your expectations for this team this coming year+

[Daisy Jane]

I predicted the playoffs were a strong possibility last season and this year winning the division is well within reach. As far as the playoffs go we should be able to give any team all they can handle in the playoffs. We improved in every area this off season and my expectations are we will be a difficult team for any one in the playoffs.

We can ice 3 strong lines and with 3 of them having the ability to score a hard team to shut down. We have a lot more depth on D this year with the 3 signings and a rookie offering up more then enough depth for a long playoff run. Goaltending was more then good enough in the playoffs.

I predict a great season with a lot more fans jumping aboard the band wagon claiming to have always believed.

except backup in my opinion. and I don't even have an issue with McBackup, but God forbid Andy hurts something serious - i'm not sure if McBackup is a Condon-quality play 2+ months no issues backup.

 

[fahad203]

Stanley Cup. Dreaming small was never my forte

I think we have a good as chance any team to play for the big cup. Washington and Montreal in my opinion are weaker today.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

except backup in my opinion. and I don't even have an issue with McBackup, but God forbid Andy hurts something serious - i'm not sure if McBackup is a Condon-quality play 2+ months no issues backup.

he is not, at all, he had a career year last year but hasn't shown that at any other point in his career, not even close

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Stanley Cup. Dreaming small was never my forte

I think we have a good as chance any team to play for the big cup. Washington and Montreal in my opinion are weaker today.

There is a team captained by Crosby that would like a word with you

 

[Daisy Jane]

There is a team captained by Crosby that would like a word with you

eh. you could argue they are weaker too.
they lost some pieces that were helpful in both runs.

 

[The CyNick]

The 3 best teams play in the Metro division and Leafs are lucky they play in the Atlantic otherwise only a WC spot would be an option if they played in the other Div with Pens, Caps and Jackets.

A weak Division is definitely a benefiting advantage to help us make the playoffs with a healthy TB the team to catch for the Division title.

Montreal, Boston, Toronto, Ottawa and maybe Florida will all battle for those playoff spots.

Outside of Pittsburgh, I don't think anyone is safe.

Nobody predicted Columbus' doing what they did last year. It's very possible they vastly over achieved, largely on the back of the big winning streak. They didn't look good in the playoffs. I wouldn't be shocked if they miss the playoffs this year.

Pitt should be good, likely still the class of the league.

Washington I expect to be a tire fire and that's all I'm going to say about that right now. But remember who said it first.

 

[PromisedLand]

so basically, at the end of the day - you'd rather be a San Jose, than a Carolina.
(Carolina won the cup but hasn't been able to do much since, vs. San Jose who even got to the show - but hasn't won anything at all).

Actually at the end of the day I'd rather be a Toronto Maple Leaf. And if you have to pick an example, then may be throw in Detroit/Hawks

Detroit: Kept drafting well and won a few cups AND stayed competitive

Hawks: Dealt guys instead of letting them walk and still were a decent competitive team given themselves a chance at the cup.

why did you think of Canes and Sharks is beyond me

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Outside of Pittsburgh, I don't think anyone is safe.

Nobody predicted Columbus' doing what they did last year. It's very possible they vastly over achieved, largely on the back of the big winning streak. They didn't look good in the playoffs. I wouldn't be shocked if they miss the playoffs this year.

Pitt should be good, likely still the class of the league.

Washington I expect to be a tire fire and that's all I'm going to say about that right now. But remember who said it first.

I said it first on the main board quite a few times

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

Personally, I think Marner regresses a little this year; just a sophomore slump before he becomes beastly. Which means that we'll need to win more OT games just to even things out a bit.

 

[glue]

Personally, I think Marner regresses a little this year; just a sophomore slump before he becomes beastly. Which means that we'll need to win more OT games just to even things out a bit.

The reason I think he actually won't is because he can't be happy the way he finished the year (annnh) vs how he started (beast). So I'm thinking he's going to come out of the gate flying. Let's see :

 

[Anthrax442]

I hiope they can make the playofs this year again- there are a lot of teams that will be better potentially.;

I see the 'Tards and Scabs potentially taking a step back. If the boys can have better luck with shootout games and win half their games vs the Scabs - they can do it.

 

[Brown Dog]

Andersen isn't where your questions should lie, your questions shoulf be about Mcbackup, he had 1 good year, it was last year, but by NHL standards he's been garbage the rest of his career.

Management doesn't even want him if they did they did they wouldn't have gone after Mike Condon and we know they did because Elliott Freidman reportef it.

If you think Mcbackup is good enough you don't go after Mike Condon or anyone else, but they did.

I'm comfortable with McElhinney as a backup playing 12-15 games, making peanuts, and serving as a veteran presence who knows his role.

But you're right that they're in trouble if Andersen goes down for an extended period. I just think having a 1B-type backup would've cost more of the cap than Leafs wanted to assign to that role.

 

[Fouad]

A few things. Matthews scoring 40 goals again, Marner and Nylander pushing 70 points. Kapanen gets better and Kadri and Brown maintain. In the playoffs, winning a round and giving Pittsburgh one hell of a fight in the 2nd or 3rd round would be my success of a season.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Actually at the end of the day I'd rather be a Toronto Maple Leaf. And if you have to pick an example, then may be throw in Detroit/Hawks

Detroit: Kept drafting well and won a few cups AND stayed competitive

Hawks: Dealt guys instead of letting them walk and still were a decent competitive team given themselves a chance at the cup.

why did you think of Canes and Sharks is beyond me

because I've quite frankly refuse to use the Red Wings in any kind of comparisons. it's like the 2003 draft. It's seen as the best draft in NHL history but a strong component is that they ALL had an entire year of development. (thanks to the great lockout) a great chunk of the wings success was the majority of the league didn't have scouts in deep Europe. that's it.

Carolina/San Jose is an example i use a lot of times. Would you rather go for it (and win) and struggle for whatever reasons - or would you rather be decent all around but never win.

It's easy to cite the Hawks (who again comparables are a lot harder because they had a crap tonne of cap circumventing deals, so of course they can deal guys because one of their super stars is making the same amount of money as Lupul give or take a thou). but what if at the end of the day the Leafs ARE like San Jose (in regards to drafting, development and success). really good but can't cross the hump? (or St Louis. Or Washington. Or the Rangers (since 1994). or Montreal (before Bergevin lost his mind). do well, be competitive, make 'smart choices'

or be a Carolina. Win a cup and struggle for a (long) while.

quite frankly. at this stage of the game. I'd rather win thank you kindly.

 

[Bullseye]

It just strikes me as the least obvious conclusion, that we would stay the same or get worse. I could be wrong but....only time will tell.

Well I did say 7th or 8th and we finished in the 8th spot by the skin of our teeth last season - so I'm saying the same or better by a spot not weaker but you get my drift.

I don't see us cake-walking over this "weak" division. It's not weak - it's very even as Nith said.

 

[Sypher04]

eh. you could argue they are weaker too.
they lost some pieces that were helpful in both runs.

Maybe... but probably not a compelling argument.

The Pens D still has most of their main guys from last run Maatta, Dumo, Schultz, Cole. They swapped Hainsey for Hunwick (as a bottom pair D), and get Letang back which is huge. They gave up some depth in Daley, Streit, but they can get more depth, cheap, at the deadline if they feel they need to.

Forward wise, they lose Kunitz, who was honestly past his expiry in Pittsburgh, and Bonino, who DOES leave a whole at the 3C. Still hoping they can fill that. Thing with Bonino is he was great a year ago in the playoffs, but not so much of a factor in the second cup run. And his regular season play was inconsistent to say the least. I feel like they can find a cheaper option who can replace him well, but they need to do that, so marginally weakened up front I guess. Not sure that replacement exists in the organization, not exactly flush with quality C prospects.

Biggest loss was Fleury, but he was a backup. More pressure on Murray now, without his safety net, but I think he's up for that task.

The Pens depth took a small step back, but if they can land a good 3C they are virtually the same team imo.

 

[Rick74*]

I think considering the changes of every other team in their division coupled with what the Leafs went out and got, while expecting our rookies to gradually improve...

playoffs should be expected and a series win would be nice.

 

[Marshy]

If playoffs are a foregone conclusion by the TDL - 100+ point pace... Is Lou a buyer? Or do they just rent their own UFAs?

 

[SprDaVE]

Top 3 in the division

 

[Rick74*]

If playoffs are a foregone conclusion by the TDL - 100+ point pace... Is Lou a buyer? Or do they just rent their own UFAs?

Lou doesn't do much more than what he did last year.

Stay the course accumulate long term young talent so it overlaps in the years to come.

 

[ACC1224]

If playoffs are a foregone conclusion by the TDL - 100+ point pace... Is Lou a buyer? Or do they just rent their own UFAs?

Both, same as last year.

 

[Sypher04]

Unless someone really surprises and runs away with it we should be contending for the division title

 

[Sypher04]

Both, same as last year.

Doubt we'd be much of a seller at all in the scenario.

Our only real UFAs would be JVR, Bozak and Komarov and you don't cut them out of a 100 point team going to the playoffs. Maybe one has to go to fill a D need or something, but definitely not a pure sell

 

[ACC1224]

Doubt we'd be much of a seller at all in the scenario.

Our only real UFAs would be JVR, Bozak and Komarov and you don't cut them out of a 100 point team going to the playoffs. Maybe one has to go to fill a D need or something, but definitely not a pure sell

Agreed, seller wasn't mentioned.

 

[The CyNick]

If playoffs are a foregone conclusion by the TDL - 100+ point pace... Is Lou a buyer? Or do they just rent their own UFAs?

I would say that's the fork in the road decision. If we are strongly trending to be a playoff team, especially competing for top of the division or Conference, then you look at our pending UFAs as rentals. That's the whole idea of passing on the assets they could bring in exchange for the value add of a better shot at a deeper run.

Outside of that, I don't think much will be available. History suggests most teams will still be in it at the TDL, and it's rare that key pieces are moved. I wouldn't anticipate were in a spot to pay big future assets for a rental. However, could we pay a price for a younger asset that can play now but also be around for several years, sure. I just don't see that deal presenting itself.

If we're a tire fire this year, then you sell off the pending UFAs and take what you can get to help long term.