I meant the Bruins to go in a tailspin in the playoffs, not the Leafs. Unless your a Bruins fan.
Maple Leafs 2017-2018 Season Thread
- Thread starter smuddan
- Start date
Was Matthews even playing? There is no way he is in the Same universe as McDavid but he'll still be looking for a similar contract this offseason. Should be interesting
This goal. What were you watching? Matthews will get ballpark $80-88 million for 8 years. He missed 10 games this season due to injury and still leads the team in goals and points. Forget McDavid, it's how important Matthews is to the Leafs as a franchise player.
Do you have inside information to Matthews' contract demand or are you just speculating based on fake news ?
The Ottawa Senators are so irrelevant that Google didn't even cover the Anselmi firing. Erik Karlsson looks like he's still dealing with his foot injury, let's hope he doesn't end up like Peter Forsberg.
McDavid has more pure talent than Matthews, but the Leaf has more guile. And the Leafs didn't draft haphazardly. Woodbridge lad Chris Di Domenico took the long way around to get to the NHL, he was drafted 164 by the Leafs. The Leafs had traded away most of their picks for that year (Grazie Brian Burke) and the others chosen ahead of him are not in the NHL.
McDavid has more pure talent than Matthews, but the Leaf has more guile. And the Leafs didn't draft haphazardly. Woodbridge lad Chris Di Domenico took the long way around to get to the NHL, he was drafted 164 by the Leafs. The Leafs had traded away most of their picks for that year (Grazie Brian Burke) and the others chosen ahead of him are not in the NHL.
Pure talent alone doesn't make you the best player in the league. In today's game, it can be argued that Patrice Bergeron is the overall best player in the league as he plays the all important centre position and is one of the best players in ALL situations on the ice. He makes everyone else around him better. Sure he has a couple of great players on his wings and he doesn't have the pure speed and talent that MacDavid has, but right now, this season, he is showing how great he really is. Matthews will eventually be that type of player. He has already shown glimpses of that after 1 1/2 years in the league. And in the most pressure filled, cup starved hockey market in the world, it looks like he has the personality to handle anything thrown at him. The Leafs have many young players with an abundance of talent and skill which they have displayed numerous times throughout the season. The future is now and for the next 5 to 10 years. If I were the Leafs, I would take a run at Tavares or Doughty in their UFA years. The money they would have spent on JVR and Bozac and possibly Gardiner can go towards adding the one truly great player they would sorely like to have. For this reason, I think after next it year will be their year. And if the Cap goes up between 5 to 10%, all the better.
For those who wonder why 8 years for Auston Matthews? Under the CBA that's the longest a player can sign with his current team. Free Agents from another team can sign a max to 7 years.
Totally agree! ^^^
Now watch all 44 of Awesome Matthews' goals from the 2016-17 NHL season.
The Leafs have looked like lukewarm shit against both the Bruins and the Bolts this year. It could be 4 and out if they get either in the first round.
I'm a little bit more optimistic because of Andersen. He has shown that he has the ability to steal games. The Leafs have feasted on some crappy defences and goaltending but in the playoffs scoring will not come as easy.
Tonight they blew a 3 goal lead but the 3rd line of JVR/Bozak/Brown came through with the winning goal. On the road though that line's inability to defend may be exposed. I think if the Leafs decide to be buyers at the trade deadline, centre depth may be on the shopping list.
Aside from the Boston game, where Boston was just flat out a better team, the Leafs have a set pattern since the All Star break. The beat up on weak teams like Ottawa. With good teams - Nashville, T Bay - they play well in the first 30 minutes and streak out to an early lead. But then, they fold and get badly outplayed and Andersen keeps them in the game. They blew leads against Preds and Bolts and were lucky to hold on for the win in both games. Now to be fair, Bolts and Preds are elite teams. OTOH, Bolts or Bruins is whom Toronto will be up against in the playoffs and they better learn to hold their own against the top teams. Because FA isn't going to keep them in a 7-game series single handed.
The Leafs need a stay at home defenseman, but the Vancouver Canucks are asking for too much for Gudbranson. Lou doesn't trade away draft picks unless he's getting something substantial in return (Anderssen). Lou will make tactical trades - trading Bredan Shanahan to the St Louis Blues for Scott Stevens. Lou will not make sideways trades - he's not Brian Burke.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/erik-gudbranson-wont-solve-maple-leafs-problems-defence/
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/erik-gudbranson-wont-solve-maple-leafs-problems-defence/
You think Leafs need another Hainsey and Polack? Really? Did you see how Marner beat out slow footed Phaneuf on an icing then taking advantage of a turnover for a goal? Speed is what wins. Changing Martin for Kapanen makes the 4th line dangerous rather than a danger to themselves.
