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I wish I gave a shit about any of the four remaining teams.
Just wanna see this shit season end and get to the draft day deals.
i read a spot on audition blog on the hb that i agree with very much????
after seeing our laffs have the opposition’s will imposed upon them when the rubber has met the road over the last 58 years, i had never taken into consideration that they were actually lacking skilled skaters this whole time????????♂️
if they just had faster, more skilled skaters, they could just outrun and dangle these old timers into the ice like the globetrotters do to the generals????♂️ – Neckmaster General Skalapy
I went read it. It’s not wrong. It’s actually a decent blog. I just can’t imagine any serious sports-writer wanting to be associated with that place. The forums are full of the worst political troll wars and the entire site is a 1990’s throwback that is impossible to use without an adblocker. Any halfway decent blogger with hopes of being a professional writer would be best served to stay at least 100 nautical miles away from HB (unfortunately).
Ottawa plays a relatively heavy game, but they aren’t on you all the time like Florida is. Florida does a great job of taking away time and space and the results do speak for themselves:
Senators (Toronto outscored Ottawa 12-8 at 5v5; 6-3 on the PP, allowed 2 SHG, and the leafs had 1 ENG to Ottawa’s 2).
In the series, Toronto had a 35.3% PP and an 80% PK
Knies-Matthews-Marner in 73 minutes of 5v5 were 4-1 with an xG of 2.9 – 2.1
Jarnkrok-Laughton-Lorentz in 54 minutes of 5v5 were 1 – 1 with an xG of 1.3 – 1.2
Nylander-Tavares-Holmberg in 39 minutes of 5v5 were 2 – 0 with an xG of 1 – 0.9
Pacioretty-Tavares-Nylander in 11 minutes of 5v5 were 1-0 with an xG of 0.5 – 0.5
Pacioretty-Domi-McMann in 21 minutes of 5v5 were 0 – 2 with an xG of 0.4 – 1.7
Robertson-Domi-McMann in 11 minutes of 5v5 were 1 – 1 with an xG of 0.2 – 0.2Panthers (Florida outscored Toronto 20-15 at 5v5; 4-2 on the PP, and had 2 EN goals)
In the series, Toronto had a 10% PP and an 82.6% PK
Knies-Matthews-Marner in 72 minutes of 5v5 were 6 – 5 with an xG of 2.5 – 2.1
Jarnkrok-Laughton-Lorentz in 45 minutes of 5v5 were 0 – 2 with an xG of 1.2 – 1.9
Pacioretty-Tavares-Nylander in 42 minutes of 5v5 were 5 – 2 with an xG of 1.5 – 2
Nylander-Tavares-Holmberg in 26 minutes of 5v5 were 0 – 3 with an xG of 1.3 – 1.6
McMann-Domi-Holmberg in 20 minutes of 5v5 were 0-1 with an xG of 0.4 – 0.5Florida’s pressure limited Toronto’s power play, which is all too often methodical with the puck rather than urgent. They don’t give you time to setup and find your lane. You have to make it and you have to plan it and you have to know in advance what you’re doing – or make it happen by just jamming the net and getting off shots from the point. The adjustments against Florida – having Marner at the top of the umbrella against them probably wasn’t to their advantage because he’s not quick with the puck and Florida’s pressure isn’t something he reacts well to. Also he doesn’t have a big shot. You want a shot you can get through to the net and maybe have traffic screen, deflect, tip or rebound it’s way in. Their PK is designed to stop cross-crease passes and block shots – but you can’t block them all.
It’s not just the toughness, it’s the pace. The toughness adds to it – I think the reason Holmberg was so bloody awful in the series was the physicality laid against him. He didn’t withstand that pressure and no matter where he was, he was a weak link. I also didn’t think Jarnkrok or Laughton handled the pace and pressure very well. Laughton is fine with physicality, but he’s not the quickest with the puck.
Ultimately, replacing Marner with a Bennett doesn’t really solve for that – it probably makes you even slower with the puck, but more physical. They need to upgrade the bottom-6 and find a way to improve their puck speed in the top-6. – MonkeyPunk
Agree with all of that.
Many raging fans are overlooking or discounting just how FUCKING GOOD Florida is, especially on the forecheck.
Being tough and being able to take/give hits is one thing. Standing up for teammates is another. But, there also needs to be skill and the ability to read plays (hockey IQ).
I keep going to the Lightning for comparisons because I’ve watched a couple thousand of their games, they’re in our division and they have had recent success.
Like Toronto, Tampa has tons of elite skill. They are well coached. They have chemistry and an top-tier passing game. Unlike the Leafs, they have more grit and a pedigree of recent playoff success…. and yet, Florida has manhandled them two seasons in a row. Even with Vasi playing at near-Vezina levels didn’t matter.
The first two games the Leafs won in the series, they won because they beat Florida at the forechecking game. They won the puck races. At one point, I was like “Holy shit, this is a changed team. It’s like watching a Lightning game from a couple of years ago” …. then Florida hit a higher gear and never really looked back. The Leafs couldn’t find another higher gear. Toronto was winning, but they were red-lined and the Panthers had another 2000rpm to ramp up.
All Piss and Snot Team :
Tkachuk – Bennett – Wilson
Domi – Pospisil – McBain
Jeannot – McCarron – Marchand
Maroon – Kastelic – Olivier
Zadorov – Xhekaj
Lilleberg – Kesselring
Cole – Gudas
Binnington
Berube
Figured something out today. If you are using a mobile browser, go into the browser settings and change it to “Desktop View” or “Desktop Mode” and the forum will appear normally, albeit in a scrunched-down view optimized for a much larger screen, but at least it works.
The last several Cup winners were heavy teams or teams that played a heavy game. Lost in all the talk of Ducherov and elite skill, the Lightning had Maroon, Goodrow, and Schenn to talk trash and start lawnmowers. They also had several guys like Palat and Gourde who were not “tough guys”, but possessed a good mix of skill and grit.
Look at every recent Cup winner and you’ll find a similar mixture of skill and sandpaper.
The Leafs have some big bodies, but many of them are shrinking violets. Somebody like Gourde has more piss in his pinky finger than Marner, Matthews, and Nylander have in their entire bodies.
Using the Lightning again as an example : Stamkos had elite skill but would also punch you in the face. Ducherov is dirty as fuck. Even the Lightning’s Lady Byng candidate (Point) started a lawnmower this year.
I can guarantee if Bennett had concussed Vasilevskiy, there would have been a line brawl and Bennett would have been targeted for the rest of the series.
I’m not saying toughness is the primary reason for the Leafs’ lack of playoff success, but it’s certainly a factor.
The forum is unusuable on my phone now. I can only see the new replies and threads by using my laptop.
FWIW, my laptop and my phone both use the Brave browser, just one version is mobile.
I think Gourde resigns in Tampa. The local Tampa media seems convinced of it.
I don’t think Bennett goes to Toronto. And, honestly, the guy is a POS. I’m not sure I’d want him.
Marchand is too old and is a cheapshot-artist coward. I wouldn’t want him at league minimum.
I’d try putting Domi back with Matthews.
Keep Patches if he doesn’t retire.
Rielly isn’t going anywhere, but Marner is.
I bet Tavares stays, but wouldn’t be totally shocked if he tested free agency first.
That’s all I got for now.
PS – has anyone checked the annual Leafs prediction thread back on HB for accuracy? I feel like we need to move that tradition over here.
In years past, I would be resigned to the fact that nothing substantive would change for the better in the offseason. I would expect them to “Run It Back(tm)” with some minor tweaks.
Firing Shanny is a hopeful sign – big changes MAY be in the air.
Now the question is, who do you hire to replace Shanahan?
Friedman had an insider who said that letting Shanny go was a crazy scene. Ownership called him in and ambushed him.
Wendel Clark held him down while Darcy Tucker and Tie Domi took turns beating him.
Doug Gilmour was seen talking with Clark and the owners afterwards.
The Leafs media is a combination of idiots and vultures. They feed off this for views and clicks because that’s all they have left to grasp at. No different than garbage corporate legacy media that basically only the boomers watch. They also own the team so perhaps they think they can bully their way into making Marner do what they think he should do in attempt to win the PR battle so if he does walk away, the team can save itself the embarrassment by trying to make him the bad guy. There are former players like Rick Vaive, who didn’t win shit in Toronto as a Leaf, talking shit in the media. Fans piling on because they are in pain and not smart enough to think for themselves.
The Leafs won the division, won a round (against the hated but tough Senators) and took the defending Champs and seemingly the best team in the NHL to Game 7. Marner directly helped win 2 out of the 3 games they won, one of which was in an elimination game. This year was an obvious improvement. And these morons are acting like they were a draft lottery team and the whole thing needs to be blown to hell.
Fire Shanahan, bring back Mark Hunter. – UG
I see progress in the right areas under Tree’s tenure so far. It’s far from perfect, but I see better moves happening than I did under Dubas.
The Leafs hadn’t made it past the first round in forever, then they slayed the Lightning and exorcised that demon. Now the fans reasonably expect the second round to be the minimum bar to avoid pitchforks and torches.
The Leafs just took the defending champs to seven games and even had the champs on the ropes in game 3 and couldn’t FINISH HIM. Frustrating? Fuck yes. Is it progress? Yes.
I’ll say it again. Florida is a fucking buzzsaw, a steamroller, a murderer’s row of depth. Pick your fucking poison with those guys. They match up well against any team in the league. I don’t think Carolina, Dallas, or Edmonton can beat them. I think Dallas has the best shot. I think Edmonton *could* if they had a goalie, but won’t happen with the parade of fail they have between the pipes.
As far as continuing to improve the Leafs, I think pain is coming first. Losing Marner for nothing but cap space is gonna hurt, but let’s spend some cap space.
Outside of Marner, the list of 2025 pending UFAs is a lot of dinosaurs and nobodies. Boeser is probably the best option that isn’t a geezer. Then Ehlers, Bennett is not coming to TO, Tanev might but he’s a member of AARP. MacTavish would be great, but you’re gonna overpay to pry him away from Anaheim.
Looking at it some more, the free agency route looks depressing. It might be better to look at trades.
Tampa is probably shopping the rights to Isaac Howard, FWIW.
Actually, the more I think about this, the worse it seems. If the Leafs lose Marner, then it’s going to be a step backwards. 2026 looks a lot better for UFAs. So, maybe a big step back next year before a leap forward the year after?
Yup. Pray for McJesus. LOL.
Marner genuinely wants to stay in Toronto. If he didn’t, he’d already be in Carolina, making more money and still in the playoffs. He chose to stay.
Everybody says his family controls his life but they’re going to control him to go away from where they all live? Doesn’t add up.
Marner wants what he deserves, as every single player does even when they lie that they don’t, and he wants to stay with the Leafs.
Matthews is allowed to be overpaid and disappear. Nylander is allowed to be overpaid and disappear. Tavares was allowed to be overpaid disappear as long as he takes a “discount” on his next deal.
But Marner? He’s a weak, soft, crying, greedy bitch.
Overwhelming evidence shows most Leafs fans and media need a lobotomy including Rick Vaive who pretends he’s some kind of Cup winning playoff legend when he talks shit about Marner. – UG
I’m not plugged in to the TO media, so I don’t read many direct Marner quotes. So, as far as his desires go, I have no idea. I’m speculating and I think that’s all any of us can do.
I’ve never personally insulted Marner or any of the Core. I’ve leveled some valid criticisms at them, but I’m not invested enough to have strong personal feelings about any of these people. I’d like them to win and try harder (be harder to play against?), but I’m not jumping on the abuse bandwagon. When he’s old, retired, his kids grown, and he’s back home in TO(?), how will he be remembered? What regrets (if any) will he have when he looks in the mirror as a 72-year old man? That’s up to him to decide. If he resigns and stays, I will support him and root for him. If he leaves, then I will forget about him 10 minutes later. Well, maybe a couple days later – we’ll have to discuss it to death first. LOL.
And, like I said in the other blog thread, many folks are discounting just how fucking deep and good the Panthers are.
There is nobody out there that will actually want to leave their superior team (Florida UFAs) for less money who will provide better results. People can wish all they want, there isn’t anybody out there. And the people who REALLY want to wish need to start praying for McJesus. – Uggie
It’s not 100% that he’s gone, but if I was a gambling man, that is where the safe money would be. That Utah mountain air, low taxes, and anonymity is mighty enticing, along with $14m per and finally being “The Man(tm)”. Most signs point to a farewell.
We’re in agreement on replacing his production – they won’t, or at least not with this current crop of UFAs or realistically-available trade targets.
The Leafs are right fucked on this one.
Marner is gone.
It sucks. Love him or hate him, he’s gone.
Worse, the Leafs aren’t getting shit back. Maybe a pick if they do a sign and trade, but that extra year isn’t getting you a treasure haul.
So, instead of debating whether or not he may go, or should he go, or what should we pay him, it might be more productive to start wish-spending all that sexy cap space that is the consolation prize for mismanaging an elite player.
I think emotions are running high in Leaf Nation and many people are discounting just how f-ing good Florida is.
This Panthers roster is a buzzsaw, just like Tampa was in the Covid era. Marchand is on their third line FFS. They have a solid roster full of depth from top to bottom. Multiple Selke candidates.
Losing in seven games to this buzzsaw is not an epic fail in and of itself. It was how they lost that is hard to stomach – no pushback, no fire, no anger, no snot at all except Domi and Benoit.
So yeah, this team needs more work. The Core failed yet again. This series was winnable up until Florida woke up while trailing in game 3 and Toronto couldn’t find the higher gear to match that intensity.
Frustrating? Absofuckinglutely. Burn it all down? No.
