The Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023: Second Round GDT.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

37 minutes ago, Goldseatsaud said:

Matthews UFA 2024 see ya

27 minutes ago, SDS said:

Matthews zero goals and two assists in five games against the Panthers. That’s pretty bad.

You watch these playoffs and wonder whether #1 overall pick Connor Bedard will become the next Auston Matthews or the next Connor McDavid.

[Wyldnwoody44]

[Zamboni]

[...]

...and it was a good night in the NHL. The end.

[PerreaultForever]

Oh this tweet is just too good to not pass along.

 

[...]

Enjoy!

 

[SabresBillsFan]

2 hours ago, pastajoe said:

With Toronto gone, my last hope is that Edmonton gets eliminated. After that it’s just gravy, but I’d root for Florida to win the Cup.

I want to see McDavid or Draisaitl get lit up. I’m tired of both of these players.

[thewookie1]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

Oh this tweet is just too good to not pass along.

 

Well that's certainly an opinion

[sabremike]

Here is what Tage feasting on the Leafs next season will look like:

Edited May 13, 2023 by sabremike

[Kristian]

Toronto losing in the 2nd is fun.

Sabres making it to the post-season would be more fun.

[Scottysabres]

4 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Oh this tweet is just too good to not pass along.

 

Yes, Yes!!! Risto is the answer Toronto fans seek....Do It Toronto....DO IT!!!!! 🤣 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Scottysabres

[nucci]

5 hours ago, SabresBillsFan said:

I want to see McDavid or Draisaitl get lit up. I’m tired of both of these players.

why? They're great players and fun to watch.

Edited May 13, 2023 by nucci

[Quint]

Big changes coming for TO. Dangle with the quote: 

"Why don't any of the things that I love, love me back?"

 

 

[mjd1001]

So, as others have said......

Eichel vs Reinhart (and Montour) for the Cup is looking more and more probable every day.

[Crusader1969]

7 hours ago, ... said:

Enjoy!

 

. Leafs got shafted 😂

Complete loser mentality.  Matthews , Marner and Tavares did absolutely nothing all series BUT the refs shafted them 🤷‍♂️

[Pimlach]

8 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Oh this tweet is just too good to not pass along.

 

Yeah.  They need Risto.  That will help. 

[Pimlach]

8 hours ago, ... said:

Enjoy!

 

Yup.  It all because of the Hawkey Gawds.  

[mjd1001]

47 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

. Leafs got shafted 😂

Complete loser mentality.  Matthews , Marner and Tavares did absolutely nothing all series BUT the refs shafted them 🤷‍♂️

I posted this  about to weeks ago. I grew up kinda liking the leafs, but the single biggest reason why I do not like them anymore is the CONSTANT complaining about the refs by their fans.

[Goldseatsaud]

The Legend of Bill Barilko

Big money 34, 91 and 16 there for another exit.

[mjd1001]

8 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Oh this tweet is just too good to not pass along.

 

No, the Leafs single biggest problem is that Matthews (and their other stars) just don't play as well in the playoffs as other stars around the league do. Its a large enough sample size to come to that conclusion.

Over their careers, guys like McKinnon, Draisaitl, Kucherov, McDavid.....equal their regular season production or in many cases EXCEED it once the playoffs arrive.  Matthews, Marner, and Tavares not only have their production drop in the playoffs, but it drops by a noticable amount, and this is now for their entire playoff careers.

WHY that happens may be a differnet question, but, for the most part, their stars don't always show up once the playoffs start and that is pretty common with this team, year after year.

[JoeSchmoe]

To help celebrate the yearly tradition of Leafs playoff exits, I like to post this article written by a Toronto journalist predicting parades in years to come.

https://torontosun.com/2017/09/11/simmons-vaulted-by-big-3-this-maple-leafs-team-is-a-champion-in-waiting

 

[Archie Lee]

47 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

No, the Leafs single biggest problem is that Matthews (and their other stars) just don't play as well in the playoffs as other stars around the league do. Its a large enough sample size to come to that conclusion.

Over their careers, guys like McKinnon, Draisaitl, Kucherov, McDavid.....equal their regular season production or in many cases EXCEED it once the playoffs arrive.  Matthews, Marner, and Tavares not only have their production drop in the playoffs, but it drops by a noticable amount, and this is now for their entire playoff careers.

WHY that happens may be a differnet question, but, for the most part, their stars don't always show up once the playoffs start and that is pretty common with this team, year after year.

It could just be that the "big 4" are too much of the same kind.  Individually they might thrive in the playoffs in different environments.  Combined, they leave the Leafs top-heavy and not built for deep playoff runs. Add to the mix that they have a string of playoff failures and that they play in the league's biggest fishbowl and the pressure is no doubt immense.  It would not surprise me at all to see Matthews or Marner star in the playoffs on a different team.

I don't buy that Paul Maurice, who took over the President's Trophy winner from a year ago and barely squeezed them into the playoffs, out-coached Keefe (or Montgomery for that matter). I think Keefe is a very good NHL coach who gets the most out of his team in the regular season.  Come playoff time it is not so much that the Leafs shrink as it is that they have no particular room or area to grow.  The things that you need to be prepared to do to win in the playoffs are things that they just don't have enough of in their arsenal.

I don't hate Leaf players.  My personality leaves me strongly disliking players like Tkachuk, Bennett and Gudas more so.  Bunting aside, the Leafs are not a collection of players I have any particular issues with.  They are the competition though.  I hope they decide to dismantle and move on from Dubas and Keefe and at least one of Marner or Matthews (Tavares is not moveable for assets back and Nylander, the current fan and media darling, isn't going anywhere this off-season). I think if they make bold moves in an effort to be a better playoff team, it is more likely that the outcome is they are simply not as good in the regular season.  

Next year, the Atlantic race might just be wide-open.

Edited May 13, 2023 by Archie Lee

[Crusader1969]

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

No, the Leafs single biggest problem is that Matthews (and their other stars) just don't play as well in the playoffs as other stars around the league do. Its a large enough sample size to come to that conclusion.

Over their careers, guys like McKinnon, Draisaitl, Kucherov, McDavid.....equal their regular season production or in many cases EXCEED it once the playoffs arrive.  Matthews, Marner, and Tavares not only have their production drop in the playoffs, but it drops by a noticable amount, and this is now for their entire playoff careers.

WHY that happens may be a differnet question, but, for the most part, their stars don't always show up once the playoffs start and that is pretty common with this team, year after year.

Might have to add Eichel to the list who get better in playoffs 

[Crusader1969]

2 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

To help celebrate the yearly tradition of Leafs playoff exits, I like to post this article written by a Toronto journalist predicting parades in years to come.

https://torontosun.com/2017/09/11/simmons-vaulted-by-big-3-this-maple-leafs-team-is-a-champion-in-waiting

 

Yep always look like champions in sept 

biggest mistake they made was paying Marner and Matthews before they won anything    Or maybe it was brining in PJ boy, knowing it reduced their window of opportunity from 8 years to 3 or 4?

 

[Thorner]

7 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Might have to add Eichel to the list who get better in playoffs