HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Which final four team is least likely to make it back next season?

Good lord, James. Seriously?

Leafs got out played and out coached in games 6 and 7. Bruins are an excellent, veteran team that can go suck an egg. Don't be a crybaby because your team couldn't rally.

Pavelski will be back. Just came off a 38 goal season, I imagine it's for more than a year. Thornton will be 1 year contracts till he hangs em up. EK probably gone, Nyquist I could see signing. Who wouldn't want to play in California after all?

Would be interesting to see the sharks go after Bob and/or Panarin. Don't know their cap situation, but I'm guessing they can't do both.

Imagine paying Tanner to write this BS lol...

Its like hiring a bus driver without a license

My take would be Carolina. I didn't think they were for real and they proved me wrong for two rounds, but now we're seeing them hit a wall with the Bruins. That goaltending duo has no business playing as well as they have been. I can't see it lasting.

Good lord, James. Seriously?

Leafs got out played and out coached in games 6 and 7. Bruins are an excellent, veteran team that can go suck an egg. Don't be a crybaby because your team couldn't rally.

Pavelski will be back. Just came off a 38 goal season, I imagine it's for more than a year. Thornton will be 1 year contracts till he hangs em up. EK probably gone, Nyquist I could see signing. Who wouldn't want to play in California after all?

Would be interesting to see the sharks go after Bob and/or Panarin. Don't know their cap situation, but I'm guessing they can't do both.
- mgriffen

OK I do cheer for the Leafs and so maybe that was a bit whiney, I will admit, but the Bruins really did get lucky. The Leafs had Dermott and Gardiner as pretty much useless because of injury, and Hyman played three games on a torn ACL.

Kadri got suspended, and the Leafs outplayed them at 5v5. The Bruins PP went nuts and in a short-series that's the difference, but it's also something that is completely random and not repeatable.

The Bruins won and it's not like they sucked. But the Leafs would usually win that series and are the better team in my completely objective opinion.

That Gardiner pairing was caved in, but those two should be putting up 60% against the Bruins third line, based on the fact that Gardiner usually great 5v5 and Dermott spent the entire year dominating other third lines with much worse partners. To me this was the difference. The better team lost, done in by injury.

James, just saying the word objective doesn't make you objective.

OK I do cheer for the Leafs and so maybe that was a bit whiney, I will admit, but the Bruins really did get lucky. The Leafs had Dermott and Gardiner as pretty much useless because of injury, and Hyman played three games on a torn ACL.

Kadri got suspended, and the Leafs outplayed them at 5v5. The Bruins PP went nuts and in a short-series that's the difference, but it's also something that is completely random and not repeatable.

The Bruins won and it's not like they sucked. But the Leafs would usually win that series and are the better team in my completely objective opinion.

That Gardiner pairing was caved in, but those two should be putting up 60% against the Bruins third line, based on the fact that Gardiner usually great 5v5 and Dermott spent the entire year dominating other third lines with much worse partners. To me this was the difference. The better team lost, done in by injury.
- James_Tanner

The Leafs showed that they can beat Boston. What I saw though, is a complete lack of heart and urgency from the team by the 13 minute mark in game 7. It looked like they gave up. They came up short, some guys choked, some just didn't seem to care enough. That was my interpretation. Nothing to do with luck, they just didn't show up. What we needed was to be lucky and have Rask have a terrible night. Didn't happen and the better team won. Hopefully they can learn from it for next year.

Good lord, James. Seriously?

Leafs got out played and out coached in games 6 and 7. Bruins are an excellent, veteran team that can go suck an egg. Don't be a crybaby because your team couldn't rally.

Pavelski will be back. Just came off a 38 goal season, I imagine it's for more than a year. Thornton will be 1 year contracts till he hangs em up. EK probably gone, Nyquist I could see signing. Who wouldn't want to play in California after all?

Would be interesting to see the sharks go after Bob and/or Panarin. Don't know their cap situation, but I'm guessing they can't do both.
- mgriffen

Their cap situation is atrocious, especially if they bring back Pavelski and Thornton (not arguing against that, just saying it'll make things brutally tough for them). I don't think Nyquist is going back there and Karlsson is a major long-shot. They have two big RFA's to sign in Meier and Labanc.

Speaking of Labanc, everyone loves to spout off about offer-sheeting Marner (which is dumb) but if someone offer sheets Labanc at about $4.22M and he signs...I can't imagine SJ could match and the new team would only need to give up a 2nd rounder. I don't think anyone will get offer-sheeted, but on the way-outside chance that someone does, that's where my money is. A smart team would trade some futures for Labanc ASAP after the season.

except that the Bruins unsustainable power play has been sustained?

OK I do cheer for the Leafs and so maybe that was a bit whiney, I will admit, but the Bruins really did get lucky. The Leafs had Dermott and Gardiner as pretty much useless because of injury, and Hyman played three games on a torn ACL.

Kadri got suspended, and the Leafs outplayed them at 5v5. The Bruins PP went nuts and in a short-series that's the difference, but it's also something that is completely random and not repeatable.

The Bruins won and it's not like they sucked. But the Leafs would usually win that series and are the better team in my completely objective opinion.

That Gardiner pairing was caved in, but those two should be putting up 60% against the Bruins third line, based on the fact that Gardiner usually great 5v5 and Dermott spent the entire year dominating other third lines with much worse partners. To me this was the difference. The better team lost, done in by injury.
- James_Tanner

they have the best power play in the playoffs

they have the best power play in the playoffs
- Fountain-San

Their power play finished 3rd in the NHL this past season and 4th best last season while being #1 this current postseason as well as last postseason.

Clearly unsustainable.

Carolina is least likely. Thank you

Their power play finished 3rd in the NHL this past season and 4th best last season while being #1 this current postseason as well as last postseason.

Clearly unsustainable.
- jmatchett383

i know we like to give him crap but it's like he's just making this one up.

It’s a complete embarrassment to this site that someone with such a lack of knowledge like Mr.Tanner writes articles.
Bottom line is the Leafs don’t have the leadership to make it out of the first round. But all the fan base can talk about is how much Marner should make. Gimme a break.

i know we like to give him crap but it's like he's just making this one up.
- Fountain-San

Boston scored seven PPG against the Leafs in seven games. The Lightning, who I do believe had one of the best power plays in years, and who were the only team in the NHL to have a shooting percentage over 20% on the PP did not even get 82 goals on the power play this year.

Therefore it is unlikely the Bruins would maintain a pace of one PPG per game, that they scored against Toronto.

And that means it's not sustainable.

i know we like to give him crap but it's like he's just making this one up.
- Fountain-San

Furthermore, they outscored Toronto by four PP goals in the series. Given the Leafs power play personal, how often is that going to happen? Realistically, almost never. You could replay the series endlessly and the Bruins aren't going to outscore the Leafs by four power play goals very often.

So, it is very much unsustainable.

It’s a complete embarrassment to this site that someone with such a lack of knowledge like Mr.Tanner writes articles.
Bottom line is the Leafs don’t have the leadership to make it out of the first round. But all the fan base can talk about is how much Marner should make. Gimme a break.
- Tachmo

The fan base isn't talking about how much Marner should make... that's the media talking about offer sheets and repeated stupidity.

While I agree that Tanner isn't objective, it would be equally disingenuous to gloss over the Bruins getting the benefit of the doubt on more than a few situations involving the zebras. And that powerplay, whether highly successful or not is CERTAINLY getting lots and lots of opportunities to practice.

and with the Bruins looking as good as they have.. I would think the Bruins fans should be more concerned about McAvoy's upcoming deal and offer sheets, Carlo's upcoming deal and offer sheets and Heinen's upcoming deall and offer sheets rather than the narrative about the Leafs' fans and their view of Marner's contract.

I mean, who in their right mind would think they can pay McAvoy less than Marner?

Boston scored seven PPG against the Leafs in seven games. The Lightning, who I do believe had one of the best power plays in years, and who were the only team in the NHL to have a shooting percentage over 20% on the PP did not even get 82 goals on the power play this year.

Therefore it is unlikely the Bruins would maintain a pace of one PPG per game, that they scored against Toronto.

And that means it's not sustainable.
- James_Tanner

best power play in the playoffs two years running. end of story.

The fan base isn't talking about how much Marner should make... that's the media talking about offer sheets and repeated stupidity.

While I agree that Tanner isn't objective, it would be equally disingenuous to gloss over the Bruins getting the benefit of the doubt on more than a few situations involving the zebras. And that powerplay, whether highly successful or not is CERTAINLY getting lots and lots of opportunities to practice.

and with the Bruins looking as good as they have.. I would think the Bruins fans should be more concerned about McAvoy's upcoming deal and offer sheets, Carlo's upcoming deal and offer sheets and Heinen's upcoming deall and offer sheets rather than the narrative about the Leafs' fans and their view of Marner's contract.

I mean, who in their right mind would think they can pay McAvoy less than Marner.

- BorjeFan4Ever

The officiating as a whole has been disgusting. Bos has had a few calls go their way but as well been penalized for a number of weak calls. They have had countless goaltender interference calls go against them, puck into the netting goal, etc. Columbus had 3 straight PP in the 3rd period of game 6. So I’m not even listening to people that think the Bruins own the zebras.

The Bruins aren’t worried about offer sheets, they are worried about winning a Stanley Cup! They will get Mccavoy and Carlo signed.

At any rate the odds are low to get to the conference finals in a league where parity is at an all time high. However I like the Bruins window for another 2-3 years. They have the big line all signed to great contracts under 7 million a season, as well their #1 goaltender locked up. The defence is coming into their own so yah they look pretty solid in the near future.

At any rate the odds are low to get to the conference finals in a league where parity is at an all time high. However I like the Bruins window for another 2-3 years. They have the big line all signed to great contracts under 7 million a season, as well their #1 goaltender locked up. The defence is coming into their own so yah they look pretty solid in the near future.
- Tachmo

just wish the power play was more consistent.

The sad thing is all Toronto fans are this stupid.

The sad thing is all Toronto fans are this stupid.
- Newgod77

they are?

talk to an average Leaf fan and an average Bruins fan about the sport. 9 times out of 10 you'll learn more from a Leaf fan.

Three hockey bloggers and not one chooses the easy answer of Carolina?

Very likely they don't make it back to the playoffs next year.

The sad thing is all Toronto fans are this stupid.
- Newgod77

They're not stupid, they're mostly pretty knowledgeable.

Delusional as hell, but not stupid.