NHL 2023-2024: Playoff Time. Hello Darkness.....

[gmillerdrake]

The Bruins are going to blow a second straight 3-1 series lead  OR   the Leafs are going to lose a 6th straight Game 7.

Both are a swift kick in the nuts

[jingle.boy]

I think there's a little bit more pressure on Boston.  The Leafs are already "dead man walking".  Win or lose, there still likely going to be significant changes - Shanny and Keefe/coaches gassed; maybe some roster changes.  Honestly, an appearance in the finals is the only thing I can see saving Shanny and Keefe.  And maybe still Keith Pelley moves on from Shanny regardless.  So, at some level, the Leafs have nothing to lose, cuz (as Dangle said in his LFR channel), this is already Zombie-Leafs.

Boston is not only playing the Leafs, they're playing against their recent history.  Plus, they're on home ice.

All that said, I still think Boston gets back to their game a little, and dusts off the Leafs.

[gmillerdrake]

I think there's a little bit more pressure on Boston.  The Leafs are already "dead man walking".  Win or lose, there still likely going to be significant changes - Shanny and Keefe/coaches gassed; maybe some roster changes.  Honestly, an appearance in the finals is the only thing I can see saving Shanny and Keefe.  And maybe still Keith Pelley moves on from Shanny regardless.  So, at some level, the Leafs have nothing to lose, cuz (as Dangle said in his LFR channel), this is already Zombie-Leafs.

Boston is not only playing the Leafs, they're playing against their recent history.  Plus, they're on home ice.

All that said, I still think Boston gets back to their game a little, and dusts off the Leafs.

100% agree. I wouldn't even say 'a little bit more'......I'd say ALL the pressure is on Boston. As you've said....no matter what happens there is a come to Jesus moment going to happen within the  Leaf's organization after this season is over for them.

[pg1067]

The Bruins are going to blow a second straight 3-1 series lead  OR   the Leafs are going to lose a 6th straight Game 7.

Both are a swift kick in the nuts

See...it's unavoidable!  She's now infecting hockey!

[Anguyen92]

Darn, the Canucks won Game 6 today.  It will be Canucks/Oilers in round 2.  That should be fun.

[jingle.boy]

Darn, LGK won last night to force a 7th.

Pete deBoer “there’s nothing better than a game 7”.  Easy for him to say - he’s 7-0 in game 7s. I’ll bet Shanahan does not share that same sentiment

[King Postwhore]

Austin Matthews playing game 7.

[TAC]

Austin Matthews playing game 7.

But the tradeoff is Samsonov back in net.  What a choice.

[Anguyen92]

Apparently, Woll is battling something so it's either Samsonov or Martin Jones.  Not an ideal spot to be in for the Leafs, but timing can do that for someone.

[King Postwhore]

But the tradeoff is Samsonov back in net.  What a choice.

I found off after I posted this.

[Anguyen92]

How are we feeling here, with this game going to OT 1-1?

[TAC]

How are we feeling here, with this game going to OT 1-1?

Tired.

[Anguyen92]

Jim Montgomery wanted Pasta to step up.  He delivered the OT goal.  It's nice to get one of these OT predictions right.  I went with Marner/Pasta since one of these guys probably needed to be the hero of the day out of everyone else.

[jingle.boy]

I’ll say this. It was an amazing hockey game last night. It would just be nice to end up on the winning side for once.

But, the ending was exactly as expected.  I pray this is buh-bye to Shanahan and the coaching staff. That’s the only page I see turning this off season. Next summer might be different.

I’ll stand by the JT signing is really what torched this teams chances over the last 6 years. He did not have the impact an $11M AAV should have produced. Marner was a bit of an overpay, but JTs $11M is what’s really mucked things up.

[gmillerdrake]

I still don’t see how you can pay any player $11 mil a year when your league has such a tight salary cap. The ROI will never equal out…..ever. AND, as you’ve pointed out Chad…..it hamstrings your club for years.

[TAC]

I still don’t see how you can pay any player $11 mil a year when your league has such a tight salary cap. The ROI will never equal out…..ever. AND, as you’ve pointed out Chad…..it hamstrings your club for years.

I'm trying to think...were the Leafs bidding against themselves for Tavares? Didn't he want to go there?



The Bruins gave Pastrnak a monster contract like that. Hopefully a rising salary cap will help minimize the effect.

[pg1067]

I still don’t see how you can pay any player $11 mil a year when your league has such a tight salary cap. The ROI will never equal out…..ever. AND, as you’ve pointed out Chad…..it hamstrings your club for years.

So say a great many Kings fans about Drew Doughty.  $11M per year through 26/27.  Between him, Kopitar, DuBois and Fiala, the Kings have over $34M (nearly 40% of the cap) committed to only 4 players for the 24/25 season.  Add in the 4 next highest players, and nearly 51% of the cap is committed to only 8 players.

[Anguyen92]

I'm trying to think...were the Leafs bidding against themselves for Tavares? Didn't he want to go there?



The Bruins gave Pastrnak a monster contract like that. Hopefully a rising salary cap will help minimize the effect.

The Sharks, from what I read, actually offered $13M for Tavares and that was around the time their window was coming to an end.

Also, for those wondering why Pete DeBoer keeps getting jobs in the league, just get his team to a Game 7 and he can coach his way to win it.  His teams just don't lose those.  Stars won against the Golden Knights and every fanbase except Vegas is happy about that.

[Stadler]

The B's came out HOT in that OT. That was nice to see, if pretty much unsustainable.

I know the TBS crew (Bissonnette, Carter, et al) talked briefly about Matthews; Biz asked "do we know what was up there?" and Laim McCugh pretty quickly said "there's nothing official" and they moved on.  I sort of like how hockey holds things close to the vest while the games are playing, but the Leafs season is over.  What's the use of keeping that quiet?

[SchecterShredder]

The Sharks, from what I read, actually offered $13M for Tavares and that was around the time their window was coming to an end.

Also, for those wondering why Pete DeBoer keeps getting jobs in the league, just get his team to a Game 7 and he can coach his way to win it.  His teams just don't lose those.  Stars won against the Golden Knights and every fanbase except Vegas is happy about that.

Part of me wanted Vegas to win that series solely so Dallas was out of the way. Of the remaining teams in the West, the Stars give me the most worry.


On the topic of the $11M player, I think McDavid has earned every penny of his $12M. The problem is that there should only really be a handful of players paid in that tier, but they end up doling out massive contracts to that next level of players.

[gmillerdrake]

Part of me wanted Vegas to win that series solely so Dallas was out of the way. Of the remaining teams in the West, the Stars give me the most worry.


On the topic of the $11M player, I think McDavid has earned every penny of his $12M. The problem is that there should only really be a handful of players paid in that tier, but they end up doling out massive contracts to that next level of players.

100% agree. But, it's the very rare players like him that can and do earn it. No one else is in his league. Crosby used to be and I'd say he 'earned' every penny he was paid.....Matthew's and MacKinnon  'might' be entering that realm but players like Tavares were never there. Really good....yes.....great and worth that type of $$$.....not even close.

[romdrums]

So jingle, you being the resident Leafs fan, who do you think gets the axe in Toronto? I would think something big needs to happen, like from Shanahan on down. Do they continue to tinker, or do they just blow it up and reload around Mathews and Nylander? I think, at minimum, Marner needs a change of scenery, along with putting restrictions on his dad's travel capabilities. Do they buy out Tavares? Seems like they need to do some drastic things.

[King Postwhore]

He's on vacation. He may not respond.  Disney boat cruise. 

[TAC]

Interesting that Macklin Celebrini is sitting there during the Draft Lottery. Poor kid. His expression is sure to be overscrutinized.

[Anguyen92]

Celebrini doesn't know a thing about Zillow and the ESPN hosts ran that comment to the ground, plugging Zillow.

[Stadler]

Wow!  An announcer beating a dead horse!?!  I don't believe it!  (Sean McDonough must've said 30 times that the Bruins were potentially to be the only team in organized professional sports history to lose a seven-game series two years in a row after being up three games to one; last night during the Rangers game, he pounded the fact that both teams were winless in their last five overtime playoff games or something like that... he's just lucky Ray Ferraro is that good so we still listen.)

That Rangers game was something else.  High intensity, and Shesterkin put on a clinic. He gave the impression that he could have done that for two, three, or more periods until the offense ran down the Canes (which I believe is what happened).

[TAC]

Wow!  An announcer beating a dead horse!?!  I don't believe it!  (Sean McDonough must've said 30 times that the Bruins were potentially to be the only team in organized professional sports history to lose a seven-game series two years in a row after being up three games to one; last night during the Rangers game, he pounded the fact that both teams were winless in their last five overtime playoff games or something like that... he's just lucky Ray Ferraro is that good so we still listen.)

I don't like McDonough on hockey at all. I'm shocked he's their #1 guy. He's actually pretty good on baseball. I also think Ferraro is excellent, and I think McDonough would benefit from having the color guy was in the booth with him.

That Rangers game was something else.  High intensity, and Shesterkin put on a clinic. He gave the impression that he could have done that for two, three, or more periods until the offense ran down the Canes (which I believe is what happened).

I went to bed after the first OT. That was a great game.

[pg1067]

I don't like McDonough on hockey at all. I'm shocked he's their #1 guy. He's actually pretty good on baseball. I also think Ferraro is excellent, and I think McDonough would benefit from having the color guy was in the booth with him.

I agree.  It's also really weird every time I hear him because he sounds EXACTLY like a friend of mine.


Also, am I the only one who thinks it's absurd that the Rangers and Hurricanes have played two games before the Vancouver/Edmonton series has even started?!

[King Postwhore]

I got tickets with my brother and nephew for the Friday night B's vs. Panthers game. 

[Stadler]

I got tickets with my brother and nephew for the Friday night B's vs. Panthers game.

NICE!!!

Text me your seats so I can look for you (being serious; it's sort of a thing for me.  I had a couple friends go to Phoenix for the NCAA final four and I was able to see them going into one of the breaks).  Unless of course you're on the lam and trying to lay low.

[TAC]

Unless of course you're on the lam and trying to lay low.

Joe's on the ham!


That's awesome Joe! I expect pics during the game.

[Anguyen92]

Per Chris Johnston.  It looks like a survey is going out to only the people of Utah to fill out who they think would be a suitable name for the Utah team.  There are now 20 options that are in consideration and people filling out the survey can pick up to four.  My favorites will be Caribou, Swarm, and Mammoth.

https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/1788374732053615071

[TAC]

Per Chris Johnston.  It looks like a survey is going out to only the people of Utah to fill out who they think would be a suitable name for the Utah team.  There are now 20 options that are in consideration and people filling out the survey can pick up to four.  My favorites will be Caribou, Swarm, and Mammoth.

https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/1788374732053615071

Oh cool. I like The Blizzard. Or The Frost.

[Stadler]

I'm partial to "The Blizzard".  They can take the ice to "Crazy Train".

[Stadler]

Trying not to be negative, but I have a bad feeling about last night's Bruins game.  They got shellacked in a way that I'm not sure they can recover.  That was a statement game, and the Panthers outplayed them at every position and in every way.  They were out-shot, out-hit, out-face-offed, out-coached, out-fought... even out-goaltended, if you want to be honest.

I like Montgomery, I love what he's done with talent that is not the best in the league, but this will be a true test if he has the locker room.  There's a real chance, though, that the B's have three more games left in the season.