Are the Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup contenders?

[dalewood12]

Maaaybe Conference Finals contenders.

 

[JimmyApples]

Tampa Bay is likely going to catch them and they’ll be a wildcard team

 

[Nostradumbass]

The Toronto Maple Leafs are 1st round contenders. No lead is safe in their games.

 

[Stickpucker]

The Toronto Maple Leafs are 1st round contenders. No lead is safe in their games.

Is that normal?

Whenever my team plays the Leafs the games are wacky.

 

[Ratsreign]

The only teams in this years playoffs that would shock me if they won the Cup would be whatever team finishes 3rd in the Metro and 8th in the East. The other 14 teams are all pretty equal in my opinion.

Incoming; Flyers playing in the ECF....

 

[NVious]

The core 4 are just too soft, another mediocre year in the books, I guess they're gonna wait for Tavares to be off the books to get a D man, but honestly one of the 3 should be gone this off season.

If a good year from Marner, career year from Nylander and 70 goals from Matthews aren't good enough to be at the top of the league, the core is severely flawed, as already seen by their previous playoff failures.

 

[Suntouchable13]

When the coach says they had an "immature" performance last game, no, that doesn't scream SC contender to me.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Any goalie can get hot, including a guy like Woll.

You’re saying if they play this exact tournament 100 times, there’s not a single time the Leafs win?

It’s all opinion all around of course, but saying they “can’t contend” because of a single contract that’s produced approximately point per game with league average defence at the 2C spot is an absolutely absurd take.

They "can't contend" because too much of their salary cap is spent on stars who under-perform in the playoffs. They have too little depth, too little talent on defense, and goalies who can't shut things down in a series.

What else is your reasoning for only one appearance in the 2nd round since this core was established? Woll's 2.96 GAA is 36th league-wide, his .908 SV% is 23rd league -wide (GAA and SV% for minimum 20 games played). Aidin Hill was 12th and 13th respectively in those categories last year. Technically yeah anything can happen but counting on a sub-mid level goalie to carry you to playoff success is a fool's bet. I don't see it happening

 

[JukofYork]

Watch that horrific Defense and average goaltending.

They have got better in some areas they need though which was grit and heart but ya with that D ... oh hell no. Oh hell not even past the 1st round.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

I'm a giant Leafs fan and I'm comfortable saying there's just no way for this team.

 

[Stephen]

The Leafs seem to be trying to merge into the playoff highway at 30 km/hr this week after the big it up Edmonton game. So I would suggest no, they aren’t really a contender due to their utterly erratic behaviour.

 

[Schennanigans]

They never will be with this core.

 

[Namikaze Minato]

Is that normal?

Whenever my team plays the Leafs the games are wacky.

We were winning by 5 goals going into the third period the other day and at no point did I feel the lead was safe.


Is that what you mean by "normal"?

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Don't think Keefe has won a single coaching match up in a playoff series hes been in. Constantly making poor decision after poor decision. Maybe this time will finally be his last.

The guy is unable to make either in-game adjustments or game to game adjustments in the postseason. I feel that he's one of the factors holding this team back from winning it all.

 

[Raym11]

Tampa Bay is likely going to catch them and they’ll be a wildcard team

Honestly wouldnt even be bad for the Leafs

Avoiding Florida teams in round 1 is a blessing if possible

 

[Divine]

Tampa Bay is likely going to catch them and they’ll be a wildcard team

The Leafs going through the Metro is the ideal path - everyone knows their stats against the Atlantic are always bad.

This playoff format hurts them so it would be beneficial if they got to face the Metro.

The winner of the Atlantic nearly always wins the East - so avoiding them as much as possible is actually favourable.

Going through the Metro isn't easy, but at least it leads to some new opponents. Ideally a NYR/Toronto matchup - been a long time since they matched up.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

The Leafs going through the Metro is the ideal path - everyone knows their stats against the Atlantic are always bad.

This playoff format hurts them so it would be beneficial if they got to face the Metro.

The winner of the Atlantic nearly always wins the East - so avoiding them as much as possible is actually favourable.

Going through the Metro isn't easy, but at least it leads to some new opponents. Ideally a NYR/Toronto matchup - been a long time since they matched up.

Do not take your wishes for reality.

If they end up in Wild Card #1 (and it would take quite a slide for them to end up with Wild Card #2), they would most likely face the Bruins or the Panthers in round 1.

 

[winnipegger]

I just can't see them winning 4 7 game series. This core has had how many kicks at the can? If they match up with any of Boston, Tampa, Florida they are cooked.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Any goalie can get hot, including a guy like Woll.

You’re saying if they play this exact tournament 100 times, there’s not a single time the Leafs win?

It’s all opinion all around of course, but saying they “can’t contend” because of a single contract that’s produced approximately point per game with league average defence at the 2C spot is an absolutely absurd take.

Then you can say the same thing for all 16 teams.

 

[34]

Easy answer is No. The goaltending is awful.

 

[Divine]

Do not take your wishes for reality.

If they end up in Wild Card #1 (and it would take quite a slide for them to end up with Wild Card #2), they would most likely face the Bruins or the Panthers in round 1.

WC1 and Atlantic 2 makes no difference, the teams may be 1 point apart even if you still face the Atlantic

WC1 you have a chance of going through the Metro, Atlantic 3 you got no chance.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

WC1 and Atlantic 2 makes no difference, the teams may be 1 point apart even if you still face the Atlantic

That, in no way shape or form answers my comment.

 

[ToDavid]

You don’t call a sure thing a contender.

See you guys at the parade.

 

[Maple Leaf]

No but they will win

 

[Divine]

That, in no way shape or form answers my comment.

My point was WC1 might be ideal because it can go through the Metro.

WC1 can go through the Metro.
Atlantic 3 can not.

I don't get what part of that is confusing. There's currently a 3 point difference between the 2 teams. At the time I made the post, there was a 1 point difference.