Pimlach

My hatred of the Leafs goes to the Sabres first season in 1970. Start with having Punch Imlach as our GM and coach, add the close proximity, Toronto was an immediate rival. The Sabres won the first ever meeting between the teams, 7-2 in Maple Leaf Garden, and that was the start of it. I went to the first Leafs game ever in the Aud. The Sabres lost and I got my first taste of Leafs fans in our building. The Leafs fans were loud, maybe 20% of the crowd, and that was the start of my anti-Leaf journey. Fortunately the Sabres quickly past the Leafs as an Eastern Conference contender. The league kept expanding and went to 4 divisions. Toronto moved out of our division, putting them into the weaker Norris division to help them. It was a move that the Leafs irrepressible owner Harold Ballard favored as he thought it would help them, but it didn't. That moved failed as Detroit and St Louis and Chicago all got better and Toronto lagged. As a result the Sabres and Leafs have only played ONE playoff series ever. Sabres won that series 4-1 back in 1999. Amazing to think that or closest rival has only played us once in the playoffs. That is Sabrey.

You kind of ruined your point with the last statement. Yes. Winning is the goal. Make the playoffs, you get knocked out and you learn from it and build off the winning. Fine tune a young playoff team into a veteran contender but the only way to establish a winning culture is to win. Adams was trying to build what he calls a "sustainable winner", thinking of the future so much that every year he is banking on too many unknowns while paying fairly big salaries to unproven players. We are seeing that this plan is not going to work.

He should be able to get more than Mitts for Byram, but we are the Buffalo Sabres so you will probably be right on this.

1975 - Better hockey team, better home arena, better league, better behavior, and better times.

Considering his TOI, I hardly ever hear Marner's name in the playoffs.

McKinnon and Maker will keep them in contention. They can re-tool for a year or two. I don't see them slipping into the bottom half of the league with the core that they have.

Yes, I think Ruff was talking about Samuelsson when he talked "pre-conceived thoughts on players" or however he worded it. Fair or not, the non-response to the Thompson head hit was a factor. I watched it again today and not only did he not respond, he actually backed down when challenged by Sigenthaler. That unfortunate event aside, he also has a weak net front presence. There is very little physical aspect to his game. I can't help but thinking he, like Cozens, was developed poorly. Too much money, too much on ice responsibility, too many expectations as a leader - all at a very young age with almost no resume to back it up. Thanks a lot Kevyn.

No. Byram for Schneider and something else.

Mathews has 401 goals and over 727 point in 629 games, includes two 60 goal seasons. Where is he going to guy and not be the main guy? He is the highest paid player in the NHL.

So you don't want to trade Quinn or Samuelsson? Who would you trade to improve the team? Sound like only the goalies and Byram?

Worst and most entitled fans in North America. The fans gave up at 2-0, you could feel the air coming out of the arena. Once again the whole team and their fans show they deserve each other. Biz was railing on his team in the intermission prior to the 3rd period, he is a true Leave fan. And why does a national broadcast hockey analyst and color man have to declare a favorite team. Biz is a Bush League clown show. And shouldn't the fans in Toronto know better than to litter the ice during play, someone threw a Leafs sweater on the ice during play?

He is still good, he is no longer a difference maker top line player, but a great 3rd line guy. He knows how to win.

Leaves salut their crowd to a chorus of boos and jeers. Worst fans in any league. Biz made excuses for them, they paid $5000 a ticket in the lower bowl. Boo hoo. Edmonton Florida is my bet for the final.

The Rat scores an ENG

Cats answer. 47 seconds later Marchand again with an apple. 🍎

Tie Domi in the building. His kid gets the Leaves on the board.

Finding players like Tkachuk and Ekblad will be tough.

Marchand was excellent that period. He is a spare part third liner on Florida and has played just 1 minute less than Barkov and Reinhart. He kills the Leafs and his coach knows it.

Great 2nd period. Now shut up Bisonette.

Wow Florida winning every puck battle. They are all over Trono.

3 in a row. Go Cats.

Keep it up Cats.

Seth Jones quiets the Scotia Garden. Blow Leaves Blow.