Man, I don't know. With all the improvements made to this team, really going all in, can you really put it all on Sammy and Woll or Murray?

I've been pleased with how he's played, and I guess if Murray does return and somehow stays healthy despite wearing underwear with Red Cross on them for the last few years, then do you still really let it all ride on their shoulders?

That's a lot to ask. If there's some fear for me, it seems Sammy shrinks a bit on the big stage.... Like his first game against Washington. Admitted his nerves got to him.

How will his nerves handle overtime in game 6 against Tampa to win the series? Or in game 7?
- Leaffrog

I don't see Sammy being a world beater and I think they're constructing this team so he doesn't have to be. A few teams have won cups the last 10-15 years with guys like Crawford and Niemi between the pipes, not every goalie needs to be Patrick Roy for the team to win the cup.

Guess again (frank)face
- Zezel

Planning the parade are you?

I don't see Sammy being a world beater and I think they're constructing this team so he doesn't have to be. A few teams have won cups the last 10-15 years with guys like Crawford and Niemi between the pipes, not every goalie needs to be Patrick Roy for the team to win the cup.
- joel878

He simply needs to not be the reason they lose and steal a game or two.
We havent had a goalie steal a playoff game in a very long time.
Imo

Planning the parade are you?
- sliprock65

Its been planned for decades.
Have several alternate routes as well in case of construction

I’d say only the winner of each division should get the guaranteed home start then pick the next 6 best teams in the conference.

Division winner with most points vs 8th in the conference
Division winner with 2nd most points vs 7th in the conference
3rd in the conference vs 6th
4th vs 5th
- Dozzer

What's funny is that right _now_, if you did the playoffs as per normal, by winning percentage, you'd have:

Boston (1) vs. Pittsburgh (WC2)
Toronto (2) vs Tampa Bay (3)

Carolina (1) vs. Buffalo (WC1)
New Jersey (2) vs. New York Rangers (3)

If you did it by Conference, you'd have:

Boston (1) vs. Pittsburgh (8)
Carolina (2) vs. Buffalo (7)
New Jersey (3) vs. New York Rangers (6)
Toronto (4) vs. Tampa Bay (5)


In the West, as it stands right now, it would be:

Vegas (1) vs. Winnipeg (WC2)
Los Angeles (2) vs. Edmonton (3)

Dallas (1) vs. Seattle (WC1)
Colorado (2) vs. Minnesota (3)

or by Conference:

Vegas (1) vs. Winnipeg (8)
Dallas (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Colorado (3) vs. Edmonton (6)
Los Angeles (4) vs. Minnesota (5)

The current structure has a lot more to do with the sheer power in the East right now than it does with any playoff format. It sucks that the Atlantic is full of powerhouse teams. The 5 best teams in the league are all in the East, and 3 of them are in the Atlantic.

Internet seems to be back up in milton

Partial internet back up in milton

Internet seems to be back up in milton
- Fakepartofme

Mine is slow and spotty at best - but Waterdown is smaller and probably has parts of it with an older infrastructure than Milton.

Mine is slow and spotty at best - but Waterdown is smaller and probably has parts of it with an older infrastructure than Milton.
- Monkeypunk

Everything grand here in Burlington

What's funny is that right _now_, if you did the playoffs as per normal, by winning percentage, you'd have:

Boston (1) vs. Pittsburgh (WC2)
Toronto (2) vs Tampa Bay (3)

Carolina (1) vs. Buffalo (WC1)
New Jersey (2) vs. New York Rangers (3)

If you did it by Conference, you'd have:

Boston (1) vs. Pittsburgh (8)
Carolina (2) vs. Buffalo (7)
New Jersey (3) vs. New York Rangers (6)
Toronto (4) vs. Tampa Bay (5)


In the West, as it stands right now, it would be:

Vegas (1) vs. Winnipeg (WC2)
Los Angeles (2) vs. Edmonton (3)

Dallas (1) vs. Seattle (WC1)
Colorado (2) vs. Minnesota (3)

or by Conference:

Vegas (1) vs. Winnipeg (8)
Dallas (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Colorado (3) vs. Edmonton (6)
Los Angeles (4) vs. Minnesota (5)

The current structure has a lot more to do with the sheer power in the East right now than it does with any playoff format. It sucks that the Atlantic is full of powerhouse teams. The 5 best teams in the league are all in the East, and 3 of them are in the Atlantic.
- Monkeypunk

Yeah I realize that it still wouldn’t be easy unless Boston fell apart somehow allowing the leafs to catch them (not happening I know lol)

Just I’d like to see a way to keep the better teams in the playoffs as long as possible.

Maybe this years standings is simply saying the leafs need to take down TB to finally get over the first round hump.

Gonna be a damn interesting series this year that’s for sure

I don't see Sammy being a world beater and I think they're constructing this team so he doesn't have to be. A few teams have won cups the last 10-15 years with guys like Crawford and Niemi between the pipes, not every goalie needs to be Patrick Roy for the team to win the cup.
- joel878

The leafs have proof of this with some guy named Murray right? Lol

Watched some Lafferty highlights:

1. The guy can flat out fly, poop he's fast
2. PKs so well he scored 2 shorthanded goals on one PK shift, the same PK shift!
3. Hits like a truck
4. Has good hands too, scores some nice ones

YUMMY

Nah, like the rest of the neighborhood, i frequently zezel moms tunnel once in a while.
- Fakepartofme

Don't get stuck in traffic, she's very popular

This year our holes have been goaltending and depth forwards.
Weve fixed the forward depth, goaltending is a question.
- Fakepartofme

Sammy is 4th in GAA and 9th in S%, and Murray is 9th and 18th respectively. We have a pretty solid tandem, just need Murray to get and stay healthy.

Watched some highlights of McCabe

1. Hits, hard
2. Hits, hard
3. Fights and will stick up for teammates

YUMMY

Don't get stuck in traffic, she's very popular
- Zezel

Traffic is a funny name for your mom, she German?

To add to the Sammy conversation, if he has the stats he has now and the Leafs have just added:

RoR, top defensive C
Acciari, great defensive forward
Lafferty, fast as (frank) and PKer so must be good defensively
McCabe, solid defensive, stay at home type, clears the front of the net

...doesn't it stand to reason that he now has much more help from the players and the results should only get better from here?

Aren't these deals screaming gritty, no quit players that are defensively sound?

Watched some Lafferty highlights:

1. The guy can flat out fly, poop he's fast
2. PKs so well he scored 2 shorthanded goals on one PK shift, the same PK shift!
3. Hits like a truck
4. Has good hands too, scores some nice ones

YUMMY
- underhill14

And we have him next year too

Don't get stuck in traffic, she's very popular
- Zezel

Bro, i got the app! Its like a Nexus card, i skip the line everytime.

To add to the Sammy conversation, if he has the stats he has now and the Leafs have just added:

RoR, top defensive C
Acciari, great defensive forward
Lafferty, fast as (frank) and PKer so must be good defensively
McCabe, solid defensive, stay at home type, clears the front of the net

...doesn't it stand to reason that he now has much more help from the players and the results should only get better from here?

Aren't these deals screaming gritty, no quit players that are defensively sound?
- underhill14

I was going to write something along these lines, but you summed it up perfectly. Dubas really did some solid work.

He has been good for sure.
But
He hasnt been a legit number 1 in his career.
Hes only played 120 nhl games
Has playoff experience which is good
And has health concerns.
So not a hole, but a concern for sure.

Not worth trading for another goalie at this point. Unless its murray out.
- Fakepartofme

I am only concerned for Samsonovs health. Starter or not or how many games doesn't matter. The blues didn't go trade for a legit goalie when Binnington was hot.

And we have him next year too
- Whipper

That's the cool part for him and McCabe, nicely done on Dubas!

And I've never been a fan of his, thought he was too ANALytical and safe. Guess not having an extension worked.

I was going to write something along these lines, but you summed it up perfectly. Dubas really did some solid work.
- Whipper

Even watching the last few games with RoR and Acciari, especially last night against the Cracken, they seemed really solid thru most of the game and when they weren't Sammy bailed them out.

I'm assuming Lafferty and McCabe have enough time to get to Edmonton and we should see the full roster in action starting Wednesday.

Looking forward to watching the team gel before the playoffs. I might actually start getting ZZ level excited.

Even watching the last few games with RoR and Acciari, especially last night against the Cracken, they seemed really solid thru most of the game and when they weren't Sammy bailed them out.

I'm assuming Lafferty and McCabe have enough time to get to Edmonton and we should see the full roster in action starting Wednesday.

Looking forward to watching the team gel before the playoffs. I might actually start getting ZZ level excited.
- underhill14

It will come down to goaltending
Vasilevskiy vs Samsonov
🤨

The leafs have proof of this with some guy named Murray right? Lol
- Dozzer

Yes and Murray did it twice. Aaron mentioned Binnington, there's another one. There's room for an argument that more teams have won with a mid tier goalie than have won with a legit stud like Vasilevsky in the last 10-15 years.

Could probably count Quick during his runs in the Vasilevsky category, is there really anyone else? Where's the best goaltenders in the game been?

Usually if you have to fully rely on a stud goaltender, you have more problems than that stud goaltender will be able to fix.