OT: Leafs/NHL Thread

[kalel123]

no, this is good. They need to lose in 5. This organization is a joke and they need massive changes across the board. Getting to a game 7 (although unlikely) gives them a chance to give more excuses.

Shanny shoulda been out on his ass long time ago

I don't know. They held out this long with same core again and again for years and same issues and failures. Who's to say, they won't find one more excuse to chug along? Not sure what their problem is. I don't really know much about hockey but just simple common sense and logic would dictate that at some point in time, you can't bring along same core for years that keeps failing and expect different results.

This one is over. Theres no coming back from this one.

Hope you are right. I thought it was over a couple of years ago from what people were saying but it wasn't.

[Potential]

The worst franchise in sports history with no modern day Finals appearances doing what they do best in the playoffs? Wow I'm shocked!

[Westside Gunn]

The problem is its hard to build this type of core again, and highly unlikely they do. It was really a once in a life time opportunity. This season the big 4 almost put up 400 points. Its like the Raptors striking gold with undrafted players and late picks pre 2020. That midas touch is no longer there.

One of the guys that were instrumental in the youth rebuild was an assistant GM named Mark Hunter. He left most likely pissed off after he couldn't get the Leafs GM role which was then given to Kyle Dubas.

[WaltFrazier]

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.

Has the Ben Shapiro and Shatkins duo been the longest serving management besides Beeston? Its really time for them to go as its been a pretty bad stint post Anthobopolous

Shanahan actually did EVERYTHING right. Hired a great coach (in hindsight). Building a stacked squad with Marner, Matthews, Nylander all panning out. Tavares being a good signing. These players do everything right during the season but disappear in the playoffs.

Watching a Leaf score nearly 70 goals should be something to remember, but some Leaf fans like myself were so indifferent to it because of 0 playoff success of this team.

Masai really screwed up with firing Nurse after building a flawed roster. Got nothing for Siakam. The only thing that really kept me interested was Quickley and Barrett. I still think Masai should stay long term though.

Masai and Shanny were both Lieweke finds.

At what point does Lieweke's stint begin to lose its lustre?

[WaltFrazier]

Yep, the new structure is horrible. Winnipeg got screwed this year. Leafs were in a similar situation when they had to play TB in the first round back in '21-'22.

It's not even new is it? They been doing this setup several years, supposedly to build divisional/regional rivalries. It's so stupid, the NBA does it right. The variety of a different matchup each year would be so much better than Leafs vs Boston every year.

The play-in is dumb as hell in the NBA (single game elimination is highly luck-dependant), but the old 1-8 seed structure was perfect.

Yeah I meant the NBA used to do it right, with the old 1-8 set-up by conference. I agree on the play-in.

[wegotthabeet]

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.

Has the Ben Shapiro and Shatkins duo been the longest serving management besides Beeston? Its really time for them to go as its been a pretty bad stint post Anthobopolous

Shanahan actually did EVERYTHING right. Hired a great coach (in hindsight). Building a stacked squad with Marner, Matthews, Nylander all panning out. Tavares being a good signing. These players do everything right during the season but disappear in the playoffs.

Watching a Leaf score nearly 70 goals should be something to remember, but some Leaf fans like myself were so indifferent to it because of 0 playoff success of this team.

Masai really screwed up with firing Nurse after building a flawed roster. Got nothing for Siakam. The only thing that really kept me interested was Quickley and Barrett. I still think Masai should stay long term though.

Masai and Shanny were both Lieweke finds.

At what point does Lieweke's stint begin to lose its lustre?

Lieweke has always been overrated. He was here for a month.

[Dr Positivity]

Matthews and Marner 5 combined points and 2 goals. Not good enough! I think Rielly is also an underrated letdown this year, I'm not seeing much offensive plays from blue line, we know they've never been a dominant defensive unit.

They should've blown up the core after losing 6 straight playoff series in a row from 17-22, or after their 5th when the Canadiens pantsed them. You don't lose **** six 1st round series in a row if you're legit. You do what the Raptors did, you lose 2 or so, then on your 3rd try, you find your playoff sea legs. I think 2023 was the year, I like the depth more with ROR, Kerfoot, Bunting, etc. the road to finals over Panthers and Hurricanes wasn't that bad. And then all it leads to was a 1st round win where they got outplayed and losing in 5 to Florida.

[mdenny]

Marchand's trolling of the leaves in media is comedy gold:

"It's always such a tough matchup and a great rivalry. You never know which way it's gonna go"

"They've adapted their team to play with alot more grit and toughness. We have our work cut out for us".

This dude is legit hilarious.

I still remember the Vancouver Olympics when team Canada was struggling and none of the other stars seemed too gel with Crosby on the top line. Until they went counter-intuitive and put Marchand alongside Iginla and Crosby. That line tweak unlocked the whole team and they never looked back.

Hate him all u want....he is probably the best rat player archetype (Ken Linseman....another Bruin) all time in the NHL.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Trading the core is always a bad idea. Guys get scapegoated, move on, and are just fine. Phil Kessell was a "problem" star run out of town, won 3 cups. Kadri run out of town. Was immature in the playoffs. Won the cup with Colorado.

[will]

When your best players are only the best during the regular season.

[ontnut]

Trading the core is always a bad idea. Guys get scapegoated, move on, and are just fine. Phil Kessell was a "problem" star run out of town, won 3 cups. Kadri run out of town. Was immature in the playoffs. Won the cup with Colorado.

Playoff Marner IS and HAS BEEN a problem though. Whatever it's gonna take to re-sign him is likely better spent on depth/defence/goalies than a guy that underproduces when it matters most.

Part of the problem is we have too much money put into too many of the same player archetypes. Kessel on Boston worked because they were built as a more grinding team, so dropping in a skill player added something they were missing. We're almost completely skill based without much grit at the top end.

[ontnut]

Marchand's trolling of the leaves in media is comedy gold:

"It's always such a tough matchup and a great rivalry. You never know which way it's gonna go"

"They've adapted their team to play with alot more grit and toughness. We have our work cut out for us".

This dude is legit hilarious.

I still remember the Vancouver Olympics when team Canada was struggling and none of the other stars seemed too gel with Crosby on the top line. Until they went counter-intuitive and put Marchand alongside Iginla and Crosby. That line tweak unlocked the whole team and they never looked back.

Hate him all u want....he is probably the best rat player archetype (Ken Linseman....another Bruin) all time in the NHL.

People hate him because of just how damn effective he is. He's so damn annoying to play against, but if he's on your team, you love him. He's like if Kyle Lowry had a Draymond mean streak.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Trading the core is always a bad idea. Guys get scapegoated, move on, and are just fine. Phil Kessell was a "problem" star run out of town, won 3 cups. Kadri run out of town. Was immature in the playoffs. Won the cup with Colorado.

Playoff Marner IS and HAS BEEN a problem though. Whatever it's gonna take to re-sign him is likely better spent on depth/defence/goalies than a guy that underproduces when it matters most.

Part of the problem is we have too much money put into too many of the same player archetypes. Kessel on Boston worked because they were built as a more grinding team, so dropping in a skill player added something they were missing. We're almost completely skill based without much grit at the top end.

Kessel won with Pittsburgh and Vegas. The Leafs don't need less top end talent. They need better grinders and goaltending. Take Tavares money and spend it better somewhere else. Hell, just keeping Kadri and Hyman over Tavares would have been a better for them right now.

[will]

Let's go Leafs.

-Da Rock aka Rocky Maivia

[WuTang_OG]

heard this guy is pissing blood thus the lack of reporting

[WaltFrazier]

Leafs win! I flipped channel depressed about Knicks and saw the goal in OT. A bit of a lift even though I don't care about hockey

[M3tro]

Woah they pulled it off

Stepped outside for a smoke and missed the goal lol

[xAIRNESSx]

Bruins were rolling in OT but Leafs pulled it out.

Tavares driving the play that led to the game winning goal.

[wegotthabeet]

All it takes to win in hockey is a goalie standing on his head. No other position in sports can change the outcome in a comparable way.

[WaltFrazier]

All it takes to win in hockey is a goalie standing on his head. No other position in sports can change the outcome in a comparable way.

Pitcher can come close but they rarely go 9 anymore