The only problem is all these big stats you give, is they all happened in Boston, and they are not playing in Boston. After giving up 12 goals in 2 games and being pulled in game 4, Luongo came back and shut out Boston in Vancouver. Boston has only managed goals in 1 game in Vancouver. Am I saying Boston can't win game 7, no, but my money is on Vancouver at home where they have played well all year. A trip across the country is a mighty hard thing to overcome.
Predictions? Unsure. Vancouver struggled last Friday even on home ice. Thomas has been amazing this series. Vancouvers goaltending has been shit. To pull your star goalie twice during the stanley cup finals is not good. Also, Vancouver hasn't been able to get much going offensively since early in the series.
My heart wants Vancouver to win, they had a great season. I have a feeling Boston might take it and 1/2 of it goes to TT's effort. Should be a fun watch either way. Just never wanna see that picture of Kaberle with a cup though
Was watching sportscentre earlier today, there was an interview with Brad Marchand and this reminded me of him:
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Correct, you can cheer for whoever you like, evidently (by your obvious youth and anger) you've been cheering for a team that hasn't reached the playoffs in your lifetime and it has touched you in a negative way. You have my sympathies and apologies, no one should have to be a leafs fan, it's just too cruel.
Losing Seguin for Phil Kessel would sting enough, except that there are 4 more first rounders to go to Boston. That in intself would sting if the team wasn't playing so poorly that those first rounders are guaranteed to be top 5 every...single....year.
That in itself would drive someone to carry a resentment with them like freaking baggage. However, there's more. The leafs can't make the playoffs despite being right at the cap. No room for Ufa's, or trading up. Oh, that's right, most of their expensive, underachieving players have no trade clauses, so even if they wanted to trade, they can't.
The frustration in Leafland isn't how horrible their team has been compared to what their paying for, but that they really don't have any reason to hope it will get better in the forseeable future. It sucks to be Edmonton, but their future's bright, Winnipeg has some great young stars, Calgary might rebuild but their late season run means maybe they just needed a culture change.
Yeah, I get why you don't appreciate Luongo for helping to win that gold medal for you, the armchair leafs fan, it's starting to make sense. I also get why you'd cheer for Boston, considering their future was your future, and maybe it's like cheering for a whole bunch of 'would've been' maple leafs, and even Kaberle, because I know what a class ride Toronto gave him while he was there.
I sincerely apologize that I may have misworded the post that got me a peepee slap, when my intention was truly to point out that as a fellow Canadian I'm not so much angry with you as I am disappointed. All of us, hockey fans, Canadians, North Americans, whoever and whatever, need a reason to celebrate, and that Olympic tilt was a fantastic one.
Especially leafs fans..they have enough reasons to be pissed off, we Canucks figure we'll give them a reason to cheer for a winning hockey team at least once every four years. The least you could do is thank us
---------- Post added 2011-06-14 at 05:34 PM ----------
Actually the one on the left kinda looks exactly like Raffi Torres, spooky
Last edited by phazedin; 2011-06-15 at 12:18 AM.
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And yet in his first year Seguin has yet to perform like Kessel did in his first year. You also must have missed the fact that Kaberle's 4.5 milliom dollar salary and Giguere's 6 million, there is plenty to spend on top tier players, as well as two 1st round picks to use.
How is that 11 million dollar investment in the Sedins panning out this post season? Oh and you want to talk poor managing? How about Luongo's 10 year contract till he is 41?
I find it amusing how Canucks fans have some sort of sense of entitlement as being Canada's team just because they are the only Canadian team in the playoffs. Sorry but Montreal and Toronto are Canada's teams no matter their situation.
Once again: /modhat
I get it. A lot of people are interested in the outcome. There are strong feelings on both sides. With game 7 coming tomorrow I wanted to impress upon everyone that although this is a big game, the forum rules still (and always will) apply.
Trolling, flaming or disrespectful behavior will be met with infractions. From here on out, keep this thread clean and respectful. Post whatever opinion you like, but do so in a forum friendly manner.
If you have questions about what is acceptable and what isn't then PM me.
That being said, I hope everyone enjoys the final game tomorrow. I'll be watching it and this thread. Keep that in mind and enjoy!
Tim Thomas for Conn Smythe with a double overtime 1-0 Vancouver win?
The only Canadian teams that haven't made the Stanley Cup Finals in the last decade? Well, The Canadiens have been making the playoffs somewhat consistently, so I guess they have a shot. They make it, I'll cheer.
Seems likely enough. Common enough score for Rogers Arena.
My prediction is there is no way in hell Thomas gives up 3 goals (I assume that 4th comes on an EN). I see one of two scenarios: Vancouver scores 1 goal. Either Boston gets out of their own way and breaks through on the road to net 2 or Boston fails again and scores 0. Either situation results in Thomas walking away with the Conn.
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Doesn't matter who wins, the Conn Smythe is going to Thomas.
2-1 Bruins Overtime victory.
Phaze, WTF are you talking about? The Phil Kessel trade was for a 2010 first and second rounder and a 2011 first rounder. Not for 5 years of first round picks. And by the way, the first rounder they have this year is the 9th pick. Boston turned around and traded a first in 2011 and a second (since they made the Finals) for Kaberle. So essentially, the Leafs traded a 2010 1st and 2nd, Kaberle, and a 2011 1st pick swap for Kessel, 2011 1st and a 2011 2nd. It isn't a good trade but it isn't awful. Kessel has been pretty good for Toronto by putting up two 30 goal years in a row. Kessel is a second tier star who is only in his 6th season next year. Sure Toronto could have used those picks as they are in rebuild mode, but at least they got a decent return on that deal. If they maintained that pick they would have the 9th, 25th, and 28th picks in the first round. Along with Seguin and whoever Boston took in the second could have in theory been better, but Kessel has delivered so far.
Last edited by conscript; 2011-06-15 at 01:31 AM.
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Haha, they're all actually working out quite well. I'm not sure if you've noticed but the Canucks are in the Stanley cup Finals, something the Leafs haven't even SEEN in half a century.
Giguere at 6 million is probably going to be nice to unload, nice move. I'm sure glad our Vezina candidate who had a bad game or 4 in the playoffs is still a viable option should our starting-goalie-on-any-other-team-in-the-NHL-backup end up being a bargaining chip for yet another top 2 defenseman or top 3 forward. The Sedins are back to back Art Ross winners, and maybe Hart trophy winners. Vancouver also won the presidents trophy by a large margin this year. Vancouver also had the lowest goals against, and the most goals scored. You know what, I'm going to stop there, it's not even a fair comparison
Really, you want to compare these two teams and say the Leafs are better, in any category? I had misjudged you, I thought you might bring something other than leaf-tinted glasses but clearly you need to share what you're smoking because even the world famous BC bud isn't that strong.
I also find it ironic that someone would talk about entitlement in the same sentence they claim to have Canada's team. Montreal, yes, because they're sexy, cosmopolitan, talented, and above all, have a tradition of winning and excellence. Toronto is none of the above, and as a city it worships NYC so much that if put to a vote Toronto would probably defect to the states ahead of Quebec at the hight of the bloc separatist BS. Yeah, Canada's team.
You have to remember that pretty much everyone west of Toronto kinda doesn't have the kindest impression of the city, the team, or its fans. I don't totally share that opinion, I think the city is great. That being said, if you're upset because you don't want Vancouver to be 'Canada's team' then I'll grant you that you don't have to cheer for them.
I'm just sad because you seem to like hockey and I'd love for you to watch a post-season game one of these years.
---------- Post added 2011-06-14 at 06:33 PM ----------
My bad, and I'll admit I sure had that one wrong. Our media out here doesn't give any press to the leafs and I made a piss poor assumption. Serves me right for not paying closer attention to To.
The rough part about the Kessel trade is that the leafs need to rebuild, and even if kessel was giving them 50 goal seasons it probably wouldn't get them into the post season. It's a shame from a Leaf's perspective to have an opportunity for a strong future slip away just so the team can go from 29th to 21st.
Last edited by phazedin; 2011-06-15 at 01:34 AM.
If Boston had not traded him and let Kessel sign an offer sheet they did not match they would have got either 3-4 first round draft picks as compensation based on his salary when he signed with Toronto. He makes over 5 million a year so I believe that would be 3 first rounders so I have no idea what Boston was doing there. Kudos to Toronto getting him in a "trade".
It isn't going to hurt their chances. They recouped one of their lost firsts for a would be FA in Kaberle and basically they skipped Seguin's developmental portion of his career. I do think Seguin will end up being better than Kessel in the end as he has shown some flashes of brilliance. He has the potential to be a 70-80 point player, hell maybe more, whereas I think Kessel will peak in the mid 60s range barring a revolution in his game or a ridiculous influx of talent on his line.
---------- Post added 2011-06-14 at 09:46 PM ----------
A $5.4 million player like Kessel would net a team a 1st, 2nd, and a 3rd in a single year of a draft. $6-7.5 million is two 1sts, a 2nd, and a 3rd. A $7.5 or higher player would net a team four first round picks.
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Where did you find a good breakdown of it. I apparently had some bad information and was told instead of 1 first, 1 second... etc it was only first round picks is probably where I was off at. So yeah it would be be 1 of each pick in the first 3 rounds and not 3 first rounders... I guess that makes sense.
http://www.puckmeplease.com/nhl-news...pensation.html
Those are the exact figures for the current NHL season. The 2011-12 season will see some minor alteration to the salary figures which should increase slightly thanks to the upcoming elevated salary cap which should be announced soon as Free agency starts in two weeks , but I don't believe the compensations are changing.
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it's hard to argue stats. Vancouver is 10-3 on home ice so far in the playoffs, with Bobby Lu holding a .679 GA when he's in the Cable Box. Boston has struggled so far in Vancouver, and I don't see why tomorrow should be any different. Bobby plays extremely well on home ice (generally) and he's going to be pulling all the stops (no pun) in game 7.
I see it as a 2 - 0 'Nucks, Kessler and Burrows have a huge game and Kaberle coughs up the puck at least 3 times. A little off topic here, but what the hell is going on with Tomas? He was great as a Leaf, and now he's struggling his ass off as a Bruin. Coaching? Chemistry? Dunno, but it's weird.
Go Canucks Go.