core that is U24.

Have some patience.

 

[stickty111]

I know everyone is gonna be negative with their horrible hot takes.

But, something to remember, this is the best regular season in Leafs history. Accomplished by a core that is U24.

Have some patience.

The fact we look a great team to 7 games with a really bad Andersen and a clearly hurting Matthews is good.
We are just a couple pieces from contending.

 

[Mats13]

The fact we look a great team to 7 games with a really bad Andersen and a clearly hurting Matthews is good.
We are just a couple pieces from contending.

Agreed. This board is gonna be unbearable until the draft.

Trade him, can't win with him. I really don't want to read that garbage. And its always the same "fans" saying it.

 

[stickty111]

Agreed. This board is gonna be unbearable until the draft.

Trade him, can't win with him. I really don't want to read that garbage. And its always the same "fans" saying it.

Its funny now "Andersen isnt a goalie you can win a cup with"
This was easily his worst playoff performance since coming into the league. Every other one he has been an average-above average goalie, and with the team we are building, an above average goalie should be enough.

 

[Nithoniniel]

The Bruins in my mind might just be the best team in the league right now. They are definitely in the top group. We were the underdogs, and we took it to seven. It's good to have hope, but let's remember that it was hope and not reasonable expectations. I'm just glad we avoided the utter humiliation that we were headed for after two. Did some players disappoint along the way? Of course, but that's always a part of it. Performance is always volatile, things compound when time is not on your side, and it usually takes players some time to climb out of the holes they end up in. That shouldn't be an indicator of who they are, just what they were capable of doing then and there. Matthews was a non-factor for us, and that's disappointing. Jonathan Toews, one of our times most highly lauded playoff performers, had two series where he played worse than that the last time they won a cup.

Things feel like crap now. They should be, or you're just not very engaged. Only a few months of pointless existence, and we get our next chance. I'm willing to bet it'll be a better one than this.

 

[Mats13]

Its funny now "Andersen isnt a goalie you can win a cup with"
This was easily his worst playoff performance since coming into the league. Every other one he has been an average-above average goalie, and with the team we are building, an above average goalie should be enough.

Yup. He wasn't good enough yesterday. Neither was Jake.

But let's not turn them into scapegoats and run our first good goalie in a decade and a 50 point defenceman out of town.

You win as a team and you lose as a team.

 

[Bluelines]

I know everyone is gonna be negative with their horrible hot takes.

But, something to remember, this is the best regular season in Leafs history. Accomplished by a core that is U24.

Have some patience.

I know some really horrible reactions to what is an extremely successful season. Not sure what people expected from this very young team.

If we played the Habs in the 1st round and had the same result , yeah I'd be upset but we played the Bruins. Look at the bruins record since Jan 1. They were and are one heck of a skilled team.

I really wish we could trade the fans who are the anchors in Leaf nation.

 

[Bluelines]

Yup. He wasn't good enough yesterday. Neither was Jake.

But let's not turn them into scapegoats and run our first good goalie in a decade and a 50 point defenceman out of town.

You win as a team and you lose as a team.

Andy was clearly playing injured and Jake is Jake, he's a top 2 d-man one game and barely a NHLer the next. Yeah he had a horrible nightmarish game but c'mon I agree he is not the reason why we lost the series.

 

[Bluelines]

The Bruins in my mind might just be the best team in the league right now. They are definitely in the top group. We were the underdogs, and we took it to seven. It's good to have hope, but let's remember that it was hope and not reasonable expectations. I'm just glad we avoided the utter humiliation that we were headed for after two. Did some players disappoint along the way? Of course, but that's always a part of it. Performance is always volatile, things compound when time is not on your side, and it usually takes players some time to climb out of the holes they end up in. That shouldn't be an indicator of who they are, just what they were capable of doing then and there. Matthews was a non-factor for us, and that's disappointing. Jonathan Toews, one of our times most highly lauded playoff performers, had two series where he played worse than that the last time they won a cup.

Things feel like crap now. They should be, or you're just not very engaged. Only a few months of pointless existence, and we get our next chance. I'm willing to bet it'll be a better one than this.

They are certainly the best in the East, Winnipeg if they stay healthy and LV are two really skilled teams that will give Boston a run for their money.

Good post though.

 

[taurine330]

I've been staying away from here since the last 10 minutes of game 7. Happy some can stay reasonable.

 

[Gary Nylund]

They are certainly the best in the East, Winnipeg if they stay healthy and LV are two really skilled teams that will give Boston a run for their money.

Good post though.

I wouldn't say Boston is the best in the East. They might be but TB and PIT are very good too, I could see any one of those teams winning the East. And if had to predict now, I'd say the winner of WPG/NSH wins the cup so ... yeah I think it's waaaaaaay too early to say Boston is the best in the East, never mind the entire league.

Vegas also, nobody was (is) quite sure what to make of them, many thought they would be out after the first round and even more were saying they can't possibly get past SJ as well but 7-0 last night, that's impressive so who's to say they're not better than Boston?

Just my 2c. This 2nd round of the playoffs is intriguing to say the least. Looking forward to the WPG/NSH game!

 

[Bluelines]

I've been staying away from here since the last 10 minutes of game 7. Happy some can stay reasonable.

I was of the same mindset after the loss then I thought it only made sense to post something that would drown out the idiots.

I've observed over the couple of years on this board that most Leaf fans, myself included, think they are knowledgeable hockey fans but I've come to the realization the only thing Leaf Nation does consistently really well is set unrealistic expectations and b!itch and moan like little children. Lots of stupid going on in this forum right now.

 

[Pookie]

I thank them for trying. They want what we want and have to make tough decisions on a daily basis.

Some we agree with and some we don’t. But they are taking action.

 

[Pookie]

Agreed. This board is gonna be unbearable until the draft.

Trade him, can't win with him. I really don't want to read that garbage. And its always the same "fans" saying it.

Mixed in though are some serious decisions that have to be made.

This team will lose UFAs. And despite popular opinion, they did make contributions that will need to be replaced.

The UFA market is there but the help we seek isn’t likely to come from there.

So trades have to be a consideration. Trading our “garbage” for diamonds won’t work. So some significant assets (players, picks) need to be discussed.

The challenge will be to do it without the hot takes or defensiveness when specific names come up.

 

[Spirit of 67]

I wish more people were like you.

Thanks.

 

[Gary Nylund]

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

I know everyone is gonna be negative with their horrible hot takes.

But, something to remember, this is the best regular season in Leafs history. Accomplished by a core that is U24.

Have some patience.

Only because the shootout exists. If games that ended in OT stated tied like it did for our previous seasons before the 04/05 lockout, these Leafs would’ve only earned 98 points, which would’ve made them tied for fourth overall in team history.

Sure technically it’s our best regular season, but this team had more opportunities to earn points than our previous teams.

———

This season was fun, before we got knocked out in the first round, and glaring weaknesses were exposed and exploited. Morgan Rielly took large steps to becoming a #1D, Marner set a new career high, Kadri got 30+ again, and generally the team did improve.

The ride came to an end too soon, due to a garbage playoff format. But, we’d have faced the Penguins under the old system in any case, so maybe the end result would’ve been the same.

 

[Bluelines]

This made me LOL.

 

[Bluelines]

I wish more people were like you.

Thanks.

Not sure the world is ready for two of me...

 

[Spirit of 67]

Not sure the world is ready for two of me...

Maybe, maybe not. I'll take my chances.

 

[Bluelines]

Only because the shootout exists. If games that ended in OT stated tied like it did for our previous seasons before the 04/05 lockout, these Leafs would’ve only earned 98 points, which would’ve made them tied for fourth overall in team history.

Sure technically it’s our best regular season, but this team had more opportunities to earn points than our previous teams.

———

This season was fun, before we got knocked out in the first round, and glaring weaknesses were exposed and exploited. Morgan Rielly took large steps to becoming a #1D, Marner set a new career high, Kadri got 30+ again, and generally the team did improve.

The ride came to an end too soon, due to a garbage playoff format. But, we’d have faced the Penguins under the old system in any case, so maybe the end result would’ve been the same.

Fourth is still good and even with the stupid new OT soccer rules, it's the best team since the OT rules changed, which would indicate that the team is kinda good.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Only because the shootout exists. If games that ended in OT stated tied like it did for our previous seasons before the 04/05 lockout, these Leafs would’ve only earned 98 points, which would’ve made them tied for fourth overall in team history.

Sure technically it’s our best regular season, but this team had more opportunities to earn points than our previous teams.

———

This season was fun, before we got knocked out in the first round, and glaring weaknesses were exposed and exploited. Morgan Rielly took large steps to becoming a #1D, Marner set a new career high, Kadri got 30+ again, and generally the team did improve.

The ride came to an end too soon, due to a garbage playoff format. But, we’d have faced the Penguins under the old system in any case, so maybe the end result would’ve been the same.

Yup. So many records should have asterisks next to them.

 

[Bluelines]

Mixed in though are some serious decisions that have to be made.

This team will lose UFAs. And despite popular opinion, they did make contributions that will need to be replaced.

The UFA market is there but the help we seek isn’t likely to come from there.

So trades have to be a consideration. Trading our “garbage” for diamonds won’t work. So some significant assets (players, picks) need to be discussed.

The challenge will be to do it without the hot takes or defensiveness when specific names come up.

I think that is fair to say, we are entering year 3 of the Matthews era and I would suspect management will expect more from this young team. I doubt that the trades we make will bring in significant pieces. It will be more of a tinkering thing. I suspect our answers are in the AHL or soon to be in the AHL.

Clearly this team needs more Hyman's and less Bozak's, more grinding worker bee's that are willing to jump in the trench with out any consideration and less perimeter players.

I would be shocked to see a core player like Kadri, Rielly, Marner, Andersen traded. I would not be shocked to see a third tier player like Brown, Zaitsev traded.

 

[Bluelines]

Maybe, maybe not. I'll take my chances.

Thanks, very kind of you to say.