Are the Leafs better or worse this year than last year?

Are the Leafs better or worse than last year?


  • Total voters
    229

Los merengues

Registered User
Mar 24, 2019
409
223
Better. Teams aren't going easy on the Leafs anymore.
Ive seen this line of thought being applied to players and it kind of holds true on The sense that coaches dont plan against certain players/rookies can strike from The shadows etc.... A while TEAM though? Thats a first for me
 

Pyrophorus

Registered User
Jun 1, 2009
26,197
2,905
Eastern GTA
They have performed roughly the same but with far worse goaltending overall, that is the only reason they aren't a clearly better team. Didn't help with Nylander sitting out and not playing well for quite a while after his return, and some overall defensive issues, but if Andersen and everyone is healthy in a few weeks I guarantee we will give Boston a tough go.

McElhinney>>>>>>>>>>>>Sparks

This could be the difference.
 

sansabri

a sea of troubles eh
Aug 12, 2005
31,228
7,657
Ive seen this line of thought being applied to players and it kind of holds true on The sense that coaches dont plan against certain players/rookies can strike from The shadows etc.... A while TEAM though? Thats a first for me

Point was that the Leafs are a relevant team again and teams want to beat them.
 

Los merengues

Registered User
Mar 24, 2019
409
223
Point was that the Leafs are a relevant team again and teams want to beat them.
So wins against Bad teams yield lesser amount of points? Or that no one wants to beat bottom dwellers out of empathy? Didn't think this was a thing on pro sports btw....

So If I have it figured out correctly the leafs are indeed better. Since after last season doing good on RS The opponents now have caught up on Them being a good team and want to beat them. Something which wasnt happening in The years before. Now that Every one finally wants to best them they are doing (only If a Little) worse than before cause now every one wants to best them.

I have to say that Sometimes your argument gets used like "everyone wants to best The Champions" not really as: "everyone wants to best a random decent team" But hey you Learn something new everyday
 

Pyrophorus

Registered User
Jun 1, 2009
26,197
2,905
Eastern GTA
Absolutely, they are polar opposites. Best back up vs. worst.

Also just 1 shootout so far. Just as when we said those one goal losses could have been wins, how many losses could we have
gotten the pity point from.

Those are the 2 main factors-not that I miss the gimmick at all.
 

82Ninety42011

Registered User
Jul 2, 2011
7,527
5,456
Abbotsford BC
Talent wise they are better this year. However since mid way point of season they seem to lack something like they are just not interested in playing hard. They need more consistent effort to get a real read on what they can accomplish because like I said talent is there.
 

LEAFANFORLIFE23

Registered User
Jun 17, 2010
45,389
14,256
I don't think this question can be answered by the standings anymore, I think we are past that, I think this team will be judged on it's playoff performance
 
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leaffaninvancouver

formerly in Victoria
Jan 11, 2012
13,819
8,327
I'd say we were better, our problem this year has been we don't have a very good backup and our weakest position suffered multiple injuries at the same time. We lost Dermott and Gardiner in the NHL but we also lost Rosen at the same time which resulted in us having to use some pretty bad options. We also didn't have our second best winger signed for half the season and then it took him time to get into mid season form like everyone else.
 

Connor McConnor

Registered User
Nov 22, 2017
5,243
6,011
It makes no sense this team is playing so badly right now with all that talent. Their bottom six is better than our top 6 outside mcdavid drai and rnh yet we have similar records since Jan 1st lmao. With that being said, the 1st round should be a good barometer.
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
95,353
59,261
Ottawa, ON
If the points are roughly the same then you have to add a year of experience which does mean something.

So I'd say the team as a whole is better - whether or not they will perform at that level remains to be seen.
 

LEAFANFORLIFE23

Registered User
Jun 17, 2010
45,389
14,256
leafs 105 pts last year

99 pts this year, (+4 max)

they are worse. but realistically about the same

Thing is you can't always look at point totals and judge a team based off that. Toronto will finishwith fewer points but are currently higher in the league standings than last year, last year they 7th in the NHL, because of ROW wins.

This year they are top 5 in the NHL.

An example of it going the other way is Buffalo, they have 10 more points than last year but they have been so bad since the 10 game win streak that I think they are worse.

In the Leafs case they need to be judged by the playoffs
 

LEAFANFORLIFE23

Registered User
Jun 17, 2010
45,389
14,256
It makes no sense this team is playing so badly right now with all that talent. Their bottom six is better than our top 6 outside mcdavid drai and rnh yet we have similar records since Jan 1st lmao. With that being said, the 1st round should be a good barometer.

A LOT of that was defense injuries
 

Snippit

Registered User
Dec 5, 2012
16,585
9,910
Better on paper but their record since December should be of concern
 

Bounces R Way

Registered User
Nov 18, 2013
33,504
52,717
Weegartown
Pretty much the same. Lot of the same strengths and same weaknesses. Thought Muzzin would do more to stabilize that defense but their record hasn't been great with him. Still need a top pairing RHD badly IMO. Way too often they are still a firedrill in their zone.

I think they have the capacity to beat Boston but with the way they've played this year I wouldn't bet on it.
 

M88K

irreverent
May 24, 2014
9,072
7,022
I voted about the same.
They have more talent (obviously) but they seem to play like they'll win on skill alone and don't routinely put in the necessary effort.
Almost as if they were told from day of the Tavares signing, they were a cup contender and instead of playing up to that, they expect it to just be handed to them
 
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A1LeafNation

Obsession beats talent everytime!!
Oct 17, 2010
27,284
17,190
Our second line center last year Kadri, this year Matthews.

Our third best dman last year Hainsey, this year Muzzin.

Standings wise, less points due to injuries and the back up which most likely won't be a factor in the playoffs.
 

sittler rules!!!

Registered User
Feb 9, 2004
1,196
643
If you told me they’d add Tavares and Muzzin I’d say they would have gotten better.
But they’re actually quite a bit worse. They’re about a .500 team since Jan 1st.
Take too many nights and big chunks of games off. Definitely have the offensive talent but they’re missing something this year.
Could turn the switch on in the playoffs and all will be forgotten. But I think that’s pretty unlikely given the length of time they’ve played mediocre hockey.
Missing preparation and heart
 

Pyrophorus

Registered User
Jun 1, 2009
26,197
2,905
Eastern GTA
In their 3rd year, they should have learned something about the playoffs.
I think they learned with Washington (not enough), and with Boston we'll see.
 

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