Not kidding - opposing players ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND. You should go out and make it as difficult for opposition as you can. Finish checks, and if hurt is a result, so be it. Enough with the participation crap. The Blackhawks are out of the playoffs, now it is time for them to hurt the remaining playoff teams. Don't intentionally injure, but don't let them have their way either. Do you not understand that?
- powerenforcer

It is hockey after all there is suppose to be hatred its suppose to be a rivalry

It was another very pleasing game for me last night at Scotiabank Arena.
- RickJ

Wasn't it though! I love the excuses coming out of the dressing room and Leafs Nation.

It is hockey after all there is suppose to be hatred its suppose to be a rivalry
- vandymeer23

You can have rivalry without suggesting you take out a guys knees, hospitalize or try to decapitate him.

Wasn't it though! I love the excuses coming out of the dressing room and Leafs Nation.
- paulr

babcock is overrated.

Boston is going to beat them....and Im going to be ecstatic as the Canadian media guys melt down......

babcock is overrated.

Boston is going to beat them....and Im going to be ecstatic as the Canadian media guys melt down......
- SteveRain

Over/Under 2 wins for Toronto.....I'm taking the under.

Over/Under $9.5 mil for Marner...I'm taking the over.

babcock is overrated.

Boston is going to beat them....and Im going to be ecstatic as the Canadian media guys melt down......
- SteveRain

Babcock is a very good coach, he just doesn't have the pieces. You think the Hawks blueline is bad, the Leafs blueline isn't much better.

Hopefully he throws legal hits. Marchment was a scumbag.
- HawkintheD

this team needs a lil of the nasty. Besides Cagiulla and Murphy a bunch of lady byng pee wees on the ice.

babcock is overrated.

Boston is going to beat them....and Im going to be ecstatic as the Canadian media guys melt down......
- SteveRain

Going to be a BOS/TBL ECF. If BOS stays healthy it could be a marathon series.

this team needs a lil of the nasty. Besides Cagiulla and Murphy a bunch of lady byng pee wees on the ice.
- vandymeer23

Compared to Marchment, Cagiulla and Murphy are both "Lady Bing Pee Wees".

Wasn't it though! I love the excuses coming out of the dressing room and Leafs Nation.
- paulr

Stanbo should be able to get himself a real deal this summer on Garrett Sparks.
And Babcock will buy his airline ticket and pay all delivery charges to destination.

Babcock is a very good coach, he just doesn't have the pieces. You think the Hawks blueline is bad, the Leafs blueline isn't much better.
- paulr

what the Canadian media builds him up as, he's overrated. That's a little on babcock and more so on the Canadian press.

Id take Cooper over him today.

Any word on Cale Morris?

Stanbo should be able to get himself a real deal this summer on Garrett Sparks.
And Babcock will buy his airline ticket and pay all delivery charges to destination.
- RickJ

I know Garrett. A stand up, hard working, and high integrity guy who would seriously be an upgrade over anyone in Rockford right now.

Stanbo should be able to get himself a real deal this summer on Garrett Sparks.
And Babcock will buy his airline ticket and pay all delivery charges to destination.
- RickJ

I can't wait for Marner's contract to be signed because they Leafs are going to have a fire sale.

Going to be a BOS/TBL ECF. If BOS stays healthy it could be a marathon series.
- Return of the Roar

I don't get to see many TBL games.

I think the east is going to be a blood bath. Columbus could be dangerous as a WC team.

West I would like to see Jets, or Sharks.

Please enlighten us.....

So why even listen to what any player, coach, executive who is part of the organization says? Including announcers. Why buy into what a guy says about a prospect, etc.

Its called accountability. Something the real world revolves in. If you go on record saying that you think this is a playoff team and it doesn't make the playoffs then it failed to meet HIS, not mine, not yours, not any other posters, but McDonough's expectations.

That is a fact. Now what will come of it? I bet nothing.....they'll spin their way around it, and I think Bowman having made 2 nice trades in season bought himself a longer leash.

But yes, I care about what a team thinks about it's expectations because otherwise we can go back to 1999 and enjoy more dark days when it was all about making money and nothing on the ice mattered.

And btw....hes not an idiot. You're a joke for being a keyboard ninja.
- SteveRain

I bet nothing as well. You can call it spin but some of the course corrections made, along with players like 19 and 20 reversing their engines to where there playing good hockey again (great in the case of 19), I imagine have the team thinking they can be in the mix next season.

I do think the in season moves Bowman made, possibly gave him more life here as GM. It was alluded to as much in the Athletic the other day as apparently his ouster was considered.

I've said it before, but like it or not, winning Cups, buys the FO time...and 3 in a Hard Cap world will definitely buy you some time.

There definitely needs to be accountability and I imagine McDonough is more bummed out about not making the playoffs than anyone here. I also imagine if things actually looked as bleak as some on here post, Bowman would be gone.

There's accountability and there's unrealistic accountability. Even when the Hawks were winning Cups it just didn't seem enough for some...not saying you...the object of the original comment for sure, but agree with Mo that he shouldn't be called an idiot for his opinion.

I can't wait for Marner's contract to be signed because they Leafs are going to have a fire sale.
- paulr

Ha...I was thinking the same thing.

I believe it was Versteeg who had his car keyed when he was with the leafs in 2010-11. Could be wrong, but I recall a story about that.

Maybe Bowman can give Dubas (spell) some tips...…...

babcock is overrated.

Boston is going to beat them....and Im going to be ecstatic as the Canadian media guys melt down......
- SteveRain

Are you kidding - at least half of the Canadian media guys want the Leafs to lose badly. Then they will have 3 months of subject matter to rip into Babcock, Mathews, the General Manager, Brendan Shanahan, Bettman and ticket prices.

I know Garrett. A stand up, hard working, and high integrity guy who would seriously be an upgrade over anyone in Rockford right now.
- Return of the Roar

Might be a great guy but the on ice performance has not been good at the NHL level. Change of address would probably help.

what the Canadian media builds him up as, he's overrated. That's a little on babcock and more so on the Canadian press.

Id take Cooper over him today.
- SteveRain

While it's hard to assess a coach because he's only as good as the talent he has, what Babcock did with the team Canada Olympic was sheer genius. No other team could get the puck and at no time was Canada in any jeopardy. I have no idea how to compare two coaches when one has a solid well balanced team and the other has a strong forward group and no defense?

Might be a great guy but the on ice performance has not been good at the NHL level. Change of address would probably help.
- RickJ

Yes. TO not a player friendly environment, but his numbers are better than Delia's.

Are you kidding - at least half of the Canadian media guys want the Leafs to lose badly. Then they will have 3 months of subject matter to rip into Babcock, Mathews, the General Manager, Brendan Shanahan, Bettman and ticket prices.
- RickJ

Doesn't sound all that different from some of the posters here.

You can have rivalry without suggesting you take out a guys knees, hospitalize or try to decapitate him.
- paulr

If you would read my posts instead of reacting to them, I said not to cheapshot. But please finish checks, especially along the boards. If an injury happens (See Drake), well so be it.

I bet nothing as well. You can call it spin but some of the course corrections made, along with players like 19 and 20 reversing their engines to where there playing good hockey again (great in the case of 19), I imagine have the team thinking they can be in the mix next season.

I do think the in season moves Bowman made, possibly gave him more life here as GM. It was alluded to as much in the Athletic the other day as apparently his ouster was considered.

I've said it before, but like it or not, winning Cups, buys the FO time...and 3 in Hard Cap world will definitely buy you some time.

There definitely needs to be accountability and I imagine McDonough is more bummed out about not making the playoffs than anyone here. I also imagine if things actually looked as bleak as some on here post, Bowman would be gone.

There's accountability and there's unrealistic accountability. Even when the Hawks were winning Cups it just didn't seem enough for some...not saying you...the object of the original comment for sure, but agree with Mo that he shouldn't be called an idiot for his opinion.
- HawkintheD

I think the players are as well....guys like Kane and Crawford you could sense it reading quotes today.

Im sure the entire organization is. Look its' a fickle fan base, they are DAMN lucky the Bulls are a complete joke or else the discretionary dollar battle would be worse. That's the whole key....they need spots to stay relevant in the "band wagon" fan's mind to help fill the UC, buy the merchandise, tv ratings, etc.

I went to some god awful games back in the late 90s. They lost 1-0 vs Kings in December 1 year and there was maybe 6K in attendance. Maybe. I got free seats from the hawks in 2005 vs Anaheim sat right in front of a suite in the 100 level.

My expectations as a fan are to maximize the window they have for Kane/Toews while they are still in their prime because its' very rare to have 2 great players at the same time, and both of those guys not are only great in the regular season but they are clutch in the playoffs. Huge X factor there.

If you haven't read Kane's quote today about being bummed about season ending and being in his prime, that's my "unrealistic" fandom as some call it. Grateful for the 3 titles, but always want more.

I always hate the argument of "you should be happy they won" that's the old 1985 bears excuse. Great they won.....but now looking back they are just as a big as a failure for not winning in 86/87 or even 89 then they are a success for winning in 85. That's what makes Jordan's Bulls and Toews/Kanes Hawks so great......multiple titles.

And if the theo worshippers on the north side dont' wake up, they will be reflecting in a decade about how the Cubs should have won more with that team then 1, and they'd be 100% right.

If you would read my posts instead of reacting to them, I said not to cheapshot. But please finish checks, especially along the boards. If an injury happens (See Drake), well so be it.
- powerenforcer

Oh come on! It isn't me who routinely adds comments like "tears his knee up", "hurts him", "takes him out" or "break his head" etc. You may say clean hits but your wish of injuries on other players suggest otherwise.