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Play-in Round: Toronto Maple Leafs (8) vs Columbus Blue Jackets (9)

Yeah, I mean the Lightning and the Leafs have had similar success in recent years. Can't believe they aren't treated the same.
 
zeke said:
The Leafs have never, ever rolled over and choked like the Bolts did last year.
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On the flipside, the core of that Tampa team got within two wins of a Stanley Cup in 2015.

So the Leafs haven’t gotten anywhere near Tampa’s low or high-water marks.
 
zeke said:
No it comes from conflating decades of other leafs teams' failures with this leafs team.
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This Leafs team has not been as successful as the Lightning in any facet over the last 4-5 seasons where a good number of our current players have been on the team. When the Leafs make a conference final or do anything of consequence in the playoffs they can also get the benefit of the doubt after choking away a 1st round matchup. Mind you Tampa didn't have Hedman for a good portion of that series too.
 
leaffan2005 said:
This Leafs team has not been as successful as the Lightning in any facet over the last 4-5 seasons where a good number of our current players have been on the team. When the Leafs make a conference final or do anything of consequence in the playoffs they can also get the benefit of the doubt after choking away a 1st round matchup. Mind you Tampa didn't have Hedman for a good portion of that series too.
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So Tampa lost four times in the last decade in 6 or 7 games against the top teams in the NHL. Man that sounds familiar.
 
The Blues and Caps have dispelled the whole notion of choking teams that just don't have the right mix to win. The important part is having a good team, not what happened last year, or whether people are skeptical. You are going to lose in the playoffs the overwhelming majority of years.

I mean the Hawks and Pens are the dynasties of this generation and they lost in the 1st round two and four times, respectively, during their runs.
 
leaffan2005 said:
This Leafs team has not been as successful as the Lightning in any facet over the last 4-5 seasons where a good number of our current players have been on the team. When the Leafs make a conference final or do anything of consequence in the playoffs they can also get the benefit of the doubt after choking away a 1st round matchup. Mind you Tampa didn't have Hedman for a good portion of that series too.
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1. Yes I agree. The Lightning have been better. This still doesn't change that imo its funny that they can faceplant and choke so badly in the playoffs last year and still be near unanimous picks to win the cup BY THE SAME PEOPLE who keep saying that these young leafs losing 3 very tight series to elite teams should be considered playoffs chokers.

2. What these teams did 5-6yrs ago is irrelevant imo.
 
Let's also note that the Leafs lost those series with a much younger core than Tampa. Plus, of course, a total doofus behind the bench.
 
BeLeafer said:
Let's also note that the Leafs lost those series with a much younger core than Tampa. Plus, of course, a total doofus behind the bench.
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I mean the reason I won't be overreacting to this season is two-fold:

1) First season with Keefe

2) COVID

But I mean at a certain point the excuses need to stop. Those Blues and Caps teams were dangerously close to being broken up and likely would have if they didn't come through in the final hour. Doesn't mean that their finale is the only possible route for a team to take when they continuously face playoff disappointment.
 
leaffan2005 said:
I mean the reason I won't be overreacting to this season is two-fold:

1) First season with Keefe

2) COVID

But I mean at a certain point the excuses need to stop. Those Blues and Caps teams were dangerously close to being broken up and likely would have if they didn't come through in the final hour. Doesn't mean that their finale is the only possible route for a team to take when they continuously face playoff disappointment.
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First season with Keefe would be different if he didn't get the bonus training camp. My view is that this playoffs is a big test for this core to show they can get it done. If not, core changes may well be in store.
 
Ages at Cup:

Top-6 F/Top-3 D:

WSH: 32, 31, 31, 30, 28, 28, 26, 25, 23
STL: 35, 30, 29, 27, 27, 27, 26, 25, 24

TOR: 30, 29, 27, 27, 25, 25, 23, 22, 22
 
zeke said:
Ages at Cup:

Top-6 F/Top-3 D:

WSH: 32, 31, 31, 30, 28, 28, 26, 25, 23
STL: 35, 30, 29, 27, 27, 27, 26, 25, 24

TOR: 30, 29, 27, 27, 25, 25, 23, 22, 22
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Yeah I am not saying they are in the same position as those teams now. I am saying that saying they are following the St. Louis and Washington model doesn't account for the possibility that they will not ultimately break through years from now when the core is becoming old and ready to be broken up cause that happens too. And again those teams ultimately had a bit of playoff success before finally breaking through and the Leafs thus far have not.
 
leaffan2005 said:
Yeah I am not saying they are in the same position as those teams now. I am saying that saying they are following the St. Louis and Washington model doesn't account for the possibility that they will not ultimately break through years from now when the core is becoming old and ready to be broken up cause that happens too. And again those teams ultimately had a bit of playoff success before finally breaking through and the Leafs thus far have not.
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true, but again I have to disagree with the idea that simply winning a playoffs series, regardless of the quality of opponent, means "success".
 
past trials & tribulations make for a nice story but Leafs could win the Cup this year if they play up to their potential.
 
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