Are the 2017/2018 Leafs legitimate contenders for the Cup?

[BayStreetBully]

I don't know how someone could say with a straight face that the 8th ranked team leaguewide isn't a Stanley Cup contender. The League's 16th ranked team went to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals last season!

Do we have holes and weaknesses? Sure. But which team doesn't? The League's back-to-back Stanley Cup winners have looked like ass up until recently! The League's back-to-back President Trophy winners have gone out in the 2nd round!

The NHL is unpredictable and full of parity - it's really about who gets hot at the right time and I think with our mix of coaching, goaltending and gamebreakers up front we could definitely do some damage come playoff time.

With that said, I think our window truly opens up next season where we should begin a 5-year window of contending for the Stanley Cup.

Yeah, there isn’t a whole lot separating the 1st best overall team from the 8th best overall team, or 8th best overall team from the 16th best overall team. We aren’t a favorite this year, but we have a legitimate chance, as do 10 other teams.

 

[Zizzzzy]

I don't understand how you didn't notice Boston manhandling us like our team was entirely AHL players.

Didn't the Leafs win the previous 6 in a row against Boston? Swept the series last year and won the Back to Back against them earlier this season.

Unsure why you are implying that our team is no match for the big bad Bruins when we've been on the winning end of our matchups for over year now until last game...

 

[Suntouchable13]

Didn't the Leafs win the previous 6 in a row against Boston? Swept the series last year and won the Back to Back against them earlier this season.

Unsure why you are implying that our team is no match for the big bad Bruins when we've been on the winning end of our matchups for over year now until last game...

They were not as good they are right now, though. They have 1 regulation loss in the past 22 games. I think we have a chance for sure, but it's hard to see us actually beating them 4 times in a series. I'd rather face TB at this point.

 

[Fogelhund]

For sure, Rask is on one heck of a hot streak. Goalies are funny though... he goes down, or cools off, and all bets are off. But, if Rask's hot play continues, they are likely a better team than us.

I still believe we need a D upgrade to be contenders, and maybe even more experience.... but, you never know what can happen, once we get into the playoffs. Does Beast Gardiner show up, or disaster Gardiner? Can the young kids play the big Bruins in the playoffs?

 

[TimeZone]

If we pulled off some miracle trade for a top pairing Defenseman? Sure. That's not going to happen though. I'd be happy if we won a playoff round but unfortunately we're playing the Bruins.

 

[Havoc]

They were not as good they are right now, though. They have 1 regulation loss in the past 22 games. I think we have a chance for sure, but it's hard to see us actually beating them 4 times in a series. I'd rather face TB at this point.

Rather Boston for sure.

Krejci will most likely be playing banged up. Fatigue from a long season will hit guys like DeBrusk, Heinen and McAvoy.

All Leafs have to do is outscore Boston's first line and the series is theirs (aka Nylander and Matthews need to bring it). Our secondary scoring is better than theirs.

Rask will be the wild card.


Would be an amazing series. Probably go 7 games.

 

[LeafGrief]

Did y'all purge 2013 from your minds? We got absolutely wrecked by the Bruins in the regular season for years and then took them to 7 in the playoffs. We've hammered them the last 6 games before Saturday. Boo hoo, we lost one game. That means absolutely nothing. If we want to be contenders for the cup, we have to go through some good teams.

 

[Tall Morty]

Didn't the Leafs win the previous 6 in a row against Boston? Swept the series last year and won the Back to Back against them earlier this season.

Unsure why you are implying that our team is no match for the big bad Bruins when we've been on the winning end of our matchups for over year now until last game...

No no, none of that matters, all that matters is the game that we lost most recently. We're doomed Zizzzzy! Doomed!

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Oh. I know what you folks want to hear.
The Leafs are 100% contenders. We need to pickup 2-3 UFAs at the trade deadline.

 

[BlueBaron]

Did y'all purge 2013 from your minds? We got absolutely wrecked by the Bruins in the regular season for years and then took them to 7 in the playoffs. We've hammered them the last 6 games before Saturday. Boo hoo, we lost one game. That means absolutely nothing. If we want to be contenders for the cup, we have to go through some good teams.

But but....always rebuilding is way better than trying to win! Psychic predictions say we can't beat the Bruins! Are you insane?....oh wait....

 

[BlueBaron]

Oh. I know what you folks want to hear.
The Leafs are 100% contenders. We need to pickup 2-3 UFAs at the trade deadline.

How about just not packing it before we've played a playoff game?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

How about just not packing it before we've played a playoff game?

I think we will do just as well if we sell UFAs at the trade deadline.
Of course we have a chance.
But if I'm Lou, I am stockpiling picks and prospects to play with Matthews for the next decade.
I dont care about this year.

 

[BAM]

We are the Leafs, in the NHL parity era.
Stop living in the past.

And why exactly wasn't there parity in that time frame? lmfao I can't wait for this response.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I think we will do just as well if we sell UFAs at the trade deadline.
Of course we have a chance.
But if I'm Lou, I am stockpiling picks and prospects to play with Matthews for the next decade.
I dont care about this year.

Let them keep Bozak and JvR for the playoff run. They will probably lose in the 1st or 2nd round then they walk and I say "adios". Can't wait till they are gone already.

 

[BAM]

Oh. I know what you folks want to hear.
The Leafs are 100% contenders. We need to pickup 2-3 UFAs at the trade deadline.

By your own words, the current NHL is parity everywhere. By that logic, there will never be a year where Leafs can be considered cup favourites. You're pretty stupid if you think something magically happens after the 10th year of being a "cup contender" that leads to winning the cup.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Let them keep Bozak and JvR for the playoff run.

No thanks.
Trade if at all possible.

 

[Suntouchable13]

No thanks.
Trade if at all possible.

I want that to happen too but I just don't see with old Lou at the helm. I hope he is put away out to pasture in the summer time.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

By your own words, the current NHL is parity everywhere. By that logic, there will never be a year where Leafs can be considered cup favourites.

With a completed rebuild we will have a shot at a Stanley Cup.
The rebuild isn't complete.

You're pretty stupid if you think something magically happens after the 10th year of being a "cup contender" that leads to winning the cup.

which I clearly didn't say.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I just don't see with old Lou at the helm.

I figure the Leafs haven't received a good enough offer for him yet.
You think Lou really wants to keep him ? Why do you think that ?

 

[Suntouchable13]

I figure the Leafs haven't received a good enough offer for him yet.
You think Lou really wants to keep him ? Why do you think that ?

Because he is not that good of a GM anymore.

 

[BAM]

With a completed rebuild we will have a shot at a Stanley Cup.
The rebuild isn't complete.



which I clearly didn't say.

Have fun with that line of thinking, I'm sure you won't be wrong. Where are the cups for the Caps? Sharks? Blues? The Kings won the cup as the 8th seed, I'm sure they had the same mindset as you and said why bother, we aren't ready yet because "reasons".

And you didn't say "You win the cup by being a consistent contender, for a decade."?

Funny because that was on page 5 of this thread.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Have fun with that line of thinking, I'm sure you won't be wrong. Where are the cups for the Caps? Sharks? Blues? The Kings won the cup as the 8th seed, I'm sure they had the same mindset as you and said why bother, we aren't ready yet because "reasons".

Well said. Take advantage of your opportunities as they come. Imagine we have major injuries next year and miss the playoffs like Tampa did last year.

Leafs worked hard over 82 games to earn a spot in the playoffs, and unlike last year, doing some real damage is conceivable this year. If Bozak or JVR is the difference between 2nd and 3rd round of the playoffs, I want that 3rd round.

 

[Liminality]

I know a lot of the teams that won the cup were very well made and were good teams but how many teams were considered perfect?

 

[BAM]

Well said. Take advantage of your opportunities as they come. Imagine we have major injuries next year and miss the playoffs like Tampa did last year.

Leafs worked hard over 82 games to earn a spot in the playoffs, and unlike last year, doing some real damage is conceivable this year. If Bozak or JVR is the difference between 2nd and 3rd round of the playoffs, I want that 3rd round.

It really just is common sense, you can decide on some years to go for it and still be a sustainable contender. We routinely hear the FO say their long term plan is constantly changing. Take advantage of the present, you don't know what is gunna happen in the future. What happens if one year Matthews gets injured for the year? Or someone important like Andersen is done for a long period of time? Some people like that poster bank on nothing going wrong in the future, this year alone we've seen things don't always work out like how you envisioned them too.

 

[BlueBaron]

I think we will do just as well if we sell UFAs at the trade deadline.
Of course we have a chance.
But if I'm Lou, I am stockpiling picks and prospects to play with Matthews for the next decade.
I dont care about this year.

Of course we will do just as well if we trade a top LW in the league, throw away tons of offense and add inferior players. it's only logical right? And let's not forget the great boost for morale trading off the vets will bring. Maybe if we trade Matthews, Rielly and Andersen for picks and prospects we will win the Cup! Let's do it!

Losers quit before they even try. Great people and great teams rise against adversity. Why you want us to be losers is beyond me.

A late 20s pick and a couple 2nd rounders sure would help stock the system, might get a good player or two who can help us 3 or 4 years from now, might not. Arming the kids for war so they can get more seasoning and learn what it takes to be Champions, hard to say what that is worth.

Tell you what, when they are traded you can say "I told you so" even though no one in the hockey world thinks we will. If they aren't you will just have to live with that knowledge that your hockey brilliance is ahead of it's time.

When we add guys and give up a little bit of the future to improve our chances then you and the gang from Playoff Tank Nation can all cry and talk about how it's all Babcock's fault while the rest of us enjoy the playoffs knowing we have a chance to make some noise and that the worst that can happen is we gave up a few picks to give our kids more seasoning and show them we believed in them.