Pre-Game Talk: Time to talk Playoffs

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saffronleaf

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May 17, 2011
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Toronto, ON
So tired of playing the same teams all the time. The last three or four games of the season will be like watching paint dry. Unbearable. Hell no to the North division next season.

No matter which division we played in it would have been the same this season in terms of only playing within the division.

I definitely want a return to games against non-divisional teams but the North division as a division has been interesting. I've enjoyed it and think it should be considered especially if a team ever gets back to Quebec and there are 8 teams in Canada. But obv keep the inter-divisional games regardless.
 

saffronleaf

Registered User
May 17, 2011
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Toronto, ON
Was thinking about that today. On the one hand it has been a little much seeing them play the same team 2 or 3 games in a row, but on the other, I can't really say I miss midweek games against teams like the Wild, or the Yotes.

Seems like there's more at stake each game this season.

82 games is just too long. Would prefer cutting it by ~20 games. Too many mid-season games that people just don't care for.

That could also ensure that...
- Individual regular season games mean more.
- We're not watching hockey in June when most people are not thinking of hockey.
- NHL players are available for the World Championship, making it a real best-on-best annual international tournament. Alternate hosting b/w NA & Europe.
 

MapleLeafs77

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Oct 20, 2017
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I hope we our the team to win the division but lose after. We have waited too long to not have a proper celebration with fans. This would be a kick to the nuts if we finally break the curse during a year where no fans in the stands or leafs playing in the US or no parade or no bars/buzz in the city
 

Teeder Keon

Defeat does not rest lightly on their shoulders
Mar 11, 2019
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Deep in the Purple jungles of BC
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Peiskos

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Jan 4, 2018
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This Leafs team quite frankly...is loaded, its stacked..however you want to describe it. People are saying other teams are scary, but when you compare man for man the Leafs have a player who is as good or better than what any team could throw at us. For that reason I think the expectation is pretty high for reaching the final four.

Just look at how many former captains are on this team, Tavares, Thornton, Spezza, Foligno.

You look at the wealth of additional playoff vets like Muzzin, Simmonds, Bogosian, Nash.

With Rielly, Muzzin, Brodie, Dermott, Holl and an emerging Sandin on D, this is the best defence we've had in a long while.

Low risk high reward reclamation project type players like Galchenyuk who believe it or not was the 3rd overall pick in 2012, who's shown he can be a wild card on offence, which is only good for us, same goes for players like Mikheyev, Engvall, Kerfoot and Hyman.

Oh and and I haven't even mentioned the stars of the show, Matthews, Marner, Nylander.

Jack Campbell, enough said.
 
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PromisedLand

I need more FOOD
Dec 3, 2016
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damn i dozed off after the 2nd period yesterday in the leafs/nucks game lol

Anyway, oilers won against the flames last night i guess leafs vs habs is pretty much a done deal now.

Time to focus on how to play against the habs in the playoffs and the remaining regular season games.

I'd rest some key guys against the habs to make sure habs dont try and injure them. I still remember Matthews getting crosschecked like crazy in the front of the net and refs didn't call anything. Matthews' back was hurting

Habs do not have skills or speeed to match the Leafs. They will play neutral zone trap, opportunistic offense and dirty.

hopefully someone in our management can bring this up before the playoff series. OR we play dirty in return too
 
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Hockey Crazy

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Dec 30, 2008
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Jets without a doubt.
Habs have a rivalry baked into their genetics and play the Leafs harder than they would any other team.
The beauty about being first is that we get the team that screws up down the stretch more.

If we go 3 for 3 vs the habs, we likely play them in the playoffs with loads of confidence. If the Jets still let 3rd slip away, then we face one of the coldest teams in the NHL
 

All Mod Cons

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Sep 7, 2018
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Would you rather play the Jets or Habs first round?
I honestly don't think it should matter. This team has to win some rounds now. They should be able to handle any team in this division fairly easily.
It doesn't bother me who they play, I fully expect them to win the series. I'd love for them to have to beat all of Montreal, Winnipeg and Edmonton in a series before going to the final 4.
 

Gary Nylund

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Oct 10, 2013
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I hope we our the team to win the division but lose after. We have waited too long to not have a proper celebration with fans. This would be a kick to the nuts if we finally break the curse during a year where no fans in the stands or leafs playing in the US or no parade or no bars/buzz in the city

Oh I don't know, I'm pretty sure I can look at winning the cup in some way other than comparing it to being kicked in the nuts.

Jets without a doubt.
Habs have a rivalry baked into their genetics and play the Leafs harder than they would any other team.

Oh no, fear the Habs because they might "play hard" against us? Seriously?

I've been waiting 40+ years for revenge on the Habs so please, bring it on. And no, I'm not the least bit afraid of them, come on now.
 

Rob Brown

Way She Goes
Dec 17, 2009
17,009
13,758
Habs for me. I've been longing for a Habs/Leafs playoff series. It is time.
Yeah this is really the only realistic year for this to happen. If we go back to the normal divisions, we'll be with Tampa, Florida and Boston, and Montreal will have a harder time getting in. That division is going to be stacked.
 
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PromisedLand

I need more FOOD
Dec 3, 2016
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I'd say it does matter though. Hellebuyck can totally shut us out and win a series on his own.

Our best chance of getting out of the first round is a series with Montreal.

one can argue the same that Price might go god mode and shut us out too. I don't think winning the 1st round should be seen as success. we gave away a 1st rounder and have stacked the team.... ideally obviously a cup but at minimum at least a conference finals

this team needs to find a way to win regardless who the opponent is
 

Sypher04

Registered User
Jan 20, 2011
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Colorado is no doubt a very good team, but sometimes I have to wonder how much of an advantage they have as the home team due to their elevation. Didn't translate when they were bad, so maybe not that much, but maybe now that they are good it's a compound effect.

Beyond that btw, has anyone else noticed that Colorado has 38 more powerplay opportunities (187) vs the leafs (139). Thats frankly a ridiculous discrepancy given how dominant both teams are
 
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Drytoast

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Sep 27, 2017
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Colorado is no doubt a very good team, but sometimes I have to wonder how much of an advantage they have as the home team due to their elevation. Didn't translate when they were bad, so maybe not that much, but maybe now that they are good it's a compound effect.

Beyond that btw, has anyone else noticed that Colorado has 38 more powerplay opportunities (187) vs the leafs (139). Thats frankly a ridiculous discrepancy given how dominant both teams are

Surprised Kadri hasn't had an effect on that stat.
 

Gary Nylund

Registered User
Oct 10, 2013
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one can argue the same that Price might go god mode and shut us out too. I don't think winning the 1st round should be seen as success. we gave away a 1st rounder and have stacked the team.... ideally obviously a cup but at minimum at least a conference finals

this team needs to find a way to win regardless who the opponent is

Winning two rounds is the bare minimum IMHO considering we're easily the best team in Canada.
 
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