2017-18 Toronto Maple Leafs - Playoffs Edition

[CarltonTheBear]

Dubas:  Psst, Lou, pass this note to Shanny.
*Lou passes note to Shanny*
*Shanny unfolds note and reads it*
Note:  Am I the Leafs next GM, check yes or no. 
                yes                no

 

[rdowdall]

Dubas:  Psst, Lou, pass this note to Shanny.
*Lou passes note to Shanny*
*Shanny unfolds note and reads it*
Note:  Am I the Leafs next GM, check yes or no. 
                yes                no

But I'm all Dubas. 

 

[cabber24]

Oh I know, the Leafs are on the upswing and even the most pessimistic fan has to acknowledge that.  They're finally building a team with mostly home-grown talent.  We have more young guys coming (Johnsson and Kapanen weren't all season regulars yet), Grundstrom, Engvall, Aaltonen have all seemed to progress well and have a shot at making the Leafs next season.  The future is brighter than I've ever seen it in the last 40 years.

My favourite aspect of this playoffs 'run' so far is how very clear it must now be to the front office that Dubas is the way to go moving forward.

I did see Shanahan roll his eyes when they showed a reaction shot last game, and that screams Dubas.

BTW, for a camera operator how boring would it be to get assigned to shoot the GMs at a game?  "Just turn on the camera, Terry, and keep watching until Lamoriello rubs his forehead or something and then relay the clip to the truck.  Then do the same for Shanny."  Zzzzzzzz

The view on Lou was obstructed last game too and yet they kept going back to a shot of Lou behind a rafter.

 

[cabber24]

Did anyone else see the cringe worthy question asked to Matthews?

Could you imagine after 2 games your line would have zero versus the Bergeron line that has 20 points?

Straight to the bone, get angry Matthews, let's go.

 

[Zee]

Did anyone else see the cringe worthy question asked to Matthews?

Could you imagine after 2 games your line would have zero versus the Bergeron line that has 20 points?

Straight to the bone, get angry Matthews, let's go.

Yeah and Matthews said "shit happens" which caused a minor controversy on the interwebs.  People saying he's not captain-material worthy with that kind of response -- give me a break.  Hope he lights it up tonight cause he's annoyed by Simmons.

 

[rdowdall]

Did anyone else see the cringe worthy question asked to Matthews?

Could you imagine after 2 games your line would have zero versus the Bergeron line that has 20 points?

Straight to the bone, get angry Matthews, let's go.

Mat-Thews:  And the Members of the Maple Leafs

Auston:  I am Auston. Centre of the Leafs and defender of the secrets of Bauer Hockey. This is Nylander... my fearless winger. Fabulous secret powers were revealed to me the day I held aloft my Nexus N1 and said... By the power of Bauer!

Mat-Thews: I score the GOALS! Nylander became the Mighty Assist Master, and I became Mat-Thews the most powerful goal scorer in the NHL. Only a few others share this secret... Our friends: Mitch Marner, Marleau and Hyman. Together we defend the Neutral Zone from the evil forces of Boston.

 

[Zee]

"Steve Simmons, in your wildest imagination, could you ever have predicted that after more than 25 years in the business you'd be considered one of the worst sports writers in all of North America?"

 

[rdowdall]

"Steve Simmons, in your wildest imagination, could you ever have predicted that after more than 25 years in the business you'd be considered one of the worst sports writers in all of North America?"

Hey I'm all for the "Gretzky looks like he is skating with a piano on his back" effect if it means that Matthews comes out with a virtuoso performance.  Thanks again Bob Mackenzie. 

 

[Zee]

"Steve Simmons, in your wildest imagination, could you ever have predicted that after more than 25 years in the business you'd be considered one of the worst sports writers in all of North America?"

Hey I'm all for the "Gretzky looks like he is skating with a piano on his back" effect if it means that Matthews comes out with a virtuoso performance.  Thanks again Bob Mackenzie.

The big difference in your example is that Bob McKenzie was and is considered one of the premier hockey analysts around, Steve Simmons is viewed as a tabloid hack.  Being called out by one isn't the same as being called out by the other.

 

[rdowdall]

"Steve Simmons, in your wildest imagination, could you ever have predicted that after more than 25 years in the business you'd be considered one of the worst sports writers in all of North America?"

Hey I'm all for the "Gretzky looks like he is skating with a piano on his back" effect if it means that Matthews comes out with a virtuoso performance.  Thanks again Bob Mackenzie.

The big difference in your example is that Bob McKenzie was and is considered one of the premier hockey analysts around, Steve Simmons is viewed as a tabloid hack.  Being called out by one isn't the same as being called out by the other.

This is true.  But maybe the only person crazy enough to ask it was Simmons. 

 

[TML fan]

Ahh good ol' Toronto media looking for one guy to carry the team by himself.

 

[cabber24]

"Steve Simmons, in your wildest imagination, could you ever have predicted that after more than 25 years in the business you'd be considered one of the worst sports writers in all of North America?"

Hey I'm all for the "Gretzky looks like he is skating with a piano on his back" effect if it means that Matthews comes out with a virtuoso performance.  Thanks again Bob Mackenzie.

The big difference in your example is that Bob McKenzie was and is considered one of the premier hockey analysts around, Steve Simmons is viewed as a tabloid hack.  Being called out by one isn't the same as being called out by the other.

This is true.  But maybe the only person crazy enough to ask it was Simmons.

Is it a productive question? I don't think so. The question is impossible to answer. He's acknowledged he needs to better.

As a pro, you need to be able handle the heat but there's also a element of professionalism that should be met by the media.

 

[Zee]

"Steve Simmons, in your wildest imagination, could you ever have predicted that after more than 25 years in the business you'd be considered one of the worst sports writers in all of North America?"

Hey I'm all for the "Gretzky looks like he is skating with a piano on his back" effect if it means that Matthews comes out with a virtuoso performance.  Thanks again Bob Mackenzie.

The big difference in your example is that Bob McKenzie was and is considered one of the premier hockey analysts around, Steve Simmons is viewed as a tabloid hack.  Being called out by one isn't the same as being called out by the other.

This is true.  But maybe the only person crazy enough to ask it was Simmons.

Is it a productive question? I don't think so. The question is impossible to answer. He's acknowledged he needs to better.

As a pro, you need to be able handle the heat but there's also a element of professionalism that should be met by the media.

The funny thing is, Simmons called him out after Matthews was one of the better Leafs in game 2 with 6 shots on net and creating opportunities.  I say Matthews gets on the board tonight, when you see a player generating a ton of chances it's only a matter of time before he breaks out.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Ahh good ol' Toronto media looking for one guy to carry the team by himself.

Fans are like that to unfortunately. I liked Matthews response. "Shit happens, I guess."

 

[Guilt Trip]

"Steve Simmons, in your wildest imagination, could you ever have predicted that after more than 25 years in the business you'd be considered one of the worst sports writers in all of North America?"

Hey I'm all for the "Gretzky looks like he is skating with a piano on his back" effect if it means that Matthews comes out with a virtuoso performance.  Thanks again Bob Mackenzie.

The big difference in your example is that Bob McKenzie was and is considered one of the premier hockey analysts around, Steve Simmons is viewed as a tabloid hack.  Being called out by one isn't the same as being called out by the other.

This is true.  But maybe the only person crazy enough to ask it was Simmons.

Is it a productive question? I don't think so. The question is impossible to answer. He's acknowledged he needs to better.

As a pro, you need to be able handle the heat but there's also a element of professionalism that should be met by the media.

The funny thing is, Simmons called him out after Matthews was one of the better Leafs in game 2 with 6 shots on net and creating opportunities.  I say Matthews gets on the board tonight, when you see a player generating a ton of chances it's only a matter of time before he breaks out.

Simmons is an idiot. Always was and will be.

 

[rdowdall]

"Steve Simmons, in your wildest imagination, could you ever have predicted that after more than 25 years in the business you'd be considered one of the worst sports writers in all of North America?"

Hey I'm all for the "Gretzky looks like he is skating with a piano on his back" effect if it means that Matthews comes out with a virtuoso performance.  Thanks again Bob Mackenzie.

The big difference in your example is that Bob McKenzie was and is considered one of the premier hockey analysts around, Steve Simmons is viewed as a tabloid hack.  Being called out by one isn't the same as being called out by the other.

This is true.  But maybe the only person crazy enough to ask it was Simmons.

Is it a productive question? I don't think so. The question is impossible to answer. He's acknowledged he needs to better.

As a pro, you need to be able handle the heat but there's also a element of professionalism that should be met by the media.

No, but it's also not productive to say that a player is skating around with a piano on his back. 

I agree that Simmons shouldn't have asked a boneheaded question like that.  It's akin to someone asking someone from the losing team "Hey sport, your team just lost in overtime in game 7, how do you feel right now?"  Geez, I don't know random media person, how do you think he feels?

Same thing here.  "Could you have ever imagined....?"  Geez Steve, I didn't really go in to the series thinking to myself "Hey guys, what happens if Bergeron's line has 20 points before I get my first one?"

However, it's the effect after the fact that I am more interested in.  If this adds a little more fuel to the fire of Matthews, then great.  Although as you have stated, he already acknowledged that he needed to be better, so perhaps the furnace is fully stoked anyways.  And actually having typed that, maybe it just becomes another false narrative in sports that surrounds Matthews.  He comes out and has a great game, powers the Leafs to a win, and then it becomes about Steve Simmons firing him up, when really he was just plain embarrassed from the first two games and elevated based on that embarrassment.

 

[cabber24]

"Steve Simmons, in your wildest imagination, could you ever have predicted that after more than 25 years in the business you'd be considered one of the worst sports writers in all of North America?"

Hey I'm all for the "Gretzky looks like he is skating with a piano on his back" effect if it means that Matthews comes out with a virtuoso performance.  Thanks again Bob Mackenzie.

The big difference in your example is that Bob McKenzie was and is considered one of the premier hockey analysts around, Steve Simmons is viewed as a tabloid hack.  Being called out by one isn't the same as being called out by the other.

This is true.  But maybe the only person crazy enough to ask it was Simmons.

Is it a productive question? I don't think so. The question is impossible to answer. He's acknowledged he needs to better.

As a pro, you need to be able handle the heat but there's also a element of professionalism that should be met by the media.

No, but it's also not productive to say that a player is skating around with a piano on his back. 

It's a lot more articulate then Simmons' comment. It acknowledges the "weight" placed on him. Instead of "man you really suck, don't you?"

 

[Zee]

This YouTube guy is a bit strange -- he has an NHL jersey of every single team, but he's a Vancouver and Boston fan.  He has praises for the Leafs and thinks we'll win the Cup in the next few seasons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3KdH_dg8Ps

Interesting to see an outsider's perspective, I think he makes a few good points.  Expectations were raised because of last year's unexpected playoff team.  Matthews in only his 2nd season is comparable to other teams with young stars like the Pens and Hawks who didn't win until years 3 or 4 at the quickest.

 

[herman]

This YouTube guy is a bit strange -- he has an NHL jersey of every single team, but he's a Vancouver and Boston fan.  He has praises for the Leafs and thinks we'll win the Cup in the next few seasons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3KdH_dg8Ps

Interesting to see an outsider's perspective, I think he makes a few good points.  Expectations were raised because of last year's unexpected playoff team.  Matthews in only his 2nd season is comparable to other teams with young stars like the Pens and Hawks who didn't win until years 3 or 4 at the quickest.

Nice find.

 

[Guilt Trip]

This YouTube guy is a bit strange -- he has an NHL jersey of every single team, but he's a Vancouver and Boston fan.  He has praises for the Leafs and thinks we'll win the Cup in the next few seasons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3KdH_dg8Ps

Interesting to see an outsider's perspective, I think he makes a few good points.  Expectations were raised because of last year's unexpected playoff team.  Matthews in only his 2nd season is comparable to other teams with young stars like the Pens and Hawks who didn't win until years 3 or 4 at the quickest.

Strange or not he's looking at things logically and does make sense. You don't build a winner overnight. Now we have to build the backend up to match the forward core. I think we'll see it in the next couple of years, maybe even better next season.
I think people tend to forget how young we really are here. They said last game that Bergeron and Marchand have been playing together for 6 years. At the end of the day, it's all valued experience for the kids. Having said all that, we're not done yet.