Do Leafs have the most underachieving "Elite" core of the 21st Century?

[Pyrophorus]

I voted no because I feel like a lot better teams than the Leafs have lost in the playoffs. I guess there is an argument to be made that having no 1st round wins puts them in a special bad category though, its true.

But I always felt like they had some glaring holes on D, and a bottom half of the league starting goalie. And they have never played a consistent season of hockey without their warts showing at several points.

Leafs fans will lambast you every year for doubting their greatness, and for taking their season highs with a huge grain of salt because you cant just ignore all of their low moments (which are usually plentiful - take David Ayers and his Zamboni for example. Or the blown 5-1 game to the Sens. Huge losing streaks and turmoil ect, ect). This season was as close as they got, and the end result was worse than any Leaf fans worst possible nightmare would have been, and we saw the CN Tower rocking the blue blanc and rougue...

But imo, they were never close to being the team to beat in their conference. They are what they are.

3 games is a huge losing streak?
What turmoil?

 

[Samsquanch]

3 games is a huge losing streak?
What turmoil?

You replying to this just proves my point about Leafs fans..

You guys typically spend about two weeks of the year in the real world and talk some hockey sense, then you go right back to fantasy land where denial is more powerful than truth. Rinse and repeat each year.

I already said this season was as close as the Leafs got to finishing the year without tripping over their own d**ks by the time they got to the finish line.

But if you'd rather just pretend that the Leafs have always been consistently amazing (and therefore an automatic yes in this poll) leading up to the playoffs, and that we never see their warts showing, then please be my guest friend...

 

[Volica]

You replying to this just proves my point about Leafs fans..

You guys typically spend about two weeks of the year in the real world and talk some hockey sense, then you go right back to fantasy land where denial is more powerful than truth. Rinse and repeat each year.

I already said this season was as close as the Leafs got to finishing the year without tripping over their own d**ks by the time they got to the finish line.

But if you'd rather just pretend that the Leafs have always been consistently amazing (and therefore an automatic yes in this poll) leading up to the playoffs, and that we never see their warts showing, then please be my guest friend...

To be fair, the Leafs fan cycle is pretty great over the past few years; and we are currently in the middle of one of the important parts of the cycle.

Offseason: Forget last years' playoffs, we added X... We're easily the best team in Canada.
Start of the season: Win streak, this is the year it comes together, Leafs are winning it all!
A few loses in a row: Same old God Damn story with this team! Trade Nylander!
Back to winning: Auston Matthews might be better than Connor McDavid; he's a better scorer than Ovi I think.
Playoffs start: Leafs in 6 this time. Bruins got us last time, but we're better than last year.
Playoffs end in the first round: Same old God Damn story with this team! Trade Nylander!

Offseaon: Forget last years' playoffs, we added X... We're easily the best team in Canada. I think this might be a historically good power play.
Start of the season: Win streak, this is the year it comes together, Leafs are winning it all!
A few loses in a row: Same old God Damn story with this team! Trade Nylander!
Back to winning: Auston Matthews is pretty much either right behind or right with Connor McDavid, he's miles better than guys like MacKinnon.
Playoffs start: Leafs in 3, Columbus is lucky to be here.
Playoffs end in the first round: Same old God Damn story with this team! Trade Nylander!

Offseason: Forget last years' playoffs, we added X... We're easily the best team in Canada; easy birth to the final 4 this year.
Start of the season: Win streak, this is the year it comes together, Leafs are winning it all!
Lack of a few loses in a row: My God, this team is a new level.
Winning a lot: Auston Matthews is a Golden God.
Playoffs start: Leafs in 4, class of the North.
Playoffs end in the first round: Same old God Damn story with this team! Trade.. Marner?

Offseason: Forget last years' playoffs.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

To be fair, the Leafs fan cycle is pretty great over the past few years; and we are currently in the middle of one of the important parts of the cycle.

Offseason: Forget last years' playoffs, we added X... We're easily the best team in Canada.
Start of the season: Win streak, this is the year it comes together, Leafs are winning it all!
A few loses in a row: Same old God Damn story with this team! Trade Nylander!
Back to winning: Auston Matthews might be better than Connor McDavid; he's a better scorer than Ovi I think.
Playoffs start: Leafs in 6 this time. Bruins got us last time, but we're better than last year.
Playoffs end in the first round: Same old God Damn story with this team! Trade Nylander!

Offseaon: Forget last years' playoffs, we added X... We're easily the best team in Canada. I think this might be a historically good power play.
Start of the season: Win streak, this is the year it comes together, Leafs are winning it all!
A few loses in a row: Same old God Damn story with this team! Trade Nylander!
Back to winning: Auston Matthews is pretty much either right behind or right with Connor McDavid, he's miles better than guys like MacKinnon.
Playoffs start: Leafs in 3, Columbus is lucky to be here.
Playoffs end in the first round: Same old God Damn story with this team! Trade Nylander!

Offseason: Forget last years' playoffs, we added X... We're easily the best team in Canada; easy birth to the final 4 this year.
Start of the season: Win streak, this is the year it comes together, Leafs are winning it all!
Lack of a few loses in a row: My God, this team is a new level.
Winning a lot: Auston Matthews is a Golden God.
Playoffs start: Leafs in 4, class of the North.
Playoffs end in the first round: Same old God Damn story with this team! Trade.. Marner?

Offseason: Forget last years' playoffs.

Marner does seem to be the new scapegoat because they can't blame Freddy Andersen this time.

 

[Pyrophorus]

You replying to this just proves my point about Leafs fans..

You guys typically spend about two weeks of the year in the real world and talk some hockey sense, then you go right back to fantasy land where denial is more powerful than truth. Rinse and repeat each year.

I already said this season was as close as the Leafs got to finishing the year without tripping over their own d**ks by the time they got to the finish line.

But if you'd rather just pretend that the Leafs have always been consistently amazing (and therefore an automatic yes in this poll) leading up to the playoffs, and that we never see their warts showing, then please be my guest friend...

...or since I never said that, you could just be honest.

 

[Fatass]

Are they an elite core if they’ve never won even one series?

 

[Pyrophorus]

Are they an elite core if they’ve never won even one series?

Is Marcel Dionne Elite?
Is Jack Eichel elite?

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Their best player is 23.

I think Crosby's early success really set up some unrealistic expectations for up-and-coming young stars.

 

[Fatass]

Is Marcel Dionne Elite?
Is Jack Eichel elite?

Those are individual players. Tavares, Matthews, Marner, and Reilly are a core group.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Not yet.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Forget it I don’t care.

 

[Samsquanch]

...or since I never said that, you could just be honest.

Lmfao.

Well your entire takeaway from my post was "what losing streaks and turmoil??"

. Oh boy.

So I guess it was that which led me to believe your wearing some rose colored glasses. As is tradition for Leafs fans come June each year.