Pre-Game Talk: Time to talk Playoffs

[Byron Bitz]

Loseipeg is falling apart and might be our first round match up. Who would be the easier match up Jets or Habs?

 

[1specter]

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.

At the same time, it was just a matter of time before the Jets house of cards collapsed. Dogshit defensive team that was masked by good goaltending and an opportunistic offense. Very similar to 2013-2014 era Leafs.

Habs actually play responsible defensive hockey.

 

[Not My Tempo]

Loseipeg is falling apart and might be our first round match up. Who would be the easier match up Jets or Habs?

If the refs are buzzing and decide they want to call give out 10 PPs a game, I’d rather face Montreal. Their PP is useless.

 

[Stephen]

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

The elevation thing is an interesting question! I'm kind of hoping for VGK to grind them out in 7 games and then come away gassed in the final fours to be honest.

Colorado indeed gets a lot of powerplay time and calls on a regular basis. You'll see guys like Mackinnon, Rantanen and Makar drawing a lot of penalties with their speed game causing someone to maul them or trip them up.

 

[Pi]

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

That's because there are more refs working in the US than there are in Canada IIRC. We are rotating a few refs, there are more refs in the pool for the US teams.

 

[Pi]

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

Leafs are 13-3-2 against them in the last 18 games. They can play as hard as they want but you can't squeeze blood from a rock. They don't have the talent to beat us.

Only way they win is if Price is putting up a .950+ SV% over 7 games.

 

[SeenSchenn2]

Loseipeg is falling apart and might be our first round match up. Who would be the easier match up Jets or Habs?

It's a good Q. Winnipeg is pretty poor when it comes to most underlying numbers... however Hellebuyck has the ability to goalie us like Korpisalo. I think I'd still rather the Jets than Habs.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Why would the past have anything to do with the future in this case?

Did you expect Vegas to go to the Cup Finals in their first year and likely win the Presidents Trophy this year?

I feel the past has everything to do with the future. you hopefully learn from mistakes you've made in the past. If you don't feel that way, that's fine. i hope you don't make many mistakes.

As far as Vegas goes. Cup finals? no. President Trophy the way they were written in the league and given the breaks they received, why not? They've also managed themselves very well and taken advantage. Good for them. Hope we kick their asses to win the Cup.

 

[zeke]

It's a good Q. Winnipeg is pretty poor when it comes to most underlying numbers... however Hellebuyck has the ability to goalie us like Korpisalo. I think I'd still rather the Jets than Habs.

The thing is- pretty much any goalie can goalie pretty much any team. Look no further than korpislikens last year.

Leafs are 13-3-2 against them in the last 18 games. They can play as hard as they want but you can't squeeze blood from a rock. They don't have the talent to beat us.

Only way they win is if Price is putting up a .950+ SV% over 7 games.

This stat piqued my interest.

Leafs' record the last 3yrs vs:

EDM: 9-2-2 (126pt pace)
WPG: 9-3-1 (120pt pace)
MTL: 8-3-3 (111pt pace)

 

[The Apologist]

It's a good Q. Winnipeg is pretty poor when it comes to most underlying numbers... however Hellebuyck has the ability to goalie us like Korpisalo. I think I'd still rather the Jets than Habs.

If we get the Jets I pray Montreal upsets the Oil in round one. Being this close to the classic Toronto Montreal series and missing out would be kind of a downer.

 

[Gary Nylund]

If we get the Jets I pray Montreal upsets the Oil in round one. Being this close to the classic Toronto Montreal series and missing out would be kind of a downer.

+1. I want MTL so bad I can taste it!

 

[WilyStyless03SHYla]

Loseipeg is falling apart and might be our first round match up. Who would be the easier match up Jets or Habs?

I prefer MTL but am scared of injuries , that’s what depth is for . Let’s gooooo

 

[WilyStyless03SHYla]

Don’t you know that I’m LOCO haha , have a good Sunday boys ! Let’s gooooooooo Leafs2021

 

[SoftDumpNtheCorner88]

So who sits out?

Everyone's been hunting that it's Galchenyuk, but I like him... Playing.

What do you guys think of.

Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Foligno - JT - Nylander
Galchenyuk - Nash - soup
Thornton/Simmonds -kerfoot- Spezza


I think if anyone should be sat it might be Soup.. he's good but just can't put it together... He's had terrible finish this season. But he's a good PKer..

This line up is going to be tough to figure out once everybody is healthy.. a good problem to have but you don't want to mess up the line up and sit someone or demote someone that could be fire come playoffs.

 

[Stephen]

+1. I want MTL so bad I can taste it!

Last time we played Montreal, they were in the midst of their 70s Dynasty years. Hopefully the shoe is on the other foot now...

 

[The Apologist]

The winner will be the team that scores at least one more goal than it’s opponent .

Not necessarily true. Unless you add the caveat 'in the final game'.

 

[The Apologist]

I really wish they had considered like a Mem cup type tournament for the final four. Would have been awesome.

 

[Mickey Marner]

I think we might keep Galchenyuk-Tavares-Nylander together to beat up on secondary matchups. It's nice to have many options for different looks. Brooks has been playing like he wants a permanent role as well with Spezza and Thornton. Injuries will hit, of course, but we should be able to weather them this time around. Our plug and play this year has been top notch.

 

[Confucius]

I think if anyone should be sat it might be Soup.. he's good but just can't put it together... He's had terrible finish this season. But he's a good PKer..

We need Soup, he can skate with Mcdavid.

 

[Crosscrease14]

So who sits out?
I think if anyone should be sat it might be Soup.. he's good but just can't put it together... He's had terrible finish this season. But he's a good PKer..

This line up is going to be tough to figure out once everybody is healthy.. a good problem to have but you don't want to mess up the line up and sit someone or demote someone that could be fire come playoffs.

There's no way I see Mikheyev out of the lineup especially for the playoffs. One of our better defensive forwards, fast as anyone in the league, great pk, hard worker. He hasn't had finish since his wrist injury but even without that element he's a coach's dream.

 

[TopChedder]

I prefer MTL but am scared of injuries , that’s what depth is for . Let’s gooooo

The good thing is we have way more of it than MTL.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Last time we played Montreal, they were in the midst of their 70s Dynasty years. Hopefully the shoe is on the other foot now...

The shoe is firmly on the other foot and I'm more than ready to stick that foot up their ... never mind.

We've obviously not as good as that MTL team that beat us in the 70's, that was perhaps the best team in NHL history. On the other hand, MTL today is nowhere near that excellent team that lost to MTL back then either.

There's no way I see Mikheyev out of the lineup especially for the playoffs. One of our better defensive forwards, fast as anyone in the league, great pk, hard worker. He hasn't had finish since his wrist injury but even without that element he's a coach's dream.

Mikheyev is fantastic. IIRC, he had scored in 6 straight games before getting injured last season. The fact that he can't buy a goal this season is so weird but it wouldn't shock me if he started scoring in the playoffs. I love me some Soupy, would love to see him break out!

 

[rojac]

I really wish they had considered like a Mem cup type tournament for the final four. Would have been awesome.

Absolutely not. And I don't think the players would agree to it. They did not want to drop rounds 1 and/or 2 to 5 games last year.

 

[NinjaKick]

this is the most confident I've felt about a Leafs team in my entire lifetime.... we're going all the way baby

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Loseipeg is falling apart and might be our first round match up. Who would be the easier match up Jets or Habs?

We're way better and deeper than both so I don't really care, but I'd much rather shoot against Price than Hellebuyck.