I seem to recall a significant amount of angst in the late 90s per the "neutral zone trap" style of hockey. I can't recall '95 though. I assume people had no idea wtf was going on at the time.

The "it's part of the game" mentality seems bonkers to me. The league, to its credit, does seem far more willing to make rules changes than any other professional sports league (maybe also the NBA?) but they can't seem to figure out how to promote their star players worth a damn.

People want to see goals and skill, no? Not this slog where chances are few and far between as team's collapse into impenetrable shells.

Is it possible there's a stubborn refusal by some old men who insist that post-season hockey be as truculent and grinding as possible? Where beards are to be grown and hits shall be multiplied by a factor of at least 3.

Man, it sucks being a Leafs fan.
- mjones242

As weird as it sounds the refs actually call more penalties today in the playoffs than they did back in the late 90s. Back then you had defensemen like Pronger, Stevens and Hatcher taking baseball swings at players and not being called for it. Hatcher literally shortened Peter Forsberg's career. He had his spleen removed for crying out loud!

He comes in, he scrambles for new ways to pretend Da Leafs da best and then he disappears for a couple weeks. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Today TB is the best in the league, 2 weeks ago they weren’t making it out of the 1st round. You can’t make this stuff up.
- Garnie

Max and Roger do have this fun little Jekyll and Hyde thing going on I suppose.

Well more Hyde and Hyde I guess but you get the drift. 🤦🏻‍♂️

How is Chatwood still in the majors. Blowing a save is one thing, unable or unwilling to throw a strike to 5 batters in game that is well in hand is about as disgusting a performance as I can recall. He's been pure sh!t lately and should be in the minors. Also why is Telez in this lineup, he stinks at hitting and is way below average as a first baseman.
- winsix

chatwood id think for a few reasons...everyone else is injured and he was the best reliever they had for the first part of the season, so you hope he can get back to that..but yes, he will get more of a leash because of the 1st point..

Also, Telez time is running out, and once Springer is back..he may be the odd one out.

Max and Roger do have this fun little Jekyll and Hyde thing going on I suppose.

Well more Hyde and Hyde I guess but you get the drift. 🤦🏻‍♂️
- joel878

I get being a fan, but pretending opinion is fact and bashing anything ex Leaf gets a little stupid after 1000 times.

so point at under 7
Marner at over 10

the dubas affect
- Fakepartofme

there has to be a player affect in it also

He comes in, he scrambles for new ways to pretend Da Leafs da best and then he disappears for a couple weeks. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Today TB is the best in the league, 2 weeks ago they weren’t making it out of the 1st round. You can’t make this stuff up.
- Garnie

Roger is a Flip Flopper. It's no coincidence he's here after an Isles loss. I used to have the "Cup or bust" mentality. But I was a spoiled Red Wings fan. There's nothing like seeing your team missing the playoffs for 5 straight seasons to give you a reality check.

I'd certainly take the Isles last 3 playoff runs over the Red Wings last 3 years. Even if they don't win the Cup, that's a happy fanbase on Long Island. They suffered through decades of failure and are now enjoying some success.

there has to be a player affect in it also
- senstroll

Im sure there is

Who meets those requirements and how much will they cost? Sounds expensive.
- mjones242

Shea Weber.

And 7.8M.

Roger is a Flip Flopper. It's no coincidence he's here after an Isles loss. I used to have the "Cup or bust" mentality. But I was a spoiled Red Wings fan. There's nothing like seeing your team missing the playoffs for 5 straight seasons to give you a reality check.

I'd certainly take the Isles last 3 playoff runs over the Red Wings last 3 years. Even if they don't win the Cup, that's a happy fanbase on Long Island.
- gergeswillems

He could be James Tanner, except I haven’t seen Roger pull out the JFresh cards yet.

Im sure there is
- Fakepartofme

why i dont feel bad for all the crap he is getting...took zero discount, actually took more than market value... played a bit in the media... has done zero in the playoffs since

As weird as it sounds the refs actually call more penalties today in the playoffs than they did back in the late 90s. Back then you had defensemen like Pronger, Stevens and Hatcher taking baseball swings at players and not being called for it. Hatcher literally shortened Peter Forsberg's career. He had his spleen removed for crying out loud!
- gergeswillems

That's nuts. And it really speaks to the league's issue of not protecting their superstar players even to this day.

When will the NHL learn that the game will never be embraced like the other "Big Four" sports if you don't create an environment where your superstar players can be given room and protection to dominate?

At the end of the day, doesn't this league want to have hockey players be household names?

Connor McDavid should be a household name akin to Wayne Gretzky. Sure, a lot of the blame rests at the Oilers feet, but damned if the NHL isn't doing more to protect superstars in this day and age and market the (frank) out of them.

He could be James Tanner, except I haven’t seen Roger pull out the JFresh cards yet.
- Garnie

Natural fish sticks dot com. Corsi. Fenwick. REM CDs. Renting is better than owning. I watched Demolition Man and ate pizza in my rented mansion. JFresh cards tell me Seth Jones sucks. Gormley, Franson, Rundblad and Gardiner are elite defensemen.

Shea Weber.

And 7.8M.
- Scabeh

Is he available?

Is he available?
- mjones242

According to Bergevin, no.

According to me, He should be.

why i dont feel bad for all the crap he is getting...took zero discount, actually took more than market value... played a bit in the media... has done zero in the playoffs since
- senstroll

I agree...and had zero accountability.

8 assist in 12 games since he signed.

why i dont feel bad for all the crap he is getting...took zero discount, actually took more than market value... played a bit in the media... has done zero in the playoffs since
- senstroll

He took way more than market. At the same time - Dubas gave it to him.

His comparable was Rantanen. Who signed for I believe 1.5 million per year less, and I don't think Rantanen got a bonus structure like Marner did either.

I agree...and had zero accountability.

8 assist in 12 games since he signed.
- Fakepartofme

Ahh, but we get to make fun of all the other teams during the regular season.


Who’d want to give that up for a few lousy non cup winning rounds in the playoffs.

I get being a fan, but pretending opinion is fact and bashing anything ex Leaf gets a little stupid after 1000 times.
- Garnie

Spouting opinion as fact is where it peaks. 🤮

He took way more than market. At the same time - Dubas gave it to him.

His comparable was Rantanen. Who signed for I believe 1.5 million per year less, and I don't think Rantanen got a bonus structure like Marner did either.
- Leafs43

They all got overpaid or under termed.

Spouting opinion as fact is where it peaks. 🤮
- joel878

I don’t get it.

Ahh, but we get to make fun of all the other teams during the regular season.


Who’d want to give that up for a few lousy non cup winning rounds in the playoffs.
- Garnie

Greedy mitch
regular season mitch

Natural fish sticks dot com. Corsi. Fenwick. REM CDs. Renting is better than owning. I watched Demolition Man and ate pizza in my rented mansion. JFresh cards tell me Seth Jones sucks. Gormley, Franson, Rundblad and Gardiner are elite defensemen.
- gergeswillems

All the bad takes, not sure why or how he became a hockey writer.

According to Bergevin, no.

According to me, He should be.
- Scabeh

He's definitely regressed pretty heavily this year and doesn't look nearly as intimidating physically nor on the PP.

But the point has been made: these types of players are expensive. Shea Weber signed that deal 10 or so years ago. Imagine if he were in his prime and was UFA?

Who meets those requirements and how much will they cost? Sounds expensive.
- mjones242

Not many but there are a few.

Oleksiak ($4 M) , Chychrun ($4.6 M)+ what you give up in a trade, Nurse ($5.6 M)+ what you give up in a trade, Montour ($3.5 M), Smith ($3.5 M)

Greedy mitch
regular season mitch
- senstroll

Mitch needs to watch his 17/18 playoff series where he rattled off 2g7a in 7 games.

What happened to that player? One and done?