The Fantastically Beautiful Joyously Superfun 22-23 Season Celebration Thread

[SundinsTooth]

IN the same breath, the Athletic posts an article criticizing the benching of a star player due to his performance and how it is a huge risk. This team has no way to fight all of the hot take angles. Not sure how anyone can consume these articles.

 

[Preston]

The start is pretty Leafy and this is two years in a row now with hilariously Leafy starts that don't really happen with this consistency to other teams. Let's make that clear.

But no, I don't expect this to continue long. Call me crazy but I do not believe that Matthews is now a 2nd line caliber player. They'll be fine.

 

[Artnes]

MSM are salivating for more hitz it seems.

 

[leafman101]

They are playing like shit (for the Leafs) and losing to the worst teams in the league. Its not undeserved.

I wouldn't go all in on my 2022-23 Leafs hot take yet, but thats their problem.

 

[leafman101]

I agree with Jonas' take though. Keefe has had to dig deep and play a lot of cards considering we're only 10 games in. Not working yet.

 

[LeafGm]

I’m sure they’ll eventually turn things around and have a fine regular season.

But this team as currently constructed is definitely losing in the first round again, regardless of who their opponent is.

 

[WellPlayed]

I’m sure they’ll eventually turn things around and have a fine regular season.

But this team as currently constructed is definitely losing in the first round again, regardless of who their opponent is.

Ya this is my take as well. I don't really care about the lost points, they'll obviously turn it around. But after all these first round losses you're looking for something that says this year is different. A business like approach where they execute from the game 1 to 82, and mop the floor with teams they're supposed to, would go a long way.

Instead its the same shit. They look completely unprepared to start the season, sleeping against garbage teams, goaltending's broken.

Matthews threw out something like "look at Washington and Tampa, it took them a while to learn how to win in the playoffs" this offseason, and I cringed.

 

[Wayward DP]

Ya this is my take as well. I don't really care about the lost points, they'll obviously turn it around. But after all these first round losses you're looking for something that says this year is different. A business like approach where they execute from the game 1 to 82, and mop the floor with teams they're supposed to, would go a long way.

Instead its the same shit. They look completely unprepared to start the season, sleeping against garbage teams, goaltending's broken.

Matthews threw out something like "look at Washington and Tampa, it took them a while to learn how to win in the playoffs" this offseason, and I cringed.

I agree except I am sour about the lost points. The points we gave away to SJS/ANA/PHX/MTL could be the difference between winning the division/home ice in round one etc.

 

[hockeylover]

I don't really blame anyone for assuming we'll lose in the first round, makes sense.

But let's not pretend if they were 10-0 right now it would actually make anyone feel any better about Round 1.

 

[LeafGm]

I agree except I am sour about the lost points. The points we gave away to SJS/ANA/PHX/MTL could be the difference between winning the division/home ice in round one etc.

I find it hard to care about home ice, where we’re seeded or our position in the standings. Whether we have home ice or not, the result’s been the same.

And then in Gary Bettman’s wacky NHL, the Leafs’ reward for finishing 4th overall in the standings last year was playing the 5th overall team (and two-time defending Cup champs) in the first round.

So the regular season really, truly doesn’t matter one bit, aside from finishing high enough to get into the playoffs in the first place.

 

[Preston]

I'd feel a lot better if they were 10 and 0 and my hopes would get up to unreasonable heights once a-motherfucking-gain. But it probably is better that they're Leafy as fuck early on as a reminder that if we are even a little hopeful, they will crush our dreams... Again and again and again.

 

[trujaysfan]

We will lose to a shitty Philly team Wednesday and then blow out both Boston and Carolina this weekend... it's just the way things will work.

 

[Preston]

And I mean... There's probably a fundamental reason that Kyle has needed to look into on why the Leafs objectively suck ass against shit teams compared to the successful big boy teams. These stretches of shit play and losses to horrible teams can't just be chalked up to a random coincidence anymore I think. Sample size continues to increase so there is probably something there and it could be linked to their offensive struggles in the playoffs as things tighten up considerably.

 

[Wayward DP]

I find it hard to care about home ice, where we’re seeded or our position in the standings. Whether we have home ice or not, the result’s been the same.

And then in Gary Bettman’s wacky NHL, the Leafs’ reward for finishing 4th overall in the standings last year was playing the 5th overall team (and two-time defending Cup champs) in the first round.

So the regular season really, truly doesn’t matter one bit, aside from finishing high enough to get into the playoffs in the first place.

it would be Leafy as fuck for them to really struggle all year, scrape into a wild card spot, be counted down and out, but then thanks to the WC get to avoid the meatgrinder of the Atlantic and have an easy path.

Leafy as fuck.

 

[Preston]

it would be Leafy as fuck for them to really struggle all year, scrape into a wild card spot, be counted down and out, but then thanks to the WC get to avoid the meatgrinder of the Atlantic and have an easy path.

Leafy as fuck.

And then get swept by the Oilers in the finals? Yeah.. Leafy as fuck.

 

[LeafGm]

And then get swept by the Oilers in the finals? Yeah.. Leafy as fuck.

With the Conn Smythe going to Campbell and Hyman scoring the winning goal (along with being the leading scorer in the finals).

 

[LeafGm]

Fun fact:

Zach Hyman on his own currently has more goals than Matthews & Marner combined.

 

[Volcanologist]

Again, I think back to the hope we all felt when we had Matthews and Marner on entries. seemed like it was wide open road for us.

 

[leafman101]

They play to their competition. Its why they get beat by shitty teams, but beat good teams. Its why they can play a tight 7 game series against one of the best teams ever, or of this generation like Boston and also play a tight 7 game series against teams like Columbus and Montreal.

It makes no sense. I don't even know what a possible reason for it could be. Leadership? Come on. Caoching? They have had 2 coaches (although Keefe and Babs are very similar) with the same results. Analytics? Then what about Tampa/Colorado/Carolina.

There is no legitimate reason other than a black cloud of misfortune hangs over the franchise.

 

[Hoss]

Has anyone seen the Elliotte Friedman post (maybe a fake account) that LA and Minnesota have been in talks for Marner.

Kaprizov and some other name was mentioned.