I feel if you looked at film footage of the bench of the team behind on the scoreboard for every hockey fight in history it would look pretty much like the Leafs bench during that fight and there would be no correlation with the subsequent results of the game or the team's overall record.

I feel if you looked at film footage of the bench of the team behind on the scoreboard for every hockey fight in history it would look pretty much like the Leafs bench during that fight and there would be no correlation with the subsequent results of the game or the team's overall record.
- Zezel

Agreed however it would appear the Good Doctor seems to disagree with this factually accurate AF statement for whatever reason.

Agreed however it would appear the Good Doctor seems to disagree with this factually accurate AF statement for whatever reason.
- Cush29

Im not a doctor. Sorry i think the reaction, especially Robertson was amateur. Maybe thats why hes out. Gud pros dont react like that when losing. Get to work. and they mailed it in.

im now branching out into pro sports. Maybe go grab a third Master's
- drexel

Interesting.

In my experience those who have exceptionally high levels of education (i.e. 2 masters) generally don't even publicly mention it let alone post about it on a hockey rumour website. One of those highly educated types I happen to know personally once told me bragging about his education is viewed by many in that group as being akin to when children say "my dad can beat up your dad".


Good luck in your studies.

Im not a doctor. Sorry i think the reaction, especially Robertson was amateur. Maybe thats why hes out. Gud pros dont react like that when losing. Get to work. and they mailed it in.
- drexel

2 masters and not a doctor? Tsk Tsk.

If that's the case i guess Matthews and Domi will be scratched next game since they also seemed gleeful and reacted as such.

Interesting.

In my experience those who have exceptionally high levels of education (i.e. 2 masters) generally don't even publicly mentioned it let alone post about it on a hockey rumour website. One of those highly educated types I happen to know personally once told me bragging about his education is viewed by many in that group as being akin to when children say "my dad can beat up your dad".


Good luck in your studies.
- Cush29

Trust the Science! thats me

2 masters and not a doctor? Tsk Tsk.

If that's the case i guess Matthews and Domi will be scratched next game since they also seemed gleeful and reacted as such.
- Cush29

maybe they got the bulk of the 4 shots in the 3rd

Matthews > Ovi.

Matthews > Ovi.
- GalacticStone

currently? yes

tough comparison. DIff position. AM way better defensively. OV has crushed peeps and AM34 has like 3 hits.

Well, just finished moving 2.2m fish over the last 2 days, now I’m broken again

Time to stop for some Molson Ultra before bball practice

I feel if you looked at film footage of the bench of the team behind on the scoreboard for every hockey fight in history it would look pretty much like the Leafs bench during that fight and there would be no correlation with the subsequent results of the game or the team's overall record.
- Zezel

Well momentum and confidence is a thing, and you being on a couch watching instead of a teammate means you don't know if it had any effect on them.

But even if you are right, hockey is entertainment. If it was not entertaining then nobody would watch.

One thing is for certain, fans love to watch what Reaves did, and brought them back into the game which I would argue is important.

Get your sh!t together. I need the Leafs to go deep in the PO's for my cash pool.

Well momentum and confidence is a thing, and you being on a couch watching instead of a teammate means you don't know if it had any effect on them.

But even if you are right, hockey is entertainment. If it was not entertaining then nobody would watch.

One thing is for certain, fans love to watch what Reaves did, and brought them back into the game which I would argue is important.
- Santo_44

My guess is that the hits threw at Hedman and Dumba (I think) were more impactful on the outcome than his fight with Jeannot.

currently? yes

tough comparison. DIff position. AM way better defensively. OV has crushed peeps and AM34 has like 3 hits.
- drexel

Yeah, it's an apples and oranges comparison. The Cup tips the scales to Ovi and he has a big head start. In the end, I think Matthews passes him before he retires one day with a Cup of his own.

I don't know why the Leafs management have a love affair with Timothy Liljegren? He's very timid and not strong enough along the boards. They complain about Timmins being injured a lot. Have they looked at the time that Liljegren has been out of the lineup the last few years? I'll take Timmins over him any day. At least he can skate the puck out of danger and makes a great first pass, plus he has a better reach capacity. Play Liljegren and you will surely lose.


Lilly grin is getting quite good on the power play - watch intently...he will be
the right shot power play defenseman for years to come....he still needs to improve
playing tight defense, but he's just now maturing into a nice RHD...by the way I like
Timmins as well.

I don't know why the Leafs management have a love affair with Timothy Liljegren? He's very timid and not strong enough along the boards. They complain about Timmins being injured a lot. Have they looked at the time that Liljegren has been out of the lineup the last few years? I'll take Timmins over him any day. At least he can skate the puck out of danger and makes a great first pass, plus he has a better reach capacity. Play Liljegren and you will surely lose.


Lilly grin is getting quite good on the power play - watch intently...he will be
the right shot power play defenseman for years to come....he still needs to improve
playing tight defense, but he's just now maturing into a nice RHD...by the way I like
Timmins as well.
- paulozz

You can't have both on the same team. Both aren't defensively aware. At best, both are 3rd pairing defensemen. You can keep one, but having two makes you vulnerable. What both of them do is bring offense and skating into the game.

Well momentum and confidence is a thing, and you being on a couch watching instead of a teammate means you don't know if it had any effect on them.

But even if you are right, hockey is entertainment. If it was not entertaining then nobody would watch.

One thing is for certain, fans love to watch what Reaves did, and brought them back into the game which I would argue is important.
- Santo_44

That's not the convo - I was referring to the players' reaction to the fight not being any different than any other team that's losing at the time of the fight. See above.

Well ROR is essentially their former Bertuzzi, a top six guy who can play physical. Also it was ROR that didn’t want to stay in Toronto.

I like Domi more than Bunting, won’t lie. Bunting got dumped off by a competitor to Pittsburgh and his totals for the year are 45P at 75GP for $4.5 million for 3 years. Domi has 42P at 75GP at $3 million for 1 year. I’ll stick with my preference.

And I’ll take McMann over someone like Kerfoot as well. Cheaper, younger, and has the same talent. May be a touch under developed than Kerfoot but not by much.

As for that 4th line the leafs are far tougher than they were last year that’s for damn sure. As of late they’ve been playing great with a strong physical offence. Not playing with talent as much as their bodies, way better than last year.
- Dozzer

Slightly unfair comparison considering Bunting was on the Hurricanes for the majority of the season and they mostly suppress offense with their style of hockey.

Bunting is a middle 6 winger scoring 50ish to 60 pts a year. He's fair priced and playing quite well in Pitts.

I’m pulling for 34 to go nuts and get 70 this year - but it would be a long shot I suppose. Either way hope he gets to that 66 number. The issue though is a game like hockey night vs Habs needs to be taken advantage of and sometimes the Buds don’t get it together against bad teams (at least traditionally not sure records this year).

Conversely, I saw this about the Oilers…. Absolutely struggling vs top end teams and feasting on lesser teams.

VS TOP 5 NHL TEAMS IN NHL: 4-6-1

VS TEAMS RANKED 6th - 10th: 3-3-2

VS TEAMS RANKED 11th - 15th: 7-6-1

VS TEAMS RANKED 16th - 27th: 21-6-1

VS BOTTOM 5 TEAMS: 10-2-0

That said - any team with McJesus is a danger in playoffs.

Slightly unfair comparison considering Bunting was on the Hurricanes for the majority of the season and they mostly suppress offense with their style of hockey.

Bunting is a middle 6 winger scoring 50ish to 60 pts a year. He's fair priced and playing quite well in Pitts.
- Aaron_85

I’ll take Bertuzzi over that ass in a heartbeat. Let’s face it keeping Bunting at his current price would be the choice over Bertuzzi. No (frank)ing thank you.

I’m pulling for 34 to go nuts and get 70 this year - but it would be a long shot I suppose. Either way hope he gets to that 66 number. The issue though is a game like hockey night vs Habs needs to be taken advantage of and sometimes the Buds don’t get it together against bad teams (at least traditionally not sure records this year).

Conversely, I saw this about the Oilers…. Absolutely struggling vs top end teams and feasting on lesser teams.

VS TOP 5 NHL TEAMS IN NHL: 4-6-1

VS TEAMS RANKED 6th - 10th: 3-3-2

VS TEAMS RANKED 11th - 15th: 7-6-1

VS TEAMS RANKED 16th - 27th: 21-6-1

VS BOTTOM 5 TEAMS: 10-2-0

That said - any team with McJesus is a danger in playoffs.
- Big23Questions

I just don't see the Oilers winning a Cup until they get a goalie, McJesus or not. The guy can't play goalie....if he could the rest of us would be in trouble.

Even if Skinner goes on a heater, it'll be another Roloson affair where the heater goes cold before the Cup is won.

Heads should roll in the Edmonton front office for pissing away McJesus' prime years.

I just don't see the Oilers winning a Cup until they get a goalie, McJesus or not. The guy can't play goalie....if he could the rest of us would be in trouble.

Even if Skinner goes on a heater, it'll be another Roloson affair where the heater goes cold before the Cup is won.

Heads should roll in the Edmonton front office for pissing away McJesus' prime years.
- GalacticStone

Man like someone said here earlier (sorry don’t want back read see who) - I can’t bet against Sid or McJesus. Ever.

Edit: McKinnon is there too now so to correct myself I won’t get against Cole Harbour or McJesus

I’ll take Bertuzzi over that ass in a heartbeat. Let’s face it keeping Bunting at his current price would be the choice over Bertuzzi. No (frank)ing thank you.
- Dozzer

That's fair, its your preference. Leafs are paying Bert 5.5 million for all of 40 points though since you brought up points early. More expensive for less points.

I did read your other posts about putting up with Bunting for 900k compared to 4.5 million. Again, it's valid, it's your choice and preference. I think they both bring something different to the line up and well Bunting had 2 cracks with the leafs in the playoffs. Let's see what Bert does.

I do think 4.5 million for what points Bunting gets is probably relatively fair market value for that type of player across the NHL though. I don't think he's overpaid in general.

EDIT: I quite like Bert in the 2nd half of the season. When they signed him I didn't really care what he did in the regular season, he just needs to show up in the playoffs.

That's fair, its your preference. Leafs are paying Bert 5.5 million for all of 40 points though since you brought up points early. More expensive for less points.

I did read your other posts about putting up with Bunting for 900k compared to 4.5 million. Again, it's valid, it's your choice and preference. I think they both bring something different to the line up and well Bunting had 2 cracks with the leafs in the playoffs. Let's see what Bert does.

I do think 4.5 million for what points Bunting gets is probably relatively fair market value for that type of player across the NHL though. I don't think he's overpaid in general.

EDIT: I quite like Bert in the 2nd half of the season. When they signed him I didn't really care what he did in the regular season, he just needs to show up in the playoffs.
- Aaron_85

As proven with the Bruins Bertuzzi needs some bloody time with a team for him to gel and figure out his roll but once he does look out.

Signing him for a year at his current price is WAAAAAAAAY better than signing that ass for 3 years at $4.5 and I’m thankful the leafs current GM sees it the same way.

I just don't see the Oilers winning a Cup until they get a goalie, McJesus or not. The guy can't play goalie....if he could the rest of us would be in trouble.

Even if Skinner goes on a heater, it'll be another Roloson affair where the heater goes cold before the Cup is won.

Heads should roll in the Edmonton front office for pissing away McJesus' prime years.
- GalacticStone

GSAx since the date of Woodcroft's firing:

Hellebuyck: 36.7
Skinner: 21.7
Markstrom: 21.2
Binnington: 21
Luukonen: 20


Skinner has done more than enough to justify his place. He crapped the bed last year in his first playoff. Let's see how he does this year.

I like the Oilers.

This team is a total blender - outside Hyman-McDavid, they change everyone everywhere all the time up front. The team itself struggles offensively when McDavid isn't out there - and they just play the living crap out of him - but I can say that they play playoff hockey - they are mean, hit hard, pin guys to walls, protect the front. They are prone to a lot of defensive gaffes, which a lot of aggressively offensive teams are susceptible to, but they are a decent mix of speed, offensive talent, and meanness backed up by solid goaltending.

There was an infographic that someone posted the other day showing that the Oilers are a paper tiger because they had a poor record against top teams:

Teams 1-5: 3-6-2
Teams 6-10: 4-4-1
Teams 11-15: 7-6-1
Teams 16-20: 7-4
Teams 21-25: 11-2
Teams 26-32: 13-3

So it doesn't look that great against the upper teams, but if you remove Woodcroft's disastrous first 13 games, they look more like this:

Teams 1-5: 3-1-2
Teams 6-10: 4-4-0
Teams 11-15: 6-5-1
Teams 16-20: 7-2
Teams 21-25: 10-2
Teams 26-32: 13-2

Obviously still bottom heavy in terms of their record, but against those top-5 teams they have been better. In their final 8 games they have Colorado twice, Vancouver and Vegas. I think those games will say a lot about which Edmonton team we have. A red hot Dallas Stars crushed them a couple of days ago and they definitely look cup worthy, but I think the Oilers have the makings of a contender.