Knies is the real deal.

Stolie-Wollie goalies are the real deal.

This feels different now. The Tampa game could have had a Leafy ending, but it didn't. The guys locked it down and killed the comeback attempt.

Chicago could have been a trap and ended up all Leafy, but it didn't.

JT looks 10 years younger, Marner is looking like Kucherov, Knies is the power forward you need, Papi is back and the pick your poison effect is rolling. Once everyone gets healthy, this is a (frank)ing contender.

No longer a pretender. This team will make it past the second round. That is not a prediction, it's just a feeling I get when I see this team play now. It feels different.

Not saying "plan the parade", but I'm saying it's not crazy to think about it.

BE-lieve , BE-LEAF, BE-rube.
- GalacticStone

(frank) yes

I'm so ready to be hurt again

JT looks 10 years younger, Marner is looking like Kucherov, Knies is the power forward you need, Papi is back and the pick your poison effect is rolling. Once everyone gets healthy, this is a (frank)ing contender.


- GalacticStone

Last night the Prime broadcasters were talking about if JT makes Team Canada this year.

I don't for a single moment think that this is possible, but just the fact that they could have the conversation with straight faces made me all warm and tingly.

OEL played like that in Phoenix when he was under Tippett.
- AdamFrench

Phoenix was a black hole, and dark twisted matter filled the arena; nobody can recollect from that period of time and some say it didn't even exist.

Forget about Phoenix, Adam. For the both of us.

Last night the Prime broadcasters were talking about if JT makes Team Canada this year.

I don't for a single moment think that this is possible, but just the fact that they could have the conversation with straight faces made me all warm and tingly.
- Atomic Wedgie

The panel is pretty weak. And the pizza question, because Boston Pizza. You know he's been a GM for a long time, right? Like, if he was a rookie, ok, but Tree is older than you are.

I assume you aren't including the goalie in that opinion then because IMO Stolarz was the best Leaf last night with some very timely and big time saves to keep the Leafs lead intact.

I was pleasantly surprised with the game several of the Leafs had actually like Minten, Myers, Grebs and Lorentz. It was nice to hear some objective broadcasting also, they were raving about how the Leafs 4th and even 3rd lines this year seem to be a bit of a carousel of players due to injuries but both lines have been very effective. Anyone here think that loser Simpson would ever say that about the Leafs? lol
- Cush29

Absolutely. After sending it I did think to myself, "Well other than Stolarz."

That said there's something about his style that minimizes HD chances. He's so big and covers the bottom of the net so well that as long as the D is reducing time and space, teams can't elevate the puck accurately into the top shelf. So the other team accumulates chances but they don't feel dangerous.

I've said this on other occasions - but it reminds of how Hellebuyck is in net. He is big and uses his size to control plays down low. As long as his defense can be on top of the opposition, they can bang the puck at him as long as they like. It's not getting by him.

(frank) yes

I'm so ready to be hurt again
- Zezel

Why wait until the spring?

Absolutely. After sending it I did think to myself, "Well other than Stolarz."

That said there's something about his style that minimizes HD chances. He's so big and covers the bottom of the net so well that as long as the D is reducing time and space, teams can't elevate the puck accurately into the top shelf. So the other team accumulates chances but they don't feel dangerous.

I've said this on other occasions - but it reminds of how Hellebuyck is in net. He is big and uses his size to control plays down low. As long as his defense can be on top of the opposition, they can bang the puck at him as long as they like. It's not getting by him.
- Monkeypunk

Agreed, the only thing I'd like to see him work on a bit (and yes it's nit picky but it's important come playoffs where dirty goals seem to happen more than not) is his rebound control is a bit wild at times.

Hard to complain about his game at all though, he's been stellar so far.

Knies is the real deal.

Stolie-Wollie goalies are the real deal.

This feels different now. The Tampa game could have had a Leafy ending, but it didn't. The guys locked it down and killed the comeback attempt.

Chicago could have been a trap and ended up all Leafy, but it didn't.

JT looks 10 years younger, Marner is looking like Kucherov, Knies is the power forward you need, Papi is back and the pick your poison effect is rolling. Once everyone gets healthy, this is a (frank)ing contender.

No longer a pretender. This team will make it past the second round. That is not a prediction, it's just a feeling I get when I see this team play now. It feels different.

Not saying "plan the parade", but I'm saying it's not crazy to think about it.

BE-lieve , BE-LEAF, BE-rube.
- GalacticStone

Yup we've kinda been here before. Last year at times things felt like the real deal and the goalies looked like the real deal.
Much like Ohtani and Soto to the Jays....I'll believe it when I see it regarding "things will be different"
Reg season results simply have never equating to playoff results.
Enjoy the games for what they are now.....dont read too much into them

At the risk of sounding negative - not the way he looked yesterday. I know he scored and it was a nice shot, just over the pad - on a play where Nylander did the work.

Matthews has had 3 games this year where his line owned less than 40% of the scoring chances in a game - game 2 against New Jersey and the last two.

He's lost more contested pucks in the last couple of games than I've seen him lose in quite a while. It looks like whatever is bothering him is still bothering him.

I'd also go so far as to say that historically his ability to drive play and drive a line is linemate agnostic. He will fare better with guys like Nylander or Marner or Hyman - but realistically Matthews is typically a takeaway machine, a blockng machine and he can put on stickhandling clinics while burying beautiful shots. He is one of the top-3 players on the planet and even though he's been very effective at times, he hasn't looked complete yet this season.
- Monkeypunk

He didn't skate for weeks, give him some time.

I assume you aren't including the goalie in that opinion then because IMO Stolarz was the best Leaf last night with some very timely and big time saves to keep the Leafs lead intact.

I was pleasantly surprised with the game several of the Leafs had actually like Minten, Myers, Grebs and Lorentz. It was nice to hear some objective broadcasting also, they were raving about how the Leafs 4th and even 3rd lines this year seem to be a bit of a carousel of players due to injuries but both lines have been very effective. Anyone here think that loser Simpson would ever say that about the Leafs? lol
- Cush29

via GIPHY

Last night the Prime broadcasters were talking about if JT makes Team Canada this year.

I don't for a single moment think that this is possible, but just the fact that they could have the conversation with straight faces made me all warm and tingly.
- Atomic Wedgie

There's a sentimentality to some of that and way too much recency bias from the media - but he's at least in the conversation.

If I'm selecting forwards for team Canada, outside of specific role requirements, I'm probably looking at even strength contribution, because that's the separator. Playing on a good PP is one thing, but you play 75% of the game at 5v5.

If you look at even strength scoring over the past 4 years, past 3 years and past 2 years as independent metrics - Tavares averages out to about 20th in Canada among forwards over that time, and this year (and last) he's 14th.

Obviously MacKinnon, Point, McDavid and Crosby are at the top of the list. The best performers at even strength outside of those guys? Hyman (4th), Verhaeghe (5th), Machessault (7th), Scheifele (8th), Hagel (9th), Konecny (10th), Kyrou (11th), Reinhart (12th), McCann and Johnston (13th).

Marner is 22nd, and another good choice for Canada, Bennett, is 34th. Good role choices are Stone and Cirelli.

When you look at the sheer depth of talent and the requirements for some role players, JT is too far down in that depth pool to qualify - but it's still cool that he has played his back into the conversation.

I assume you aren't including the goalie in that opinion then because IMO Stolarz was the best Leaf last night with some very timely and big time saves to keep the Leafs lead intact.

I was pleasantly surprised with the game several of the Leafs had actually like Minten, Myers, Grebs and Lorentz. It was nice to hear some objective broadcasting also, they were raving about how the Leafs 4th and even 3rd lines this year seem to be a bit of a carousel of players due to injuries but both lines have been very effective. Anyone here think that loser Simpson would ever say that about the Leafs? lol
- Cush29

I cannot stand that guy. Him and hughes were pure torture to listen.
But so far, the Prime broadcast have been really enjoyable.

The panel is pretty weak. And the pizza question, because Boston Pizza. You know he's been a GM for a long time, right? Like, if he was a rookie, ok, but Tree is older than you are.
- gravyface

I can recall them...because I watched the games in 720p in Russia in the afternoons after work and wrote about it

(frank) yes

I'm so ready to be hurt again
- Zezel

Hold me. 😂

I cannot stand that guy. Him and hughes were pure torture to listen.
But so far, the Prime broadcast have been really enjoyable.
- Fakepartofme

Agreed the 2 of them get their jollies on ripping on the Leafs constantly it seems like when they are the play by play guys.

I know it won't happen but good lord how awesome would it be to have Jim Ralph and Joe Bowen back on TV doing play by play?

The panel is pretty weak. And the pizza question, because Boston Pizza. You know he's been a GM for a long time, right? Like, if he was a rookie, ok, but Tree is older than you are.
- gravyface

The question I would have asked Tree:

Why did you put Jason Blake back on the Leafs' roster?

Yup we've kinda been here before. Last year at times things felt like the real deal and the goalies looked like the real deal.
Much like Ohtani and Soto to the Jays....I'll believe it when I see it regarding "things will be different"
Reg season results simply have never equating to playoff results.
Enjoy the games for what they are now.....dont read too much into them
- Fakepartofme

I don't remember the Leafs playing well and structured like this. Lots of effort too.

All I am seeing in comparisons to last year is much improved actual play, aside from the wins.

I also remember Sammy not being able to stop a beach ball this time last year.

The question I would have asked Tree:

Why did you put Jason Blake back on the Leafs' roster?
- Atomic Wedgie

That's my joke Wedgie, back the (frank) up or I'll beat the wheels off of you.

That's my joke Wedgie, back the (frank) up or I'll beat the wheels off of you.
- gravyface

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HockeyBuzz Code of Conduct

Everyone here loves hockey. But we all know that hockey fans are a passionate lot, and sometimes our emotions get the best of us. So to that end, we've put together this list of rules. Our goal is to make this a community where everyone in hockey from the common fan to players, GMs and League officials would be comfortable visiting and discussing all things hockey.

Please note that all of these rules apply to everything on the site–that includes your posts, your avatars and locations, and your PMs (private messages).

6. Respect your fellow HockeyBuzzers
No name calling. And you’re not being clever if you say “any moron knows” or “only an idiot doesn’t understand.” You’re being disrespectful. Talk more about hockey and less about each other. Although playful banter is allowed, that does not mean anything goes, if the banter breaks any part of the code of conduct, it isn’t playful and it is not acceptable. When “Player X stinks" turns into "You stink" you've crossed the line. And yes, the Moderators decide where the line is.

No racial slurs or otherwise derogatory comments based on the target's assumed race, religion, gender, country, sexual orientation, or language. This goes not only for posters and bloggers but for players, management, officials, their families, and others in the public eye. This is a hockey forum for hockey discussion, take hate speech elsewhere.

Do not threaten or intimidate others—posters or bloggers. Just don't do it. If you threaten another member, expect a long, long ban.

It is not against the rules for someone to disagree with you.
- Atomic Wedgie

HockeyBuzz Code of Conduct

Everyone here loves hockey. But we all know that hockey fans are a passionate lot, and sometimes our emotions get the best of us. So to that end, we've put together this list of rules. Our goal is to make this a community where everyone in hockey from the common fan to players, GMs and League officials would be comfortable visiting and discussing all things hockey.

Please note that all of these rules apply to everything on the site–that includes your posts, your avatars and locations, and your PMs (private messages).

6. Respect your fellow HockeyBuzzers
No name calling. And you’re not being clever if you say “any moron knows” or “only an idiot doesn’t understand.” You’re being disrespectful. Talk more about hockey and less about each other. Although playful banter is allowed, that does not mean anything goes, if the banter breaks any part of the code of conduct, it isn’t playful and it is not acceptable. When “Player X stinks" turns into "You stink" you've crossed the line. And yes, the Moderators decide where the line is.

No racial slurs or otherwise derogatory comments based on the target's assumed race, religion, gender, country, sexual orientation, or language. This goes not only for posters and bloggers but for players, management, officials, their families, and others in the public eye. This is a hockey forum for hockey discussion, take hate speech elsewhere.

Do not threaten or intimidate others—posters or bloggers. Just don't do it. If you threaten another member, expect a long, long ban.

It is not against the rules for someone to disagree with you.
- Atomic Wedgie

Sam Cosentino Team 🇨🇦 = ❌

- Dozzer

I'm assuming this means Gravsie is off the hook.

I'm assuming this means Gravsie is off the hook.
- Atomic Wedgie

I don’t even fish lol

I can recall them...because I watched the games in 720p in Russia in the afternoons after work and wrote about it
- AdamFrench

you lucky baztard - I've watched many Rangers and Leafs games in worse