The point of the comment was that I would rather be the Leafs than the Canucks, despite the loss or their seemingly opposite records.

We need to retire the word "troll". What do you want? Boring, whitewashed game summaries that only compliment other teams in order to keep all fans of the game feeling fuzzy and secure and happy with their vicarious fantasy fulfillment?
- James_Tanner

At the moment, yes, I'd have to agree the immediate future looks brighter for the Leafs. However, that can change in the blink of an eye with a couple good drafts for the Nucks.

The point of the comment was that I would rather be the Leafs than the Canucks, despite the loss or their seemingly opposite records.

We need to retire the word "troll". What do you want? Boring, whitewashed game summaries that only compliment other teams in order to keep all fans of the game feeling fuzzy and secure and happy with their vicarious fantasy fulfillment?
- James_Tanner

But isn't Troll your spirit animal?

But isn't Troll your spirit animal?
- SRam19

Troll is actually a fishing term, and no. My spirit animal is my boy Pete the house/show cat.

How did that blue jay prediction work out for ya?

How did that blue jay prediction work out for ya?
- Yikes726

Sick burn, brah.

That's sort of how a certain walking jack-o-lantern would answer the question - take mostly true parts of the answer and then give the most basic interpretation possible.

Obviously, on a technical, language-based level, a loss is a loss.

However, in the NHL, a loss in over-time is worth 50% of a win.

It is worth the same as the artist formerly known as a tie.

It is like Prince's soundtrack of Batman - it's not great, but it's still Prince.

Also, 3 vs 3 overtime is the same as a coin-flip. There is no "deserves" to win in OT and no reason you should be upset if you lose in OT or a shottout, since you literally could do nothing wrong and lose ten in a row, so random is the shootout/ OT.

Can you be mad that you blew a 4-0 lead and had to go to overtime in the first place? Sure that is at least a defendable stance.

But that being said, if I dressed six rookies I would expect them to blow a few games, since in any other league, if the team is down 4-0 and starts to make a comeback,. you start trying again for five minutes and put them away.

Also, as I am also wont to say, if your goalie loses you the game, who cares? If it happens all the time, get a new goalie. But if, as is the case here, and in Arizona,. you have an above average goalie, then you just realize that happens sometimes.
- James_Tanner

Now, that's the way you defend argument!!
The only thing I can disagree with here is that, if you have a four goal lead with 6 rookies in the line-up, you would hope to make it a teaching moment and try to learn how to protect a lead. T.O. kept making the same risk/reward decisions at a point in the game where, had they been conservative and supported each other, they would have gotten the 2 points in regulation and all the warm, fuzzy intangibles that go along with them.
I get that it happens sometimes, but you should be anything but ok with it.

...and, since you mentioned it - what the hell was wrong with a tie, anyway?!?!?
Get rid of the shootout, Gary!!!!!

Now, that's the way you defend argument!!
The only thing I can disagree with here is that, if you have a four goal lead with 6 rookies in the line-up, you would hope to make it a teaching moment and try to learn how to protect a lead. T.O. kept making the same risk/reward decisions at a point in the game where, had they been conservative and supported each other, they would have gotten the 2 points in regulation and all the warm, fuzzy intangibles that go along with them.
I get that it happens sometimes, but you should be anything but ok with it.

...and, since you mentioned it - what the hell was wrong with a tie, anyway?!?!?
Get rid of the shootout, Gary!!!!!
- Tonybere

3 on 3 OT is a blast, so screw ties!!

I hear you on the teaching moment. It's weird though, Babcock used his statistically best D pairing the least last night. I wonder what his motivation was? Personally, I think their trying to forcefeed Rielly into becoming a Kaberle when he's really more of a Josi. Effective for sure, but keep him away from the other teams top lines.

Was referring to Sens vs Leafs, the Senators have most definitely been the better club for a decade, no matter how much Leaf fans make fun of them
- LeftCoaster

The problem is, it never amounted to a damn thing. And really, they've been spinning tires, essentially like the Leafs did for a few years after the lockout. They've got a roster that isn't going anywhere, desparately trying to make the playoffs, when they're a near guaranteed first round casualty if they do, which is unlikely.

You can say they're better than a basement club (that is acquiring top talent), but Leaf fans have been where they are, and would absolutely hate to go there again. A tear down is inevitable, so really, they're just prolonging the inevitable. Every year they squirm to make the playoffs, and bring on overpriced declining talent, is just another 2 years they'll need to get rid of contracts and players like Phaneuf, and THEN start a rebuild.

I've seen Sens fans talk of it being 4 or 5 years before the Leafs can contend again. If that is true, the state the Sens are in (and the Canucks for that matter), they'll need that 4 or 5 years, PLUS another 2 or 3 to properly rid themselves of veteran garbage (a process the Leafs have already gone through), plus another 2 or 3 for them to acquire the young top talent the Leafs have now, and it looks like another year or two for them to accept that they have to do it.

So, if it's a 4 or 5 year road for the Leafs to become a contending team, it's a 10-12 year road for the Sens and Canucks right now.

The funny thing is, with the support the Sens get, the franchise might not be able to survive the ten years they're in for.

I promise you Ottawa is not better than we think. They allow way too many goals and chances against. Does it make me angry they've been better than the Leafs for ten years? Not really. I can take solace in Matthews, Marner, Nylander.


- JamesTanner

I'm surprised at this, with Ottawa having the best defenseman in the league, that plays huge minutes.

I'm surprised at this, with Ottawa having the best defenseman in the league, that plays huge minutes.
- MJL

I hope this is sarcasm. Karlsson can't defend for a lick. This comes as absolutely no surprise to me that' they're hemmorhaging defensively, like they do every single year. They don't really have any Dmen that are good in their own zone. Their next game, Tampa? I do'nt think a 10 goal game for Tampa is out of the question.

I hope this is sarcasm. Karlsson can't defend for a lick. This comes as absolutely no surprise to me that' they're hemmorhaging defensively, like they do every single year.
- prock

We've had discussion on Karlsson in the past, and you know who I think is the best defenseman in the league. Although I don't think he's as bad as you do, I certainly think that Karlsson is suspect defensively.

I'm surprised at this, with Ottawa having the best defenseman in the league, that plays huge minutes.
- MJL

yeah but how much impact can one guy have? They don't have a good partner for him and he can only play 1/3 of the game.

yeah but how much impact can one guy have? They don't have a good partner for him and he can only play 1/3 of the game.
- James_Tanner

You claim he has an impact for the positive in a lot of ways. You can't have it both ways. Claim he has a huge impact on other areas, but then make excuses for the negatives.

We've had discussion on Karlsson in the past, and you know who I think is the best defenseman in the league. Although I don't think he's as bad as you do, I certainly think that Karlsson is suspect defensively.
- MJL

Sens fans already chirping “OMG he’s +7”. I'd bet big $$$ that tide will turn, and the goals will flood in against him, just like they do every year.

corsica.hockey is soooooooooo slow, I have grey hairs from waiting for that site.

Do you find it slow???? Regardless if I use an iPad or laptop....it either just sits there frozen or comes up with error message.

The senators have been out shot once in the last four games I believe. Boucher has delivered as promised and they are still improving. They're no juggernaut but a playoff appearance is likely this year. Quality depth additions in pyatt, Kelly, and dzingle have revamped the depth. Cheap shrewd moves by Dorian that are paying dividends.

They'll have a division spot this year. Mark my words.

3 on 3 OT is a blast, so screw ties!!

I hear you on the teaching moment. It's weird though, Babcock used his statistically best D pairing the least last night. I wonder what his motivation was? Personally, I think their trying to forcefeed Rielly into becoming a Kaberle when he's really more of a Josi. Effective for sure, but keep him away from the other teams top lines.
- James_Tanner

You give up breakaways and add very little offensively...sometimes the coach will sit you down.

Now, that's the way you defend argument!!
The only thing I can disagree with here is that, if you have a four goal lead with 6 rookies in the line-up, you would hope to make it a teaching moment and try to learn how to protect a lead. T.O. kept making the same risk/reward decisions at a point in the game where, had they been conservative and supported each other, they would have gotten the 2 points in regulation and all the warm, fuzzy intangibles that go along with them.
I get that it happens sometimes, but you should be anything but ok with it.

...and, since you mentioned it - what the hell was wrong with a tie, anyway?!?!?
Get rid of the shootout, Gary!!!!!
- Tonybere

While it was definitely a frustrating game, I kind of hope things like this happen (NOT OFTEN, but SOME) this season. I'm not expecting the Leafs to be a playoff team, so going through some of these events (losing a 4-0 lead, etc.) will happen so that the young guys can learn from it. There's no doubt that after the game/ today there have been conversations like "what did we do wrong to allow that to happen" and "how can we stop things like this from happening."

For this season to be considered successful for Toronto, more than anything else, the team needs to learn. Learn to play together, learn to play NHL hockey, learn to support eachother on the ice. These are the types of losses that will hopefully teach the team to prevent them when the games really matter.

Why were the Habs in the title and nothing about them in the blog? Did I miss something??

Why were the Habs in the title and nothing about them in the blog? Did I miss something??
- Snots33_77

Click bait got you again

You claim he has an impact for the positive in a lot of ways. You can't have it both ways. Claim he has a huge impact on other areas, but then make excuses for the negatives.
- MJL

Exactly the kind of argument I was talking about before. The kind of comment that besmirches the otherwise stellar reputation of the comments section. You know damn well what I mean.

Karlsson is an excellent player, probably the best in the NHL at his position and has a massive impact on the game.

But hockey is a team sport. Outside of the goalie, a single player doesn't play more than one third of the game, and so a team can (and does) suck at defense even though one of their six defenseman is the best in the league.

Why were the Habs in the title and nothing about them in the blog? Did I miss something??
- Snots33_77

Because the Coyotes and Canadiens play tonight.

corsica.hockey is soooooooooo slow, I have grey hairs from waiting for that site.

Do you find it slow???? Regardless if I use an iPad or laptop....it either just sits there frozen or comes up with error message.
- Garnie

Yep. It's not just you. It's been bad lately.

Because the Coyotes and Canadiens play tonight.
- James_Tanner

My bad actually, the paragraphs I wrote about the game were weirdly missing. I added some new ones though.