Trevor Shackles: Thursday Think Tank: What a First Round Thoughts during a quiet week

It’s been around 25 years since Toronto beat a team in the playoffs that is not the Ottawa Senators. Toronto is in their own category for playoffs futility.
They do have a very talented team. Maybe next year...
I like the idea of Leaman or Mann for the next head coach...

It’s been around 25 years since Toronto beat a team in the playoffs that is not the Ottawa Senators. Toronto is in their own category for playoffs futility.
They do have a very talented team. Maybe next year...
I like the idea of Leaman or Mann for the next head coach...
- SensFan25

Not true.

Islanders in 02. Flyers and pens 99. Etc etc

Hard to compare the current Leafs and the Sens in an earlier history. There is some similarity in the failure to match regular season outcomes once the playoffs start.

But this is the CAP era. So, you can't fiddle around and take 5years to try and get it right.

This Leaf team has huge skill and speed.

But there is no grit, they lack character. On ice leadership is missing in action. I loved Kadri's game against Boston. Once he went out on suspension there was absolutely no jam in the Leaf game.

Tavares is what Tavares has always been. He plays a great individual game and puts up outstanding numbers. But, Tavares has never been able to lead his team on the ice into a serious winning tradition. Is it merely coincidence that the Islanders have played so well this year in the regular season and in the playoffs?

My primitive thesis on the Leafs is this. What would you have if you took the hearts of Tavares, Matthews, Marner and Nylander and sewed them all together? Certainly, far less character and determination than you would want. Skill is a wonderful gift. But in the final game of a 7 game series give me the character and the will to win.

Not true.

Islanders in 02. Flyers and pens 99. Etc etc
- prock

Ok. So only 17 years...

Not true.

Islanders in 02. Flyers and pens 99. Etc etc
- prock

No need for more than one etc......since 94 the leafs only have 6 series wins.

Sens x 3
Isles
Pens flyers

That’s IT

Tavares is what Tavares has always been. He plays a great individual game and puts up outstanding numbers. But, Tavares has never been able to lead his team on the ice into a serious winning tradition. Is it merely coincidence that the Islanders have played so well this year in the regular season and in the playoffs?

- spatso

Coincidence.
Excellent coaching with Trotz, organizational standards under LL and excellent goaltending is why NYI has done so well.
Tavares was a great addition by Toronto and a big part of why they should have beaten Boston this year.

It’s surprising that neither Brady or Matt Tkachuk is on the US roster, especially Matt.

Coincidence.
Excellent coaching with Trotz, organizational standards under LL and excellent goaltending is why NYI has done so well.
Tavares was a great addition by Toronto and a big part of why they should have beaten Boston this year.
- SensFan25

My point exactly. The point is they should have beaten Boston.

Did the miss because of skill? No!

Did they miss because of character and on ice leadership? Perhaps.

Did they show the heart and determination you want to see in a game 7? No!

Oh look.... Prock came out of his hole after the Bruins series

It’s been around 25 years since Toronto beat a team in the playoffs that is not the Ottawa Senators. Toronto is in their own category for playoffs futility.
They do have a very talented team. Maybe next year...
I like the idea of Leaman or Mann for the next head coach...
- SensFan25

Too funny. The first thing this guy thinks about is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sure the Maple Leafs had a disappointing 100 point season and a disappointing playoff, losing to the team with the second most points in the regular season in Seven games.

Ottawa came dead last. They traded their own 1st rounder away. Sure they are the "rebuilding Ottawa Senators" but they continue to be a budget team with an owner who has proven he won't sign his stars to long term deals. So, say bye bye to Chabot, Tkachuk et al when they need to get paid.

The Leafs had been horrible for the better part of the last 50 years. Zero Cups over that period. The same as the Ottawa Senators. Congrats on that runner up finish a decade tho

Wait... the Sens have NEVER won a game 7?

No need for more than one etc......since 94 the leafs only have 6 series wins.

Sens x 3
Isles
Pens flyers

That’s IT
- sensarmy_11

SensArmy....Go hang up your "series win" banner if it helps you sleep at night. You support a team with a mickey mouse owner who lost his three best players recently because he won't pay them. Worry about that...

Hard to compare the current Leafs and the Sens in an earlier history. There is some similarity in the failure to match regular season outcomes once the playoffs start.

But this is the CAP era. So, you can't fiddle around and take 5years to try and get it right.

This Leaf team has huge skill and speed.

But there is no grit, they lack character. On ice leadership is missing in action. I loved Kadri's game against Boston. Once he went out on suspension there was absolutely no jam in the Leaf game.

Tavares is what Tavares has always been. He plays a great individual game and puts up outstanding numbers. But, Tavares has never been able to lead his team on the ice into a serious winning tradition. Is it merely coincidence that the Islanders have played so well this year in the regular season and in the playoffs?

My primitive thesis on the Leafs is this. What would you have if you took the hearts of Tavares, Matthews, Marner and Nylander and sewed them all together? Certainly, far less character and determination than you would want. Skill is a wonderful gift. But in the final game of a 7 game series give me the character and the will to win.
- spatso

The only part you got wrong was Tavares. This isn't on him or Marner. They were tasked with playing against the best line in hockey. They did OK.

Also, they are not penalty killers, they are not the goalie who crumbles under pressure, and they are not the PP that gets taken off the ice after 40 seconds.

Both may have been asked to compete, and said no?

I wouldn't expect Matthew to play, since his ELC is expiring. He shouldn't risk getting injured while his agent is demanding big dollars for his next contract. If he had signed an 8 year extension, already, then he'd be much more likely to go.

Both may have been asked to compete, and said no?

I wouldn't expect Matthew to play, since his ELC is expiring. He shouldn't risk getting injured while his agent is demanding big dollars for his next contract. If he had signed an 8 year extension, already, then he'd be much more likely to go.
- You'reWrongBecause...

Reply fail. This was in response to sensfan's post about the Tkachuk boys and Team USA.

Lols... Leafs fans have to fact check a comment about 25 years with no playoff win to say its only been 17 years instead... These guys really miss the forest for the trees.

Not true.

Islanders in 02. Flyers and pens 99. Etc etc
- prock

Great fact check... Typical leafs fan

The only part you got wrong was Tavares. This isn't on him or Marner. They were tasked with playing against the best line in hockey. They did OK.

Also, they are not penalty killers, they are not the goalie who crumbles under pressure, and they are not the PP that gets taken off the ice after 40 seconds.
- Aetherial

WRONG!
its on Tavares because Toronto put it on Tavares! You leafs people anointed Tavares as the second coming of Gretzky! The day he signed with the leafs.. it was written in stone.. that the leafs would hoist the cup this season.. he was the missing piece... even at the end Tavares was having "a career season" lets be honest... that's laughable
the guy was surrounded by a dynamic elite line up this season..88 points or something like that?? a few point difference from his time on the Islanders when he had my grand mother skating on his wing!..
the leafs lost because they have no heart.. they had nothing to rally around... and they all assumed Tavares was going to guarantee them a cup... its a team full of money making slackers!
ohh and UNCLE LOU KNOWS HIS CRAFT.... dubas.. not so much !
ROUND#2ISLES IN 6

Great fact check... Typical leafs fan
- kaptaan

LEAFS FANS ARE ONLY SEEING THE WORLD THRU BLUE COLORED GLASSESS!.. leafs fans are snowflakes anyway !

My point exactly. The point is they should have beaten Boston.

Did the miss because of skill? No!

Did they miss because of character and on ice leadership? Perhaps.

Did they show the heart and determination you want to see in a game 7? No!
- spatso

I would add to your excellent commentary that the leafs in general play tentative and afraid to lose since they get built up so high every time by the Torontoe media and the fanbase, in game 7.

This leads to a paralyzing fear and they fulfill the choke expectations.

You can see what the players and organization are afraid of in the commentary after the loss. Blaming guys like the goalchie, the coach, the GM, the one guy who was shooting and scoring Mathews, etc etc is it any wonder they are destined for failure?

WRONG!
its on Tavares because Toronto put it on Tavares! You leafs people anointed Tavares as the second coming of Gretzky! The day he signed with the leafs.. it was written in stone.. that the leafs would hoist the cup this season.. he was the missing piece... even at the end Tavares was having "a career season" lets be honest... that's laughable
the guy was surrounded by a dynamic elite line up this season..88 points or something like that?? a few point difference from his time on the Islanders when he had my grand mother skating on his wing!..
the leafs lost because they have no heart.. they had nothing to rally around... and they all assumed Tavares was going to guarantee them a cup... its a team full of money making slackers!
ohh and UNCLE LOU KNOWS HIS CRAFT.... dubas.. not so much !
ROUND#2ISLES IN 6
- cmimbri

uh

uh
- Aetherial

uhh???

If they hire Yeo...just burn it down.

Leave the Leafs fans alone, they've been through enough these last couple days geeeezus. I was surprised to read Sens have never won game 7, but than I thought about it for a minute and it makes sense.