Playoffs Round 1: Toronto Maple Leafs (A2) vs Tampa Bay Lightning (A3)

[Arn]

It may matter, it may not, but Bunting is a better player than some of the guys they're dressing. I think it's a mistake not to have him in the lineup somewhere.

Whether he's "better" or not isn't the question, it's whether he will do something stupid that will ultimately cost them and does it outweigh his usefulness as a hockey player?

It is a little beyond that for me. It seems like the refs are really down on him. Late in the season, there was something going on with the refs and Bunting. It is not supposed to be that way but there was and maybe still is some kind of a problem:

TSN.ca Keefe says Dubas will talk to league about Bunting calls

Those Tampa players are not going to welcome Bunting back in any way that is nice after injuring one of their top 4 dmen and taking him out of the series. There is going to be some kind of effort to hold Bunting to account. Can we rely on the refs to be fair about it after the refs were not being fair towards Bunting earlier this month? I don't think so.

Even if the refs were 'fair', Bunting playing in the game could fire Tampa up after they try to fight him.

The Leafs do not need that kind of a problem when trying close out Tampa who is scoring on close to 30% of their PP opportunities.

I think this sums it up really nicely where I'm at with it as well.

[x.jr.benchwarmer]

Holl has been on the ice for 14 out of the 18 goals in the series.   

He took a careless penalty last night.  (In fact the Leafs effectively killed that specific penalty which tempers Keefe's fascination about using him every PK).

He rarely hits nor effectively ties up opposing players in front of the net. 

The way Holl takes a tentative first step with the puck towards the boards is depressingly predictable.  In fact, his lack of a strong skate edge when he has the puck almost makes Cody Ceci look like Bobby Orr.

Why is Keefe playing him regularly?

[Dappleganger]

Take out Lafferty and ZAR and replace them with Bunting and Simmonds. Give Bunting some back up so he doesn't have to be the tough guy.

Give Gio and Holl a game off and insert Liljegren and Gustafsson (Swede connection).

Go with some fresh legs. Get some jump in their game.

Leafs have some depth, they should use it.

The Leafs should have sat Gio and Holl. 😅

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

WE
WON
THIS

[herman]

https://twitter.com/chris_krenn/status/1653386322675900417
Other than Jeannot*, that's basically what I guessed would be the case.

* I thought he just sucked

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

https://twitter.com/chris_krenn/status/1653386322675900417
Other than Jeannot*, that's basically what I guessed would be the case.

* I thought he just sucked

We took advantage.

[barney_rebel]

We still rule btw...

[Guilt Trip]

https://twitter.com/chris_krenn/status/1653386322675900417
Other than Jeannot*, that's basically what I guessed would be the case.

* I thought he just sucked

We took advantage.

If Eyssimont had concussion like symptoms, I guess he shouldn't have played right? Jeannot was garbage for them down the stretch anyway. He was put in to basically stir it up and when he did, the Leafs refused to back down so that literally killed that part of TBay's game. Once you stand up to the bully and dish it out yourself, they usually get pretty quiet.
Anyway all teams have injuries and when you're eliminated, they come out. It's like tradition to help ease the pain of losing I guess. Anyway, you can't control who you play and I'm sure there are a lot of Leafs dealing with injuries. All part of it.

[Rob]

We still rule btw...

HELL YEAH BROTHER!

[herman]

If Eyssimont had concussion like symptoms, I guess he shouldn't have played right?

It was elaborated downthread that he was held off the lineup when he had symptoms, and returned to the lineup when they cleared.