Leafs or Habs who is the current favorite to win the North

[Ringo13]

To answer this question, Toronto is the better team and will win the north.
My prediction for the division:
1. Toronto
2. Edmonton
3. Calgary
4. Montreal
5. Winnipeg
6. Vancouver
7. Ottawa

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Leafs on pace for a normal season point total of 123 points.

Best team in Leaf franchise history managed a measly 105 points.

Cinderella Leafs often start hot. Then midnight strikes, reality returns and they're back to the usual mediocrity.

 

[Bouboumaster]

So much less confident right now lol

 

[CatchyTune]

So much less confident right now lol

wasnt it just like 2 days ago you were saying Montreal was gonna smash Toronto and you wanted the playoff matchup?

1st off why say it in the 1st place, 2nd of all why should 1 game change your expectations?

 

[Bouboumaster]

wasnt it just like 2 days ago you were saying Montreal was gonna smash Toronto and you wanted the playoff matchup?

1st off why say it in the 1st place, 2nd of all why should 1 game change your expectations?

Because Montreal was murdering fools left and right, and because the Habs are absolutly not playing good right now

 

[CatchyTune]

Because Montreal was murdering fools left and right, and because the Habs are absolutly not playing good right now

i get being happy your team is doing well but everyone knows that was premature. talking the talk was warranted but i was kinda cringing at all the talk directed towards Toronto. they played eachother once and Montreal lost.

however even if they arent playing well rn its 1 game.

 

[AvroArrow]

Leafs on pace for a normal season point total of 123 points.

Best team in Leaf franchise history managed a measly 105 points.

Cinderella Leafs often start hot. Then midnight strikes, reality returns and they're back to the usual mediocrity.

How does 1 season effect the next ? Because they didn't win before it means they're destined to lose forever ? Ray Bourque never won until his last year, Ovi never won until a few years ago. You're always a loser until you're a winner, but previous seasons don't determine this seasons outcome.

 

[34]

T.O

 

[Critical13]

Still think Montreal is the cream of the crop in the division but they looked pretty bad last night.

 

[wintersej]

I would think that Habs fans would be more skeptical of the start after both the 2015 and 2016 starts.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Barring injury, I believe this has potential to be a special year for Toronto.

 

[Saitama]

Jets
Leafs
Habs
Oilers
Canucks

Then those other teams.

 

[CatchyTune]

Jets
Leafs
Habs
Oilers
Canucks

Then those other teams.

whats wrong with Calgary

 

[NinjaKick]

gotta go with the leafs due to game breaking ability

 

[Saitama]

whats wrong with Calgary

Nothing, I just don't like them and so I'm letting my bias influence my ranking of them!

 

[Menzinger]

How does 1 season effect the next ? Because they didn't win before it means they're destined to lose forever ? Ray Bourque never won until his last year, Ovi never won until a few years ago. You're always a loser until you're a winner, but previous seasons don't determine this seasons outcome.

It doesn't. Other than wishful/pessimistic thinking

 

[Thenameless]

I would think that Habs fans would be more skeptical of the start after both the 2015 and 2016 starts.

Yes, I'm not buying it quite yet. Too early in the season. I'm also worried that we might be feasting on weaker Canadian teams. When reality sets in during the playoffs, we'll be playing against those loaded American teams eventually.

A few nice things though:

1. Size - finally the team isn't smaller than average, so this could help in the playoffs
2. Team Chemistry - except for Mete I guess
3. Balanced Scoring - obviously you're tougher to shut down than a one line team
4. The Emergence of Young Talent - still no McDavid or MacKinnon types here, but things are looking up

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

How does 1 season effect the next ? Because they didn't win before it means they're destined to lose forever ? Ray Bourque never won until his last year, Ovi never won until a few years ago. You're always a loser until you're a winner, but previous seasons don't determine this seasons outcome.

The best predictor of future outcomes is always past occurrences.

Yes, occasionally, there's a Bourque. Maybe some elementary school janitor wins the lotto somewhere and elevates herself into multi-millionaire status.

Those are exceptions to the norms.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

How does 1 season effect the next ? Because they didn't win before it means they're destined to lose forever ? Ray Bourque never won until his last year, Ovi never won until a few years ago. You're always a loser until you're a winner, but previous seasons don't determine this seasons outcome.

Ray Bourque also needed to leave Boston to become a winner...and he was a hockey icon. The Leafs are more like Chris Bourque and less like Ray Bourque.

Ovie and the Caps? The Caps have won how many regular season Presidents Trophies in recent years? Three? Again, today's Leafs don't compare at all to Washington and Ovie.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

current poll is 49.4 to 50.6. exact same breakdown as 1995 Quebec referendum. good times!

 

[AvroArrow]

The best predictor of future outcomes is always past occurrences.

Yes, occasionally, there's a Bourque. Maybe some elementary school janitor wins the lotto somewhere and elevates herself into multi-millionaire status.

Those are exceptions to the norms.

In context yes. If you're comparing this team to the results Pre-2016 it doesn't make any sense. You can use the past 5 seasons somewhat, this team has absolutely nothing to do with the Leafs teams of the Kessel/Sundin/Gilmour eras. So if you're using those years results to predict this years results, it's absolutely irrelevant. Also can't ignore that the new core players have only gotten better every year.

 

[Garthinater]

No offence to the reasonable fans, but the hot takes/chest thumping from a select few habs fans/leaf haters are getting ridiculous.

As a leaf fan I’m okay with the start, not perfect, but like others have said the season is very young still and everyone has a chance to make the playoffs except Ottawa (sorry Ottawa your time will come).

I guess chest thumping from leaf homers doesn't bother you though rofl

 

[admiralcadillac]

i get being happy your team is doing well but everyone knows that was premature. talking the talk was warranted but i was kinda cringing at all the talk directed towards Toronto. they played eachother once and Montreal lost.

however even if they arent playing well rn its 1 game.

These types of condescending leafs posts happen every year and every year the come back to bite. I don't see a contender in the leafs D and G.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

In context yes. If you're comparing this team to the results Pre-2016 it doesn't make any sense. You can use the past 5 seasons somewhat, this team has absolutely nothing to do with the Leafs teams of the Kessel/Sundin/Gilmour eras. So if you're using those years results to predict this years results, it's absolutely irrelevant. Also can't ignore that the new core players have only gotten better every year.

Except that we're not just talking of the on-ice personnel when talking of the major influencers and policymakers within a team. We're also talking of off-ice decision makers...and the greater Leaf organization such as the MLSE has been puppeteering the Leafs for decades.

So, yes, extended past performance may be relevant.

 

[Butch26]

The 1st in the North will depend on the matchup between these two. Both team are terrific and their way.

I feel like habs could win more game against Leafs, but the Leafs have so much offense power, they can always come back and steal game. It will be very very close