2020-21 Maple Leafs Thread

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mellowjello

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I think Dubas has done a great job improving the team for a run in the playoffs especially considering the cap challenges.
Better balance up front, adding grit and character to skill players.
Improved the defence, added depth to goaltending.
He's done his part, now we'll see what kind of price the players are willing to pay to win.

If they go balls to the wall, good things will happen and I'll be ok with however far they go.
 
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superstar_88

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Jan 4, 2008
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smuddan said:
For the longest time I’ve been very critical of how soft this team was under Dubas’s management and somehow fans like you seemed to think I was such a dummy just because Dubas wanted it that way it must be the right style to win the championship. Somehow Dubas’s light bulb seemed to get turned on and started to add the grit, size, truculence and toughness (Bogosian, Simmonds, Thornton and Foligno) and now you think that’s the best team put together ? Dubas is such a genius!

As you say there’s no guarantee that they’ll go all the way, goaltending and team defence will dictate how har they’ll go, but at least the most glaring weakness has now been addressed and I can finally say that this team is on the right path.
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You're not a genius. No one is saying bigger is not better. No one is saying tougher is not better. Especially for the playoffs. But the way you express it is like skill is not required. Just get hitters. Here's the proof was your doozy. By the way, your Big Bad Leafs took out Ehlers gone for the season.

The Leafs throughout the years during the Matthews era was never a serious cup contender. They weren't ready. They had holes and core was developing still. Marincin as your next man up tells you all you need to know. You make it sound like Dubas is a dummy. He picked up Campbell and Clifford last year because he knew they were required elements. He picked up Simmonds this year because he knew they were required elements. Dubas is not adverse to players like Clifford and Simmonds. You need skill first and foremost. Then augment with the Cliffords and Simmonds. The Cliffords and the Simmonds don't drive the bus. This year they see themselves as legit. Hence getting Foligno.
 
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superstar_88

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Your hate for Nylander. I'm sure if Leafs don't win the easy out is Nylander ain't hitting and Leafs not winning as proof.
 
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smuddan

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superstar_88 said:
Your hate for Nylander. I'm sure if Leafs don't win the easy out is Nylander ain't hitting and Leafs not winning as proof.
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Stop making things up. The part I hate of Willy’s game is his oft lack of focus and attention to his defensive responsibilities. I actually have praised him on numerous occasions when he so deserved. Your problem is any criticism is “hate” when it comes to the Leafs, whether justified or not.
 
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mellowjello

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smuddan said:
Stop making things up. The part I hate of Willy’s game is his oft lack of focus and attention to his defensive responsibilities. I actually have praised him on numerous occasions when he so deserved. Your problem is any criticism is “hate” when it comes to the Leafs, whether justified or not.
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He's just trolling you man.
Otherwise he would have to be a total imbecile to make such an idiotic correlation.
 
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superstar_88

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Ok you're not a Willy hater. I suppose that was a strong accusation. I interpreted your proof of Leafs losing was all on Nylander and his ilk and non hitting ways. Hence less of him and more of well you know. I have my views on why Leafs lost 3 games to 2 to Columbus or even any of their previous playoff matchups all of which went 7 games as underdogs. I certainly didn't see it as proof that they lost because they were outhit. On a lighter note looks like you can book a Leaf Montreal first round matchup.
 
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smuddan

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If the Leafs continue with this rugged in your face style, they better get their power play going as the refs tend to “even things up” and there’ll be more penalties called both ways. Point shots are almost nonexistent and the zone entry is a one trick pony. One guy skates up ice and passes it back to the trailer who will pass it off to either wing. I just don’t understand why they never use dump and chase as an alternative to keep the defence guessing a bit even when middle is all clogged up. They’re just too predictable imo.
 
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John Wick

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While the Leafs have a reasonable chance at emerging as Division champs in the playoffs, anything more is probably just a pipe dream. I count at least 7-8 stronger contenders than the Leafs that they'd have to go through to make any deeper a run in this year's playoffs. Very unlikely. Time will tell.
 
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Insidious Von

Insidious Von

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Sep 12, 2007
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So am I to believe that Rasmus Sandin has been watching some of Chris Chelios's old tapes? I haven't seen that ass to the gut move since he retired. He was nasty, anyone that tried to run him usually ended up spittin chiclets. He was such a grumpy fuck, I called him Chris Smellios. The last game at MLG, the Black Hawks won the game. Right after the siren sounded he shot the puck at the ice level camera. I hated him but I sure as hell respected hit.

Some dumb Flyer tried to run Smellios in this game and got knocked cold with an elbow.

 
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superstar_88

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Him with Poddubny and Peter Ihnacak was a good line.
 
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smuddan

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John Wick said:
While the Leafs have a reasonable chance at emerging as Division champs in the playoffs, anything more is probably just a pipe dream. I count at least 7-8 stronger contenders than the Leafs that they'd have to go through to make any deeper a run in this year's playoffs. Very unlikely. Time will tell.
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I agree, and a lot of those strong contenders are battle tested in the playoffs. There are also uncertainties in goal, Campbell has a lot to prove and Andersen has a history of giving up soft goals in the playoffs.

One advantage for the Leafs though, most of the other strong teams are grouped together in the same divisions so they‘ll have to battle hard against each other to get out of the division. The Leafs will only have to face two of them if they can get out of their division.
 
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superstar_88

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Prediction tonight.
The Big Bad Leafs puts another opponent in the infirmary.
 
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glamphotographer

glamphotographer

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The Leafs can clinch tonight if they beat Montreal in regulation and if Ottawa beats Vancouver in regulation. Right now, Ottawa leads Vancouver 5-2.
 
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