Who would win a 7 game playoff series, Toronto or Boston?

[authentic]

Very honest of you to admit it.

And you really believe that a sizeable portion of the players are 100% healthy when the playoffs start ?

Healthier than Matthews was, yes. Look at how the intensity goes up, players don't burn themselves out in the regular season, a majority of them are pretty healthy. I don't see what type of player would make a point of it to mention they wouldn't be 100% for a series if it was just something nearly everyone was dealing with, but you can believe what you want if it makes you feel better.

 

[authentic]

Boston and Toronto are going to meet in the first round again this year, and again its going to go to 7 games. The difference will be if Toronto can stop Pasta/The Rat/Bergeron from running wild over them like they did last playoffs. For Toronto to win 2 things need to happen:

1) Matthews/Nylander and whoever is on that line can't disappear like they did against them.
2) Either our 3rd line or whoever needs to find a way to slow down their top line.. Although this time I think we are better suited since we added Tarvares.

Toronto has the edge now in a 7 game series. We are a much improved team and they have basically stayed the same. We took them to 7 games last season I don't see how it's remotely far fetched to think we win this year. Not only have we added Tavares, but Matthews and especially Marner and Rielly have improved their overall games a lot. Even Andersen is better than ever.

 

[libertarian]

I picked Boston. Until this version of the Leafs proves they can win a series in the PO's I am not a believer. That said if they are going to do it this may be the year. They still have to prove it first.

I think the Leafs have a great young team that can and maybe are SC contenders. They need to prove this in the PO's when it count. Until they do win a round or two I will remain unconvinced. They are a young team that needs to learn how to win in the PO's. The young Jets team last year did that. This season is the time for the Leafs to prove they can do the same.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Nothing to do with the current group of Management/Coaches/Players
Thought you would do better than this?

Humour is not allowed on these Boards ?

Tough crowd.

You will have to admit it is a funny sequence...

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Healthier than Matthews was, yes. Look at how the intensity goes up, players don't burn themselves out in the regular season, a majority of them are pretty healthy. I don't see what type of player would make a point of it to mention they wouldn't be 100% for a series if it was just something nearly everyone was dealing with, but you can believe what you want if it makes you feel better.

What a mish-mash.

It never crossed your mind that he might have a lower pain treshold ?

And this is not an affirmation that he has.

 

[Devil Dancer]

I like Toronto's scoring depth to make the difference here. TOR in 6.

 

[WJCJ]

I think it is pretty much a coin flip but I would take Boston since I expect them to make a couple of moves to improve before the deadline and the Bergeron/Marchand/Pastrnak line has already shown that they can come close to beating Toronto by themselves. Still a coin flip and neither team winning would be at all a surprise.

 

[authentic]

What a mish-mash.

It never crossed your mind that he might have a lower pain treshold ?

And this is not an affirmation that he has.

Lol, how would you know?

The guy had 4 goals in his first 6 playoff games against Washington.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Lol, how would you know?

And how would you know ?

 

[LeafFever]

Leafs have it this year. An invcredibky underrated Toronto issue is, how the hell will teams matchup against those 3 centres? They had an injured and bad Matthews and Kadri for half the series last year.
It's a whole different ball game this year.

FYI, Leafs are 3rd in GA in the entire NHL and have the Norris frontrunner. Who saw that coming?

 

[authentic]

And how would you know ?

Why would you assume he has a lower pain tolerance? Anyway, this is ridiculous that you even argue this.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

"

Why would you assume he has a lower pain tolerance? Anyway, this is ridiculous that you even argue this.

Be rational.

I never argued that he has a lower pain tolerance.

What I wrote is "It never crossed your mind that he might have a lower pain treshold ?"

You might have missed the "might"...

And writing about assuming, why would you dismiss that possibility ?

 

[Pyrophorus]

I think it is pretty much a coin flip but I would take Boston since I expect them to make a couple of moves to improve before the deadline and the Bergeron/Marchand/Pastrnak line has already shown that they can come close to beating Toronto by themselves. Still a coin flip and neither team winning would be at all a surprise.

Toronto might make moves to improve too.

 

[WJCJ]

Toronto might make moves to improve too.

Sure, they could, Boston has over twice the cap space and a bunch of NHL ready and almost NHL ready prospects on D so it looks like it will be easier for them to put together packages without losing anyone of significance off of their NHL roster. They are pretty much in the perfect position for making deals with teams who will be looking to rebuild or retool. That doesn't mean TO can't do something.

 

[Apotheosis]

Even at full strength, I think Toronto beats Boston this year. Rielly has taken a massive step forward on both sides of the puck, Matthews and Marner have improved offensively yet again, and now Boston has to focus on containing two first lines instead of one. Bergeron isn't going to magically double shift to combat Matthews-Nylander and then Marner-Tavares. The Tavares signing makes a huge difference.

 

[wintersej]

Leafs essentially upgraded Tyler Bozak to John Tavares. That's like trading in a Toyota Corolla for a BMW.

They went 7 games without Kadri for 3 games.

Boston simply doesn't have the depth to contain the improved Toronto offence, its just that simple. The Bergeron line was great at shutting down the Matthews line last season, but now they have to deal with a Tavares line too.

Toronto wins the next meeting.

McAvoy played more minutes against Matthews than Bergeron.

 

[koyvoo]

Looks like this matchup may happen yet again.

 

[JaegerDice]

If Toronto lets Boston dictate and gets sucked into playing their game instead of playing to their own strengths, they'll lose.

I think Toronto is the more talented team by a pretty fair margin, but Boston as a way of bringing the worst out in them.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

Looks like this matchup may happen yet again.

It was only a matter of time until Boston passed them in the standings

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

If Toronto lets Boston dictate and gets sucked into playing their game instead of playing to their own strengths, they'll lose.

I think Toronto is the more talented team by a pretty fair margin, but Boston as a way of bringing the worst out in them.

Pretty much. I think with Tavares and now Muzzin they have a calming influence. We are less prone to idiocy. But hey you never know Boston is Boston. They're kind of in our heads.

 

[Leafidelity]

Leafs took them to 7 games last year before adding Tavares and Muzzin this year.

 

[BlueBaron]

History is on their side, time is on ours.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Boston is in their heads and they could more healthy this time around.

 

[wintersej]

Leafs took them to 7 games last year before adding Tavares and Muzzin this year.

Added Tavares and Muzzin and will still finish in 3rd.

 

[34]

Boston wins easily. No competition.