Mike Augello: Leafs’ Composure Will Be Tested in Game 4

The Leafs need to get this one in the win column because a 7 game series with the Panthers will take the starch out of them. The Panthers have already lost 2 games and at a minimum will need a 6 game series to get to the next round. Carolina looks like they’ve got the upper hand on Washington, so rest may become an issue for the winner of this series. The Leafs could do themselves a real favour by winning tonight.

Its a must win

I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is a “must win”, but tonight is the last chance to make this series a shorter one.

Wish List for tonight :

1) WIN

2) McCabe lays a punishing clean check on Bennett that takes him out for the game.

3) Tanev destroys Marchand with a clean hip check that takes him out for the series.

4) Domi pummels TkaUpchuk into a bloody turtle.

5) Sick snipes and dirty dangles from Willy Styles.

6) Marner shorthanded breakaway goal.

7) Florida crowd full of methheads sits in deathly silence for the entire evening.

8) Matthews breaks out and lights the lamp more than once.

9) Bob shits the bed so hard that it creates a goalie controversy for Maurice.

10) Syrup Girl makes an appearance.

GO LEAFS MOTHER-F-ING GO!

You know what else will be tested tonight, Mike?

My liver!

and our nerves AW ….
Hope the Refs don’t take over the game.

10) Syrup Girl makes an appearance.

only if they win PDO … only if they win.

That Rantanen guy is pretty good at puck stuff.

Okay, motherbozakers, let’s fkn’ goooo!!

I can’t hear you 50
what did you say ???!!!!!

LET FRECKEN GO LEAFS GO !!!!!!!!

Let’s give Marchand a concussion for his birthday.

Enough with the flag worship and play the game FFS.

Here we go, folks!!

Domi to the sin bin
Leafs to the power kill

it was killed

Knies gone to the dressing room !!! ????

mcmann send the Leafs to the power kill

it was killed because of Woll !!! and Benoit hitting machine

a third Leafs power kill ….. yuck

oh boy

power kill extended

puck over glass

Lame. I’m going walk the dog.

I’d like to see a Toronto power play someday.

Fuck off Ron McClean “Leafs with 4 penalties all of them earned”.

Sure earned if they are called both ways. Tanev has been drilled from behind twice with no call for starters. ????

Being down 1 after giving Florida 4 power plays in a period is a win to me.

The calls have to even out right?

Let’s gooooo!!!!

Woll has shown he’s on his game. He’s kept us in. There should be no discussion about him being the weak link. I like Benoit’s game. A couple of those hits were crushing. The Leafs need to keep their composure and wait for their opportunity to tie it up. The second line must be rested. They only played about 4 minutes.

Let’s fkn go here. Be on the front foot. The calls are bound to go our way. We’re in this game. Let’s go boys!!

Damn….that weekend went too damned fast!

Leafs to the PP!!!
ha ha

Ok Auston. Hit. the. Net. Ffs.

Woll! Get this guy some support!!

Leafs are starting to pick it up.

yup Leafs to the PP

can they DO I T!!!!????

Willy looks like a man on a mission. Give him the puck he’s going to tie this game up.

Jeez, we need to get the PP going, RIGHT NOW!

Willy looks like a man on a mission. Give him the puck he’s going to tie this game up.
~Cush29

He’s such a clutch player. Need more like him on this team.

In Woll we trust! ????

Mitch is shit tonight.

????‍♂️

Great PP boys ????

Marner kills the PP and they’ll soon be on the power kill

Wake the fuck up!!!!

Allowing that grade A chance on the pp is inexcusable.

Matthews is instilling zero fear in Florida at all and great job PP1 taking a penalty.

Marner how can you not think that’s going to get called? Fucking stupid play and people rag on Domi for bad penalties? That one is right up there.

Relax, felow panickers. We’re getting badly outplayed, and we’re down one on the road. This game is still within reach, just need some effort and some luck.

Woll is the only good one so far.

That was a head shot on Marner.

That was a head shot on Marner.
PrinceLH

Holy fuck, was it ever. Good to see him seem to shake it off.

Kulikov with the elbow on Marner – play on all good. It’s so bad it’s laughable.

Panthers are outplaying us badly but also getting the advantage one running around with very little chance at a penalty being called.

If the Leafs can get out of this period 1 down, they’ll have a push in the third period. Florida is going to start to wonder if they can’t get the next one. Woll is dialed in.

OK. here it comes!

Leafs are heating up, and now a PP!!!

ok

come on boyz!!!!

PP goal Please

OK, lets just get to the dressing room. Make your adjustments in the third.

They can’t waste this performance by Woll, feels Like if they get 1 to Tie it they will settle in and win this game.

Let’s go!!!

Leafs need to get that goal back, ASAP.

Leafs to the power kill

Jesus OEL what are you thinking?

There is no way that’s 5.

Kulikov didn’t even get 2 for the elbow om Marner and OEL may get 5?

This league is so stupid.

Cuthbert with a boner that it might be 5.

????

That’s a two

Kill this, then kill them.

A goal on a breakaway would be nice tonight.

????

Now that the Leafs are coming back down to earth bit, why not put Robbie in for McMann? He’s been the biggest disappointment.

Fucking brutal.

Well? They wasted this great effort by Woll. Disgraceful.

????

Well? They wasted this great effort by Woll. Disgraceful.
~PrinceLH

You can’t expect much more from a goalie.

Still a lot of time but still that one stings.

It’s good that they’ve got a couple of days before game 5. They can break down the tape and figure out a better game plan.

Can a core player please make a difference here? They have all been pretty ???? tonight.

Playing WAY too soft.

Matthews not a shot threat Marner almost never a shot threat doesn’t help & makes it easier o defend against.

It’s a three game series now, and we have home ice advantage. It’s all good, boys.

Is Rielly drunk? Jesus.

Just reset for Wednesday.

I’m not overly worried. Concerned, but not worried.

It’s a three game series now, and we have home ice advantage. It’s all good, boys. – Whipper

Agreed but don’t go reading the old place people are ready to forfeit the rest.

So bad. lol

2 breakaways that don’t go, few close but no cigars and all that playing a pretty crappy game.

Woll was the only reason it wasn’t was worse.

Marchand the fakest tough guy ever throwing punches once the linesman is in. Lmao what a loser and good on Domi for giving the Panthers some of their own.

Best 3 of 5 with home ice vs the cup champs.
I’ll take it and the Leafs will win.

#fuckffla

This is starting to really get hateful. Good!! They should be awake on Wednesday. Woll was fantastic tonight. He’s the only reason that it was close.

Composure was tested and the Leafs are left wanting.

Pathetic effort.. No compete… No heart

Test…failed…

Woll did not fail though. His haters definitely did.

Burn the tape and show up ready for WAR.

Composure was tested and the Leafs are left wanting.

Pathetic effort.. No compete… No heart
~Azure

They did the same thing against Ottawa, then won the next game to win the series. I saw on X that the Leafs have followed a pattern:

3 wins
OT loss
Absolute stinker loss <—– We are here

Unfortunately, if this pattern continues, we lose an absolute stinker in game 7 of the cup finals, but I’m sure by then they’ll figure out a way to break the pattern:-)

I’ve got a bad feeling about this, boys.

Florida has all the momentum, and we look like poop.

I’ve got a bad feeling about this, boys.

Florida has all the momentum, and we look like poop.
~Atomic Wedgie

Ottawa had all the momentum after game 5, and we looked like poop.

I’ve got a bad feeling about this, boys.

Florida has all the momentum, and we look like poop. – Atomic Wedgie from the top rope on Matthew Tkachuck

Dude the Panthers won 1 game at home in a flukely as hell bounce off a Leaf D man – a game the Leafs easily could have won.

They won last night where the Leafs looked terrible and it was a 2-0 win with a late 2nd goal. Leafs had 2 breakaways and Matthews had a grade A chance he shot right into Bob’s glove that Cuthbert blew his load on like it was some incredible save lol.

If that’s the best the Panthers have I am fine with the fact the are coming back to Toronto with a 2-2 split and it’s now a best 2 of 3 and we have home ice.
BE-LEAF Wedgie!

Just went peek in on HB.

Same shit different day.

Politics and flame wars.

Some things will never change.

This place has been a breath of fresh air.

Go Leafs!

Leafs in 6!

As many predicted, tough series. Not surprising that it ended up here at 2 a piece. Leafs are 4 – 1 at home so far this playoffs

Just went peek in on HB.

Same shit different day.
~PDO

Yup, keep all that crap over there. Funny how one of the main instigators tried to show up here, but very rapidly was called out and left with his tail between his legs.

He did have a great screen name here, though.

I must have missed that was it UG?

Some guy living in the middle of butt-fuck nowhere Northern Ontario with an affinity for White Claws.

Oh snap! When was that? Your description certainly painted the picture very quickly! lol
~Cush29

You can backread a bit from this page for context, but it seemed pretty clear who he was. Page 6 was when it became blatantly obvious.

Panthers – Leafs: Game 2

Now that the Leafs are coming back down to earth bit, why not put Robbie in for McMann? He’s been the biggest disappointment.

-WHIPPER

Big disappointment. He usually gets hurt and that’s why he’s not producing. But he’s been pretty close to useless and in the line-up.

Unfortunately, Robertson brings next to nothing other than shooting and the Panthers would probably maul him the same way the Senators did.

Pulling McMann out of the line-up for one game wouldn’t hurt though.

Is it just me or does like most leaf fans give themselves general anxiety over something we as fans have zero control over?

Anything to be contrary eh?

Show me which game winning goal in OT was a miracle fluke goal the Leafs scored.

Actually don’t bother we all know there wasn’t one.

Cush29

Did you hurt your back moving those goal posts?

The fluke goals the Leafs scored in Game 3 were obvious if you weren’t drunk on the Blue Kool-Aid.

Maybe try reading what I wrote – it was very clear I was talking about the flukey OT winner.

There were no goal posts moved here until you started doing so now. -Cush29

Maybe take your own advice and read what I wrote. You clearly want to make it known their OT goal was a fluke while ignoring that most of the Leafs Game 3 goals were also flukes.

You want to pretend the Leafs luck is actually because they’re good but won’t give the same credit to Florida for it. That’s textbook moving the goal posts and blatant homerism.

I just came to laugh at the “blatant homerism” because who gives a shit? Isn’t that what a fan is supposed to be? A “homer” for their team? -Aaron

Because he was responding to somebody else saying they have a bad feeling about how the series is turning and his reply to it was homerism trying to disguise itself as logical objectivity.

I guess in your world you gotta be negative so you can show how “hockey smart” you are but all your takes so far have been wrong this playoffs going back to the first round. -Aaron

Wrong again but you must be used to it by now.

Oh good, HB came to HHS.

Oh good, HB came to HHS – Whippest

Don’t worry. Leafs will win game 5 and those people will run away with their tails between their legs as per their usual

Don’t worry. Leafs will win game 5 and those people will run away with their tails between their legs as per their usual -Aaron

They might.
But they won’t if they play like they did in Game 4 or 5.
They probably won’t win Game 5 or the series unless Matthews starts scoring.
Or if they continue to allow the Panthers to control the game, take liberties and not make them pay for it on the PP either.
Just like Ottawa wouldn’t quit (which you were wrong about) when the Leafs had a series lead, the Panthers sure as hell won’t either.

Just like Ottawa wouldn’t quit (which you were wrong about) when the Leafs had a series lead, the Panthers sure as hell won’t either.

I never ever said they’d quit (but keep putting words in people’s mouths). I never said it would be easy. I believed the leafs should/could have won in 5. I also recall you claiming the leafs were going to lose game 7 after being up 3 – 2 in the series still and already talking about the trades needed. You were wrong about it once again. Also you were wrong about the habs too…I’ve lost count how often you’re wrong.

I do recall you talking a lot about 5 v 5 being the difference maker but the leafs were better and the only wins ottawa had were on the backs of special teams (back to back shorties) so you were wrong about any of that. Anyway talk to you after they win the series kiddo.

Don’t worry too much about the nonsense factor in here. At least we’re objective over here and can actually make a cognitive hypothesis. The clown posse over there have destroyed what was a great website. Losing professional hockey writers is a death knell for that site, if they don’t put some guide lines into effect. Hopefully, they finally figure it out and try to turn the nose of that 787 up before the crater effect.

Don’t worry too much about the nonsense factor in here. At least we’re objective over here and can actually make a cognitive hypothesis. The clown posse over there have destroyed what was a great website. Losing professional hockey writers is a death knell for that site, if they don’t put some guide lines into effect. Hopefully, they finally figure it out and try to turn the nose of that 787 up before the crater effect. Princey

I know you’re trying to be positive but I think that 787 is about 100 feet from making that crater.

Apologies to most here for a slight cluttering of this lovely place with a pointless argument with someone who simply lives to argue and won’t admit he is ever wrong even when proven so with facts.

I know better than to take the bait and won’t make that mistake here again. To someone else’s point an ignore / mute button would be glorious.

Go Leafs Go!

Just hammer them with logic. Don’t go in the gutter with the guttersnipes. That’s playing on their turf. The Hockey Buzz is really in trouble. The Leafs thread has always been its bread and butter. Losing at least half of that cliental, plus one of their top bloggers was a huge miscalculation. The banning aspect got out of control and many have seen enough. Being an early adopter of this site, I’d like to try and help make it a place for people to discuss the games and get opinionated thought. Just yelling at someone and hitting them over the head with a 2 X 4 doesn’t allow civic dialog. I’m glad that many from the other site, who’ve dealt with the silliness are here and will continue to contribute. I’m sure Mike and the Meltz would be happy for it to gain in prominence going forward. For Fred Johnson(Ek), I wish him good luck and thank him for many years of service with his site. It might be time for Fred to sell the site and try to allow it to reposition itself in the market. For now, this is the home for the Leafs Nation.

I don’t know if I said it before, but I hate Florida Panthers like no any other team, including Bruins.
The Leafs can still pull it next game and than everything is possible.
Go Leafs Go!!!

I’m sure Mike and the Meltz would be happy for it to gain in prominence going forward. For Fred Johnson(Ek), I wish him good luck and thank him for many years of service with his site. It might be time for Fred to sell the site and try to allow it to reposition itself in the market. For now, this is the home for the Leafs Nation.

I was on CBC hockey forum for years and we had good group of people, mostly Leafs and Habs fans and we had a some fun there.
At some point CBC switched from moderation to some crazy moderation and eventually board died completely.

Boy, they’re acting like jilted lovers over on the Buzz. They don’t even want to talk hockey to people over here. Too bad. Their IQ has sailed and their life preserver is an inch over the waterline. I remember when TMLFan Boards went belly up about 20 years. Same MO. Disagree with people and then get them banned. In my case, for Life. All because I made a statement that Mats Sundin and his Muskoka 5 teammates colluded to not waive their no trade clauses and the team would be irreparably damaged. That got me a lifetime ban and it wasn’t too many months later, that site imploded. History may soon repeat itself.

Boy, they’re acting like jilted lovers over on the Buzz. They don’t even want to talk hockey to people over here. Too bad. Their IQ has sailed and their life preserver is an inch over the waterline. I remember when TMLFan Boards went belly up about 20 years. Same MO. Disagree with people and then get them banned. In my case, for Life. All because I made a statement that Mats Sundin and his Muskoka 5 teammates colluded to not waive their no trade clauses and the team would be irreparably damaged. That got me a lifetime ban and it wasn’t too many months later, that site imploded. History may soon repeat itself.

Dont waste your time even giving that site any clicks.

That mute button here yet?
????

Willy 1 / Tkachuk 0

Maple Leafs’ William Nylander makes his feelings known about Matthew Tkachuk’s end-game threat

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander remained composed following a post-game exchange with Florida Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk after Game 4 of their playoff series. As the final buzzer sounded, Tkachuk was seen addressing Nylander from the bench, reportedly saying, “I’m going to get you,” in response to Max Domi’s hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. When asked about the incident, Nylander downplayed its significance, stating, “Just talking. I mean, that’s what he does.” He added, “He’ll probably do whatever he can do to get a player off their game. But yeah, next game is gonna be a fun one”. Nylander, who leads the Maple Leafs in playoff scoring with 15 points, including six goals and nine assists, played over 21 minutes in Game 4, which the Leafs lost 2-0, tying the series at 2-2. Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday in Toronto, where both teams will vie for a pivotal series lead.
#WilliamNylander #MatthewTkachuk #nhl

I don’t know if I said it before, but I hate Florida Panthers like no any other team, including Bruins.
The Leafs can still pull it next game and than everything is possible.
Go Leafs Go!!!
~alex.TML

They’ve really moved high up on my list of most hated teams. Just the dirtiest fucking team in the league, by far, and they continue to get away with it. I hope Knies absolutely rag dolls Tkachuk if he even looks at 16/34/88/91 the wrong way. Give him the ol Parros treatment.

They’ve really moved high up on my list of most hated teams. Just the dirtiest fucking team in the league, by far, and they continue to get away with it. I hope Knies absolutely rag dolls Tkachuk if he even looks at 16/34/88/91 the wrong way. Give him the ol Parros treatment.

~WHIPPER

#1 on my list and it is not even close.
So Canes one game away from ECF, not much resistance from Ovi & Company.

They’ve really moved high up on my list of most hated teams. Just the dirtiest fucking team in the league, by far, and they continue to get away with it. I hope Knies absolutely rag dolls Tkachuk if he even looks at 16/34/88/91 the wrong way. Give him the ol Parros treatment.

The Leafs used to be exactly like the Bruins and the Panthers. The late 90s, early 2000s Leafs were brutal to play against. But nobody in Toronto cared because they were our guys. And they won more playoff games than these guys have. Unfortunately, they lacked the prime aged, skill players to get them a Cup. Two opposite ends of the scale that you need a good balance of to win Cups.

The Leafs and their fans need to stop bitching about what other teams do like the little kid who tattle tales to the teacher and start being the team filled will bullies who actually insulate the stars they have, create space for them and defend them when they receive dirty hits. Maybe that balanced team of grit and skill actually goes much further in the playoffs, more often.

Great hockey in Edmonton!
Go Oilers!

Playoffs is the War and War demands fighters, otherwise they will be victims every single time. -alex.TML

Yeah…war…this team isn’t built for war…

There are very few players on the Leafs roster built for war who can also play hockey so Reaves obviously does not count.

The Panthers…on the other hand…have a lot of warriors. Both from last year and new warriors they added.

Kane just flew like Bobby Orr over Hill, crazy actions in Edmonton.

Great hockey in Edmonton!
Go Oilers! -alex.TML

If the Oilers can win a Cup with Skinner in net, they deserve two Cups. He’s so bad.

If the Oilers can win a Cup with Skinner in net, they deserve two Cups. He’s so bad.

As crazy it sounds it can actually happen with their terrific offence.
They can probably win the Cup with 3rd or 4th goalie too.

As crazy it sounds it can actually happen with their terrific offence.
They can probably win the Cup with 3rd or 4th goalie too. -alex.TML

They can win a Cup with a goalie that doesn’t steal games.

But they aren’t winning shit with a goalie who throws away a game with 0.4 seconds left.

That was something else with 0.4 seconds left and Leon scoring in own net.
If Skinner or Pickard will get them decent goal tending, nothing specially required, Oil can win it all.
This is team is that good and it is not about Leon and Conor only, there are so many good pieces, which can hurt any team. -alex.TML

Leon wasn’t really at fault, he was just coming back in desperation. If Skinner just hugs the post like they taught him when he was probably 12, the game is in OT.

I don’t think they can make it past Dallas with Skinner or Pickard.

Leon wasn’t really at fault, he was just coming back in desperation. If Skinner just hugs the post like they taught him when he was probably 12, the game is in OT.
I don’t think they can make it past Dallas with Skinner or Pickard.

I was sure they will not make it past Vegas with Skinner and Pickard.
I am not so sure about Dallas anymore.

I was sure they will not make it past Vegas with Skinner and Pickard.
I am not so sure with Dallas anymore. -alex.TML

Dallas has a lot of barriers to slow down McDavid if Miro Heiskanen returns. I don’t think Edmonton has enough to stop Rantanen.

We will know it soon, given Edmonton getting past Vegas. – alex.TML

Edmonton is winning 3-0 and is outshooting Vegas 30-15 in the 3rd period.

Would be nice to see the Leafs be able to do that in the playoffs against a great team.

Kris Knoblauch is excellent at getting the maximum out of this team.

Good thing Edmonton has shit goaltending. Just imagine McJesus and DrySaddle playing in front of an elite goalie.

nice to see the NHL is doing something about the Panthers co-owner regarding his social media post from Sunday.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/nhl-suspends-florida-panthers-co-owner-douglas-cifu-over-social-media-posts-1.2305103

I’m scared.

Very, very scared.

NHL- oh an executive posted on twitter something controversial we better get right on that!

Also NHL – Florida team with multiple instances of trying to injure players with blatant head shots, cross checks (after the final buzzer) etc.
M’eh let’s mull this over a bit but in the short term fine that Domi guy, his dad was a greasy player so he is too and he hit a guy without the puck in a late game scrum when losing. Doesn’t he know Florida is the current team who is allowed to do this in 2025?

Hockey is a fantastic sport.

The NHL makes a travesty of it as it relates to their inability to get officiating even to a close to respectably consistent level, yet they continually say they want to ‘grow the sport’. Good grief Charlie Brown.

Just in case you were wondering, cheapest seats for tonight’s game in Dallas are $170 USD each.

So, Panthers executive tweets out something politically controversial and it’s an instant suspension.

However, the team’s players are allowed to head-hunt with impunity. At least one blatant headshot per series. Hagel in round one by the steroid cheater Ekblad and then Stolie by that crackhead Bennett.

I’m honestly more concerned with the events happening on the ice than the dumb shit some suit in the executive suite is saying. At this point, I just expect dudes in suits to say dumb shit. It’s in their job description.

If the league could turn their attention to the group of dirty cheap-shot artists on the ice, that would be great.

I’m scared.

Very, very scared.
– Wedgie

I hear you. This is put up or shut up time for a select few individuals on this roster. Probably the most significant game of this era of Leafs hockey. I look at it as a huge opportunity for this group. It is time to Carpe Felix!

I agree, go meekly into the night and the core 4 needs to be dismantled. Willy is the keeper. If Auston isn’t severely disabled, time to put him up for auction. Mitch, try to trade his rights to a team willing to pay him before July 1st. Giving him that 8th year could make a difference. I’m OK with the goaltending and most of the defense. Rielly could go, if there’s a suitable trade for him. OEL could slide into the 2nd pairing on the Left side and the Leafs could find another righty. All I know is that we’ve run it back for far too long. This team, as it’s constructed, should be in the hunt for the Cup right now. 2 rounds is not enough. They better win tomorrow night, or it’s game 6 and done.

I agree, go meekly into the night and the core 4 needs to be dismantled. Willy is the keeper. If Auston isn’t severely disabled, time to put him up for auction. Mitch, try to trade his rights to a team willing to pay him before July 1st. Giving him that 8th year could make a difference. I’m OK with the goaltending and most of the defense. Rielly could go, if there’s a suitable trade for him. OEL could slide into the 2nd pairing on the Left side and the Leafs could find another righty. All I know is that we’ve run it back for far too long. This team, as it’s constructed, should be in the hunt for the Cup right now. 2 rounds is not enough. They better win tomorrow night, or it’s game 6 and done. -PrinceLH

Sorry, but there is no way this team is getting better by letting it’s leading point producer go as a UFA. Same goes for trading one of the top goal scorers the past 5 years.

I would absolutely love to see you answer this simple question: Name the team that removed it’s leading point and goal scorer and won a Cup after. Good luck.

That’s not how you actually build a winner. This season has already been progress over last year and as the division gets weaker (Boston and Tampa Bay both seem to be going backwards) the worst possible thing to do is throw away your best players with insufficient replacements. Yes, Florida is still strong but you don’t beat them by getting worse players. You beat them by adding more complimentary pieces and strengthening the depth. Florida will eventually cap itself out to keep it’s aging pending UFAs like Bennett and Ekblad.

If the Leafs end up blowing the series to the Panthers, Rielly is the first one to get moved. He’s proven to be way too expensive for what he brings and the Leafs D is far stronger without him and better off with a PP replacement at half the cost.

The next one to go is Tavares unless he takes a ridiculous discount. Then, keep adding to the bottom-six with more aggressive, two-way players. The Leafs bottom-six right now are offensively contributing next to nothing.

McMann, Holmberg, Jarnkrok, Lorentz, Robertson, Kampf, Reaves, Laughton…these are the guys we have to play in the bottom-six and they all have ZERO playoff goals COMBIMED.

Edmonton has 12 forwards with at least 1 goal through 10 games. McDavid “only” has 3. Depth makes a difference.

Yes, Matthews needs to step-up and be a difference maker but our depth players are bringing nothing to the table offensively either and it’s a big problem.

Sorry, but there is no way this team is getting better by letting it’s leading point producer go as a UFA. Same goes for trading one of the top goal scorers the past 5 years.

Yes, Matthews needs to step-up and be a difference maker but our depth players are bringing nothing to the table offensively either and it’s a big problem.

Edmonton. They traded Gretzky to the Kings and won a Stanley Cup without him.

Thanks for coming. You can pick up your consolation prize on your way out the back door.

Edmonton. They traded Gretzky to the Kings and won a Stanley Cup without him.

Thanks for coming. You can pick up your consolation prize on your way out the back door. -PrinceLH

Incorrect.

We were looking for a team that lost it’s leading point producer as a UFA and then traded it’s leading goal scorer. I’m putting your logic and suggestions to the test and it doesn’t seem they pass it.

For your example to be correct they would have had to lose Gretzky as a UFA (no trade) and then traded Kurri too. And the Oilers didn’t win the Cup the year they traded Gretzky, they won it the year after. They didn’t even make it out of the first round the year they traded Gretzky.

It’s very interesting though that you have to reach back 35 years (not even remotely close to the salary cap era) and completely ignoring that team was already a dynasty and therefore not comparable to this current Leafs team which hasn’t had a single deep playoff run.

Try again.

I agree, go meekly into the night and the core 4 needs to be dismantled. Willy is the keeper. If Auston isn’t severely disabled, time to put him up for auction. Mitch, try to trade his rights to a team willing to pay him before July 1st. Giving him that 8th year could make a difference. I’m OK with the goaltending and most of the defense. Rielly could go, if there’s a suitable trade for him. OEL could slide into the 2nd pairing on the Left side and the Leafs could find another righty. All I know is that we’ve run it back for far too long. This team, as it’s constructed, should be in the hunt for the Cup right now. 2 rounds is not enough. They better win tomorrow night, or it’s game 6 and done
Prince

If the leafs cant get past the panthers, Im fine with huge pivot away from Matthews. Wont happen, but I would be fine with it.

Anywho, we’ll see what the leafs have. Lose tonight and the series is pretty much over for them.

Sorry, but there is no way this team is getting better by letting it’s leading point producer go as a UFA. Same goes for trading one of the top goal scorers the past 5 years.

Yes, Matthews needs to step-up and be a difference maker but our depth players are bringing nothing to the table offensively either and it’s a big problem.
UG

Ummm the panthers traded away Huberdeau, who had 115pts, and were in the cup finals the next season and won a cup a season after that.

Its difficult to have depth players when you have so much cap tied up in 4 forwards.
JT’s cap will pretty much go to Knies($8 – $9m of it anyway), I’m ok with moving out Rielly if the leafs blow this series.
There needs to be some sort of big change.

Anywho, Leafs are still in the series. Must win tonight, hopefully woll can keep it together and our $40m players score some goals.

Yup, his post were not only stupid but factually incorrect. – Fake

That’s what happens when you regularly ignore facts and science, and start believing your own ideological horseshit.

Corporate suites are chock full of phucktards like that and the NHL is no different. Panthers guy just said the quiet part out loud. It’s just gonna motivate the Leafs even more.

Leafs win 4-2 with an empty netter tonight.

Matthews with a goal (finally), bottom 6 with a goal, Willy with one and a JT GWG.

You heard it here first!

Go MF Leafs Go!

The fans chanting USA at the end of last game..id say that should motivate…but Matthews is American also Knies.
Floridas 2 goal scorers last game are Canadian.

so yeah

Leafs win 4-2 with an empty netter tonight.

Go MF Leafs Go!
Cush

Here’s hoping.
Go Leafs Go!

I opened an account on the Score Bet because I got a promo code for $50 free.

I placed a parlay wager for $50 as follows:

Leafs to win
Matthews to score 1 goal (or more)
Willy to get > 2.5 shots on net (or more)

$50 bet pays $327 !!!!!

I’ll be at the game tonight so if that hits it’ll pay for a good chunk of my ticket! lol

Betting with free $ is the best!

Ummm the panthers traded away Huberdeau, who had 115pts, and were in the cup finals the next season and won a cup a season after that.

Its difficult to have depth players when you have so much cap tied up in 4 forwards.
JT’s cap will pretty much go to Knies($8 – $9m of it anyway), I’m ok with moving out Rielly if the leafs blow this series.
There needs to be some sort of big change.

Anywho, Leafs are still in the series. Must win tonight, hopefully woll can keep it together and our $40m players score some goals. -Fake

The Panthers traded Huberdeau, he didn’t leave as a UFA. They also got Matthew Tkachuk. You think the Leafs will get Brady for Matthews? Won’t work.

I do want to say that I basically agree with you. If you lost Marner but replaced him with guys who show up or are miserable to play against in the playoffs – Bennett and Rielly Smith come to mind – it would change the dynamic of the team. They might be not as offensive, but they might be better equipped in the playoffs.

That said, Marner – and I’ve said before – may not really be the problem. Matthews is the alpha dog on that team. People get him the puck – they seek him out, and Marner is no exception. They have absurd levels of faith in one another – it’s how you build a good team – and it probably blinds them to some of the weaknesses of a player’s game. They want to see Matthews succeed, so they aren’t going to pass up the opportunity to get him the puck either (it reminds me of Sundin against Carolina in 2002).

The regular season is different, no doubt, but when together over the past two seasons – both Marner and Matthews average 1.2 pts/game. When apart, Marner averages 1.5 / game, and Matthews averages 1.6 / game.

But in counteraction to your point about Huberdeau – trading a 115 player, who is a great distributor, but not too difficult to play against and in return getting a 109 point player who is much more difficult to play against? I mean if that trade were available, you’re not really trading away your leading scorer and filling his role with notably lesser guys (and realistically Bennett is FAR from Marner) – you’re upgrading. But that just isn’t available now. -MonkeyPunk

The cost of signing Bennett and Smith as UFAs would be more than what Marner ends up making. It’s also unlikely they want to leave where they are to join the Leafs, especially Bennett. And they’re both on the wrong side of 30, especially Smith who is probably closer to being finished at this point of his career.

There aren’t any players the Leafs could replace Marner with at a lower cost that would give them a better team. They’d be idiots to let Marner walk as a UFA.

Trading Matthews would be the more logical outcome however still difficult considering he has a NMC and the Leafs would have to bring in at least one major piece to actually make the team better after losing one of the most prolific goal scorers of this period.

The fact is, he should not even be on the ice, just like he shouldn’t have been on the ice after knocking Knies out of the series. Those were not just clean, hard-nosed bodychecks. – Aeth

True. Bennett should still be serving a suspension for his blatant attempt to injure on Hagel in the first round.

Marchand should have been banned from the league years ago for countless flagrant attempts to injure.

Fact is, the NHL allows this shit and tacitly condones it when they refuse to punish for it. In any other realm of life, these are assaults that would result in criminal charges. They have nothing to do with playing the game. It’s about cheating to injure the other team’s players and remove them from the lineup.

Leafs fucked up by not murdering Bennett right afterwards. Bennett should still be recovering from the beatdown and going through rehab to get back on the ice sometime next season after he relearns to walk, eat, and talk again.

But it is what it is and Leafs fans just know to live with it. We have no choice.