OT: Leafs/NHL Thread

[Tor_Raps]

Matthews: 1 goal in his last 9 PO games
Marner: 2 goals in his last 13 PO games
Tavares: 2 goals in his last 13 PO games

That is some next level choking from the guys making the big bucks.

I would focus less on the 33yr old, who at least puts his body on the line to create chances than the two 26 yr old's in their prime who refuse to go anywhere they might get hit.

Marner has to be the softest top end player I've ever seen. How that man looks like one of the elites in the regular season to being one of the worst players in the playoffs is remarkable.

[Raps in 4]

At what point do Shanahan and Shapiro get fired? They've been running the Leafs and Jays into the ground for a decade now.

I get why Masai is given a longer leash, he's actually won something, but those two are absolute clowns. Shapiro has been failing miserably as an executive since 2001.

Fans need to stop attending games. Ownership doesn't care about winning. They care about revenue. My friends and I made a pledge to boycott the Jays this year and we're sticking to it. I wish more people did this. It's not like the product on the field/ice is even entertaining. It's torturous.

[bballsparkin]

Marner has to be the softest top end player I've ever seen. How that man looks like one of the elites in the regular to being one of the worst players in the playoffs is remarkable.

Conor Garland is smaller than him and puts him to shame. Marner is wasting his talent.

[Tor_Raps]

At what point do Shanahan and Shapiro get fired? They've been running the Leafs and Jays into the ground for a decade now.

I get why Masai is given a longer leash, he's actually won something, but those two are absolute clowns. Shapiro has been failing miserably as an executive since 2001.

Fans need to stop attending games. Ownership doesn't care about winning. They care about revenue. My friends and I made a pledge to boycott the Jays this year and we're sticking to it. I wish more people did this. It's not like the product on the field/ice is even entertaining. It's torturous.

I'm with you. I refuse to attend a Jays game out of my own freewill. They are the least entertaining product I've seen in a while.

Leafs wise, how they can keep the core 4 together and not see the obvious flaws everyone else sees is remarkable. Everyone knows the way the game is played changes from the regular season to the playoffs. Getting rid of Marner and reworking their powerplay/penalty kill is a bare minimum.

[Anticon]

I don't know much about hockey. But it always seemed to me you needed some physical presence to win in the NHL. Don't think these guys have it compared to the teams they're always up against.

[slicedbread2]

At what point do Shanahan and Shapiro get fired? They've been running the Leafs and Jays into the ground for a decade now.

I get why Masai is given a longer leash, he's actually won something, but those two are absolute clowns. Shapiro has been failing miserably as an executive since 2001.

Fans need to stop attending games. Ownership doesn't care about winning. They care about revenue. My friends and I made a pledge to boycott the Jays this year and we're sticking to it. I wish more people did this. It's not like the product on the field/ice is even entertaining. It's torturous.

I'm with you. I refuse to attend a Jays game out of my own freewill. They are the least entertaining product I've seen in a while.

Leafs wise, how they can keep the core 4 together and not see the obvious flaws everyone else sees is remarkable. Everyone knows the way the game is played changes from the regular season to the playoffs. Getting rid of Marner and reworking their powerplay/penalty kill is a bare minimum.

Good luck with the Leafs. They are screwed and the fact they handed out no movement clauses to Marner and Matthews along with no trade clauses for Tavares and Nylander is insane not to mention that nearly 62% of their cap sheet is committed to 5 players next year is nuts. Sadly the Leafs are professional hockey's Stockholm Syndrome in the flesh. These idiot fans gave money to Ballard and still had the nerve to support the garbage even when details emerged of the child sex trafficking issues that plagued the team during the 70's and 80's. It's a joke how the fans are tuning into this nonsense. I can't put up with the annoying gambling ads being shoved in my face and I can only imagine how worse it'd be for people with kids and recovering gambling addicts trying to get their life back on track.

The big suits can use these tickets as tax write offs and Rogers will be beaming knowing that the fans will come back for more. It's like slapping someone in the face with a cold wet fish knowing that they won't do anything about it. It's so fitting.

A little side note: Brendan Shanahan had a sexual affair with Craig Janney's wife while they were teammates in St. Louis resulting in Shanahan being traded to Hartford for Chris Pronger while Janney's career ended a few years later due to blood clots. Sadly for Janney, his wife left him for Shanahan and honestly it was a jerk move on the latter's part.

[MiamiSPX]

They’ll have to do something. You can’t just keep running the same team back every year.

They will run it back, the $$$ keeps pouring in.

The Leafs don’t really have a bandwagon fanbase. The money will pour in even if they’re the worst team in the league.

Oh, I know, I just mean they have a safe and reliable income stream right now. Sold out RS games and a guaranteed 2-3 home playoff dates. Anything above that is just gravy to them.

If they were serious about winning, they would have cleaned house in the FO. It's obvious Shanahan isn't being measured by the team's success in the playoffs. Team valuation keeps rising, games are always sold out, merchandise keeps flying off the shelves, etc. Like WuTang said earlier in this thread, they are about business first, winning hockey games 2nd,. I'm no fan of Masai's recent work but it's insane to me that he is the one whose tenure is constantly questioned, or speculated on, while Shanahan sits there unscathed. It's pretty much factual that one of those gentlemen has done a 100x better job than the other.

I've been following this team since I was 4 and it's pathetically hilarious the grip they have on the city, with absolutely nothing to show for it. It's not unlike the Cubs and Red Sox and their 100+ year droughts.

[Public_Enemy101]

I agree that the core players are soft but I think that's also because Sheldon Keefe is an awful playoff coach. I look at his lineups and his body language and he literally looks lost all game. You look at Boston's coach and he looks engaged and focused, that rubs off on the team.

Then there's Samsonov....jeeesus man. If your star players aren't motivated or struggling you need an absolute STUD for a goalie. Someone who'll stand on his head in a 0-0 game and make you want to win the f*king game for him. That's Swayman right now.

[sidsid]

A good NBA comp: the Leafs have the look of the Phoenix Suns in terms of play style, stars and playoff impact, but all 4 main guys are Bradley Beal (right down to playoff success level).

[GoRapstheoriginal]

VANCOUVER CANUCKS WIN! VANCOUVER CANUCKS WIN! WOOHOO! HOORAY! ! !: D!

[metafisical]

VANCOUVER CANUCKS WIN! VANCOUVER CANUCKS WIN! WOOHOO! HOORAY! ! !: D!

As a fan of all Canadian teams, I'm cheering first and foremost for the Leafs, but also my local Canucks (awesome win today -- I recommend everyone watch highlights of the last 3 mins plus OT), Oilers and Jets.

[GoRapstheoriginal]

EDMONTON OILERS WIN! EDMONTON OILERS WIN! WOOHOO! HOORAY! ! ! !

[ATLTimekeeper]

I'm in the minority that thinks this Leaf team is closer to the kind of team it needs to be to win a title than they have been in the past. They are dealing with poor health at the moment, and some weak depth due to a GM that used too many assets to 'buy grit' at the deadline.

After drafting Marner, Matthews and Nylander they've brought in no one significant through the draft. They haven't been successful in cycling out expensive role players for young cheap talent.

[Mikistan]

I'm in the minority that thinks this Leaf team is closer to the kind of team it needs to be to win a title than they have been in the past. They are dealing with poor health at the moment, and some weak depth due to a GM that used too many assets to 'buy grit' at the deadline.

After drafting Marner, Matthews and Nylander they've brought in no one significant through the draft. They haven't been successful in cycling out expensive role players for young cheap talent.

Knies?

[ATLTimekeeper]

I'm in the minority that thinks this Leaf team is closer to the kind of team it needs to be to win a title than they have been in the past. They are dealing with poor health at the moment, and some weak depth due to a GM that used too many assets to 'buy grit' at the deadline.

After drafting Marner, Matthews and Nylander they've brought in no one significant through the draft. They haven't been successful in cycling out expensive role players for young cheap talent.

Knies?

Yes, just one player. Matthews was drafted in 2016. They've had two first round picks make their roster since, and Liljegren is still getting scratched. Sandin was moved to save money.

[JB7]

I'm in the minority that thinks this Leaf team is closer to the kind of team it needs to be to win a title than they have been in the past. They are dealing with poor health at the moment, and some weak depth due to a GM that used too many assets to 'buy grit' at the deadline.

After drafting Marner, Matthews and Nylander they've brought in no one significant through the draft. They haven't been successful in cycling out expensive role players for young cheap talent.

Knies?

Yes, just one player. Matthews was drafted in 2016. They've had two first round picks make their roster since, and Liljegren is still getting scratched. Sandin was moved to save money.

The Leafs farm system is a product of Dubas’ complete inability to build through the draft. All he drafted was undersized skilled players, many of which have not even seen a minute in the NHL.

It will take awhile to correct almost a decade of incompetent drafting.

[Lord_Zedd]

Meanwhile Vancouver robbed Nashville blind and made out like bandits with a 3rd string goalie lol

[Green Backpack]

Hard not to cheer for the Canucks right now. Tough times in Leaf Land and the Jets are really struggling after finishing the season on a hot streak

[LarSiN]

Help us EDM + VAN, you're our only hope!

[Darkseid]

I piss on the Leafs and I **** on their fan base.

Joke team.