Are the Leafs a top 5 Stanley Cup contender going into next season?

[bobholly39]

There's been a set of polls done on HF ranking the top cup contenders going into next season these past few weeks. And in those polls, Leafs ended up ranking 4th in terms of teams most likely to win the cup.

Personally I think that's way too high. Really good core, but they haven't won a single playoff round in ages. Also - big turnover at goalie position and with a lot of question marks still in nets for next season.

So what do you think? Are Leafs a top 5 cup contender or not?

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[The90]

Buckle up boys. This’ll be a fun thread. I expect all the usual suspects will be here.

I’d have them in the 4-10 range.

 

[Rude Dog]

Maybe we should start one for the Habs? Anyway, not sure how anyone can answer this right now. They have a good enough team from the net out to be top 5. Still shocked they took such a huge gamble in net. Guess we will find out soon enough

 

[BlueBaron]

Went with top ten but I'm being conservative. There is only a couple western teams worth worrying about. After Colorado and Tampa we fall into a cluster with a few other teams that could go either way like the Canes. Florida, Calgary, Ranger. I'm sure I'm missing a few. If the Oil add a serious dman I'd add them. Not sure about Vegas or StL this year. They could be back in the mix.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Nah, I don’t think so. That core just can’t step up and just put away a team. Not sure they ever will. We shall see, I guess. Don’t see what is so special about this team beyond the top 4 forwards anyway. A whole bunch of meh. Also, on D, Rielly is not in the same tier as a Hedman or Makar and some other guys. The D just got older and slower. I just don’t see it with this group.

 

[topshelf15]

Their forwards are there for sure...Its the defense and goaltending that has some questions,going with top 10 but could go on a run

 

[bobholly39]

Maybe we should start one for the Habs? Anyway, not sure how anyone can answer this right now. They have a good enough team from the net out to be top 5. Still shocked they took such a huge gamble in net. Guess we will find out soon enough

The Habs are going to be a pretty terrible team this year. The one off-chance they had of maybe making a bit of noise was a returning healthy Price - but that obviously isn't happening. So why would we start a thread for the Habs?

As for "how can anyone answer this right now"....why not? I'm asking you to pick who you rank as favorites. Not to predict who will actually win.

I agree that Murray is a gamble. The positive thing about it is, if he's on his game, he's amazing and is exactly the type of goalie who could lead them to a cup (he was amazing in both Pen runs). But obviously, it's been a while he's played at that level, so it's a big gamble, and more likely he ends up again being subpar this year.

 

[A1LeafNation]

I'd like to know the 5 ahead of then if they aren't.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Once again, they are a nice "regular season" team, when pond hockey is fine as a system. Top 5 actual cup contender? No way.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

The Leafs have proven time and time again that they cannot be trusted to win a damn thing.

Top 10 sure but I can't put them in the top 5 due to the playoff failures.

 

[TS Quint]

I wouldn’t bet on that goaltending going far.

 

[Fatass]

Goaltending too much of a question to be top ten.

 

[Flying Dego]

They gotta win a round in the playoffs to be a contender. Talent is always there but that's not helped for the past several years.

Their goaltending is very suspect.

 

[cneely]

I'd like to know the 5 ahead of then if they aren't.

I'd have Colorado, Florida, Carolina and Tampa ahead of them. Then a group with the Rangers, Leafs, Oilers, I also have a hard time counting out teams like Pitt, Minnesota, St. Louis and Boston, but they would certainly be a wrung below.

 

[Rengorlex]

They are 2nd in odds in most betting sites. Though that may be influenced by fanbase which is more likely to bet on bad odds. I don't know how the oddsmakers make their odds, if it's just raw probability estimation and banking on the margins or are things like that included.

 

[Bouboumaster]

I take great pleasure to watch them faceplant every year in the first round and I don't want it to stop

So no they are not top 10, they are top 16

 

[NyQuil]

I'd like to know the 5 ahead of then if they aren't.

Colorado Avalanche
Tampa Bay Lightning
St. Louis Blues
Florida Panthers
Carolina Hurricanes
New York Rangers
Minnesota Wild

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

I'd like to know the 5 ahead of then if they aren't.

Colorado
Tampa Bay
Carolina
Calgary
NYR

Toronto is top 10 imo

 

[Steven Toast]

Voted yes. They are borderline top 5 but I have them in there. Really depends on if Murray can rebound or not.

 

[Bizz]

First Round Exit is their eternal fate.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I think overall Toronto got a bit worse this off season especially in goal and a bit at forward.
My top five are
Colorado
Tampa
Carolina
NYR
Florida

Then I think the next three are:
Minnesota
St. Louis
Toronto

So comfortably top 10. However generally teams don’t win the Cup unless they’ve had some prior playoff success so I think this year is more about getting that monkey off their back.

 

[Gurglesons]

Colorado
Tampa
Carolina
Calgary

Are the top four. I'm not sure there is a sure fit for 5th.

 

[Volica]

Yes and no.

Yes, they have a very talented roster that could produce a cup in a vacuum setting.

No, they play in a murderous division with a bunch of teams with veteran groups that've had long runs in the playoffs; added on top of their roster that has underperformed in the playoffs as well as pushing their chips into a goalie that is really questionable.

I'd have them in the next tier.

I like Colorado as the favourite.
I like Carolina as a team that could come out of the metro.
It's hard to bet against Tampa that just did multiple trips to the finals.
Then you have Calgary/Edmonton that'll be playing it out in the Pacific and will likely only come down to an Avs series.

If someone said top 5 it wouldn't be an absurdity, but if someone said 7-9th I also wouldn't be disgusted.

 

[treple13]

Honestly, after Colorado and Tampa I'm not sure there's a clear 3rd most likely winner. Pick one of Toronto/Florida/NYR/Carolina/St.Louis/Minnesota/Edmonton/Calgary and it's all somewhat the same. All of them feel somewhat flawed.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Just outside the top 5. I have them 7th on my list of contenders