Pre-Game Talk: Time to talk Playoffs

[SeenSchenn2]

“ I would be shocked if we don’t make a legit push for the cup “
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Yeah... let's start with winning a round, right?

I'd rather WPG due to their inability to play defense. I know Hellebuyck has the ability to steal games (but so does Price and even Campbell in a small sample), but I'd take the team we're going to pour shots on.

With MTL, they're going to execute a style that's 50/50, and that's a game they're comfortable playing if they want to win. I'd love to be wrong, but all our games against them are close scores.

 

[Teeder Keon]

I'm hoping for his sakes he's going to Vegas. He's going to shine much better there.

 

[LeafGrief]

Well, for all of the talk about how he looked cooked in the middle of the season, Jumbo has a seven game point streak going. I dare say he's earned his job and will be in the playoff roster.

 

[Hockey Crazy]

Assuming that vancouver is able to hold this lead, combined with the leafs win, that pretty much solidifies the playoff matches.

Leafs vs Habs baby

 

[socko]

The Penguins look pretty scary. They're playing great hockey now. Glad they're not in our division.

 

[Le Cobra]

Why I Want Winnipeg In The First Round:

-Hellebuyck playoff stats in the last two years:
GAA over 2.50
Sv% in the low .910 range

Why I DONT Want Montreal In The First Round:

-Price playoff stats in the last two postseasons
GAA under 2.00
Sv% in the .930s

Price WILL steal games. He has a history of stealing games.

Caufield seems to have the Leafs' number, IDK if the rest of their regular lineup will return for the playoffs, but if they do, MTL has a better offensive lineup than WPG. The Habs we have seen in the regular season are not the real Habs. WPG will be roughly the same with slightly improved goaltending. MTL will go from Primeau and Allen who are both mediocre goalies to GOD MODE CAREY PRICE. Campbell will have to be sharp and outplay Price. I believe he can.

Preferably we play the winner of EDM/MTL (if it ends up this way). Between the two, again, EDM will be a better postseason matchup. EDM is a lot like the Leafs were last season, all offense and crap D. above avg goaltending.

Price will be the difference this playoffs if he gets HOT.

The biggest weapons we have this time around are the new additions and some regulars, namely:
-Foligno
-Nash
-Galchenyuk
- Simmonds
-Bogosian
-FRAKKING Joe Thornton
- Jack "Name A Trophy After This Man" Campbell
-Zack Hyman
- Our Offense which can match up with the league's best (TB, CAR, PIT, EDM)

DEFENSE, GOALTENDING, & TOUGHNESS/GRIT/RESILIENCY will be the game changers for us this year. We could see a similar thing happen this year to the Leafs- where in 20?? TB after they were swept by Colombus, but then retooled and became a more playoff ready team.

I am hoping and praying for MTL to win and for WPG to tank these last few games.

 

[lovemyleafs]

I really hope Sandin is a regular in the playoffs.

 

[Le Cobra]

The Penguins look pretty scary. They're playing great hockey now. Glad they're not in our division.

i dont think there has ever been a postseason when they werent scary (Pre-Crosby they had Mario). I mean their goaltending isnt elite, but they are always a threat...they can make a mediocre goalie look sensational for some reason.

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

I am so eager for the post season. This year just feels like our team is all in for once.

 

[BertCorbeau]

The Penguins look pretty scary. They're playing great hockey now. Glad they're not in our division.

Jeff Carter's been an awesome pickup for them.

 

[The Assclown]

f*** yes! This potential Leafs-Habs matchup is something I've been wanting since I began watching hockey. No better year to break the first round curse boys!!!

 

[The Assclown]

Leafs need one point in their final three games to solidify first overall in the North.

You just love to see it.

 

[Gary Nylund]

f*** yes! This potential Leafs-Habs matchup is something I've been wanting since I began watching hockey. No better year to break the first round curse boys!!!

+1000

Been waiting for revenge for 42 years now. Looking good after last night, beat those f***ers just one more time tomorrow and I believe that would clinch 1st place and make the MTL matchup almost a lock. So happy we won!!

 

[VanW27]

I really hope Sandin is a regular in the playoffs.

I thought he's been pretty bad the last couple games.

Lots of bad pinches and turnovers giving up chances against, I wouldn't be surprised to see him come out for Hutton - vet who can PK, or Liljegren - better defensively at the AHL level and lets Dermott move back to the left side.

And if Bogosian is back there's no way he stays in.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Why I Want Winnipeg In The First Round:

-Hellebuyck playoff stats in the last two years:
GAA over 2.50
Sv% in the low .910 range

Why I DONT Want Montreal In The First Round:

-Price playoff stats in the last two postseasons
GAA under 2.00
Sv% in the .930s

Price WILL steal games. He has a history of stealing games.

Caufield seems to have the Leafs' number, IDK if the rest of their regular lineup will return for the playoffs, but if they do, MTL has a better offensive lineup than WPG. The Habs we have seen in the regular season are not the real Habs. WPG will be roughly the same with slightly improved goaltending. MTL will go from Primeau and Allen who are both mediocre goalies to GOD MODE CAREY PRICE. Campbell will have to be sharp and outplay Price. I believe he can.

Preferably we play the winner of EDM/MTL (if it ends up this way). Between the two, again, EDM will be a better postseason matchup. EDM is a lot like the Leafs were last season, all offense and crap D. above avg goaltending.

Price will be the difference this playoffs if he gets HOT.

The biggest weapons we have this time around are the new additions and some regulars, namely:
-Foligno
-Nash
-Galchenyuk
- Simmonds
-Bogosian
-FRAKKING Joe Thornton
- Jack "Name A Trophy After This Man" Campbell
-Zack Hyman
- Our Offense which can match up with the league's best (TB, CAR, PIT, EDM)

DEFENSE, GOALTENDING, & TOUGHNESS/GRIT/RESILIENCY will be the game changers for us this year. We could see a similar thing happen this year to the Leafs- where in 20?? TB after they were swept by Colombus, but then retooled and became a more playoff ready team.

I am hoping and praying for MTL to win and for WPG to tank these last few games.

I'm not worried about MTL at all, our team is much better than theirs. We should be able to handle either MTL or WPG, doesn't really matter. But then there is this little matter of revenge on MTL, MTL/TOR is one of the oldest rivalries in NA pro sports and it's time we played them, simple as that.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Yeah we need to fix this atrocious PP some miraculous way otherwise we won’t get far if we make it out of the North.

It’s crazy we’ve dominated these loser teams so much with it all being at even strength. Both encouraging and concerning at the same time.

 

[glue]

I still don't trust this team fully and expect them to make it difficult on themselves. That said, they really should make it to the Semi's this year. Just way too many reasons why they are absolutely better then everyone else in the North division. Once they get to the Semi's though, I'm not sure what to expect. Watching teams like Carolina, TB, Vegas, Colarado..just feels like those teams are a notch above..

 

[Sweet Leaf]

I like the lineup that they have in that article and I think that's what they go with.

I don't like the construction of the bottom 2 lines in that article. To me one of those lines should be a fierce grinding checking D line. And one of those lines should be an X factor line that can chip in on offense. So IMO having Nash with Thornton and Spezza and Kerfoot with Simmonds and mikheyev is ass backwards.

Checking/grinding line:

Mikheyev Nash Simmonds (next man up is Engvall)

Other line:

Spezza Kerfoot Thornton (next men up are Galchenyuk, Brooks, Robertson)

 

[Sweet Leaf]

I really hope Sandin is a regular in the playoffs.

He will be.

 

[VanW27]

I don't like the construction of the bottom 2 lines in that article. To me one of those lines should be a fierce grinding checking D line. And one of those lines should be an X factor line that can chip in on offense. So IMO having Nash with Thornton and Spezza and Kerfoot with Simmonds and mikheyev is ass backwards.

Checking/grinding line:

Mikheyev Nash Simmonds (next man up is Engvall)

Other line:

Spezza Kerfoot Thornton (next men up are Galchenyuk, Brooks, Robertson)

It's hard to find a good mix in our bottom 6. Our vets here for leadership/Grit/Playoff experience are all bad defensively.

Spezza is probably the best, and is ok if used on the wing. Faceoff ability helps him out in that regard as well
Thornton is just so slow
Simmonds, even at his best was a poor 5 on 5 player, PP specialist with toughness

If healthy Nash is the one who brings that element that could really help us out. Assuming Foligno and Hyman are both in the top 6 our best defensive players available are:
Kerfoot - Nash - Mikheyev (Engvall next if Nash isn't ready) if we want a defensive matchup line in the bottom 6 this is probably our best group for it.

 

[Auston 316]

Why I Want Winnipeg In The First Round:

-Hellebuyck playoff stats in the last two years:
GAA over 2.50
Sv% in the low .910 range

Why I DONT Want Montreal In The First Round:

-Price playoff stats in the last two postseasons
GAA under 2.00
Sv% in the .930s

Price WILL steal games. He has a history of stealing games.

Caufield seems to have the Leafs' number, IDK if the rest of their regular lineup will return for the playoffs, but if they do, MTL has a better offensive lineup than WPG. The Habs we have seen in the regular season are not the real Habs. WPG will be roughly the same with slightly improved goaltending. MTL will go from Primeau and Allen who are both mediocre goalies to GOD MODE CAREY PRICE. Campbell will have to be sharp and outplay Price. I believe he can.

Preferably we play the winner of EDM/MTL (if it ends up this way). Between the two, again, EDM will be a better postseason matchup. EDM is a lot like the Leafs were last season, all offense and crap D. above avg goaltending.

Price will be the difference this playoffs if he gets HOT.

The biggest weapons we have this time around are the new additions and some regulars, namely:
-Foligno
-Nash
-Galchenyuk
- Simmonds
-Bogosian
-FRAKKING Joe Thornton
- Jack "Name A Trophy After This Man" Campbell
-Zack Hyman
- Our Offense which can match up with the league's best (TB, CAR, PIT, EDM)

DEFENSE, GOALTENDING, & TOUGHNESS/GRIT/RESILIENCY will be the game changers for us this year. We could see a similar thing happen this year to the Leafs- where in 20?? TB after they were swept by Colombus, but then retooled and became a more playoff ready team.

I am hoping and praying for MTL to win and for WPG to tank these last few games.

you’re really over thinking it.

 

[TorMapleJays]

I think the wear on the body will be significantly higher with an opponent like Calgary and Winnipeg. Just the hacks to wrists and knees alone will go along ways to avoid them.

Round 1 Montreal
Round 2 Edmonton
Round 3 Carolina Bay
Round 4 _________

I think the Metro will be a blood bath of a division and who ever comes out of that will be facing a good team who has ideally not been physically abused over the previous month.

The Leafs may also get a week off for quarantine after the second round.

 

[DarkKnight]

I can’t believe we now have to play these guys again in the playoffs. Never thought I’d be so meh about meeting the Habs in the playoffs, something I’ve waited forever to see.

 

[crump]

I can’t believe we now have to play these guys again in the playoffs. Never thought I’d be so meh about meeting the Habs in the playoffs, something I’ve waited forever to see.

Yes but after the first 10 minutes of game 1 it will all come back. Instead of Anderson, picture Steve Schutt, instead of Petry picture Larry Robinson...oh...I see what you mean.

Just need decent goaltending, the PP to come back a little and we will be good. We have the defensive system, 5/5 offence. PK is decent now, physicality, skill coaching..its going to be great.

 

[DarkKnight]

Yes but after the first 10 minutes of game 1 it will all come back. Instead of Anderson, picture Steve Schutt, instead of Petry picture Larry Robinson...oh...I see what you mean.

Just need decent goaltending, the PP to come back a little and we will be good. We have the defensive system, 5/5 offence. PK is decent now, physicality, skill coaching..its going to be great.

Sure I don’t mean to over state, can’t wait for the playoffs but it’s lacking something with these odd end to the season.