Does this team have a shot at the cup still?

[Steveei]

They have the most skilled roster they have had in a long while. They have no excuses. Lets go out there and win.

 

[CincoHolio]

Special teams. Fix the bloody special teams and we're off to the races.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Absolutely they have all the talent in the world they just need a consistent effort

 

[Nithoniniel]

I think we lack depth. Our defense is light, an absolute joy for opposing teams to play against. We can't roll four dangerous lines as we did two years ago, relying on a top heavy lineup and inexperienced role players. We have the same feel up and down the lineup. It is going to face challenges in the second season called the playoffs, if we make it.

Like it or not, until the league is serious about calling the games to the letter, the playoffs are a tighter, more whistle free affair. Think about why Kadri was suspended last year, he retaliated for a non-call that clearly should have been a penalty and would have been called in the regular season.

You're not talking about depth here though. Depth is about relative quality down the lineup. That we have. Whether it's the kind of quality you'd like is a different topic.

Kadri got suspended because he can't control his emotions. It's solely on him. There are ways you respond for the team, and ways you don't. Kadri responded in a way that hurts the team because he couldn't handle his frustrations, even though he was asked to reign it in on the bench. That situation really has nothing to do with anything else than him.

 

[forecheck]

Soft - Thin D- This team is not built for playoff success.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Yes, this team definitely still has a shot at the cup.

 

[Funk21]

Regardless of the change in coach which was one offseason too late we are still a very flawed team.

I think Toronto and other places in Canada, especially MTL are victims of the media in that there is not patience to rebuild a team to the point where it will be a sustainable cup contender. I think we would very much a cup contender in another year if we did the following:

Sell at the TDL

• Muzzin for a first
• Barrie for a first
• Ceci for a 3rd
• Spezza for a 3rd
• AJ for a player like Bennett, Ritchie, Crouse

Hopefully this means we finish with a top 10 pick and keep our 1st which means 3x first in an exceptionally deep draft. We grab some RHD and rebuild our blue line for next year. Go after Pietro in the offseason or work out a hockey trade for a youngish RHD. Maybe add Hamonic as a target if he is not going to cost an arm and a leg.

Reilly Pietro
Dermott Liljegren
Sandin Hamonic

Add a reasonable back up, Casey DeSmith would be an ideal candidate and boom we got a True SC contender.

Look at the Oilers for all the grief they got and yes the franchise was a mess with PC at the helm. They have two blue chip prospects in Bouchard and Broberg just waiting in the wings. Next year their D looks like this

Klefbom Larsson
Nurse Bouchard
Broberg Bear
Russell

Maybe Broberg spends another year developing. That D Corp IMO is far superior to anything we have now, not only that they are 6”3+ with the exception of Bear and Russell.

 

[ottomaddox]

2 wins and 6 losses in their last 8 games.

Does this team have what it takes to make the playoffs?

 

[Mess]

Well technically any team that makes the playoffs has a shot at the Cup.

Step #1 - Make the playoffs
Step#2 - Worry about winning the Cup

The regular season used for playoff seating purposes and to iron the kinks and address team needs to prep for the playoffs, but have to remain focused only on winning the next game on the schedule.

 

[ACC1224]

Never saw them as a cup contender this season, that hasn't changed.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I don’t know about a cup this year
Cuz we need to make the playoffs I think still to be eligible ?

We're not eligible?

The entire season has been a gong show.

The Marner negotation going into camp. Matthews mooning incident. The team playing like utter crap and the 6 game losing streak. Babcock firing and all the ridiculous drama surrounding it.

I don't think it's the leafs year...

The last two games weren't bad.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

All 31 teams could still win the cup

/close thread

 

[Jeffrey Pedler]

I think we lack depth. Our defense is light, an absolute joy for opposing teams to play against. We can't roll four dangerous lines as we did two years ago, relying on a top heavy lineup and inexperienced role players. We have the same feel up and down the lineup. It is going to face challenges in the second season called the playoffs, if we make it.

Like it or not, until the league is serious about calling the games to the letter, the playoffs are a tighter, more whistle free affair. Think about why Kadri was suspended last year, he retaliated for a non-call that clearly should have been a penalty and would have been called in the regular season.

It's clear we are going for the Penguins model to win Cups rather than the Caps, Blues model. It could work if the team plays as a unit defensively and bring the Will to win. I haven't seen it on a consistent basis

In short, make the playoffs and we have a shot. I do think lack of depth is going to come back to haunt us. Let's see if Keefe motivates them to get on track.

What do you mean light cause, the Leafs defense are all over 200lbs except for Barrie, who is shy by a couple of pounds.

 

[18leafsfan18]

These threads are funny. The OG asks a simple question and many posters don't even answers it.

Yes I think this team has a shot at the cup still.

They need to go on a very good run to get into the playoffs.

 

[hotpaws]

they have the same shot they did at the start of the season

 

[Nithoniniel]

Chicago was called the softest team in the league before they won. Penguins were regarded as too soft before they won twice in a row. Washington was dismissed as mentally weak before they won. Success drives narratives.

 

[Stamkos4life]

Imo we wont for a couple of years.

No team has won a cup with a single player making over 10 million.

As we all know, we have 3.

I would be interested to see a comparison between when big contracts were handed out, and when those contracts won cups. Maybe there is no correlation. But I feel like it is a real thing.

When you go from having your 2 best players on elc's, to making 10.9+ mil each,you are going to lose depth. Add on nylander + tavares and that's a lot less money to go around.

 

[Zizzzzy]

Yes

 

[Gary Nylund]

Imo we wont for a couple of years.

No team has won a cup with a single player making over 10 million.

As we all know, we have 3.

I would be interested to see a comparison between when big contracts were handed out, and when those contracts won cups. Maybe there is no correlation. But I feel like it is a real thing.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand here's another narrative.

When you go from having your 2 best players on elc's, to making 10.9+ mil each,you are going to lose depth. Add on nylander + tavares and that's a lot less money to go around.

You don't think we have deep roster? Maybe time to take a closer look.

 

[shaner82]

Arizona is a strong defensive team with a very good cycle once they get the puck. We beat them quite easily.
Colorado is one of the cup favourites. A very good team that is extremely fast and skilled. We beat them, and although we struggled in our own end at times, if not for their goalie standing on his head, we could have easily scored 8 goals.

Considering Keefe has had virtually no time to work with the players and considering that they still have to think about how to play rather than just react instinctively, tells me that there will be even more improvement.

Once healthy, I absolutely consider this team to be good enough to compete for the cup. With a puck possession style and our ability to score goals, I feel good about this team in a 7 game series vs anyone

 

[NightTrain1]

Absolutely, and this team as a core has always been, but Babcock was the weight drowning them in a pool of mediocrity.

I think having another top4 stay at home is very important to take us all the way, but others have done with less. Keefe can give these guys both the structure and freedom to take apart other teams and make up for their mistakes with raw power. Once he has a month or more to work with this group to scrub them of the past 4 years of mismanagement on the ice they can be more confident in their abilities, and the PK and PP have a chance to skyrocket.

 

[shaner82]

Imo we wont for a couple of years.

No team has won a cup with a single player making over 10 million.

As we all know, we have 3.

I would be interested to see a comparison between when big contracts were handed out, and when those contracts won cups. Maybe there is no correlation. But I feel like it is a real thing.

When you go from having your 2 best players on elc's, to making 10.9+ mil each,you are going to lose depth. Add on nylander + tavares and that's a lot less money to go around.

We are arguably deeper this year than last year. Next year will require some creativity to stay under the cap, but we're just fine this year.

As for your $10 million statement, that's a moot point. It hasn't been that long that guys were making above $10 million. Once upon a time no team had ever won the cup with a player making above $6 million. No team has ever won with a player making $20 million, but eventually that day is going to come as the cap keeps rising.

Your sample size is way too small

 

[Dekes For Days]

No team has won a cup with a single player making over 10 million.

Such a stupid cherry-picked narrative. Cap hits go up.

All this basically means is:

Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, and Buffalo didn't win last year.
LA hasn't won in the last 3 years.
Chicago hasn't won in the last 4 years.

That's it. Completely meaningless.

When you go from having your 2 best players on elc's, to making 10.9+ mil each,you are going to lose depth.

Not sure how anybody can think we have less depth than last year. Completely detached from reality.

 

[Leafsfan74]

You're not talking about depth here though. Depth is about relative quality down the lineup. That we have. Whether it's the kind of quality you'd like is a different topic.

Kadri got suspended because he can't control his emotions. It's solely on him. There are ways you respond for the team, and ways you don't. Kadri responded in a way that hurts the team because he couldn't handle his frustrations, even though he was asked to reign it in on the bench. That situation really has nothing to do with anything else than him.

I agree Kadri did it to himself. However, here is a clip of all the big hits between Leafs and Bruins in this game.



If you can, watch the entire clip and ask how Bruins didn't get called for multiple dirty hits. I see non calls for dangerous high hits/stick work/cross checks. The hit Pastranak threw on Muzzin was a penalty but could have been a suspendable play as he launched himself into his head. Really dangerous.

Two non-calls in particular set Kadri off. Watch the knee on knee Kadri takes at 1:52 and the Marleau hit from the side, into the turn buckle at 3:36. What Kadri should have done is drop the gloves, he shouldn't have used his stick obviously. This doesn't excuse this type of reffing which encourages such dirty hits. No calls put everyones safety at risk and turn the game into a wrestling match.

I was one who agreed Kadri had to be traded, I'm not excusing his actions, I am explaining how it gets to that point though. We're all human and if you feel one team is getting away with dirty stuff against myself and my teammates, there is going to be a reaction. If refs make some calls early, the teams calm down and everyone is on notice. We have to decide, do we want good, clean hockey or thugs and fighters? If it's the former we aspire to, you absolutely need consistent, by-the-book reffing.

In terms of depth. I don't want to play coach, but here is how I see it. We need some players down in the lineup who can pin the other team in, win puck battles/dig out pucks, often a line change occurs in such situations giving a favourable match up when the opposition it trying to retrieve the puck. Hemming other teams in, "grinding it out", making it tough for them to get momentum. It has a macro effect on the game, or a series. In todays NHL no team does this better than the Bruins.

These players aren't the key to winning, but they are the unsung heroes on the 3rd or 4th line.

 

[RaFe]

Chicago was called the softest team in the league before they won. Penguins were regarded as too soft before they won twice in a row. Washington was dismissed as mentally weak before they won. Success drives narratives.

So true!

It’s all about taking advantage of core competences. Talent and not toughness brought the cup to Pittsburg and Chicago.
Don’t remember Washington being labelled as a mentally weak team but you’ve usually done your research.

I don’t mind us being a soft team if we can dominate games using our skills we have as good a chance as everyone else – just need to go hot come playoff in combination with a little bit of puck luck and we could go far.
This forum regards us as being both a soft and a mentally fragile team... could be the beginning of a dynasty