2017-18 Toronto Maple Leafs - Playoffs Edition

[Zee]

You would think after 40+ years of heartbreak, I'd be more even keeled when it comes to Leafs losses in the playoffs, but no, last night I was in a dark place.  Even though I knew it was only game 1, and there could be a long way to go, I lay in bed awake for over an hour still stewing about the game. I need help.

The first step is admitting you have a problem. But think back to two years ago, you'd never even imagine being here crying about the playoffs. There are worse fates. You could live in Ottawa or Buffalo.

Oh I realize that.  But after last night's game, and Kadri's inevitable suspension, I could see this series going off the rails quickly and being over in 4 or 5.  Then I'll have to wait ANOTHER YEAR to see playoff hockey.  I ain't getting any younger and the Leafs still aren't any closer to a cup.

 

[rdowdall]

You would think after 40+ years of heartbreak, I'd be more even keeled when it comes to Leafs losses in the playoffs, but no, last night I was in a dark place.  Even though I knew it was only game 1, and there could be a long way to go, I lay in bed awake for over an hour still stewing about the game. I need help.

Yeah,  I used to go to there.  I started to realize it wasn't great for my health, and also, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it, so why get worked up over it.  I wasn't on the ice, I didn't build the team, I'm not making any of the decisions, so I just watch the games and see what happens.  It's fun to see them win, less fun to see guys like Marchand win, but the sun came up today, and there isn't a nuclear war yet, so things are good.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I know that there's been a lot of grumbling about Plekanec's play, and he's for sure been pretty disappointing as a Leaf, but I think we'd all agree that the best he's looked as a Leaf has been when he's been between Johnsson and Kapanen. Let's hope that continues because we're probably going to need a 4th line that dominates possession and maybe pots in a goal if we want to win the series and last night we got the exact opposite of that.

Totally agree. Having a good 4th line is critical to a team's success and the Leafs were very good when this line was together. As soon as Leo came back on that line, it was downhill. He simply doesn't have the speed and isn't a scoring threat. As for the new lines...I'd put Leivo or Johnsson with Matthews before Leo.
As for the game last night. That wasn't a 5-1 game. Leafs made bonehead mistakes. Boston didn't dominate us. My main concern is Hainsey. Absolutely brutal last night. I hope Babs uses Dermott more with Polak on the pk. They work well together. Dermott is all kinds of good.

 

[Zee]

You would think after 40+ years of heartbreak, I'd be more even keeled when it comes to Leafs losses in the playoffs, but no, last night I was in a dark place.  Even though I knew it was only game 1, and there could be a long way to go, I lay in bed awake for over an hour still stewing about the game. I need help.

Yeah,  I used to go to there.  I started to realize it wasn't great for my health, and also, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it, so why get worked up over it.  I wasn't on the ice, I didn't build the team, I'm not making any of the decisions, so I just watch the games and see what happens.  It's fun to see them win, less fun to see guys like Marchand win, but the sun came up today, and there isn't a nuclear war yet, so things are good.

I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind
Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
Oh, ho, ho
Now, don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away
And all your money won't another minute buy
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
Dust in the wind
Everything is dust in the wind
Everything is dust in the wind
The wind

 

[rdowdall]

You would think after 40+ years of heartbreak, I'd be more even keeled when it comes to Leafs losses in the playoffs, but no, last night I was in a dark place.  Even though I knew it was only game 1, and there could be a long way to go, I lay in bed awake for over an hour still stewing about the game. I need help.

Yeah,  I used to go to there.  I started to realize it wasn't great for my health, and also, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it, so why get worked up over it.  I wasn't on the ice, I didn't build the team, I'm not making any of the decisions, so I just watch the games and see what happens.  It's fun to see them win, less fun to see guys like Marchand win, but the sun came up today, and there isn't a nuclear war yet, so things are good.

I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind
Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
Oh, ho, ho
Now, don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away
And all your money won't another minute buy
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
Dust in the wind
Everything is dust in the wind
Everything is dust in the wind
The wind

I still prefer:

We're falling apart, still we hold together
We've passed the end, so we chase forever
'Cause this is all we know
This feeling's all we know

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

Ultimately, who gives a shit.  I've been a Leafs fan for over 30 years, but to hitch up my mental/emotional happiness on the fortunes of a team I have absolutely no control over is not healthy.

 

[Zee]

Ultimately, who gives a shit.  I've been a Leafs fan for over 30 years, but to hitch up my mental/emotional happiness on the fortunes of a team I have absolutely no control over is not healthy.

BS, they ever win the Cup you'll be crying like a baby.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Ultimately, who gives a shit.  I've been a Leafs fan for over 30 years, but to hitch up my mental/emotional happiness on the fortunes of a team I have absolutely no control over is not healthy.

BS, they ever win the Cup you'll be crying like a baby.

Hahaha...we'll all be in that boat!!!

 

[rdowdall]

Ultimately, who gives a shit.  I've been a Leafs fan for over 30 years, but to hitch up my mental/emotional happiness on the fortunes of a team I have absolutely no control over is not healthy.

Yep that's it.  It's a form of entertainment.  It'll make you feel emotions, but after it's over just flush it and move forward. 

Full disclosure, when Kadri hit Wingles last night after he elbowed Marner, my first reaction was "YEAH THAT'S IT".  Then I saw he could've killed Wingles, and I was like "Hunh, probably not a great reaction on my part".  Part of me wanted to watch that push back though.  That "we are not going to be intimidated" reaction.  Kadri took it to far, and I never really got that satisfaction.  Back in the Pat Quinn days, I remember watching games where the Leafs forecheck and cycle was relentless.  Roberts, Tucker, Corson, Green would just roll over guys.  The opposing defence couldn't get the puck out and I would sit back and just marvel at their ability to do that.  But there were also the games where the Devils would only allow them to take 13 shots in a game, and that would frustrate me to no end.  I'll watch the game on Saturday and there will be some emotion attached to it.  And the game after that, and so on. 

One point on the game last night.  Kadri was unhinged.  He didn't play his game.  He was too fired up, and I think that is a detriment to the team, because when he goes too far it hurts the team.  There have been games this year though, where things have gone off the rails, and Kadri will do something to reign the game back in, a hit, drawing a penalty, or scoring a goal.  He needs to be that player if the Leafs are going to do well.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Ultimately, who gives a shit.  I've been a Leafs fan for over 30 years, but to hitch up my mental/emotional happiness on the fortunes of a team I have absolutely no control over is not healthy.

No control? Speak for yourself I'm pretty sure it was my posts that got Matt Martin out of the lineup.

 

[Zee]

Ultimately, who gives a shit.  I've been a Leafs fan for over 30 years, but to hitch up my mental/emotional happiness on the fortunes of a team I have absolutely no control over is not healthy.

BS, they ever win the Cup you'll be crying like a baby.

Hahaha...we'll all be in that boat!!!

Buddy I might not stop crying for an entire day.  Just walk around wiping my eyes "I can't believe it" *sob* "they finally did it!" *sob* *randomly hugs strangers on street with tears rolling down eyes*

 

[ZBBM]

This will only result in Marchand outright frenching Komarov.

There are rules against biting and spitting, etc. but they forgot to account for kissing and licking. I'm not against Komarov lining his jersey collar (or coating his cheeks) with chloroform.

Post of the Century.

 

[Strangelove]

Babcock's solution to Matthews' possession woes is to promote one of the worst players in the league (with atrocious possession numbers) to the first line.

Completely indefensible.

Somehow Babcock manages to keep surprising me with his almost surrealist perspective on how the line-up should look.

We probably don't have any combination of 3 players who could beat the Bergeron match-up. The goal is to get the Matthews line to be able to bend-but-not-break as much as possible while loading up the 3 other lines so we can win those match-ups. It's not exactly a strategy that we should be proud of, but it's probably the only one that'll work.

I don't think setting up to the Matthews line to get dominated in possession is a recipe for success. Matthews needs speed and skill on his wing to create space to make plays, not a giveaway machine like Komarov. He also needs to play better himself, but that's a separate issue.

The line is very likely to be hemmed in their own end every shift.

 

[rdowdall]

Ultimately, who gives a shit.  I've been a Leafs fan for over 30 years, but to hitch up my mental/emotional happiness on the fortunes of a team I have absolutely no control over is not healthy.

BS, they ever win the Cup you'll be crying like a baby.

Hahaha...we'll all be in that boat!!!

Buddy I might not stop crying for an entire day.  Just walk around wiping my eyes "I can't believe it" *sob* "they finally did it!" *sob* *randomly hugs strangers on street with tears rolling down eyes*

I'll be driving to Toronto with my family, getting a spot for the parade.

 

[ZBBM]

As bad as that was to start the playoffs, this is the liveliest the board has been in years.  10000x better to get flushed in the first round than to be in the space we were under Carlyle.  Or Maurice.  etcetcetc

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The line is very likely to be hemmed in their own end every shift.

Right, but my point was any trio going up against the Bergeron unit right now is likely to be hemmed in their own end every shift. This is a problem that we don't have a solution to right now. If we loaded up the top line with Johnsson/Marleau-Matthews-Nylander they'll still get dominated and there'll be one less offensive weapon on the other lines that actually have a chance to succeed.

 

[rdowdall]

Boston it is.

Bring it.

Oh it has already been broughten!!!!!

 

[Zee]

Uhhhh, when's this Kadri suspension number coming?

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

Ultimately, who gives a shit.  I've been a Leafs fan for over 30 years, but to hitch up my mental/emotional happiness on the fortunes of a team I have absolutely no control over is not healthy.

BS, they ever win the Cup you'll be crying like a baby.

Hahaha...we'll all be in that boat!!!

Buddy I might not stop crying for an entire day.  Just walk around wiping my eyes "I can't believe it" *sob* "they finally did it!" *sob* *randomly hugs strangers on street with tears rolling down eyes*

Not saying I don't get emotional.  Sure I was briefly upset last night.  Yes I will cry like a baby when they win the cup.  Just saying to dwell on it for any length of time, is a total waste of time, energy and your own well being.

 

[Highlander]

Ultimately, who gives a shit.  I've been a Leafs fan for over 30 years, but to hitch up my mental/emotional happiness on the fortunes of a team I have absolutely no control over is not healthy.

BS, they ever win the Cup you'll be crying like a baby.

Hahaha...we'll all be in that boat!!!

Buddy I might not stop crying for an entire day.  Just walk around wiping my eyes "I can't believe it" *sob* "they finally did it!" *sob* *randomly hugs strangers on street with tears rolling down eyes*

Not saying I don't get emotional.  Sure I was briefly upset last night.  Yes I will cry like a baby when they win the cup.  Just saying to dwell on it for any length of time, is a total waste of time, energy and your own well being.

Agreed, if the Leafs ruin your well being this is not good.  I was there for the last 3 Cups and have wandered  the wasteland with them for 51 years.  If they lose to Boston in 4 I won't dance in the street, I like watching playoff hockey and rooting for my team, I will cry with you when we win the Cup (in the next 2 or 3 years). Sooner or later it will happen. So relax enjoy the ride, wherever it takes you and don't get upset.