you could be right
- daeth

no could about it laddy

Ek's super smart wife says it's the SENS so I think this thread is pointless now

Ek's super smart wife says it's the SENS so I think this thread is pointless now
- Nucker101

damning evidence.

damning evidence.
- daeth

Her latest projections have the Leafs finishing 9th...literally the worst position possible

Her latest projections have the Leafs finishing 9th...literally the worst position possible
- Nucker101

The Leafs are pulling a Sens. Damn. This is not good at all.

A lot was made about how the Leafs would struggle down the stretch, with teams playing more defensive hockey, but i think what people missed was that teams like the Sens, that really have no offence to speak of, would have a harder time getting a lead, with which to bore the hockey world. It explains why they've only really been able to beat bottom dwellers, or teams in the 2nd half of a back to back.

Leafs need to win 3 more games than the Sens to pass them in the standings.

I'm not sure if the Sens can muster up .500 hockey now that teams have tightened up.

- daeth

bump

bump
- daws44

- sensarmy_11

A lot was made about how the Leafs would struggle down the stretch, with teams playing more defensive hockey, but i think what people missed was that teams like the Sens, that really have no offence to speak of, would have a harder time getting a lead, with which to bore the hockey world. It explains why they've only really been able to beat bottom dwellers, or teams in the 2nd half of a back to back.

Leafs need to win 3 more games than the Sens to pass them in the standings.

I'm not sure if the Sens can muster up .500 hockey now that teams have tightened up.
- Feeling Glucky?

Since the Leafs have started tightening up and increasing their forecheck, like all good teams do this time of year, you can really see the speed in which they play with.

Still don't see them making the playoffs, they're too young and inexperienced.

We here this every year from Laffs fans, this will be no different. Then they'll start talking about next year. Rinse and repeat.

We are moving into stage II of a typical blue koolaid summer. Fans are beginning to notice the stories being floated that Marner might not be fit enough or ready for NHL prime time. Leafs are a last place team, they are sort of like a very young Edmonton crew of last year without McDavid.

But Leaf fans are great hockey fans and now that the silly summer chatter is winding down, they are getting around to a more balanced level of hockey discussion. We will see the Stage III early season euphoria when they win a few games at the beginning of the season and the Toronto based media predicts good things for them. But the Stage III crash into despair will come like clockwork in early December. Stage IV acceptance of reality will include some anger and frustration but it is not long lasting. And, come early March, Stage I starts again with a high degree of hopefulness as speculation of the guaranteed Tavares signing gets ramped up and fans discuss the great potential of the impending lottery and draft.
- spatso

Post of the year Material

This is an important point. I have always thought the Toronto media had way too much influence in the Leaf decision making. The media creates a theme, they pump the theme and everyone comes to believe in the theme because nobody wants to break the story line.

I believe the Austin Matthews story is a prime example of a runaway theme. Matthews was not even close to being the best player in the draft after Christmas. Both Finns were clearly better and had it not been for the media pumping his story as the Leafs first overall selection he would have dropped to third or fourth. Simply, everyone had too much invested into the storyline too pull back on the story everyone (including fans) wanted to see.

Anyway it will be apparent once the season starts that Matthews (a good player) does not punch in the same class as the Finns. Leaf fans will likely be discouraged. But, I don't think anyone will figure it out. They will wonder why everyone missed on Laine and they will blame Leaf management. They will miss on the pervasive influence the media has on Leaf management decisions.
- spatso

That is my point. It was not a consensus. Even in the TSN survey two scouts shifted to Laine as their 1st overall pick. But the Leafs were way too deep into Matthews to move off their earlier plan. Too bad.
- spatso

It was a controlled time series survey. Two scouts was a huge shift in the base. Headline kept the Matthews pump in place causing some people to believe he was the consensus pick. but if you checked in the body of the story it was apparent that the consensus had been downgraded. Laine had all the momentum coming into the draft. But way too much credibility had been spent on Matthews. He is a good hockey player and he will be fine. But Leafs will regret not taking the superstar.
- spatso

i thought i was very explicit saying I liked the changes the Senators made. But, it is clearly nothing more than opinion on mu part. You cannot forget that I spent many years as a Leaf fan and I sometimes revert to old behaviours of pumping expectations in advance of results.

Marner looked pretty feeble against the US yesterday. Kid is staying in junior.
- spatso

Do you really believe what you just said. Marner is likely going back into junior for another year. This is when teams begin to worry that he cannot make the jump. I am telling you the reviews coming out of the USA WJC are not good on Marner. Nobody has panicked. But if goes back to junior you start to think that he is more Sam Gagner than Patrick Kane.
- spatso

I don't see the Leafs being any stronger than the Oilers of 5 years ago. Do they have anyone as good as Taylor Hall? Don't think so. How many years did it take the Islanders to make the playoffs after drafting Tavares?

Don't think it serves any purpose to raise expectations based on the performance of a group of young players that have not yet played a full NHL season.

We don't know if Marner is the next Patrick Kane. Perhaps he is Sam Gagner, another of those sure fire first round Oiler picks of the past. I like how Shanahan is managing the rebuild. I don't like the way expectations are being raised by some fans and media when there is absolutely no reason to believe the Leafs will be any stronger than what they were last year.
- spatso

Spatso the fountain of Hockey knowledge and fantastic predictions.

So close

We are at the mythical Stage V that was never even thought possible

Spatso the fountain of Hockey knowledge and fantastic predictions.

So close
- senstroll

jesus dude, you need to get a job or something

how do you have time to go back through 600 pages of verbal diarrhea

that being said, while spatso is clearly out to lunch, there are some leaf fans cough prock cough cough who are just as delusional the other way

jesus dude, you need to get a job or something

how do you have time to go back through 600 pages of verbal diarrhea

that being said, while spatso is clearly out to lunch, there are some leaf fans cough prock cough cough who are just as delusional the other way
- sensarmy_11

is prock really a leafs fan or is he spatso just trolling you??

To be fair, the Jackets gave the Leafs kids all they could handle. Very good team there and fully expect the two clubs to battle at the top of the Eastern Conference for many a year to come. They just couldn't cope with the skill and speed of the Leafs unfortunately. Was impressed with the D corps and forwards on the 7 minute PK. Just glad there was was Dion on that kill as we know how it would've ended. All in all, just got to love the heart and humility of this very very young team.
- walshyleafsfan

Hummmm, seven minute PK.

Please explain why that happened.

Hummmm, seven minute PK.

Please explain why that happened.
- D0PPELGANGER

Polak hit a guy who turned at the last minute, and the ref made a bad call.

Polak hit a guy who turned at the last minute, and the ref made a bad call.
- Feeling Glucky?

So he got 5 and a game ........... where did the addition 2 minutes come from?

jesus dude, you need to get a job or something

how do you have time to go back through 600 pages of verbal diarrhea

that being said, while spatso is clearly out to lunch, there are some leaf fans cough prock cough cough who are just as delusional the other way
- sensarmy_11

I have a Job..But would prefer not to have one actually.

Spatso the fountain of Hockey knowledge and fantastic predictions.

So close
- senstroll

Jesus. Could you imagine Matthews going 3rd or 4th? He's not even in the same class as Puljujarvi

So he got 5 and a game ........... where did the addition 2 minutes come from?
- D0PPELGANGER

Nobody was put in the box, had to play until the whistle.

was 6:53

I have a Job..But would prefer not to have one actually.
- senstroll

I've always wondered, what type of employer allows it's employees to spend time on the "inter webs" on none employer related sites?

jesus dude, you need to get a job or something

how do you have time to go back through 600 pages of verbal diarrhea

that being said, while spatso is clearly out to lunch, there are some leaf fans cough prock cough cough who are just as delusional the other way
- sensarmy_11

To be fair you don't need to go through 600 pages to find Spatso making a Richard out of himself. You just need to pick a number from 1 - 600

Hummmm, seven minute PK.

Please explain why that happened.
- D0PPELGANGER

Babcock gambled and lost, and won

Nobody was put in the box, had to play until the whistle.

was 6:53
- senstroll

Did someone choose not to put someone in the Box, or was is it an oversight?

Does the NHL allow this?