2023 NHL Playoffs (Thread)

[Troy McClure]

The NHL scripts 6 and 7 game series lengths to maximize playoff money.

[ToddM]

[SaintAngerBH]

I mean. He did technically improve the team. By one series.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

I'm telling you... it is unwise to make decisions like that after running into the Florida buzzsaw. They may well win the Cup.

You just did better than you've done in a very long time. Be smart and take a few weeks.

[ToddM]

I'm telling you... it is unwise to make decisions like that after running into the Florida buzzsaw. They may well win the Cup.

You just did better than you've done in a very long time. Be smart and take a few weeks.

Welcome! You must be new to hockey fandom.

[Troy McClure]

I'm telling you... it is unwise to make decisions like that after running into the Florida buzzsaw. They may well win the Cup.

You just did better than you've done in a very long time. Be smart and take a few weeks.

The problem with this is this same logic was used to explain away last season's playoff exit when they lost to Tampa who went to the Final. Not that there's a problem with being real about losing to a great team, but they do have shortcomings they need to address with no real way to make much change without moving one of their big name forwards. Dubas has done the best job of any Leafs GM in forever, but he also had a long-running problem of not being able to find quality goaltending or high-end defensemen.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

By no means am I suggesting anyone not improve their team. even the cup winner should be doing that.

[Troy McClure]

By no means am I suggesting anyone not improve their team. even the cup winner should be doing that.

But I get what you mean. They're changing GM, almost certainly changing coaches, and will try to trade at least one of their big name forwards, and have a number of their free agent rentals who are going to be gone this summer.

Their approach to Dubas was strange to go into this season with his contract expiring. Them winning in the first round made it seem like they'd for sure try to bring him back.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

Yeah I just felt like maybe they were overreacting when they need to digest it a bit.

Almost everyone loses. It's a tough thing. So you gotta be careful when you are close not to undo the good things that have gotten you close.

[slaps]

I'm telling you... it is unwise to make decisions like that after running into the Florida buzzsaw. They may well win the Cup.

You just did better than you've done in a very long time. Be smart and take a few weeks.

The problem with this is this same logic was used to explain away last season's playoff exit when they lost to Tampa who went to the Final. Not that there's a problem with being real about losing to a great team, but they do have shortcomings they need to address with no real way to make much change without moving one of their big name forwards. Dubas has done the best job of any Leafs GM in forever, but he also had a long-running problem of not being able to find quality goaltending or high-end defensemen.

He also stubbornly refused to fire his buddy Sheldon, and refused to trade his core four despite performing only so-so at best in the playoffs.

When you run a team like Toronto that's so high-profile and hasn't won anything in the postseason in forever, it's understandable that he got fired. I don't buy the "lost to eventual Cup winner" crap. Toronto had the top-end talent to win, but they didn't play a full 60 minutes consistently.

[slaps]

Them winning in the first round made it seem like they'd for sure try to bring him back.

They were going to then they changed their mind.

[ToddM]

Yeah I just felt like maybe they were overreacting when they need to digest it a bit.

Almost everyone loses. It's a tough thing. So you gotta be careful when you are close not to undo the good things that have gotten you close.

16 teams miss the postseason, and 15 of the 16 that make it end their season with a loss.
So realistically, 31 coaches and GMs should get fired every single season.

[SaintAngerBH]

I'm guessing our game tomorrow will be 100 times worse than this one is for Carolina.

[Knives Out]

Bobrovsky crying in his crease after Tkachuk scored the GWG (again) tugged at my heartstrings.

[ToddM]

I was gonna come on here and post that we would win the next four only to get swept by Carolina, but apparently Carolina doesn't take my predictions very seriously. Those horse's asses.

[B Kat]

Bobrovsky crying in his crease after Tkachuk scored the GWG (again) tugged at my heartstrings.

It is hard to dislike Bobrovsky.

Carolina, we feel your pain.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

I have now gone from laughing at Boston to having mad respect towards Boston for managing to win 3 against Florida.

[Math]

[The Frugal Gourmet]

Kind of annoyed that i can't watch hockey tonight

[Knives Out]

[The Frugal Gourmet]

Florida gotta be stoked by tonight.

[SaintAngerBH]

Florida could just send everyone on a vacation.

[slaps]

The real question is how does Dallas’ Game 5 win affect the Leafs?

[Knives Out]

Florida vs Vegas should be some fun quality hockey.

I’m cool with either team winning their first Cup.

I like Bobrovsky, Barkov, and Stone, sooooo gun to my head I guess I prefer the Panthers.

The butthurt from Sabres fans over Eichel winning a Cup in his first ever playoffs would be legendary though LOL.

[Math]

I really like Carrier, Roy, Smith and Karlsson, some of the most underrated players in the League. I'll be a Québec whorebot of myself by going for Vegas.

[slaps]

Eichel is a hockey ninja. He’s so good.

But watching Tkachuk win would be amazing too. Also, if Bobrovsky’s goaltending wins a Cup, that makes that awful contract probably cool for all Panthers’ fans.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

and tkachuk would also piss off his old team fans.

some team gets to hoist the cup for the first time too.

[Knives Out]

I also like Verhaeghe, but that *frakker* already won a Cup with Tampa in 2020 :l

[Knives Out]

Oh right, I also had to endure Habs fans wishing failure upon the Panthers all season long because they own their 2023 1st round pick from the Chiarot trade.

31st isn’t as funny as the literal worst possible 1st round pick LOL.

[Math]

Also, QC City fans are still pissed about Vegas and how they "stole" an expansion team from a traditional and passionate market like them, so having Vegas win the Cup would be another kind of Colorado tribute.