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Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins - Round 1

louisstamos said:
OldTimeHockey said:
cabber24 said:
disco said:
Helluva series, been a conference final caliber match-up. Whoever loses tonight certainly doesn't suck.

Also,
Matthews/Marner: 21 years old
Bergeron/Marchand: 33 and 30 years old.

Leafs will improve simply by existing, not so for these Bruins. The future is indeed bright.
Winning this series would be a visible turning point in this franchise.

Go Leafs Go.
I hear yeah but this roster won't be affordable in the future. The cap won't move fast enough. The friggin Canadian dollar is tanking too.

The roster won't be affordable. The core, for whatever they determine that is, will be though. It's a salary cap world. Their pains are no more than any other team's have been or eventually will be. Not teams that want to be competitive.

The Bruins, as an example, have had to move on from major pieces(Thornton, Seguin) whetehr for money or other reasons in the past and continue to be competitive...for now.
It's all how you manage it.

The Hawks are also an excellent example of this - they were under a huge cap crunch after winning their first cup and traded away Ladd, Byfuglien, Versteeg, Eager etc. in 2010.  Won again in 2013 and promptly traded away Frolik and Bolland, and then won again in 2015.  It's all about identifying the core, and keeping good-to-great pieces coming in on the cheap to replace the ones going out.
Leafs will be fine. Their core will remain together and that's all that matters. Don't get too attached to players not named Matthews, Marner, JT, Freddie, Rielly.
 
My post mortem on the season.

1. This series result should make a few things really clear. On D, Gardiner won't be back. Rosen will replace him, and may wind up being an upgrade. If Hainsey comes back on cheap contract, should be third-pairing to help Dermott the way he's helped really. Leafs need a couple of top grade right-side d-men, one for Rielly and one to replace Zaitsev. Between him and Gardiner, never knew who would cough up the puck more. Gardiner just has more of a flare for the spectacular in that regard, but Zaitsev does his fair share of throwing it away or losing it. Good news is they have Sandin, Liljegren coming along, and some potentially decent other young options in Mac Hollowell and Joseph Duszak, along with Rosen, so things should get straightened out on the back end eventually.
2. Up front, Marleau is barely a shell of the player that arrived two years ago. That final year of that contract looks ugly unless something can be done. Goat should be gone and Leafs look for the 4th line center that can play physical, win faceoffs and play defence. If Bracco shows well in camp, he could make the team next spring, adding yet another offensive right winger. Some will have to be moved, and I hope it's Nylander for a right side d-man. Wish Dubas had already pulled that trigger but perhaps the offers weren't good enough.
3. In goal, Leafs need a strong d in front of Freddie, one that doesn't cough up the puck so much and clear front of net better. Plus a genuine back up. I think he'll eventually push through.

Stronger d, a bit more grit, another year of experience and they'll be fine. Matthews, Marner and Rielly keep getting better. I think Johnsson, Kapanan, Dermott and Moore (who I really like) will all get better too.  Tavares, Hyman and Muzzin will continue to be solid. I think Hyman was playing these playoff hurt.  I still like Brown, and would take Ennis on a cheap contract, same with Hainsey, but the rest I could do without including Nylander, (not referring to goalies here).
 
The knives are out...

[tweet]1120862563141586945[/tweet]


https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-fans-upset-babcock-latest-game-7-loss-bruins/
 
Here's a twitter post from Mike Commodore. Needless to say he isn't a fan.

From Mike Commodore.
Well Folks...what a shocker...that piece of shit Babs is blaming anyone but himself...The GM, the goalie, depth. Truth is That Leafs team is good. Real good. Loaded with talent. Generational coach? Leader? Bullshit.
He?s a fraud.
 
Simmons take:  yes, this is the way it?s seen...a mix of positives & negatives and plenty of what ifs:

https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/simmons-leafs-eliminate-themselves-in-game-7
 
Guilt Trip said:
Here's a twitter post from Mike Commodore. Needless to say he isn't a fan.

There's lot of valid criticisms of Babcock but I wouldn't be looking to Mike Commodore for reasonable ones. There's a one-side blood feud going on there that can only be described as deranged.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Guilt Trip said:
Here's a twitter post from Mike Commodore. Needless to say he isn't a fan.

There's lot of valid criticisms of Babcock but I wouldn't be looking to Mike Commodore for reasonable ones. There's a one-side blood feud going on there that can only be described as deranged.
Me neither. I found it funny. Guy has a hate on for Babs.
 
Guilt Trip said:
CarltonTheBear said:
Guilt Trip said:
Here's a twitter post from Mike Commodore. Needless to say he isn't a fan.

There's lot of valid criticisms of Babcock but I wouldn't be looking to Mike Commodore for reasonable ones. There's a one-side blood feud going on there that can only be described as deranged.
Me neither. I found it funny. Guy has a hate on for Babs.

Him having a hate on for Babcock doesn't mean he's wrong about Babcock.  The two aren't mutually exclusive.
 
hockeyfan1 said:
The knives are out...

[tweet]1120862563141586945[/tweet]


https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-fans-upset-babcock-latest-game-7-loss-bruins/

That timeline is disingenuous though - those Red Wings teams he left behind were trash and you wouldn't count the tank year, and really Year 1 with Matthews nobody expected to even be in the playoffs.
 
Zee said:
Guilt Trip said:
CarltonTheBear said:
Guilt Trip said:
Here's a twitter post from Mike Commodore. Needless to say he isn't a fan.

There's lot of valid criticisms of Babcock but I wouldn't be looking to Mike Commodore for reasonable ones. There's a one-side blood feud going on there that can only be described as deranged.
Me neither. I found it funny. Guy has a hate on for Babs.

Him having a hate on for Babcock doesn't mean he's wrong about Babcock.  The two aren't mutually exclusive.

So you'd go as far as saying in terms of coaching that Babcock is, and I quote, "a fraud"?
 
Bender said:
That timeline is disingenuous though - those Red Wings teams he left behind were trash and you wouldn't count the tank year, and really Year 1 with Matthews nobody expected to even be in the playoffs.

We only made it in that year because Tampa was too injured to make the cut. And McElhinney's magical toe save on Crosby I guess.
 
Bender said:
hockeyfan1 said:
The knives are out...

....


https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-fans-upset-babcock-latest-game-7-loss-bruins/

That timeline is disingenuous though - those Red Wings teams he left behind were trash and you wouldn't count the tank year, and really Year 1 with Matthews nobody expected to even be in the playoffs.

I thought the same. It's completely fair to criticize someone's performance, but at least may it genuine. Him being into the second round only once during that time is pretty much what I'd expect in his situation.

I think he made mistakes; I'm frustrated by some of his decisions. But, I also think he's getting too much of the blame. The players need to be accountable too.
 
Bullfrog said:
Bender said:
hockeyfan1 said:
The knives are out...

....


https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-fans-upset-babcock-latest-game-7-loss-bruins/

That timeline is disingenuous though - those Red Wings teams he left behind were trash and you wouldn't count the tank year, and really Year 1 with Matthews nobody expected to even be in the playoffs.

I thought the same. It's completely fair to criticize someone's performance, but at least may it genuine. Him being into the second round only once during that time is pretty much what I'd expect in his situation.

I think he made mistakes; I'm frustrated by some of his decisions. But, I also think he's getting too much of the blame. The players need to be accountable too.

Interesting article.  They mentioned he joins King Clancy as the only other Leafs coach to lose in the first round 3 straight years.  I looked up what happened to Clancy after that, he didn't coach anymore.
 
Zee said:
Bullfrog said:
Bender said:
hockeyfan1 said:
The knives are out...

....


https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-fans-upset-babcock-latest-game-7-loss-bruins/

That timeline is disingenuous though - those Red Wings teams he left behind were trash and you wouldn't count the tank year, and really Year 1 with Matthews nobody expected to even be in the playoffs.

I thought the same. It's completely fair to criticize someone's performance, but at least may it genuine. Him being into the second round only once during that time is pretty much what I'd expect in his situation.

I think he made mistakes; I'm frustrated by some of his decisions. But, I also think he's getting too much of the blame. The players need to be accountable too.

Interesting article.  They mentioned he joins King Clancy as the only other Leafs coach to lose in the first round 3 straight years.  I looked up what happened to Clancy after that, he didn't coach anymore.
Babcock is getting paid $6.5 million per.  We should never be out coached.  Ever.  Would we have been better with Trotz?  Gallant?  Keefe?  Name your coach.  If the answer is yes, something has to give.
 
Having your PK @ 56.3% is not going to get you to the next round and the coaching needs to shoulder some blame for the personnel choosen and passive strategy. Mind you, having a pk specialist like Michael Grabner could have really helped.
 
BermudaBudsFan said:
Zee said:
Bullfrog said:
Bender said:
hockeyfan1 said:
The knives are out...

....


https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-fans-upset-babcock-latest-game-7-loss-bruins/

That timeline is disingenuous though - those Red Wings teams he left behind were trash and you wouldn't count the tank year, and really Year 1 with Matthews nobody expected to even be in the playoffs.

I thought the same. It's completely fair to criticize someone's performance, but at least may it genuine. Him being into the second round only once during that time is pretty much what I'd expect in his situation.

I think he made mistakes; I'm frustrated by some of his decisions. But, I also think he's getting too much of the blame. The players need to be accountable too.

Interesting article.  They mentioned he joins King Clancy as the only other Leafs coach to lose in the first round 3 straight years.  I looked up what happened to Clancy after that, he didn't coach anymore.
Babcock is getting paid $6.5 million per.  We should never be out coached.  Ever.  Would we have been better with Trotz?  Gallant?  Keefe?  Name your coach.  If the answer is yes, something has to give.
When one team wins every year the losing team will often be outcoached.
 

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