[ADSF] Toronto Maple Leafs (A2) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (A3) | Lightning win series 4-3

[g_bassi13]

You can look at possession metrics and xGF all you want, but you can expect 7 goals a game, it doesn't matter if they're not going in when it matters. The Lighting parked the bus and gave them the perimeter, and the Leafs were too satisfied with that. If that's what a whole period of sustained pressure with the season on the line gets you, then I don't know what to say. No adjustments were made.

 

They maybe woulda coulda shouda won, but chalking it up to bad luck would be a mistake, in my opinion. Not when it's the 6th time its happened. Different reasons this time, sure. Maybe the players that didn't show up last time almost played up to snuff now. But I don't see how it matters if they're just finding new ways of losing.

 

As someone how gets into the schadenfreude of the Leafs bouncing out early year, I'd love if they just ran it back with this same core again next year expecting a different result. That instinct just isn't there. Shuffling the bottom 6 isn't going to solve anything. Money isn't there for an elite defender.

 

Like even if you feel this was a 50/50 coin flip (I really don't), there would be harder more weighted flips coming against them for the next 3 rounds. This crutch some fans are using, saying it was the defending champions, is weak. Would you have rather faced the hurricanes, or the bruins, or the penguins, or the panthers? You shouldn't need to cherry pick your opponents, especially not for a first round matchup.

 

Just try the same thing again next year. I like the memes.

 

[rekker]

6 minutes ago, Pears said:

Nylander is always easy to pick on but anyone who watched this series would know he was easily one of if not their best forward. 

When the Leafs have possession. There in lies the problem. He's absolutely useless and retrieving, or contributing to retrieving the puck. 

[sassbs]

2 hours ago, gizmo2337 said:

They lost by 1 goal, and Leaf Nation goes nuts. Great for my hockey pool though, it was a slam dunk.

[Alflives]

7 minutes ago, rekker said:

When the Leafs have possession. There in lies the problem. He's absolutely useless and retrieving, or contributing to retrieving the puck. 

This is the biggest issue with the big four (except Marner). They contribute less than nothing defensively.  They are not making the needed sacrifices to win games.  

[The King of Kings]

I believe the fan at 0:42 says it the best...

 

 

 

[PistolPete13]

10 hours ago, Alflives said:

Tampa playedlikecrap for the first 5 and 1/2 games of this series.  Vasi was not good at all until the last game.  The LOSER LEAFS lost this series against a Tampa team that played crazy.  They need to trade Matthews to Arizona for Chychrun.  after they fire Shamaplan and Dumbass. 

I’m with you Alf. Tampa is exhausted after two long summers of hockey. Not to mention the key injury to Point.

I could see the Panthers brushing them aside in 5 maybe 6 games.

 

There’s a lot of talk about how the Leafs had the tough assignment because they were playing the Champs.

So who would have been an easier matchup? The Panthers?

 

Leafs still need to figure out the proper mix for a post season run.  You don’t often win Lord Stanley’s mug by out scoring your mistakes. All it takes is a hot goalie or a few unlucky bounces, and it’s off to the golf course.

 

Edited May 15, 2022 by PistolPete13

[PistolPete13]

1 hour ago, g_bassi13 said:

You can look at possession metrics and xGF all you want, but you can expect 7 goals a game, it doesn't matter if they're not going in when it matters. The Lighting parked the bus and gave them the perimeter, and the Leafs were too satisfied with that. If that's what a whole period of sustained pressure with the season on the line gets you, then I don't know what to say. No adjustments were made.

 

They maybe woulda coulda shouda won, but chalking it up to bad luck would be a mistake, in my opinion. Not when it's the 6th time its happened. Different reasons this time, sure. Maybe the players that didn't show up last time almost played up to snuff now. But I don't see how it matters if they're just finding new ways of losing.

 

As someone how gets into the schadenfreude of the Leafs bouncing out early year, I'd love if they just ran it back with this same core again next year expecting a different result. That instinct just isn't there. Shuffling the bottom 6 isn't going to solve anything. Money isn't there for an elite defender.

 

Like even if you feel this was a 50/50 coin flip (I really don't), there would be harder more weighted flips coming against them for the next 3 rounds. This crutch some fans are using, saying it was the defending champions, is weak. Would you have rather faced the hurricanes, or the bruins, or the penguins, or the panthers? You shouldn't need to cherry pick your opponents, especially not for a first round matchup.

 

Just try the same thing again next year. I like the memes.

 

This. ^
I visit this thread each year, because it’s the hockey equivalent of the Super Bowl commercials.

 

Lots of great memes and commentary. The Leaf apologists is just the icing on the cake. 
 

[Canuck You]

[alt kilgore]

LOL   Only on CDC

I wasn't here to share in the Schadenfreude yesterday, so I thought I'd go back a few pages and read the posts just around the final buzzer.   I went back a few....then a few more.....then a lot more.    Pretty well 20 pages of comments POST-game celebrating the Leafs loss.  Wow, that's more than some teams boards have for their entire games.   Hahaha.

 

Blow Leaves Blow.

 

 

[higgyfan]

2 hours ago, Pears said:

Nylander is always easy to pick on but anyone who watched this series would know he was easily one of if not their best forward. 

And the funny thing is that Ny's will be the player that will have to go.  Tavares has a NMC, while the M and M's will be kept

on the team at any cost.  They will have to get pics or ELCs in return for Nylander as they will need the $ to re-sign

any UFA or RFA contracts on the roster. 

 

I think it will be very difficult for the Leafs to improve on the team that just lost in another 1st round playoff.

[higgyfan]

3 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

And you guys didn't think the Leafs broke any records this year,

[Pears]

7 minutes ago, higgyfan said:

And the funny thing is that Ny's will be the player that will have to go.  Tavares has a NMC, while the M and M's will be kept

on the team at any cost.  They will have to get pics or ELCs in return for Nylander as they will need the $ to re-sign

any UFA or RFA contracts on the roster. 

 

I think it will be very difficult for the Leafs to improve on the team that just lost in another 1st round playoff.

I will gladly welcome him in Vancouver if they do indeed want to get rid of him. 

[Hairy Kneel]

15 minutes ago, higgyfan said:

And the funny thing is that Ny's will be the player that will have to go.  Tavares has a NMC, while the M and M's will be kept

on the team at any cost.  They will have to get pics or ELCs in return for Nylander as they will need the $ to re-sign

any UFA or RFA contracts on the roster. 

 

I think it will be very difficult for the Leafs to improve on the team that just lost in another 1st round playoff.

Tavares was a bad move. Over hyped. 

[Hairy Kneel]

9 minutes ago, Pears said:

I will gladly welcome him in Vancouver if they do indeed want to get rid of him. 

Too perimeter

[JM_]

4 hours ago, King Heffy said:

Allowing an analytics dweeb to run the Leafs is what got them into this mess.  They won't fix this until they hire a GM who is actually qualified to work in hockey ops.

I think Dubie must have only been looking at the goal scoring side of things. 

[JM_]

1 minute ago, Hairy Kneel said:

Too perimeter

he might thrive under Boudreau tho. 

 

Maybe if its part of a series of moves, e.g., if they want Myers for him I think you have to do that, then trade Brock for more defensive upgrades?

[Alflives]

19 minutes ago, Pears said:

I will gladly welcome him in Vancouver if they do indeed want to get rid of him. 

Marner?  Sure, with 3 mil retention.  

[hammertime]

Honestly I took no joy in their loss. F*** TO but F*** Tampa more. 

[BarnBurner]

14 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Marner?  Sure, with 3 mil retention.  

This is not something I would recommend. Way over paid. Doesn't show up when it matters. Hard pass.

[King Heffy]

26 minutes ago, JM_ said:

he might thrive under Boudreau tho. 

 

Maybe if its part of a series of moves, e.g., if they want Myers for him I think you have to do that, then trade Brock for more defensive upgrades?

He's had multiple coaches and has refused to give an acceptable effort under all of them.