NHL 2017 -Official Discussion Thread

[StCapps]

I don't consider the Bruins to be a perrenial contender, they had a one off year, this Preds team is nothing like the Kings, the Kings down the middle were built around Carter and Kopitar, this Preds team has Johansen and Fisher, it's apples to oranges, they're not similar at all.

Well do lack center depth, that is what will hold them back, if they fail to live up to LA Kings potential over the next four or five years, or the inability to find a solid backup to Rinne. They are so set on defense and that's what's most important and they have assets they can move to improve where they are weak.

[Smitty-48]

I think the Leafs would have beat this Predators team, the Leafs just ran into a big experienced Washington , if all they had to do was beat these Preds, the Leafs would have got past them.

[StCapps]

I think the Leafs would have beat this Predators team, the Leafs just ran into a big experienced Washington , if all they had to do was beat these Preds, the Leafs would have got past them.

Leafs homer is crazy. It's official, thinks way too much of his own team, way too little of a team in the Cup final, who happen to have a defense the Leafs could only dream that they had.

Go home you're drunk, come back when you have a defense, or a goaltender who can stop a beachball. You might be better in the future, but slow your roll, the future is not today, troll.

The Leafs could have beaten the Preds.

Not without divine intervention, the Hockey Gods would have to piss all over the Preds for that to happen.

[Smitty-48]

Nah, the Leafs took the President's Trophy winners to six games, came one goal away in overtime from a game seven, Washington just had the big forwards who could pound the Leafs down low, which is the Leafs achilles heel, but the run n' gun game the Predators play, the Leafs can beat anybody that style.

[StCapps]

Nah, the Leafs took the Presisdent's Trophy winners to six games, came one goal away in overtime from a game seven, Washington just had the big forwards who could pound the Leafs down low, which is the Leafs achilles heel, but the run n' gun game the Predators play, the Leafs can beat anybody that style.

Washington played like shit against Toronto. Talk about a team not on top of their game.

Your team punched well above their weight, the Caps barely even showed up. Doesn't mean you could have beaten Nashville, it only means you might have beaten the choke ass Capitals if they were just a little worse. That's like touting a playoff win against the San Jose Chokes, doesn't make you a cup contender.

Leafs fans sometimes.....

[Smitty-48]

Nah, the Leafs took the Presisdent's Trophy winners to six games, came one goal away in overtime from a game seven, Washington just had the big forwards who could pound the Leafs down low, which is the Leafs achilles heel, but the run n' gun game the Predators play, the Leafs can beat anybody that style.

Washington played like shit against Toronto. Talk about a team not on top of their game.

Go home. You're drunk, your team punched well above their weight, Washington barely even showed up. Clown.

Nah, the Leafs could beat this Preds team, the Preds play the style that favours the Leafs, the Preds aren't big, the Preds aren't imtimidating, they run and gun, they play a speed game, that's the sort of game the Leafs can dominate, Josi and Subban are good pucks movers, but they're not scary, there's no imtimdation factor there, the Leafs would have trouble against a big heavy team like Anaheim, San Jose, or Los Angeles, but the Predators, the Leafs could beat.

I'm not being a homer, the Leafs were and are one the best run and gun speed teams in the league, just a fact.

[StCapps]

I'm not being a homer, the Leafs were and are one the best run and gun speed teams in the league, just a fact.

The Preds wouldn't try to out run and gun them. They'd smash them, they don't need Anaheim or San Jose big too do it. Eastern Conference is for pussies, and the Leafs are pussies even by Eastern Conference standards. What they lack in size, the Preds make up for it in attitude.

How did trying to out physical Nashville work for St. Louis and Anaheim? How did trying to out finesse the Preds work out for the Hawks? The Preds are balanced as fuck, one of the most well rounded teams in the league, even if they lack center depth. They can run and gun with best of the best at their own game, and they can play rough with the best of the best at their own game. Their gameplan is flexible accordingly. The Leafs have too big of a hole on their backend and too shaky goaltending, to overcome the Preds well-roundedness, it's that simple. A one-dimensional team is not going to beat Nashville and even really well rounded teams with lots of depth have trouble doing so.

[Smitty-48]

It's not about smashing, the Leafs were actually taking the body to the Caps, not the other way round, it's the depth of the Leafs, the Leafs have three lines which can score, Nashville wouldn't be able to shut them all down, Matthews against Johansen? Matthews all day. Kadri against Fisher? Kadri all day, Marner against whoever the third line on Nashville is, Calle Jarnkrok? Marner all day.

The Preds have Josi, and they have Subban, but neither Josi nor Subban are actually that good defensively, they Preds are all rushing defensemen, the Leafs lines would be giving them fits, Chicago didn't show up, St. Louis can't score like the Leafs, Anaheim was reliant on two guys playing on the same line, the Leafs are actually built to beat a team like the Preds.

[StCapps]

It's not about smashing, the Leafs were actually taking the body to the Caps, not the other way round, it's the depth of the Leafs, the Leafs have three lines which can score, Nashville wouldn't be able to shut them all down, Matthews against Johansen? Matthews all day. Kadri against Fisher? Kadri all day, Marner against whoever the third line on Nashville is, Calle Jarnkrok? Marner all day. The Preds have Josi, and they have Subban, but neither Josi nor Subban are actually that good defensively, they Preds are all rushing defenseman, the Leafs lines would be giving them fits, Chicago didn't show up, St. Louis can't score like the Leafs, Anaheim was reliant on two guys playing on the same line, the Leafs are actually built to beat a team like the Preds.

One dimensional bums, the Leafs. The Preds defense and goaltending will be shutting down your forwards, your defense can't shut their forwards down. You lose.

Better forwards is not enough to get the job done, especially in the playoffs. Wouldn't be shocked if Nashville swept the Leafs, it's a complete mismatch. Washington doesn't play as physical as Nashville, they are bunch of pussies, Smashville are not. The Caps might have size, but they lack attitude. Playing Nashville won't be anything like playing Washington, if your team thinks it would be like that then you would be even more likely to get smashed.

[Smitty-48]

No, the Leafs are not bums, if they were, I would say so, but they're not, they're inexperienced, but they're not bums, and they weren't actually bad defensively against Washington, Washington didn't blow them out, they took the Caps to six and they were all one goal games.