2023 NHL Playoffs

[Helmethead]

7 minutes ago, Sir_Boagalott said:

 

I think it did go in, but no angle definitively shows it cross the goal.  However, he does push the goalies pad so if it did cross the line the Panthers would probably have a valid argument to challenge for goalie interference.  

 

It will totally suck if the Leafs lose the game over that call because we will hear Leaf fans whining about it forever.

 

 

It would suck??

 

I think it will be glorious!!

[DON]

Leafs aint dead quite yet, headed to OT?

[Sir_Boagalott]

Big goal by Nylander to tie it but I think they needed to win in regulation.  

 

21 minutes ago, Helmethead said:

It would suck??

 

I think it will be glorious!!

 

 

How would hearing them bitch about it forever be glorious?  I would prefer to see them legitimately choke than have to listen to them claim how they got screwed as per Leafs tradition.    

 

 

 

 

[DON]

17th pick 17th pick 17th pick, Go Leafs!

[Sir_Boagalott]

Might as well pick the scorers:  Verheaghe or Kampf

[DON]

Matthews

[Helmethead]

Florida has to hold for the first 10 min. 
 

if they do. It’s gonna be Matthew Tkachuk

[DON]

Oh well, Leaf heartbreak is always nice.

[DON]

Oilers up 2-1, with 2 PP goals.

[Helmethead]

All is well in the world again. 
 

Waiting for @The Chicoutimi Cucumberto chime in. 
 

 

[Sir_Boagalott]

34 minutes ago, Helmethead said:

Florida has to hold for the first 10 min. 
 

if they do. It’s gonna be Matthew Tkachuk

 

He is a good guess, but he's been surprisingly quiet the last few games.  I almost wonder if he is injured.

 

The Oilers are now officially Canada's team.

 

 

[revvvrob]

Of course I don’t like that the draft pic isn’t 17 any more … but that pain will last only for the next month - as long as HuGo do a good job on draft day. 
 

the pain of hearing about the Maples and their glorious run of 2023 would have been FOREVER!!

 

the best of 2 icky results happened tonight. 
 

now - I guess I need to cheer for the Canes 🤮 for the Eastern Conference Finals. 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

16 minutes ago, Helmethead said:

All is well in the world again. 
 

Waiting for @The Chicoutimi Cucumberto chime in. 
 

 

 

 

Boston, Toronto…they’re doing the Lord’s work 👍👍👍

 

Never thought I would cheer so ferociously for a Florida team LOL

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

11 minutes ago, revvvrob said:

Of course I don’t like that the draft pic isn’t 17 any more … but that pain will last only for the next month - as long as HuGo do a good job on draft day. 
 

the pain of hearing about the Maples and their glorious run of 2023 would have been FOREVER!!

 

the best of 2 icky results happened tonight. 
 

now - I guess I need to cheer for the Canes 🤮 for the Eastern Conference Finals. 

 

Can’t cheer for the Canes because of KK.

 

After what FLA has given us in destroying BOTH the Bruins and the Leafs, they are welcome to win the Cup as far as I’m concerned. However, I’m pulling for Edmonton, like most people around here, I suspect.

[Sir_Boagalott]

1 minute ago, revvvrob said:

now - I guess I need to cheer for the Canes 🤮 for the Eastern Conference Finals. 

 

There is no way that I'm joining the bunch of Jerks.  I'll be cheering for Florida but wont be upset if they lose.  

[Sir_Boagalott]

2 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Can’t cheer for the Canes because of KK.

 

After what FLA has given us in destroying BOTH the Bruins and the Leafs, they are welcome to win the Cup as far as I’m concerned. However, I’m pulling for Edmonton, like most people around here, I suspect.

 

I basically feel the same way with the exception of Tkachuk - he doesn't deserve to win.  They havent had a lot of playoff success other than their run in 96.  They are due and I'd rather seem them win vs Cannes.  

 

I liked Florida back in 96 due to several of their players.  I liked Jovanovsky and Vanbiesbrouck and I always thought the Rags messed up keeping Richter.  Plus, they had Skrudland.  The stupid rat tossing was pretty funny too. 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Just now, Sir_Boagalott said:

 

I basically feel the same way with the exception of Tkachuk - he doesn't deserve to win.  They havent had a lot of playoff success other than their run in 96.  They are due and I'd rather seem them win vs Cannes.  

 

I liked Florida back in 96 due to several of their players.  I liked Jovanovsky and Vanbiesbrouck and I always thought the Rags messed up keeping Richter.  Plus, they had Skrudland.  The stupid rat tossing was pretty funny too. 

 

Tkachuk is a blood and guts player though. A jerk, yes, but still - one of those SOBs you’d love to have on your team.

 

Carolina is not in my troika of Most Hated Teams (TO, Boston, Ottawa, in that order) but all the same, their KK shenanigans were very irritating. If they die an excruciating death next round, I will be pleased. Even better if KK gets 0 points and is, like, -5 again or whatever he was in Round One.  

[Sir_Boagalott]

2 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Tkachuk is a blood and guts player though. A jerk, yes, but still - one of those SOBs you’d love to have on your team.

 

Carolina is not in my troika of Most Hated Teams (TO, Boston, Ottawa, in that order) but all the same, their KK shenanigans were very irritating. If they die an excruciating death next round, I will be pleased. Even better if KK gets 0 points and is, like, -5 again or whatever he was in Round One.  

 

Tkachuck is exactly what you say.  It sucks the Habs drafted KK over Brady.  That was 1 of the dumbest moves ever.  He's even more annoying than Mathew. (who you'd want on your team).  

 

I also want to see the Cannes look stupid for offer sheeting KK.  He's been in the NHL long enough that he should have had a breakout season by now.  

 

 

[Sir_Boagalott]

[Helmethead]

Bouncing between sportsnet, Twitter and the athletic’s message boards is climactic. 
 

I have zero sympathy for Edmonton. 
 

Don’t dislike them, however I’d much rather root for a team like Florida or Dallas who hasn’t had the fortune of drafting in the top five for the better part of what feels like 10yrs. 
 

 

[Sir_Boagalott]

Wow, Oilers are down by 2 but have a 5 min PP.  With their insane best PP in the playoffs can they tie it or take the lead?  Probably.  They're definitely the worst team to get a 5 min major against.  

[Neech]

2 hours ago, revvvrob said:

Of course I don’t like that the draft pic isn’t 17 any more … but that pain will last only for the next month - as long as HuGo do a good job on draft day. 

 

Unfortunately, that pain will last a while. Chances are that whoever we get around #30 goes the way of most of our late first-rounders of the last decade (nowhere), and there will be a few studs picked between 17 and 30 that we'll always regard wistfully.

 

The Leafs and Bruins f'd us.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Stupid leafs!

 

I wonder if Dubas and Keefe are toast?

 

Draft pick sucks but this is an acceptable outcome. Delicious that Mathews/Marner/Tavares/Nylander were non factors. 
 

Your big $ players were useless 

[DON]

A ring for Luongo i would pull for if poor Oilers knocked out, always was a fan. 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

7 hours ago, Neech said:

 

Unfortunately, that pain will last a while. Chances are that whoever we get around #30 goes the way of most of our late first-rounders of the last decade (nowhere), and there will be a few studs picked between 17 and 30 that we'll always regard wistfully.

 

The Leafs and Bruins f'd us.

 

So, the entire future of the Hughes rebuild depends on the #17 pick in this year’s draft? Got it 🤔

 

That being said, I’d have preferred that Boston continue to steamroll, beat Florida and then destroy Toronto, retaining us the #17 pick. When it comes to Toronto, however, I don’t care what it takes - they cannot win the Cup under any circumstances. 

 

Nonetheless, when I watched Game 7 of Round One, I felt a deep joy in seeing the Bruins lose. All the hype about them being better than the 1977 Habs, etc., made that especially satisfying. So ultimately I didn’t even mind that. Plus I’m not so sure *that* group would have beaten Toronto. I think we underestimated Florida.

 

56 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Stupid leafs!

 

I wonder if Dubas and Keefe are toast?

 

Draft pick sucks but this is an acceptable outcome. Delicious that Mathews/Marner/Tavares/Nylander were non factors. 
 

Your big $ players were useless 

 

On a pure analytical level, I find Toronto a really hard team to understand. If I were a Leafs fan, I would have been supportive of their approach up to now. You have a stacked team. Be patient. Let those player learn how to win. Follow the approach Detroit did with Yzerman in the 1990s and ride out the playoff disappointments, knowing that eventually the star power will break through.

 

In terms of team building, I always felt they over-invested in their FW cohort and under-invested at D; but at this point, that’s splitting hairs. You can’t seriously look at that roster and think “yeah, they have fundamental weaknesses, more so than other contenders.” 

 

It really does seem to be an issue of mindset. There is something in that group that just consistently can’t find the next gear at crunch time. (I remember being shocked by their limp effort in Game 7 against us in 2021 - they had given up). Maybe it’s coaching. Or maybe they really do need to move out a key piece and redefine the room. Year after year their big names come up short in the playoffs. At some point it becomes a pattern that needs to be broken by an external force, i.e., a redefining of the core.

 

41 minutes ago, DON said:

A ring for Luongo i would pull for if poor Oilers knocked out, always was a fan. 

 

Forgot about the Luongo angle. Another reason to like Florida. Good point.