2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Round 1/Qualifier - Maple Leafs vs Blue Jackets

[Zee]

Do we think it's a good idea to insert Johnsson right in the middle of a playoff round after being off for six months?

Normally, maybe not. But I mean everyone else has been off for 4.5 months so the playing field seems level.

Guess it depends how long he's been able to rehabilitate that knee and get good skating under his belt. Hopefully he's able to come back strong but you're right the entire league has been off for 4 1/2 months so everyone is behind at this point.

 

[bustaheims]

Looks like Sandin might be on the outs.

With everyone healthy, and playing on their strong side, there's not a clear spot for him right now. Not until someone *cough*Ceci*cough* is taken out of the lineup.

 

[disco]

Flashback to last year Game 1 against the Boston Bruins the Leafs won a superb game. Lter with the Bruins down 3-2 in the series Cassidy made adjustments (risks) to counter what he was seeing and then Babcock made none. This is Keefe's first NHL playoff series and I have no doubt in his ability/willingness to make changes on the fly to enhance their existing strengths or minimize their opponents.

 

[herman]

Columbus put up a 3-0 lead in the first period of their exhibition tune up against the Bruins. Two late PP goals.

 

[Frank E]

https://www.tsn.ca/toronto-maple-leafs-coach-sheldon-keefe-gives-william-nylander-a-push-1.1502092

"I want to be a dominant player out there," the 24-year-old said. "That's my goal every day to go out there and bring it. Sometimes Sheldon has to kick me in the butt, but that's good."

 

[Highlander]

Think I mentioned Willie was floating the other night. This guy has a whole other level and at almost 7Million a year shouldn't need the coach to put his skate up his butt.

 

[herman]

https://theathletic.com/1957712/2020/07/31/six-thoughts-to-keep-in-mind-ahead-of-the-leafs-blue-jackets-play-in-series/

Bemstrom is one who got away

Emil Bemstrom was drafted in the fourth round, 117th overall, by Columbus in 2017. Leading up to that draft, then-Leafs assistant GM Kyle Dubas pushed hard for him but was overruled by fellow assistant GM Mark Hunter ? who ran the Leafs draft ? and his staff.

Instead, the Leafs (who didn?t have a third-rounder that year) selected defenseman Eemeli Rasanen (who we?ll likely never see in North America) in the second round, 59th overall, and goaltender Ian Scott (who didn?t play a game last season due to injury) seven spots ahead of Bemstrom in Round 4.

This season, his first with the Blue Jackets, Bemstrom had 10 goals and 20 points in 56 games. He is the highest-scoring player taken outside of the 2017 first round.

 

[disco]

https://twitter.com/LeafsNews/status/1289697713143963654

 

[rdowdall]

It looks like the offensive teams are having a harder time.  Rangers can't seem to get anything going against the Canes.  Pens are having a hard time against the Habs. 

Announcer on Ottawa radio predicted a Blue Jackets sweep of the Leafs.  God I hate it when people say things just to drum up calls and then they turn out to be right.  So I hope the Leafs win at least one here. 

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

So, are the 4-7pm guys on TSN1050 Overdrive going to have to do a show tomorrow and say nothing whatsoever about a Leaf playoff game running at the same time on another station/network?

 

[disco]

It seems the opposite of what I thought, offensive teams are having more of a tough time than defensive teams. Rust/bad ice I'm sure is a factor.

 

[Bender]

It looks like the offensive teams are having a harder time.  Rangers can't seem to get anything going against the Canes.  Pens are having a hard time against the Habs. 

Announcer on Ottawa radio predicted a Blue Jackets sweep of the Leafs.  God I hate it when people say things just to drum up calls and then they turn out to be right.  So I hope the Leafs win at least one here.

I don't think anyone would have taken the Rags over Carolina, Pens lost one game in OT.

 

[rdowdall]

It looks like the offensive teams are having a harder time.  Rangers can't seem to get anything going against the Canes.  Pens are having a hard time against the Habs. 

Announcer on Ottawa radio predicted a Blue Jackets sweep of the Leafs.  God I hate it when people say things just to drum up calls and then they turn out to be right.  So I hope the Leafs win at least one here.

I don't think anyone would have taken the Rags over Carolina, Pens lost one game in OT.

I saw some people who thought that the Rangers were the dark horse in these playoffs.  It's not playing out that way, but some people had picked the Rangers to win.

Hopefully the Leafs will figure out a way to break through today, and they won't be in the same boat as the Rangers after today.

 

[bustaheims]

I saw some people who thought that the Rangers were the dark horse in these playoffs.  It's not playing out that way, but some people had picked the Rangers to win.

Dark horse, yeah, but they were certainly not the favourites. If they bow out quickly, it won't be much of a surprise, really.

 

[rdowdall]

I saw some people who thought that the Rangers were the dark horse in these playoffs.  It's not playing out that way, but some people had picked the Rangers to win.

Dark horse, yeah, but they were certainly not the favourites. If they bow out quickly, it won't be much of a surprise, really.

Would you be surprised if the Blue Jackets sweep the Leafs?  Also the original point was that nobody picked the Rangers.  I think there were some people who picked the Rangers and thought that they had a chance to win.  Perhaps what I didn't convey in my original post was just how out of sync the Rangers looked like in the first game, and even in the second game now.  They have had an incredibly hard time manufacturing offence against the Canes.  A lot of rushes go nowhere due to a bad pass, or a puck bouncing, or a misplay.  How much of that is rust, and how much of that is Carolina, is the question in my mind. 

How it applies to the Leafs is that they looked very similar in that they couldn't get anything going, and I am wondering if the way things have shook out, if playing a defensive style of hockey in this situation is a little more advantageous and maybe even a little easier now, than being a team that is more skilled and wants to play a more open game.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I saw some people who thought that the Rangers were the dark horse in these playoffs.  It's not playing out that way, but some people had picked the Rangers to win.

Dark horse, yeah, but they were certainly not the favourites. If they bow out quickly, it won't be much of a surprise, really.

Would you be surprised if the Blue Jackets sweep the Leafs?  Also the original point was that nobody picked the Rangers.  I think there were some people who picked the Rangers and thought that they had a chance to win.  Perhaps what I didn't convey in my original post was just how out of sync the Rangers looked like in the first game, and even in the second game now.  They have had an incredibly hard time manufacturing offence against the Canes.  A lot of rushes go nowhere due to a bad pass, or a puck bouncing, or a misplay.  How much of that is rust, and how much of that is Carolina, is the question in my mind. 

How it applies to the Leafs is that they looked very similar in that they couldn't get anything going, and I am wondering if the way things have shook out, if playing a defensive style of hockey in this situation is a little more advantageous and maybe even a little easier now, than being a team that is more skilled and wants to play a more open game.

I think what you're seeing is the difference between an offensive system and a defensive system. Defensive systems are all about blocking out. They're structured.
Offensive systems are a strategy and rely on quick reactions and adjustments. A Defensive system can be off by 5 or 10% and still look pretty good. An offensive system will look horrendous (or out of sync) if it's off as it all relies on things being done at full speed. So, if the passing is off, the whole system falls apart. And when the offensive system is off, it makes the defensive system look better than it may actually be.

I guess what I'm trying to say is offensive systems are fluid and defensive systems are robotic. Does that make sense?

 

[rdowdall]

I saw some people who thought that the Rangers were the dark horse in these playoffs.  It's not playing out that way, but some people had picked the Rangers to win.

Dark horse, yeah, but they were certainly not the favourites. If they bow out quickly, it won't be much of a surprise, really.

Would you be surprised if the Blue Jackets sweep the Leafs?  Also the original point was that nobody picked the Rangers.  I think there were some people who picked the Rangers and thought that they had a chance to win.  Perhaps what I didn't convey in my original post was just how out of sync the Rangers looked like in the first game, and even in the second game now.  They have had an incredibly hard time manufacturing offence against the Canes.  A lot of rushes go nowhere due to a bad pass, or a puck bouncing, or a misplay.  How much of that is rust, and how much of that is Carolina, is the question in my mind. 

How it applies to the Leafs is that they looked very similar in that they couldn't get anything going, and I am wondering if the way things have shook out, if playing a defensive style of hockey in this situation is a little more advantageous and maybe even a little easier now, than being a team that is more skilled and wants to play a more open game.

I think what you're seeing is the difference between an offensive system and a defensive system. Defensive systems are all about blocking out. They're structured.
Offensive systems are a strategy and rely on quick reactions and adjustments. A Defensive system can be off by 5 or 10% and still look pretty good. An offensive system will look horrendous (or out of sync) if it's off as it all relies on things being done at full speed. So, if the passing is off, the whole system falls apart. And when the offensive system is off, it makes the defensive system look better than it may actually be.

I guess what I'm trying to say is offensive systems are fluid and defensive systems are robotic. Does that make sense?

Yeah that makes sense.  So the question becomes do the Leafs have the time and the skill to get back into that fluid flow so that they can win three games against the Blue Jackets?  Will getting into that flow be enough to give them a chance?  Or were they in trouble to begin with because the Blue Jackets style was going to cause them fits? 

 

[Bates]

So, are the 4-7pm guys on TSN1050 Overdrive going to have to do a show tomorrow and say nothing whatsoever about a Leaf playoff game running at the same time on another station/network?

I think Overdrive is off today.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/Zeisberger/status/1290733143184625666

 

[Bender]

I saw some people who thought that the Rangers were the dark horse in these playoffs.  It's not playing out that way, but some people had picked the Rangers to win.

Dark horse, yeah, but they were certainly not the favourites. If they bow out quickly, it won't be much of a surprise, really.

Would you be surprised if the Blue Jackets sweep the Leafs?  Also the original point was that nobody picked the Rangers.  I think there were some people who picked the Rangers and thought that they had a chance to win.  Perhaps what I didn't convey in my original post was just how out of sync the Rangers looked like in the first game, and even in the second game now.  They have had an incredibly hard time manufacturing offence against the Canes.  A lot of rushes go nowhere due to a bad pass, or a puck bouncing, or a misplay.  How much of that is rust, and how much of that is Carolina, is the question in my mind. 

How it applies to the Leafs is that they looked very similar in that they couldn't get anything going, and I am wondering if the way things have shook out, if playing a defensive style of hockey in this situation is a little more advantageous and maybe even a little easier now, than being a team that is more skilled and wants to play a more open game.

I think what you're seeing is the difference between an offensive system and a defensive system. Defensive systems are all about blocking out. They're structured.
Offensive systems are a strategy and rely on quick reactions and adjustments. A Defensive system can be off by 5 or 10% and still look pretty good. An offensive system will look horrendous (or out of sync) if it's off as it all relies on things being done at full speed. So, if the passing is off, the whole system falls apart. And when the offensive system is off, it makes the defensive system look better than it may actually be.

I guess what I'm trying to say is offensive systems are fluid and defensive systems are robotic. Does that make sense?

Yeah that makes sense.  So the question becomes do the Leafs have the time and the skill to get back into that fluid flow so that they can win three games against the Blue Jackets?  Will getting into that flow be enough to give them a chance?  Or were they in trouble to begin with because the Blue Jackets style was going to cause them fits?

Let's see what we come up with today before freaking out. We've beaten them in the reg season. It was a 1 goal game and if Robertson or Matthews score the game is basically over the other way. CBJ isn't Boston. Hockey is weird and three games can go every which way. People were questioning the Pens after Game 1 and now it's even. People though Winnipeg was done after losing Scheifele and Laine after Game 1 and they won Game 2. Vancouver got hella stuffed against Minnesota and I'm not writing them off because of one game. Oilers got crushed by Chicago in Game 1 and came back to win Game 2. Boston got thumped by CBJ AND Philly in the last 2 games. I guarantee you they aren't freaking out about how their system is fatally flawed.

Bring on Game 2 and let's see how we respond.