Zaitsev wasn't on Lehtonen's level. Zaitsev was also really good in his first season.

Yes I figured you'd say something like that. Do some research and try again in another thread

The only thing the Habs first 2 lines don't match up to the Leafs is, is in offense. The Tatar-Danault-Gallagher line is one of the best shutdown lines in the league and Toronto can't do anything about it. I'd take Montreal's bottom 9 over Toronto's bottom 9 any day of the week. The only edge Toronto has on Montreal is their 1st line and that's debatable.

Winning the Stanley Cup is a team achievement.
And considering most of those winners were depth players, it doesn't affect the team that much. Bogosian and Edmundson are bad, Allen was part of the reason why the Blues were at the bottom of the standings before Binnington was recalled. Perry won the Cup 13 years ago. Anderson is a playoff performer when he has 8 pts in 21 games? Lehtonen hasn't played a game so you can't say he is bust.

Why do you think Montreal is built for playoff hockey?

We are relying a KHL defensemen to play top four minutes LOL. If you want the cup, you don't sign budget payers hoping they work out

because they are built with toughness and aren't a one dimensional team. We can win with multiple gameplans. The only way the Leafs can win is by scoring. They can't rely on defense nor any other style of hockey.

ok but it's not a competition of who has more gritty players its a competition of who scores more goals. Yes, grit is an element in doing so, and one that the Leafs have lacked for some time. They've addressed that, while still keeping the thing that makes you really win: talented hockey players.

MTL has no answer for the big 4 up front. Suzuki, Danault, and Kotkat are fine, but not even close to the same level. D is comparable - sure they play a bit of a different style but MTL's is no better.

and go figure, the Leafs top line is one of the best offensive lines in the league and also double as a great defensive line too. Even if you somehow stop Matthews from scoring goals, hint: no one can, your 2nd line still has to match up for 20 minutes against Tavares and Nylander and they get even more outclassed than your top 3. Montreal would be counting on winning the game in 33% of time played, the bottom 6, and thats just highly unlikely to happen.

Considering their depth is filled with press box watchers other than Kerfoot, you expect them to make it far into the playoffs? You have two 40 year olds playing on your bottom 6

lol what? So is a line of Mikheyev - Tavares - Nylander not an "edge" over Toffoli - Suzuki - Anderson?

Also "no answer"? How does one of the best grinding top 6 forwards (Hyman) + arguably the best goal scorer on the planet (Matthews) + one of the best playmakers on the planet (Marner) sound?

You act like there is only one way to win a hockey game. The Islanders have proven that you don't need franchise level players to win hockey games. There are multiple ways to win games and the Leafs are easily beaten because teams can adjust for their style of game,

The Leafs were bullied by the Blue Jackets, and when you sign 4 players $40 million, to only shoot 2% in game 5, there is an issue.

no we are not. We have Rielly - Brodie - Muzzin - Holl - Dermott - Bogo. Nobody is "relying" on him; I hope he's great but its note expected nor required for this team to ice a solid defence

This series really just comes down to whether 40 Million in 4 forwards can beat 15 million in 2 goalies....

No, Edmundson was not even close to a reason why st louis won the cup. Thats some comedy

I couldn't have said it better myself

What has Brodie accomplished then?

That's not even a line Montreal will have, but if we are straight comparing, the Leafs line is a better offensive line while Montreal's line is more defensive. So it's really whatever perspective you are bias towards.

Toughness doesn't automatically equal to winning.



Do it first.

It's almost like i was pointing out how bad perry was and not how good simmonds was.
The leafs took a bet that simmonds can be healthy for the first time in years and id he's not oh well.
Perry is just old and bad

LOL
1) Mentions that Corey Perry is a "Stanley Cup Champion and Stanley Cup Finialist" but calls Thornton and Simmonds "Washed up and losing player" when they've both been to a Cup final too.
2) Mentions that Jake Allen is a "Stanley Cup Champion" when he was the BACKUP goalie on that team and literally played in 1 game where he had a .750sv%
3) Mentions Tyler Toffoli as a Stanley Cup Champion when he won the Cup 6 years ago.
4) Mentions Josh Anderson as a "Playoff Perfomer and a lesser Tom Wilson" when Anderson hasn't played in the playoffs in 2 years, when he last played he had 3 points in 10 games and was a -5+/- (dumb stat but when its that high in that few of games it says something) and has a career of 8 points in 21 playoffs games. Wilson has 28 points in 77 career playoff games and is only a -1+/-. So because they both play physical and have borderline suspension hits they're similar?


I get people trying to hate on Toronto on here, but comeon' man. You're pulling stuff from way out your ass here. Pass the bong. You've had too much.

Yep

that's not true, I know there are different ways, but the Leafs are better equipped for it this year. For one thing, the only reason CBJ beat TOR is Korpi and Merzlikins were literally insane, and we had both Muzzin and Barrie get hurt, forcing Marincin into the top 4. Leafs have way better D depth now.

Leafs were literally all skill other than Clifford last year. They've addressed that. D is much better. another year of development for our elite forwards. MTL is fine, but are very outmatched against Toronto

Leafs' top players are better, Canadiens' depth is better.

Edmundson was the 4th highest TOI for defensemen in the regular season and the 4th highest TOI for defensemen in the playoffs for the blues. I'm not saying he was the main reason, I'm just saying he wasn't a depth piece.