Are the Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup contenders?

eviohh26

Registered User
Dec 19, 2017
4,039
3,783
Victoria BC Canada
Any team that makes it into the playoffs are a contender.

Do I think the Leafs have what it takes? No I don't think so. It could happen but so many things will have to go right . I just don't believe in their core .

I'm an outsider looking in. I don't really follow the Leafs very much. I feel they need to let Marner and Tavares go and get some depth . They need a bit of a retool.
 

HockeyWooot

Registered User
Jan 28, 2020
2,347
1,934
Not a top contender or favorite, but yes. They’re kinda flying under the radar, could surprise.

To me not sold with that D, and core players in Tavares and/or Marner can probably get moved for a balanced lineup. Both incredible players that can be better served addressing other areas.
 
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kevsh

Registered User
Nov 28, 2018
3,338
4,614
Any team that makes it into the playoffs are a contender.

I wouldn't say that, as far as the accepted usage of the term "contender" is defined.

Every year there are usually a team or two that are generally considered the favorites - often one from each conference, then a few more that are close behind. The rest of the 10 or so teams range from pretenders to long shots, clearly not contenders. We do get underdogs winning a round or two, even get to a final (Montreal for one) but no one calls them contenders going in.

As for Toronto, I wouldn't say any single year since M&M arrived have they been contenders, in part because most years they've been in a division with one of the top two teams in the league (usually Boston or Tampa Bay) and as such they've been underdogs just to get out of the first round. This year will likely be no different with them so far headed towards facing the Bruins or Panthers in round one, then if they survive possibly the other in round two.
 

SeanMoneyHands

Registered User
Apr 18, 2019
13,138
11,104
The Leafs are set to play Florida in Round 1. If this stays, I don't like their chances. Barkov completely shutdown Matthews last playoffs and the Leafs need all 4 of their core 4 producing if they want to beat Florida.
 
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v00d00daddy

Registered User
Oct 9, 2007
2,354
1,298
They literally played games like that in the playoffs against Florida and still lost. I think people are forgetting the performance that Bobrovsky put up, all the games were intense and pretty close with the Leafs even outplaying them a few times.
Oh totally. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how well a team plays, if the goalie stands on his head there’s not much else you can do
 
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NVious

Registered User
Dec 20, 2022
952
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Based on this period vs the Panthers I see the Leafs going 16-0 and crushing everyone. They are literally on pace to beat the Panthers 6-0, Samsonov will have a line clearing stop every period and Matthews not even bothering with gpg, he's going HTPG (hat trick per game)
 

Just Linda

Registered User
Feb 24, 2018
6,652
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Just say they're not contenders man lol by making those "points" you just outed yourself
I didn't out myself.

Leafs are 10th in the league right now (which they likely are better than).

Looking at the list ahead of them (except Edmonton), heck even including Tampa Vegas from behind them, that gives 10 teams.

Of those 10 teams, NYR, Boston, Carolina, Dallas, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Florida, Colorado, Tampa, and Vegas...

How many have worse defensemen? I'm not sure any of them do.

How many have less depth? I'm not sure I'd take the Leafs depth over any of them.

How many of as suspect/ shaky of goaltending? I'm not a fan of Colorado or Vegas goaltenders, so maybe two.

How many have their coaches get out coached as often as Keefe gets? Only a few.

People might disagree with a couple of the teams having better or worse in one or two of the areas, I don't think any rational person looks at that list and thinks the Leafs win out in more than two categories against any of those teams.

The Leafs are a mediocre team. I have expectations of mediocrity about them because of it.
 
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authentic

Registered User
Jan 28, 2015
25,882
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I didn't out myself.

Leafs are 10th in the league right now (which they likely are better than).

Looking at the list ahead of them (except Edmonton), heck even including Tampa Vegas from behind them, that gives 10 teams.

Of those 10 teams, NYR, Boston, Carolina, Dallas, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Florida, Colorado, Tampa, and Vegas...

How many have worse defensemen? I'm not sure any of them do.

How many have less depth? I'm not sure I'd take the Leafs depth over any of them.

How many of as suspect/ shaky of goaltending? I'm not a fan of Colorado or Vegas goaltenders, so maybe two.

How many have their coaches get out coached as often as Keefe gets? Only a few.

People might disagree with a couple of the teams having better or worse in one or two of the areas, I don't think any rational person looks at that list and thinks the Leafs win out in more than two categories against any of those teams.

The Leafs are a mediocre team. I have expectations of mediocrity about them because of it.

Pretty mediocre beating the Panthers 5-1 after 2 periods without Marner, Rielly and Lilegren.
 

BostonBob

4 Ever The Greatest
Jan 26, 2004
13,734
6,742
Vancouver, BC
Based on this period vs the Panthers I see the Leafs going 16-0 and crushing everyone. They are literally on pace to beat the Panthers 6-0
So close. Literally.

giphy.gif
 
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SmoggyTwinkles

Go Leafs Go
Aug 5, 2010
6,851
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Oshawa
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Any team that makes it into the playoffs are a contender.

Do I think the Leafs have what it takes? No I don't think so. It could happen but so many things will have to go right . I just don't believe in their core .

I'm an outsider looking in. I don't really follow the Leafs very much. I feel they need to let Marner and Tavares go and get some depth . They need a bit of a retool.
They need to let Marner go (even if they just let him walk)

Tavares can just run out and perhaps stick around on the cheap after.

I don't think they're contenders and they always have the hardest teams to go through just to get out of the first round.

They will need some serious luck, and that is probably not going to happen.

I'm prepared for another first round exit.
 

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