Anyone else worried about Florida

[Gabriel426]

I can see a thread like this if we are a few points ahead but Panthers have a few games in hand.

Such a loser mentality to think that Leafs might not even make the playoffs. There is a chance of that happening but there is also a chance of the Leafs catching Lightning and winning the division. Let's concentrate on the latter instead of the former.

 

[Canada4Gold]

No. Hopefully they win their last 17 games, get to 107 points, we get to 106 and only get the 1st WC, then cross over t0 the easier playoff bracket and avoid Tampa and Boston until the conference finals. We probably match up better against some of those Metro teams anyway. Also it would be hilarious if we go in to face the Metro 1 seed with more points than they had. Make the current playoff format more of a farce than it already is, only way these things change.

 

[Leafidelity]

Florida? Seriously?

 

[LeafsNation75]

No. Hopefully they win their last 17 games, get to 107 points, we get to 106 and only get the 1st WC, then cross over t0 the easier playoff bracket and avoid Tampa and Boston until the conference finals. We probably match up better against some of those Metro teams anyway. Also it would be hilarious if we go in to face the Metro 1 seed with more points than they had. Make the current playoff format more of a farce than it already is, only way these things change.

If anything you can say the playoff format is stupid that the ROW category is a tie breaker if teams are tied in total points. Last season despite the Leafs going 4-0-0 against the Bruins and tying them with 95 points they got 3rd in the Atlantic with more ROW wins and the Leafs got the 2nd Wild Card position. If the NHL themselves brought in the shootout to decide regular season games and that's not used a tie breaker.

 

[Atomos2]

Nope

 

[Brown Dog]

If anything you can say the playoff format is stupid that the ROW category is a tie breaker if teams are tied in total points. Last season despite the Leafs going 4-0-0 against the Bruins and tying them with 95 points they got 3rd in the Atlantic with more ROW wins and the Leafs got the 2nd Wild Card position. If the NHL themselves brought in the shootout to decide regular season games and that's not used a tie breaker.

I agree. Head-to-head should be the first tie breaker. It only makes sense.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I agree. Head-to-head should be the first tie breaker. It only makes sense.

I realize both the MLB and NBA are different when it comes to their tie breakers in the standings, however here is where head to head match ups made a difference. When the Blue Jays hosted the Orioles in 2016 AL Wild Card Game in Toronto, that happened because they won the season series against them and it happened to be by 1 game, since both were tied for 2nd in the AL East standings.

 

[IamruKusleaf]

No
Not worried at all
What used to worry me the most was not being in the race and not having good players and having Ballads as our owner and having Toskala as our goalie and having Wallin as a player and on and on
Come on ! We are a top 10 and trending upward young team , let’s relax

Sorry
ruKus calls it like I sees it
GO F€£¥en Leafs Go

 

[Damisoph]

I expected a thread like this and this forum didn't disappoint.

 

[Peiskos]

Florida has definitely closed the gap and I think its natural for a thread like this to appear when you consider that Toronto did at one point have a 20 point lead over the Panthers and how it is now just a 12 point lead. The Panthers are not taking our 3rd spot in the Atlantic, teams that should be worried are the two current wild card teams Columbus and New Jersey.

To put it in perspective for anyone who is worried, only 6 teams in the entire NHL have 40 or more wins right now...Toronto is one of those teams. Relax.

 

[Havoc]

Why do people always assume games in hand are guaranteed wins? They can easily go 0-2-2 like we did after our hot streak.

Florida is not catching us. We weren't going to finish the season winning every game. One last mini slump was bound to occur. It was a pretty exaggerated slump as well. Two games we could have won, especially the Florida game where the Panthers disappeared for 45 minutes but Luongo shut us down. Sabres won with 4 fluke goals. We scored 3. Any other normal day and it's a 3-1 win instead.

Only the Caps game was the one where we got dominated and looked like we forgot how to play hockey. However that game was played in unusual conditions so even that game has an asterisk.

Conclusion: Not worried.

 

[zeke]

I don’t think people quite understand how hard it would be for them to close the gap on us. it's near impossible.

for personal reasons i'm hoping they catch philly, who is much closer to them in record, but even that'll be a tall order.

 

[egd27]

I don’t think people quite understand how hard it would be for them to close the gap on us. it's near impossible.

for personal reasons i'm hoping they catch philly, who is much closer to them in record, but even that'll be a tall order.

What would be the impact of catching Philly unless NJ & CBJ do as well?

 

[LeafsNation75]

Florida has definitely closed the gap and I think its natural for a thread like this to appear when you consider that Toronto did at one point have a 20 point lead over the Panthers and how it is now just a 12 point lead. The Panthers are not taking our 3rd spot in the Atlantic, teams that should be worried are the two current wild card teams Columbus and New Jersey.

To put it in perspective for anyone who is worried, only 6 teams in the entire NHL have 40 or more wins right now...Toronto is one of those teams. Relax.

Why do people always assume games in hand are guaranteed wins? They can easily go 0-2-2 like we did after our hot streak.

Florida is not catching us. We weren't going to finish the season winning every game. One last mini slump was bound to occur. It was a pretty exaggerated slump as well. Two games we could have won, especially the Florida game where the Panthers disappeared for 45 minutes but Luongo shut us down. Sabres won with 4 fluke goals. We scored 3. Any other normal day and it's a 3-1 win instead.

Only the Caps game was the one where we got dominated and looked like we forgot how to play hockey. However that game was played in unusual conditions so even that game has an asterisk.

Conclusion: Not worried.

Last nights win does help a lot because it stopped the Leafs losing streak and it keeps the Panthers 12 points behind since they still ended up winning as well.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

The leafs are a virtual lock for the playoffs now and for the foreseeable future. Get used to it

 

[Suntouchable13]

Last nights win does help a lot because it stopped the Leafs losing streak and it keeps the Panthers 12 points behind since they still ended up winning as well.

I can't discount the Panthers completely just yet. Because they can still end up with 100 points and us at 99. You just never know. I am not "worried" about them, I am just not discounting them completely until they start dropping some games and/or we start winning games. Last night was a good start, hope we win a few more in a row to completely seal the deal.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Logic says that the Panthers can't keep up their pace for the rest of the season.

But really it's, what, 16 games? Sustainability kinda gets thrown out the window as that sample size shrinks. It's just about winning as many games as they can

 

[LeafsNation75]

I can't discount the Panthers completely just yet. Because they can still end up with 100 points and us at 99. You just never know. I am not "worried" about them, I am just not discounting them completely until they start dropping some games and/or we start winning games. Last night was a good start, hope we win a few more in a row to completely seal the deal.

Logic says that the Panthers can't keep up their pace for the rest of the season.

But really it's, what, 16 games? Sustainability kinda gets thrown out the window as that sample size shrinks. It's just about winning as many games as they can

The Panthers streak is like that 20+ game point streak the Bruins went on. Just like the Bruins streak ended so will the Panthers streak.

 

[zeke]

What would be the impact of catching Philly unless NJ & CBJ do as well?

it's personal.

 

[Judas Tavares]

I think we all have "on pace" issues on this board. It's human nature mixed with the excitement and nerves of sport.

We've won 14 of 17 - "We could win win the president's trophy!"
We lose 3 of 5 - "This team sucks, it's slipping, fire Babs."
Matthews has 9 points in 6 games. - "100 points is not out of the questions at all."
Marner is on pace for 9 goals at one point - "My username is sooooo right."

A win streak doesn't mean the streak will continue and we will win the Cup
A losing streak doesn't mean the streak will continue and its time to blow it all up
A nice point surge doesn't mean someone will conitnue the pace and be >>>> x
A slump doesn't mean its time to waive the guy

This site is is consumed by the smallest of sample sizes being the norm over 82 games. Florida cannot keep up the pace and their games in hand aren't guaranteed wins.

Sometimes you need to come down and pump the breaks in both directions and realize the law of averages will pick things up but also potentially disappoint your over the top optimism.

 

[Warden of the North]

So even if Florida goes on an insane win streak and passes us for 3rd in the Atlantic, we still have a 10 cushion on the wildcard teams.

 

[LeafsNation75]

So even if Florida goes on an insane win streak and passes us for 3rd in the Atlantic, we still have a 10 cushion on the wildcard teams.

Even if that happens which I doubt it will, won't it be a huge let down for the Leafs seeing as how long they have been top 3 in the Atlantic.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Even if that happens which I doubt it will, won't it be a huge let down for the Leafs seeing as how long they have been top 3 in the Atlantic.

I care more about our path in the playoffs than our regular season finish. the first WC spot might mean an easier path for us

 

[Suntouchable13]

I care more about our path in the playoffs than our regular season finish. the first WC spot might mean an easier path for us

First WC could very well face PIT in the first round. How is that easier? Does not sound easier to me. I am in the camp that thinks that finishing the regular season well is very important. You can't just turn it on like a switch.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

First WC could very well face PIT in the first round. How is that easier? Does not sound easier to me. I am in the camp that thinks that finishing the regular season well is very important. You can't just turn it on like a switch.

Well we also might get Washington. Tampa and Boston in the first two rounds is probably the toughest path we can get