Let the games begin!

The Leafs will face first round nemesis Bruins. Can't see another collapse like the last time we played Boston in the playoffs with a totally re built team without James Reimer. I like the Leafs to move past in a physical series. Tampa is the class of our division and my pick to win it all. Time is still left to enter the NHL.com pinside playoff bracket.

Yes Canadians do fish in hockey jerseys.

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Always liked Taylor Hall, has shot at MVP but will need to win a round or 2 in the playoffs

I'm going to slap the NHL bracket logo on the back of t-shirt with pinside champion for the winner.

Thanks for adding that link

Flyers looked brutal...wonder if that's a beat down record for an opening playoff game

Yikes! Vince, time to re-stock the liquor cabinet.

Satellite dishes to Leafs game folks, Great game aside from hainsey being totally outmatched against backes. 2-1 Boston. Babcock please make necessary defensive line shuffle vs this line.

Where's Leivo? Should be on the ice babs, not in the press box. but you know, he's just the best ever.

Kapenan looks totally lost, Hainsey looks confused and small. marchand must be shut down, he's a killer.

Yeah not cool at all. We need Kadri but his temper is the worst on the team.
I have said from the beginning, Leafs have sub par defence and Marner will not get the same room in the playoffs that he's used to during the regular season. Nylander is over hyped. Considered top 15 players in league under 21? I don't think so.
Matthews needs a big Sniper with exceptional puck possession skill along the boards. That's Leivo but babs just lets him sit.
I know this, I have coached him since he was in pee wee and watched him all during Junior. Leivos big frame and stick feeding Mathews all day long but not going to happen on babcocks watch. Now with Kadri gone for at least 1 game am I going to have to stomach more Leo Komorov?
My rant is over

Flyers looked tired, leafs looked minor bantam

I'm going to get loaded and watch me some hockey.

Getting the storm now, the roads are a sheet of ice already. Better go to the beer store

That 7 year Zaitsev contract looks great at 4.5 per year. -18 to finish the regular season. Not Babcock or Andersons fault.
It's Lou's fault. He should have learned this in NJ and not bother to play the politics and let the London Knights draft our players. Why would anyone pay an unproven half decent Russian all that money on a 7 year term? Why are our scouts all over North America??? We have a hot bed of hockey in Ontario ...a factory. No, they want to travel and be Hoiti-toiti ...get your asses to south simcoe / GTHL games. Don cherry does in his spare time., he should scout for the leafs. How much money /time did It cost for Russia trips to throw money at Leo komorov to return to the Leafs?? I live north. Small town example...3 hockey rinks. Mathews look unbothered after the game. There should have been a bubble over his head that said I would rather be playing x-box. Another playoff season down the drain.

I see all you Pittsburgh fans way up there in your smoking jackets...looking down at bacon.

I told you the leafs would bounce back

Anyone going to the pens game? I would, tickets probably face value

mesz, I didn't know that but am not surprised. Hockey community is tight knit., good points

I'm a big fan of Ann Arbor. Been there many times on business. Great Irish pub not far from stadium, with a great Japanese chop shop down the street from the bar. Michigan won the final four one night we were out on the town...great times! Been to a few piston games as well...I like the Arena spot right off the highway.

Thank you for that great story Hue.
Maritime folk are the most down to earth, nicest people you could ever meet from Canada.
I cracked open a beer, looked up and said this ones for you Ted!

Vintage bacon going chedda-slap upstairs! Can't wait for the Leaf game

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Taking the ducks was just plain dumb. Sorta like taking LA.

GREAT Game! Split second for Kessel and you are doomed. Feel bad for Provolone

Nashville / jets game is a real treat to watch. Playoff hockey at its best. Refs have clearly thrown away the whistle in this game.

Refs are under too much pressure to make a call?? Taking pleasure watching Tampa shut down Boston but I have seen about 5 penalties that should of been called per shift. I like old time hockey so I'm biased to smash up derby but I'm sure PKs chinsy penalty that caused the loss last nite would not have been called in this game.

Wait until you guys get a good look at Tampa. Great team.

And here comes Tampa ...healthy

Just sayin, I have watched them all year . Tampa to possibly win the cup 2x before the leafs since 67??
SAy it isn’t so.

Great game so far ...bodies flying all over the place and no penalties , still getting used to it

Caps looked pretty good last night . As usual Alex was all over the place. This series will be a short one if the Bolts don't pull their heads out of their asses.

Man I'm getting old, enjoying the five little peppers on TCM before the game. Now if anyone knows what I'm talking about your an old fart too.

Likely no penalty called

I hope the refs throw away the whistle next year. I can't remember a playoff where the refs looked so confused and bad.

This year is the worst

I asked the lady down the street (who halts people in cars in the middle of the road for cigarettes) about her opinion on the this years playoffs....answer in pic.
You know the cigar and mis match flip flops are just too much.

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No, she's a she...sometimes she wears very low cut skirts...I have learned to drive by slow as to not rustle the wind.

To paraphrase Don Cherry a few nights ago; the best Goalie in the game will determine the winner. Roll the dice and forget about home/streak advantage in the playoffs. As a player you are so focused on the game itself, the crowd is just a blur.
Who knows the winner of both series but the lines will really shorten in the final games with the best players on the ice at all times. That's why I like Tampa to win it all, Hedman Kucherov Stamkos vachelevsky , Russians-Swede-Canada all star team with a 6'5 Vezina favourite. Well done Steve Yzerman.

Another good point, I was going to mention coopers adjustments. Don't forget tie domis cheap shot against Niedermayer in the playoffs at the ACC years ago. I never liked that hit. I have always respected the Devils. Now Lou is a free agent in Toronto as we have a new young buck with a pointy head as GM. Seems more interested in his fashion to me.

How many careers did Scott Stevens end I wonder..unintentionally of course.

Who nailed Pronger to end his career? ..I know it was an eye injury not sure if it was a puck

Oh yeah! Thats right

Stevens and Pronger as a defence pair?

Thats really does suck

WTF?? Was is the Russians??

Being in Vegas for the finals would be amazing. How incredible is that for the team and the City, it's hard not to back Vegas now.

Been looking forward to this game all day! 1 zip already Washington.

Hahaha that was a good one..

One thing about playing hockey, when you get hammered with a dirty check...you just see blood you are so pissed off.
Controlling your temper playing is a trait I could never master. getting hit cleanly your still not happy about it.

Congrats Caps...and Vegas for such an amazing season.

Too funny the topless girl ...you see that??

Well said mesz ..you should consider coaching minor hockey

Also would have had a contract for trotz to sign as soon as he put the cup down.

Mabey a new tradition? Announcer: ladies please remove your tops

looking forward to watching the draft coming up in Dallas. Leafs picks should be interesting. Joe Thornton contract up Mabey to leafs re-uniting with Marleau?

Where is huff? He won the prize! ...changed it to an exclusive Canadian tire fishing lure

Wait...still have to tally J.O.R score...

I wonder how the odds will change with zero chance karlson stays is Ottawa. Sens were already trying to shed the Hofman contract.
Feel sorry for pick 4 in the draft..what a mess in ottawa. Eugene melnyk is not a bad guy and he deserves better. Bryan Murray gone big loss...fans deserve better. Even Alfie jumped ship!

I wonder if there are any burner accounts in this thread? Could be potential hockey-wife spies!

GO MARLIES!!!! Game 7 ...See some of you guys on the Leafs next year!

Congrats Marlies!!!!! 2018 Calder Cup Champs!

HOFFMAN traded to SJ then flipped to Florida..

Rumours of Kessel type attitude but didn't help deliver 2 cups like Kessel. SJ is a rumoured front runner for Tavares.
Toronto will throw everything at him. I wouldnt mind Kessel back in Toronto. 2 things that won't happen.

Very disappointed with my delivery of the hockey news today. I look forward to this day, kind of like a mini-Christmas every month. I like to keep my issues in nice condition and was excited for the Caps commemorative issue to put away.
I will be bold with my call and demand a re-issue. Lame. Step it up hockey news, put them in clear bags all the time. Dammit!

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Trotz ready to sign with islanders , 4 years

Have to turn the fan590 radio off. John tavares John Tavares John Tavares. "Theres a 50/50 chance he's coming to Toronto! "
Wake up Tavares in not coming to Toronto.
Last 2 hours talking about this can't take it anymore.

No Wags of superstars want to live in Canada but it doesn't matter because they have houses all over the place. Should I drink the Tavares koo-aid? Mabey Toronto but I still wouldnt bet on it. T.O. will back the brinks truck up to his front door. He just finished his Toronto dog pony show. Well see..
Bacon says Islanders 8 years at a billion dollars.

Come on hockey players or wives, you know it's true

Tavares is now an unrestricted free agent. Lost my bet with my buddy.

Tavares signs with the leafs!!!!!

Canada day!! Perfect day to sign with Leafs!!!
Bozak to STL
JVR to philly
Polak to Dallas

"Walk like an Egyptian "!!!!!!

September..

Inside info: dubas met with Leivo and will grant a trade

I'm down about Josh Leivo, just to catch some newer folks up, I am very close to him and his family. I am an die hard Leafs Fan and to hear he will be traded, because of babs, really pisses me off. I hope he's traded to a city where one of you guys are...just not Montreal.
Then I hear a tsn report he's "looking forward to playing wing with the Leafs" such bull

The smell of hot popcorn hits you first as you open the doors off carton street on a cold December Saturday night. It doesn't matter because the leafs are playing the Montreal Canadians. Through the turnstiles you go as the well dressed attendant in a white captains hat quickly stamps your ticket. Here you are at maple leafs gardens....I really miss those days as I used to help my uncle sell his souveniers inside the main entrance. A funky hexagon shape right in the middle. Class was everywhere. And not far from the entrance to the famous hot stove lounge. Never forget the night someone draped a big sign over Harold Ballard bunker that said Ballard is senile.
I remember always walking past a picture on the wall in the gardens with my dad in the background. He was there for the parade when they last won the cup and just happened to be at the right place at the right time. I kick myself for not going to the gardens auction when they closed to bid on that picture. If you were at the gardens in the late 70 and early 80s there's a good chance I sold you a souvenir! The huge leaf photos and wood mini sticks were huge sellers. So many great memories of maple leaf gardens. Now the new home is no longer called the ACC ...now live from Scotia bank place Toronto ...weird and kinda sad.

Too early for the McDavid resign talk?

Who's it 'gonna be this year?

The Leafs

As I relax on this awesone Friday evening , burning questions about hockey invade my brain. I wonder what is your go to drink or snack when watching a game?

As the darkness of the picture hides the unholy tin devils I have already consumed , I will get off social media and focus on the water balloons I'm going to throw at my neighbour

What a joke...an equipment rash...I know it exists but that was allowed in this case. Was the inflammation noted long before or just sudden....another burning question.

R.I.P. Ray Emery

Drowned on Lake Ontario this morning.

How would the NHL fine itself if proven true?
Great player, gets me to think top 10 european players of all time
Lidstrom
Larionov
Selanne
Tretiak
Makarov
And couple other red army guys
Gonchar
Datsyuk

Yes of course ..Ovechkin and Jagr!
Pavel Bure, Salming, peter Stasney, Sedins make the cut?
Forgot about Hasek too..would take over Tretiak.
Bump off Gonchar and Makarov

Got me thinking more about Kurri , I think he has been passed by Law. 5x Stanley Cup champ